Dames (1934)

Multi-millionaire Ezra Ounce wants to start a campaign against 'filthy' forms of entertainment, like Broadway-Shows. He comes to his relatives families and makes them members of his ... See full summary »

Directors:

Ray Enright, Busby Berkeley

Writers:

Delmer Daves (screen play), Robert Lord (story),

Stars:

Joan Blondell, Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Joan Blondell	...	Mabel
Dick Powell	...	Jimmy
Ruby Keeler	...	Barbara
Zasu Pitts	...	Mathilda
Guy Kibbee	...	Horace
Hugh Herbert	...	Ezra
Arthur Vinton	...	Bulger - Ounce's Bodyguard
Phil Regan	...	Johnny Harris - Songwriter
Arthur Aylesworth	...	Train Conductor
Johnny Arthur	...	Billings - Ounce's Secretary
Leila Bennett	...	Laura - Matilda's Maid
Berton Churchill	...	Harold Ellsworthy Todd
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bess Flowers	...	(scenes deleted)

Storyline

Multi-millionaire Ezra Ounce wants to start a campaign against 'filthy' forms of entertainment, like Broadway-Shows. He comes to his relatives families and makes them members of his morale-boosting campaign. But Jimmy, another relative is producing a show, starring Ezra's niece Barbara. But he had bad luck with his backer, this person has given him an invalid check. Another of his victims, the show-girl Mabel has the idea of blackmailing Horace, Barbara's father, whom she has met before in a slightly compromising situation to get the money.

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Plot Keywords:

fight | drugstore | rehearsal | broadway manhattan new york city | music band | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 September 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Abbasso le donne

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros, Vitaphone Corporation, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the "Dames" number, Dick Powell as a Broadway producer doesn't want to see composer George Gershwin, but when asked by his secretary about seeing Miss Dubin, Miss Warren and Miss Kelly, he lets them enter his office. This is an inside joke, referring to Al Dubin and Harry Warren, who wrote the music for this film, and Orry-Kelly, who was the costume designer.

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Goofs

While Joan Blondell is singing "The Girl at the Ironing Board", a stage hand is seen in the background hanging a clothesline.

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Quotes

Barbara Hemingway: I'm free, white, and 21. I love to dance AND I'm going to dance.

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Connections

Featured in And She Learned About Dames (1934)

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Soundtracks

"I Only Have Eyes for You"
(1934) (uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Sung by Dick Powell on the ferry
Reprised by Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler and chorus in the show
Played as background music often

User Reviews

They're what you see a show for

One of the nice things about those Warner Brothers Depression musicals is that you can forget some of the sillier aspects of the plot and just enjoy the wonderful nonsense created.

Dames certainly classifies as wonderful nonsense. A wacky millionaire who's a sideline puritan is going to leave a bequest to a cousin and her family providing that they are of good moral character by his ideas. The wacky millionaire is Hugh Herbert and the cousin is Zasu Pitts, her husband Guy Kibbee and her daughter Ruby Keeler. There's another distant cousin Dick Powell who's already out of the will because he's an actor.

Back then theatrical folk were held in some disdain by polite society, though that's hard to believe now. Also some eyebrows might have been raised with Dick's involvement with Ruby. But then again the president of the United States was married to his fifth cousin. I'm sure the brothers Warner knew that full well when Dames was released.

Dames of course is remembered for those wonderful Busby Berkeley numbers and one of the biggest movie songs ever in I Only Have Eyes For You. Introduced by Dick Powell it was never commercially recorded by him though dozens of our best singers have done so. It's a favorite of mine for sure.

Last but not least Dames features the always captivating Joan Blondell who's not above a little blackmail to achieve her ends. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. She's featured in the Girl at the Ironing Board number, a great piece of Berkeley magic.

We can't forget the title song because as Dick Powell sings, it's what you see the show for. And in that finale they're sure enough of them to satisfy any red blooded male.