Let's Dance

The movie only gives us about five musical numbers, but they are each wonderful. "Them Dudes Are Stealing Our Dance" has to rank in the top ten of best musical numbers for both of them. There really isn't any romantic chemistry between Astaire and Hutton. She was 30 years old and Astaire was 51. I suspect the age difference was the problem, he really was old enough to be her father. The plot is a little too simplistic and there aren't many surprises. Betty is more interested in keeping her child from the hands of a vindictive mother-in-law than in her romance with stock broker-entertainer Astaire. What is great in the film is Betty Hutton's performance. She is hilarious, energetic and in super form dancing and singing. She did it between "Annie Get Your Gun" and "The Greatest Show on Earth". If you liked her in those movies, you'll like her here. The film is light and fluffy and entertaining as hell.

With a little editing and a better finale, Let's Dance could've been a great musical. It starts out with a bang, and rides along on a fun and energetic high for the first 2/3 of the film. Then, the storyline of Hutton trying to retain custody of her child starts to drag on too long. As if to make up for the slow last third of the movie, the director then tacks on a short and overly simplistic ending, as if he wasn't sure how to get out of the film. Even with these problems, though, I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun this was. Hutton had tremendous energy as a comedienne and singer, and she sparkles through most of the film. Astaire also seems to be having a great time and shows a zany side that's quite delightful. There are several good musical numbers and two "must-see" dance pieces. In the first, Fred dances around, under, on top of and inside a piano, and he also gets to show off his lesser-known but fairly impressive skills as a pianist. This number has to rank among his all-time most enjoyable. The second great number has Fred and Hutton dressed as cowboys in a saloon, and it's a hilarious and wonderful routine. I cringed a bit when I read that Astaire was doing a cowboy number, but he's just as great in boots and blue jeans and he was in top hat, white tie and tails. There's some very good comedy writing in the film, and the secondary actors all do a fine job. Despite its slow and repetitive last section, Let's Dance is definitely worth watching. And some of the dance numbers deserve repeated viewing. An unexpectedly fun and funny film.

This movie begins well with Betty Hutton singing a fast brassy comedic song that is very much in her style. Unfortunately that's the only really notable song in the movie. Also unfortunately Hutton and Astaire don't have a lot of chemistry; her energetic brassiness just doesn't mesh well with his casual stylishness.

The high point of the movie is a very funny Astaire dance number on a piano. I promptly found it on Youtube and posted it on Facebook for all my dancer friends.

The story is rather uncomfortable, covering too long a period of time, feeling a little convoluted and requiring sudden, inexplicable changes of heart to keep it going. It's still kind of fun, but the lack of good musical numbers and the weak story keep it from being as much fun as it should be.

I grew up on this movie, so I may be a little biased, but... The characters are genuine and their needs believable. The heroine is driven from the home of her son's overbearing grandmother and into the nightclub scene - which is wholesome and romantic because it's the fifties. There, she earns her keep and finds the most loyal friends a girl could ever want. In her flirty roles of cigarette girl and singer, she has a run-in with the love of her life and the perfect, singer-dancer dad for her little boy. By the end, if you are not too cynical, you will be rooting for the lovers to hop onto the 'Love Boat' and ride downstream together.

I don't know what movie others are watching BUT! Just watch the opening number and you can see the chemistry between Astaire and Hutton! Them dudes will blow you away at how original it is and I do not see anyone doing this number today. Sure it's not hard drama but Astaire movies usually are not meant to be so. Astaire is and will be one of the greatest dancers ever! Not my opinion but fact. Perhaps those who trash this movie just like it because Hutton has top billing, coming off her success in Annie get your gun. Your either a Hutton fan or not and for me this is one of those hidden jems! Watch it and judge for yourself and at a very reasonable price on a certain jungle site it is worth the money! TRUST ME!