Dancing Lady (1933)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Robert Z. Leonard

Writers:

Allen Rivkin (screenplay) and
P.J. Wolfson (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

24 November 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Comedy | Romance

Plot:

An attractive dancer is rescued from jail by a rich man, who helps her to have her first big opportunity at a musical play on Broadway.

Plot Keywords:

Dancer | Broadway | Director | Jail | Burlesque

Cast

Joan Crawford	...	Janie Barlow
Clark Gable	...	Patch Gallagher
Franchot Tone	...	Tod Newton
May Robson	...	Dolly Todhunter - Tod's Grandmother
Winnie Lightner	...	Rosette LaRue
Fred Astaire	...	Himself
Robert Benchley	...	Ward King
Ted Healy	...	Steve - Patch's Assistant
Arthur Jarrett	...	Art Jarrett - Vocalist (as Art Jarrett)
Grant Mitchell	...	Jasper Bradley, Sr.
Nelson Eddy	...	Specialty Singer
Maynard Holmes	...	Jasper Bradley, Jr.
Sterling Holloway	...	Pinky - the Show's Author
Gloria Foy	...	Vivian Warner
Moe Howard	...	Moe - Stagehand

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #1307-R: 26 August 1935 for re-release) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Joan Crawford was Fred Astaire's very first on-screen dance partner.

Goofs:

Continuity: While chasing Patch, Janie is splashed by mud from a passing car; when she hops out of a cab minutes later, her shoes and stockings are clean.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Girl with Tod: I don't like the looks of this place Todd.
Tod Newton: Ah, come on. You'll get a lot of laughs.

Movie Connections:

Featured in That's Entertainment! (1974)

Soundtrack:

Alabama Swing

It's the Deco that makes this movie!

I have seen this movie many times and....and...and let me put it to you this way--Joan's a knockout, Gable's a stud, Tone has a playboy tone, but if you really want to get into the essence of this movie, look at the sets throughout the movie. It's Art Deco at it's extreme best.

Two stunning examples are a spherical stoplight that stops and goes as it turns and a mirrored conical carousel. This makes you think it's the future. The streamlining definitely matches the richness of the Broadway elite and the Broadway-bound (until they become Hollywood-bound, then it gets better.)

The Deco definitely matches the stars.