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Follow the Fleet

Fred Astaire , Ginger Rogers , Friz Freleng , Joseph Henabery    Unrated   DVD
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
Price: CDN$ 32.86
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Of the nine films Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers completed for RKO Pictures, Follow the Fleet falls short of the top echelon. Coming between series peaks Top Hat and Swing Time, Fleet repeats the mistake (à la Flying Down to Rio and Roberta) of casting Fred and Ginger as the comic couple, while the romantic roles went to Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard (before she went on to fame with her husband, Ozzie Nelson, in Ozzie and Harriet). Fred puts down his top hat to become sailor Bake Baker (yet another of his alliterative screen names), while Ginger plays old flame Sherry Martin. The two are reunited when Fred takes shore leave in San Francisco, and soon their efforts turn to helping Ginger's sister Connie (Hilliard) land Fred's shipmate Bilge (Scott). (Look for Lucille Ball and Betty Grable in small roles.) Too much screen time is spent on Hilliard and Scott, but Fred and Ginger make up for it with plenty of laughs and some classic musical numbers, and Irving Berlin's score is one of the best of the series, with cunning lyrics and melodies that linger in the memory. Highlights include Fred and Ginger in a dance contest, a Ginger solo tap number, and "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket," their best comic dance. The pièce de résistance is "Let's Face the Music and Dance," a show within a show in which Fred and Ginger don their customary evening formals. Effortlessly flowing from pantomime to song to dance, this sublime piece of storytelling is one of Fred and Ginger's defining moments. --David Horiuchi

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4.0 out of 5 stars Scott and Hilliard take up too much Screen time. July 11 2004
By _M_
Format:VHS Tape
"Follow the Fleet", the fifth movie in the Fred and Ginger RKO series, will always remain an enjoyable movie, worthy of atleast 4 stars, but it does have a few bad points to it, which would obviously be better off without. Another one Directed by Mark Sandrich. Released in 1936.

The basic plot of the story is, Bake (Fred Astaire) and Bilge (Randolph Scott) are two sailors, who's fleet has just stopped off in San Francisco. Bake goes to see his old dancing partner, Sherry (Ginger Rogers), and tries to get into working again, but he, throughout the film, keeps on ruining his chances, and making her lose jobs -- by accident. Bilge finds himself meeting up with Sherry's sister, Connie (Harriet Hilliard), which brings about an annoying, and unwanted romance story between the two of them, which isn't working out too well, since Connie is more keen on ideas of marriage, whereas Bilge can't keep away from other women.

So as for the real reason for watching a Fred and Ginger movie, the songs and dances. A highlighted title would be "Let's Face the Music and Dance". It's brilliantly shot, and it's among one of the best (although not THE best) dances Fred and Ginger ever did. It's certainly the main reason to watch this movie. There's also an amusing "practice" dance to "I'm Putting All my Eggs in One Basket", where the two find themselves unprepared, and completely lose what they're doing, but its all the more a fun scene. Unfortunately, you have to put up with Harriet Hilliard singing the terribly annoying "Get Thee Behind Me Satan". There are a number of others, that are worthy to note aswell, such as Ginger singing "Let Yourself Go". Overall the musical scenes are the things that keep the movie going.

So for the really bad, and annoying points to the movie. Nobody cares about Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard's scenes together, which can only be described as extremely boring. This is the same problem I had with "Flying Down to Rio", which was equally annoying, with Gene Raymond and Dolores Del Rio". That one can be accepted, due to the fact that it was Fred and Ginger's first movie together. But "Follow the Fleet", being the fifth, you can only wonder why we had to be tortured by such an annoying romance story inbetween their scenes. "Roberta" might have had Irene Dunne taking up some screen time, but she was always enjoyable to watch, and that movie was not ruined in the way that this one has been. We are here to watch Fred and Ginger, not two other people taking up a lot of screen time, and using it so badly.

Overall, the movie does include a number of highlights, and is worth watching, and easily more than "just a few times". Fred and Ginger's other movies together, for the most part, were a lot better, but fans of the two shouldn't be without this movie. It's always good, no matter how many times you watch it over, but if only it could have been saved, and not slightly ruined by the horrible bad points the movie includes. Own a copy of this movie, and enjoy.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Relax, Let Yourself Go Mar 12 2004
By CEF
Format:VHS Tape
Ginger Rogers singing that song, and with the closeups shows her beauty. This is a fun movie with misunderstandings and mixups. It is entertaining! Make sure to keep a close watch of the dance number "Lets Face the Music and Dance" when Ginger Rogers' heavy sleeve hits Fred and he makes a face!
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Format:VHS Tape
In FOLLOW THE FLEET two sailors (Fred Astair and Randolph Scott) go ashore on liberty after completing a long cruise. Astair looks up his old dance partner (Ginger Rogers). Scott meets Ginger's sister (Harriet Nelson) quite by accident. Soon the romancing begins followed by the usual misunderstandings and reconciliations. The plot is not very intricate and serves merely as a platform for some great music and dancing.

The movie featured seven songs by Irving Berlin. Astrid Allwyn and Betty Grable were members of the supporting cast. At this point in her career Harriet Nelson was primarily a singer with prior experience only on the radio and with Ozzie Nelson's band.

Mark Sandrich directed several other excellent films including TOP HAT and HOLIDAY INN.

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Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Astaire & Rogers Movies Iv'e Ever Seen!!!!!
I am a big fan of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and thought that "Follow the Fleet" is one of their best films. I especially like the comical plot. Read more
Published on April 23 2003
4.0 out of 5 stars The one-take wonder of "Let's Face The Music."
This film is nice because there are *two* love stories (something of a plot departure), and the second couple (Randy Scott and Harriet Hilliard Nelson) are given the bulk of the... Read more
Published on Oct 31 2002 by Chris Aldridge
5.0 out of 5 stars If only there had been more Fred!
"Follow The Fleet" is not a Fred and Ginger movie like "Top Hat" or "Swing Time". Read more
Published on Aug 12 2001
4.0 out of 5 stars And He Can Play the Piano, Too!
Fred Astaire is known, of course, as a dancer, but he was sadly underestimated for his skills as a singer and a musician. Read more
Published on Oct 7 2000 by Formidable Opponent
4.0 out of 5 stars Let Yourself Go
Some of the best Rogers/Astaire dances, and some great music. But you'll be glad you have a fast-forward button, because this is the Fred & Ginger movie with the worst script;... Read more
Published on April 12 2000 by "laddie5"
5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT FUN
The deliciousness of this film is all solidly on the legs of Astaire and Rogers and the subplot could have been lost with no detriment. Read more
Published on Jan 19 2000 by "scotsladdie"
4.0 out of 5 stars You Will Want to Dance and Sing Along!
A sailor, Bake Baker (Fred Astaire) looks up his former dance partner, Sherry Martin (Ginger Rogers) while on leave. Read more
Published on Jan 9 2000 by Nancy K. Grimes
5.0 out of 5 stars My Favourite Musical
Follow the Fleet is my favourite Ginger and Fred movie. The plot maybe thin, but the music and dancing is second to none. Read more
Published on Nov 28 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars Charming
I've loved Ginger and Fred ever since I was five. I could not say which of their movies is the best: I like them all. Read more
Published on Nov 22 1999 by Gemma
4.0 out of 5 stars Wretched story, but utterly awesome dancing
Of all the Astaire/Rogers films, this one features one of the very worst stories. On the other hand, it features some of their greatest dancing. Read more
Published on Nov 11 1999 by Robert Moore
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