Born to Dance

Last updated

Born to Dance
Born to Dance - 1936- Poster.png
theatrical release poster
Directed by Roy Del Ruth
Screenplay by Jack McGowan
Sid Silvers
Story byJack McGowan
Sid Silvers
Buddy G. DeSylva
Produced by Jack Cummings
Starring Eleanor Powell
James Stewart
Virginia Bruce
Cinematography Ray June
Edited by Blanche Sewell
Music by Cole Porter
Production
company
Distributed by Loew's Inc.
Release date
  • November 27, 1936 (1936-11-27)(US)
Running time
106 minutes
CountryUnited States
Language English

Born to Dance is a 1936 American musical film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Eleanor Powell, James Stewart and Virginia Bruce. It was produced and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The score was composed by Cole Porter.

Contents

Plot

While on leave, sailor Ted Barker meets Nora Paige at the Lonely Hearts Club, which is owned by Jenny Saks, the wife of fellow sailor Gunny Saks. Ted instantly falls in love with Nora. [1] [2] [3]

Ted later meets Broadway star Lucy James aboard a submarine while she's on a publicity tour. Her Pekingese dog falls overboard, Ted rescues it, and Lucy falls in love with him. Though Ted has already scheduled a date with Nora, he is ordered by his captain, Dingby, to meet Lucy in a nightclub. [2] [3]

Nora, who lives with Jenny and her daughter, Sally, aspires to become a Broadway dancer. However, her newfound career is in serious jeopardy when she inadvertently comes between Lucy and her boss McKay. Nora distances herself from Ted after seeing pictures of him and Lucy in a newspaper the next morning. [1] [2] [3]

Lucy convinces McKay to stop the press campaign, threatening to leave the Broadway production if any more photos or articles about her and Ted are published. Nora becomes Lucy's understudy and thinks about her behavior towards Ted. Nora gets fired suddenly after McKay tells her to perform a dance that Lucy considers undanceable. But Ted knows exactly what to do after he's told the whole story. [2] [3]

Cast

Soundtrack

Unless otherwise noted, Information is taken from IMDb's soundtrack section for this movie. [5]

Production

The film's working title was This Time It's Love.

The film stars dancer Eleanor Powell and was a follow-up to her successful debut in Broadway Melody of 1936 . The film co-stars James Stewart as Powell's love interest and Virginia Bruce as the film's resident femme fatale and Powell's rival. Powell's Broadway Melody co-stars Buddy Ebsen and Frances Langford return to provide comedy and musical support. Highlights of the film include a rare musical number by Stewart (which the actor later poked fun at in the That's Entertainment! retrospective), and a bombastic finale called "Swingin' the Jinx Away". Set amidst a pre-Second World War naval backdrop, the Depression-era "feel good" number (which runs nearly 10 minutes) makes topical references to the economy and political leaders (with a "shout out" to Cab Calloway thrown in for good measure) sung by Powell, adds in an eccentric dance routine by Ebsen, and ends in a flurry of tap dancing by Powell culminating in a patriotic salute, and finally a blast of cannon fire. This finale was also lifted in its entirety and re-used in another Powell film, I Dood It , co-starring Red Skelton. Although considered one of Powell's (and MGM's) most memorable musical numbers, and often featured in retrospectives such as That's Entertainment!, musical director Roger Edens was often quoted as being embarrassed by the segment.

In 1936, a part was written for Judy Garland. Cole Porter wrote in his diary that it was his "great Joy" that he was writing for a film featuring Garland. However, her part was written out of the film before she could begin any work on the film.

The film introduced the Porter standards "You'd Be So Easy to Love" (performed by Stewart and Marjorie Lane, dubbed for Powell) and "I've Got You Under My Skin" (performed by Bruce), which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It was the first film in which Stewart sang.

Some of the musical numbers were recorded in stereophonic sound, making this one of the first films to utilize multi-channel technology. Rhino Records included the stereo tracks in its soundtrack album, released on CD, including Jimmy Stewart's and Marjorie Lane's performance of "You'd Be So Easy to Love." [7]

Accolades

The film was nominated for two Academy Awards; Cole Porter was nominated for Best Song for "I've Got You Under My Skin," and Dave Gould was nominated for Best Dance Direction.

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

Related Research Articles

<i>Broadway Melody of 1936</i> 1935 film by W. S. Van Dyke, Roy Del Ruth

Broadway Melody of 1936 is a musical film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1935. In New York, the film opened at the Capitol Theatre, the site of many prestigious MGM premieres. It was a follow-up of sorts to the successful The Broadway Melody, which had been released in 1929, although, there is no story connection with the earlier film beyond the title and some music.

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1936.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1937 in music</span> Overview of the events of 1937 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1937.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1933 in music</span> Overview of the events of 1933 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1933.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buddy Ebsen</span> American actor and dancer (1908–2003)

Buddy Ebsen, also known as Frank "Buddy" Ebsen, was an American actor and dancer. One of his most famous roles was as Jed Clampett in the CBS television sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971); afterwards he starred as the title character in the television detective drama Barnaby Jones (1973–1980).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard A. Whiting</span> American composer and songwriter

Richard Armstrong Whiting was an American composer of popular songs, including the standards "Hooray for Hollywood", "Ain't We Got Fun?" and "On the Good Ship Lollipop". He also wrote lyrics occasionally, and film scores most notably for the standard "She's Funny That Way".

<i>Thats Entertainment!</i> 1974 American film by Jack Haley Jr.

