History Film / Carefree

* TriangRelations: Stephen loves Amanda, who loves Tony, who eventually loves Amanda.

* [[GoLookAtTheDistraction Go Talk to the Distraction]]: At a country club dance on the night before the wedding, Tony arranges for Stephen to be called away for a phone call (actually made by Connors [[ShortDistancePhoneCall from the lobby phone booth]]) so that Tony can try to reverse his suggestions to Amanda. He outlines his plan in the lyrics of the song "Change Partners":
-->"Ask him to sit this one out, and while you're alone,\\
I'll tell the waiter to tell him he's wanted on the telephone."

-->''Won't you change partners? And then\\

--->--"Change Partners" (song from ''Carefree)'' by Music/IrvingBerlin

A 1938 ScrewballComedy {{musical}} film starring Creator/FredAstaire, Creator/GingerRogers, and Ralph Bellamy. The music is by Music/IrvingBerlin.

* LoveRevelationEpiphany: When Tony hypnotizes Amanda, he plants the following suggestions in her mind: (1) she loves Stephen and wants to marry him; (2) Tony is a horrible monster, and [[RhetoricalRequestBlunder men like him should be shot down like dogs]]; and (3) Tony does not love her. Her reaction to the last statement is so strong that Tony has to leave the room to think things over. After a [[TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack short conversation with himself,]] he realizes that not only does she really love him, but he loves her too.

* LoveEpiphany: When Tony hypnotizes Amanda, he plants the following suggestions in her mind: (1) she loves Stephen and wants to marry him; (2) Tony is a horrible monster, and [[RhetoricalRequestBlunder men like him should be shot down like dogs]]; and (3) Tony does not love her. Her reaction to the last statement is so strong that Tony has to leave the room to think things over. After a [[TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack short conversation with himself,]] he realizes that not only does she really love him, but he loves her too.

* CommitmentIssues: Amanda has what Tony calls a "phobia" of marriage.

* InvoluntaryDance: Tony manages to get Amanda alone at a dance on the night before her wedding; he hypnotizes her, hoping to get a chance to reverse his hypnotic suggestions, and she dances with him in a trance.

Convinced that she is merely confusing respect for a doctor with love, Tony hypnotizes Amanda into believing that she hates him and loves Stephen. Midway through the session, he realizes that he's making a mistake--not only does she truly love him, but [[LoveEpiphany he loves her too]]. However, before he can undo the suggestion, Amanda escapes from his office. Stephen is delighted with her newfound devotion to him even after he finds out the reason for it, and he convinces a judge to issue a restraining order preventing Tony from seeing Amanda. Tony must race against time to reverse Amanda's hypnosis-induced change of heart.

* FakeStatic: Connors provides some when pretending to be a long-distance call from Honolulu. He makes some of the noises with his mouth and then puts the earphone to the speaker to create feedback.

* SlowMotion: Much of the dream dance ("I Used to Be Colorblind") is filmed this way, emphasizing the surreal feeling.

* BigDamnKiss: In the context of the Astaire-Rogers series, Amanda and Tony's dream kiss is this. Astaire jokingly called it "the kiss of the century." They had managed to make seven previous RomanticComedy films without a full-on, mutual, romantic kiss onscreen. In ''Carefree,'' not only do they finally have that kiss, but it's in slow motion too.

* DerailingLoveInterests: Any sympathy the audience may have had for Stephen will likely disappear once he gets the restraining order and tries to marry Amanda while she's {{brainwashed}} into thinking she loves him.

* HollywoodLaw: Legal proceedings (or threats of them) exist to provide impetus or obstacles to the romantic plot and bear very little reference to real-world practices. All legal matters seem to be handled on a personal basis, as Judge Travers is a friend of both Stephen and Amanda.
* HollywoodPsych: Similarly, all of the psychiatric material in the movie exists just to drive the comedy plot. In particular, hypnosis does not work that way.

* IntoxicationEnsues: Under the influence of a drug intended to lower her inhibitions, Amanda breaks a large pane of sheet glass, kicks a policeman, and merrily insults the sponsor of her radio show. (A variation on the regular trope, as the drug is administered with her knowledge by a medical professional.)

* KissingUnderTheInfluence: The first thing Amanda tries to do after being given an anesthetic that will lower her inhibitions is kiss Tony.

