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RKO Pictures The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle Rare Japan RKO LaserDisc Musical

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle Rare Japan RKO LaserDisc Musical

Rare LaserDisc Near-Mint LaserDisc and Jacket with OBI Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers,...

$69.97

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The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle Rare Japan RKO LaserDisc Musical

Rare LaserDisc Near-Mint LaserDisc and Jacket with OBI Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers,...

$69.97

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$69.97

Rare LaserDisc

Near-Mint LaserDisc and Jacket with OBI

Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edna May Oliver, Walter Brennan in...

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle

RKO Classic Collection

( Catalog Number PILF2030 )
(1.33:1) (2 Sides) (CLV) (NTSC)

LaserDisc Special Features

One of the Best Versions on LaserDisc
English Language
Japanese Subtitles in-picture
Includes Insert

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
1939 - 83 min. - Black and White
Genre: Musical
Not Rated
Country: Japan

LaserDisc Movie Review:
The last of RKO's Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers vehicles, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle is also the least typical. At their best playing carefree characters in gossamer-thin musical comedy plotlines, Fred and Ginger seem slightly ill at ease cast as the real-life dancing team of Vernon and Irene Castle. The stripped-to-essentials storyline boils down to novice dancer Irene (Rogers) convincing vaudeville comic Vernon (Astaire) to give up slapstick in favor of "classy" ballroom dancing. With  the help of agent Edna May Oliver, the Castles hit their peak of fame and fortune in the immediate pre-World War I years. When Vernon is called to arms, Irene stays behind in the US, making patriotic movie serials to aid the war effort. Vernon is killed in a training accident, leaving a tearful Irene to carry on alone. To soften the shock of Astaire's on-screen death (it still packs a jolt when seen today), RKO inserted a closing "dream" dancing sequence, with a spectral Vernon and Irene waltzing off into the heavens. The film's production was hampered by the on-set presence of the real Irene Castle, whose insistence upon accuracy at all costs drove everyone to distraction--especially Ginger Rogers, who felt as though she was being treated like a marionette rather than an actress. In one respect, Mrs. Castle had good reason to be so autocratic. Walter, the "severest critic servant" character played by Walter Brennan, was in reality a black man. RKO was nervous about depicting a strong, equal-footing friendship between the white Castles and their black retainer, so a Caucasian actor was hired for the role. Mrs. Castle was understandably incensed by this alteration, and for the rest of her days chastised RKO for its cowardice. As it turned out, it probably wouldn't have mattered if Walter had been black, white, Chicano or Siamese; The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle was a financial bust, losing $50,000 at the box office. Perhaps as a result, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers would not team up again for another ten years. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Cast for The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle

Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Edna May Oliver
Walter Brennan
Lew Fields
Etienne Girardot
Janet Beecher
Rolfe Sedan
Leonid Kinskey
Robert Strange
Douglas Walton
Clarence Derwent
Sonny Lamont
Frances Mercer
Victor Varconi
Donald MacBride

Crew for The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle

Producer George Haight
Cinematographer Robert De Grasse
Director H.C. Potter
Editor William Hamilton
Irene Castle
Hermes Pan
Writer Irene Castle
Writer Oscar Hammerstein II
Writer Richard Sherman
Writer Dorothy Yost

Feature Details

Title: The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
Feature Release Date: 1939
Genre: Musical
Rating: Not Rated
Color: Black and White
Runtime: 83 Minutes
Picture: Academy Ratio
Ratio: 1.33:1
Playback Format: CLV

IMDB Info...

Technical Details

Catalog Number: PILF2030
ISBN: none
Manufacturer: Pioneer Japan
Collection: RKO Classic Collection
Publisher: Pioneer LDC

Sides: 2
Cover: Jacket
Spoken Language: English
Country: Japan
Video Format: NTSC

Model: PILF2030
Shipping Weight: 1 lbs
0 in Stock

Rare LaserDisc

Near-Mint LaserDisc and Jacket with OBI

Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edna May Oliver, Walter Brennan in...

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle

RKO Classic Collection

( Catalog Number PILF2030 )
(1.33:1) (2 Sides) (CLV) (NTSC)

LaserDisc Special Features

One of the Best Versions on LaserDisc
English Language
Japanese Subtitles in-picture
Includes Insert

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
1939 - 83 min. - Black and White
Genre: Musical
Not Rated
Country: Japan

LaserDisc Movie Review:
The last of RKO's Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers vehicles, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle is also the least typical. At their best playing carefree characters in gossamer-thin musical comedy plotlines, Fred and Ginger seem slightly ill at ease cast as the real-life dancing team of Vernon and Irene Castle. The stripped-to-essentials storyline boils down to novice dancer Irene (Rogers) convincing vaudeville comic Vernon (Astaire) to give up slapstick in favor of "classy" ballroom dancing. With  the help of agent Edna May Oliver, the Castles hit their peak of fame and fortune in the immediate pre-World War I years. When Vernon is called to arms, Irene stays behind in the US, making patriotic movie serials to aid the war effort. Vernon is killed in a training accident, leaving a tearful Irene to carry on alone. To soften the shock of Astaire's on-screen death (it still packs a jolt when seen today), RKO inserted a closing "dream" dancing sequence, with a spectral Vernon and Irene waltzing off into the heavens. The film's production was hampered by the on-set presence of the real Irene Castle, whose insistence upon accuracy at all costs drove everyone to distraction--especially Ginger Rogers, who felt as though she was being treated like a marionette rather than an actress. In one respect, Mrs. Castle had good reason to be so autocratic. Walter, the "severest critic servant" character played by Walter Brennan, was in reality a black man. RKO was nervous about depicting a strong, equal-footing friendship between the white Castles and their black retainer, so a Caucasian actor was hired for the role. Mrs. Castle was understandably incensed by this alteration, and for the rest of her days chastised RKO for its cowardice. As it turned out, it probably wouldn't have mattered if Walter had been black, white, Chicano or Siamese; The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle was a financial bust, losing $50,000 at the box office. Perhaps as a result, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers would not team up again for another ten years. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Thanks for Visiting DaDon's !

Reviews, Articles, Newsletter and Information for Movies on LaserDisc LD Laser Disc, LazerDisc.

Cast for The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle

Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers
Edna May Oliver
Walter Brennan
Lew Fields
Etienne Girardot
Janet Beecher
Rolfe Sedan
Leonid Kinskey
Robert Strange
Douglas Walton
Clarence Derwent
Sonny Lamont
Frances Mercer
Victor Varconi
Donald MacBride

Crew for The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle

Producer George Haight
Cinematographer Robert De Grasse
Director H.C. Potter
Editor William Hamilton
Irene Castle
Hermes Pan
Writer Irene Castle
Writer Oscar Hammerstein II
Writer Richard Sherman
Writer Dorothy Yost

Feature Details

Technical Details

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The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle Rare Japan RKO LaserDisc Musical

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