Dancing Co-Ed

Lana Turner is a "Dancing Co-Ed" in this 1939 film also starring Ann Rutherford, Richard Carlson, Arte Shaw and his Orchestra and Monte Woolley.

When one-half of the famous movie dancers, the Tobius', announces she's pregnant, the studio is talked into launching a Scarlett O'Hara type search in colleges to find a partner for the couple's next film.

In order to make sure they cast the right person, a young actress at the studio, Patty Marlow (Turner) is sent to college with her friend from the studio, Eve Greeley (Ann Rutherford).

However, the head of the college newspaper, Pug (Richard Carlson), thinks the contest is rigged. Patty quickly becomes Pug's assistant in uncovering a fix (because Holmes never suspected Watson of a crime). A complication arises when the two fall in love.

It's hard to understand how people can consider Lana Turner a terrible and wooden actress, though it's possible these critics haven't seen her early films. Talk about a camera loving an actress, and talk about an actress with "star" written all over her beautiful face, Lana was it.

Beautiful, fresh, energetic, with a warmth and a sweetness about her, Lana walked away with these early films, including "Slightly Dangerous," "These Glamor Girls" and many others. She did lose some of these qualities as the years went on, sadly, but here, she's wonderful.

Ann Rutherford is excellent too, with an expressive, pretty face and a charm all her own. What could have been a routine film is really lifted by these actresses and the supporting cast. Highly recommended as a light '30s film that will leave you with a smile on your face.

In this B picture from MGM on the upward arc of her career, Lana Turner shows us a few nice steps in a film that Ruby Keeler should have done over at Warner Brothers. Dancing Co-ed casts Lana as a vaudeville hoofer who has an act with her father Leon Errol. Over at Warner Brothers Pat O'Brien would have played the part of the studio press agent who dreams up a co-ed dance contest with the fix in for Turner. The winner gets to co-star with Lee Bowman in his next musical picture. The press agent is played with frenetic intensity by Roscoe Karns.

Keeping an eye on Lana is Ann Rutherford and to complete the deception Rutherford handles the scholastic part of Lana being a college girl. The fly in the ointment is Richard Carlson of the campus newspaper who suspects something ill is afoot. But Turner is sure appealing in those short tight dresses.

It wasn't the best of casting all around, but Turner shows the charm and appeal that would make her box office for years. Her's and Rutherford's dancing was adequate enough for the story. But if not Ruby Keeler, MGM certainly had Eleanor Powell on the lot who hoofed it with the best of them.

One thing Turner did get out of Dancing Co-ed is a first husband in band leader Artie Shaw. Both Shaw and Turner had about 15 marriages between them in their lives. Who could tell at that point.

Dancing Co-ed is one for Lana Turner fans and those who will become on after seeing this film.

More than a bit corny but Lana Turner was exceptional I thought as was Artie Shaw playing himself. No only was that a great band with Buddy Rich on drums but Artie was such a handsome guy and pretty good as an actor as well. A couple of years later he married Lana so she must have noticed him! She certainly bought a fresh beauty to the screen! She also acts very well and brings a sense of realism to the story that would otherwise be lacking. She certainly is impressive.

As usual with these films one of the really good reasons for watching it these days is the Artie Shaw band but they don't get a lot of time without having dialogue over them so its hard to realise how well they sound even by 21st century standards. This sort of big band has a wonderful sound and I love it.

I saw this movie several times, in another life (before WWII), with another title (Invitation To Dance)and in another world (Eastern Europe). Artie Shaw was already a star, but didn't fill the expectations, perhaps too bright to stay in rank with other jazzmen.I never found an opportunity to see it again, is not even available at Amazon. I caught it last week on a TCM program, although the advertised cast mentioned only the names of Lana Turner and...Thurston Hall! In my humble opinion, this movie may illustrate a duel between the two great clarinet wizards, Benny Goodman The King Of Swing and Artie Shaw the King of Clarinet.The Midwestern jazz and majorette parade imitates but hardly matches the motorcade introducing Hollywood HOTEL (S. Sylvan Simon ain't Busby Berkeley!) but the dance contest sequence is excellent, with a special mention for TRAFFIC JAM, both for the music and for the staging. That air is bathing in Count Basian atmosphere, like the LADY BE GOOD rendition of the same line-up - with Buddy Rich for added entertainment.And in his second (and last) full-length movie,SECOND CHORUS, Artie Shaw lined up his Concerto For Clarinet, a masterpiece largely shown, not for just two minutes, like SING, SING, SING, in HH. The plot was entertaining, with many good quips and dialog. Good mentions for Roscoe Kearns and Ann Rutherford.And Lana Turner is, at least this time, fresh and unsophisticated. A must for all the Artie Shaw and Swing Era fans, although the jazz sequences - except TRAFFIC JAM - are unreasonably shortened. Harry Carasso, Paris, France

This is perhaps Lana Turner's finest vehicle. It showcases her unbelievable beauty and vitality, and it also spotlights her generally undiscovered comedic talents. The plot of this film involves a nation-wide search for a "dancing co-ed" to replace a movie-star in a big budget film. Lana's character has been planted at one of the colleges under consideration, however the student-editor of the school newspaper suspects that the company has already chosen its girl. Under the theory that Sherlock Holmes never suspected Watson, Lana becomes his assistant, and successfully evades his search...of course, the two fall in love....

This movie gave me some of the biggest laughs I've ever had. It is simple, yet wonderful, and one of the most enjoyable films. Chalk up Dancing Co-Ed as another of 1939's countless cinema classics.