The Sky's the Limit

1943
Approved
1h 29m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Fred Astaire and Joan Leslie in The Sky's the Limit (1943)

Classic Musical Romantic Comedy Comedy Musical Romance War

Fred Atwell sneaks away from his famous squadron's personal appearance tour and goes incognito for several days off.Fred Atwell sneaks away from his famous squadron's personal appearance tour and goes incognito for several days off.Fred Atwell sneaks away from his famous squadron's personal appearance tour and goes incognito for several days off.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

1.2K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 2 nominations total

Photos17

+ 9

Top cast56

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Fred Astaire

Fred Atwell aka Fred Burton

Joan Leslie

Joan Manion

Robert Benchley

Phil Harriman

Robert Ryan

Reginald Fenton

Elizabeth Patterson

Mrs. Fisher

Marjorie Gateson

Canteen Hostess

Freddie Slack

Freddie Slack - Leader of His Orchestra

Freddie Slack and His Orchestra

Freddie Slack's Orchestra

Fred Aldrich

Pilot
(uncredited)

Robert Andersen

Officer
(uncredited)

Bobby Barber

Canteen Waiter
(uncredited)

Brandon Beach

Officer at Dinner
(uncredited)

Brooks Benedict

Dinner Guest
(uncredited)

Joseph E. Bernard

Third Bartender
(uncredited)

Eric Blore

Jackson - Phil's Butler
(uncredited)

Buck Bucko

Cowboy
(uncredited)

Roy Bucko

Cowboy
(uncredited)

Georgia Caine

Charwoman
(uncredited)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Fred Astaire cut his shins and ankles on the broken glass generated during "One for My Baby".

Goofs
Fred Astaire plays a WWII fighter pilot, although he was 44 years old at the time. A typical age for a WWII fighter pilot was half that. Most 44-year-old men who were serving in WWII did so from behind a desk.

Quotes
Joan Manion: You know, purely in a sociological way, you interest me. A little.
Fred Atwell: Well, it's a beginning, isn't it?
Joan Manion: Don't get me wrong! What interests me is this passion you seem to have for having your picture taken.
Fred Atwell: Let's talk it over.
[to bartender]
Fred Atwell: I'll have the same, please.
Joan Manion: You know, I'm supposed to be taking pictures of celebrities.
Fred Atwell: Couldn't I be the fellow who never gets his name mentioned? The one they call 'a friend'? You know: 'Ginger Rogers - and friend.'
Joan Manion: It's possible but extremely improbable.

Connections
Featured in Great Performances: The Fred Astaire Songbook (1991)

Soundtracks
My Shining Hour
(uncredited)
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Sung by Joan Leslie (dubbed by Sally Sweetland)
Danced by Fred Astaire, Joan Leslie

User reviews44

Review

Featured review

10/10

Great songs, fine dancing, and all-around fun

Songwriter Alec Wilder once analyzed MY SHINING HOUR as one of the finest songs ever written, and THE SKY'S THE LIMIT serves this terrific song well. Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen also contributed ONE FOR THE ROAD for this RKO World War II film that remains one of the most underrated and delicious musical comedies of the forties. Fred Astaire swings his way through the not-uninteresting plot, and he is joined by the wondrous Joan Leslie, who, here, once again demonstrates her skill at comedy, drama, and dance. There is a nice, goofy number for Astaire and Leslie early in the film, and a splendid love dance to MY SHINING HOUR later. Assisting them beautifully is Robert Bencheley giving one of his famed "lectures" that stays funny to this day. The ONE FOR MY BABY number by Astaire is pure choreographic genius. The whole enterprise is more relaxed than the Astaire-Rogers films of several years before, although those films cannot be put down. SKY'S... is lighter, frothier, and fun... but with a serious undertone that culminates in a farewell ending all too familiar to those who have sent their loved ones to war. Definitely catch this film....