That's Entertainment! is a 1974 American compilation film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to celebrate the studio's 50th anniversary. The success of the retrospective prompted a 1976 sequel, the related 1985 film That's Dancing!, and a third installment in 1994.

<i>Broadway Melody of 1940</i> 1940 film by Norman Taurog

Broadway Melody of 1940 is a 1940 MGM film musical starring Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell and George Murphy. It was directed by Norman Taurog and features music by Cole Porter, including "Begin the Beguine".

<i>Broadway Melody of 1938</i> 1937 film by Roy Del Ruth

Broadway Melody of 1938 is a 1937 American musical film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed by Roy Del Ruth. The film is essentially a backstage musical revue, featuring high-budget sets and cinematography in the MGM musical tradition. The film stars Eleanor Powell and Robert Taylor and features Buddy Ebsen, George Murphy, Judy Garland, Sophie Tucker, Raymond Walburn, Robert Benchley and Binnie Barnes.

<i>Reveille with Beverly</i> 1943 film by Charles Barton

Reveille with Beverly is a 1943 American musical film starring Ann Miller, Franklin Pangborn, and Larry Parks directed by Charles Barton, released by Columbia Pictures, based on the Reveille with Beverly radio show hosted by Jean Ruth. It is also the name of the subsequent soundtrack album.

<i>Du Barry Was a Lady</i> 1939 Broadway musical

Du Barry Was a Lady is a Broadway musical, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, and the book by Herbert Fields and Buddy DeSylva. The musical starred Bert Lahr, Ethel Merman and Betty Grable, and the song "Friendship" was one of the highlights. The musical was made into a 1943 Technicolor film Du Barry Was a Lady, starring Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Gene Kelly and Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frances Langford</span> American actress (1913–2005)

Julia Frances Newbern-Langford was an American singer and actress who was popular during the Golden Age of Radio and made film and television appearances for over two decades.

"Let's Misbehave" is a song written by Cole Porter in 1927, originally intended for the female lead of his first major musical production, Paris. It was discarded before the Broadway opening in favor of "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love". However, the star of the Broadway production, Irene Bordoni, performed it for a phonograph recording which was labelled as being from the production of Paris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somebody Loves Me</span> 1924 song by George Gershwin

"Somebody Loves Me" is a popular song, with music written by George Gershwin, and lyrics by Ballard MacDonald and Buddy DeSylva. The song was published in 1924 and featured in George White's Scandals of 1924.

"(You'd Be So) Easy to Love" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for William Gaxton to sing in the 1934 Broadway show Anything Goes. However Gaxton was unhappy about its wide vocal range and it was cut from the musical. Porter re-wrote it for the 1936 film Born to Dance, where it was introduced by Eleanor Powell, James Stewart, and Frances Langford under its alternate title, "Easy to Love". The song was later added to the 1987 and 2011 revivals of Anything Goes under the complete title "You’d Be So Easy to Love".

<i>The Girl of the Golden West</i> (1938 film) 1938 film

The Girl of the Golden West is a 1938 American musical Western film adapted from the 1905 play of the same name by David Belasco, better known for providing the plot of the opera La fanciulla del West by Giacomo Puccini. A frontier woman falls in love with an outlaw.

<i>The Hard Way</i> (1943 film) 1943 film by Vincent Sherman

The Hard Way is a 1943 Warner Bros. musical drama film starring Ida Lupino, Dennis Morgan, and Joan Leslie. Directed by Vincent Sherman, it is based on a story by Irwin Shaw which was reportedly based on Ginger Rogers' relationship with her first husband Jack Pepper and her mother Lela.

<i>All-American Co-ed</i> 1941 film by LeRoy Prinz

All-American Co-ed is a 1941 American musical film produced and directed by Leroy Prinz as a Hal Roach Streamliner for release by United Artists. It stars Frances Langford, Johnny Downs, Marjorie Woodworth, Noah Beery Jr., Esther Dale, Harry Langdon, and The Tanner Sisters.

<i>Rosalie</i> (1937 film) 1937 film by W. S. Van Dyke

Rosalie is a 1937 American musical film directed by W.S. Van Dyke and starring Eleanor Powell, Nelson Eddy and Frank Morgan. An adaptation of the 1928 stage musical of the same name, the film was released in December 1937. The film follows the story of the musical, but replaces most of the Broadway score with new songs by Cole Porter. The story involves the romantic entanglements of a princess in disguise and a West Point cadet.

<i>The Hit Parade</i> (film) 1937 film by Gus Meins

The Hit Parade is a 1937 American musical film directed by Gus Meins and written by Bradford Ropes, Samuel Ornitz and Harry Ruskin. The film stars Frances Langford, Phil Regan, Max Terhune, Edward Brophy, Louise Henry and Pert Kelton. The film was released on April 26, 1937, by Republic Pictures. Republic later reissued the film in 67 minute length as I'll Reach for a Star.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rotten Tomatoes Staff. "Born to Dance (1936)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Born to Dance (1936)". Hometowns to Hollywood. May 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Eichenberg, Stephan. "Born to Dance (1936): Plot Summary". IMDb . Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  4. George and Jalna Toregas (January 14, 2019). "I've Got You Under My Skin". YouTube: John LeGear.
  5. Born to Dance (1936) – Soundtracks
  6. "Born to Dance (1936): Trivia". IMDb . Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  7. "Born to Dance (1936 Movie Soundtrack) (Rhino Handmade): Cole Porter, Eleanor Powell: Music". Amazon. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  8. "AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved July 30, 2016.