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We Were Dancing (film)

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We Were Dancing
Directed byRobert Z. Leonard
Screenplay byClaudine West
Hans Rameau
George Froeschel
Based onWe Were Dancing
1935 play
by Noël Coward
Produced byRobert Z. Leonard
Orville O. Dull
StarringNorma Shearer
Melvyn Douglas
CinematographyRobert Planck
Edited byGeorge Boemler
Music byNoël Coward
Bronislau Kaper
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • April 30, 1942 (1942-04-30)
(New York)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,085,000[1]
Box office$1,079,000[1]

We Were Dancing is a 1942 MGM romantic comedy film directed by Robert Z. Leonard, written by Claudine West, Hans Rameau and George Froeschel, and starring Norma Shearer and Melvyn Douglas.[2][3] It is based loosely on Noël Coward's 1935 play of the same name, together with ideas from Ways and Means, another play in Coward's Tonight at 8.30 play cycle, and Coward's Private Lives.

Plot

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Vicki Wilomirska, an impoverished Polish princess, falls madly in love while dancing with the charming but penniless Austrian baron Nicki Prax. She ends her engagement to wealthy lawyer Hubert Tyler. Nicki and Vicki marry secretly, but are soon exposed by one of Nicki's ex-girlfriends, home decorator Linda Wayne. Nicki and Vicki support themselves by being professional house guests, in the homes of American nouveau riche, who are impressed by Old World aristocracy. Eventually, Nicki decides to do the unthinkable, and get a job. Linda still pursues Nicki, and Vicki, brokenhearted, sues Nicki for divorce. Attorney Hubert represents Vicki in the divorce case, and despite Nicki's tender declaration of his love, the teary judge grants the divorce.

When Nicki returns from South America, Linda asks him to see her. At her office, Nicki learns from Linda that Vicki and Hubert are now engaged. Nicki soon persuades Linda to help him get a decorating job with her competitor, who is decorating the new house that Hubert is building for Vicki. Nicki begins the work by behaving professionally, but eventually confesses that he still loves only Vicki. Vicki tells Nicki that he is now too late. At the fancy betrothal party for Hubert and Vicki, Nicki comes to say goodbye to Vicki. Then, they dance to the same waltz that had ignited their passion when they first met, and the magic returns. Nicki and Vicki elope once more.

Cast

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Reception

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According to MGM records the film made $581,000 in the US and Canada and $498,000 elsewhere, making the studio a loss of $409,000.[1]

See also

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  • Private Lives - 1931 film starring Norma Shearer, based on play by Noël Coward

References

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  1. ^ a b c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. ^ Day, Barry. "We Were Dancing (1942)", Coward on Film: The Cinema of Noël Coward, Scarecrow Press (2005), pp. 36–37 ISBN 0810853582
  3. ^ Landazuri, Margarita. We Were Dancing, TCM.com, accessed 16 September 2014
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