for several reason and this be the comparatively hidden entry in the classic fred astaire ginger rogers filmography and but this 1935 film have be blissfully release in a fairly clean print transfer on dvd and both a an individual purchase and a part of a complete astaire rogers dvd set . with great song from the jerome kern songbook and the movie certainly contain the high caliber musical quality of the other film star the dance pair . the challenge be really in the cumbersome story set up and in the simple fact that astaire and rogers play decidedly secondary character in the story . the film primary focus be on stephanie and an exiled russian princess work a a sale assistant in the house of roberta and the most fashionable couturière in all of paris . it be run by a lovable dowager refer to a aunt minnie and whose nephew jack kent end up in paris after his band get fire right after they disembark from their transatlantic voyage . astaire play jack best friend and bandleader huck haines and and rogers be a faux polish countess name sharvenka a. k. a. lizzie gatz and huck ex dance partner who have become a paris nightclub headliner . the various romantic pairing occur and but an unexpected tragedy strike with minnie death and her wish to leave the shop to the woefully unqualified jack and who of course need stephanie fashion sense to make the company continue to thrive . the plot thread start to feel unwieldy after a while and but journeyman director william a. seiter be smart enough to know when to include the musical interlude . astaire rogers fan may be disappoint to find them dance only twice in the film together and the first well after the half hour mark in an informal but energetic tap routine and the second near the end in their standard formal wear . astaire have only one solo to i won not dance while and perhaps to pacify fan and there be a brief reprisal dance insert after the story actual end though dramatically it make little sense . irene dunne get to sing three song a russian lullaby and three kern gem ( yesterday and smoke get in your eye and lovely to look at ) in her bell like operatic soprano and pretty in itself but seemingly at odds with the jazzy sound of the rest of the score . a year before she let her inner screwball comedienne emerge in theodora go wild and a severe look dunne be saddle with a stiff and uninteresting part a stephanie and and she be not aid much by a bumptious randolph scott and who have to play the somewhat ignorant and judgmental jack on a relative one note . astaire and a particularly funny rogers and on the other hand and be breezy and sharp with the little screen time they do get . little remembered claire dodd predictably play jack slithery fiancée sophie and while character actress helen westley play minnie with her amuse gruffness intact ( she be to reunite with dunne the next year in james whale classic version of showboat ) . there an extended fashion show at the end and and you can easily spot a bleached blonde and baby face lucille ball in ostrich feather among the model . the result movie show the whole to be somewhat less than the sum of it part and but it still worthwhile for the talent involve in the production . the 2006 dvd contain some interesting curio a extras the original trailer ( in relatively poor condition ) while a full color twenty minute 1935 musical short and starlit day the lido and with oddly attired variety act entertain bemuse hollywood star like clark gable and robert montgomery while a vintage cartoon and the calico dragon about a little girl dream of her stuffed animal come to life to protect her from the dragon while and an eleven minute audio only radio promo for the movie .