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Dance; Fools; Dance

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This 1931 gangster flick is reflective of the times in which it was made, covering, what were then, topical issues: bathtub gin, the stock market crash, the underworld which controlled the bootleg liquor, and gangland killings that were the order of the day.

The story revolves around a pair of high society brats, Bonnie and Rodney Jordan, two wealthy high stepping siblings, who like to party hearty and get their booze from a gangland source. Joan Crawford plays the role of the beautiful Bonnie Jordan, a young woman who is liberated enough to dance until dawn in her underwear and make love with no strings attached. She is in love with callow Robert Townsend, played with panache by the very handsome Lester Vail.

All is well, until their father loses all in the stock market crash of 1929 and dies of a heart attack as a result, leaving Bonnie and Rodney destitute. Unfortunately, they find that their friends are of the fair weather variety, and they are left to fend for themselves as best they can. Even Mr. Townsend comes up short, as he proposes marriage to Joan out of a sense of duty. When, sensing his reluctance, she refuses his marriage proposal out of pride, his sense of relief is palpable.

Bonnie goes to work as a reporter, while Ronnie drifts into an unsavory involvement with the underworld, as his former bootlegger seeks to have Ronnie, who still owes him money for prior liquor shipments, work his debt off by having him get his former society friends to change bootleggers. You see, someone has moved in on the territory staked out by gangland boss, Jake Luva, played with style by the dashingly handsome Clark Gable, and he doesn't like it. He is seeking to reclaim his stolen territory. The unemployed Rodney, seeing this as a way to make some easy money, gets involved with this crew, but lives to regret it, as a high profile gangland killing ensues.

Consequently, Bonnie gets her big reporting break, going undercover as a dancer in order to solve the gangland murder. As hoped, she comes to the attention of the roving eye of Jake Luva, who puts the moves on her. What she ultimately discovers about the killing, however, goes beyond her wildest imagination and leads to personal heartbreak for her.

This is a very enjoyable, thirties style film. As it is pre-code, it has its share of risque moments. Joan Crawford can certainly dance and does a wonderful job with the role of Bonnie, as she transforms from high society flibberty gibbet to hard hitting news gal. Clark Gable is terrific as the gangland boss, appropriately menacing and romantic. This was the first of seven such pairings of Crawford and Gable, and together they light up the screen. They are both very young and appealing in this film. Even though Gable plays the bad guy, he is still irresistible. Pretty boy Lester Vail does a credible job with the role of Robert Townsend. This entertaining film was directed by Harry Beaumont, who directed the film "Our Dancing Daughters", the film which catapulted Joan Crawford to stardom.

Joan Crawford and Clark Gable fans will enjoy this film, as will all those who love vintage films.

It probably wasn't realised at the time of it's release but "Dance, Fools, Dance", gave birth to one of the greatest screen teams of the 1930's in Joan Crawford and Clark Gable. Both made many noteworthy films with other costars during this decade but the personal and professional chemistry between these two was undeniable and resulted in eight screen teamings where regardless of the quality of the film in question always displayed the two idealy matched actors to perfection. At the time of this films release Joan Crawford was already a bankable star at MGM while Clark Gable was still just a rising actor of some promise. His work in this film and in others that year such as "A Free Soul", with Norma Shearer and "Night Nurse", with Barbara Stanwyck confirmed the promise already evident in the former lumberjack turned actor and a new star of enduring fame was born.

"Dance, Fools, Dance", is very much of its era and being from this early sound precode era has a certain honesty and openess about it that is refreshingly appealing to modern audiences. Certainly the slant taken on relationships or "love on approval", as it is referred to in the script would be something considered unacceptable only a few years later with the stronger censorship laws that came into place. The films most famous scene is the "notorious" underwear swimming party that takes place near the beginning of the film where the well heeled members of a society party strip down to their underwear and dive off the side of a yacht to cool off. Heady stuff for 1931 audiences! "Dance, Fools, Dance", draws on real life incidents of the time like the recent Stock Market Crash and the St. Valentines Day Massacre in telling its story of Society girl Bonnie Jordan (Crawford) and her idle and weak willed brother Rodney who lead a life of priviledge and endless parties until the Stock Market crash wipes out their father Stanley Jordan (William Holden)who dies as a result of the shock leaving the two to now fend for themselves. Deserted by their shallow fair weather friends Bonnie does the responsible thing and goes out and finds work as a cadet reporter while Rodney drifts into a life involved in the underworld dealings of bootleggers and gangster standover merchants. What first seems like a simple way to make easy money turns into a nightmare for Rodney as he becomes involved with ruthless gangster Jake Luva (Clark Gable). Simple sly grog dealings develop into much more serious activities as Rodney finds himself being forced to murder a collegue of Bonnie's on the Newspaper, reporter friend Bert Scranton (Cliff Edwards) who has learnt too much about Jake's setup. Assigned to infiltrate Jake's dealings to reveal the real murderers behind the St. Valentine's Day Massacre Bonnie goes undercover as a dancer at his seedy nightclub. Realising her brother is involved over his head Bonnie gains the information she needs to nail Jake and then attempts to warn her brother that he is now a marked man by the mob. In the ensuring shootout both Rodney and Jake are killed whereupon Bonnie breaks the story to the Newspaper. Gaining new respect for her abilitites she nevertheless leaves her job on the paper and is reunited with her old beau from the earlier carefree days Bob (Lester Vail) who only ever regarded her as a shallow party girl in her moneyed days but now sees the real integrity that Bonnie has earned from honest hard work. Having rejected his marriage proposals earlier for the reasons stated Bonnie then accepts his offer knowing it is coming from an appreciation of what she has become not from simply as in the past, who she was or how much money she had.

