Born to Dance (1936)

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(469 ratings)

A never-completed stage musical was the source for the MGM superproduction Born to Dance. The plot is another three-sailors-on-leave affair, with Ted (James Stewart), Mush (Buddy Ebsen) and Gunny (Sid Silvers, who also co-wrote the script) romancing the eminently romanceable Nora (Eleanor Powell),… More A never-completed stage musical was the source for the MGM superproduction Born to Dance. The plot is another three-sailors-on-leave affair, with Ted (James Stewart), Mush (Buddy Ebsen) and Gunny (Sid Silvers, who also co-wrote the script) romancing the eminently romanceable Nora (Eleanor Powell), Peppy (Frances Langford) and Jenny (Una Merkel). Nora aspires to become a dancing star, but her career nearly ends before it begins when she inadvertently comes between Broadway luminary Lucy James (Virginia Bruce) and her producer-lover McKay (Alan Dinehart). If anyone watching back in 1936 really cared about the plot, they probably weren't music lovers. The lovely Cole Porter score (his first written directly for the screen) includes "I've Got You Under My Skin", sung by Virginia Bruce to James Stewart, and "Easy to Love", warbled by Stewart to Eleanor Powell. Highlights include Reginald Gardiner's impersonation of a symphony-conducting traffic cop (a routine he'd previously performed on stage) and Eleanor Powell's climactic tap routine on board an art-deco battleship (a sequence later re-deployed for the climax of 1944's I Dood It). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 48 min.
Directed By: Roy Del Ruth
Genres: Drama, Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Nov 27, 1936 Wide
Studio: MGM

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Pleasantly breezy musical romantic comedy.
Sean Axmaker, Seanax.com
The original songs by Cole Porter aren't all memorable, but they are lively and two of them are among is classics: "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "Easy to Love."

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Cast

            Eleanor Powell as Nora Paige

            James Stewart as Ted Barker

            Virginia Bruce as Lucy James

            Una Merkel as Jenny Saks

            Sid Silvers as Gunny Saks

            Frances Langford as Peppy Turner

            Raymond Walburn as Capt. Percival Dinghy

            Alan Dinehart as James McKay

            Buddy Ebsen as Mush Tracy

            Juanita Quigley as Sally Saks

            Barnett Parker as Floorwalker

            Anita Brown as Anita the Maid

            Charles Coleman as Waiter

            Mary Dees as Girl

            James Flavin as Submarine Officer

            Reginald Gardiner as Policeman

            Georgi Vasilyev as Himself

            Jonathan Hale as Hector the Columnist

            Jalna as Herself

            Fuzzy Knight as Pianist

            Wally Maher as Reporter

            Franklin Parker as Reporter

            Harry Strang as Sailor

            Charles Trowbridge as Store Demonstrator

            Helen Troy as Telephone Operator

            John Tyrrell as Reporter

            Bobby Watson as Costume Designer/Assistant Stage Manager

            Jay Johnson as The Foursome

            John Kelly as Recruting Officer

            Dennis O'Keefe as Man with Girl on Couch

            Jean Joyce as Girl

            George King as Assistant Stage Manager
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