''Dance Girl Dance'' is a 1933 American

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was an era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry that occurred between the widespread adoption of sound in film in the late 1920s and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship gui ...

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serv ...

directed by

Frank Strayer Frank Raymond Strayer (September 21, 1891 – February 3, 1964) was an actor, film writer, director and producer. He was active from the mid-1920s until the early 1950s. He directed a series of 14 ''Blondie (1938 film), Blondie!'' (1938) movies ...

from an original screenplay by Robert Ellis. The picture stars

Alan Dinehart Mason Alan Dinehart Sr. (born Harold Alan Dinehart; October 3, 1889 – July 18, 1944) was an American actor, director, writer, and stage manager. Biography Dinehart initially studied to be a priest, but he turned to the theater instead. ...

Evalyn Knapp Evalyn Knapp (born Evelyn Pauline Knapp; June 17, 1906 – June 12, 1981) was an American film actress of the late 1920s, 1930s and into the 1940s. She was a leading B-movies, B-movie Serial (film), serial actress in the 1930s. She was the you ...

, and

Edward Nugent Edward James Nugent (February 7, 1904 – January 3, 1995) was an American film and stage actor. Biography Nugent was born on February 7, 1904, and acted in films between 1928 and 1937. When Nugent was a boy, he sang with the Metropolitan Ope ...

, and premiered on September 1, 1933.

Plot

"Pitter and Pat" are a

Vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

song and dance team composed of Joe Pitt and Sally Patter, who live together, although they are unmarried. After a show in a small town, Joe blames Sally for their lack of success, and runs off with Cleo Darville, a showgirl in another act. Unbeknownst to Joe is that Sally is pregnant. Sally goes to New York and talks to their agent, Lou Kendall, who gets her a job as a chorus girl in the Carlton Nightclub, owned by "Val" Wade Valentine. Val falls in love with Sally, who wants to be given a chance to star in the show. Val is impressed with her, and asks her to understudy Claudette, the star of the show and the mistress of Phil Norton, who is the money behind the show. Just as she is beginning to show her abilities, she passes out during a dance number, and it is discovered she is pregnant. Val gives her the money so that she can go away and have her child. After the birth of her child, she returns to New York, where she becomes a star in the show. One night, Joe returns to New York, having broken up with Cleo. He sees Sally in the show, but is down on his luck and looking for work. That night, Val proposes to Sally, but she tells him she needs to think about it. Joe appears, without revealing their relationship, Sally convinces Val to give Joe a shot. Joe visits Sally at her apartment, and finds out about the baby. He offers to come back if she will ever forgive him and take him back. After he leaves, Val arrives and proposes again, letting her know that he knows about the baby, but it does not matter. She politely declines his offer of marriage. Joe has gotten a job singing to sell soap. Val finds him and offers him a job. He is in an act with another man, but the act fails. However, when the orchestra plays the song that Sally had composed, and she joins him from her box seat, they are a success. The act is reformed and Sally marries Joe.

Cast

as "Val" Wade Valentine *

as Sally Patter *

as Joe Pitt * Ada May as Claudette *

Mae Busch Mae Busch (born Annie May Busch; 18 June 1891 – 20 April 1946) was an Australian-born actress who worked in both silent and sound films in early Hollywood. In the latter part of her career she appeared in many Laurel and Hardy comedies, freque ...

as Lou Kendall *

Theodore von Eltz Julius Theodore von Eltz (November 5, 1893 – October 6, 1964) was an American film actor, appearing in more than 200 films between 1915 and 1957. He was the father of actress Lori March. Early life Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Von Eltz ...

as Phil Norton *

Gloria Shea Olive Gloria Shea (May 30, 1910 – February 8, 1995) was an American film actress. She was sometimes billed as Olive Shea. Biography Born in New York City, Shea received her schooling at the Convent of Notre Dame de Sande and was trained for ...

as Cleo Darville * George Grandee as Mozart

Production

In July 1933 it was announced that Alan Dinehart and Ada May had been contracted to star in the film. Maury Cohen, the producer, was also attempting to add

Sari Maritza Sari Maritza (born Dora Patricia Detring-Nathan; 17 March 1910 – July 1987) was a British film actress of the early 1930s. Early years Born Dora Patricia Detring-Nathan in Tianjin, China, Maritza was the daughter of Major Walter Sime ...

and Skeets Gallagher to the cast. In early August, it was announced that Frank Strayer was directing for Invincible Pictures, and it was being produced at Mack Sennett Studios. Also added to the cast were Evalyn Knapp, Edward Nugent, Gloria Shea, Theodore von Eltz, and George Grandee.

Pearl Eaton Pearl Eaton Levant (August 1, 1898 – September 10, 1958) was an American Broadway performer, actress, choreographer, and dance supervisor of the 1910s and 1920s. Early life and career Eaton was born in Washington, D.C., and was the daughter ...

was signed on to do to the choreography, with songs by

Harry Carroll Harry Carroll (November 28, 1892 – December 26, 1962) was an American songwriter, pianist, and composer. Biography Carroll was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He taught himself how to play the piano and began playing in movie houses before ...

. Lee Zahler was hired to supervise the film's music, and co-wrote the theme song to the film, "Seeing is Believing". The film premiered on September 1, 1933.

Reception

Harrison's Reports ''Harrison's Reports'' was a New York City–based motion picture trade journal published weekly from 1919 to 1962. The typical issue was four letter-size pages sent to subscribers under a second-class mail permit. Its founder, editor and publish ...

'' gave the film a good review, calling it "a well produced independent picture..." which was "...good entertainment". They enjoyed the musical numbers and felt it held the attention of the audience. They complimented the ability of Ada May, but felt that the acting of Evalyn Knapp was sub-par. ''Hollywood Filmograph'' gave the film a glowing review, praising the acting of Knapp and Alan Dinehart. They particularly enjoyed the work of Mae Busch and Ada May, and also praised Gloria Shea, Eddie Nugent, as well as the comedic musical talents of George Grandee. They enjoyed the musical numbers and especially gave praise to choreographer Pearl Eaton and cinematographer M. A. Anderson.

References

External links

* * * {{Frank R. Strayer 1933 musical films 1933 films American musical films Films directed by Frank R. Strayer Films scored by Lee Zahler American black-and-white films Chesterfield Pictures films 1930s American films 1930s English-language films English-language musical films