Shall We Dance?

Original title: Shall we dansu?

19961996
PGPG
2h 16m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Comedy

Drama

Music

A successful but unhappy Japanese accountant finds the missing passion in his life when he begins to secretly take ballroom dance lessons.A successful but unhappy Japanese accountant finds the missing passion in his life when he begins to secretly take ballroom dance lessons.A successful but unhappy Japanese accountant finds the missing passion in his life when he begins to secretly take ballroom dance lessons.

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

11K

YOUR RATING

Top credits

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Awards
- 55 wins & 7 nominations

Videos2

Trailer 1:22

Shall We Dance? (1997)

Trailer 1:22

Shall We Dance? (1997)

Photos34

Poster for video release, 1 sheet video release movie poster

Top cast

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Director
- Masayuki Suô
Writer
- Masayuki Suô
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
All cast & crew

Storyline

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Shohei Sugiyama has attained all that he has wanted in life. But he is still depressed and unhappy. One day, he gathers up the courage to sign up for dancing lessons. He hopes they will rid his depression and help him get his life back together. —Robert Krzanowski <stonedpsycho@hotmail.com>

self discovery

husband wife relationship

tokyo japan

japan

1990s

20 more

Taglines
- He's an overworked accountant. She's an accomplished dancer. Passion is about to find two unlikely partners.
Genres
Certificate
- PG
Parents guide

Did you know

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Trivia
In the first scene, a man's shoe in close-up plunges into a black pool in the street. This symbolizes the world renowned Ballroom Dancing Competition in Blackpool, England, referenced later in the film.

Quotes
Shohei Sugiyama: At my age, it's embarrassing to say so, but every day I feel so alive.

Alternate versions
Original Japanese version (pre-Miramax) runs 136 minutes and is available on Hong Kong laseridisc with English and Chinese subtitles.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Contact/This World, Then the Fireworks/A Simple Wish/4 Little Girls/The Big Sleep/Shall We Dance? (1997)

Soundtracks
Shall We Dance
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Performed by Taeko Ohnuki

User reviews107

Review

Top review

What a delightful film!

Subtitles should not deter you from this charmer of a film. Ballroom Dancing, which is seen as risque in Japan, becomes the unlikely passion of an accountant who has gotten everything he thought he wanted and found he missed out on happiness. He begins classes hoping to meet a girl he saw looking as sad as he was himself, but finds that dance has charms of its own. Like Babette's Feast, the insight into another culture, and the elegant structure of the film leave you more than satisfied.

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