MovieChat Forums > Follow the Fleet (1936) Discussion > Is Ginger the better actor?

Is Ginger the better actor?

posted 13 years ago by footsperry
14 replies | jump to latest

This movie causes me to wonder: was Rogers a better actor than Astaire?
He's regularly charming, but at least until the 1950s (and maybe even then) Astaire was always in the same emotional state. Rogers, even in this light musical, registers more depth in her characters.
He might have been the most amazing dancer, and in this movie we learn that he can play the piano, too, and he has a nice (though not overwhelming) voice - but it is she who can be morose, angry and silly.

[–] npaxton-3 13 years ago

The material in those fabulous Astaire-Rogers musicals was usually slight, but I agree that Ginger was the more nuanced actor at that time. You can really see her emoting in "Swing Time" their next effort which I think is her best performance of the ten. Astaire, in my opinion, developed his acting chops over the years and was quite touching in some of his later, non-musical films. Of course as a dancer he hasn't a peer and I loved his expressive singing voice.

[–] atlasmb 8 years ago

Yes, I totally agree with your assessment.

[–] silloftheworld 13 years ago

She's the better actor, yes. Most of her films weren't musicals (she was making more films than Astaire at the time, and learning the routines for her films with him with everything going on in her busy schedule). She also won a best actress Academy Award in 1940 for Kitty Foyle.

[–] WhoDo-YouDo 13 years ago

Also important to consider is the fact that Ginger doesn't turn off the acting during the duo's song and dance routines.

Rather, Ginger conveys through her expressions and reactions how wonderful it tis to dance with the great Fred Astaire.

Sure, Fred can act some, too. He plays a mean wisecracking unsophistate when he wants to, such as his Bake Bake in "Follow the Fleet."

But whether Ginger plays Sherry Martin or any other lovely lady in any other film, you'll observe her delightful acting, which she doesn't turn off just to sing and to dance the night away.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] footsperry 12 years ago

@Cinema-God,
I see your point, but I would qualify it in two ways:

1) The question I raised was focused more on their acting together - not about their entire careers of acting. Astaire for example showed some more talent in "On the Beach."

2) Rogers' later career work was limited in the same way that most women were in Hollywood: she and other fine women actors were not offered the strong parts. She took fewer roles after the 1940s, while Astaire could still get for example romantic leads ("Funny Face" and that awful "Daddy Long Legs").

[–] NicholasAquaHedges 11 years ago

Those are good points because they don't turn off the acting when they sing and dance together.

It's been said that unlike most of Fred's dance partners, Ginger doesn't turn off the acting when they dance even though she said that dancing didn't represent an acting challenge for her. She, instead, shows the audience how great it is to be in Fred's company on the dance floor.

Similarly, Fred doesn't turn off the compatible expressions when it's Ginger's turn to sing, as seen here during their duet "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket." They act very compatibly here.

It might be more to the point, then, to say that Ginger is better at acting than most of Fred's other partners because of her fine and accurate expressions, but Fred is also very capable of this, as well. Harriet, Astrid and Randolph are also spot-on performers here, as is evidenced in their Follow the Fleet scenes.

_
_|_|_
(º±º)
ooO--(_)--Ooo

[–] marhefka 10 years ago

I don't have anything new to add but, imo, Ginger was the better actress. After all, she won an Oscar for Best Actress in Kitty Foyle. I haven't watched all her movies yet but I was very impressed with Bachelor Mother, Roxie Hart, and Once Upon a Honeymoon.

[–] liscarkat (18945) 2 years ago

Oscars don't necessarily mean anything. They've always been largely publicity and politics.

[–] mdonln 9 years ago

Ginger was the better actor by far. As an actor she had more range; she could do different genres and was believable in whatever role she took on. On top of that, she could sing and dance. Fred was primarily a great dancer who also sang and acted. His strongest was the dancing but Ginger seemed equally adept at all her talents.

Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]

[–] Sibyla01 9 years ago

Fred was a great dancer, Ginger was a great actress. And they made a great pair. He surely had better dancers for partners, as she had better actors - but together they were just unique.

[–] Shellie1_us 8 years ago

Ginger was the Oscar winner. She stated in her book that she did every dance move with Fred wearing high heels and going backwards. I always enjoy watching her movies, she was a great actress. I was amazed that she was Jimmy Stewards first relationship of a intimate nature.

[–] liscarkat (18945) 2 years ago

Fred went backwards just as often as Ginger did. He also had to lead and lift her. I'll concede the high heels, but as an experienced professional dancer wearing specially made dance shoes, that wasn't any big deal for her.

[–] BrandNewPoster (10996) 7 months ago

Yes, she is a better actor than Astaire.