Born to Dance

This is one of my favorites. Have some fun and spirited dance routines as well as some beautiful ones. The scripting and the acting out of the relationship between James Stewart and Elinor Powell was believable and very enjoyable to watch. Great scripting of the humor that was woven in Making this movie very enjoyable to watch.

Eleanor Powell at her pinnacle. Character more likeable and singing better than later films.

Loved the movie. VHS in very good condition.

A review, not a screenplay with a beginning, middle, end.Redeeming feature--any of the brilliant Eleanor Powell.

Big musicals were quite the thing in the mid-thirties. Universal had Deanna Durbin, Warner Brothers had Busby Berkeley, RKO had Fred Astarie and Ginger Rogers, and MGM had MacDonald/Eddy, Garland/Rooney and the Broadway Melody series. “Born to Dance” is basically a sequel to “Broadway Melody of 1936” which had made a star of dancer Eleanor Powell. Not only was she in this film, but other carry-overs included Una Merkel, Sid (not Phil) Silvers, Frances Langford and Buddy Ebsen. Jimmy Stewart was a hot young (27) newcomer, who was in eight films in 1936 including one MacDonald/Eddy and one Thin Man. This, however, was his only singing role.As musicals go, this is in the revue tradition, with the lightest of plots tying together a collection of song and dance numbers, comic bits and of course, a big, show-stopping finale. The plot here, mixing sailors and Broadway shows only occasionally flirts with reality. The score, written for the film, is entirely by Cole Porter and includes two of his best-known standards, “Easy To Love”, and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”. Though fun, most of the other numbers are in service of the film and were not written to become popular without it. Composers rarely threw a whole group of top songs into a musical, though Porter did late in his career with “Kiss Me Kate”.The songs do all serve their purpose. The opening number, “Rolling Along”, introduces all the sailors with a male chorus singing something similar to a college fight song (Porter had famously written Yale’s). Powell is introduced quickly after this with an orchestra playing “Easy to Love” as she walks down the street, establishing it as the film’s love theme. It will be repeated in a big number in Central Park sung by Stewart and Powell. Powell is dubbed by Marjorie Lane, but Stewart is not dubbed, but sings himself. His voice is a bit like Fred Astaires: a light tenor with an almost wispy feeling singing in a way that is somewhere between talking and really belting out a song.“Rap, Tap on Wood” is a show-biz style number that gives Eleanor a chance to dance in a lobby where four sailors pop up and not only sing, but also play a flute and three ocarinas. “Hey Babe Hey” with a carousel-like melody, gives all three couples a chance to sing in the same number. This film has not just the usual second couple (Merkel and Silvers), which traditionally is comedic but even a third couple. People here fall in love immediately and for no apparent reason, hence Frances Langford and Buddy Ebsen are a couple. Ebsen was an accomplished tap dancer, but here does some swaying moves like he’s made of rubber which seem odd to me.“I’ve Got You Under My Skin” goes to Virginia Bruce, who plays a Broadway diva whose penthouse is done up in an all-white mix of Deco and rococo with a gigantic mirror and a terrace with its own fountain. It’s on the terrace that she sings it to Stewart, hoping to win him away from Powell. It’s a great setting for a great song. The gigantic finale takes place on a stage version of a battleship with everyone done up in white tails and sequins and the music of “Swingin’ the Jinx Away” a razzamataz, Irving Berlin-style number with jivey sections that mention Cab Calloway as their inspiration. This gives everyone a chance to do their specialty and ends things fittingly with only the shortest of scenes afterward to tie up the ends of the plot.Within all this director Roy Del Ruth places three extended bits by character actors, all of which are memorable. Barnett Parker was a stuffy butler with few lines in many films, but here he does a funny turn as a model home salesman-interior designer in a pompous British manner. Another Brit, Reginald Gardiner, comes on as a cop in what would usually be a ten second walk-on to interrupt the main characters (think “Singing In the Rain”) but instead ends up doing a hilarious impersonation of Leopold Stokowski (“Fantasia”) conducting. This bit, his first time in films, made him a regular character actor in Hollywood. He’s now probably best known for “Christmas In Connecticut”. Ruth Troy, popular radio comedian, does a shorter but funny bit as a secretary on the phone with a friend.Overall the film is pleasant if awfully light. The lightness actually helps as there’s no need to develop any plot complexities and doesn’t overdo it with too many gargantuan numbers. Some of the lines of banter in the script are genuinely funny. Mostly it’s Eleanor Powell just bursting into stardom as one of the screen’s best dancers ever. She also has a winning way with her character. She’s warm and friendly and much like a girl next door, but also can project sophistication and social graces. Una Merkel is her usual loveable, down to earth character as the lead’s friend. Stewart was himself just breaking out and had even been given some villainous roles up to this point, but here amid all the foolishness seems genuinely in love with Powell. A good, if not great musical with two great Cole Porter classics.

