Queen of the Stardust Ballroom (1975) (TV)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Sam O'Steen

Writer:

Jerome Kass (writer)

Release Date:

13 February 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Drama

Plot:

A lonely widow and a postman find romance late in life at the local dance hall.

Plot Keywords:

Dance | Widow | Postman | Ballroom | Singing

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Maureen Stapleton	...	Beatrice 'Bea' Asher
Charles Durning	...	Alvin 'Al' Green
Michael Brandon	...	David Asher
Elizabeth Berger	...	Jennifer 'Jenny' Asher
Lewis Charles	...	Johnny
Natalie Core	...	Pauline Krimm
Alan Fudge	...	Louis
Florence Halop	...	Sylvia
Danna Hansen	...	Martha
Jacquelyn Hyde	...	Angie
Holly Irving	...	Marie
Gil Lamb	...	Harry
Nora Marlowe	...	Emily
Charlotte Rae	...	Helen
Guy Raymond	...	Petie

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Tomorrow Entertainment

Trivia:

This TV-movie was the basis for a short-lived 1979 Broadway musical called "Ballroom," which starred Dorothy Loudon and Vincent Gardenia with mostly new songs by composer Billy Goldenberg (though the main theme and "I Love to Dance," with some new lyrics, as well as some tango music, remain.)

Soundtrack:

A Big Mistake

A Minor Masterpiece

The pacing is overly rapid in certain places, Bea's sister and daughter are painted with a cartoonish brush, but the film manages to be genuinely moving and poignant throughout.

We are never asked to condone every change Bea makes; only to understand. Maureen Stapleton's human, subtly-keyed performance is the perfect centerpiece. Charles Durning is also wonderful in a role many actors would coast through. Once you see him here you'll never think of him in quite the same way again. These characters are so real, so everyday, that we can feel their joy and sorrow in ways cardboard types can't transmit.

The singing is jarring at first, but their shaky voices add to the realistic undertone of the fantasy.

Bea's unapologetic stance in her relationship with Al typifies the 70's and the 70's willingness to shake off conventions; I'm not sure if this tv-film would be made today with the same viewpoint.

I loved the atmosphere of the Stardust Ballroom, the different relationships and the nostalgia for days gone by. Bea comes alive in a room where most are trying to relive their past glories.

Flawless it may not be, but if you want to believe in love, in having a second chance at life no matter what your age is, this is the film to see.