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Ten Cents a Dance

  • 19311931
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 15m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
779
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Barbara Stanwyck, Ricardo Cortez, and Monroe Owsley in Ten Cents a Dance (1931)
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Romance
Men pay a dime to dance with Barbara and her fellow taxi dancers. She marries Eddie and plans to quit dancing. Before she does, she meets a handsome and rich gentleman.Men pay a dime to dance with Barbara and her fellow taxi dancers. She marries Eddie and plans to quit dancing. Before she does, she meets a handsome and rich gentleman.Men pay a dime to dance with Barbara and her fellow taxi dancers. She marries Eddie and plans to quit dancing. Before she does, she meets a handsome and rich gentleman.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
779
YOUR RATING
  • Directors
    • Lionel Barrymore
    • Edward Buzzell(uncredited)
  • Writers
    • Jo Swerling(story)
    • Dorothy Howell(screenplay)
    • Richard Rodgers(inspired by the popular song by)
  • Stars
    • Barbara Stanwyck
    • Ricardo Cortez
    • Monroe Owsley
Top credits
  • Directors
    • Lionel Barrymore
    • Edward Buzzell(uncredited)
  • Writers
    • Jo Swerling(story)
    • Dorothy Howell(screenplay)
    • Richard Rodgers(inspired by the popular song by)
  • Stars
    • Barbara Stanwyck
    • Ricardo Cortez
    • Monroe Owsley
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 24User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos20

    Barbara Stanwyck and Ricardo Cortez in Ten Cents a Dance (1931)
    Barbara Stanwyck and Ricardo Cortez in Ten Cents a Dance (1931)
    Barbara Stanwyck and Ricardo Cortez in Ten Cents a Dance (1931)
    Barbara Stanwyck and Ricardo Cortez in Ten Cents a Dance (1931)
    Sally Blane and Victor Potel in Ten Cents a Dance (1931)
    Barbara Stanwyck and Sally Blane in Ten Cents a Dance (1931)
    Barbara Stanwyck in Ten Cents a Dance (1931)
    Ricardo Cortez in Ten Cents a Dance (1931)
    Barbara Stanwyck, Sally Blane, Phyllis Crane, and Martha Sleeper in Ten Cents a Dance (1931)
    Barbara Stanwyck and Ricardo Cortez in Ten Cents a Dance (1931)
    Barbara Stanwyck in Ten Cents a Dance (1931)
    Barbara Stanwyck and Monroe Owsley in Ten Cents a Dance (1931)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Barbara Stanwyck
    Barbara Stanwyck
    • Barbara O'Neillas Barbara O'Neill
    Ricardo Cortez
    Ricardo Cortez
    • Bradley Carltonas Bradley Carlton
    Monroe Owsley
    Monroe Owsley
    • Eddie Milleras Eddie Miller
    Sally Blane
    Sally Blane
    • Mollyas Molly
    Blanche Friderici
    Blanche Friderici
    • Mrs. Blanchardas Mrs. Blanchard
    Phyllis Crane
    Phyllis Crane
    • Euniceas Eunice
    Olive Tell
    Olive Tell
    • Mrs. Carltonas Mrs. Carlton
    Victor Potel
    Victor Potel
    • Sailor Smithas Sailor Smith
    Al Hill
    Al Hill
    • Sailor Jonesas Sailor Jones
    Jack Byron
    • Leoas Leo
    Pat Harmon
    Pat Harmon
    • Casey - Club Bounceras Casey - Club Bouncer
    Martha Sleeper
    Martha Sleeper
    • Nancy Clarkas Nancy Clark
    David Newell
    David Newell
    • Ralph Clarkas Ralph Clark
    Sidney Bracey
    Sidney Bracey
    • Wilson - Carlton's Butleras Wilson - Carlton's Butler
    Harry Todd
    Harry Todd
    • Mr. Carneyas Mr. Carney
    Aggie Herring
    Aggie Herring
    • Mrs. Carneyas Mrs. Carney
    Peggy Doner
    • Yvonneas Yvonne
    James Ford
    James Ford
    • Danceras Dancer
    • Directors
      • Lionel Barrymore
      • Edward Buzzell(uncredited)
    • Writers
      • Jo Swerling(story) (screenplay)
      • Dorothy Howell(screenplay)
      • Richard Rodgers(inspired by the popular song by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Men pay a dime to dance with Barbara and her fellow taxi dancers. She marries Eddie and quits dancing, but before that, she meets with the handsome and very rich Bradley. Barbara eventually starts dancing again, since her marriage is plagued by financial tension, and Bradley begins visiting her again. Eddie becomes jealous, accusing his wife of infidelity. He sees that alleged infidelity as an excuse to steal money from Bradley. —Ulf Kjell Gür
    • money in title
    • dance hall hostess
    • ungrateful husband
    • lousy husband
    • false accusation of infidelity
    • 41 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • SHE WAS A DANCE HALL HOSTESS BUT THE BAND NEVER PLAYED "HOME SWEET HOME" FOR HER (original poster-all caps)
    • Genres
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • Passed
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      First credit as a director for Lionel Barrymore.
    • Quotes

      Barbara O'Neill: I didn't lie to you. I just didn't go into detail.

    • Connections
      Alternate-language version of Carne de cabaret (1931)
    • Soundtracks
      Ten Cents a Dance
      (uncredited)

      Music by Richard Rodgers

      Lyrics by Lorenz Hart

    User reviews24

    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    Stanwyck tries to lift dispiriting potboiler
    Soon after this effort, Lionel Barrymore went back to acting full-time. I wouldn't blame him. Although Stanwyck is excellent as usual, this is a slight tale, typical of the time, that she alone makes worth watching—one time only. There's something frustrating, moreover, about how her character remains faithfully committed to the lout played by Monroe Owsley for so long. I suppose we have to accept that behavior which in our day would seem masochistic was the cultural norm in 1931 for most women. On the Pre-Code front, there's a gum-chewing scene stealer, foxy Sally Blane as Molly, a newbie who can't wait to dive into the sleazy dance hall world, although Stanwyck tries to advise her (and immediately says she knows that Molly is underage).

    What brings everything down is the low budget. Columbia could mount a good-looking feature from time to time, but in 1931, I suppose they weren't doing it very much. The art director does suggest the opulence of Ricardo Cortez's apartment effectively without showing its interior; we get the idea from the lobby, hallway leading up to his door and vestibule, with its snazzy Spanish California motif. But the rest of the picture is pretty threadbare, and Barrymore's direction seems perfunctory and hurried, as if pressured by budget and schedule constraints (I hasten to add that budget is not necessarily everything; take a look at the excellent, absorbing Five Star Final, which basically takes place in two newspaper offices and an apartment living room, to see how resourcefully such conditions can be handled).

    As for the story itself, it looks like it was dreamed up by somebody and sketched out on the back of an envelope all in the space of one afternoon. If Barrymore felt dispirited, he sure showed 'em, going into "A Free Soul" this very year, where his performance blew everybody's minds and won him a lifetime MGM contract. The song of the title is pretty good; we hear but do not see it performed by a torchy vocalist.
    helpful•26
    7
    • Derutterj-1
    • Nov 5, 2007

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 6, 1931 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • A diez centavos el baile
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 15 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.19 : 1

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