Shall We Dance, 1937

Director: Mark Sandrich

Choreographer: Hermes Pan

Stars: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore,

Pete Peters (Astaire), otherwise known as the great "Petrov", in the ballet world, lays eyes on dancer Linda Keene (Rogers), and falls in love. He hops aboard her ship to America, and trouble begins when rumors fly that the great Petrov has married the dancer Linda Keene. Now, Linda can't stand him.

When they reach New York, they are booked into the same hotel, quite accidentally, and they eventually figure that the best way to avoid scandal is to actually get married. This way, they can get a divorce right away and go their separate ways.

This one includes "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" (and a dance on roller skates to go with it!), and "They All Laughed". This is my favorite of all the Fred and Ginger films. It's such a sweet story!

Swing Time, 1936

Director: George Stevens

Dance Director: Hermes Pan

Stars: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Victor Moore, Helen Broderick, Eric Blore

Gambler and dancer Lucky (Astaire) heads to New York so he can somehow scrounge up $25,000 to marry Margaret. But he accidentally meets dance teacher, Penny (Rogers), and falls for her instead. But Penny is annoyed with everything about him.

One common theme with Fred and Ginger and their movies is Ginger's impatience with Fred. Of course, we all know this means she's crazy about him. But it always takes her a bit of time to figure that one out.

I'll Be Seeing You, 1944

Director: William Dieterle

Stars: Ginger Rogers, Joseph Cotten, Shirley Temple

Mary Marshall (Rogers) is given special leave from a women's prison to visit her relatives for the holidays, and on the train she meets Zach Morgan (Cotten), a troubled soldier on leave from a vet hospital. They hit it off, and Zach ends up spending Christmas with the Marshalls. As he and Mary spend more time together, they both struggle with their own secrets. She can't tell him she's on leave from prison, and he doesn't think she could handle his troubles of PTSD.

This is one of those holiday war movies. I liked it. Next Christmas, I will have to add it to my Christmas movie list. Along with Since You Went Away, which also stars Cotten and Temple. I'm seeing a pattern here!

I always like to see stars in movies where they are doing something different than what they usually do in movies. And that is a very long way of saying this isn't a musical, and Ginger Rogers doesn't dance! Well, actually there is a dance scene, but it's only because they're at a party, and there's no focus on Ginger. I like that- way to go, Ginger, expanding your horizons!

Not that I don't love to see Ginger dancing! I love Fred and Ginger! I need to get Shall We Dance soon!