Top Hat

"They're Dancing Cheek-To-Cheek Again!"

1935 1h 39m EN

👍

7.2

SOLID

★7.2TMDB · 348

MusicComedyRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Showman Jerry Travers is working for producer Horace Hardwick in London. Jerry demonstrates his new dance steps late one night in Horace's hotel room, much to the annoyance of sleeping Dale Tremont below. She goes upstairs to complain and the two are immediately attracted to each other. Complications arise when Dale mistakes Jerry for Horace.

“They're Dancing Cheek-To-Cheek Again!”

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Cast

Fred Astaire
Jerry Travers
Ginger Rogers
Dale Tremont
Edward Everett Horton
Horace Hardwick
Erik Rhodes
Alberto Beddini
Eric Blore
Bates
Helen Broderick
Madge Hardwick
Lucille Ball
Flower Shop Clerk (uncredited)
Gino Corrado
Venice Hotel Manager (uncredited)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Mark Sandrich
Writers: Allan Scott, Dwight Taylor, Dwight Taylor
Languages: English, Italian
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $0.6M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 5.3× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

91 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Italian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Mark Sandrich, shot by David Abel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Irving Berlin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor William Hamilton shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and Edward Everett Horton carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Mark Sandrich directs. David Abel behind the camera. Irving Berlin scores. William Hamilton cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $0.6M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Made its money back 5.3× over at the box office.
391 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
4Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Italian.
5Directed by Mark Sandrich, shot by David Abel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Irving Berlin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor William Hamilton shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and Edward Everett Horton carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "They're Dancing Cheek-To-Cheek Again!".
10IMDB entry: tt0027125 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 16 themes, including "dancing", "dance", "london, england", "venice, italy".

The technical file

Cinematography: David Abel
Original score: Irving Berlin
Editing: William Hamilton
Costume design: Bernard Newman
Runtime: 99 min · 1h 39m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $609,000
Box office: $3,202,000
Return: 526% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Top Hat (1935)

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Mark Sandrich

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-06-19
★ 7/10
My late Mum used to have an LP by British artist Peter Skellern, melodiously singing some of the magnificent songs from the Astaire/Rogers musicals - and it has stayed with me ever since. This is probably my favourite - the dancing is delicate and stylish; the chemistry between Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers is electric; and although the plot itself leaves a great deal to be desired; it's not about the story - it's about the people and Irving Berlin's wonderful suite of songs - "Isn't it a lovely day?"; "Top hat, White Tie & Tails"; "Cheek to Cheek". To be critical, for a moment, neither are really very good actors, or singers - but when pitched together they more than compensate with a generous dose of elegant chic! Eric Blore is also rather good as the really supercilious "Bates" - the kind of butler everyone ought to have, but nobody would actually want!

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