Flying down to Rio Details

Fred and Ginger fly through their first film together

Flying down to Rio was Astaire and Rogers' first film together, and the only one where Ginger was billed above Fred. But don't start watching Flying down to Rio expecting them to be centre stage, because they play supporting characters who end up stealing the show with their dance sequences. Ginger's sharp humour is a delight, whilst Fred's exasperated accordion player dances around after his band leader friend.

The plot revolves around the rakish bandleader Roger Bond (Gene Raymond) and his love affair with the already engaged Belinha (Dolores del Rio) and the attempts of her fiancé to secure his wife by opening hotel with Bond's band the star attraction at the opening night . The Romance doesn't dominate, instead its the set pieces which steal the show - the production number with girls dancing on aeroplane wings has to be seen to be believed.

However be warned that this print of the film is not great, and people who have seen the beautifully remastered releases of Shall We Dance, Top Hat, Carefree and Follow the Fleet may be disapointed that a similar amount of work hasn't been put in on this historic film.