A sexy, enticing dancer from Harlem makes things happen in a sleepy Caribbean island resort.A sexy, enticing dancer from Harlem makes things happen in a sleepy Caribbean island resort.A sexy, enticing dancer from Harlem makes things happen in a sleepy Caribbean island resort.
Howard Galloway
- Specialty Dancer
- (as Howard Gallaway)
Storyline
Did you know
- Trivia"Tight Pants" is a Pharmacist's Mate First Class in the U.S. Navy. "Big Boy" has no rank insignia, but on his left shoulder is a Eighth patch and on the sleeve below the four service hash marks indicate he served at least two years overseas.
- GoofsWhen Gertie is checking into the hotel and introductions are being made, the moving boom microphone dips well into the top of the scene.
- Quotes
Gertie La Rue: Take your hands off me, you dirty psalm-singin' polecat! If the truth were only known, you want me just like all the rest!
- ConnectionsEdited into SanKofa Theater: Dirty Girty From Harlem (2022)
- SoundtracksBLUES IN THE NIGHT
Written by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Released by Bluebird Records on January 23, 1942
Performed by Dinah Shore
Featured review
Weak tea, but had its moments
"I got a sugar daddy, a sailor, a marine, and a preacher man, if I want to take the time to work on him."
Amateurish acting and weak production value mar this 1946 film from director Spencer Williams. It's a spin on the W. Somerset Maugham story 'Rain' that old film fans may recognize from Sadie Thompson (1928) and Rain (1932), though here the story is altered and it unfortunately plays out like a misogynistic morality tale. Dirty Gertie, you see, is a stripper from Harlem who has a habit of stringing men along, and she's fled to a tropical island with her troupe because she fears getting murdered by her ex-boyfriend. There she meets a slew of male admirers, but runs afoul of a moralizing missionary.
While the film was awfully creaky, there was nothing amateurish about July Jones and Howard Galloway dancing, and their opening act to Dirty Gertie (Francine Everett) was worth the price of admission. Everett is beautiful and certainly appealing, but there wasn't much sizzle to her character, setting aside the scene where she kisses two men that she's dubbed "Big Boy" and "Tight Pants" after a night out. I liked the moment where she hears "Blues in the Night" being played and is haunted by memories, but there wasn't enough of this kind of emotional depth. Also, I have to say, it was an odd choice for Spencer Williams to play the voodoo woman, at least without shaving his mustache, even if it was interesting to see him.
Amateurish acting and weak production value mar this 1946 film from director Spencer Williams. It's a spin on the W. Somerset Maugham story 'Rain' that old film fans may recognize from Sadie Thompson (1928) and Rain (1932), though here the story is altered and it unfortunately plays out like a misogynistic morality tale. Dirty Gertie, you see, is a stripper from Harlem who has a habit of stringing men along, and she's fled to a tropical island with her troupe because she fears getting murdered by her ex-boyfriend. There she meets a slew of male admirers, but runs afoul of a moralizing missionary.
While the film was awfully creaky, there was nothing amateurish about July Jones and Howard Galloway dancing, and their opening act to Dirty Gertie (Francine Everett) was worth the price of admission. Everett is beautiful and certainly appealing, but there wasn't much sizzle to her character, setting aside the scene where she kisses two men that she's dubbed "Big Boy" and "Tight Pants" after a night out. I liked the moment where she hears "Blues in the Night" being played and is haunted by memories, but there wasn't enough of this kind of emotional depth. Also, I have to say, it was an odd choice for Spencer Williams to play the voodoo woman, at least without shaving his mustache, even if it was interesting to see him.
helpful•00
- gbill-74877
- Jul 13, 2022
Details
- Runtime1 hour 5 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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Top Gap
By what name was Dirty Gertie from Harlem U.S.A. (1946) officially released in India in English?
Answer