"Dance, Fools, Dance", takes a non sentimental look at the underworld and its dealings and while it doesn't have the hard edge of some of Warner Brothers efforts of this time such as the classic "Public Enemy" it still deals with the material in an honest and noncompromising manner. Joan Crawford at this time had been a full fledged star for roughly four years and while the famous "Joan Crawford Persona" had not been fully created yet she does a sterling job in the role of the flighty society girl who learns about life in the school of hard knocks. As stated previously her chemistry with the rising Clark Gable is electric in their scenes together and Gable definately displays the star quality that made him a Hollywood legend. He is quite ruthless in his characterisation and his acting has a surprising hard edge to it that is perfect as the villian in this story. While Lester Vail as Joan's on again off again love interest has a fairly bland role, the other standout in the story is William Bakewell's performance as Rodney the spoilt society boy who gets in over his head in underworld dealings to his own personal cost. He is wonderful in his at times frantic playing and the film really comes alive in his exchanges with both Crawford and Gable. He is one of the definite strong points of "Dance, Fools, Dance", and it is a shame his career didn't develop into more leading parts based on his performance here. Directed at a fast and no frills pace by Harry Beaumont who guided Joan Crawford to real stardom in the earlier classic "Our Dancing Daughters", the film at 82 minutes doesn't waste time on developing deep characterisations but focuses more on telling an interesting story and in building up suspense.

The first of three films they would make together in 1931 the Crawford/Gable team is still in its infancy here but already displays the unique qualities that made both a constant success in their later films together. In many respects "Dance, Fools, Dance", is not your typical MGM product that we have all come to know so well from the 30's decade. However it is certainly an interesting illustration of the careers of both Joan Crawford and Clark Gable at this early time at the beginning of the sound era when both their famous screen personas were still a "work in progress".

Only in pre-code Hollywood could you see young men and women disrobing on the deck of a gorgeous yacht, and jumping into the ocean clad only in their underwear. But heck...in the movie they turn the lights off first, so nobody could see anything...well at least that's what they think!! In one of my personal favorite movies, Joan plays rich deb Bonnie Jordan, who after the loss of her family's fortune, must go to work like everyone else. While Bonnie becomes a cub reporter on the local newspaper, her brother Rodney becomes a bootlegger to an ultra rotten mobster, played by the one and only Clark Gable. Bonnie's assignment to discover who murdered the newspaper's leading reporter leads her to a shocking discovery.

Things to take note of: 1)Joan uses a metallic blow drier on board the yacht that looks almost exactly like the blow driers we use today! 2)Attitudes towards cigarettes sure have changed! When asked by her dad why she smokes before breakfast, she replies, "Well I must, darling, if I want to stay thin!"

This is a wonderful example of what movies were like before the production code was enforced. Give this one a try!

Joan Crawford plays a flapper queen whose rich father commits suicide after the stock market crash. Rather than whining in victimhood she gets a job as a newspaper reporter and attempts to crack the case of a gangland killing of another reporter (Cliff Edwards). Clark Gable, she learns, is the gang leader and her brother (William Bakewell) has been duped into committing the murder. The picture is a nifty and tough crime drama, and both Crawford and Gable, who weren't stars yet, make it plain why they would be in just a short time. The acting is somewhat stiff and stagy, due to the primitive sound-camera technology of the day, but the principals overcome this shortcoming better than most actors could at the time. Still worth a watch.

What's more fun that watching Joan go from rags to riches? How about watching her go from riches to rag?

