Fred Astaire Awning Hat

The movie has three other dance numbers two solos by astaire that are wonderful but not transcendent and a final duet with rogers the piccolino where one of irving berlin s lesser songs is redeemed by the sight of astaire and rogers dancing all over a huge set that is intended to represent a canal side hotel in venice and looks every bit as realistic as the grand canal shoppes at the. The finale of top hat white tie and tails production number with fred astaire miming his cane as a weapon attacking his supporting dancers 13 canes were prepared for it. One signature part of fred s act was the frequency with which he wore a tuxedo and top hat even though the down to earth performer didn t feel like the look should define him.