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We Were Dancing (1942) More at IMDb Pro »
14 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :-
Her Insipid End., 25 August 2005
Author: nycritic
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
There isn't much to say about WE WERE DANCING except that it was the second of Norma Shearer's career blunders in 1942 which she should not have taken and instead chosen the better roles of Charlotte Vale in NOW VOYAGER or the title role in MRS MINIVER which would have suited her fine, allowing her to wield her own mannered style of dramatic emotion with ease and would have quite definitely secured her Oscar pull. Based, albeit loosely, on two Noel Coward plays, this is the story of Vicki Wilmoriska who falls into romance with Nicki Prax, but events conspire against them. She catches Nicki with former squeeze Linda Wayne (the always aloof Gail Patrick), and decides to go into the arms of Hubert Taylor, but just as she is ready to marry Hubert, guess who pops back into her life?
Such is the stuff of this by-the-numbers fluff that holds little water or interest in a time when war dramas were the norm and eccentric socialites were dead and buried as Hollywood was concerned. Norma and the cast seem like they belong in the early 30s, not its time, and no one rises above this bad material, effectively teetering Norma's career right over the edge of the abyss, to which she would fall come the release of her next movie HER CARDBOARD LOVER. It just shows what happens when an actress refuses to age gracefully and begin to play parts more appropriate her age (she was forty). She refused to play a mother (odd, considering she played one in THE WOMEN) and was reputedly disinterested in acting altogether, which is probably why she decided to make this forgettable film, but then again, other actresses have ended their careers in worse films than this. Only for die-hard fans of her filmography, and part of a retrospective shown on August 25 on TCM as its salute to her body of work.
5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Norma Glorious... Don't Miss This !, 15 April 2006
Author: jimmy860 from United States
For all the new scholarship about this neglected actress, people still need to see her in action. Yes-- let's accept the fact that, by 1942, Norma Shearer was past caring about a career in the movies, and let's take this romp for what it is: fun, vibrant, and a showcase for Norma. Her penultimate film brings out her exquisite comic timing, and her bursts of Polish round out the very amusing character of Vicky. Realize that Norma is winking at the camera and her public all through this film, asking only that we accept it on its terms: a fun exercise to help finish out her career (though there is evidence that she, in retrospect, didn't care much for it).
4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
An under-appreciated gem of a comedy, 17 March 2006
Author: 1953calif from California
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
I must most courteously beg to differ with all the previous comments on "We Were Dancing." This film is quite simply a frothy, delightful romp---filled with witty dialogue and great chemistry between the two leads, a luminous Norma Shearer and a suave Melvyn Douglas. Shearer's comic timing in most of her major scenes is exquisite. The banter exchanged between the two obviously smitten spouses is well performed throughout the movie. There's even a poignant dramatic scene where Douglas' character comforts Shearer's because she's sacrificed a significant chunk of her pride in order to help him financially.
I'm not sure why this movie has gotten such a bad reputation. So what if its tone and style is more akin to 1930s screwball comedies rather than World War II dramas. The 1942 timing of its release near the start of U.S. involvement in the war was simply unfortunate. And yes, Shearer's career was never the same after she turned down the lead in Mrs. Miniver, but so what. It doesn't mean that both the film and her comic performance in it cannot be savored and appreciated some 60 years later. Skip the preconceptions and give this movie a look when you're in the mood for a most diverting and enjoyable comedy. You won't regret the choice. You may even feel like dancing after watching!
1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Norma and Melvyn Douglas make a marvelous team in this neglected gem, 29 April 2007
Author: Emaisie39 from United States
Why this film is so maligned I will never figure out. The script is witty. Leonard's direction sparkles and the acting by the charismatic Norma Shearer and Melvyn Douglas is a delight. Certainly it is MGM glossy fluff but it is so entertaining. Something about a penniless princess and the playboy she falls in love with. However it does not matter with these two stars at their peak. Norma is beautiful in her second to last film. I wonder if this film really flopped since box-office numbers are not available. Now Norma's last film "Her Cardboard Lover" is terrible but this charmer does not deserve such a hideous reputation. The forgotten Gail Patrick is also a delight as Norma's competition for Douglas.
A fun classic to watch!, 9 January 2008
Author: tpmco from United States
I may listen or read the critics comments, but I never take their reviews as gospel. I'd rather watch a movie and pass my own judgement. This movie is another example where a critic in the old days with a powerful pen completely downplayed a great classic. I watched this movie on the AMC channel and just loved it. And, I was very disappointed when I couldn't find this movie on DVD to add to my collection. Being a history buff, this movie provides a window back into 1942. Loved the cast, wardrobes, set designs, old cars, and the plot was cute. I'd definitely recommend this movie to friends who also enjoy the classics! Does anyone know where I could purchase this in VCR format since it's not available on DVD?
6 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
A comedy equivalent to flat champagne!, 10 September 1998
Author: Patrick Sullivan (sullivpj@sce.com)
In 1936, MGM Producer, Irving Thalberg died, leaving his widow, Norma Shearer, to pick her own scripts. An example of Miss Shearer's lack of good judgment is her appearance in this dud that she chose to do rather than play Kay Miniver in "Mrs. Miniver," which won Greer Garson an Academy Award. Based on Noel Coward's "Tonight at 8:30," critics called this comedy as sparking as "flat champagne." Norma Shearer made only one more film after this and retired from the screen at age 40.
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