The Gay Divorcee (1934)

Director:

Mark Sandrich

Writers:

J. Hartley Manners (unproduced play)
Dwight Taylor (musical play "Gay Divorce") ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 October 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

The King and Queen of 'Carioca'

Plot:

Mimi Glossop wants a divorce so her Aunt Hortense hires a professional to play the correspondent in apparent infidelity...

Plot Keywords:

Mistaken Identity | Ballroom Dancing | Tap Dancing | Dance | Attorney

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Fred Astaire	...	Guy Holden
Ginger Rogers	...	Mimi Glossop
Alice Brady	...	Aunt Hortense
Edward Everett Horton	...	Egbert 'Pinky' Fitzgerald
Erik Rhodes	...	Rodolfo Tonetti
Eric Blore	...	The waiter
Lillian Miles	...	Singer, Continental Number
Charles Coleman	...	Guy's Valet
William Austin	...	Cyril Glossop
Betty Grable	...	Dance Specialty
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Norman Ainsley	...	Undetermined role (uncredited)
Jimmy Aubrey	...	Undetermined role (uncredited)
Finis Barton	...	Undetermined role (uncredited)
De Don Blunier	...	Chorus girl (uncredited)
Jack Chefe	...	Table Extra (uncredited)
Cy Clegg	...	Porter (uncredited)
E.E. Clive	...	Chief Customs Inspector (uncredited)
George Davis	...	French waiter #1 (uncredited)
Charlie Hall	...	Messenger at dock (uncredited)
Shep Houghton	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Arthur Jarrett	...	Vocalist (uncredited)
Sydney Jarvis	...	Undetermined role (uncredited)
Vivian Keefer	...	Chorus girl (uncredited)
Lois Lindsay	...	Chorus girl (uncredited)
Alphonse Martell	...	French waiter #2 (uncredited)
Ted Oliver	...	Customs Inspector #3 (uncredited)
Paul Porcasi	...	French headwaiter (uncredited)
Sonny Ray	...	Undetermined role (uncredited)
Ronald R. Rondell	...	Dance Extra, Continental Number (uncredited)
Larry Steers	...	Extra (uncredited)
Cyril Thornton	...	Customs Inspector #2 (uncredited)
Florence Wix	...	Undetermined role (uncredited)
Bruce Wyndham	...	Undetermined role (uncredited)

Directed by
Mark Sandrich

Writing credits
J. Hartley Manners		(unproduced play)
Dwight Taylor		musical play "Gay Divorce" and
Kenneth S. Webb		musical adaptation for play and
Samuel Hoffenstein		musical adaptation for play
George Marion Jr.		(screenplay) and
Dorothy Yost		(screenplay) and
Edward Kaufman		(screenplay)
Robert Benchley		uncredited

Produced by
Pandro S. Berman	....	producer

Original Music by
Samuel Hoffenstein
Herb Magidson
Harry Revel
Kenneth S. Webb		(as Kenneth Webb)

Cinematography by
David Abel

Film Editing by
William Hamilton

Art Direction by
Carroll Clark
Van Nest Polglase

Costume Design by
Walter Plunkett

Makeup Department
Mel Berns	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
J.R. Crone	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ray Lissner	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Argyle Nelson	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Ivan Thomas	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Thomas Little	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
George Marsh	....	sound editor
Hugh McDowell Jr.	....	recording director
Robert Wise	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Vernon L. Walker	....	photographic effects (as Vernon Walker)
Harry Redmond Jr.	....	special effects (uncredited)
Harry Redmond Sr.	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Willard Barth	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Joseph F. Biroc	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Jim Davis	....	grip (uncredited)
Fred Hendrickson	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Clifford Stine	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
James Vianna	....	electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Claire Cramer	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Philip Faulkner Jr.	....	music recordist (as P.J. Faulkner Jr.)
Murray Spivack	....	music recordist
Max Steiner	....	musical director
Maurice De Packh	....	music arranger (uncredited)
Howard Jackson	....	music arranger (uncredited)
Bernhard Kaun	....	music arranger (uncredited)
Gene Rose	....	music arranger (uncredited)
Eddie Sharpe	....	music arranger (uncredited)
Max Steiner	....	composer: incidental music (uncredited)
Clifford Vaughan	....	music arranger (uncredited)

Other crew
Peter Croft	....	technical director
Dave Gould	....	stager: dance ensembles
Zion Myers	....	production associate
Hermes Pan	....	assistant dance director
Harry Cornbleth	....	stand-in: Fred Astaire (uncredited)
Bill Hamberry	....	projectionist (uncredited)
Ben Holmes	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Elizabeth McGaffey	....	researcher (uncredited)
Marie Osborne	....	stand-in: Ginger Rogers (uncredited)
Hermes Pan	....	choreographer (uncredited)
Frank Warde	....	doll dance director (uncredited)
Trudy Wellman	....	continuity (uncredited)
Trudy Wellman	....	script clerk (uncredited)
Bill Williams	....	photography co-operator (uncredited)
Madeline Wilson	....	stand-in: Alice Brady (uncredited)

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1934) (USA) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• Turner Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

The Gay Divorce (UK)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Certification:

Canada:G (Ontario) | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #282)

Filming Locations:

Santa Monica, California, USA

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

The original musical on which this movie was based was called "The Gay Divorce", but because of objections from the censor, the title of the film was changed to "The Gay Divorcee" (one 'e' added).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: After the car chase when Fred catches Ginger, the sound of someone coughing can be heard.

Quotes:

Guy Holden: Can I offer you anything? Frosted chocolate? Cointreau? Benedictine? Marriage?
Mimi Glossop: What was that last one?
Guy Holden: Benedictine?
Mimi Glossop: No, the one after that.
Guy Holden: Oh, marriage?
Mimi Glossop: Do you always propose marriage as casually as that?
Guy Holden: There is nothing casual about it. In fact, I've given it long and sincere thought.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Simpsons: Life on the Fast Lane (#1.9)" (1990)

Soundtrack:

The Continental (You Kiss While You're Dancing)

The Continental!

The superb Fred and Ginger series always ended with a big, big set piece where the two of them could dance, and 'The Gay Divorce(e)' is no exception. This time it is 'The Continental', which allows half of what passes for Brighton to join in the dance.

Not the most original of plots, this movie teamed the leads together for the second time (the first time they led the cast though). Both are terrific, and Fred's dancing throughout is a treat. Ginger is her usual bouncy self, all wisecracks and big eyes, and good on her feet. They're ably supported by Edward Everett Horton (as 'Aunt' Egbert), Alice Brady (the towering matriach, Rogers' aunt), Eric Blore (as an irritating waiter who likes talking about rocks and playing with words), Erik Rhodes (as a daft Italian), and Betty Grable (as a hotel guest who has a terrific number with Horton, 'Let's K-knock K-knees').

As you might guess, the story revolves around a divorce, which might be a gay one (in the 1930s definition of the word, of course), and, as so often in this series, mistaken identities. Tiny roles go to William Austin (as Rogers' blustering geologist hubby), and Lilian Miles (an Alice Faye lookalike who gets to reprise 'The Continental' all to herself).

This is one of the better entries in the series, ably directed by Mark Sandrich, and featuring a mix of songs including Cole Porter's 'Night and Day', and the jaunty 'Looking for a Needle in a Haystack'.