Dancing in the Dark

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.

William Powell became exceedingly picky about roles late in his career, so it's a mystery why he chose this one. The guise of a conceited, self-centered has-been movie star gives him no chance to show off his finely honed light comedy style, and his character's conversion to a good sport taxes the talents of even this actor. One of several Hollywood-looks-at-Hollywood mid-budget musicals of the year, it's hampered by 20th Century Fox's relentless self-promotion and too few musical numbers. Even the ones that are there are exceedingly modest, perhaps because Betsy Drake is obviously dubbed and no great shakes as a dancer, either. The feeble screenplay presents her as the answer to the Hollywood musical's prayers, but she comes across as a nice kid who probably shouldn't be in movies. A great Schwartz-Dietz stage score gets trammeled; most of these songs were presented to far better effect a few years hence, in MGM's "The Band Wagon."

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.

This is basically a ninety minute piece of shameful self promotion by 20th Century Fox.

Emery Slade (William Powell) was a great star in films but is now getting on in years and down and out. Nobody wants to work with him because he was always such a self involved jerk and a budget buster when he was on top. Jean Hersholt (as himself) sees Slade on the street one day, and in spite of his bravado, Hersholt sees through it all and can tell he is broke. He brings Slade up to the Actor's Aid society he heads, and this leads to Slade being hired by 20th Century Fox to go to New York and talk the daughter of an old vaudeville partner into coming to work for the studio in their new musical "Bandwagon" (no not THAT Bandwagon). Complications ensue.

The question is - Why is this film here? Fox certainly knew how to make musicals. They made great ones before this and after this movie. This was just not one of them. There is the very odd casting of Betsy Drake as the fabulous new singing sensation. Drake was an OK actress, but she never had much screen presence and was definitely not believable as a musical star. The one musical number is a boring waltz/tableau bit with Betsy Drake's voice obviously dubbed.

What's good about it? Adolphe Menjou as a frustrated Fox producer, Jean Hersholt as himself, and, of course, William Powell in the lead. Powell makes this film with his authentic portrayal of an urbane proud has-been actor whose picture should be next to the word "insufferable" in the dictionary, yet finds himself dropped into the role of righting a past wrong and actually becoming enthusiastic about it.

I have to believe that this was made just to remind the growing TV audience at the time that 20th Century Fox was still out there. You see such rather experimental films at the end of the 1940s that are as ponderous as some of the early sound films were at the end of the 1920s.

I'd recommend this to the William Powell completists out there as his performance was excellent as always.

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.