Follow the Fleet
Tags: romantic

Plot synopsis:
Seaman "Bake" Baker (Fred Astaire) and Sherry (Ginger Rogers) are former dance partners, now separated, with Baker in the Navy and Sherry working as a dance hostess in a San Francisco ballroom, Paradise.
Bake visits the ballroom with his Navy buddy "Bilge" (Randolph Scott) during a period of liberty, reuniting with Sherry (but costing her job), while Bilge is initially attracted to Sherry's sister Connie (Harriet Hilliard). When Connie begins to talk about marriage, Bilge quickly diverts his attention towards a friend of Sherry's, Iris (Astrid Allwyn), a divorced socialite.
The sailors return to sea while Connie seeks to raise money to salvage her deceased sea-captain father's sailing ship. When the boys return to San Francisco, Bake attempts to get Sherry a job in a Broadway show, but fails amidst a flurry of mistaken identities and misunderstandings. He redeems himself by staging a benefit show which raises the final seven hundred dollars needed to refurbish the ship – although he has to jump ship in order to do so. Bilge, now a Chief Petty Officer, is ordered to locate and arrest him, but allows Bake to complete the show.
After the concert, Bake and Sherry are offered a show on Broadway, which A.W.O.L. Bake accepts on the proviso that Sherry asks him to marry her. Of course, he first has to be sent to the Brig and take his punishment.

Review: Although in this case like that Jerome Kern confection Roberta that they were in, Follow the Fleet retained Randolph Scott with another singer, this time Harriet Hilliard.Randolph Scott is a career Navy CPO and Fred Astaire is an ex-vaudevillian who enlisted in the Navy to forget Ginger Rogers his former partner.
This film is nice because there are two love stories-- something of a plot departure, and the second couple (Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard Nelson) are given the bulk of the dramatics, which allow our stars to be looser, more comical.
But wouldn't they better resemble sisters if they were both blonds?) The Irving Berlin numbers are quite good, ranging from light and airy ("Let Yourself Go," "I'd Rather Lead A Band") to elegant ("Let's Face The Music And Dance").
FOLLOW THE FLEET (RKO Radio, 1936), directed by Mark Sandrich, marks the fifth pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and one of their top musicals of the era with a bright score by Irving Berlin, the composer of their last outing, TOP HAT (1935).
Unlike ROBERTA, Astaire and Rogers have equal status with the other couple in question, played by Randolph Scott (of ROBERTA) and Harriet Hilliard (making her screen debut).
In the basic plot, Bake Baker (Fred Astaire) and Bilge Smith (Randolph Scott) are shipmates in the U.S. Navy who go on shore leave.
During the course of the story, lovesick Connie, who has salvaged her late father's ship for Bilge, falls victim of his neglect while Sherry has troubles of her own with Bake.The motion picture soundtrack is as follows: "We Saw the Sea" (sung by Fred Astaire and sailors); "Let Yourself Go" (sung by Ginger Rogers, with a singing trio, one of them being Betty Grable); "Get Thee Behind Me, Satan" (sung by Harriet Hilliard); "Let Yourself Go" (danced by Astaire and Rogers); "I'd Rather Lead the Band" (sung by Astaire); "Let Yourself Go" (reprise by Rogers); "But Where Are You?" (sung by Hilliard); "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket" (sung and danced by Astaire and Rogers); "Let's Face the Music and Dance" (sung by Astaire/ danced by Astaire and Rogers) and "We Saw the Sea" (finale, sung by sailors).
Solid support from Randolph Scott, Harriet Nelson, Lucille Ball, Betty Grable, Frank Jenks, and Astrid Allwyn.Terrific songs include "Let Yourself Go," "Let's Face the Music," and "Putting All My Eggs in One Basket." The last song is introduced by Astaire playing a jazzy piano and then a cute dance with Rogers.
The dancer Bake Baker (Fred Astaire) has joined the navy to forget his former partner and love Sherry Martin (Ginger Rogers) that has declined to marry him, but he misses her.
Now his ship is anchored in San Francisco and he goes with his pal, the sergeant Bilge Smith (Randolph Scott), to the Paradise nightclub.Meanwhile at Paradise, the intellectual teacher Connie Martin (Harriet Hilliard), who has just come from Bellport, visits her sister Sherry that is working there and she stumbles with Bilge at the entrance.
