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Born to Dance

  • 19361936
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Eleanor Powell in Born to Dance (1936)
Sailor Ted meets at the Lonely Hearts Club of his friend Gunny's wife, Jenny, a girl, Nora Paige, and falls in love. Nora wants to become a dancer on Broadway. Ted rescues the Pekinese of Lucy James, a Broadway star during a public relations campaign on his submarine. Lucy falls in love with Ted, and Ted is ordered by his Captain to meet her in a night club, in spite of the fact that he has a date with Nora. Nora, who lives with Jenny and her and Gunny's daughter, doesn't want to hear anything from Ted, after she spotted a picture of Ted and Lucy in the morning paper. Lucy convinces her manager Dinehart to stop the press campaign and tells him that she would leave the production, if another photo or article of her and Ted is published. Nora has become her understudy, and she begins to think her behaviour to Ted over. Suddenly she is fired after Dinehart told her to dance a number Lucy James called undanceable. But when Ted is told the whole story, he knows what to do.
Play trailer4:39
1 Video
59 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Musical
  • Romance

On leave, a sailor falls in love with a young lady aspiring to become a Broadway dancer, but their relationship is jeopardized by an established Broadway star, who is also enamored by him.On leave, a sailor falls in love with a young lady aspiring to become a Broadway dancer, but their relationship is jeopardized by an established Broadway star, who is also enamored by him.On leave, a sailor falls in love with a young lady aspiring to become a Broadway dancer, but their relationship is jeopardized by an established Broadway star, who is also enamored by him.

IMDb RATING
6.7/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Roy Del Ruth
  • Writers
    • Jack McGowan(screen play)
    • Sid Silvers(screen play)
    • Buddy G. DeSylva(from a story by)
  • Stars
    • Eleanor Powell
    • James Stewart
    • Virginia Bruce
Top credits
  • Director
    • Roy Del Ruth
  • Writers
    • Jack McGowan(screen play)
    • Sid Silvers(screen play)
    • Buddy G. DeSylva(from a story by)
  • Stars
    • Eleanor Powell
    • James Stewart
    • Virginia Bruce
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 44User reviews
    • 13Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Theatrical Trailer
    Trailer 4:39
    Theatrical Trailer

