Roberta (1935)

In Paris, a man clueless about fashion suddenly inherits his aunt's dress shop, while his bandleader friend reunites with his old flame.

Director:

William A. Seiter

Writers:

Jerome Kern (from the play), Otto A. Harbach (book)

Stars:

Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Irene Dunne	...	Stephanie
Fred Astaire	...	Huck Haines
Ginger Rogers	...	Lizzie Gatz aka Tanka Scharwenka
Randolph Scott	...	John Kent
Helen Westley	...	Aunt Minnie ak Roberta
Claire Dodd	...	Sophie Teale
Victor Varconi	...	Prince Ladislaw
Luis Alberni	...	Alexander Petrovitch Moscovitch Voyda
Ferdinand Munier	...	Lord Henry Delves
Torben Meyer	...	Albert
Adrian Rosley	...	Professor
Bodil Rosing	...	Fernande

Storyline

Football player John Kent tags along as Huck Haines and the Wabash Indianians travel to an engagement in Paris, only to lose it immediately. John and company visit his aunt, owner of a posh fashion house run by her assistant, Stephanie. There they meet the singer Scharwenka (alias Huck's old friend Lizzie), who gets the band a job. Meanwhile, Madame Roberta passes away and leaves the business to John and he goes into partnership with Stephanie.

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Plot Keywords:

fashion | reference to amelia earhart | paris france | dressmaker | jazz band | 

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Taglines:

Jerome Kern's Queen of Musical Romances!

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Russian

Release Date:

8 March 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

Роберта

Filming Locations:

RKO Studios - 780 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$610,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,493

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When MGM decided to produce a Technicolor remake of Roberta, the studio purchased the prints and negatives of RKO's 1935 film version of the stage play, and ceased further distribution of it so as not to compete with the remake's box office potential. The earlier film remained out of sight for decades, not resurfacing until the mid-1970s, after the 1952 remake had run its course in theaters and on television. At this point, the film was in the MGM library, as opposed to RKO, and was reissued in response to the nostalgia boom that arose in the wake of That's Entertainment! (1974), as Roberta was the only Astaire and Rogers film unavailable to be screened in revival houses.

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Goofs

The premiere of Huck & Liz's show at Cafe Russe is advertised as being on Wednesday the 25th. Since a November 1934 magazine was seen earlier in the film, the first Wednesday falling on the 25th following November 1934 was in September 1935. However, several days *after* the premiere, the invitation to Roberta's musical fashion show says it will occur on Tuesday, September 10th, which is consistent with September 1935, but which date is over two weeks past in the film's time line.

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Quotes

Huckleberry Haines: Is there anything I can do for you? No.
Lizzie Gatz alias Countess Scharwenka: [singing] Think of what you're losing, while constantly refusing, to dance with me. You'd be the idol of France, with me. And yet you stand there and shake your foolish head romantically, while I wait here so ecstatically. You just look and say emphatically...
Huckleberry Haines: [singing] Not this season, there's a reason. I won't dance, don't ask me. I won't dance, don't ask me. I won't dance, madame with you. My heart won't let my feet do things they should do...

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Connections

Featured in The All Talking, All Singing, All Dancing Show (1973)

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Soundtracks

Russian Lullaby
(uncredited)
Written by Jerome Kern
Performed by Irene Dunne

User Reviews

Perfection

I have been lucky enough to have this fashion parade comedy musical film in my life since the mid 70s when New Zealand TV stations sent all their old 16mm prints to Australia for junking. Instead, most of these 500 prints were found be in mint full length condition. As a result they were hired out, and I operated a cinema and ran dozens and dozens of them.

Among this incredible library was ROBERTA which seemed to always be programmed every other month or two. So my first viewing was in a lovely old cinema with a perfect print and a big audience. I have never recovered and never want to. Every time I see ROBERTA I swoon from the sheer beauty of every part of this gorgeous film. 30 years later I can watch it on tape on TV and still get the same overwhelming emotional bliss knowing what it is doing to me. I admire the fashionable production and the team so much because they knew what they were doing to the audience too: presenting a sublime musical confection that is exquisite enough to make the viewer pass out from aching satisfaction. Find it, see it, love it. Have this film in your life and just absorb every second of its absolute perfection.