Dirty Dancing (1987 Re-Release) - Review

This was my first time seeing Dirty Dancing from start to finish. I had naturally seen long stretches of the film varying from five to thirty minutes at a time, catching peak moments in between channel surfing. However, to see the film in all its glory on the silver screen was a better experience than I could have ever hope for. It was made even better (and I say without an ounce of sarcasm) by the group of middle-aged women to my left and up a few aisles who sparingly passed jokes and comments between themselves. You’ll be hearing from them throughout this review.

Upon Swayze’s first entrance 

WOMEN: Oh, here we go.

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One of an unfortunately short crop of feature films directed by Emile Ardolino (with Sister Act being the only other real stand-out), this classic 1987 flick follows Jennifer’s Grey bashful and almost virginal Baby Houseman on her family trip to Kellerman’s resort, where she ultimately falls in love with the dashing and slightly rebellious Johnny Castle, portrayed by the immortal Patrick Swayze.  Let’s start there. Grey is incredible in this film and although much has been made of her disappearance from the world of film following her nose job, returning to this film is like seeing Monroe in All About Eve – there is nothing but talent visible and we just want to see everything that she’s going to be in. Swayze is...well, Swayze is Swayze. Giving us one of the absolute most charismatic performances of all time, the man oozes so much damn sex and heat in this film that the whole cinema damn near turns into a sauna. But as with all of his roles, it is that combination of attraction, heart and drama that keep us watching. Many scenes are shared between the two of them that are just sublime to watch, and not a single dance move is made, nor a single kiss given. The chemistry between the two is impeccable; the relationship is believable and most importantly very easy to route for and without that you obviously have no film.

Upon “She’s like a wind” striking up whilst Swayze is still talking in a scene

WOMEN: Oh, now he’s singing too.

The film is directed very well by Ardolino, never getting in the way of its scenes and adding enough visual flourishes throughout to keep the film exciting and interesting. However, of course, Ardolino naturally comes into his own - with his extensive career in filming dance performances - with the dance scenes. The choreography by Kenny Ortega is immense and brings the film alive. But what makes the film work is how all the titular dancing is integral to the film; there’s not a dance scene that’s not progressing the story forward and in that way it makes itself stand-out from other films in the musical genre – not that this film is a musical, per se. This impeccable structuring is primarily down to the script by Eleanor Bergstein, which really impressed me how great it is. If you’re looking for ideal structure and form for your romance, with doses of heat, dance, humour and human drama, then I would highly recommend this film. The arcs of all of the characters are never forced and make the film flow at an exceptional rate. The film also keenly never holds back on its more adult themes and elements, and that’s where most of the drama and stakes for the film come from, never feeling forced however and always seamlessly feeling organic.

Upon Neil commenting “Make sure that he gives you the full half hour that you’re paying for”

WOMEN: She’s getting a lot more than that.

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The supporting cast for the film is similarly excellent with standouts all over. Primarily, Cynthia Rhodes as Penny, a pained yet incredibly proud performance. In addition, Kelly Bishop and Jane Brucker as the other Houseman’s, Marjorie and Lisa. Both are given great comedic scenes and their own dramatic moments that are delivered with great talent. Jerry Orbach is excellent as Jake, Baby’s father. Jake humanises what could just be a stale villain and hurdle on our way to the ending. Paired with a subtly intelligent script, Orbach makes Jake understandable and not at all hard to empathise with. There is a keen intelligence to the work in this film that I feel is desperately underrated. The film is quite simply a lot more than what it gets credit for.

Other actors to look out for are Jack Weston as Max Kellerman, who Twilight Zone fans will remember as Charlie Farnsworth, one of the unfortunate fellows on Maple Street when the supposed “monsters” attack in the rather fittingly titled The Monsters are Due on Maple Street. Theatrical fans will also note Lonny Price, perfectly nebbish as Neil Kellerman, who has gone on to forge one of the most respected careers in musical theatre directing of the past decade. It is the characterisation and performance of these two characters that leads the film to become even better, by not making these two possible villains be overly slimy or ridiculous in their cruelty. Neil is a nice enough guy and Max is genuinely kind (it seems), and both characters are likable enough in their own way. Sure, there’s not a single person rooting for Neil, but he’s an alright guy all the same. Max Cantor as Robbie Gould is a little less of a nuanced role, but he’s needed and his beating is more than needed.

After Baby and her dad talk at the gazebo, following the “I spent the night with Johnny” revelation

WOMEN: He’s not having a good holiday, is he? He lost his money. His daughter’s off with him. And he’s had to work.

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A less underrated element of the film is of course it’s soundtrack which, although racks up a lot of great tracks, does have a very odd anachronistic element that has always taken me out of it, featuring multiple synth-based songs that just obviously couldn’t be around in the time. The three original songs don’t bother me for some reason, perhaps it is their originality; however, the multiple covers of 50s songs in an 80s style don't feel right. Speaking of those original songs, to use modern parlance, all three are absolute "bangers", with 'She’s Like the Wind' being one of the finest hopeless romantic love songs of the decade (yet another testament to Swayze’s colossal talent). I do have one other note on the soundtrack which you can find in the Post Script. 

The film is, in the end, dazzling in how well it has aged when so many other films in its ilk have fared so poorly as the years and decades have gone by. I think Swayze put it best when he described the film’s eternal endurance. Personally, I find it fitting for this unfortunately legend to send us off with his thoughts, which I feel are note-perfect.

“It’s got so much heart, to me. It’s not about the sensuality, it’s really about people trying to find themselves. This young dance instructor feeling like he’s nothing but a product, and this young girl trying to find out who she is in a society of restrictions when she has such an amazing take on things”

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A timeless 9/10. In the least patronising way possible, I can comment that the film is far better than it really has any right to be. It elevated a genre in the midst of a glut of so-so films that nobody can even recall the names of today. I feel that Dirty Dancing is truly timeless; it will still give me goosebumps, get us hot and heavy, and will still make us fall in love for years and years still to come. More importantly, it still makes you tap your toes and leave the theatre dancing, rather titillated for the next time that dancing can become as dirty as the title suggests.

P.S.  Tarantino’s comments on the soundtrack have always stuck in my mind for some reason. These comments were made for an interview on my Pulp Fiction soundtrack CD, where he discussed music in film. He commented that he always hated the opening of this film with its use of 'Be My Baby' as Scorsese had already made it iconic in the film world with its use in the opening of Mean Streets. There is, of course, the book-ending of this story with Scorseses’s iconic use of 'Love is Strange' in Casino, as the world freezes when De Niro first sees Sharon Stone. Although the rehearsal scene in this film uses the song wonderfully, I do feel Scorsese wins the 'Love is Strange' battle, even if I have to concede that Dirty Dancing beats Mean Streets on the 'Be My Baby' front.  The saga, however, continued last year with Scorsese’s repeated use of 'In the Still of the Night' in The Irishman, used following a love scene in this film. Again, Scorsese won that one, but it does make me wonder if he is conscious of these repeated parallels or whether this is just the fodder for cocktail conversations led my myself and Mr Tarantino.

P.P.S. Speaking of Tarantino, why hasn’t anybody ever made a film in the vein of True Romance about the two elderly thieves, the Schumachers? Hell, in the film they got passed off with a single line of dialogue. Give me an entire film, profanity laden, violence filled, Tarantino script, Scorsese directed, Jennifer Grey as an Uma Thurman-type lead. I’m your man, get it made.

- Thomas Carruther