The Gay Divorcee (1934)

My Review

Ginger Rogers plays an American traveling to England to get a divorce, meets and falls in love with Fred Astaire, followed by lavish song-and-dance numbers in “The Gay Divorcee.” Director Mark Sandrich (“Melody Cruise” 1933) made sure this film was a top-rate vehicle for the talents of Astaire and Rogers, the second of ten motion pictures they appeared in together.

“Night and Day” (Cole Porter) and “The Continental” (lyrics: Herb Magidson, music: Con Conrad) were just two of the songs used for this picture, considered one of Astaire and Rogers’ best. The script was penned by George Marion Jr., Dorothy Yost, Edward Kaufman. The very watchable black-and-white “The Gay Divorcee” was a big hit at the Depression Era box office for producer Pandro S. Berman and RKO Radio Pictures.

Co-stars include Edward Everett Horton, Betty Grable, Alice Brady, Erik Rhodes, Eric Blore, William Austin, Charles Coleman, and Lillian Miles. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one for Best Song (“The Continental”). The non-winners were Best Picture, Best Art Direction, Best Sound Recording, and Best Musical Scoring (Max Steiner). It was filmed in Clear Lake, Santa Barbara, and Santa Monica, California.