But sooner their misunderstandings resolve and they dance together again.Like most of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films, "Follow the Fleet" is sappy, naive and delightful.
Not to mention this film contains some of the best songs recorded by the two; like I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket and Let's Face the Music and Dance.
Once again, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers showcase their talents and chemistry in Mark Sandrich's musical comedy, Follow the Fleet.
The two also have the task of playing Cupid to Bake's buddy Bilge (Randolph Scott before his cowboy days) and Sherry's sister, Connie (Harriet Hilliard).My advise:  Skip the story, sit back, and enjoy the dance numbers and music by Irving Berlin.
Despite being a huge fan of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers' movies, it wasn't until about 6 years ago that I first saw 'Follow the Fleet'.
His character doesn't have the usual humour and elan of the other films' Astaire characters.Worth watching for the songs and a great solo tap routine by Ginger Rogers..
While I am not a big fan of musicals, I have loved the films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers because they are just so much fun.
As it is, it's a fine movie but overly long with a tedious subplot, i.e., Randolph Scott romancing Rogers' sister, played by Harriet Hilliard (that's Ozzie Nelson's wife to you baby boomers).Astaire and Scott are two Navy men.
Scott meets Hilliard the first time when she looks like a stereotypical librarian, and later on after Ginger Rogers has asked her friend (a blond but unmistakable Lucille Ball) to glamor her up.
The result is some wonderful dance numbers, with Astaire and Rogers as a team as well as separately: "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket," "Let Yourself Go," and "I'd Rather Lead the Band." Hilliard is sweet but a little lethargic as a plain Jane turned glamor girl, although she sings her two songs well, "But Where Are You?" and "Get Thee Behind Me, Satan" - one poster didn't care for that song, but I love the title.
Harriet Hilliard, who is more famous as Harriet Nelson of Ozzie and Harriet fame, plays Ginger Rogers' unglamorous, music teacher sister who decides to play hooky from her loneliness, gets a make-over to become a bombshell, and begins a rocky romance with Fred Astaire's navy buddy, Randolph Scott.
By the way, notice the cameo roles for Betty Grable and a glamorous Lucile Ball.A load of Irving Berlin songs, including the famous "Let's Face the Music and Dance".
In the silly plot, she is given a makeover by a young, bleached blonde Lucille Ball, and there is s classic three-way shot of Hilliard, Ball and a kewpie-doll adorable Betty Grable in front of a mirror.Speaking of the story, what there is of one is credited to Allan Scott and Dwight Taylor and goes something like this...Bake and Bilge are on shore leave in San Francisco where they end up in a dance hall with their rowdy shipmates.
It's about as silly as it sounds, but it does provide a good excuse for some memorable Irving Berlin tunes and a trio of Astaire-Rogers dances.The first two are casual in tone - a dance contest set to the percolating "Let Yourself Go" where they show off mercilessly to win and a physical shipboard comedy routine set to the toe-tapping "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket".
"Follow the Fleet" is not one of the dancing duo's very best, mainly because of the clunky plot and long intervals between their numbers - there's a parallel storyline between Harriet Hiliyard (as Ginger's sister) and Randolph Scott which drags on a bit.
Plot is never the strong point of a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie, but "Follow the Fleet"'s screenplay is exceptionally mediocre.
Astaire gets two good solos with "We Saw the Sea" and "I'd Rather Lead a Band." He sings expressively and, of course, dances electrifyingly--and the sailor suit makes him look a little more boyish and athletic than usual.
Another worthy entry in the Astaire - Rogers series of hit movies in the mid 30's "Follow The Fleet" as ever finds Fred chasing Ginger this time over love's crashing waves with him as a U.S. Navy ensign and her as his ex-fiancée who ditched him to try and make it as a dancer.
Wouldn't you know it, but Fred's ship comes into port in Ginger's backyard and wouldn't you know it again that the sailors' furlough sees them all end up in the club where Ginger's berthed and wouldn't you know it just one more time that Ginger has a dowdy sister named Connie visiting her, who runs into Fred's best mate "Bilge" (terrible name) Smith played by Randolph Scott at the same club but who transforms swan-like into a pretty and stylish young woman when she gets a makeover from Ginger's show-girl pals.Of course the course of true love never runs smoothly in one of these films with both couples riding the waves of uncertainty and misunderstanding before the inevitable conciliatory ending at a "let's do the show right here" finale as Fred puts on a fund-raiser to provide the funds to buy Ginger and Connie's dad's old boat.This movie is quite long by 30's musical standards and occasionally shows it with the overlong played-out sub-plot between Bilge, Connie and a gay divorcée "other woman", in fact the way Bilge treats Connie, it's a wonder she takes him back at all.
