Dance, Girl, Dance (1940)

Judy O'Brien is an aspiring ballerina in a dance troupe. Also in the company is Bubbles, a brash mantrap who leaves the struggling troupe for a career in burlesque. When the company ... See full summary »

Director:

Dorothy Arzner

Writers:

Vicki Baum (story), Frank Davis,

Stars:

Maureen O'Hara, Louis Hayward, Lucille Ball

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Maureen O'Hara	...	Judy O'Brien
Louis Hayward	...	Jaes 'Jimmy' Harris Jr.
Lucille Ball	...	Bubbles / Tiger Lily White
Virginia Field	...	Elinor Harris
Ralph Bellamy	...	Steve Adams
Maria Ouspenskaya	...	Madame Lydia Basilova
Mary Carlisle	...	Sally
Katharine Alexander	...	Miss Olmstead
Edward Brophy	...	Dwarfie Humblewinger
Walter Abel	...	Judge
Harold Huber	...	Hoboken Gent
Ernest Truex	...	Bailey #1
Chester Clute	...	Bailey #2
Lorraine Krueger	...	Dolly
Lola Jensen	...	Daisy

Storyline

Judy O'Brien is an aspiring ballerina in a dance troupe. Also in the company is Bubbles, a brash mantrap who leaves the struggling troupe for a career in burlesque. When the company disbands, Bubbles gives Judy a thankless job as her stooge. The two eventually clash when both fall for the same man.

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Plot Keywords:

burlesque | ballerina | car accident | secretary | brawl | 

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Taglines:

Heartbreak Behind Gayety of a Girly-Girl Show!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 August 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Vida é uma Dança

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lucille Ball and Maureen O'Hara became inseparable friends while shooting this film, and remained lifelong friends until Ball's death in 1989. O'Hara was having lunch with her when Ball first saw her future husband Desi Arnaz.

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Quotes

Judy O'Brien: Go on, laugh, get your money's worth. No-one's going to hurt you. I know you want me to tear my clothes off so you can look your fifty cents' worth. Fifty cents for the privilege of staring at a girl the way your wives won't let you. What do you suppose we think of you up here with your silly smirks your mothers would be ashamed of? We know it'd the thing of the moment for the dress suits to come and laugh at us too. We'd laugh right back at the lot of you, only we're paid to let you sit there ...

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Connections

Referenced in Lucy (2003)

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Soundtracks

"Morning Star"
(uncredited)
Music by Edward Ward
Lyrics by Chet Forrest and Bob Wright
Sung by an unidentified singer in a nightclub

User Reviews

Lucy's been bitten by the Jitterbug!

Although directed by a woman (Dorothy Arzner) and co-written by a woman (Tess Slesinger) from Vicki Baum's original story, this behind-the-scenes glimpse at Broadway Burlesque is hardly any different than the fame-and-footlights movies the men were grinding out during this era (it even includes a catfight!). Clichéd story concerns two boarding-house girls (Lucille Ball and Maureen O'Hara) who hit the big time: Lucy as a Burlesque Queen and would-be ballerina Maureen as her 'stooge', or warm-up act. Predictably, a smooth-talking womanizer threatens to come between them. When O'Hara sneaks out with Ball's guy, she shows no misgivings over her actions--nor does Lucy seem to care about the abuse Maureen suffers every night performing for unruly crowds. Arzner's cynical take on the girls' smooth-and-scratchy friendship gives the material a bit of an edge (good for about three scenes). The hoary plot mechanisms, unfortunately, reveal the same old soapy story, and neither actress is able to rise above the dross. ** from ****