A Damsel in Distress: Fred Astaire dances, everyone else just stands around

Is it worth your time?

If you like tap dancing and don't mind a story that feels like it was scribbled on a napkin, sure. It is perfect for a lazy Sunday when you want to turn your brain off. If you need grit or real stakes, stay away. People who hate musicals will probably find the whole thing grating.

Fred Astaire is in this one, playing a dancer who somehow gets caught in a weird bet between castle servants. Honestly, the plot is mostly just an excuse to get him into a room and have him start sliding across the floor. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in Pigskin Capers, though with way more top hats.

The pacing is… well, it’s a bit of a mess. You get these long stretches of British people looking confused in fancy hallways, and then suddenly, there’s a drum kit. It’s like the movie keeps forgetting it’s supposed to be a musical and then remembers at the last possible second.

Odd moments that stuck with me

• George Burns and Gracie Allen are in this. They feel like they walked in from a completely different planet. Every time they speak, the movie stops dead to let them do their bit.
• Joan Fontaine is the damsel. She looks like she’s trying very hard not to laugh in half her scenes.
• The music is great, but the way characters break into song in the middle of a serious conversation is never not funny.
• There is a scene with a funhouse mirror that goes on for about two minutes too long. You can literally see the actor waiting for the cue to stop spinning.

It’s not as polished as some other stuff from the era. Sometimes the camera feels like it’s struggling to keep up with the choreography. When Astaire is moving, the camera is fine, but when he stops, the whole film gets a little shaky. It’s charming in a way, I guess? Like watching a home movie with a massive budget.

I found myself zoning out during the dialogue scenes. They feel repetitive, almost like the writers were just filling space until the next musical number. It’s nowhere near as sharp as Frisco Jenny, but it isn’t trying to be either. It just wants to be a lark.

The ending is exactly what you expect. Everyone ends up happy. No one is actually in distress. It’s a bit silly, but I didn't hate it. Sometimes you just need to watch a guy in a tuxedo tap-dance on a desk, and this movie delivers exactly that. 🎩✨