Carefree

US (1938): Musical/Dance

Mark Sandrich directs this comic RKO Astaire-Rogers pairing that's more madcap than most. When stuffed-shirt Ralph Bellamy (and who can play that part better?) sends his dizzy radio-singer fiancée (Ginger Rogers) to a shrink to find out why she won't settle down, the dancing analyst (Astaire) opens her to the possibility of love and then sees his happiness heading down the aisle with the wrong man. The Irving Berlin tunes include "Change Partners and Dance With Me," "Since They Turned 'Loch Lomond' into Swing," "I Used to Be Color Blind" and "The Yam." With Luella Gear, Jack Carson, Hattie McDaniel and Franklin Pangborn.

Due to budgetary constraints, the film was shot in black and white rather than the intended Technicolor. In fact, financial problems at RKO made this Fred and Ginger's last film at that studio. (amctv.com)

 View a clip of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers performing the Oscar^®-nominated "Change Partners and Dance with Me" in this film on YouTube.com.

3 nominations