Dancing Lady
| Dancing Lady | |
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 theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Robert Z. Leonard |
| Produced by | John W. Considine Jr. David O. Selznick |
| Written by | Book: James Warner Bellah Screenplay: Allen Rivkin P. J. Wolfson Robert Benchley (uncredited) Zelda Sears (uncredited) |
| Starring | Joan Crawford Clark Gable |
| Music by | Louis Silvers |
| Cinematography | Oliver T. Marsh |
| Editing by | Margaret Booth |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) | November 24, 1933 (US) |
| Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Dancing Lady is a 1933 musical film starring Joan Crawford and Clark Gable, and featuring Franchot Tone, the fourth of eight collaborations between Crawford and Gable. It was directed by Robert Z. Leonard, produced by John W. Considine Jr. and David O. Selznick, and was based on the novel of the same name by James Warner Bellah, published the previous year. The movie had a hit song in "Everything I Have Is Yours," by Burton Lane and Harold Adamson.
The picture features the screen debut of dancer Fred Astaire, who appears as himself, as well as the first credited film appearance of Nelson Eddy, and an early feature film appearance of the Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Curly Howard, and Larry Fine) in support of their then-partner Ted Healy, who has a larger role in the movie; the quartet is billed as "Ted Healy and His Stooges." At the other end of the comedy scale, cultured Algonquin Round Table humorist Robert Benchley plays a supporting role.
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[edit] Plot
Janie Barlow (Joan Crawford) is a young dancer who is reduced to stripping in a burlesque show. Arrested for indecent exposure, she's bailed out by millionaire playboy Tod Newton (Franchot Tone), who was attracted to her while slumming at the theatre with his society pals. When she tries to get a part in a Broadway musical, Tod intercedes with director Patch Gallagher (Clark Gable) to get her the job: he'll put his money into the show, if Janie is given a part in the chorus. Even though he needs the money, Patch is resistant, until he sees Janie dance and realizes her talent. When, after hard work and perseverance, Janie is elevated to the star's part – replacing Vivian Warner (Gloria Foy) – Tod is afraid he'll lose any chance of gaining her affection if she becomes a star, so he closes the show, and Janie, out of work, goes away with him. Patch starts rehearsals up again using his own money, and when Janie returns and finds out the Tod has deceived her and manipulated things behind the scenes, she dumps him and joins up with her new sweetheart, Patch, to put on the show, which is a smash hit.
[edit] Cast
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[edit] Reception
Dancing Lady was a box office hit upon its release and drew mostly positive reviews from critics. Mordaunt Hall in the New York Times wrote, "It is for the most part quite a lively affair.... The dancing of Fred Astaire and Miss Crawford is most graceful and charming. The photographic effects of their scenes are an impressive achievement....Miss Crawford takes her role with no little seriousness."[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Notes
- Sources
[edit] External links
- Dancing Lady at the Joan Crawford Encyclopedia.
- Dancing Lady at the TCM Movie Database
- Dancing Lady at the Internet Movie Database
- Dancing Lady at AllRovi
- 1933 films
- American films
- English-language films
- 1930s musical films
- 1930s romantic comedy films
- American musical comedy films
- American romantic comedy films
- American romantic musical films
- Films made before the MPAA Production Code
- Black-and-white films
- Films directed by Robert Z. Leonard
- Films set in New York City
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
- The Three Stooges films
