Customer Reviews

Dancing Lady

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In this glossy 1933 hit, Joan Crawford is an aspiring dancer who wants a chance to make it big. She meets a rich playboy (Franchot Tone), who, behind the scenes, paves the way for her to get her big break. He arranges for her to get a part in the new Broadway musical directed by Clark Gable, who grudgingly gives her a part, after he realizes that she does, in fact, have talent.

This is an MGM extravaganza in which the studio pulled out all the stops. There is something for everyone. Look for Busby Berkley-esque musical numbers, cameo performances by the three stooges, Fred Astaire's screen debut as Joan's dancing partner, and a Nelson Eddy performance that pre-dates his Jeanette MacDonald days. This is definitely an oldie but a goodie.

Delightful performances are given by the entire cast. Joan Crawford can, in fact, dance and is terrific in her role. Gable is definitely on his way to becoming a screen heart throb. This is also one of Franchot Tone's most ingratiating performances, as he looks like he is really besotted with Ms. Crawford. It comes as no surprise that he later became her second husband, as his performance is positively inspired. The film is vintage Hollywood. Joan Crawford fans will love it, as will anyone who enjoys classic films.

So where's the DVD???

MGM's answer to Warner Brothers' "42nd Street", which was released earlier in 1933.

Produced by David Selznick-
Clark Gable at his dashing, tough guy best-
Joan Crawford's fine acting and gawky dancing-
Franchot Tone's suave but unscrupulous Park Avenue beau-
Robert Benchley as a whimsical gossip columnist-
Ted Healey's brash, wise-guy humor AND
his current proteges, The Three Stooges!

PLUS the screen debuts of BOTH Fred Astaire AND Nelson Eddy--inthe SAME FILM!
Songs by Rodgers and Hart and Burton Lane ("Everything I have is Yours")-

AND a wild, zany, over-the-top Musical Finale, including Fred and Joan dancing in the clouds on a flying-carpet which lands
(accompanied by Max-Steiner-ish "King Kong" music) in the middle of an old-world Bavarian beer bash:

"Here in Bavaria
They take good care-a-ya,
In all this area
Skies are clear"

all of this culminating in Rodgers'and Hart's "That's the Rhythm of the Day", with Nelson Eddy singing the praises of the motorized, pulse-pounding world of the "Moderne" age, as quaint figures from past historical eras pass under an archway and are transformed into "hot", jazz-age swingers! Plenty of pre-code girlie shots, including a sequence where a chorus line of old, hobbling grannies are bopped, sawed, hacked, drilled and chopped (all in silhouette behind closed drapes in a futuristic "beauty parlor"), thereby transforming them into young 30's-style babes, while Rodgers' music is honked out in brassy, saxophone-and- banjo-laden brilliance.

The ladies then end up riding a giant mirrored carousel in the sky, with Rodger's tune now transformed into a Tchaikovskian waltz.

And Gable and Crawford kiss for the final fade-out!

I KID YOU NOT!!

And so---will this wacky, wonderful, Depression-era delight ever be preserved on DVD, representing as it does a high-point in sheer lavish Hollywood escapism of the period? Don't hold your breath.

NOTE: During the back-stage scenes, Larry Fine (of the 3 Stooges)plays the company's rehearsal pianist. The script includes a running gag as he works on a jig-saw puzzle on a card table during the slow periods of the rehearsals. When he fits the last piece of the puzzle into the frame, he FINALLY realizes the puzzle's visual subject matter--- "Oi!" he shouts:
"It's Hitler!"

A very timely reference, since Hitler had recently been voted into power in Berlin. I actually saw this scene in a TV print of "Dancing Lady" shown on a local Washington D.C. UHF station in summer of 1975; when I next saw the film--in a revival house in Chicago in 1984, the scene was MISSING. I was even MORE suprised and disappointed upon viewing the commercial VHS release in the late 80's to find that the scene DOES NOT EXIST in the official print. IT will probably never be seen again.

