The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle

Top-flight cinematic entertainment.

A beautifully told story, with sincere and vigorous performances, and with a solid and richly atmospheric production to lend its interest and fascination.

Astaire and Rogers in their last pre-war monochrome musical, a touching cinebiography of the celebrated American dancers of the pre-First World War era whose partnership ended with his death as a pilot in the war. The dance routines are more numerous, though less spectacular, than in the previous movies. [04 Jan 2004, p.8]

Ably welding dance numbers and plot, courtesy of light comedy director Potter, it overcomes its lack of '30s snap and crackle with lavish doses of elegance and charm to a tango or foxtrot rhythm.

Musical bio of the early 20th Century dance team; their weakest. [03 Nov 2006, p.C5]

The re-creations of the Castles' dances are painstakingly authentic, and most of them are fun to watch, but the movie is cursed with the dullness of big bios--especially those produced when some of the key figures are alive.

If joy and liberation bursts from the best Astaire-Rogers films, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle is defined by restriction.