Follow the Fleet and other things!

I have moved! I am now located in the Kansas City area! I have not done much exploring yet, but finding Ginger's birth house in Independence, MO is definitely on my to-do list. I'm thinking Sunday might be a good day for a drive.

Tonight one of my other favorite people, Cher, was the guest programmer on TCM and it turns out she's a big fan of our girl! I was excited to learn that, and I think Ginger would have been tickled to know it too. Cher didn't mention that she had ever met Ginger but I have to wonder if their paths had crossed somewhere--it's possible! Cher showed Follow the Fleet as one of her selections and as I was alone for the evening, I watched it even though a) I've seen it and b) I own it and can watch it whenever I want. It's not my favorite Fred and Ginger film in terms of plot or cuteness, but in terms of dancing I give it an A++++. Let's Face the Music And Dance is brilliant, as is Let Yourself Go.

Moving Day Approaches...

Well, I move in one day. The walls in my room are bare and it's freaking me out. That hasn't happened in a long, long time. I've been freaking out a lot the past couple days, but last night after Kayla got here we watched Vivacious Lady, which I had not yet seen, and right now we are watching Lucky Partners, which neither of us have seen. Just watching Miss Ginger makes me feel a little less stressed and a lot more happy. I find that I rarely watch her without smiling. Vivacious Lady was especially fun. Lucky Partners is alright so far.

My next update will likely be from Overland Park, Kansas. Wish me luck!

The Worst Fan Blog in the World

I am not posting here as much as I want to, and it's frustrating me. My job is crazy right now, and I'm preparing to move so I'm just kind of... everywhere. I STILL haven't gotten around to watching Shall We Dance, Lucky Partners, or my newest addition to my DVR, Vivacious Lady. The good news is I WILL be watching them soon as I am DONE with work after next week! And then I will be hardcore packing, since at the beginning of September I am moving to the Kansas City area.
Shortly after I started planning my move a few months ago, I learned that Ginger Rogers was from Independence, and I felt like it was kind of... time for me to learn ABOUT Ginger. Then I started doing that, and it was like it was meant to be--super fangirl-ness. So. That's my little story about how I found Ginger (or Ginger found me...?) and why I am doubly excited to move. I have never lived outside my hometown, but desperately wanted out. This is a big move for me. So, while I will continue to post here (and more often!) about Ginger, I also may be posting some about the progress of my move. Since the two are kind of related, at least in my head, I think that's okay. Also, I'm pretty sure no one but me reads this :o)

Have a Tuesday night Ginger for your troubles.

Ginger DVR Alert!

Lucky Partners is airing on TCM tomorrow, August 4, at 5am my time (6am for most humans). I'm REALLY EXCITED to record this movie as I have not seen it and my days with my DVR are limited, as I will be sans DVR when I move in a month.

Also, Stage Door will be on TCM this Saturday, August 6, at 8pm/7pm central in celebration of Lucille Ball's 100th birthday. I'm going to count it as a belated Ginger's 100th birthday celebration, too... she and Lucy were pals so they can share :o)

Favorite Thing Of The Day!

Ginger and Carol Channing in a promo for The First Traveling Saleslady. Which I think I kind of want to see.

And I STILL haven't watched Shall We Dance, because I'm the worst. Soon. Soon.

Favorite Thing Of The Day!

Yes, what you see before you is real. Ginger has made a friend. And this friend is a cow.

A Video Spam of Sorts.

Before the Parade Passes By from Hello Dolly! (1965)
I love that this exists. She sounds wonderful. I was discussing with some other Ginger fans today that I think she would have been a terrific Rose in Gypsy.


The Saga of Jenny from Lady In The Dark (1944)
This is... a trip. Ginger is FABULOUS, though. Which makes up for the fact that the rest of it is pretty much a hot mess.


I'll Be Hard to Handle from Roberta (1935)
Okay. Okay. Okay. So I FINALLY WATCHED ROBERTA TODAY! And no longer feel like a cheater for having watched this number 85 million times. Her accent is hilarious in the best way. She sounds like a misplaced Gabor. It's perfect. And the DANCE, holy guacamole.


The Yam from Carefree (1938)
This video has Spanish subtitles, so you can learn the whole Yam in Spanish! Fun fact: "The Yam" in Spanish is apparently "la batata." So there, being a Ginger Rogers fan is also an educational experience!


Ginger singing her very own song Used to Be You, with Jack Oakie. This is from a short called Hollywood On Parade and according to Ginger's book, the year is 1932. She says the melody came to her while riding a train and listening to the click-clack of its wheels.

Ginger's 100th Birthday Extravapalooza

HEY! GINGER FAN IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER! Come join us tonight at 8/7c for The Major and The Minor. You can join the chat here. We've had a blast with Kitty Foyle and Roberta this morning and afternoon!


The birthday girl is so excited she's riding her bike with no hands!

One Hundred.

It's Ginger's 100th birthday today. I've been debating what kind of post to make because I tend to... go overboard with the birthdays. I spam photos. I spam videos. Be generally obnoxious on every social networking medium because I want to pay tribute to my famous people, dammit! But I'm new to this. I'm new in Ginger world, and I feel almost like I'm cheating, because I just got into her and bam, it's her birthday--and not just her birthday, her 100th birthday! Pretty much giving me fangirl license to pull out all the stops. So... why am I not? I don't know. Being a fan is a weird thing, sometimes. Fandoms can be cliquey and I don't want to step on any toes. But as I'm typing this, I am realizing how lucky I am to have become a fan of this great lady just in time to celebrate her centennial. And with that said... expect oodles of pictures and clips this weekend.

Happy Birthday, Virginia Katherine, and thank you for everything.