* LoveConfession: Right after Stephen announces their wedding, Amanda tells Tony that she's fallen for him.
* LoveEpiphany: When Tony hypnotizes Amanda, he implants the following suggestions in her mind: (1) she loves Stephen and wants to marry him; (2) Tony is a horrible monster, and [[RhetoricalRequestBlunder men like him should be shot down like dogs]]; and (3) Tony does not love her. Her reaction to the last statement is so strong that Tony has to leave the room to think things over. After a [[TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack short conversation with himself,]] he realizes that not only does she really love him, but he loves her too.

* TapOnTheHead: Stephen knocks Amanda unconscious when he tries to take a swing at Tony and accidentally hits her instead. Tony is able to use her unconscious state to reverse his post-hypnotic suggestions at last.

* BriefAccentImitation: Tony's Scottish golf pro comments that he's getting terrific length with his drives. Tony imitates his accent as he replies, "Thank you, Mr. [=MacPherson=]. You're verra, verra encouragin'." Then he switches back to his normal voice and adds with a chuckle, "It's about time, Mac."

* JapanesePoliteness: To distract Stephen while Tony talks to Amanda at the dance, Connors pretends to be a reporter named Miss Satsuma Naguchi from the Honolulu ''Daily Bugle.'' He ends virtually every sentence with "please."

* TapOnTheHead: Stephen knocks Amanda unconscious when he tries to take a swing at Tony and accidentally hits her instead. Tony is able to use this to reverse his post-hypnotic suggestions at last.

* HollywoodLaw: Legal proceedings (or threats of them) exist to provide impetus or obstacles to the romantic plot and bear very little reference to real-world practices.

* InvoluntaryDance: Tony manages to get Amanda alone at a country club dance shortly before her wedding; he hypnotizes her, hoping to get a chance to reverse his hypnotic suggestions, and she dances with him in a trance.

* BriefAccentImitation: Tony's Scottish golf pro comments that he's getting terrific length with his drives. Tony imitates his accent as he replies, "Thank you, Mr. [=MacPherson=]. You're verra, verry encouraging." Then he switches back to his normal voice and adds with a chuckle, "It's about time, Mac."

* EthnicMenialLabor: Hattie, Amanda's maid, is played by [[TheDanza Hattie [=McDaniel=].]]

* RunningGag: "Sit down, Joe!" from Aunt Cora. (And finally, "Stand up, Joe!")

* EroticDream: Amanda dreams of dancing with Tony through a fairytale landscape, ending with a HollywoodKiss.

* HollywoodPsych: All of the psychiatric material in the movie exists just to drive the comedy plot. In particular, hypnosis does not work that way.
* HollywoodLaw: Similarly, legal proceedings (or threats of them) exist to provide impetus or obstacles to the romantic plot and bear very little reference to real-world practices.

Convinced that she is merely confusing respect for a doctor with love, Tony hypnotizes Amanda into believing that she hates him and loves Stephen. Midway through the session, he realizes that he's making a mistake--not only does she truly love him, but he loves her too. However, before he can undo the suggestion, Amanda escapes from his office. Stephen is delighted with her newfound devotion to him even after he finds out the reason for it, and he convinces a judge to issue a restraining order preventing Tony from seeing Amanda. Tony must race against time to reverse Amanda's hypnosis-induced change of heart.

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: When Tony hypnotizes Amanda into hating him, he gives her a suggestion that "men like him should be shot down like dogs." Later, at the country club, she grabs Stephen's skeet-shooting rifle and attempts to shoot Tony. It's PlayedForLaughs.

* HypnoFool: After Amanda leaves Tony's office under hypnosis, she goes to the country club, where his suggestion that "men like him should be shot down like dogs" leads to some crazy antics when she grabs Stephen's skeet-shooting rifle.

* TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack: Tony has a conversation with his subconscious mind in this way.
* TriangRelations: Stephen loves Amanda, who loves Tony, who eventually returns Amanda's love.

* LoveEpiphany: When Tony hypnotizes Amanda, he implants the following suggestions: (1) she loves Stephen and wants to marry him; (2) Tony is a horrible monster, and men like him should be shot down like dogs; and (3) Tony does not love her. Her reaction to the last statement is so strong that Tony has to leave the room to think things over. After a [[TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack short conversation with himself,]] he realizes that not only does she actually love him, but he loves her too.

