You have to suspend your disbelief when watching DANCING LADY, because JOAN CRAWFORD is never really credible as a dancing trouper who dazzles everyone with her fancy footwork at an audition for manager CLARK GABLE. Crawford, although getting her start in show biz as a dancer in real life, looks like nothing more than a clumsy exhibitionist with waving arms and flailing legs. But no matter. The film is strictly fun on its own terms--and she and a young Clark Gable have terrific screen chemistry together.
Gable, in fact, as the brusque stage manager annoyed by Joan's many attempts to catch his attention, has just as much comedy finesse here as he had in IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT. He's at his most handsome in the gym sequence where he and Crawford work out their animosity with some gymnastics--and looks like a muscular Steve Cochran-type of actor with his tough shell unable to hide a softer side of his character when he accidentally hurts Crawford.
The tug of war between them--and between Crawford and soon to be husband FRANCHOT TONE--is what makes the film click. Sure, it's been done before but never so charmingly. Not a single moment is without something of interest to watch--rare in most early Hollywood musicals--and the numbers themselves have some wit and charm.
Notable is a Bavarian number featuring FRED ASTAIRE, some shenanigans involving Ted Healy and THE THREE STOOGES, a brief glimpse of NELSON EDDY in a glossy production number toward the end, and an extravagant show-stopping routine that tries to outdo Busby Berkeley's kind of showmanship.
ROBERT BENCHLEY does his standard schtick as an unprepared journalist but never overdoes it and the three stars--Gable, Crawford and Tone have some well-written dialog that keeps the formula plot from seeming stale.
Summing up: Very enjoyable early musical from the studio that knew how to make musicals.
Gable, in fact, as the brusque stage manager annoyed by Joan's many attempts to catch his attention, has just as much comedy finesse here as he had in IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT. He's at his most handsome in the gym sequence where he and Crawford work out their animosity with some gymnastics--and looks like a muscular Steve Cochran-type of actor with his tough shell unable to hide a softer side of his character when he accidentally hurts Crawford.
The tug of war between them--and between Crawford and soon to be husband FRANCHOT TONE--is what makes the film click. Sure, it's been done before but never so charmingly. Not a single moment is without something of interest to watch--rare in most early Hollywood musicals--and the numbers themselves have some wit and charm.
Notable is a Bavarian number featuring FRED ASTAIRE, some shenanigans involving Ted Healy and THE THREE STOOGES, a brief glimpse of NELSON EDDY in a glossy production number toward the end, and an extravagant show-stopping routine that tries to outdo Busby Berkeley's kind of showmanship.
ROBERT BENCHLEY does his standard schtick as an unprepared journalist but never overdoes it and the three stars--Gable, Crawford and Tone have some well-written dialog that keeps the formula plot from seeming stale.
Summing up: Very enjoyable early musical from the studio that knew how to make musicals.