The List... Or... Lists Forthcoming...

I made good on my word to make a list of Ginger movies I need to see/intend to see/am going to purchase. Now I need to...prioritize said list. Which is cumbersome. So once I prioritize said list, I will share it. And you can all (...you know, all two of you) help me keep myself ON TRACK! With no spoilers! And no broken fangirl rules!
Next up, though, are definitely Shall We Dance and Follow the Fleet, as they are in the Rogers-Astaire boxed set I rescued from the used book & movie place. So--since I already have them, I should watch them and NOT spend money on Roberta, which I really really want to see but don't yet own. Once I watch what I have owned, I will allow myself to spend money on the next list item. See? It makes sense. Sort of. In my head. MY HEAD MATTERS!

...And just so this isn't a completely worthless post:


She's so cute in her little sweater with her fluffy hair!

Holy Diva Collision, Batman!

Sometimes, things happen. Sometimes, epic super divas meet other epic super divas and little fangirl brains everywhere go POOF! I will now give some examples of this phenomenon:

Ginger and Lucy. As we know, Ginger and Lucy knew each other since the Way Back Days, but still. Blows my mind.


Ginger and Ann Miller. Clearly jammin' on a night out.


Ginger and Joan Crawford. Right? RIGHT?! I am not sure of the exact year of this meeting, but I would say it is most certainly the 1960s. As evidenced by Joan's hair and general state of being. Ginger looks so much like wee baby 1930s Ginger in this photo.

More to come, chicken feathers, more to come...
Xoxo

Self-Imposed Fan Rule: BROKEN!

I broke a rule. I told myself I wasn't going to watch any Rogers-Astaire dances on YouTube unless I had already seen the film. It's weirdly important to me that I see the dance within the context of the film the first time--like, I want to keep things special and not spoil the film for myself, I think? I'm not sure. I never claimed to make sense. Anyhoo, I've been doing pretty well avoiding clicking on tempting things, but I broke down and watched I'll Be Hard to Handle, even though I haven't yet seen Roberta. I know. I'm the worst, I should be kicked out of the fandom, etc etc. Well I'm new, so give me a grace period to catch up! I spent a good portion of the afternoon reading Ginger's book and having read about her delight in filming I'll Be Hard To Handle, I couldn't stop myself from watching it. So there, I went and spoiled part of Roberta. But it was grand and I'm glad I did. I don't know why it's so crucial to me that I not see the dances before I see the movies. I guess I just want to experience it for the first time the way it was intended to be seen.
That said, I'm going to make myself a list of what I have and haven't seen so I can properly keep track of my Ginger education.

Here's I'll Be Hard to Handle. In her book Ginger noted that the taps were done directly instead of dubbed, so what we're hearing is what was happening, and that her giggles and Fred's laughter during the number are authentic as they were having a ball.

Favorite Thing Of The Day!

The Piccolino is my Favorite Thing today. It has actually been my Favorite Thing for a couple of weeks now. But right now... it is my Favorite Thing. And I was pleased to find a video that includes Ginger's singing as well as the entire dance number that follows. Most others I found were cutting off either during Fred and Ginger's dance or cutting out Ginger's singing entirely. And to that I say, BOO!
Sadly, I can't embed this wonderful video as it has been disabled by the poster, but here at least is the link to play: Fred & Ginger - The Piccolino

And for good measure, a photograph:

Favorite Thing Of The Day!

Today's Favorite Thing Of The Day! comes from the all-mighty Tube of You, and while this not "new" to me--I've seen it before, just before I was into Ginger--it is, indeed my Favorite Thing today. "Please become a Katharine Hepburn fan!"

Favorite Thing Of The Day!

As I said in my first post, being a new fan means everything I find is my favorite. I decided to make that my first feature. I'm calling it Favorite Thing Of The Day! and it will consist of me posting my Favorite Thing Of The Day! so it can be your Favorite Thing Of The Day! too. So without further hubbub I present to you...

Favorite Thing Of The Day!!!!!

Obligatory Awkward Introductory Thinger!

So, hi. I'm Cara Marie, and this is my blog. You'll notice it's a) pink and b) dedicated to Ginger Rogers. Well, I really like pink, and I really like Ginger Rogers. And Ginger Rogers really liked pink, so it's win-win for everybody!
I was going to write up a super fancy introductory post, but then after further internetting I saw that there are several Ginger tribute blogs floating around so... here's one more. I'm a new Ginger fan and wanted somewhere to put my new-found excited fangirl squealiness. Yes, squealiness. It is in the fangirl dictionary, look it up. I wish I had found Ginger before--in fact I don't know why it took me so long, but I'm glad I caught up. So here's the least I can do, my own little space on the internet.

BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME, PICTURES ARE MORE ENTERTAINING!!!!!



I love this picture of Miss Ginger. I think it's my current favorite. Until, you know, tomorrow, when I find a new favorite. Since I'm a new fan, everything I find is my favorite because...it's all new to me and equally exciting. But she's just so adorable with her little heels and umbrella all jaunty-like. Also, I'm going to try to make use of the tag function here (are they tags? labels? the internet has so many different names for the same thing) to try and organize post subjects and pictures and whatnot. But we'll see how that goes.

If anyone is reading this and got this far, congratulations! I am not yet rich enough to supply door prizes. But please feel free to stick around! Follow, if you will! Comment, if you are so inclined! I'd love to meet other Ginger fans (who are nice and not snarky or mean or weird in the way that fans of some old Hollywood folk are weird, because that's a thing).

xoxo,
Cara Marie
(I feel Ginger might be strict about having a uniform sign-off. I don't know why. I just think she might appreciate the custom.)

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