Why Ginger Rogers? Part 2

Call me crazy, but what I love best about Ginger Rogers is neither her dancing nor her acting. I like to hear her sing. I fell in love with Ms. Rogers after seeing the movie Swing Time, the fifth movie she made with Fred Astaire. Watch the scene where she sings "A Fine Romance." Gets me every time. She sings the song very straight and mostly on the beat, which makes it sound plaintive, yet she has a kind of wised-up, jazzy sound.

The second, and simpler explanation for why this blog is named after Ginger Rogers, is that she is The Actor I Have Seen in the Most Movies. Forty-one. She edges out Meryl Streep by one movie for this distinguished title. Why did I watch her in so many movies? Well, as I say, I was in love. But that is usual for me. I am always crushing on some actor or other. The real reason is because there were so many movies I could watch her in online. On Youtube, mostly. Ms. Rogers has some hardcore fans out there, and they were very busy posting her movies for others to watch -- keeping her stardom alive.

Now, I am aware that it is illegal for people to post these movies, unless they own the rights or have permission from the copyright holder, or unless the work is in the public domain. I am in an ethical quandary about whether or not it is acceptable to watch movies and television illegally online. I will discuss this further in other posts. However, what fascinates me is that people are willing to spend their time posting movies online. I mean, it takes a while, or so I understand (I’ve never done it). And they don’t get paid, except sometimes in thanks from grateful viewers. The only explanation is that they feel a powerful urge to share the movies they love with other people.

If you are 21, like me, it is sometimes hard to find people in life who want to talk to you about Ginger Rogers. But it is easy to find them online. All over the Internet, there is evidence of this urge to share and connect with total strangers. The urge to find other people who love the things we love, so that we can take turns rhapsodizing and agreeing with each other. This is perhaps why people are so upset by trolling. They sit at their computers seeking the validation that comes from knowing other people share their tastes, and feel as if they have been slapped when instead they find slurs directed at the movies and actors they adore.

Obviously, I have the urge to share as much as the next person. That is why I am blogging.

Watch What I'm Watching:

Swing Time (1936) Highest Recommendation
@ The Internet Movie Database
DVD @ Amazon.com
@ Amazon Instant Video
@ Netflix.com



Starring Ginger Rogers by Rosa Frank is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.