If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The acting in this movie is really good.

I can see how fans of the previous Astaire - Rogers musicals would have been disappointed with this movie. It's really barely a musical - virtually no new musical numbers - and there isn't that much dancing in it. Most of what there is isn't of the sweepingly romantic style that the couple had done so well in their previous movies. This is more of a drama with an occasional dance step and, frankly, not a particularly interesting one, as the Castles, at least as presented here, didn't have any interesting problems in their lives.What I did find interesting was the end, the part devoted to World War I. If you put it in the context of its era - the movie was released in 1939, as war loomed up once again over Europe - the last part can be seen as part of the interventionist propaganda that Hollywood produced from 1939 until Pearl Harbor, and which included such much better pictures as Casablanca, some of Erol Flynn's movies, and even Mrs. Miniver. The joy of the French when America enters the war "because now it will come to a quick end" was certainly meant to suggest that if America only intervened in any new European conflict, it too would end quickly. (That's not how it worked out, but who could have known that in 1939?) There isn't a single memorable number in this movie, either in terms of the music or the dancing. And the story just isn't that interesting. Astaire - Rogers fans could skip this one, as could others, and feel that they have missed very little.

The partnership between Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers was, by and large, a great success for RKO, with six of their nine collaborations proving big money-makers {the tenth, 'The Barkleys of Broadway (1949),' was made at MGM}. However, though the pair always got along terrific, there was an underlying friction about their teaming. Fred, having only recently lived down a vaudeville partnership with sister Adele, was anxious to strike out solo for once, though his first attempt –'Damsel in Distress (1937),' opposite Joan Fontaine – didn't quite live up to expectations. Ginger, likewise, was eager to move into dramatic roles, an opportunity not viable while her partnership with Astaire was in full swing. 'The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939)' effectively provided this opportunity, or, at least, it was the closest that an Astaire-Rogers musical was ever going to get to being a serious drama. What starts out as an easy-going musical romance biopic soon becomes a touching and teary war melodrama, and both stars rise excellently to the occasion.The pair's previous film 'Carefree (1938)' had been mildly successful at the box-office, but ultimately lost money due to increased production costs. The decision was made to take their partnership in a new direction, and what better subject matter than a biopic of Vernon and Irene Castle. The Castles were a husband-and-wife team of ballroom dancers, often credited with kick-starting the popularity of modern dance. They were, if you will, the Fred and Ginger of the 1910s. The story begins with Vernon, a second-tier stage comedian, who falls for the Irene, a clumsy would-be dancer whose style can only be described as "ham." Following their marriage, the pair travels to Paris, and, penniless, tries to survive on their unwanted dance skills. Needless to say, good luck eventually finds them, and the Castles become the premiere ballroom team in Europe and America, literally dancing across a map of the United States. Then World War One rears its ugly head, and their lives will never be the same again.The film's musical numbers are dominated by the ballroom dances that made the Castles such household names – including the fox-trot and tango – and so Fred and Ginger must eschew their favoured tap dances. Irene Castle (1893-1969) served as a technical consultant on the film, but there are nevertheless numerous factual inconsistencies with which she had issues. For one, Rogers refused to die her hair brown for the role – this is one trademark from which she was unwilling to part. Additionally, as entertaining as Walter Brennan is as servant Walter, the real Walter was actually African-American, as was the duo's personal orchestra. Their agent Maggie Sutton (Edna May Oliver) was also openly gay in real life, something very unusual for her time. Of course, for RKO, Fred and Ginger were too valuable assets to be potentially jeopardised by such forward-thinking details. In any case, Astaire subsequently left the studio to pursue other ambitions, but Rogers stayed on, becoming a prized actress in her own right and snagging an Oscar the following year.

This today seems to be Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers least known film together as a team. That's a real shame, as this film is lovely, very watchable and great showcase for their fancy footwork. Who better to portray famed ballroom dancers of the 1910's Vernon and Irene Castle than the most brilliant dancing team of 1930's, and possibly all time? RKO certainly knew what they were doing. Maybe the real life of the Castles was not as wholesome as seen here, but I especially enjoyed this film because Ginger and Fred are married virtually the whole way through. No funny, but silly, mistaken identity plots, no Fred chasing Ginger-- while Top Hat and Swing Time are immeasurably better films, it's nice to see a change in plot and style with this one. It's also the most downbeat of all their musicals, as the Castle's real-life story ended in tragedy. But, oh we have the dancing!

Despite participation of the then still living Irene Castle on the costumes and the script (and acting as Technical Adviser), this is a typically Hollywoodized version of the lives of the famous dancing couple who started the craze for ballroom dancing, including the Fox Trot, the Tango, the Castle Walk.Even having pros like EDNA MAY OLIVER and WALTER BRENNAN in the supporting cast, can't conceal the fact that the screenplay is a trite affair, however accurate some of the incidents may be.Fans of FRED ASTAIRE and GINGER ROGERS are hardly likely to count this among the dancing couple's best films. Beginning with the dreadful "Yama Yama" number Ginger does in clown suit and make-up, none of the subsequent musical numbers have any of the style and class associated with Astaire and Rogers when they're being themselves.They both give it the old try, but Ginger has been seen to better advantage in any number of other musical comedy roles, as has Fred. Some of the familiar old-time songs ("You Great Big Beautiful Doll") and others are sprinkled throughout to give the story the needed period atmosphere, but even that period glow seems ineffective.Summing up: A misfire as both a biography of the Castles and an old-fashioned song and dance show. Something went very wrong.