The superb score, by the great Irving Berlin boasts songs like "We Saw The Sea", "Let Yourself Go", "I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket" and for the big finish, the classic "Let's Face The Music And Dance".There are some pithy, humorous lines in the script but equally there are also some clichéd, drawn-out scenes which are rather tiresome.
Since 1935's "Top Hat" is, quite simply, one of the finest musicals ever made, it was perhaps inevitable that Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers' follow-up picture, as a team, should fall somewhat short of that miraculously high mark.
In this one, Fred doesn't play his typical debonair sophisticate, but rather a gum-chewing Navy gob named Bake Baker, who, back in San Francisco on leave, with his shipmate Bilge Smith (played by Randolph Scott, who had costarred in F&G's 3rd outing, "Roberta"), sets out to romance sisters Sherry (our Ginger) and Connie Martin (Harriet Hilliard, who many baby boomers will recall from the old "Ozzie & Harriet" TV show).
Fred Astaire plays a navy man called Bake Baker who tries to get together with Sherry Martin (Ginger Rogers).Sherry and Bake used to go out with each other.Sherry's sister Connie Martin (Harriet Hilliard) tries to find romance with Bake's buddy Bilge Smith (Randolph Scott).
Follow the Fleet from 1936 is a very entertaining romantic musical comedy.The chemistry really worked between Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.They both were great entertainers and great dancers.It is impossible to get bored with these two singing and dancing.Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard are also amazing in their roles.
About one hour and thirty minutes into "Follow the Fleet", there's a musical sequence that deserves attention: first Fred Astaire plays "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket" on the piano, then he sings it, then Ginger Rogers sings it, and finally, they dance to it, including some comedic dance moves.
This is fifth film pairing of Astaire and Rogers and they are wonderful together, to the final dance.Not to be missed by those who like A&R or anyone who enjoys musicals.
They have three wonderful dance numbers -- "Let Yourself Go," "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket," and "Let's Face the Music and Dance." Randolph Scott is fun, especially in his scenes with Astaire.
Likewise, here Sandrich deliberately forgets that the life of a Naval officer is difficult and draining, and instead substitutes the duties of a sailor with an assortment of catchy lightweight musical numbers."Bake" Baker (Astaire) and Sherry Martin (Rogers) are two former dance partners whose romantic relationship fell apart after the latter rejected a marriage proposal.
Particularly amusing is the scene in which Bake sabotages a performer's audition in order to create a window for his estranged girl; unluckily for both of them, it is an unfortunate Sherry who drinks the bicarbonate of soda and loses her ability to sing.'Follow the Fleet (1936)' was the fifth winning collaboration between Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and the third (of five) in which Sandrich directed the pair.
Irving Berlin provided the film's music and lyrics, and each musical number is enjoyably lighthearted and entertaining, even if they aren't quite as memorable as those in 'Top Hat (1935),' 'Swing Time (1936)' or 'Shall We Dance (1937).' Astaire attempts to break free from his typical rich-man-about-town persona, without much success, but it's hard to imagine the performer without the boyish carefree charm that could only accompany being considerably wealthy.
The side-plot of the romance between Connie and Bilge works well with the antics of the two main stars, and Harriet Hilliard (wearing a brunette wig to avoid clashing with Ginger's blonde hair) has a couple of emotional solo numbers, including "Get Thee Behind Me Satan," which was originally written for 'Top Hat.'.
The most disappointing element for me is the fact that the second female lead is HARRIET HILLIARD who, to put it mildly, has almost zero screen presence and is involved in a dull sub-plot with RANDOLPH SCOTT as the kind of girl who becomes attractive to men only when she removes her glasses.But, of course, the film belongs to FRED ASTAIRE and GINGER ROGERS who fail to disappoint.
Best of their numbers is "Let's Face the Music and Dance" which gets a real workout from the dancing duo.Fred and Randolph are sailors on shore leave with Fred trying to reunite with a former flame and Scott just looking for a little luck with a pretty gal.
