The Continental

Lyrics

[Fred Astaire (Guy Holden) (spoken)] Hello, hello That doesn't sound like the prisoner song to me. Hehe It's not a bad tune What is it? [Ginger Rogers (Mimi Glossup) (spoken)] It's the newest thing over here. It's called The Continental [Fred Astaire (Guy Holden) (spoken)] Continental? Oh. I like it. That's the second thing I've found I'd like to take back home with me. You know the words? [Ginger Rogers (Mimi Glossup) (spoken)] Mm-hmm [Ginger Rogers (Mimi Glossup) (Fred Astaire whistling)] Beautiful music! (whistling) Dangerous rhythm! (whistling) It's something daring, The Continental A way of dancing that's really ultra-new It's very subtle, The Continental Because it doеs what you want it to do It has a passion, The Continental An invitation to moonlight and romance It's quitе the fashion, The Continental Because you tell of your love while you dance [Ginger Rogers (Mimi Glossup)] Your lips whisper so tenderly Her eyes answer your song [Ginger Rogers (Mimi Glossup)] Two bodies swaying, The Continental And you are saying just what you're dreaming of So keep on dancing The Continental For it's a song of romance and of love [Ginger Rogers (Mimi Glossup) (Fred Astaire, speaking)] You kiss while you're dancing (Not a bad idea) It's Continental Mmm, it's Continental You sing while you're dancing Your voice is gentle and sentimental You stroll together arm in arm You nonchalantly glide along With grace and charm You will find while you're dancing There's a rhythm in your heart and soul A certain rhythm that you can't control And you will do The Continental all the time [Fred and Ginger dance back into the hotel room] [Fred Astaire (Guy Holden) (spoken)] Oh, can't we go down there and join the fun? [Ginger Rogers (Mimi Glossup) (spoken)] Well, what if our jailer should catch us? [Fred Astaire (Guy Holden) (spoken)] Oh, I forgot all about "Scusi, please" [Ginger Rogers (Mimi Glossup) (spoken)] What is it? [Fred notices their shadows on the wall and walks over to a phonograph machine on in the hotel room.] [Fred Astaire (Guy Holden) (spoken)] An idea, an idea Is this one of those ... I think I know how we can get out of here without our friend Tonetti missing us This is something I used to do as a boy [Fred takes a piece of cardboard out of a magazine and starts cutting it. Ginger eventually gets the idea.] [Ginger Rogers (Mimi Glossup) and Fred Astaire (Guy Holden) (spoken)] I don't care what you did as a boy [Fred Astaire (Guy Holden) (spoken)] I know, hehe This might work Look, you've got me cutting out paper dolls [Ginger Rogers (Mimi Glossup) (spoken)] Oh, I see Well, I'll go change [Ginger changes out of the negligee into an evening gown. Fred finishes cutting out a two person figure. He brings a lamp behind the phonograph, directing the light to the wall. He places the cardboard on the phonograph and starts it in motion. The shadows look like Fred and Ginger dancing together in the room. Ginger comes out.] [Ginger Rogers (Mimi Glossup) (spoken)] That's cute [Fred Astaire (Guy Holden) (spoken)] And that's beautiful Come on [Fred and Ginger go down and start dancing in the crowd. Soon enough, their efforts are so impressive that everyone else makes way for their solo dance, eventually applauding them. Realizing that they've possibly messed up by being so obvious, Fred and Ginger try to leave when 25 couples of dancers come streaming out of the five revolving doors leading to the dance area. They are in five rows of alternating black tails/evening gowns, white tails/evening gowns. After a few minutes, Tonetti, listening to the music, picks up his concertina and moves out to the balcony to see the festivities.] [Fred Astaire (Guy Holden) (spoken)] Look Mimi, there he is [Ladies in both black and white evening gowns are in the revolving doors slowly rotating.] [Erik Rhodes (Rodolfo Tonetti)] Beautiful music! Dangerous rhythm! It's something daring, The Continental A way of dancing that's really ultra-new It's very subtle, The Continental Because it does what you want it to do It has a passion, The Continental An invitation to moonlight and romance It's quite the fashion, The Continental Because you tell of your love while you dance [Erik Rhodes (Rodolfo Tonetti)] Your lips whisper so tenderly Her eyes answer your song [Erik Rhodes (Rodolfo Tonetti)] Two bodies swaying, The Continental And you are saying just what you're thinking of So keep on dancing The Continental For it's the song of romance and of love [On a separate balcony area, 5 couples, one in black and one in white, are dancing in and out of five glass doors next to each other.] [Erik Rhodes (Rodolfo Tonetti)] You kiss while you're dancing It's Continental It's Continental You sing while you're dancing Your voice is gentle, so sentimental You'll know before this dance is through That you're in love with she and she's in love with you You'll find while you're dancing There's a rhythm in your heart and soul A certain rhythm that you can't control And you will do The Continental all the time [After various permutations of the 25 previous couples, one person in white dancing with someone in black, suddenly there are 16 couples in four rows. The guys are in white bolero jackets and black pants and the women are in half black/half white dresses. Eventually all 41 couples are dancing together. Suddenly and without warning, we cut to a woman alone on an unspecified balcony mostly singing to the camera.] [Lillian Miles (Guest)] Dukes and lords of noble station Love the new sophistication Of The Continental In a Belgian hall room In the Monte Carlo ballroom You will see The Continental [Lillian Miles (Guest)] In a Paris Bistro Crowded with a pash You will see The Continental In the best French fashion [Lillian Miles (Guest)] Spain and Italy Transylvania Norway, Sweden, and Rumania Do The Continental On the dikes of Zuider Zee The wooden shoes have found the key To Continental [Lillian Miles (Guest)] It's like a fever It's like a plague It's swept all Europe From Moscow to The Hague [Lillian Miles (Guest)] You kiss while you're dancing The Continental, a rhythm that's driving you wild The Continental, a meter that isn't so mild You sing while you're dancing Your voice is gentle You thrill to the touch of his hand The Continental, a meter that you understand [Lillian Miles (Guest)] You'll know before the dance is through That you're in love with her And she's in love with you You'll find while you're dancing That's there a rhythm in your heart and soul A certain rhythm that you can't control The Continental The Continental The Continental [We cut back to the dance floor where 12 couples are dancing. The guys are wearing tuxedo jackets and pants of the opposite color. The women are wearing dance outfits with no pants legs, the same color as their guy's jacket. Eric Blore as The Waiter comes out dancing as he serves. Tonetti goes back into the hotel room and uncovers the phonograph deception. Astaire notices Tonetti has left.] [Fred Astaire (Guy Holden) (spoken)] He's gone. Come on [Fred and Ginger move to the center of the dance area surrounded by the original 25 couples. They dance as only the two of them can, at one point being hit by a spotlight. Tonetti notices and is angry. Fred and Ginger eventually leave through the center revolving door.]