Watch Born to Dance

Born to Dance is a 1936 American musical film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Eleanor Powell, James Stewart, and Virginia Bruce. This movie revolves around the story of Nora Paige, a talented dancer who dreams of becoming a star on Broadway. James Stewart's character, Ted Barker, is a sailor who falls in love with Nora while she is performing on stage.

The story of the film begins with Nora working as a part of a dance troupe that performs on a naval base. Ted, who is on shore leave, sees her performance and is instantly captivated by her beauty and talent. He shows up backstage to meet her but accidentally causes chaos and ends up getting put in the brig.

Meanwhile, Nora's dance troupe is scheduled to perform at a grand ball to celebrate the retirement of the naval captain. The lead male dancer of the troupe, a womanizer named Jocko, becomes ill, and Nora is asked to take his place. She wows the crowd with her graceful moves and catches the eye of John Parker, a wealthy playboy who invites her to a party at his mansion.

At the party, Nora meets Broadway producer, Louie Parker, who is John Parker's brother. Louie is immediately impressed with Nora's talent and offers her a job in his new Broadway show. Nora is elated, but her dreams are dashed when she finds out that the show is set to open the same day as her wedding to Ted. Ted, who has just been released from the brig, is thrilled to hear about Nora's success, but they both know that Nora cannot jeopardize her career for their relationship.

The rest of the movie follows Ted's efforts to win back Nora while also dealing with his Navy duties. Nora, on the other hand, faces numerous obstacles in her quest for stardom, including a jealous rival dancer, a scheming press agent, and a last-minute replacement for the male lead of the Broadway show.

Eleanor Powell steals the show with her awe-inspiring tap dance routines that are both graceful and energetic. The film's other standout performance comes from Jimmy Stewart, who showcases his dancing skills in a comedic solo number. Though he is not primarily known for his dancing abilities, Stewart trained intensively for weeks to perfect his routines in the film.

Virginia Bruce's character, Lucy James, serves as a somewhat unnecessary subplot. She plays a society girl who becomes infatuated with John Paeker, but her storyline does not really go anywhere and does not contribute much to the main plot.

The film also features an impressive musical score composed by Cole Porter, which includes classics such as "Easy to Love," "Rap Tap on Wood," and "You'd Be So Easy to Love." The songs are masterfully woven into the story and serve to heighten the emotional impact of the film's dramatic moments.

Born to Dance is a visually stunning movie that showcases the talents of some of Hollywood's greatest dancers and actors. It is a feel-good movie that will leave audiences smiling and tapping their feet long after the credits roll.

Born to Dance is a 1936 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 46 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7.