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brilliant actors, brilliant editing

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

As I started to watch this movie, I just thought I was rounding out my Ginger Rogers Fred Astaire movie viewing. However, they only seemed to only a small part of this movie. The movie had a little of their dancing, a little of Irene Dunne's singing: 'A Russian Lullaby' 'Yesterdays' and 'Smoke Gets in your Eyes,' Then, there was Fred Astaire singing a couple of Jerome Kern songs: 'I Won't Dance' and 'Lovely to Look At.'Then, there was a couple of fashion shows (the story takes place in Paris). Finally there were a couple of so-so-who-cares love stories and a very weak plot. The movie seemed to have a little of everything and not enough of anything in particular. That is, the story just didn't hold together because there were just too many unnecessary (or improbable) elements to it. For example: ----Why did Ginger Rogers sometimes feign a Polish accent (badly) and other times, not?----What was the purpose of the Russian element to the story? ----What does it add to the story that Irene Dunne (who spoke perfect 'American') was a Russian princess? ----Why did a football player, John Kent (Randolph Scott) tag along with a jazz band—from Indiana?---How did this penniless jazz band get the money to go from Indiana to Paris—DURING THE DEPRESSION?For me, the only reason for having the story was to transport all of these Americans to Paris was for the fashion shows.

. . . to get to the first of ROBERTA's "big three" songs? Apparently, producer Pandro S. Berman was writing off the possibility of male viewers, what with his demeaning selection of cowboy hero Randolph Scott as a wishy-washy serial hen-pecking victim confined to his aunt's dress shop. With the endless Jibber-jabbering about the cut of gowns and other get-ups, relieved only by rather pointless tap-dancing sessions on the part of Scott's sidekick, played by Fred Astaire, there's not much here for those of the male persuasion. The only fashion parade my guys have liked, besides Victoria's Secret TV specials, is the one at the end of director Robert Altman's PRET-A-PORTER in 1994, where the chicks modeled their birthday suits. ROBERTA, with its countless gowned Perp-walks from the 1930s, will bore any straight man to death!

I am a great fan of Irene Dunne, and Astaire & Rogers, but even so I can't help but think that the three star rating this movie gets on AllRovi is nothing short of inept.The cast are all terrific, and wonderful songs by Jerome Kern, beautiful dancing from Astaire & Rogers, and stylish sets and clothes combine to make this gem great fun from beginning to end. The three big dance numbers from Astaire & Rogers deserve all the usual superlatives, but just as delightful were two singing numbers from Ms. Dunne, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and "Lovely to Look At". (The latter winning the Oscar for Best Original Song, by the way.)For me, the 106 minutes flew by. Highly recommended.

My take on this movie: Helen Westley great. Randolph Scott a tall hunka sweetness. Ginger Rogers has nice accent. Irene Dunne lovely singer. Fred Astaire great, especially playing those organ fingers. Indianians and Indians a nice touch tongue twister. The elevator being stuck always gets some laughs out of me.I also like the 1950s remake: "Lovely to Look At".I loved the little black "vulgar" dress, the front at least. The back I would have re-designed to have more substance around the waistline.Scott's fiancé/gf was a miserable, cold fish, cold block of ice. I am glad she got talked into getting the terrible dress. That was so funny, and an ironic comeuppance for her.A sweet movie. 10/10.