Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

This is a dream come true for lovers of those opulent 1930's musicals filled with romance, light comedy, beautiful songs, costumes, sets, and very attractive people. Slightly overlooked in the cannon of 1930's musicals, because of the greater popularity of the same year's "Top Hat" and the 1936 version of "Show Boat", this film adaption of the 1933 Broadway musical (by many of "Show Boat's" creators, including composer Jerome Kern) is a shear delight. While Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are billed over the title (along with Irene Dunne), they are secondary to the plot which focuses on Randolph Scott's romance with Dunne after he inherits the most prestigious house of fashion in Paris from his late Aunt. Dunne, who would star in the 1936 version of "Show Boat", is gorgeous as the right-hand woman to the aunt (Helen Westley) and must face changes when Scott takes over. She sings the show's ballads most beautifully, most notably "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes".Fred and Ginger ably handle the dance numbers (which includes "I Won't Dance" and Rogers' solo, "I'll Be Hard to Handle") and provide strong comic support. That wonderful grand dame Helen Westley is both funny and touching as Scott's aunt, and her final scene (with Dunne singing the beautiful "Yesterdays") is tear-jerking. Water, not smoke, gets in your eyes. Top it off with an opulent fashion show (featuring a certain future TV redhead named Lucy) for an art deco lover's dream come true, and you end up with one of the most outstanding movie musicals of the 1930's. It lacks the influence of the ground-breaking "Show Boat" in the history of musical theater, but provides so much more in other areas.

Huckleberry Haines (Fred Astaire) and his band, the Wabash Indianians, arrive at Le Havre, in France, for a season in a Russian nightclub. However, the owner Alexander Petrovitch Moskovich Voyda (Luis Alberni) expects the arrival of an Indian band and he calls off their contract.Haines and the band head to Paris, and his friend John Kent (Randolph Scott) decides to visit his Aunt Minnie (Helen Westley), who owns the fashion house Roberta, to use her influence to find a work for the band. John meets the manager Stephanie (Irene Dunne) and they immediately feel attracted for each other. Huck Haines meets in the Roberta's salon his old friend Liz with the artistic identity of Comtesse Scharwenka (Ginger Rogers) and she helps him to get a job with Voyda. When Aunt Minnie passes away, John Kent is the heir of her fortune and also Roberta. However he decides to give the fashion house for Stephanie, but she proposes a partnership between them two. But when John's old passion, the gold digger Sophie Teale (Claire Dodd) seeks out John, the infatuated Stephanie decides to leave the business and travel abroad with the Russian Prince Ladislaw (Victor Varconi)."Roberta" is an adorable musical with one of the most beautiful songs of the cinema ever. With music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Otto A. Harbach, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" is performed by Irene Dunne. The plot is naive, but the musical numbers, the dances and the fashion parade are delightful. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Roberta"

"Roberta" is one of the best high quality entertainment movies of the first century of film-making. What a delight! It is clean, fun, romantic, clever, colorful and exciting entertainment from start to finish. I agree with the review of trpdean of New York, NY (13 January 2005) – it's captivating! What's not to like?Some critics or reviewers have a penchant for labeling comedy-romance musicals as having "thin" plots. Hmmm! Perhaps they want to be watching a heavy drama or mystery flick instead? Let's face it – entertainment that has half a dozen or more songs, as many dance numbers, some comedic hijinks and romance on the side, doesn't need a heavy, complicated plot. Nor does it have time to develop one. But for the less than two hours that "Roberta" has, its plot is very good and just right for tying together all of these entertainment pieces. I won't give the plot away here, but it does have a different twist. And, it's as believable as any piece of fiction or biography or history one might read. Based on a Broadway Play, this movie delivers laughs, smiles, warmth and a happy feeling throughout. Yes – a guy can even enjoy the one long fashion parade aspect – if for no other reason than to see what the well-to-do fussed over fashion for in the 1930s. Some folks have commented about Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers having second billing. Irene Dunne was certainly a top star at the same time, and as with any film, someone has to be listed first. Usually, "the" star or headliner of a film has the majority or largest part in the movie or play. But this film had nearly equal time for the three main characters – Irene, Fred and Ginger; and Randolph Scott had a considerable amount of time. This was a very unusual role for Scott – we're used to seeing him in Westerns and as aloof and tough in many films; but here he played a good guy from next door, college athlete, and decent and considerate guy. To his ex-girl friend of course, he was a country bumpkin because he wasn't educated in the ways of the world. But, he played the decent, honest, forthright character perfectly. It all worked for the best, and to me, "Roberta" is a great example of a movie that has several stars of equal or near-equal billing for their great talents. The rest of the main supporting cast added to the enjoyment of this film as well. So, this film has some tremendous music numbers and dance routines, two very nice romances that fit snugly, wonderful humor, a fine display of fashion, and a peek at life lived in the upper crust in 1930s Paris. One last word on the very fine plot ("thin" to some others) -- I didn't suspect the true identity of Dunne's character – it was so well hidden from us until toward the end. But then, I suspected that at the end of the movie she would "spill the beans" about knowing the truth about the countess (Rogers) all along. Of course, that didn't happen, so we were fooled again and left with just a great two hours of top entertainment from two handsful of first class performers. "Roberta" is indeed a gem among classic films of the 20th century.

My take on this movie: Helen Westley great. Randolph Scott a tall hunka sweetness. Ginger Rogers has nice accent. Irene Dunne lovely singer. Fred Astaire great, especially playing those organ fingers. Indianians and Indians a nice touch tongue twister. The elevator being stuck always gets some laughs out of me.I also like the 1950s remake: "Lovely to Look At".I loved the little black "vulgar" dress, the front at least. The back I would have re-designed to have more substance around the waistline.Scott's fiancé/gf was a miserable, cold fish, cold block of ice. I am glad she got talked into getting the terrible dress. That was so funny, and an ironic comeuppance for her.A sweet movie. 10/10.