Shall We Dance (1937). Is the seventh of the ten Astaire-Rogers musical comedy films. The idea for this film began in the studio's desire to showcase the successful film created by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart with their 1936 Broadway hit On Your Toes, which featured an American dancer getting involved with a touring Russian ballet company and which featured the famous "Slaughter On Tenth Avenue" ballet created by the Russian choreographer George Balanchine.
The story begins when Pete P. Peters, develops a crush on a ballet dancer Linda Keene, who is living in Paris and promises to his friend Jeffrey Baird, that he will marry her some day. When Pete arrives at Linda's apartment, he overhears her talking to her producer, Arthur Miller, that she wants out of show business.
With a Russian accent, Pete introduces himself as Petrov, a ballet star and pretends to be unimpressed by Linda. Then, to be near her Pete tricks Jeffrey into getting tickets for him on the same New York boat that Linda is sailing on the next day.
While sailing to New York, Pete takes her little dog on his walks and wins her over. However, rumors are started about Pete's "secret marriage" which begin to spread around the boat. Linda's attentions to Pete lead to everyone believing that she is Pete's wife.
When Linda hears from Jeffrey that Pete used her to avoid a past girl friend, she grabs the next mail airplane to New York. After Linda assures her fiancee, Jim Montgomery, that she is still single, Arthur throws a party for the couple. During the party, Arthur tricks her into performing a spur of the moment dance with Pete, then comes up with a plan to have a sleeping Pete photographed with a mannequin of Linda. The photo ends up on the front page of the newspaper, which is now to believed proof of Pete and Linda's marriage. Now, they actually have to get married to keep the story going. Of course you have to watch to see what happens next..There's a special place in my heart for the films of Astaire and Rogers. There is always charm, humor and wonderful music.
Soundtracks:
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"Slap That Bass"
(1937)
Words by Ira Gershwin
Music by George Gershwin
Sung and danced by Fred Astaire and Ensemble in engine room
Sung also by Dudley Dickerson
"Let's Call The Whole Thing Off"
(1937)
Words by Ira Gershwin
Music by George Gershwin
Played during the opening credits and often in the score
Sung and danced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers on roller skates
"They Can't Take That Away from Me"
(1937)
Words by Ira Gershwin
Music by George Gershwin
Played during the opening credits and often in the score
Sung by Fred Astaire
"Shall We Dance"
(1937)
Words by Ira Gershwin
Music by George Gershwin
Danced by Fred Astaire and Harriet Hoctor in the ballet sequence opening this number
Sung by Fred Astaire
Danced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the closing sequence
"They All Laughed"
(1937)
Words by Ira Gershwin
Music by George Gershwin
Sung by Ginger Rogers
Danced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
Sung a cappella also by Jerome Cowan and Sam Wren
"Beginner's Luck"
(1937)
Words by Ira Gershwin
Music by George Gershwin
Sung by Fred Astaire
"Walking the Dog - Promenade"
(1937)
Music by George Gershwin
Played during the dog-walking sequence
"Rhapsody in Blue"
(1924) (uncredited)
Music by George Gershwin
In the score when Gershwin's name is displayed during the opening credits
"For He's a Jolly Good Fellow"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Sung a cappella on shipboard by people in a bar
"The Sidewalks of New York"
(1894) (uncredited)
Music by Charles Lawlor and James W. Blake
In the score when New York City is shown
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