Dancing Lady

By definition any film like Dancing Lady that has the debuts of movie icons Fred Astaire and Nelson Eddy is historic. But Dancing Lady is a good, not great film.

It is also one of the few sound films that took advantage of Joan Crawford's dancing talents. Few remember that it was as a dancer that Joan Crawford started in show business. During her silent period Crawford played a few roles as a flapper, but her dramatic talents came to the fore when sound came in. It would be another twenty years before she did a musical role in Torch Song on a return visit to her old studio MGM.

Crawford is an aspiring dancer who's doing some strip teasing at a dive when slumming playboy Franchot Tone spots her. He's interested in her, but she's interested in a career. She auditions for a new Broadway revue that is being directed by Clark Gable.

Despite some misgivings Gable recognizes her talent and is ready to star her. But a few bumps on the road to love and Broadway occur as they do in any musical. It all gets resolved though.

This was one of Franchot Tone's first role in a tuxedo. I guess he looked so good in white tie and tails that Louis B. Mayer starred him in over half his films in a tuxedo. Tone got pretty tired of it and left MGM at the end of decade, but couldn't shake the typecasting for the rest of his life. But he also got Crawford in real life, he became her second husband.

We cannot forget the contributions of that comedic team of Howard, Howard, and Fine who were Ted Healy's three stooges. Dancing Lady is one of the Three Stooges earliest films, Larry in fact had a bit more of a substantial role as a pianist here.

Joan Crawford became the first of a long list of distinguished women of the cinema to dance with Fred Astaire. Though he made his debut here, Louis B. Mayer thought little of him to sign him to a long term contract. Later on he paid dear for Mr. Astaire's services. Fred has a few lines of dialog and two numbers with Crawford.

At least he was smart enough to keep Nelson Eddy, signed fresh from the Metropolitan Opera. After two more bits like this in films, Eddy was co-starred with Jeanette MacDonald in Naughty Marietta and the rest is history. Eddy sings the finale number.

Though Warner Brothers practically had a patent on the backstage musical stuff in the Thirties, Dancing Lady is entertaining enough on its own terms.

Perhaps the most eclectic cast in movie history. Here we have Clark Gable and Joan Crawford, Franchot Tone in his man-about-town mode, Fred Astaire playing himself in his movie debut, Nelson Eddy in his second film, Robert Benchley contrasting with Ted Healy and the Three Stooges, (in by far their most prominent role before the TV era) and even a young Eve Arden. Gable spends the film snarling at everybody and demanding that they produce a "modern, up-to-date musical" that's about what's happening now. Somehow this morphs into a finale in which Astaire and Crawford are prancing about in liederhosen, (which has a relevance to 1933 they perhaps didn't anticipate). What it all proves it that MGM, while it had the know-how to make the greatest musicals of all-time in the 1940's and 1950's, just didn't quite "get it" yet in 1933. RKO and Warners were still miles ahead of them.

In New York, the playboy Tod Newton (Franchot Tone) goes with his friend to the International Burlesque to have fun with the striptease of the dancers. During the performance, there is a police raid and the girls are arrested and brought to court. Tod feels attracted by the dancer Janie Barlow (Joan Crawford) that is sentenced to thirty days in jail or the payment of a thirty-dollar bail. Tod bails her out and Janie tells that she is an aspirant dancer that prioritizes her career and she does not accept to be his lover.

Janie Barlow decides to seek a position uptown in Broadway musical but the director Patch Gallagher (Clark Gable) refuses to talk and give a chance to her. However Tod Newton uses his influence and secretly sponsors the show and Janie is hired. Patch believes that Janie is using Tod to reach her objectives but sooner he finds that she is a talented dancer indeed. Tod proposes to marry Janie but she wants to become a Broadway star. However, she accepts Tod's proposal: if the show is a success, she will follow the artistic career; however, if the musical fails, she will marry him. But Tod is a millionaire and wants to marry Janie and the bet is not fair.

"Dancing Lady" is a delightful film about a dilemma, where Joan Crawford is amazing, dancing inclusive with Fred Astaire in one of his first works. Her chemistry with Clark Gable is something very special, and the funny moments are in charge of the Three Stooges in the role of stagehands. There is also a cameo of Nelson Eddy in his first credited work. The "villain" Franchot Tone is also very pleasant and has a good performance in the role of a coxcomb. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Amor de Dançarina" ("Love of Dancer")

Like the other studios, MGM wasted no time cashing in on the success of 42nd Street with its own backstage musical, complete with ersatz Busby Berkeley choreography.

This one is "Dancing Lady," and she's young Joan Crawford costarring with Franchot Tone and Clark Gable. A dancer named Fred Astaire makes his official film debut, and Nelson Eddy pops in for a song.

Crawford is an ambitious dancer being pursued by a rich boyfriend (Tone), but she's blinded by the footlights of Broadway. He helps her out by getting her into a show directed by tough guy Gable, and when he sees her talent and perseverance, he gives her the "top spot" in the show. Of course, he's attracted to her, too, and she to him.

It's easy for all of them to be attracted to one another because they're all gorgeous. 30 years after this film, Franchot Tone would play a dying President in "Advise and Consent"...and look it. Here he's a smooth dazzler in his top hat, tails, brilliant smile and dimples.

Gable is muscular, sexy, and rough around the edges. Crawford sparkles with her athletic figure, beautiful legs, and surely a pair of the most spellbinding eyes ever in film. She is perfection in her Adrian outfits.

Though she does well in her big number with Astaire, Crawford really was from the Ruby Keeler School of Hoofing - lots of arms, big steps, and a ton of noise.

The musical itself - uh, "Dancing Lady" - is tuneful and pleasant, and its spectacular finale gives one the impression that Louis B screamed for the kitchen sink - Berkeley-type choreography, a Nelson Eddy solo, and Astaire.

It's wonderful to see these stars so young and energetic, and they are all great to watch. Look for an uncredited appearance by a blond Eve Arden and Lynn Bari somewhere in the chorus. Lots of fun from MGM.

1933 was a watershed year for the movie musical. It was the year Busby Berkeley helped make it exciting again with his numbers for 42nd Street and Gold Diggers of 1933. Ginger Rogers was a factor in that excitement when she performed the "We're in the Money" number in the latter. And if that had been it for her career, she'd at least be an important footnote in the movie musical's history. But bigger things were coming her way later in the year. And it wouldn't be at Warner Bros. where she was at the time but at RKO. Her future legendary partner was already there but had yet to make his film debut. But since the studio had no assignments for him yet, he was allowed to go to M-G-M for a specialty spot there as himself. And so it was at Leo the Lion's place that Fred Astaire-previously a Broadway sensation with sis Adele-got his first stint in front of the cameras. His partner there was Joan Crawford, who had displayed much of her dancing ability in many of her previous films so she wasn't a bad first film dancer for Fred to start with. So on that note, this movie is worth a good look for that reason alone. But there's still some good acting by leading man Clark Gable, second lead Franchot Tone (whom Ms. Crawford would briefly marry) and Ted Healy as Gable's assistant who was still the leader of his stooges: Moe, Curly, and Larry, all represented at their slapstick best here. Other notable supporting turns came from Robert Benchley who keeps looking for a pencil, Winnie Lightner as Crawford's friend, May Robson as Tone's grandmother, and Eve Arden-years before playing her Oscar-nominated role opposite Oscar-winner Crawford in Mildred Pierce-in a small part as a rejected potential chorus girl. Oh, and this was one of Nelson Eddy's earliest singing spots. In summary, Dancing Lady is enjoyable enough to watch as entertainment with a historical first as an extra treat.