Dancing Co-Ed (1939)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

S. Sylvan Simon

Writers:

Albert Mannheimer (screenplay)
Albert Treynor (story)

Release Date:

29 September 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Blonde Bonfire LANA TURNER and ARTIE SHAW, the Swing King, bring romance in youth-time!

Plot:

Right before the dancing Tobius' ought to film a new production, his wife tells Freddy Tobius that she's pregnant...

Plot Keywords:

College | Dancer | Contest | Show Business | Motion Picture Producer

Cast

Lana Turner	...	Patty Marlow
Richard Carlson	...	Michael 'Pug' Braddock
Artie Shaw	...	Himself
Ann Rutherford	...	Miss Eve Greeley
Lee Bowman	...	Freddy Tobin
Thurston Hall	...	Henry W. 'H.W.' Workman
Leon Errol	...	Sam 'Pops' Marlow
Roscoe Karns	...	Joe Drews
Mary Field	...	Miss Jenny May
Walter Kingsford	...	University President Cavendish
Mary Beth Hughes	...	'Toddy' Tobin
June Preisser	...	'Ticky' James
Monty Woolley	...	Professor Lange
Chester Clute	...	Pee Wee, the Fake Braddock
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Barbara Bedford	...	Secretary (voice)
Billy Bletcher	...	Radio Voice (voice)
Eddie Conrad	...	Professor (scenes deleted)
Evelyn Woodbury	...	Nurse (scenes deleted)

Also Known As:

Every Other Inch a Lady (UK)

Runtime:

84 min | Germany:81 min (TV)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #5667)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Was originally planned as an Eleanor Powell movie, but studio executives decided to use it as a vehicle for Lana Turner.

Movie Connections:

Featured in From the Ends of the Earth (1939)

Soundtrack:

Stealin' Apples

Lana at her prettiest in an early shot at stardom...

Part of the fun in watching DANCING CO-ED is seeing just what a fine line-up of supporting players were available at the time of the studio contract system.

For example, here LANA TURNER is given RICHARD CARLSON, ARTIE SHAW, MONTY WOOLLEY, LEON ERROL, ROSCOE KARNS, ANN RUTHERFORD and LEE BOWMAN--all passing the time in a so-so programmer that is livened up by Lana's cheerful presence (and some nice hoofing) while Artie Shaw and His Orchestra provide some musical highlights in 1940s style.

The story is formula stuff about the misunderstandings between a showgirl planted at a college so she can win a dance contest taking place there. Despite some amusing situations along the way, nothing can keep an audience from knowing that a happy ending is around the bend.

It gives Lana Turner a chance to display her ample charms in some brief and very sexy dancing outfits while at the same time enjoying herself in a refreshing comedy role peppered with some romance. Richard Carlson does nicely as her college boyfriend and Artie Shaw keeps things humming along with some nice big band music.

It's strictly by the numbers but Turner's fans will all agree she's quite a knockout here. Turner at the height of her pulchritude was something the camera loved.