Dancing Queen

Dancing Lady is the damnedest thing: Joan Crawford wants to be a dancer more than anything, but the only way she can find to ply her trade is at the burlesque. When the joint is raided, she meets slumming rich guy Franchot Tone, who gives her a chance to move up in the world.  But she sets her caps for producer Clark Gable as "Patch" Gallager.

For a 1933 pre-Code backstage musical, this is all pretty standard - and very well done, too, with plenty of quips, racy dialog, skimpy costumes, and song and dance numbers (including some nice faux Busby Berkeley numbers). Also, the amoral way that Crawford strings along her rich boyfriend while making a strongarm play for her boss is pretty interesting. But suppose you say, "Sure, Joan Crawford dancing, Tone and Gable, fine. But I want more!"

OK - how about Fred Astaire, in his first feature, dancing under his own name with Crawford? How about Nelson Eddy singing the theme? Robert Benchley as Tone's buddy? Still not sold?

Ted Healey, my friends. Ted Healey and his stooges: The Three Stooges to be exact. Ted seems to be some kind of musical director, Larry plays piano, and Moe and Curly are stage hands. Now that's entertainment!