The Gay Divorcee (1934)

Musical Comedy story of a professional dancer (Fred Astaire) who pursues a briefly-met young lady (Ginger Rogers) unaware she is married and is seeking to divorce her good-for-nothing, gold-digging husband (William Austin.)

The movie barely bothers with logically exploring the premise; and instead of having her welcome his advances from the start to get that divorce she desperately wants, it complicates matters by having her reject him and pursuing a plan with an altogether different man (Erik Rhodes who, despite his co-respondent profession, turns out to be married himself and is proud his nine year old is already beginning puberty,) to achieve the business-only, but precise, same result.

Obviously, the whole farcical enterprise with secrets and misunderstandings (without him being aware of it she is convinced he is the gigolo-for-hire,) is simply an excuse for very funny verbal and physical comedy, plus a series of impressive Astaire/Rogers dances; but also, a grand, extended, spectacular musical number featuring multiple artists singing and dancing The Continental.

Cole Porter’s Night and Day is another highlight, ending with Astaire offering Rogers a (seemingly post-coital) cigarette (which is weird, because after this scene, it all becomes Code safe again.)

Pre-Code aspect might include dance-as-sex, smoking, and hints of an adulterous relationship (including that of the geologist husband,) except this was released late in 1934.

A very funny movie and one of the Classic Astaire/Rogers pairings, in this one however, it’s obvious she is not too reluctant to respond to Astaire, (as she is on other films, at least initially,) and it’s mostly her married status which is the problem.

With Alice Brady, regular Edward Everett Horton, the always reliable Eric Blore, and guest Betty Grable.