| A Damsel in Distress | |
| Director: | George Stevens |
| Producer: | Pandro S. Berman |
| Based On: | 1928 play by Wodehouse and Ian Hay |
| Screenplay: | P. G. Wodehouse Ernest Pagano S. K. Lauren |
| Starring: | |
| Music: |
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| Cinematography: | Joseph H. August |
| Editing: | Henry Berman |
| Studio: | RKO Radio Pictures |
| Distributor: | RKO Radio Pictures |
| Runtime: | 98 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Budget: | $1,035,000[1] |
| Gross: | $1,465,000 |
A Damsel in Distress is a 1937 American English-themed Hollywood musical comedy film starring Fred Astaire, George Burns, Gracie Allen and Joan Fontaine. Loosely based upon P.G. Wodehouse's 1919 novel of the same name and the 1928 stage play written by Wodehouse and Ian Hay, it has music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin. The film was directed by George Stevens, who had also directed Astaire in Swing Time (1936).
The staff at Totleigh Castle know that the lovely Lady Alyce Marshmorton must marry soon and wager on whom the groom will be. With all of the likely candidates already claimed, young footman Albert places a bet on a "Mr. X", someone totally out of the blue.
Lady Alyce has a secret romantic interest in an American whom family has not met. She leaves the castle one day to venture into London and encounters American entertainer Jerry Halliday, who is accompanied by press agent George and his secretary Gracie.
Jerry is incorrectly led to believe that he is the American whom Lady Alyce loves. He visits the castle, encouraged by Albert but discouraged by Keggs, a scheming butler whose money is on another suitor.
Jerry fails to recognize Lady Alyce's father, the lord of the manor. He is slapped in the face in a Tunnel of Love, misunderstanding Lady Alyce's intentions. In the end, the pair find romance.
A Damsel in Distress was the first of Fred Astaire's RKO films to not feature Ginger Rogers, and 19-year-old Joan Fontaine was cast in the female leading role. It soon emerged that Fontaine could not dance, but director George Stevens persuaded Astaire to not replace her with Ruby Keeler.[2] The film was Astaire's first to fail to return a profit, costing $1,035,000 to produce and losing $65,000.[3]
Charley Chase was originally supposed to appear in the film as Jerry’s valet. However, he withdrew because of his poor health and his part was rewritten for Burns and Allen.[4]
The sequence in the funhouse garnered choreographer Hermes Pan the 1937 Academy Award for Best Dance Direction. Carroll Clark was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Art Direction.
Orchestrator Robert Russell Bennett and conductor Victor Baravalle had previously worked together on the original stage production of Show Boat, as well as the 1936 film version.
The film was nominated for the American Film Institute's 2006 list AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals.[5]
The choreography explores dancing around, past and through obstacles, and in confined spaces.
In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Frank S. Nugent wrote: "For a chap who has just been deprived of Ginger Rogers as a co-star, Fred Astaire is bearing up astonishingly well ... He probably misses his dancing partner a little—he'd have to say so any way—but there's no evidence that he has been brooding over the loss. In fact, there were times when we suspected him of enjoying this gallivanting around with a new leading lady. Not that we blame him, either; Joan Fontaine is mighty attractive gallivantee, even if she can't dance."[7]