Film Snail

6.4

Dance, Girl, Dance

NR·1940·90m

Drama

Comedy

Romance

Drama

Comedy

Romance

Summary

Judy O'Brien is an aspiring ballerina in a dance troupe. Also in the company is Bubbles, a brash mantrap who leaves the struggling troupe for a career in burlesque. When the company disbands, Bubbles gives Judy a thankless job as her stooge. The two eventually clash when both fall for the same man.

Cast

Maureen O'Hara

Judy O'Brien

Louis Hayward

Jimmy Harris

Lucille Ball

Bubbles

Virginia Field

Elinor Harris

Ralph Bellamy

Steve Adams

Maria Ouspenskaya

Madame Basilova

Mary Carlisle

Sally

Katharine Alexander

Miss Olmstead

Edward Brophy

Dwarfie

Walter Abel

Judge

Harold Huber

Hoboken Gent

Ernest Truex

Bailey #1

Chester Clute

Bailey #2

Lorraine Krueger

Dolly

Lola Jensen

Daisy

Emma Dunn

Mrs. Simpson

Sidney Blackmer

Puss in Boots

Vivien Fay

Ballerina

Ludwig Stössel

Caesar

Ernö Verebes

Fitch

Stanley Blystone

Plainclothesman (uncredited)

Wade Boteler

Policeman (uncredited)

Buster Brodie

Burlesk House Spectator (uncredited)

Ralph Brooks

Burlesk House Spectator (uncredited)

Paul E. Burns

Reporter Calling Elinor (uncredited)

Leo Cleary

Court Clerk (uncredited)

Clyde Cook

Claude (uncredited)

Ray Cooke

Reporter (uncredited)

Gino Corrado

Gino (uncredited)

Kernan Cripps

Night Court Bailiff (uncredited)

Jay Eaton

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Bess Flowers

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Paul Fung

Chinese Waiter (uncredited)

Sam Harris

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Lew Harvey

Reporter at Taxi (uncredited)

Lew Hicks

Grumpy Man in Elevator (uncredited)

Donald Kerr

Photographer in Hallway (uncredited)

Milton Kibbee

Reporter at Taxi (uncredited)

Jeanne Lafayette

Nanette (uncredited)

Mike Lally

Burlesk House Spectator (uncredited)

Robert McKenzie

Otto (uncredited)

Tony Merlo

Headwaiter (uncredited)

Frank Mills

Man Booing Judy (uncredited)

Bert Moorhouse

Jimmy's Friend (uncredited)

Pat Moriarty

Night Court Guard (uncredited)

Philip Morris

Policeman (uncredited)

Barry Norton

Dissaproving Theatre Patron (uncredited)

William J. O'Brien

Burlesk House Spectator (uncredited)

Robert Emmett O'Connor

Plainclothesman (uncredited)

Jack O'Shea

Patron of Palais Royale (uncredited)

Lee Phelps

Plainclothesman (uncredited)

Paul Phillips

Reporter (uncredited)

Paul Renay

Headwaiter (uncredited)

Dewey Robinson

Palais Royale Manager (uncredited)

Ralph Sanford

Taxi Driver (uncredited)

Ruth Seeley

Dimples (uncredited)

Lee Shumway

Policeman (uncredited)

Bert Stevens

Elevator Passenger (uncredited)

Harry Tenbrook

Night Court Spectator (uncredited)

Harry Tyler

Bailey Brothers' Barker (uncredited)

Lee 'Lasses' White

Bailey Brothers' Stage Manager (uncredited)

Thelma Woodruff

Mary (uncredited)

Marjorie Woodworth

Jane (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Dorothy Arzner

Screenplay

Frank Davis

Screenplay

Tess Slesinger

Story

Vicki Baum

Reviews

talisencrw

May 17, 2016

A really fun film that I found in my Maureen O'Hara TCM 4-pack that I highly recommend if you enjoy films from that era. I like the two films I've seen so far from Arzner, who was one of the earliest and most successful of female directors and I believe the first openly lesbian one--the other work I've seen of hers is the great pre-Code look at alcoholism, 'Merrily We Go to Hell'.

This is great if you either like musicals from the era, are a Maureen O'Hara or Lucille Ball enthusiast (holy, she was unbelievably a knockout in her early filmic days!) or are simply curious about the works of early female and/or lesbian directors. Arzner--at least in the two films I have seen from her thus far--showed she truly deserved to be successful in the industry.