Copyright 26 February 1935 by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Radio City Music Hall: 7 March 1935. U.S. release: 8 March 1935. 12 reels. 105 minutes. SYNOPSIS: American band manager in Paris falls for a Russian princess who is working as a designer for his aunt's fashion salon.NOTES: Roberta opened on Broadway in 1933 and ran a most satisfactory 295 performances. Tamara had the lead role as Stephanie, Ray Middleton was Kent, Bob Hope was Huck Haines, Lyda Roberti was Sophie Teale, Fay Templeton was Roberta. Also in the cast Sidney Greenstreet as Lord Delves, George Murphy and Fred MacMurray. The Ginger Rogers character did not appear in the stage play at all. Odd then that Ginger bases her performance on Miss Roberti's, complete with thick accent and mannered gestures. The play was directed by Hassard Short, produced by Max Gordon.The song "Lovely To Look At" with music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh, was written especially for the film and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song, losing to "Lullaby of Broadway" from Gold Diggers of 1935. Roberta placed 9th in the Film Daily's annual poll of American film critics. Negative cost: $610,000. Initial domestic rentals gross: $1,467,000. Initial foreign rentals gross: $868,000. Studio profit after paying advertising, print and distribution expenses: $770,000. Second to Top Hat as RKO's top-grossing release of 1935. Re-made by MGM in 1952 as Lovely To Look At.COMMENT: Although she has the melodic "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" number (plus a couple of lullabies for Helen Westley, including the pleasantly nostalgic "Yesterdays") and though she is shimmeringly photographed (though not so well recorded and her costumes alas sometimes unflatteringly dated), Irene Dunne (she receives top billing as "The Golden Girl with the Silver Song" too!) is upstaged in this piece by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Fred and Ginger have all the best lines and most of the best songs and to make their triumph complete they dance "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" too! Fred's easy, assured charm, his confident, sparkling personality (his way with dialogue seems as effortlessly smooth as his dancing) makes him rise right above the dated theatrical plot that often threatens to swamp Miss Dunne and all but drowns her luckless co- star Randolph Scott who is often gauche and never less than ill-at- ease as the oh-so-conventional hero of this piece. Ginger has a chance to play the comedienne and she pours on the phony accent with amusing emphasis, wears flattering costumes and dances with style and panache. Helen Westley does okay by her brief part (she plays the Roberta of the title!), Claire Dodd plays the femme fatale with narrowed-eyes skill, Lucille Ball can be glimpsed as a mannequin, while Candy Candido and his orchestra are as swinging a band as any lover of Kern's songs could wish. It seems likely that the original stage play had some harsh or even satirical things to say about women's fashions but little of this remains in the film, though fashion showings still figure largely in the footage. Still what they lack in taste they make up in curiosity appeal and some of the mannequins themselves are lovely. Credits are smooth and all in all despite the sometimes painfully silly Dunne-Scott story-line, Roberta is delightful entertainment.OTHER VIEWS: It says much for the talents of Ginger and Fred that they steal the show even though they are forced to play second fiddle here to a lumbering romantic plot involving the regal but somewhat dowdy Irene Dunne (as a fashion designer she's certainly no great shakes at designing her own clothes) and a not over-bright band manager of rather limited vocabulary, played with too much enthusiasm and too little charm by Randolph Scott. (In the Broadway play, the hero is a football hero, which certainly suits his character and dialogue far more appropriately). A stronger director than Seiter would have insisted on downgrading this she-loves-me she-loves-met-not malarkey in order to showcase Rogers and Astaire. But as it is, the film could be improved by skillful cutting. Ginger is superb, both as a dancing partner and a deliciously accurate impersonator of Lyda Roberti, whose heavy-as-a-samovar accent and girlishly hammy mannerisms she parodies with such gusto. Whenever the camera focuses on Ginger and Fred, the film comes brilliantly alive with their energetic dancing and spirited playing. In fact they dance and dally, saunter and sing with such infectious enthusiasm, it doesn't really matter that the movie is stuck with Dunne (though she does have a couple of the now famous songs) and Scott -- plus some cornball comedy with Luis Alberni and some sentimental tosh with Helen Westley — as well. If Seiter is slow at attacking his script, at least he makes good use of some wonderful sets and shows off Jane Hamilton to advantage. He also allows Astaire to show off his gloriously rhythmic skills from smooth camera angles without annoying reaction shots of the audience and other awkward cuts that interrupt the flow. I must admit I'm not overfond of the opening novelty organ interlude and that I could also do without that bit where banjoist Gene Sheldon catches his thumb in his instrument. But the fashion shows now have a novelty appeal and some of the costumes are stunning too, — one of the most striking, a plumed and feathered evening gown modeled by an easily recognizable Lucille Ball.

