The Story of Vernon & Irene Castle

Released Mar 29, 1939

1h 33m

Biography

List

75%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

66%

Audience Score

1,000+ Ratings

Aspiring dancer Irene (Ginger Rogers) convinces vaudevillian Vernon Castle (Fred Astaire) to give up his comic act for something more serious: ballroom dancing. Together, they work on perfecting their dance routine and take the act to Paris. It's a rocky road at first, but, after a knockout appearance at the Café de Paris, the duo become a sensation. With their fame steadily rising, the Castles seem on top of the world. But the outbreak of World War I threatens everything.

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SMH Staff

Sydney Morning Herald

[Despite] a lack of anything very virile, the film, the film has definite beauty... Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are technically excellent.

Aug 28, 2020

Full Review

Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

If joy and liberation exudes from the best Astaire-Rogers films, this is defined by restriction.

Rated: 1.5/4

Nov 3, 2016

Full Review

Graham Greene

The Spectator

Perhaps the best the marvelous couple have made since Gay Divorce.

Dec 7, 2011

Full Review

Gabe Leibowitz

Film and Felt

It's not exactly a stretch for Astaire and Rogers, but they do the old rags-to-riches angle seamlessly, and the finale is surprisingly touching.

Rated: 68/100

Oct 13, 2011

Full Review

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Lesser Astaire-Rogers vehicle, but pleasant.

Rated: 4/5

May 24, 2006

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 4/5

Oct 18, 2005

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Steve D

As thin as most of their films together.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

05/20/23

Full Review

ashley h

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle is a decent film. It is about a married couple, Irene and Vernon Castle, who are sensational ballroom dancers prior to World War I. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers give good performances. The screenplay is a little slow in places. H. C. Potter did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the drama and music.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

the last RKO Fred & Ginger pix is a bio-pic

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A sad Fred & Ginger movie. :-(

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This film has a surprisingly lavish production and the most engaging, as well as time enduring story of the Astaire/Rogers pairings that I've seen so far.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Astaire & Rogers' final RKO film together is a conventional musical biography with plenty of dancing.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

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H. C. Potter

Director

Fred Astaire

Vernon Castle

Ginger Rogers

Irene Castle

Edna May Oliver

Maggie Sutton

Walter Brennan

Walter Ash

Etienne Girardot

Papa Aubel

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Synopsis

Aspiring dancer Irene (Ginger Rogers) convinces vaudevillian Vernon Castle (Fred Astaire) to give up his comic act for something more serious: ballroom dancing. Together, they work on perfecting their dance routine and take the act to Paris. It's a rocky road at first, but, after a knockout appearance at the Café de Paris, the duo become a sensation. With their fame steadily rising, the Castles seem on top of the world. But the outbreak of World War I threatens everything.

Director: H. C. Potter
Producer: George Haight, Pandro S. Berman
Production Co: RKO Pictures
Genre: Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 29, 1939, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 21, 2016
Runtime: 1h 33m

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