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The Scroll

No. 93: Top Hat

Depression-era escapism

By Jody Rosen|December 5, 2011|4comments
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No. 92: Kramer vs. Kramer → ← No. 94: Sleeper

1935, dir. Mark Sandrich. The ultimate Depression-era escapist fantasy, set to Irving Berlin’s greatest film score? Cocktails in highballs, evening clothes, swank hotel suites? Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, twirling through a gleaming Deco set to the strains of “Cheek to Cheek”? Heaven—We’re in heaven.
No. 92: Kramer vs. Kramer → ← No. 94: Sleeper
  • Larry Gold

    Gimmie a break. Just because Irving Berlin
    penned the score does that make Top Hat a
    “Jewish” movie? One of the best musicals of all time yes but “Jewish” no. Next you will claim ‘Flying Down to Rio” Certainly the “Pianist” ” Garden of the Finzi-Continis” ” Once Upon a Time in America”
    and “My Favorite Year” deserve better fates than Nos. 79,84,87,and 89
    respectively. I am waiting with fingers crossed to see where you will put ” Body
    and Soul” (top ten I hope) “Crossfire”
    and ” Save the Tiger”well up there I also hope. Don’t neglect Israeli films “The Syrian Bride” etc. So far 75-100 leaves a lot to be desired

  • http://jewishmeltingpot.com MikeY

    Sorry, I loved this movie as a youngster. And what exactly is wrong with escapism? I still sing the words to Dancing Cheek to Cheek to my wife!

  • Jester

    OK,you just proved it. Tablet is pure crap. Rating Schindler’s List at 100. Are you stupid? Only Spielberg has the integrity to make a Holocaust movie with concentration camp victims looking like victims and Nazi’s looking like the face of evil. No Hollywood glam here at all.

  • http://www.israel-catalog.com Shahar Geva

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No. 93: Top Hat

Depression-era escapism

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