The last of RKO's Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers vehicles, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle is also the least typical. At their best playing carefree characters in gossamer-thin musical comedy plotlines, Fred and Ginger seem slightly ill at ease cast as the real-life dancing team of Vernon and Irene Castle. The stripped-to-essentials storyline boils down to novice dancer Irene (Rogers) convincing vaudeville comic Vernon (Astaire) to give up slapstick in favor of "classy" ballroom dancing. With the help of agent Edna May ...
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The last of RKO's Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers vehicles, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle is also the least typical. At their best playing carefree characters in gossamer-thin musical comedy plotlines, Fred and Ginger seem slightly ill at ease cast as the real-life dancing team of Vernon and Irene Castle. The stripped-to-essentials storyline boils down to novice dancer Irene (Rogers) convincing vaudeville comic Vernon (Astaire) to give up slapstick in favor of "classy" ballroom dancing. With the help of agent Edna May Oliver, the Castles hit their peak of fame and fortune in the immediate pre-World War I years. When Vernon is called to arms, Irene stays behind in the US, making patriotic movie serials to aid the war effort. Vernon is killed in a training accident, leaving a tearful Irene to carry on alone. To soften the shock of Astaire's on-screen death (it still packs a jolt when seen today), RKO inserted a closing "dream" dancing sequence, with a spectral Vernon and Irene waltzing off into the heavens. The film's production was hampered by the on-set presence of the real Irene Castle, whose insistence upon accuracy at all costs drove everyone to distraction--especially Ginger Rogers, who felt as though she was being treated like a marionette rather than an actress. In one respect, Mrs. Castle had good reason to be so autocratic. Walter, the "severest critic servant" character played by Walter Brennan, was in reality a black man. RKO was nervous about depicting a strong, equal-footing friendship between the white Castles and their black retainer, so a Caucasian actor was hired for the role. Mrs. Castle was understandably incensed by this alteration, and for the rest of her days chastised RKO for its cowardice. As it turned out, it probably wouldn't have mattered if Walter had been black, white, Chicano or Siamese; The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle was a financial bust, losing $50,000 at the box office. Perhaps as a result, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers would not team up again for another ten years. Hal Erickson, Rovi
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Add this copy of The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle to cart. $2.75, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Movies rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES.
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Walter Brennan, Edna May Oliver. Very good. 1939 Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Digital copy/codes may be expired or not included. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle to cart. $3.02, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Movies rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by Turner Home Ent.
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Robert Strange, Leonid Kinskey, Rolfe Sedan, Janet Beecher, Etienne Girardot, Lew Fields, Walter Brennan, Edna May Oliver,... Very good. 1939 Run time: 93. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Digital copy/codes may be expired or not included. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle to cart. $4.00, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Movies rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by Turner Home Ent.
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Robert Strange, Leonid Kinskey, Rolfe Sedan, Janet Beecher, Etienne Girardot, Lew Fields, Walter Brennan, Edna May Oliver,... Very good. 1939 Run time: 93. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Digital copy/codes may be expired or not included. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Story of Vernon and Irene Castle to cart. $4.45, very good condition, Sold by CBExchange rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Fontana, CA, UNITED STATES.
Add this copy of The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle to cart. $4.99, very good condition, Sold by Salzer's Records rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from ventura, CA, UNITED STATES.
Add this copy of The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle to cart. $5.19, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Movies rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by Turner Home Ent.
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Robert Strange, Leonid Kinskey, Rolfe Sedan, Janet Beecher, Etienne Girardot, Lew Fields, Walter Brennan, Edna May Oliver,... Very good. 1939 Run time: 93. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Digital copy/codes may be expired or not included. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle to cart. $5.99, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Movies rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by Turner Home Ent.
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Robert Strange, Leonid Kinskey, Rolfe Sedan, Janet Beecher, Etienne Girardot, Lew Fields, Walter Brennan, Edna May Oliver,... Very good. 1939 Run time: 93. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Digital copy/codes may be expired or not included. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) to cart. $6.25, good condition, Sold by Cheryls-Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Vinemont, AL, UNITED STATES, published 1987 by Fox Hills Video/Nostalgia Merchant.
Add this copy of The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle to cart. $6.75, very good condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES.
Add this copy of The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) to cart. $7.02, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Movies rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2017 by Warner Archive Collection.
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Douglas Walton, Robert Strange, Leonid Kinskey, Rolfe Sedan, Janet Beecher, Etienne Girardot, Lew Fields, Walter Brennan,... Very good. 1939 Run time: 93. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Digital copy/codes may be expired or not included. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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