Product Description

A ballerina swaps her ballet shoes for the life of a burlesque dancer.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: NR
Release Date: 19-JUN-2007
Media Type: DVD

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #76463 in DVD
• Brand: BALL,LUCILLE
• Released on: 2007-06-19
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 90 minutes

Amazon.com
If you only know Lucille Ball from her phenomenal success as a TV comedienne, Dance, Girl, Dance will be a surprising revelation. Not only can Lucy dance and sing with the best of them (after all, she spent part of the 1930s playing a glamorous showgirl in various Goldwyn musicals), but she handily steals the spotlight from Maureen O'Hara in this good-looking RKO production from 1940. Lucy's big break had come only three years earlier (in Stage Door), but she'd been working in Hollywood for seven years when this enjoyable movie demonstrated the potential for movie stardom that Lucy deserved but never fully achieved. She's a bit brassy and a bit sassy, but she's got a heart of gold as Bubbles, a struggling ballet dancer who takes a skin-baring job in a burlesque club (under the man-teasing stage name of "Tiger Lily White") to boost her chances of show-biz success. She's a saucy gold-digger compared to the modestly forthright Judy (O'Hara), but their friendship sees them through as they share a dangerous dalliance with a millionaire playboy (Louis Hayward) before Judy discovers true love with Steve (Ralph Bellamy) the gentlemanly leader of a ballet company.

It's not a classic by any means, but Dance, Girl, Dance is still briskly entertaining, and there's a touch of surprising melodrama involving O'Hara's ballet mentor (played by Maria Ouspenskaya). This movie also has the greater distinction of being directed by Dorothy Arzner, one of the only women (along with Ida Lupino) to break into the male-dominated profession of directing in golden-age Hollywood. Working from a savvy screenplay by Tess Slesinger and Frank Davis, Arzner gives Dance, Girl, Dance a feminist sensibility that was ahead of its time, later embraced by fans and critics as one of this movie's most enduring qualities. Also included in The Lucille Ball Film Collection, this DVD includes two short subjects from 1940: The 20-minute Vitaphone "two-reeler" "Just a Cute Kid," from a story by Damon Runyon and featuring comedy star Frank Faylen, and "Malibu Beach Party," a pun-filled Merrie Melodies cartoon hosted by "Jack Bunny" and featuring a variety of sun-tanned cameos from animated Hollywood stars. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Pre-Order for 6-19-2007 // GREAT new film collection!!!
This is a GREAT collection to own and a must have for any Lucy fan! With this collection you will receive 5 movies starring Lucille Ball's most popular film adaption. You will be amazed to see the true acting ability of Lucy here.


Some of the films here are somewhat of a opposite to Lucille Ball's role on "I Love Lucy" but some are very similar to "I Love Lucy" in my opinion. Take "The Big Street" for instance, High class Gloria (Lucille Ball) was a bit cruel and mean to a poor man named pinks who falls head over heels in love with her and will do anything to please her at the end she begins to fall for him too. A must see dramatic film!!


You will see Lucille Ball like you have never seen her before and these movies are not boring at all but they are really good interesting movies that you will not lose interest in. I am somewhat shy of old films and find them boring but I can watch anything with Lucille Ball and you will love these films!




"Lucille Ball Film Collection" includes:


"The Big Street" - Ex-chanteuse Gloria is vain, cruel, crippled - and busboy Pinks can't help but love her. Ball and Henry Fonda power Damon Runyon's tale of Broadway denizens living on life's margins.

"Critic's Choice" - That's no playwright, that's my wife. Poison-penned Broadway critic Bob Hope loves wife Lucille Ball...but hates the play she writes. Based on the play by "Deathtrap's" Ira Levin.

Dance, Girl, Dance" - Art doesn't pay the bills. So aspiring ballerina Ball makes her way as a burlesque star in this powerful study of being a woman in a man's world. With Maureen O'Hara.

"Dubarry Was A Lady" - Their friendship is a perfect musical-comedy blendship! Ball goes from NYC torch singer to the dream girl of Red Skelton's wacky, 18th-century-France reverie. Gene Kelly joins the fun!


"Mame" - She'll coax the blues right out of your heart. Madcap Auntie Mame (Ball) is suddenly her nephew's guardian. Robert Preston and Beatrice Arthur co-star in a sparkling adaptation of the Broadway hit.


Highly recommended!!!

BALL SHINES IN SHOWY ROLE.....
Fine drama directed by a gay woman---Dorothy Arzner---examines women's roles in society and how men perceive them and what it means to follow your dream. Maureen O'Hara is lustrous as Judy, a struggling dancer in a knock about all girl dance troup who longs to dance in ballet. Also in the troop is Bubbles (Lucille Ball) who just longs for the Big Time and any road will do to get there. While Judy is sweet, sincere and wants to use her talent for success, Bubbles is raw and vulgar and uses sex to get what she wants. When Bubbles (now Tiger Lily White) lands in burlesque she gets Judy a job to dance ballet in come-on spots between her strip acts knowing Judy is just her "stooge". Judy reluctantly agrees to suffer for her art. Complicating things are a wealthy married playboy (Louis Hayward) and a ballet entrepeneur (Ralph Bellamy) who sees a star in Judy. O'Hara is lovely and has a great scene telling off the rowdy burlesque audience. And Ball as Bubbles/Tiger Lily is wonderful playing a bad girl with "pay me" on her forehead. This film is a keeper and offers a great b&w DVD print. And it's interesting to note the feminist angles, unusual for the time. Highly recommended.

LUCY, GLORIOUS LUCY................

For any Lucille Ball fan or true film buff, this 5 dvd set is a must. Of course, when Lucille was mixed with the character of Lucy an entity was created that will live on forever and never be replaced.

But this is Lucille Ball the actress and it is amazing to see her through all different phases of her career. With DANCE, GIRL DANCE she was a very famous B actress who got cast with the A list and had no idea what her future held.

THE BIG STREET is a 100 % dramatic Lucille fully letting loose. Beautiful, strong and just plain cruel - this role is a tour-de-force. The gossips try to say that Henry Fonda hated working with her and criticized her acting style but then why would he return to her blessed company in YOURS, MINE AND OURS.

Some dis CRITIC'S CHOICE but I find it very entertaining to see her portray a regular middle aged woman. I find the film very funny and her portayal very believable and so far removed from Lucy.

MAME - all I can say is her much critized singing voice brings a true presence to her portrayal. She is lovely and has such fun. The main production number is so lovely it will bring you to tears. WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS is a true display of joy. And I will forever say that I found the second half of this film to be some of her best dramatic acting ever.

These films are only in 1.0 sound but it still sounds great and the video transfers are crysal clear.

I think you can tell I love Lucy !!!!!!!! Actually, who doesn't. And whether you love all or some of these films she still brings her unique quality to each. Purchase this set and enjoy !!!!!