Director: Charles Walters
This is an entertaining technicolor musical. It contains several very fun numbers that take full advantage of the talents of its stars. Astaire's dancing is always fantastic, and Garland's singing equally so.
The plot was also interesting, as it kept me guessing until near the end as to who would end up with whom. Part of this stems from a lack of chemistry between Garland and Astaire, but there was also some interesting commentary on the nature of feminine attraction and empowerment. This is typified in the two women to whom Astaire's character is drawn. In their climactic and competing headliner acts, they express their talent very differently. Garland dances dressed as a man alongside Astaire and uses her powerful voice and comedic ability to bring the house down (in "A Couple of Swells"), while the character played by Ann Miller depends on her looks and sensuality in an act about cover girls (in "The Girl on the Magazine Cover").
All in all, a decent musical. Not the best for either actor, or for Irving Berlin, but it was a bright, light hearted way way to spend a couple of hours.
