Dirty Dancing

Directors: Emile Ardolino
Release Date: 21 August 1987

 

Cast:
Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman: Jennifer Grey
Johnny Castle: Patrick Swayze
Dr. Jake Houseman: Jerry Orbach
Penny Johnson: Cynthia Rhodes
Max Kellerman: Jack Weston
Lisa Houseman: Jane Brucker
Marjorie Houseman: Kelly Bishop
Neil Kellerman: Lonny Price
Robbie Gould: Max Cantor

 

This classic romance movie never goes out of style. The setting is 1963 in the Catskills; our heroine is a shy Jewish girl from New York who is on her way to University the next year. Her family are conservative professionals that want her to succeed in traditional ways (she is named after the first woman in the US cabinet, a hard act to follow!). The girl, Frances “Baby” Houseman, is played by a young Jennifer Grey, she brings energy to this role and is a strong presence on the screen. This is particularly good news because she plays against some seasoned actors. First and foremost is the man who became synonymous with the phrase “Dirty Dancing”: Patrick Swayze.

Swayze’s performance is fun and well nuanced, his dancing is superb, he is an all-round great performer here and it’s worth seeing for him alone. He is joined by an excellent supporting cast, chief among them is Jerry Orbach who you’ll remember from a long stint on Law & Order (the original version).

The film is a coming of age tale that has been, it’s true, told before but in this case it is presented so beautifully that it seems to surpass the genre itself. The young girl is achingly believable as an innocent who is trying to do the right thing while still being true to herself and her heart.

The movie touches on many themes beyond simply a young girl with a man that her parents find unsuitable. The movie goes into controversial areas, like the illegal abortions that were one of the few ways women could terminate an unwanted pregnancy, as well as class differences in early 60’s America. The overall effect is illuminating without being preachy and the film has some of the best dance sequences you will ever see, including a finale that has been called the best dance sequence on film of all time.

 

 

If you like this Movie, you'll also like:

1. The Other Boleyn Girl
2. Under the Same Moon – La Misma Luna
3. Let The Right One In / Låt den rätte komma in
4. Edward Scissorhands
5. District 9