Joan is almost unbelievably young here, and so beautiful you will immediately understand why she was Queen of MGM at the time (ok, so she co-reigned with Garbo!) Joan plays Bonnie, a spoiled but sweet rich kid who's father dies of a heart attack when the stock market crashes. When Bonnie & her brother discover they have nothing, Joan goes to work as a newspaper reporter ("I'm no DUD! I'm going out and get me a man-sized job!" she exclaims when her brother Roddy suggests she become a department store model). One especially touching scene involves Joan watching forlornly over the bannister as her former friends buy out her belongings at the auction ("I've always had my eye on that little spinnet dresser!" one of them says). Unbeknownst to Joan, Roddy hooks up with Clark Gable's gang of hoodlums and ends up driving the getaway car in the St. Valentines Day massacre! Joan goes to work on the case, going undercover in one of Gable's nightclubs and allowing herself to be romanced by him just to get to the bottom of it! Naturally, her assignment requires her to dance at the club, a convenient excuse to showcase what MGM considered one of her big talents (in hindsight her dancing is rather ungraceful and ordinary--although rendered with her customary enthusiasm). In the climax, Gable "discovers" her just as she "discovers" that the man she is looking for is none other than her own brother, and--in a truly Penelope Pittstop ending--narrowly escapes Gable's gang and their attempt to wipe her out. Joan's acting is always sharp, alert, and thoroughly entertaining. I disagree with anyone who says she was phony in these films. To the contrary, her acting has a candor that outshines the material and her costars. It is also important to remember how operatic film acting was at this time--it was in no way supposed to facsimilate the natural world, but rather a universe occupied by mythological Gods. Within that parameter, Joan gives urgency to a soap opera type role and infuses it with vitality and life. How many actors or actresses can communicate so much with only their eyes? Without benefit of words or body language? I think that must be why she is always grouped with Bette Davis---they were both masters of Eye-Acting! Anyway, if you like vintage Hollywood and vintage Joan, you won't be disapointed with "Dance Fools Dance".

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) presents "DANCE FOOL DANCE" (1931) (82 min/B&W) -- Starring: Joan Crawford, Lester Vail, Cliff Edwards, William Bakewell, Clark Gable

Directed by Harry Beaumont

The plot and story line is set right after the carefree and things were never better, roaring 20s, during the early days of the Great Depression, This is a clear message and cautionary note of how to endure these hard times. The film is fast-paced and tightly-plotted never drags with its morality tale.

Crawford and Gable made it good. The supporting cast is good as well.

Within the tight length of the 80 minutes, all the characters are well developed, its story never seems rushed, and despite its many twists in plot, the audience is never left behind.

If you're a Joan Crawford fan, she absolutely brings her role to the forefront. She was 27 years and almost unrecognizable to those more familiar with her later work. Remember she took home an Oscar for Mildred Pierce, Crawford was a star in the true sense of the word, a terrific actress with the charisma to carry a picture all by herself.

Special footnote: -- Before this film Joan Crawford told people not to have affairs with their leading men until they made three films together. She and Clark Gable had only made two together, but they started to have an affair during this filming. Afterwards Crawford said she had to eat her words, but that they tasted sweet.

BIOS:
1. Harry Beaumont (Director)
Date of Birth: 10 February 1888 - Abilene, Kansas
Date of Death: 22 December 1966 - Santa Monica, California

2. Joan Crawford [aka: Lucille Fay LeSueur]
Date of Birth: 23 March 1905 - San Antonio, Texas
Date of Death: 10 May 1977 - New York City, New York

3. Clark Gable
Date of birth: 1 February 1901 - Cadiz, Ohio,
Date of death: 16 November 1960 - Los Angeles, California

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 4 Stars
Performance: 4 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 82 min on DVD ~ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) ~ (June 22, 2009)

In one respect, this film was ahead of its time and in another respect a typical story from the classic film era.

It was about 35 years ahead of its time in some of the immoral characters and general sleazy atmosphere - early sleaze, if you will, and it's not bad. It's not great, either, by any stretch of the imagination. A lot of pictures were similar back in the early '30s, right before the Hays Code was instituted. It features many unlikeable characters, low morals and two stars that were, at least to me, unappealing: a young Joan Crawford and a young Clark Gable. Both, for some reason, thought they were big sex symbols back then. Well, Gable made it to that status eight years later as one but Crawford.....well.

Before he became a star at the end of the decade with "Gone With The Wind," Gable played a lot of sleazy roles himself early in the '30s. This is another, where he's a gangster ("Jake Luva"). He's modeled in here after "Jake Lingle," a real-life gangster from the period who was involved in the famous "St. Valentine's Day Massacre."

Anyway, he and his sister "Bonnie," played by Crawford, go from prosperous to penniless when the stock market crashes in 1929 and their dad is ruined. (He had been financing them.)

