Cheek To Cheek-Debbie Duncan

Piece Description

With the 1935 Motion Picture “TOP HAT”, Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers solidified their hold on the American public’s fancy as the greatest dance team in films.  That same public would have been surprised to learn of the difficulties surrounding the shooting of some of the film’s musical numbers. Ironically, considering that the film was named for an article of clothing, the tension arose from issues of wardrobe…. First of all, Fred Astaire LOATHED wearing top hat, white tie, & tails, though you’d never have known it from the classy way in which he sang & danced that title song. But a bigger problem arose when Ginger Rogers chose to perform the team’s big romantic dance, “Cheek To Cheek”, in a dress covered with ostrich feathers, which got in Fred’s face and molted all over the dance floor! They argued, Ginger won, and the flying feathers are still visible on screen, all these years later. No matter; despite the “wardrobe malfunction”, the dance was a success, the film a smash hit, and the song, an American classic ,– performed here for us by Minnesota’s Voice, Debbie Duncan: