''Go into Your Dance'' is a 1935 American

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super- ...

starring

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-billed ...

Ruby Keeler Ethel Ruby Keeler (August 25, 1909 – February 28, 1993) was an American actress, dancer, and singer who was paired on-screen with Dick Powell in a string of successful early musicals at Warner Bros., particularly '' 42nd Street'' (1933). From ...

, and

Glenda Farrell Glenda Farrell (June 30, 1904 – May 1, 1971) was an American actress. Farrell personified the smart and sassy, wisecracking blonde of the Classical Hollywood films. Farrell's career spanned more than 50 years, appearing in numerous Broadwa ...

. The film was directed by

Archie Mayo Archibald L. Mayo (January 29, 1891 – December 4, 1968) was a film director, screenwriter and actor. Early years The son of a tailor, Mayo was born in New York City. After attending the city's public schools, he studied at Columbia Unive ...

and is based on the novel of the same name by

Bradford Ropes Bradford Ropes (January 1, 1905 – November 21, 1966) was a prolific novelist and screenwriter whose work includes the novel ''42nd Street'' that was adapted for the 1933 film of the same name and then a Tony Award winning musical, also of the ...

. It was released by Warner Bros. on April 20, 1935. An irresponsible Broadway star gets mixed up with gambling and gangsters.

Plot

Broadway star Al Howard (

) has a habit of walking out on hit shows. His sister Molly (

) promises his agent he will never do it again, but he is banned from Broadway. Molly tracks Al down in Mexico, where he is on a binge and tells him she is done taking care of him. When Molly runs into Dorothy Wayne (

) a friend who is a dancer, she begs Dorothy to form a team with Al, because she can get Al a job if he has a partner. At first Molly is reluctant but finally agreed. It takes some work to convince Al, but he eventually agrees to form a team with Dorothy. They become a big success in Chicago. Dorothy falls in love with Al and thinking that he does not return her affection decides to quit the act. Al asks her to stay, telling her that he plans to open his own nightclub on Broadway. Molly introduces Al to Duke Hutchinson (

Barton MacLane Barton MacLane (December 25, 1902 – January 1, 1969) was an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. He appeared in many classic films from the 1930s through the 1960s, including his role as General Martin Peterson on the 1960s NBC ...

) a gangster who is willing to back the club as a showcase for his wife, Luana Bell ( Helen Morgan) a torch singer who wants to make a comeback. Al flirts with Luana, Dorothy warns him about his involvement with Luana, but Al continues his flirtation with her. Duke gives Al an additional $30,000 to open the club, but before opening night, Al uses the money to post bond for Molly, who has been arrested on suspicion of murder. When Al turns down a proposal from Luana, she angrily tells Duke the club will not open on schedule, and he sends gunmen to kill Al. At the last minute, Molly is cleared of the murder and the necessary money is returned, with the show opening on time and to great applause. Duke tries to call off his gunmen, but Luana does not give them the message. Al finally realizes that he is in love with Dorothy and asks her to dinner. As they step out the door, Dorothy sees the gunmen and throws her body in front of Al. She is wounded and as Al holds her, he tells Dorothy that he loves her. The doctor proclaims that Dorothy will be fine and Al's club is a huge success.

Cast

as Al Howard *

as Dorothy 'Dot' Wayne *

as Molly Howard *

as Duke Hutchinson * Patsy Kelly as Irma 'Toledo' Knight *

Akim Tamiroff Akim Mikhailovich Tamiroff, russian: Аким Михайлович Тамиров (born Hovakim Tamiryants; October 29, 1899 – September 17, 1972) was an Armenian-American actor of film, stage, and television. One of the premier character ac ...

as Mexican in La Cucaracha Cantina * Helen Morgan as Luana Wells * Sharon Lynn as Nellie Lahey *

Benny Rubin Benny Rubin (February 2, 1899 – July 15, 1986) was an American comedian and film actor. Born in Boston, Rubin made more than 200 radio, film and television appearances over a span of 50 years. Career In 1929, Rubin went to Hollywood, where he ...

as Drunk in La Cucaracha Cantina * Phil Regan as Eddie 'Teddy' Rio *

Gordon Westcott Gordon Westcott (born Myrthus Hickman, November 6, 1903 – October 30, 1935) was an American film actor. Biography Born in St. George, Utah, in 1903, Westcott studied architecture at the University of Chicago, where he was also lightweight ...

as Fred * William B. Davidson as Tom McGee *

Joyce Compton Olivia Joyce Compton (January 27, 1907 – October 13, 1997) was an American actress. Biography Compton was born in Lexington, Kentucky, the daughter of Henry and Golden Compton. (Despite frequent reports to the contrary, her name was not ...

as Café Showgirl *

Joseph Crehan Joseph A. Creaghan (July 15, 1883 – April 15, 1966) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 300 films between 1916 and 1965, and notably played Ulysses S. Grant nine times between 1939 and 1958, most memorably in ''Union Paci ...

as H.P. Jackson *

Arthur Treacher Arthur Veary Treacher (, 23 July 1894 – 14 December 1975) was an English film and stage actor active from the 1920s to the 1960s, and known for playing English types, especially butler and manservant roles, such as the P.G. Wodehouse valet c ...

as Latimer *

Russell Hicks Edward Russell Hicks (June 4, 1895 – June 1, 1957) was an American film character actor. Hicks was born in 1895 in Baltimore, Maryland. During World War I, he served in the U.S. Army in France. He later became a lieutenant Colonel in the Cali ...

as Sam Rupert *

Ward Bond Wardell Edwin Bond (April 9, 1903 – November 5, 1960) was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 200 films and starred in the NBC television series ''Wagon Train'' from 1957 to 1960. Among his best-remembered roles are Be ...