This is in some ways the most interesting Astaire-Rodgers film, particularly because for once they don't dominate the whole film, which instead has some very different aspects to offer than just glittering show entertainment. It's really the story of a fashion centre in Paris, Roberta being the old legendary proprietress, who unexpectedly exits, leaving Fred and others to take over the business, which they can't handle. But the real story is something else: in the centre Irene Dunne represents an exiled Russian princess with an interesting circle of other Russian aristocrats, one of them being heir to the throne. The atmosphere of Russian exiles in Paris is intimately conveyed with warming conviction, at the heart of which complications the song "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" makes a lasting impact, involving the Princess' tragic love affair with a good-for-nothing American standing in the bar getting drunk and rude (Randolph Scott in a pathetic and almost vulgar performance - how Irene Dunne could love him and with continuity is a mystery.)The music pervades the whole film weaving it into a web of beauty, nostalgia and magic, enhanced by the overwhelming beauty of the mannequins parading now and then with dream haute-coutures out of this world. It's a very singular film, completely out of the ordinary for Ginger and Fred, but still of course gilded by their performances, here highlighted by some of their very finest momentums. Grossly neglected, underrated, almost forgotten and misunderstood, this is one of their films to never forget but always return to.

Football player Randolph Scott and his dancer friend Fred Astaire go to Paris where Scott winds up running a ritzy dress shop and Fred reunites with old flame Ginger Rogers passing herself off as a countess. Scott also finds himself torn between two women -- fashion designer Irene Dunne and his snobbish ex-girlfriend Claire Dodd.It's not a bad movie; it's actually pretty good with nice songs and some likable characters. Unfortunately, for Fred & Ginger fans, this isn't a showcase for them. They take a back seat to Randolph Scott and Irene Dunne. Irene even sings some songs but be warned it's that operatic style that was popular in movies of the period that not everybody will be crazy about today. Scott does fine and isn't nearly as stiff as I've seen some reviewers describe him. His character is pretty corny ("Gee, you're swell") but intentionally so. Fish out of water and all that. Whenever they are on screen, Fred and Ginger sparkle. They're the highlight of the movie, whether it's their dance routines or just their playful banter. They had such wonderful chemistry. Songs include "I Won't Dance," "Lovely to Look At," and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes". That last one is butchered by Irene Dunne due to her aforementioned singing style. Despite that and some other flaws, it's an enjoyable movie. Not one of Fred & Ginger's best but good. Oh and, for those interested in that sort of thing, there's a fashion show at the end. Pay attention and you'll notice Lucille Ball is one of the models.

I am a great fan of Irene Dunne, and Astaire & Rogers, but even so I can't help but think that the three star rating this movie gets on AllRovi is nothing short of inept.The cast are all terrific, and wonderful songs by Jerome Kern, beautiful dancing from Astaire & Rogers, and stylish sets and clothes combine to make this gem great fun from beginning to end. The three big dance numbers from Astaire & Rogers deserve all the usual superlatives, but just as delightful were two singing numbers from Ms. Dunne, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and "Lovely to Look At". (The latter winning the Oscar for Best Original Song, by the way.)For me, the 106 minutes flew by. Highly recommended.