There are a number of reasons you might find MGM's 1933 massive hit DANCING LADY entertaining. It was absolutely designed to be the most entertaining production the movies could offer in its day. MGM put together a great cast, with Joan Crawford and Clark Gable who had already proved to be box office dynamite with earlier pairings films such as POSSESSED. The amazing sexual chemistry is again much in evidence here. Gable is starting to come into his own about this time, and Crawford is continuing to grow as an actress.

The musical numbers are lovely. DANCING LADY was, after all, the film which introduced us all to the timeless standard "Everything I Have is Yours," to which Crawford dances with her husband, Franchot Tone. An interesting bit of trivia about this movie: Crawford was romantically involved with both of her leading men. I think it shows on the screen!

The musical finale is also very amusing; in one number, "That's the Rhythm of the Day," the performers are dressed in vintage 1700s costumes, but as they walk into town they are physically transformed into modern, depression-era Adrian designs! Horse-drawn carriages are transformed into super luxury automobiles! It is one of the most fabulous moments in the film, but there are many more!

There are many ways to find DANCING LADY entertaining, but the best aspect of the film has to be Joan Crawford's face. How people can watch this film and not be moved by it is beyond my understanding. It is one of the most exquisite faces a camera has ever captured, and quite possibly the inspiration for that remarkable picture book, "Four Fabulous Faces."

As an MGM musical, it's very good. As a vehicle for Joan Crawford's face, it's simply great.

I was so impressed with this great production on DVD. Young, beautiful Joan Crawford is so talented ~ I had no idea. She is vivacious, sexy, dances, sings, dives and swims ~ she absolutely sparkles. Clark Gable is young, handsome, and shows off his athletic body in the gym. Fred Astaire is in his debut in this film where Joan and him dance together. There is also the Three Stooges, as well. It has great fun dialogue, is very technically modern for its time, extremely entertaining, fast paced, and an absolute joy to watch this CLASSIC film ~ WHAT A TREAT!! THEY SURE DON'T MAKE MOVIES LIKE THIS ANYMORE. YOU WILL LOVE IT AS I DO AND PLAY IT AGAIN AND AGAIN!!

Along with A WOMAN'S FACE this is one of my favorite Joan Crawford films. This is early Joan Crawford, but she was allready clearly a STAR. She has romantic scenes with Franchot Tone, trades punches and pawing with Clark Gable, trades quips with Ted Healy and the 3 stooges, and goes toe to toe with Fred Astaire in his first movie... he has only ONE line and the big production number, and struggles to sing in HER key.

Study some dance history before you fault her dancing. Joan was a nightlife and film CHARLESTON dancer. With knees akimbo - the style of the day - she flaps her way with abandon (which is what she was known for in clubs), and she holds her own with intricate tap steps that are on par with today's best. The style is dated, but so is Nelson Eddy's singing in the "Rhythm of the Day" number.

This film has 7 males stars and... JOAN - not just holding her own, but LEADING them. This plot is flimsy, but a lot sterner stuff than most musicals of that day; and very risque, too! Enjoy this teaser-to-tapper treat. Thank you Karl and Patty for the gift of an all time favorite.

"Dancing Lady" is MGM's way of sticking it to Warners' "42nd Street." I much prefer "Dancing Lady." There are so many Stars in it! Of course, Joan Crawford is the biggest movie star in it. Did anyone else know that she could dance like that? Taking second-billing is Clark Gable and getting third billing is Joan's second husband (they weren't married when the movie was made), Franchot Tone. Also included in this classic film is a rare dancing number with Fred Astaire; this was his first movie! And, even The Three Stooges have a part in this unforgettable masterpiece! Not since "Grand Hotel" was Joan surrounded with such unprecedented talent!

There is a lot going on here visually, musically and artistically- and much of it is specific to the style of the time -1933.

Most surreal is seeing the Three Stooges next to Joan Crawford and Fred Astaire. This was at MGM, before the boys went over to Columbia. There are a couple of other Stooge shorts on the disk- also made by MGM with Busby Berkely-type chorus girl shots! The production values were far more lavish than their Columbia shorts. Makes me wonder what they would have accomplished had they stayed at the bigger and richer studio.

