Stepping Out

Lewis Gilbert finds more magic with Julie Walters who is brilliant in her bit. Liza Minelli is terrific and everybody is having a grand old time in one of the best movies nobody's ever heard of. This is by no means a great or important film, but it is marvelously enjoyable entertainment from beginning to end in a true ensemble piece. If you are in the video store and just want to feel good, rent this film.

This movie wasn't meant to have deep meaning, it was meant to be enjoyed. This is the movie I plug in whenever I need a lift. Liza is thoroughly enjoyable. I never tire of watching her dance, and her voice is unbeatable, not to mention that she's a wonderful actress. The finale is great fun and shows Liza's unique style and pizazz -- there will always be only ONE Liza. I would recommend this movie to anyone who watches movies for the enjoyment of them, rather than expecting a movie to divulge the meaning of life.

I was privileged to see Liza perform in person just a few days ago, and although she no longer dances, she still has the quality and power in her voice that never fails to thrill me. She was truly delightful with her humor, professionalism and graciousness.

I love you Liza!!

Unless you're a huge Liza Minnelli fan, you might not be drawn to a movie whose synopsis is "Liza teaches a dance class to a group of beginners and they all learn about life." But take my unbiased recommendation: This movie is heartwarming, inspiring, and extremely fun. If you really hate dancing, then yes, shy away from it. But even if Cabaret isn't your favorite movie ever, there's a really good chance you'll love this one.

Based off a highly successful British play, the opening scene is a textbook "give everyone their entrance" scene which you can totally imagine on the stage. Meek Sheila McCarthy is extremely internal and clearly needs to "step out". Ellen Greene doesn't have much character development, but her fantastic figure is distracting enough to make the audience forget she even has a character. Andrea Martin is over-the-top in everything, even her sneezes. Bill Irwin is the only guy in the class, and he feels a bit awkward "stepping out" of his comfort zone, but he also enjoys getting a bit embarrassed. Jane Krakowski is a young nurse who's more sensitive than she lets on. Robyn Stevan wears great 1991 fashions, and she chews gum and flirts with every man in sight - despite having a husband. Carol Woods is frazzled and frumpy, but her enthusiasm makes up for her skills. Finally, there's a new student: Julie Walters. She is so adorable! I had no idea she could dance, but I also had no idea that she had such a fantastic figure when she was younger! In nearly every scene, she wears skintight bodysuits and prances around with her perfectly coiffed hair and sweet expressions. What an absolute doll! If you just think of her as Mrs. Weasley (like the rest of the under-40 crowd), you'll be shocked to see her in this.

A very enjoyable part of the movie is to see the journey of the students' talent. They start off the movie (and spend a great deal of it) as very backwards dancers. Their timing is off, they can't remember the steps, and one of them can't spin around in a circle without falling over. As you see from later on in the movie, they're all very accomplished dancers (or if you recognize names from the cast like Jane Krakowski and Ellen Greene, you already know they're dancers) so it's very cute to see them dummy-down their skills. And you can imagine how much fun they had pretending they couldn't dance!

Now for the teacher: Liza Minnelli really pulls out all the stops in this movie. You can see the many layers of emotion she feels while teaching beginners' tap when she was once a Broadway hopeful. She has dramatic acting when her personal life crumbles, and inspirational pizazz when getting her students prepared for a performance. Plus, she has a big solo number that really shows off her dancing talent!

Liza's faithful sidekick is the piano accompanist who is more than just a piano player (incidentally, sometimes she nods off during class). They have each other's backs and really care about each other outside of class. She's an older, frumpy, overweight lady whom I didn't even recognize until she started talking - but then again, I'm in the minority. Most people think of Shelley Winters as the frumpy frump in The Poseidon Adventure. I think of her as younger, slimmer, and far cuter, like in Frenchie and Playgirl. However, when you're a fan of someone, you're a fan no matter how old they get or how much weight they put on. I like Shelley, and I always will.

So, gather up a group of your girlfriends (and bring in one fellow for fun) and pop in Stepping Out for movie night. It's very enjoyable, and really makes you feel good. I'm looking forward to watching it time after time.

Mavis (Liza Minnelli) was a chorus line dancer on Broadway. Just as she was on the verge of getting more prominent roles, she fell in love. Her full-of-himself boyfriend moved them to Buffalo, far from the theater scene. As a musician, he plays with a band in the local clubs, often with the very talented Mavis singing at his elbow. But, they are just two bit players, mostly because of his total lack of ambition. On the side, Mavis runs a dance studio for ordinary folks. In her classes, among others, are a lovely nurse, a librarian, a lady with an overbearing husband, a lady with an unemployed son, a bossy middle aged housewife (Julie Walters) and a lone, divorced, very shy male. The studio pianist is a strong-willed senior (Shelley Winters). One day, a woman who operates a more prominent dance school in Buffalo invites Mavis and her class to perform a number in a charity dance recital. Mavis accepts. But, as total amateurs, will Mavis' class look ridiculous in front of the other, younger groups? And, can Mavis weather a serious personal crisis, just as the class is working hard to get ready for the show? This is a wonderful film for several reasons. To begin, of course, the movie stars the very gifted Minnelli, who is a bonafide triple threat. She can sing, she can dance, and she can act, all in a glorious fashion. She makes Mavis a very memorable and wistful character. Next, the rest of the cast is outstanding, too, and not just Walters and Winters. Most of the dance class members are folks with no name recognition but who play their parts admirably. Then, too, the characters in the film are very human and sympathetic, making the audience cheer and weep for them as the events unfold. Also, the dance numbers are exciting, the costumes are very nice, and the setting in Buffalo quite charming, making for a fine looking film. If you love dancing and singing, this movie has the goods for you. But, even if you can't cut a rug, this film's story will warm your heart with its lovely, vibrant, and very touching tale.

I gave this little movie a 6 out 10 possible points as it does have some great tapping dancing and there are some interesting moments when the plot comes together but unfortunately this doesn't happen enough nor can the dancing alone carry this picture completely. I would recommend watching Stepping Out at least once maybe even twice. Liza Minnelli is good, her supporting cast is fair, the usual assortment of different characters that have their ups and downs with each other and Liza. I liked the ending, which I won't give away but I'll bet you will be able to guess after the first 15 minutes of the film. Try watching this film it worth that if not a little more. It is hard to buy, not on DVD and I bought a used VHS, must be out of print.

Andy