Dancing Lady

Released Nov 24, 1933

1h 32m

Musical

List

80%

Tomatometer

5 Reviews

70%

Audience Score

500+ Ratings

Janie (Joan Crawford) lives to dance, but to make ends meet she works in a seedy nightclub. When a rich man, Tod (Franchot Tone), spots Janie one night, he is smitten. After the club is raided by the cops, and Janie is arrested, Tod bails her out and helps her land a role in a Broadway musical being directed by Patch Gallagher (Clark Gable). As Janie falls for Patch and emerges as the star of the show, both the production and her new relationship are threatened by Tod's jealousy.

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Ann Ross

Maclean's Magazine

Elaborate screen revue in which Joan Crawford re-establishes herself as America's dancing daughter.

Jul 23, 2019

Full Review

Helen Brown Norden

Vanity Fair

A rubber-stamp story of the rise of a burlesque dancer, entertaining because of the unalloyed display of Joan Crawford's elegantly stream-line chassis, the occasional dancing of Mr. Fred Astaire, and some good rehearsal scenes.

Jun 6, 2019

Full Review

Raquel Stecher

Out of the Past

a mixed bag. It suffers from too much going on in the story.

Mar 3, 2019

Full Review

Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

Spectacular, stylized finale is big plus for backstage musical.

Oct 2, 2014

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

A quintessential Joan Crawford Depression-era backstage melodrama, in which she plays an ambitious showgirl torn between Franchot Tone and Gable.

Rated: C+

Nov 25, 2008

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Steve D

It is obvious where it is going but it is still a lot of fun.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/10/23

Full Review

william d

I watched this to see Fred Astaire's film debut. He's not in it much, but I did find a nice romantic drama with Joan Crawford and Clark Gable. My one problem is that while Crawford's character is supposed to be this super talented musical actress, Crawford herself doesn't sing or dance very well. She does okay in her one production number with Astaire though. Astaire can make anyone look good.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

By definition any film like Dancing Lady that has the debuts of movie icons Fred Astaire and Nelson Eddy is historic. But Dancing Lady is a good, not great film. It is also one of the few sound films that took advantage of Joan Crawford's dancing talents. Few remember that it was as a dancer that Joan Crawford started in show business. During her silent period Crawford played a few roles as a flapper, but her dramatic talents came to the fore when sound came in. It would be another twenty years before she did a musical role in Torch Song on a return visit to her old studio MGM. Crawford is an aspiring dancer who's doing some strip teasing at a dive when slumming playboy Franchot Tone spots her. He's interested in her, but she's interested in a career. She auditions for a new Broadway revue that is being directed by Clark Gable. Despite some misgivings Gable recognizes her talent and is ready to star her. But a few bumps on the road to love and Broadway occur as they do in any musical. It all gets resolved though. This was one of Franchot Tone's first role in a tuxedo. I guess he looked so good in white tie and tails that Louis B. Mayer starred him in over half his films in a tuxedo. Tone got pretty tired of it and left MGM at the end of decade, but couldn't shake the typecasting for the rest of his life. But he also got Crawford in real life, he became her second husband. We cannot forget the contributions of that comedic team of Howard, Howard, and Fine who were Ted Healy's three stooges. Dancing Lady is one of the Three Stooges earliest films, Larry in fact had a bit more of a substantial role as a pianist here. Joan Crawford became the first of a long list of distinguished women of the cinema to dance with Fred Astaire. Though he made his debut here, Louis B. Mayer thought little of him to sign him to a long term contract. Later on he paid dear for Mr. Astaire's services. Fred has a few lines of dialog and two numbers with Crawford. At least he was smart enough to keep Nelson Eddy, signed fresh from the Metropolitan Opera. After two more bits like this in films, Eddy was co-starred with Jeanette MacDonald in Naughty Marietta and the rest is history. Eddy sings the finale number. Though Warner Brothers practically had a patent on the backstage musical stuff in the Thirties, Dancing Lady is entertaining enough on its own terms.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

Full Review

Audience Member

~ This Gable-Crawford film should be titled "Kitchen Sink." There's everything a studio can throw at a picture, including fancy production montages, cool cutting, big stage music & dance numbers, songs, everything except maybe a murder mystery & Esther Williams - to include cameos with the 3 Stooges and Fred Astaire and burlesque that looks for-all-the-world like the chorus line is topless with sparkly pasties. Even the chorus girls get some lines. Crawford comes marching-in to see Tone's character and she, too, might as well be topless in her satin blouse. ~ Even tho' it's '33, Crawford is beginning to show the signs of the looks to which she'll descend in her middle age & later years, with the exception of "Strange Cargo" where she goes make-up'less & looks great. Gable's growing his matinee looks but, Lord, it seems he hasn't found the acting chops yet. ~ Of interest in our current sad day, Gable says, "You wanna work with me ...? Shake." They do - and then Crawford turns in her short-short dancing shorts & Gable pops her good on the left cheek of her fancy bottom. She rubs the sting. Today he'd have to end his career, he & the director, too, probably. ~ Worth a look to see a '30's totally commercial confection designed to please everyone but maybe pleasing no one - except for its fine vintage patina. | ~ Norm de Guerre

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

ashley h

Dancing Lady is a fantastic film. It is about an attractive dancer who is rescued from jail by a rich man. Franchot Tone, Joan Crawford, and Clark Gable give excellent performances. The screenplay is well written. Robert Z. Leonard did a great job directing this movie. I enjoyed watching this motion picture because of humor and romance. Dancing Lady is a must see.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It's a shame movies like this get forgotten. Joan shines, and who can resist Clark Gable!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

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Robert Z. Leonard

Director

Joan Crawford

Janie Barlow

Clark Gable

Patch Gallagher

Franchot Tone

Tod Newton

Fred Astaire

Self

Nelson Eddy

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Synopsis

Janie (Joan Crawford) lives to dance, but to make ends meet she works in a seedy nightclub. When a rich man, Tod (Franchot Tone), spots Janie one night, he is smitten. After the club is raided by the cops, and Janie is arrested, Tod bails her out and helps her land a role in a Broadway musical being directed by Patch Gallagher (Clark Gable). As Janie falls for Patch and emerges as the star of the show, both the production and her new relationship are threatened by Tod's jealousy.

Director: Robert Z. Leonard
Screenwriter: Allen Rivkin, P.J. Wolfson
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Genre: Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 24, 1933, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 21, 2016
Runtime: 1h 32m

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