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Betsy Drake must have been "Dancing in the Dark" in this 1949 film starring William Powell, Mark Stevens, Adolph Menjou and Gene Hersholt. Black and white with not much budget, 20th Century Fox apparently used this movie musical to promote "The Prince of Foxes" (which they also didn't bother to shoot in color) rather than Betsy Drake. Nobody was doing her any favors by putting her in this film.

William Powell plays a much hated has-been movie star named Emery Slade. Down on his luck and too proud to accept charity, he convinces Melville Crossman, the head of 20th Century Fox, that he can sign a Broadway star to a contract for a big film (not this one). The star is the daughter of his former show business partner. Fox puts him on as an agent and sends him to New York with a publicist, Bill Davis (Mark Stevens). Bill is in love with an aspiring performer, Julie Clarke (Drake). But she won't marry him until she's had her chance. Unbeknownst to Bill, Julie goes to see Slade to try and get an audition for the movie, not realizing that an item about it in the trade papers isn't really true. Drunk and half asleep, when Emery wakes up and sees Julie, he thinks she's an old girlfriend. There's a good reason for that. Maybe you can guess what it is. He did. Anyway, Emery discourages the Broadway star from taking the role and works with Julie so that Crossman will cast her.

There are a couple of problems with this film. The first one is that it looks cheap. The second one is Betsy Drake. A pretty woman, Drake was only a fair actress, a non-dancer and a non-singer. So what is she doing in a musical playing an aspiring musical performer? Good question.

William Powell is wasted here, as is Mark Stevens.

At the end of the movie, there is a big premiere for "The Prince of Foxes." Crossman's office was apparently a replica of Zanuck's office, and name Melville Crossman was apparently a pseudonym that Darryl F. Zanuck used when he wrote scripts. I hope he didn't write this one.

It must the be the saddest thing in the world to have had it all and suddenly see oneself in circumstances below what one once new. This is the case for Emery Slade, the famous luminary of Hollywood we encounter eking out a life while trying to hold to his dignity. In another medium, the change would perhaps not have been the disgrace it presents this forgotten man, but in the fantasy world of the movies, Emery is a has been and his former nasty self stands in the way as others, more generous people, want to help him come out of poverty.

Irving Reis, presents us a haughty Emery Slade, a man that is easily hated, as he prepares to redeem himself and make amends of his former life. By the kindness of Jean Hersholt, the famous humanitarian of Hollywood, he is connected to the head of the 20th Century Fox studio, who engages him as a talent scout that is sent to New York to audition possible candidates for the female lead of the upcoming "Brigadoon".

Emery is assigned young Bill Davis, who immediately dislikes Slade and his methods. Davis wonders who could have given a job to this man that has no clue as to what has to be done. At the same time, he wants to introduce his former girlfriend, Julie, an aspiring actress and singer, to Slade. Well, he needed not to worry, as Slade meets the young woman on his own and falls under her spell. They both discover how much alike they are. Needless to say, Slade changes for the better in an about face that's hard to believe, but one roots for him and the young Julie.

William Powell plays Emery Slade with bravado. He makes us see why this man is so much hated, until he comes to his senses. Mark Stevens is good as the studio handler. Betsy Drake has good chances as the young Julie Clarke. Adolph Menjou plays the studio head.

While not one of the best William Powell's vehicles, the film is mildly pleasant. It offers tamed fun whenever Mr. Powell is around.

This is the sort of movie that makes me think, "Please don't let some new viewer of musicals think that this is what great musicals are like." William Powell and Betsy Drake are horribly miscast, and the wonderful Dietz-Schwartz songs that shine four years later in "The Band Wagon" are staged here in unappealing, off-kilter ways. For example, the final number tries to jazz up the sexy ballad "Dancing in the Dark," renders it in a completely unromantic manner with some very odd dancing, and inserts a ridiculous Dutch couple skit in the middle of it in order to include the song "I Love Louisa" (which was conceived as a German-style song).

IMDb says the film was originally in color, but the print I saw looked for all the world like something that had been colorized! I am not dismissive of all Fox musicals, but thank heaven MGM got hold of the title and the songs and made a much better movie with them.

A forerunner of "The Band Wagon", "Dancing In The Dark" is a flop. It is strictly for die-hard Wm. Powell fans, for whom their idol can do no wrong. This potboiler of a picture does a lot of wrong, however, and lacks the charm and vitality of its descendant.

Sorely missed is the terrific score of Schwartz & Dietz and the songs that are included are mishandled. The storyline plods along as though the screenwriters struggled to stay awake. The picture is further sabotaged by the boy/girl leads, who are 'B' actors and lack charisma and glamor. Mark Stevens is colorless and Betsy Drake is a wallflower and detract from the overall effectiveness of the story.

The only reason to watch it is for the always dapper and magnetic William Powell who carries the film, such as it is, and does the best he can in a thankless part. Adolph Menjou, Walter Catlett and other veteran character actors are on hand to lend whatever help they can give but the cause is a lost one.

This is a picture to watch if you are sick in bed. Put the remote on top of the TV, and you will feel so much better when you get up to change the channel.

To the person, I think her name was Blanche, who complained in her first sentence posted here that "Dancing in the Dark" was shot in black and white, I think she might want to get her television checked--the version broadcast on the Fox Movie Channel was in Technicolor. Also, I did not think Betsy Drake was that bad. Neither did Cary Grant. He was married to her at the time--and for the ten years after the movie was released. Ms. Drake's singing, on the other hand, was not so good. She was dubbed with someone else's voice, and it looked like they used a double for her in the dancing scenes as well. Betsy Drake is still among the living, by the way. She is now in London having given up acting to become a writer and a psychologist. Cary Grant left Ms. Drake for Sophia Loren, who, as it happened, would not marry him. She preferred Carlo Ponti.