''We Were Dancing'' is a 1942

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

film directed by

Robert Z. Leonard Robert Zigler Leonard (October 7, 1889 – August 27, 1968) was an American film director, actor, producer, and screenwriter. Biography He was born in Chicago, Illinois. At one time, he was married to silent star Mae Murray with the two formin ...

, written by Claudine West, Hans Rameau and

George Froeschel George Froeschel (9 March 1891 – 22 November 1979) was an Austrian novelist and screenwriter. In 1943, he received two Academy Award nominations for co-writing screenplays for ''Mrs. Miniver'' and ''Random Harvest''. He won the Academy Award f ...

, and starring

Norma Shearer Edith Norma Shearer (August 11, 1902June 12, 1983) was a Canadian-American actress who was active on film from 1919 through 1942. Shearer often played spunky, sexually liberated ingénues. She appeared in adaptations of Noël Coward, Eugene O'N ...

and

Melvyn Douglas Melvyn Douglas (born Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg, April 5, 1901 – August 4, 1981) was an American actor. Douglas came to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man, perhaps best typified by his performance in the romantic comedy ''Ninotchka ...

.Landazuri, Margarita
''We Were Dancing''
TCM.com, accessed 16 September 2014 It is based loosely on

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...

's 1935

play of the same name Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * Pla ...

, together with ideas from '' Ways and Means'', another play in Coward's ''

Tonight at 8.30 ''Tonight at 8.30'' is a cycle of ten one-act plays by Noël Coward, presented in London in 1936 and in New York in 1936–1937, with the author and Gertrude Lawrence in the leading roles. The plays are mostly comedies, but three, '' The Astoni ...

'' play cycle, and Coward's ''

Private Lives ''Private Lives'' is a 1930 comedy of manners in three acts by Noël Coward. It concerns a divorced couple who, while honeymooning with their new spouses, discover that they are staying in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. Despite a perpetuall ...

''.

Plot

Vicki Wilomirska (

), an impoverished Polish princess, falls madly in love while dancing with the charming but penniless Austrian baron Nicki Prax (

). She ends her engagement to wealthy lawyer Hubert Tyler (

Lee Bowman Lee Bowman (December 28, 1914 – December 25, 1979) was an American film and television actor. According to one obituary, "his roles ranged from romantic lead to worldly, wisecracking lout in his most famous years". Career Born in Cincinnati, ...

). Nicki and Vicki marry secretly, but are soon exposed by one of Nicki's ex-girlfriends, home decorator Linda Wayne (

Gail Patrick Gail Patrick (born Margaret LaVelle Fitzpatrick, June 20, 1911 – July 6, 1980) was an American film actress and television producer. Often cast as the bad girl or the other woman, she appeared in more than 60 feature films between 1932 an ...

). Nicki and Vicki support themselves by being professional house guests, in the homes of American

nouveau riche ''Nouveau riche'' (; ) is a term used, usually in a derogatory way, to describe those whose wealth has been acquired within their own generation, rather than by familial inheritance. The equivalent English term is the "new rich" or "new money" ( ...

, who are impressed by Old World aristocracy. Eventually, Nicki decides to do the unthinkable, and get a job. Linda still pursues Nicki, and Vicki, brokenhearted, sues Nicki for divorce. Attorney Hubert represents Vicki in the divorce case, and despite Nicki's tender declaration of his love, the teary judge grants the divorce. When Nicki returns from South America, Linda asks him to see her. At her office, Nicki learns from Linda that Vicki and Hubert are now engaged. Nicki soon persuades Linda to help him get a decorating job with her competitor, who is decorating the new house that Hubert is building for Vicki. Nicki begins the work by behaving professionally, but eventually confesses that he still loves only Vicki. Vicki tells Nicki that he is now too late. At the fancy betrothal party for Hubert and Vicki, Nicki comes to say goodbye to Vicki. Then, they dance to the same waltz that had ignited their passion when they first met, and the magic returns. Nicki and Vicki elope once more.

Cast

as Vicki Wilomirska *

as Nicki Prax *

as Linda Wayne *

as Hubert Tyler *

Marjorie Main Mary Tomlinson (February 24, 1890 – April 10, 1975), professionally known as Marjorie Main, was an American character actress and singer of the Classical Hollywood period, best known as a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player in the 1940s and ...

as Judge Sidney Hawkes *

Reginald Owen John Reginald Owen (5 August 1887 – 5 November 1972) was a British actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American films and television programs. Career The son of Joseph and Frances Owen, Reginald Owen studied at Sir Herbert ...

as Major Tyler-Blane *

Alan Mowbray Alan Mowbray (born Alfred Ernest Allen; 18 August 1896 – 25 March 1969) was an English stage and film actor who found success in Hollywood. Early life Mowbray was born in London, England. He served with distinction in the British Army in W ...

as Grand Duke Basil *

Florence Bates Florence Bates ( Rabe; April 15, 1888 - January 31, 1954), was an American film and stage character actress who often played grande dame characters in supporting roles. Life and career Bates was the second child born to Jewish immigrant pare ...

as Mrs. Vanderlip *

Heather Thatcher Heather Thatcher (3 September 1896 – 15 January 1987) was an English actress in theatre and films. Dancer By 1922, Thatcher was a dancer. She was especially noted for her interpretation of an Egyptian harem dance. Her exotic clothes were desig ...

as Mrs. Tyler-Blane *

Connie Gilchrist Rose Constance Gilchrist (July 17, 1895 – March 3, 1985) was an American stage, film, and television actress. Among her screen credits are her roles in the Hollywood productions '' Cry 'Havoc (1943), ''A Letter to Three Wives'' (1949), ' ...

as Olive Ransome *

Nella Walker Nella Walker (March 6, 1886 – March 22, 1971) was an American actress and vaudeville performer of the 1920s through the 1950s. Biography The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Walker, she was born and raised in Chicago. In 1910, she marrie ...

as Mrs. Janet Bentley *

Adriana Caselotti Adriana Elena Loreta Caselotti (May 6, 1916 – January 18, 1997) was an American actress and singer. Caselotti was the voice of the title character of the first Walt Disney animated feature, ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'', for which she w ...

as Opera Singer *

Florence Shirley Florence Shirley (born Florence Isabell Splaine; June 5, 1892 – May 12, 1967) was an American stage and film actress. Early years Born in New York City, Shirley was the daughter of Francis Splaine. Career Shirley began her stage care ...

as Mrs. Charteris File:Norma Shearer in We Were Dancing trailer.jpg, Norma Shearer File:Melvyn Douglas in We Were Dancing trailer.jpg, Melvyn Douglas File:Gail Patrick in We Were Dancing trailer.jpg, Gail Patrick File:Lee Bowman in We Were Dancing trailer.jpg, Lee Bowman File:Marjorie Main in We Were Dancing trailer.jpg, Marjorie Main File:Reginald Owen in We Were Dancing trailer.jpg, Reginald Owen File:Alan Mowbray in We Were Dancing trailer.jpg, Alan Mowbray

Reception

According to MGM records the film made $581,000 in the US and Canada and $498,000 elsewhere, making the studio a loss of $409,000.

References

External links

*
''We Were Dancing''
at

TCMDB Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie-oriented pay-TV network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasting campus in the Midtown business district of Atl ...

* * {{Robert Z. Leonard 1942 films 1942 romantic comedy films American romantic comedy films American black-and-white films Comedy of remarriage films American films based on plays Films directed by Robert Z. Leonard Films scored by Bronisław Kaper Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films