One of ten films pairing Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers together, Follow the Fleet is among the best of their dance vehicles. Along with their final film together, The Barkleys of Broadway (1949), it is better than their two most celebrated films, Top Hat (1935) and Swing Time (1936).

One advantage that Follow the Fleet has it that the songs are better. They are generally uptempo, and have jazz backing. There are fewer romantic ballads of the moon-June variety, and fewer production numbers featuring Astaire in evening clothes. At the same time the romantic subplots involving Astaire and Rogers are secondary to those of the other characters, giving them a competitive friendship rather than the more usual "Three's Company"-styled romantic misunderstandings.

Another departure from most of the Astaire-Rogers vehicles has Astaire competing with another leading man for screen time. Victor Moore in Swing Time and Edward Everett Horton in Top Hat were unromantic, comic characters. Follow the Fleet, in contrast, casts rugged Randolph Scott as the romantic lead, who must choose between 'good' poor girl Connie (Harriet Hilliard) or 'bad' rich girl Iris (Astrid Allwyn).

While anyone who has seen a film before can guess how things turn out, the assignment of such resolutions to Scott frees Astaire for what he is best at. He is a performer, equally adept at tap and ballroom dancing. He can carry a tune, and even gets to play the piano. He has good comic timing, certainly more so than does sluggish Randolph Scott.

Follow the Fleet also benefits from what is missing. Other Astaire vehicles from the 1930s contain blackface numbers and ridicule foreigners. With a run time of nearly two hours, however, Follow the Fleet could use some trimming, especially in its slow moving second half.

Other problems with Follow the Fleet center about Randolph Scott's character. Scott radiates the same unreflective 'big man on campus' confidence that he showed in countless formulaic westerns from the 1940s and 1950s. Things simply come too easily for him. He is promoted to an officer seemingly by taking some night classes. Iris and Connie fall over themselves to get his attention.

While the plot isn't expected to be the strongest point of a musical, it is tough to believe that Connie and her sister would spend their life savings to renovate a boat for Scott to be Captain, without even discussing the matter with him first. Several scenes showing groups of sailors singing outdoors have been obviously dubbed by a professional chorus recorded in a studio.

But perhaps these are petty complaints given the talent that is on display. While Astaire's contributions are the most noted, Ginger Rogers is also an entertaining singer, dancer, and comic actress. Future stars Betty Grable and Lucille Ball can be spotted playing showgirls. Harriet Hilliard would also become famous, as Ozzie Nelson's husband in the long-running television sitcom. Hilliard had to take over her role as Connie at the last moment, as Irene Dunne proved unavailable. Dunne and Scott were also in an Astaire-Rogers vehicle from the previous year, Roberta. (69/100)

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Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up Ages 8