Convinced that she is merely confusing respect for a doctor with love, Tony hypnotizes Amanda into believing that she hates him and loves Stephen. He also plants the suggestion, "Tony doesn't love me." Amanda starts to cry upon hearing this, and Tony has to leave the room to think things over. After a [[TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack short conversation with himself,]] he realizes that not only does she actually love him, but [[LoveEpiphany he loves her too]]. Before he can undo the suggestion, Amanda escapes from his office. Stephen is delighted with her newfound devotion to him even after he finds out the reason for it, and he convinces a judge to issue a restraining order preventing Tony from seeing Amanda. Tony must race against time to reverse Amanda's hypnosis-induced change of heart.

* BigDamnKiss: In the context of the Astaire-Rogers series, Amanda and Tony's dream kiss is this. Astaire jokingly called it "the kiss of the century." They had managed to make seven previous RomanticComedy films without showing a full-on, mutual, romantic kiss. In ''Carefree,'' not only do they finally have that onscreen kiss, but it's in slow motion too.

* BriefAccentImitation: Tony's Scottish golf pro comments that he's getting terrific length with his drives. Tony imitates his accent as he replies, "Thank you, Mr. MacPherson. You're verra, verry encouraging." Then he switches back to his normal voice and adds with a chuckle, "It's about time, Mac."

Convinced that she is merely confusing respect for a doctor with love, Tony hypnotizes Amanda into believing that she hates him and loves Stephen. During the session, he plants a suggestion that Tony does not love her. Amanda starts to cry upon hearing this, and Tony has to leave the room to think things over. After a [[TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack short conversation with himself,]] he realizes that not only does she actually love him, but he loves her too. Before he can undo the suggestion, Amanda escapes from his office. Stephen is delighted with her newfound devotion to him even after he finds out the reason for it, and he convinces a judge to issue a restraining order preventing Tony from seeing Amanda. Tony must race against time to reverse Amanda's hypnosis-induced change of heart.

* BigDamnKiss: In the context of the Astaire-Rogers series, Amanda and Tony's dream kiss is this. They had managed to make seven previous RomanticComedy films without showing a full-on, mutual, romantic kiss. In ''Carefree,'' not only do they finally have that kiss, but it's in slow motion too. Astaire jokingly called it "the kiss of the century."

* HospitalHottie: Connors, at least in Aunt Cora's opinion.

* TriangRelations: Stephen loves Amanda, who loves Tony.

After Amanda Cooper (Rogers) breaks off her engagement to Stephen Arden (Bellamy) for the third time, he asks psychiatrist Tony Flagg (Astaire) to analyze her. Tony meets with Amanda several times, but something goes wrong with each appointment, and he makes no progress in finding the root of her CommitmentIssues. Meanwhile, Amanda falls in love with Tony. When she tries to tell Stephen about it, he misunderstands and thinks she is finally ready to marry him.

Convinced that she is merely confusing respect for a doctor with love, Tony hypnotizes Amanda into believing that she hates him and loves Stephen. However, midway through the session, Tony realizes that not only does she really love him, but that he returns her feelings. Before he can undo the suggestion, Amanda escapes from his office. Stephen is delighted with her newfound devotion to him even after he finds out the reason for it, and he convinces a judge to issue a restraining order preventing Tony from seeing Amanda. Tony must race against time to reverse Amanda's hypnosis-induced change of heart.

* CannotDream: Amanda claims that she doesn't dream, so Tony orders her to eat some bizarre foods in order to encourage dreaming: seafood salad with whipped cream, lobster with mayonnaise, strawberry shortcake, and cucumbers with buttermilk.

* DisposableFiance: Stephen, for Amanda. In fact, she was trying to dispose of him before the story began.

* LoveConfession: Right after Stephen excitedly announces his and Amanda's upcoming wedding, Amanda tells Tony that she's fallen for him.
* RecurringDreams: Too embarrassed to tell Tony about her EroticDream and wanting an excuse to keep seeing him, Amanda invents a recurring nightmare about Little Red Riding Hood and some evil squirrels. She claims to have been having this dream since the age of eleven.