Jake then goes the crooked way, and Bonnie goes straight as a reporter. This is was very cliché-ridden and the story was used in similar situations throughout films of the 30s and '40s, often with childhood pals going in opposite directions.

If you are a classic-era film buff, this movie will interest you. Younger audiences will find this film way too dated to be enjoyed. I found myself somewhere in the middle, intrigued at watching these stars when they were young but not enamored with the story.

I am reviewing the product itself here, not the wisdom of paying this particular price for that product. This is a Warner Archive product. It is a DVD-R with no scene selections or chapter stops. You may only go forward or backwards in ten minute increments. Furthermore no special restoration has been done for this release.

This film is actually about 3.5/5. Not great, but good enough to keep your interest. It is historical for being the initial teaming of Joan Crawford and Clark Gable, although Gable is sixth or seventh billed at this point. Don't expect Gable the gallant cad in this one - here he is pure cad.

The film is an unremarkable morality tale about the follies of the very wealthy spoiling their children even into adulthood to the point where they complain about having to "get up in the middle of the night (9 AM) to eat breakfast." When Wall Street crashes, dad dies from the shock and Bonnie Jordan (Joan Crawford) and her brother are left penniless. Bonnie chooses to break into newspaper reporting, but her brother chooses a less honest option which brings him into contact with Gable the gangster. After her close friend, reporter Bert Scranton (Cliff Edwards), is shot to death, Bonnie decides to go undercover as a dancer at Gable's nightclub to try to get to the bottom of the murder. She solves the crime, but at great personal cost.

The best parts of this film are watching Joan Crawford in a dance number and watching the great chemistry Crawford and Gable have together. You get bigger doses of Crawford and Gable together in "Possessed", which was made later this same year - 1931. I also recommend that film for hardcore fans of the precodes and of Crawford. As for Clark Gable, he has to wait until he manhandles Norma Shearer in "A Free Soul" before he catapults to true stardom.

As for audio and video quality, the audio quality is quite good while the video quality is a bit soft looking, although overall clarity and contrast is pretty good. It pretty much looks like a direct copy of my old VHS tape of this movie that was released in the late 1990's. Overall I'm quite satisfied with this particular Warner Archive entry.

"Dance Fools Dance", a 1931 offering from MGM, suffers from a poor and somewhat hazy title, but has the sparking distinction of being the first cinematic pairing of Joan Crawford and Clark Gable.
Crawford, the bigger star at the time, is Bonnie Jordan, a spoiled rich girl whose life consists of parties, parties, parties and her playboy boyfriend Bob Townsend. However, in keeping with the times, the Crash of 1929 hits and the Jordan family becomes penniless. To make matters worse, Bonnie's father dies of a heart attack - - forcing Bonnie and her equally spoiled brother Rodney into the real world. Their home is auctioned off, their wealthy friends want nothing more to do with them and both hit the work market. Bonnie becomes (somewhat improbably) a cub reporter at a local paper while Rodney (more realistically) slides into gangland and eventually becomes the wheel man at the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. In the meantime, one of Bonnie's co-workers at the paper is murdered while investigating the notorious gang headed by Jake Luva (Clark Gable). Bonnie goes undercover as Mary Jones and infiltrates the gang, getting close with Jake, and learning that her brother is involved with the gang.
Since Gable is still a supporting player, and plays a bad guy here, he doesn't get Joan (her rich little playboy realizes how much he loves her after she breaks the story on the gang) but their chemistry in their brief scenes together foretell what's to come in future pairings.
While a fairly run of the mill story, it's a fascinating look at what the times must have been like then, with jazz, bathtub gin, speakeasys and the carefree, decadent life of the wealthy before the Crash. Crawford is lovely in an early MGM role, and Gable has tremendous presence, even in his limited scenes. An added bonus, and obviously before the Code stepped in, is a scene of Joan and her friends swimming in their undies off her father's yacht.
Forbidden Hollywood, indeed!
Recommended!

Crawford plays Bonnie, a spoiled socialite who refuses to marry her beau Bob Townsend (Lester Vail). Clark Gable plays the sordid Jake Luva, a bootlegger who eventually wants to take Joanie "for a ride"...This film is famous for the lingerie party aboard the Vail's yacht where both the men and ladies are seen drinking and carrying on in their undergarments: hot stuff for 1931 audiences! Gable's characterisation of Luva was considered a vivid and authentic bit of acting in its day and although Crawford's acting was still a bit self-conscious, she managed to prove herself an actress of no little dramatic ability. Crawford breathed some life into her role and picture is swiftly moving with thrills along the way. As Joan's weak little drinking brother, William Bakewell did an admirable job.