L'amiral mène la danse

Eleanor Powell has come to New York to make it, and make it she does in "Born to Dance," a 1936 musical also starring James Stewart, Virginia Bruce, Buddy Ebsen, Una Merkel, and Sid Silvers.

There's not much of a story, and not much of one is needed. Newcomer to the big city Nora Paige (Powell) meets sailor Ted (Stewart). They fall in love; meanwhile, she gets into a show understudying the lead, the great Lucy James (Bruce).

Ted saves Lucy's Pekinese when it jumps into the water, and the producers use that for publicity, cooking up a romance between Ted and Lucy. Nora is heartbroken, believing that Ted is cheating on her. They fight. Lucy ends up walking out of the show; Powell then becomes the star - you can guess the rest.

Certainly this is a wonderful score, one of the best, with the wonderful "Easy to Love," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Rolling Home," "Rap-Tap on Wood," and others. The surprise of the cast is James Stewart, singing in a Fred Astaire sort of way - he's delightful, very musical, with a sweet voice that goes well with his boyish demeanor.

Eleanor Powell is one of the great film tap dancers, and she gets to do a lot of numbers. She's a very pretty woman with a wide smile. I find her non-tap work a little odd, as her choreography always seems to include a front kick which looks awkward. It's the kind of move that non-dancers like Raquel Welch do in nightclub acts and it doesn't really suit Powell. She is a very likable presence and it's really fireworks when she gets a-tappin'!

Una Merkel, Sid Silvers, et al. Provide excellent support and good comedy, which is abundant in the script that makes the most of dialogue even if the story is thin. Virginia Bruce is great as the glamorous Broadway star. She performs "I've Got You Under My Skin," beautifully.

Stewart sings "Easy to Love," and I can still remember the look on Carol Burnett's face when he sang it to her many years ago, I believe on her TV show. She spoke of going to the movies with her grandmother and watching him on the screen. To have him sing that song to her was an overwhelming moment. It's one of the nicest scenes in the film, too, to see this tremendous star when he was so young and fresh.

This is simply a wonderful walk - or should I say tap - down memory lane. Don't miss it.

This is one of the all-time corny movies ever made, especially since it features Jimmy Stewart singing. How often have you seen/heard that? Actually, the "corn" is the fun of this film, and I enjoyed watching this more the second time knowing it was going to be so corny. Some of the lines in here are legitimately funny, particularly by cute Una Merkel, who could zing 'em with the best. She was fun, as was her husband in here, "Gunny Sacks," played by Sid Silvers. Those two, plus Buddy Ebsen and Eleanor Powell make for a likable cast. Both Powell and Ebsen were great dancers, too, with Powell, of course, being the more famous. This is just a nice, old- fashioned film, probably more for older folks, but who knows?

Sailor James Stewart meets aspiring dancer Eleanor Powell and they fall in love. But a misunderstanding involving Broadway star Virginia Bruce comes between them. Eleanor then gets a job as understudy to Virginia. Hopefully everything will work out in time to put on the big show! What do you kids think?

Jimmy Stewart in a musical. Where's Clarence when he really needs him?!? Seriously though, Jimmy does a good job. He's not the best singer but he can carry a tune. If you like pretty movie stars, this one's the picture for you -- Eleanor Powell, Virginia Bruce, Una Merkel, Frances Langford are all beauties. Powell is the star of the show with her awesome tap dancing numbers. Keep your eyes peeled for Dennis O'Keefe in Powell's first number. He's the guy she taps on the shoulder. Una Merkel is perfection as always. Buddy Ebsen singing and dancing is a hoot. Sid Silvers and Raymond Walburn are funny comic relief. Adorable Juanita Quigley plays Una & Sid's daughter.

It's a slight but fun story with a killer cast. Outstanding Cole Porter songs include classics "Easy to Love" and "I've Got You Under My Skin." But my personal favorites are " Hey, Babe, Hey" and "Swingin' the Jinx Away." As always, Eleanor Powell's dancing is spectacular. Add some nice humor and the immense likability of Powell and Stewart and you have a real gem. Get this on DVD or catch it on TCM next time they show it.

Even though they look like brother and sister, Jimmy Stewart and Eleanor Powell ease into one of the most endearing and uplifting love affairs in musical film. If you've ever tap danced, even a little bit, you'll want to put on those old taps and chew up the kitchen linoleum when Eleanor effortlessly goes at it. And who cares if long after a song keeps humming in your head, as long as it's "Easy To Love" or "I've Got You Under My Skin". Wouldn't this film have been so much less in color?

This is a film that has a minimum plot. Sailors chase girls and along the way, everybody sing and dance. Eleanor Powell shows her talent, tapping in a spetacular specialty number called `Swinging the Jinx Away'. A young James Stewart warbles `Easy to Love' in a charming way. But the real curiosity is to watch Buddy Ebsen. I bet that many people that watched him in TV series such as Beverly Hillbillies and Barnaby Jones didn´t had a clue that in his youth he was a very acomplished dancer. The songs by Cole Porter are top notch and `I've got you under my Skin' and `Easy to Love' became standarts. If you like 30's musical, is well worth to take a look in Born To Dance.