    Photos59

    Eleanor Powell, Midgie Dare, Doris Davenport, Mary Dees, Edna Mae Jones, Vivian Faulkner, and Wilma Holly in Born to Dance (1936)
    Born to Dance (1936)
    Eleanor Powell in Born to Dance (1936)
    James Stewart and Virginia Bruce in Born to Dance (1936)
    James Stewart and Eleanor Powell in Born to Dance (1936)
    Buddy Ebsen, Jacqueline Daix, Mary Dees, Gay DeLys, Alice Jans, Edna Mae Jones, Jean Joyce, Geraldine Robertson, Ginger Wyatt, and Jean Vernon in Born to Dance (1936)
    Buddy Ebsen and Sid Silvers in Born to Dance (1936)
    James Stewart and Virginia Bruce in Born to Dance (1936)
    Buddy Ebsen, Eleanor Powell, Virginia Bruce, and Raymond Walburn in Born to Dance (1936)
    James Stewart, Eleanor Powell, Virginia Bruce, Juanita Quigley, and Sid Silvers in Born to Dance (1936)
    James Stewart, Buddy Ebsen, Eleanor Powell, Virginia Bruce, Jay Johnson, Una Merkel, Del Porter, Sid Silvers, L. Dwight Snyder, The Foursome, Ernie Feutz, and J. Marshall Smith in Born to Dance (1936)
    James Stewart and Eleanor Powell in Born to Dance (1936)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Eleanor Powell
    Eleanor Powell
    • Nora Paigeas Nora Paige
    James Stewart
    James Stewart
    • Ted Barkeras Ted Barker
    Virginia Bruce
    Virginia Bruce
    • Lucy Jamesas Lucy James
    Una Merkel
    Una Merkel
    • Jenny Saksas Jenny Saks
    Sid Silvers
    Sid Silvers
    • 'Gunny' Saksas 'Gunny' Saks
    Frances Langford
    Frances Langford
    • 'Peppy' Turneras 'Peppy' Turner
    Raymond Walburn
    Raymond Walburn
    • Capt. Dingbyas Capt. Dingby
    Alan Dinehart
    Alan Dinehart
    • McKayas McKay
    Buddy Ebsen
    Buddy Ebsen
    • 'Mush' Tracyas 'Mush' Tracy
    Juanita Quigley
    Juanita Quigley
    • Sally Saksas Sally Saks
    Georges
    • Georgesas Georges
    Jalna
    • Jalnaas Jalna
    Reginald Gardiner
    Reginald Gardiner
    • Policemanas Policeman
    Barnett Parker
    Barnett Parker
    • Floorwalkeras Floorwalker
    J. Marshall Smith
    • Member of The Foursomeas Member of The Foursome
    L. Dwight Snyder
    • Member of The Foursomeas Member of The Foursome
    Jay Johnson
    • Member of The Foursomeas Member of The Foursome
    • (as Ray Johnson)
    Del Porter
    • Member of The Foursomeas Member of The Foursome
    • Director
      • Roy Del Ruth
    • Writers
      • Jack McGowan(screen play) (from a story by)
      • Sid Silvers(screen play) (from a story by)
      • Buddy G. DeSylva(from a story by)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Sailor Ted meets at the Lonely Hearts Club of his friend Gunny's wife, Jenny, a girl, Nora Paige, and falls in love. Nora wants to become a dancer on Broadway. Ted rescues the Pekinese of Lucy James, a Broadway star during a public relations campaign on his submarine. Lucy falls in love with Ted, and Ted is ordered by his Captain to meet her in a night club, in spite of the fact that he has a date with Nora. Nora, who lives with Jenny and her and Gunny's daughter, doesn't want to hear anything from Ted, after she spotted a picture of Ted and Lucy in the morning paper. Lucy convinces her manager Dinehart to stop the press campaign and tells him that she would leave the production, if another photo or article of her and Ted is published. Nora has become her understudy, and she begins to think her behaviour to Ted over. Suddenly she is fired after Dinehart told her to dance a number Lucy James called undanceable. But when Ted is told the whole story, he knows what to do. —Stephan Eichenberg <eichenbe@fak-cbg.tu-muenchen.de>
    • song
    • anger
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • M*G*M's successor to "THE GREAT ZIEGFELD"
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Musical
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • Passed
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Cole Porter picked James Stewart for the male lead and later said he sang "Easy to Love" as well as any professional singer. A dubbing track was prepared with baritone Jack Owens, but it was decided that Stewart's tenor voice was perfect for the song. In That's Entertainment! (1974), Stewart said, "The song had become a huge hit, even my singing wouldn't hurt it."
    • Goofs
      The opening scene is set aboard a submarine entering New York Harbor while submerged at periscope depth. Her skipper would have brought her in while surfaced - the risk of collision in a busy port is substantial.
    • Quotes

      McKay's Telephone Operator: [on phone with her friend] Oh say guess who I seen at Club Continental last night? Lucy James with that sailor she met through a Pekingese. Believe me he's a sea-goin' thrill if I ever seen one. What's he like? Well, tall - sort of the answer to a maiden's prayer on stilts. Honest he must be six feet four and that's just two inches shorter than a totem pole. Oh but he's got a smile like concentrated vodka. Vodka! Oh it's a Japanese drink made out of panther blood I think.

    • Crazy credits
      Opening credits are shown over a female figure tap-dancing on stage.
    • Connections
      Edited into Grand Central Murder (1942)
    • Soundtracks
      Rolling Home
      (1936) (uncredited)
      Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
      Sung by The Foursome, Sid Silvers, Buddy Ebsen, James Stewart and chorus

    User reviews44

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Cornball Fun With Jimmy, Eleanor, Una, Sid& Buddy
    This is one of the all-time corny movies ever made, especially since it features Jimmy Stewart singing. How often have you seen/heard that? Actually, the "corn" is the fun of this film, and I enjoyed watching this more the second time knowing it was going to be so corny. Some of the lines in here are legitimately funny, particularly by cute Una Merkel, who could zing 'em with the best. She was fun, as was her husband in here, "Gunny Sacks," played by Sid Silvers. Those two, plus Buddy Ebsen and Eleanor Powell make for a likable cast. Both Powell and Ebsen were great dancers, too, with Powell, of course, being the more famous. This is just a nice, old- fashioned film, probably more for older folks, but who knows?
    helpful•28
    3
    • ccthemovieman-1
    • Apr 5, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 27, 1936 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Nacidos para bailar
    • Filming locations
      • Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $941,774
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 46 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

    Oscars flashback: Best Original Songs of the 1930s, including ‘Over the Rainbow,’ ‘The Way You Look Tonight’
    Oscars flashback: Best Original Songs of the 1930s, including ‘Over the Rainbow,’ ‘The Way You Look Tonight’
    Jul 9Gold Derby
    Photo Flash: Princess Cruises Celebrates Born To Dance Premiere with Stephen Schwartz
    Oct 11BroadwayWorld.com

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