{"id":31287,"date":"2013-05-07T10:42:18","date_gmt":"2013-05-07T17:42:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=31287"},"modified":"2021-02-04T14:53:20","modified_gmt":"2021-02-04T21:53:20","slug":"dames-1934","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=31287","title":{"rendered":"Dames (1934)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I&#8217;m free, white, and 21. I love to dance, and I&#8217;m going to dance!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Poster-207x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"207\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-31305\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Poster-207x300.jpg 207w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Poster-88x128.jpg 88w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Poster.jpg 580w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 207px) 100vw, 207px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA priggish multi-millionaire (Hugh Herbert) promises $10 million to his relative (Guy Kibbee) if Kibbee and his wife (Zasu Pitts) prove that they live morally upright lives; but the couple&#8217;s chance at wealth is compromised by both their performance-loving daughter (Ruby Keeler) &#8212; who is secretly dating a songwriter (Dick Powell) &#8212; and a blackmailing gold-digger (Joan Blondell) who takes advantage of innocent Kibbee.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Blackmail<\/li>\n<li>Busby Berkeley Films<\/li>\n<li>Dick Powell Films<\/li>\n<li>Inheritance<\/li>\n<li>Joan Blondell Films<\/li>\n<li>Millionaires<\/li>\n<li>Morality Police<\/li>\n<li>Musicals<\/li>\n<li>Ruby Keeler Films<\/li>\n<li>Zasu Pitts Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary accurately writes that &#8220;Busby Berkeley production numbers give needed flash to [this] lackluster comedy and make it a suitable second feature to the <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=26106\"><em>Gold Diggers<\/em> films<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=31312\"><em>Footlight Parade<\/em><\/a>, or <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=31201\"><em>42nd Street<\/em><\/a>.&#8221; Indeed, it&#8217;s the three finale numbers &#8212; most notably the surreally choreographed &#8220;I Only Have Eyes For You&#8221;, in which Ruby Keeler&#8217;s image is replicated <em>ad infinitum<\/em> &#8212; that will stick in one&#8217;s memory after the film is over; you&#8217;ll likely quickly forget most of the ho-hum plot, featuring an unconvincing (miscast?) Hugh Herbert as an &#8220;eccentric millionaire&#8221;, and Joan Blondell (&#8220;seven months pregnant at the time&#8221;) as a surprisingly unlikable blackmailer whose manipulative treatment of &#8220;befuddled&#8221; Kibbee doesn&#8217;t seem fair or justified. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Kibbee.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Kibbee-1024x759.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"474\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-68680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Kibbee-1024x759.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Kibbee-300x222.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Kibbee-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Kibbee-768x569.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Kibbee-364x270.png 364w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Kibbee.png 1289w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary &#8212; clearly not an enormous Ruby Keeler fan &#8212; writes that she &#8220;does about 20 clunky tap steps to win a part in the show and does little else memorable except wear shorts&#8221; (!); and he further notes that Powell, while &#8220;obnoxiously brash&#8221;, &#8220;does a good job crooning&#8221;. Ultimately, this one is only must-see viewing for Berkeley completists &#8212; but the culminating numbers (including the &#8220;extravaganza [title] finale&#8230; featuring lots of beautiful chorus girls swooping into dramatic close-ups and&#8230; forming bizarre geometric patterns&#8221;) are most definitely worth a look. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Berkeley&#8217;s marvelous finale songs: &#8220;The Girl At the Ironing Board&#8221;, &#8220;I Only Have Eyes for You&#8221;, and &#8220;Dames&#8221;<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Laundry.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Laundry-1024x775.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"484\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-68681\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Laundry-1024x775.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Laundry-300x227.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Laundry-128x97.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Laundry-768x581.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Laundry-357x270.png 357w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Laundry.png 1257w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Only-Have-Eyes.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Only-Have-Eyes-1024x732.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"458\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-68678\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Only-Have-Eyes-1024x732.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Only-Have-Eyes-300x214.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Only-Have-Eyes-128x91.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Only-Have-Eyes-768x549.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Only-Have-Eyes-378x270.png 378w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Only-Have-Eyes.png 1345w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Dames-Number.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Dames-Number-1024x767.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"479\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-68679\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Dames-Number-1024x767.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Dames-Number-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Dames-Number-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Dames-Number-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Dames-Number-360x270.png 360w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Dames-Dames-Number.png 1261w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, though it&#8217;s recommended for one-time viewing. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0025028\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s1934busb.html\">DVD Savant Review (scroll down)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1934\/08\/16\/archives\/words-and-music.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.chicagoreader.com\/chicago\/dames\/Film?oid=1068149\">Chicago Reader Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m free, white, and 21. I love to dance, and I&#8217;m going to dance!&#8221; Synopsis: A priggish multi-millionaire (Hugh Herbert) promises $10 million to his relative (Guy Kibbee) if Kibbee and his wife (Zasu Pitts) prove that they live morally upright lives; but the couple&#8217;s chance at wealth is compromised by both their performance-loving daughter (Ruby Keeler) &#8212; who is secretly dating a songwriter (Dick Powell) &#8212; and a blackmailing gold-digger (Joan Blondell) who takes advantage of innocent Kibbee. Genres,&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=31287\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31287","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=31287"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31287\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68682,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31287\/revisions\/68682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=31287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=31287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=31287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}