Joan Crawford was hot! She looked good next to Gable, and it makes me wish they would release "Possessed" (1931). I would also like to see some of her other early films, including some of the silents, where she plays dancer/hottie.

And no movie like this one! If you have never seen a Joan Crawford movie before, this is the one to see. Every one will love it,and there is something in it for everyone I promise...the suprisingly talented and moreover stunningly beautiful 1933 incarnation of Joan Crawford is one you wont believe. Joan is Janie Barlow;a street smart,no-nonsense, ambitious and beautiful aspiring dancer.She is determined to make herself succeed in this business, no matter what the pratfalls, waiting to catch a break and relying on her sheer will and hard work to dance her way to the top .....and "yes, it's GOT to be dancin!".Sound familair?
One night, the burelesque house where janie is dancing at is raided,and her indignation worsens when she gets put in the slammer, however she is delighted when rich playboy Todd Newton(husband number two,Franchot Tone)bails her out.But much like our Joanie, our Janie is no fool, and wholeheartedly insists she will pay him back with the cash and nothing else.Undeterred, she hikes it to Broadway "uptown where it's art" to get a hold of "Patch" Gallagher(Clark Gable)the shows cranky but equally no-nonsense producer.Janie knows early on she wants the part and the producer, but not if Todd has anything to say about it....perfection pretty much ensues in some of the memorable scenes I have ever seen ,beautiful cinematography and the direction is very clever especially during janie's relentless pursuit of "patch" early on in the movie.Although it was common for joan to portray a character like this in part to appeal to depression era audiences, it was the combination of her fierce independence and wise-cracking gusto that made this one work.Her sexual chemistry with Gable is so powerful, they not only made 7 more movies together,but you can feel it this radiate out of the tv 74 years later.This movie does have something for everyone... Fred Astaire in his movie debut makes a luminious vision dancing with joan/janie and LOOK CLOSELY and you will spot the munchkinland and Emerald City sets( during the Bavaria and Rythym of the Day sequences)which would be used 6 years later in The Wizard of Oz.Also of interest: this film is pre-code meaning there is sex, sex SEX..in a tasteful and funny manner ,of course.I I cannot say enough about this film... go watch it.

Clark Gable may have been the right star at the wrong studio - just think what Warner Bros. could have done with him in the Thirties - but he still had enough star quality to overcome even the most dubious casting. Take Dancing Lady, MGM's take on Warners' backstage Busby Berkeley musicals. It's a terrific movie put together with no expense spared, but somehow Gable isn't the first name that springs to mind when you think of a musical director putting on a Broadway revue. But then Joan Crawford isn't the first name you'd think of for a downtown gal going from Burlesque to Broadway and exhibiting the singing ability of Lee Marvin and the dancing skills of a fugitive from a chain gang (there's a difference between dancing and just knowing the steps).

All clichés are present and correct, from Joan replacing an `untalented' star who can dance her off the screen to the chorus girls with great faces but horrendous voices. Somehow it doesn't matter: it's too much fun and too ridiculous for that, especially in the absurdly overproduced musical finale which would need a theatre the size of Times Square to stage (great lyrics too: "Here in Bavaria/We'll take good care of ya"). Franchot Tone provides the romantic rivalry, Fred Astaire the only discernible dancing ability. Far more enjoyable than it has any right to be.

There are a few minor print glitches in the first half hour, but otherwise this is a pretty good restoration.

Ditto all the other good reviews. In addition, watch for

--Ted Healy and His Stooges in an appearance so early in their movie careers that Curly is still billed by his real name Jerry.

--An early (no on-screen credit) appearance by Eve Arden showing the comic genius she will become.

--Joan Crawford/Fred Astaire (in his screen debut) in "Bavarian" dance that MGM later recyled for Munchkinland and grand finale song-and-dance number with themes that are revisited in Emerald City sequence in Wizard of Oz.

--And of course, Robert Benchley's dry wit, which is quite a combo with the Three Stooges physical comedy.

Great film!

DAVID TRUMBULL
Chairman, Robert Benchley Society