Years ago it was neat to shoot films with lots of airplanes in them — mostly civilian ones. Presently it can’t fail to present our marine forces. RKO Radio Pictures know that of course, and so we all admire Follow the Fleet these days. We always knew, Ginger Rogers looks swell in sort of look maritime, but (who would’ve guessed it?) Fred Astaire too.
Luckily Ginger Rogers got quite a few numbers that will make her unforgettable once more. Let Yourself Go is another Irving Berlin hit. This goes for her singing, as for the following dancing scene with Astaire as well. She sounds marvelously — fresh and sassy as ever. And what a beguiling idea to add a girl trio, as background, in the second stanza. Her next great moment: Ginger’s first tap specialty number in a Fred & Ginger movie. It was about time for a Ginger solo, to break with Astaire’s old monopoly.
Follow the Fleet’s first scenes are very refreshing — this is really well made. But in the middle it’s getting a little sad. Ginger Rogers starts fresh as ever, but then something seems to be eating her. Well, I’ve heard, director Sandrich was bossing her, and his reason is utterly ridiculous: There had been a little argument, because of Ginger’s (meanwhile famous!) feather dress, during the shooting of Top Hat. Astaire and Sandrich didn’t like it and wanted her to wear a dress, she already had worn in The Gay Divorcée. In the meantime Astaire has changed his mind, as forgiven Ginger — but Sandrich’s volcano of hurt vanity seems to be smoking still. In Follow the Fleet’s another Berlin song, I’m Putting All My Eggs in One Basket, the camera shows her backside almost all the time. Ginger really doesn’t look too happily in this actually joyful number, as her singing doesn’t sound as good as usually. Fred isn’t relaxed as well, and so his old vocal mistake appears again: He is forcing his chin and therefore sounds once more like a frog. Besides the orchestral accompaniment is a disturbance — it would completely irritate me, if I had to sing over such jumpy background of strings. Sandrich should have prevented this, and made the musical arranger change this part.
I couldn’t get used to Harriet Hilliard’s tearful songs. This stuff is way too mushy — as her mighty shallow love story with Randolph Scott. I actually love her singing. The lyrics of Berlin’s But Where Are You? and Get Thee Behind Me Satan most certainly weren’t her idea (under all ridiculous clichés, Berlin didn’t even spare out Satan!). Well, Hilliard is playing the naïve part, so all naïves in the world can identify with her….
Of course we weren’t supposed to miss this: Fred Astaire violently massaging the deck of a U.S. Marine destroyer. The same old proceeding. A few instrumental bars, let him sing some more, and then: Timber free for Fred’s fascinating tap technique! Of course we’re overly convinced again.
The final ‘show in the show’ is different: A mixture of pantomime, Astaire’s singing, and the Astaire-Rogers dancing duo. Its mood is completely earnest, so this part really looks like a stranger in the whole musical film. But if you see it as extra show, it’s great — melancholy in a quite aesthetic way. After the heartfelt, beautiful ‘show in the show’, sort of ‘happy’ ending follows in a rush — dashing in, like thunder and lighting. Then close-up on little monkey, fade-out…. and I was rubbing my eyes. Is this the end? What happened anyway? Will Fred finally marry Ginger or not?
I couldn’t follow. Can anybody help me?!
Clarissa Smith — February 20, 1936
