IMDb > Born to Dance (1936)

Born to Dance (1936) More at IMDbPro »


IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
6.6/10   372 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Up 435% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Roy Del Ruth

Writers:

Jack McGowan (story) &
Sid Silvers (story) ...
more

Contact:

View company contact information for Born to Dance on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

27 November 1936 (USA) more

Genre:

Musical | Comedy more

Tagline:

M*G*M's successor to "THE GREAT ZIEGFELD" more

Plot:

Sailor Ted meets at the Lonely Hearts Club of his friend Gunny's wife, Jenny, a girl, Nora Paige, and falls in love... more | add synopsis

Plot Keywords:

more

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. more

User Comments:

Character actors shine! Movie a wellspring of comedy. more (21 total)


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Eleanor Powell ... Nora Paige

James Stewart ... Ted Barker
Virginia Bruce ... Lucy James
Una Merkel ... Jenny Saks
Sid Silvers ... 'Gunny' Sacks
Frances Langford ... 'Peppy' Turner
Raymond Walburn ... Captain Percival Dingby
Alan Dinehart ... James 'Mac' McKay

Buddy Ebsen ... 'Mush' Tracy
Juanita Quigley ... Sally Saks
Georges ... Himself, Dance Speciality (as Georges and Jalna)
Jalna ... Herself, Dance Specialty (as Georges and Jalna)
Reginald Gardiner ... Central Park Policeman
Barnett Parker ... Model Home Demonstrator
The Foursome ... Sailor Quartette
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #2707) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

The dress that Virginia Bruce throws on the floor and refuses to appear in is the same dress worn by Jeanette MacDonald in San Francisco (1936), a few months earlier. more

Goofs:

Continuity: Gunny Saks is visible on the sub's sail, despite being put to the brick, where he is visible in the following scene. more

Quotes:

Jenny Saks: Gunny, Sally is our child.
Gunny Saks: That's a fine time for telling me.
Jenny Saks: Why?
Gunny Saks: I've joined the the Navy again
Jenny Saks: I'll see you in four years.
more

Movie Connections:

Featured in That's Entertainment! (1974) more

Soundtrack:

Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful.
Character actors shine! Movie a wellspring of comedy., 5 May 2008
8/10
Author: jlefort from Ottawa, Canada

There are so many reasons to like this musical comedy. Firstly, the Cole Porter songs. Secondly, the bits with character actors: Charles Trowbridge as a model home spokesman with stiff upper lip (movie butlers probably took notes); Reginald Gardiner as a policeman in Central Park who conducts an invisible orchestra (his wild, flopping hair and frantic moves are much like Danny Kaye as a music teacher in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, 1947); Helen Troy as McCoy's telephone operator must be the inspiration for Lily Tomlin's snooty switchboard gal on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In in the late 1960s; and Virginia Bruce singing 'Love Me, Love My Pekinese' is sheer Gilbert & Sullivan in its wit (the cast is smiling behind the lead stars because they know it's a very funny number.

As for the stars, Elenore Powell is especially good at tap dancing and OK at singing. James Stewart has charm and good looks but hardly dances, and he sings much like Fred Astaire (who was a top-notch dancer). In fact, Elenore Powell, in this screenplay, is a dancer who's an understudy for a singer. This detail is never explained.

This movie may have been a wellspring not only for comedy but also for a music video. The big finale number 'Swingin' The Jinx Away' is set on a typical musical comedy battleship, with its big guns pointing out at the camera. It looks like that idea was used for Cher's 1991 music video 'If I Could Turn back Time', only using a real battleship.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (21 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Born to Dance (1936)

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
On the Town Go Into Your Dance Stage Door Shall We Dance Funny Girl
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Musical section IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.