Customer Reviews
Astaire, Powell and Begin the Beguine! - By: C. O. DeRiemer, 08 Aug 2007 
There's little reason to see this Fred Astaire-Eleanor Powell movie except for the dance numbers--and they provide the best reasonsin the world. The plot involves a song-and-dance team (Astaire & George Murphy), a Broadway show with a big star (Eleanor Powell), mistaken identity, true friendship & boy gets girl.
Most of the dance numbers, however, are extraordinary, with songs by Cole Porter. Powell sings & taps out "I Am the Captain"in a major production number featuring big sets & lots of chorus boys. She shows why she was a great tap dancer & a major musical star who could carry a movie by herself. Astaire & Murphy do "Please Don't Monkey With Broadway," a fine example of a song-and-dance tap act that involves intricate patterns, humor, even a mock duel. "I Concentrate on You" is a great Porter standard written for the movie. "I've Got My Eyes on You" is a first-rate light romantic ballad that is a solid Astaire solo number. He was a good piano player & shows it with this number. He's backstage & dances with a photograph of Powell over & around props & furniture, & at one point uses a small ball which he seems to have mesmerized to do his bidding. He was always great using objects, & he was great because he rehearsed endlessly. He's got that ball's number. The showstopper, of course, is "Begin the Beguine." It's a big production number that starts with Astaire & Powellin costume, then moves to singers, then moves back to Astaire & Powell. This is the portion that gets the raves. She'sin a white dress, he'sin a white tux. They're tap dancing on a mirror-finish black floor. Off camera Artie Shaw & his orchestra continues with the song. They start tapping together, move to a challenge tap, then come back togetherin an extraordinary tap routine that involves them circling each other, throwing up their armsin counterpoint to their tapping & to each other. This part is excerptedin That's Entertainment. Sinatra introduces the excerpt by saying that you won't see anything like it again. I don't think anyone would disagree.
Fans of Astaire might consider getting a copy of Arlene Croce's The Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers Book. Croce was the dance critic for the New Yorker. She goes through each of the Astaire-Rogers movies explaining the background, how the dance numbers were developed & analysing why Astaire was as great as he was. It's an interesting book.
A benchmark in dancing choreography. - By: R. Gilbert, 26 Jul 2007 
This has to be one of the best dance films ever made. Eleanor Powell may not have had the looks of Ginger but judged on this film her footwork was better. Maybe it owes something to the dazzling choreography throughout. I doubt that Fred ever danced better. His male co-star George Murphy is also excellentin a good, though typically uncomplicated storyline. It seems harsh to knock this film but it does have a flawin that with one notable exception, the songs are not especially memorable. The exception of course is 'Begin the Beguine'. Even so, I still give it 5 stars, its a classic!
Magic - By: H. MCDOUGALL, 30 Aug 2006 Two great dance piecesin this wonderful film.First -I concentrate on you-surely one of Cole Porter's finest songs, & the unforgettable Begin the Beguine.Although Ginger & Fred were magnificent partners what a shame that Fred did not make more films with Eleanor.Still be thankful for this truly wonderful film-and the superb Eleanor Powell.
The best of the best! - By: Jason Double, 27 Apr 2006 If you like hollywood musicals then you will bein for treat! As with most musicals the plot is a little thin, however it has an engaging simplicity that sets it appart from most. In the film Fred Astaire & Eleanor Powell have a fantastic dance routine to Cole Porter's 'begin the beguine' which it has to be said is one of the most amazing tap dance routines of all time! If you watch it for nothing else you must see this!
The film also has a good supporting cast with George Murphy & a brilliant part for Frank Morgan (you will probably recognise him from the Wizard of Oz).
If you like a happy go lucky musical with great performances this is worth the buy!