While FOLLOW THE FLEET contains ingredients familiar to the Astaire/Rogers canon (comic by-play between the two protagonists, a romantic subplot involving Bake Baker's (Astaire's) best buddy Bilge Smith (Randolph Scott) and Connie Martin (Harriet Hilliard), and the inevitable misunderstandings (for example, a neat episode involving a tin of bicarbonate of soda), the film makes some important points about friendship and love.
The film ends with the four protagonists brought together - even though Bake and Sherry have to be apart for just a little longer, as Bake has to spend some time in custody for going AWOL.FOLLOW THE FLEET achieves the unique feat of integrating the songs with the plot; all of them sum up how the characters are feeling, from the serio-comic "We Saw the Sea" (summing up the loneliness of the sailors' life), to "But Where are You?" (sung by Connie as she believes that Bilge will never come back to her), to "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket" (where Bake declares his everlasting love for Sherry).
Irving Berlin's tunes are all pedigree again here, including 'Let's Face the Music and Dance', the scene paid tribute in Fellini's Ginger and Fred.
The dancing is lively and inventive, and it's good value at 110 minutes.To draw the story out, the subplot follows another couple, Randolph Scott and Harriet Hilliard - the latter even gets a couple of songs.
After what I consider a most disappointing storyline to the previous Astaire/Rogers film 'Top Hat' a more pallet able story was cooked up for the next in the series entitled 'Follow The Fleet' about two sisters played by Ginger Rogers and Harriet Nelson (Nee Hilliard)and their love and lives as they focus around two sailors played by Fred Astaire and Randolph Scott.Fred and Ginger play Sherry and Bake, one-time lovers and showbiz dance act before he left to join the Navy after his marriage proposal was spurned.
Yet when Bilge realises Connie has more than just playful fun on her mind he soon ditches her for a wealthy socialite.I suppose the story is styled very much like 'Roberta' as it basically two plots running consecutively the Scott/Hilliard love story, and the Astaire/Rogers routines.However whereas in 'Roberta' Astaire and Rogers were pretty much demoted to support players with the majority of the action devoted to the Randolph Scott storyline, In 'Follow the Fleet' Astaire and Rogers are given top billing and equal, if not more screen time than Scott and Hilliard.Some great routines and songs here but none really surpass the great 'Lets Face the Music and Dance' number, added with the sole intention that Fred be allowed to ditch the sailor outfit and the gum chewing, and become Mr. Top Hat, White Tie and Tails once more.It was also great to see Fred play piano as he was a really good pianist.Although everyone knows and looks out for young cameo appearances from Betty Grable and Lucille Ball, even less people know, that a 24 year old Tony Martin made his screen debut in this film as an uncredited sailor, who can be seen over Fred's shoulder as he purchases dance tickets in the Paradise club scene.
Another fun, witty, frothy RKO musical with Astaire and Rogers, FOLLOW THE FLEET is a charming film.
As a kind of a footnote, I must mention that Randolph Scott was rumored to be bisexual by Hollywood gossips who needed some nonsense to chew on, and it's kind of amusing that he has the following line in this film when he's putting homely Hilliard off -- "Women don't interest me, sister." The movie probably gives more quality time to Ginger Rogers than any of her other films with Astaire.
Once again with these films, the plot is of a minor consequence - Astaire plays a rather unlikely sailor (who happens to be a brilliant former hoofer (of course!)) and Rogers an aspiring performer in a seedy dime-a-dance music hall.
Basically it follows a similar theme as On the Town, all the sailors of a Navy ship are on shore leave and spending time in San Francisco, and it is there that former dance partners, sailor Bake Baker (Fred Astaire) and ballroom dance hostess Sherry Martin (Ginger Rogers) reunite.
Follow the Fleet, an RKO production in 1936, stars Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in a complex romantic comedy.
The narrative of Follow the Fleet relies heavily on the use of layered story lines between the two sets of main characters to create a satisfying romantic comedy.The general plot of the movie revolves around Bake Baker, a Sailor in the U.S. Navy played by Fred Astaire, and Sherry Martin, Bake's former love and dance partner who is now a singer and dancer played by Ginger Rogers.
Although Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers have countless films together that incorporate romance, comedy, song, and dance, Follow the Fleet is a unique film for the two actors that successfully use the technique of subplots to aid the narrative between the two main characters..
Just when you're ready to call it a day for the romantic tales of two sailors (Astaire and Randolph Scott), in comes "Let's Face the Music and Dance".