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Dance, Girl, Dance (1940)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 ... See full summary » Director:Dorothy Arzner |
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Title: Dance, Girl, Dance (1940)
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Cast
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| Maureen O'Hara | ... |
Judy O'Brien
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| Louis Hayward | ... |
Jaes 'Jimmy' Harris Jr.
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| Lucille Ball | ... |
Bubbles /
Tiger Lily White
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Virginia Field | ... |
Elinor Harris
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| Ralph Bellamy | ... |
Steve Adams
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Maria Ouspenskaya | ... |
Madame Lydia Basilova
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| Mary Carlisle | ... |
Sally
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Katharine Alexander | ... |
Miss Olmstead
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Edward Brophy | ... |
Dwarfie Humblewinger
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| Walter Abel | ... |
Judge
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Harold Huber | ... |
Hoboken Gent
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Ernest Truex | ... |
Bailey #1
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Chester Clute | ... |
Bailey #2
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Lorraine Krueger | ... |
Dolly
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Lola Jensen | ... |
Daisy
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
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. Written by Daniel Bubbeo <dbubbeo@cmp.com>
Taglines:
Heartbreak Behind Gayety of a Girly-Girl Show!Certificate:
ApprovedParents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
30 August 1940 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
A Vida é uma Dança See more »Company Credits
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company contact information
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Recording System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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(uncredited)
Written by Chet Forrest and Bob Wright
Sung by Lucille Ball in the Bailey Brothers Burlesque Theater
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Roy Del Ruth was originally assigned to direct, but he quit over creative differences with producer Erich Pommer, so Dorothy Arzner was assigned the job. See more »Soundtracks
"Mother, What Do I Do Now?"(uncredited)
Written by Chet Forrest and Bob Wright
Sung by Lucille Ball in the Bailey Brothers Burlesque Theater
See more »
Directed by a woman (!) in 1940 (!) and written by a team of two women and a man, "Dance, Girl, Dance" tackles a central plot explored later in "Flashdance" and "Dance With Me" (also directed by a woman, Randa Haines) - the serious dancer struggling for identity in a cheap, commercialized world.
Artistic dancer Judy is forced to sleaze it up as a stripper to earn a living. But she refuses to sacrifice either her dignity or her dreams. Lucy's a hoot as a whore in a rare big-screen appearance before her TV show. And Maria Ouspenskaya of the Chaney Jr. werewolf pics is hysterical as Judy's ballet teacher. "When ze moon iz full my child yu vill do plies!" Well, she doesn't actually say that, but she might as well.
The strengths of "Dance, Girl, Dance" lie in Arzner's telling the story of an emancipated, free-thinking American woman discovering and flexing her muscles of independence. O'Hara gives a rousing performance as Judy. Her onstage tongue-lashing of the trenchcoat wearing men in her audience is a speech equal to Jimmy "Mr. Smith" Stewart's Washington address.
While much of the dialogue and editing crackle with the wit of 40s screwball comedy, Arzner masterfully turned her camera to dramatic insights and crafted a true American gem, one of the most underrated classics of its day.