Fred and Ginger - Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

A clip from Shall We Dance. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing to "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off." (Used for 2009 MIT Mystery Hunt puzzle "Now Is the Time on Kronos When We Dance." Kronos7-22)

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Film & Animation

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• Kronos7-22

[WaWaMu916]

This is what a super classic actor and actress looked and acted like. They looked good, they sang well, they are talented dancers, and they can be funny and romatic at the same time. So, how many Hollywood stars are like this out there now? Not many...

[Selinja]

Such classic movies certainly possess a magic you can feel decades, possibly centuries later, quite similar to Classic Music. However, I wouldn't say that contemporary movies (or music) are necessarily worse; it's just that the obstacles to produce them are smaller. So you find more treasures and more crap nowadays. Also, it is pretty subjective to which category something belongs. Additionally, just because one doesn't like a certain style it doesn't mean that it isn't demanding to perform.

[XsweetstarliteX]

they are dancing on roller skates...just extraordinary

[Moonflowerlady]

4 people fell over while tap roller-skating.

But seriously, why don't they make them like this anymore?

[rhinomantis88]

nice

[flblu]

carino

[BSUSwing]

Gosh. To think that they shot that WHOLE routine in ONE TAKE!

[gilh1986]

If I'll try somthing like that I'll fall,break my neck and die.

Absolutely superb talent.

[iluvdrakeandjosh]

@WaWaMu916 one word: Broadway. Movies aren't musicals anymore so the criteria for actors for MOVIES has changed a lot but singing, dancing, comedic, well put people are mostly on Broadway. That criticism is out of place I feel.

[marinahcl]

@WaWaMu916 There's certainly a lot of dross & fakery in Hollywood, but we do have some great actors and you can't compare them to the Hollywood stars of the 40's. The style of films has completely changed - there were a lot of musical films back then. People who are talented at singing, acting & dancing are found on the stage of West End musicals rather than on screen, that's all. You can't criticise (for example) Julianne Moore for not being able to tap-dance since it's not required of her.

[valerieking2010]

hundreds of takes to get this right a classic thats for sure

[RayPointer]

@Selinja Very good points. However, I'd disagree with your statement about the obstacles for producing musicals of this caliber being smaller today. In terms of technology, that may be true, but trying to do anything of this genre today is like traveling to Mars in every sense of the idea. Most of all, there just isn't the core of people today who know how to make musicals properly. Look at those made recently, and they shoot the dancers from the waist up and don't let you see the dancing.