''Dance, Little Lady'' is a 1954 British

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by

Val Guest Val Guest (born Valmond Maurice Grossman; 11 December 1911 – 10 May 2006) was an English film director and screenwriter. Beginning as a writer (and later director) of comedy films, he is best known for his work for Hammer Film Productions, ...

and starring Terence Morgan,

Mai Zetterling Mai Elisabeth Zetterling (; 24 May 1925 – 17 March 1994) was a Swedish film director, novelist and actress. Early life Zetterling was born in Västerås, Sweden to a working class family. She started her career as an actor at the age of 17 at ...

, Guy Rolfe and Mandy Miller. The screenplay was by Guest and Doreen Montgomery from a story by R. Howard Alexander and Alfred Dunning. The film was made by

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

producer George Minter and distributed by his Renown Pictures.

Plot

Prima ballerina Nina Gordon is being financially exploited by her husband Mark. On the night of her triumphant

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is a theatre in Covent Garden, central London. The building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. The ROH is the main home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orch ...

debut, she discovers he is also being unfaithful. Distraught, she leaves the party they were attending. However, Mark pulls up in their car and she gets in and he drives off at speed into the night. There is a car crash and Nina's leg is badly broken. Learning that she'll never dance again, Nina is abandoned by Mark. But with the help of a sympathetic doctor, Nina recovers the use of her legs, and begins to live her life vicariously through her talented daughter. When Mark reenters Nina's life, intending to take control of the daughter's dancing career, he finds the tables are turned on him.

Cast

* Terence Morgan as Mark Gordon *

as Nina Gordon * Guy Rolfe as Dr. John Ransome * Mandy Miller as Jill Gordon * Eunice Gayson as Adele * Reginald Beckwith as Poldi * Ina De La Haye as Madame Bayanova * Harold Lang as Mr. Bridson *

Lisa Gastoni Lisa Gastoni (born 28 July 1935) is an Italian film actress. Gastoni was named "Best Italian Actress of the Year, 1966" as she received both the Nastro D'Argento Award and the Golden Globe Award from Italy's Foreign Press Association.} Biograp ...

as Amaryllis * Jane Aird as Mary * David Poole as Dancer * Maryon Lane as Dancer *

Richard O'Sullivan Richard O'Sullivan (born 7 May 1944) is an English comedy actor. He is known for his role as Robin Tripp in the TV sitcoms ''Man About the House'' (1973–1976) and '' Robin's Nest'' (1977–1981) and as the title character in the period adven ...

as Peter * William Kendall as Mr. Matthews *

Joan Hickson Joan Bogle Hickson (5 August 1906 – 17 October 1998) was an English actress of theatre, film and television. She was known for her role as Agatha Christie's Miss Marple in the television series '' Miss Marple''. She also narrated a number of ...

as Mrs. Matthews * Alexander Gauge as Joseph Miller * Vera Day as Gladys * Gabrielle Blunt as Switchboard Operator *

Marianne Stone Marianne Stone (23 August 1922 – 21 December 2009) was an English character actress. She performed in films from the early 1940s to the late 1980s, typically playing working class parts such as barmaids, secretaries and landladies. Stone app ...

as Nurse * Helen Goss as Neighbour *

Joan Benham Joan Benham (17 May 1918 – 13 June 1981) was an English actress best known for her portrayal of Lady Prudence Fairfax in the ITV period drama series '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. She was born in London and was the first cousin of Hollywood actr ...

as Nurse * Molly Lumley as Dresser *

Jane Asher Jane Asher (born 5 April 1946)''The International Who's Who of Women'', 3rd edition, ed. Elizabeth Sleeman, Europa Publications, 2002, p. 29 is an English actress and author. She achieved early fame as a child actress and through her associatio ...

as Child * Ronald Dorey as Fire Engine Driver

Production

The film was shot in

Eastmancolor Eastmancolor is a trade name used by Eastman Kodak for a number of related film and processing technologies associated with color motion picture production and referring to George Eastman, founder of Kodak. Eastmancolor, introduced in 1950, was o ...

at the Walton Studios near

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. The sets were designed by the

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

Frederick Pusey.

Reception

Box office

According to ''

Kinematograph Weekly ''Kinematograph Weekly'', popularly known as ''Kine Weekly'', was a trade paper catering to the British film industry between 1889 and 1971. Etymology The word Kinematograph was derived from the Greek ' Kinumai ', (to move, to be in motion, to ...

'' the film was a "money maker" at the British box office in 1954.

Critical

The Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...

'' wrote: "This film gives the appearance of having been rather carelessly made. The plot and dialogue are full of clichés; improbabilities and contradictions abound. As a ballet film it is unsatisfying; the short glimpses of ''

Giselle ''Giselle'' ( , ), originally titled ''Giselle, ou les Wilis'' (; ''Giselle, or The Wilis''), is a romantic ballet () in two acts with music by Adolphe Adam. Considered a masterwork in the classical ballet performance canon, it was first perfor ...

'' (danced by David Poole and Maryon Lane) are very brief. The excessive sentiment is reflected in the musical score. Terence Morgan is quite unconvincing as the irresponsible husband; Mai Zetterling and Mandy Miller are efficient. Guy Rolfe alone gives a really creditable performance. The colour (by Eastman Color) is good." ''

'' wrote: "The picture wears its heart on its sleeve and its lack of pretence commends it to all classes. ...Val Guest's treatment is as competent as the acting. " The ''

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...

'' wrote, "the dance sequences are fine, but the poor production values ruin the look of the film". ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...

'' called it "a trite film".

Sky Movies Sky Cinema is a British subscription film service owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). In the United Kingdom, Sky Cinema channels currently broadcast on the Sky satellite and Virgin Media cable platforms, and in addition Sky Cinema on ...

wrote, "Terence Morgan makes the best impression, as a sponger as smooth as he is nasty, in this ballet-orientated story, tailored to the talents of Britain's then screen wonder child, Mandy Miller. It bases its appeal on a blend of small-girl sentiment, highly coloured melodramatics and ballet (the dance ensembles are very well done). Mai Zetterling and Guy Rolfe provide rather limp support to Mandy's undeniable charm, but the story's fiery climax is most effective."

References

External links

* {{Val Guest 1954 films 1954 drama films British drama films 1950s English-language films Films directed by Val Guest Films shot at Nettlefold Studios Films set in London 1950s British films English-language drama films Films scored by Ronald Binge