If ever a person was truly "born to dance," it was Eleanor Powell--the first of MGM's great dancing stars and a performer still considered by many to be the single finest tap dancer to emerge from Hollywood. And with the 1936 film BORN TO DANCE, MGM offered Powell the single finest film of her entire career. Although extremely lightweight, the story of three sailors and their romantic complications has a very playful tone and witty script--which forms the perfect frame for a memorable score by the celebrated Cole Porter. The musical numbers are staged with a more subtle flash than one normally finds in 1930s musicals, and there are several complex ensemble numbers and the memorable "Easy to Love" and "I've Got You Under My Skin."Not only was Powell a greatly gifted dancer, she was a clever commedian with a pleasing singing voice, and her playful performing style is particularly charming in such numbers as "Rap-Tap on Wood" and "Swinging the Jinx Away." Her leading man, somewhat surprisingly, is none other than James Stewart--and although he wasn't really a singer or a dancer he does extremely well with both, and he and Powell make a very entertaining couple. The entire cast is their equal, with Phil Silvers and Una Merkle amusing as bickering lovers, Buddy Ebsen demonstrating his remarkable talents as both eccentric dancer and clever comic, and Virginia Bruce the perfect femme fatale. Everything about the film sparkes and shines, right down from the sets to the polished performances. If you enjoy classic musicals of the 1930s, BORN TO DANCE is a must have! Strongly recommended.

Wonderful, simply wonderful. This is a masterpiece from the 30's. One interesting topic that I could appreciate from the film was a phrase: "Lonely Hearts Club"!! Yes does it sound like something?? Yes!!!! It does, besides that the militar uniforms and the voice of the general in chief... Just find it out!!! Elly Powell is simply wonderful more in the jinx away!!.. The plot is funny! Remember 'twas the thirties!. But dancing numbers were extremely powerful. James Stewart is outstanding here and the cast is excellent. "Born to Dance" inspired so many things to others (I say it for the things I mentioned at the beginning of my comment)

Just burned this movie to DVD off the TCM channel - had not seen the film in a number of years. Out of curiosity I was reading the Amazon reviews, and must protest against the one written by Maliejandra - please ignore this post - Powell was a sensational dancer (and one of the best female 'hoofers' in the movies of the time, if not all time?) - don't miss her movies (not that many were made); of course, in the Depression era of the '30s, the reasons for making movies were quite different from now, so avoid trying to get involved in 'stories & plots' - enjoy the music, dancing, and the entertainment - that's what these were made for at that time - if you cannot 'beam back' to the 1930s, then just avoid these films.

Los numeros musicales lo son todo en esta pelicula de guion flojillo. Las interpretaciones bien para un guion que no necesita esforzarse mucho. Recomendable para los amantes de los musicales.

I love this film, silly though it is! I bought another copy for my elderly aunt as she likes dancing. The dancing is great and there are some very funny bits (the conductor/policeman in the park). Well worth seeing if you don't mind that it doesn't have a great plot, or isn't sophisticated in every way.James Stewart is very young in this. A mild and pleasant film.

... on s'y croirait ! De la danse, de la romance : un juste dosage ! Dans la lignée des DVD de Street Dance ! J'adore !

Good in its day, A very talented dancer.

Boy can she dance!