Gable is Patch Gallagher, a short-fused Broadway producer who hires down-on-her-luck ex-burlesque dancer Janie Barlow (Joan Crawford) for the chorus line of his latest show. Janie is constantly pursued by a rich playboy admirer, Tod Newton (Franchot Tone). Patch begins to have feelings for plucky Janie, but grows bitter as it becomes obvious she is wrapped up with Tod. When he promotes her to the lead in the production, Tod becomes impatient (Janie said she’d marry him if the play fell through) and pays off the Broadway powers-that-be to shut the play down. Janie finds out of his deceit (thanks to a drunken Patch) and dumps Tod. She encourages Patch to put on the show all on his own. The conclusion, the showing of the production, is a beautiful art deco showcase of dancing, singing and spectacular sets.

Dancing Lady was conceived to compete with rival Warner Brothers’ hit, 42nd Street. Crawford was the main attraction and producer David Selznick (who Gable later worked with on Gone with the Wind) used the vehicle to showcase newcomers Nelson Eddy and Fred Astaire, as well as Ted Healy and his Three Stooges. Also look for an almost-unrecognizable (if it wasn’t for that voice) Eve Arden as a blonde in a small role.

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Quote-able Gable

“All right, all right, break it up, break it up!” first line

“With all the real talent gone to Hollywood, you’ve got to make the most of what you can get!”

“Sure I know how he is. I had a cousin like him once—we had to shoot him!”

“Those guys are a lot of silk hats and silk socks with nothing in between.”

“If you don’t get a good break, you get a bad one. That’s show business.”

“I’m a little drunk. Is that what you’re trying to say? Well, drunk or sober, my hat’s still off to you.
There’s more ways than one to close a show and you taught me a new one.
What’s the matter, afraid your boyfriend will get a poke in the jaw
                                  for throwing a hundred people out of work so he can take you on a joy ride to Cuba?”


Behind the Scenes

Gable was hospitalized early in the production due to a high fever. It was determined he had pyorrhea, from his rotting teeth and gums, that was starting to spread throughout his body. Almost all of his teeth were removed and then he had to wait for two weeks for his gums to heal before he could be fitted with dentures. They shot all the scenes without Gable and then production was shut down waiting for him to return. Producer David O. Selznick grew impatient and wanted to replace him with Robert Montgomery, but studio head Louis B. Mayer nixed the idea. Gable finally returned after six weeks, only to nearly collapse on the set and have to be rushed back to the hospital. When he was fully healed and returned again on October 20, he had been absent from the set since June 12 and the film was $150,000 over budget because of the delay.

During the filming, Gable and Crawford were in the midst of their love affair. She began to fall in love with costar Franchot Tone during Gable’s absence from the set, and by the time he returned, he found he had been replaced by Tone as the main visitor to Crawford’s dressing trailer.