Movies

LUCY'S MOVIE GUIDE

Dance, Girl, Dance

MOVIE #50

Dance, Girl, Dance (1940)

(featuring Lucille Ball as Bubbles)


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Dance, Girl Dance finds innocent young Judy (Maureen O'Hara) journeying to the Big Apple in hopes of gaining fame as a classical dancer. Instead she ends up as the "stooge" for raucous strip-tease artist Bubbles (Lucille Ball).

There's little love lost between Judy and Bubbles, especially when both girls fall for playboy Jimmy Harris (Louis Hayward), a rivalry that culminates in a hair-pulling, eye-scratching cat fight. Eventually both ladies find happiness, but not before several more setbacks and recriminations.

Special Notes: The best parts of the film are with Lucille Ball demonstrating comic ability well established before she teamed up with Desi Arnaz. Lucy gets two musical numbers which appear to have been largely inspired by Gypsy Rose Lee. One number involves parts of her clothing blown away. There's enough show of leg, plus a hint of cleavage to make one temporarily forget the housewife and mother that became a television institution.

Movie #50
Film Date: 1940

Release Date: August 30, 1940
Film Type: comedy/drama
Film Color: black/white
Studio: RKO-Radio
Film Length: 90 minutes

Director/Producer:
Dorothy Arzner (Director)
Harry E. Edington (Producer)
Erich Pommer (Producer)

Character Role:
Lucille Ball (Bubbles, aka Tiger Lily White)

Supporting Cast:
Maureen O'Hara (Judy O'Brien)
Louis Hayward (Jimmy Harris)
Ralph Bellamy (Steve Adams)
Virginia Field (Elinor Harris)
Maria Ouspenskaya (Mme. Lydia Basilova)
Walter Abel (Judge)
Mary Carlisle (Sally)
Katherine Alexander (Miss Olmstead)
Edward S. Brophy (Dwarfie)
Harold Huber (Hoboken Gent)
Ernest Truex (Bailey No. 1)
Chester Clute (Bailey No. 2)
Lorraine Krueger (Dolly)
Lola Jensen (Daisy)
Emma Dunn (Mrs. Simpson)
Sidney Blackmer (Puss In Boots)
Vivien Fay (Lead Ballerina)
Ludwig Stossel (Caesar)
Erno Verebes (Fitch)
Lee Phelps (Plainclothesman)
Paul Phillips (Reporter)
Harry Tyler (Barker)
Lee Shumway (Policeman)
Dewey Robinson (Nightclub Manager)
Lee White (Stage Manager)
Ralph Sanford (Taxi Driver)
Marjorie Woodworth (Jane)
Leo Cleary (Clerk)
Clyde Cook (Claude)
Gino Corrado (Waiter)
Paul E. Burns
Wade Boteler
Robert E. O'Connor
Bob McKenzie (Fat Man)
Philip Morris
Kernan Cripps (Bailiff)
Paul Fung (Chinese Waiter)
Milt Kibbee
Lew Harvey