Second Chorus

Rating:
Summary: Skip this movie.
Review: Bad. The songs are only okay, and the dances are pretty bad for Fred Astaire. Astaire later said it was the worst movie he ever made. I agree with him 100 percent.

Rating:
Summary: Success is entertainment
Review: Fred Astaire is at his best again. It is only the story of successful ambition, a success based on nothing but hard work and willpower. This film is made very attractive by the side-kick of a brother Fred Astaire has in the film, and all the funny situations the couple creates and gets entangled in. The fight for success is transformed into some kind of adventure full of fun and pleasurable moments.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

Rating:
Summary: Simply sad
Review: I usually love Fred Astaire movies eventough they are lacking the the plot area, but this one is the worst. The only memorable song is "Would You Like to be the Love of My Life", the dancing isn't anything to rave about (infact there isn't much), and the quality of the picture itself is poor. When the movie ends you sit there thinking "what was that?" IF you want to see a Fred Astaire film see Top Hat or Easter Parade, but not this, it is depressingly bad.

Rating:
Summary: second chorus
Review: If you're looking for a classic Astaire and Rogers movie this is not it. But there is something here worth hearing and seeing.

This is one of those swing era films that can be of real interest to someone who loves the music and musicians of that time. In this movie Astaire and Burgess Meredith are dueling trumpet players. The sound track has the trumpet playing of Billy Butterfield and Bobby Hackett. Also there is the best band of the era, Artie Shaw.

This can be a very rewarding film, if you look and listen for what it really has to offer.

Rating:
Summary: second chorus
Review: If you're looking for a classic Astaire and Rogers movie this is not it. But there is something here worth hearing and seeing.

This is one of those swing era films that can be of real interest to someone who loves the music and musicians of that time. In this movie Astaire and Burgess Meredith are dueling trumpet players. The sound track has the trumpet playing of Billy Butterfield and Bobby Hackett. Also there is the best band of the era, Artie Shaw.

This can be a very rewarding film, if you look and listen for what it really has to offer.

Rating:
Summary: Not as bad as they say.
Review: This fim is not one of Fred Astaire's best. If anything, it is maybe one of his worst, but still, not as bad as most people make it out to be all the time. It has a stupid story, VERY stupid story, which obviously hadnt had much thought gone into it. It has very little dancing, I think 3 dances in all (when watching a Fred Astaire movie, you want as much dancing as possible, right?). They are nothing special either. The acting in the movie could be a lot better too. It does have a number of amusing moments though, maybe thanks to Burgess Meredith. Full of double-crossing scenes, fighting over the same girl, of which happens to be Paulette Goddard. I think the highlight of the movie though, is that it includes Artie Shaw and his orchestra, which does help out a bit, when there is not enough dancing by Astaire. Even though far from the best, it is still an enjoyable movie.

The following part of this review only really concerns to DVD buyers.

The film has been released on a number of budget DVD releases, where you get an unrestored print of the film, looking horrible. I would like to review a Region 2 release of the movie from Laureate/Sanctuary DVD which is the best one to date out there.

I guess the best thing about this DVD though, is the very good looking print that has been used for the film. Also, the audio commentary which it includes, with Ava Astaire MacKenzie and Ken Barnes, is most enjoyable to listen to. If you are going for this film on DVD, then this one, from Laureate, is the one to get. Avoid those horrible budget DVDs, with horrible prints.

Recommended if you happen to enjoy this movie, even slightly. The commentary is worth getting the DVD for alone, I guess.

Rating:
Summary: Not Bad, but defineatly not his best
Review: This movie was an interesting one. I've always liked Fred Astaire in anything he did, but this one was not so good. Paulette Goddard co-stars as a business manager for Artie Shaw (Artie Shaw is in most of the movie)and Fred is trying to get to play his trumpet in with Artie's band or he just wants to play anywhere. Burgess Meredith, who I also like plays Fred's room mate, and he too is trying to play and be discovered by somebody important. Even though this movie has some great stars, and even though this movie has some very funny scenes the whole movie is pretty bad in general.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best!
Review: This was the second Fred Astaire movie I ever saw, and I thought that it was very good. The plot is extremly humorus. Fred Astaire is brilliant, as usual, and delivers several award winning numbers including "I'll Dig It" (with Paulette Goddard) and "Poor Mister Chisholm". A must see.