as Herman Lahey *

Theresa Harris Theresa Harris (December 31, 1906 – October 8, 1985) was an American television and film actress, singer and dancer. Early life Harris was born on New Year's Eve 1906 (some sources indicate 1909) in Houston, Texas, to Isaiah and Mable Harris ...

as Luana's Maid *

Marc Lawrence Marc Lawrence (born Max Goldsmith; February 17, 1910 – November 28, 2005) was an American character actor who specialized in underworld types. He has also been credited as F. A. Foss, Marc Laurence and Marc C. Lawrence. Early life Lawrence w ...

as Eddie Logan *

Robert Gleckler Robert Gleckler (January 11, 1887 – February 25, 1939) was an American film and stage actor who appeared in nearly 60 movies between 1927 until his death in 1939. He was cast for the role of Jonas Wilkerson, overseer of the slaves at Tara in ...

as Pete Brown * Fred 'Snowflake' Toones as Snowflake *

Henry Kolker Joseph Henry Kolker (November 13, 1874 ome sources 1870– July 15, 1947) was an American stage and film actor and director. Early years Kolker was born in Quincy, Illinois. Career Kolker, like fellow actors Richard Bennett and Robert Wa ...

as Doctor *

Mary Carr Mary Carr (née Kenevan; March 14, 1874 – June 24, 1973), was an American film actress and was married to the actor William Carr. She appeared in more than 140 films between 1915 and 1956. She was given some of filmdoms plum mother roles in ...

as Wardrobe Mistress *

Joyzelle Joyner Joyzelle Joyner (August 27, 1905 – November 30, 1980) was an American actress and dancer. She appeared in at least thirty films between 1925 and 1935, garnering some notoriety for her appearance in '' The Sign of the Cross''. Career Joyner be ...

as Cantina Dancer *

Lita Chevret Lita Chevret (May 27, 1908 – May 23, 2001) was an American actress who began her career at the genesis of sound films. She appeared in over 60 films between 1929 and 1940, although in most of those she had small or non-billed parts. Life Chev ...

as Angry Showgirl *

Bobby Connolly William Harold "Bobby" Connolly (July 4, 1897 – February 29, 1944) was an American choreographer and director, first for Broadway musicals and then for films. Connolly was nominated for four Academy Awards for Best Dance Direction, for his wo ...

as Dance Director

Production

This is the only film that stars both

and

, who were married at the time.

was billed as Barton Mac Lane. It was shot at the

Burbank Studios The Burbank Studios (formerly known as NBC Studios) is a television production facility located in Burbank, California. The studio is home to ''Days of Our Lives'', ''Extra'', the ''IHeartRadio Theater'', and was formerly home to the Blizzard ...

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

with sets designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and unify the vis ...

John Hughes. ''Go into Your Dance'' was released in Britain as ''Casino de Paris''. Years after the film's initial release, Jolson career was revitalized after the release of the 1946

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

film, ''

The Jolson Story ''The Jolson Story'' is a 1946 American musical biography film which purports to tell the life story of singer Al Jolson. It stars Larry Parks as Jolson, Evelyn Keyes as Julie Benson (approximating Jolson's wife, Ruby Keeler), William Demares ...

''. Warner Bros. cashed in on the film's success by reissuing ''Go into Your Dance'' the following year. New opening titles were added which gave Jolson a solo over-the-title billing, as well as a written prologue to ensure audiences that the film took place in 1935. No other changes were added beyond the opening titles.

Songs

This film, a famous early musical, includes the numbers " About a Quarter to Nine" and "Latin From Manhattan" sung by Al Jolson. The former song was also recreated in color in the film ''

'' (1946). Dance director

received an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nomination for his work on the "Latin from Manhattan". Other songs with music and lyrics by

Harry Warren Harry Warren (born Salvatore Antonio Guaragna; December 24, 1893 – September 22, 1981) was an American composer and the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song ...

and

Al Dubin Alexander Dubin (June 10, 1891 – February 11, 1945) was an American lyricist. He is best known for his collaborations with the composer Harry Warren. Life Al Dubin came from a Russian Jewish family that emigrated to the United States from Swit ...

include: * Go into Your Dance * The Little Things You Used to Do * Mammy, I'll Sing About You * Casino de Paree * An Old Fashioned Cocktail with an Old Fashioned Girl

Reception

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' movie review said: "On the debit side of the picture's ledger, one must report a dearth of comedy, a certain dragginess as the film reaches its half-way mark and Miss Keeler's not altogether successful attempt to do the

rhumba Rhumba, also known as ballroom rumba, is a genre of ballroom music and dance that appeared in the East Coast of the United States during the 1930s. It combined American big band music with Afro-Cuban rhythms, primarily the son cubano, but also c ...

, the

tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...

and other "Spanish" dances. Her tap dancing is so much better. On the credit side are the Warren-Dubin songs, the absence—mark this!—of overhead shots of the chorus, Helen Morgan's rendition of "The Little Things You Used to Do", and Mr. Jolson. All told, "Go Into Your Dance" is not the best, not the worst, but generally above average for its type."

Box office

According to Warner Bros records the film earned $912,000 domestic and $489,000 foreign.

Home media

Warner Archive The Warner Archive Collection is a home video division for releasing classic and cult films from Warner Bros.' library. It started as a manufactured-on-demand (MOD) DVD series by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on March 23, 2009, with the inten ...

released the film on DVD on October 21, 2009.

References

*Green, Stanley (1999) Hollywood Musicals Year by Year (2nd ed.), pub. Hal Leonard Corporation page 43

External links

* * * * {{Archie Mayo 1935 films Films directed by Archie Mayo 1930s musical drama films Warner Bros. films Films produced by Samuel Bischoff American musical drama films American black-and-white films Films based on American novels 1935 drama films 1930s American films