Film scholars in the future might start using the phrase “double nostalgia” – phenomenon of certain generation feeling nostalgic about past films that were made in order to exploit nostalgia of even more distant period of history. 1980s provided plenty of such examples, providing Gen X viewers with films made by Boomers nostalgic towards 1960s. Arguably the most successful film to use that formula is Dirty Dancing, 1987 dance film directed by Emile Ardolino, known as one of the biggest hits of its time.
Script was written by film’s co-producer Eleanor Bergstein, in many ways inspired by her own teenage experiences during summer vacations spent in Catskill Mountains. The plot begins in late Summer 1963 and the main character, played by Jennifer Grey, is Frances “Baby” Houseman, teenager that comes with her family to spend summer vacation in exclusive retreat. Its manager Max Kellerman (played by Jack Weston) tries to keep his mostly well-to-do patrons busy with dance courses provided by professional dancers like Johnny Castle (played by Patrick Swayze), whom he doesn’t respect because of humble working class roots. Baby is intrigued by him and begins following Johnny and his fellow dancers after work when they indulge in wild parties during which they practice forbidden sexy style of “dirty” dance. Johnny’s dance partner Penny Johnson (played by Cynthia Rhodes) has been made pregnant by Robbie Gould (played by Max Cantor), resort waiter who tries to romance Baby’s older sister Lisa (played by Jane Brucker). Baby volunteers to help her and pays for her abortion and later, when procedure is botched, calls her father Dr. Jake Houseman (played by Jerry Orbach), a physician, to save her life. This causes complications because Jake thinks that Johnny is baby’s father and becomes displeased with the notion of him seeing his daughter. Baby, on the other hand, volunteers to replace Robbie as Jake’s dance partner and begins secretly practising complicated moves, including the famous “lift”, while at times falling in love with him.
Bergstein’s script, like in many Hollywood films set in early 1960s, takes somewhat ambiguous approach towards period. It is set only few months before JFK assassination, an event that for many Boomers meant the end of American innocence. On the other hand, Dirty Dancing tries to tell, sometimes very explicitly, like during the end scene, that changes are coming and that Baby with other members of her generation will ultimately alter the world of her conservative parents. Bergstein justifies this change with subplot featuring abortion, which was illegal at the time only to become constitutional right a decade after the period depicted in this film.
Most of the audience, at least those born or raised after 1960s social turmoil, would probably care little about this aspect of film. For them Dirty Dancing was less a period piece and more an opportunity to watch some “cool” dancing. Emile Ardolino, director until then best known for He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin’, a dance-related documentary that won an Oscar, delivers the goods or, some would say, the only truly impressive aspect of the film. Choreography by Kenny Ortega is brilliant and makes the dance look not only erotic, but subversive. Ardolino, for whom this represented first live action feature, also struck gold with the choice of two lead actors. Jennifer Grey, daughter of legendary “Oscar”-winning actor and dancer Joel Grey, is not only passable as teenager at the age of 28, but allows most audience to identify with the protagonist who is somewhat plain-looking, but at times charming enough to win the heart of the best looking dancer and the most desirable male around. Patrick Swayze has worked with Grey before in Red Dawn, when two of them didn’t get along on the set. Same thing was happening during this production, but Grey and Swayze ultimately settled their differences and created good chemistry in the process. For Swayze, who was, like many top 1980s actors, trying to set his mark as action star, playing the lead in dance film was somewhat risky move but this was also opportunity to show his skills as trained ballet dancer. Swayze played his character with great skill and energy and defied the stereotypes, proving that dancing prowess, combined with great physique, can’t compromise someone’s masculine image. Cynthia Rhodes is another great dancer in this film, although her character doesn’t get that much exposure.
While the dancing scenes featuring Baby and Johnny are great, the plot and characters around them leave much to be desired. Bergstein’s script drowns in cliches, terrible dialogue and some subplots, like the one featuring theft accusation, that look like they were taken from another film. Some casting choices weren’t fortunate, and that includes Weston as authoritative resort manager who, until the end, seems unaware that the ways of his generation are on the way out and Lonny Price as his unsympathetic protege. The only actor that stands out in non-dance scenes is Jerry Orbach (best known for his work in television series Law & Order) as Baby’s well-to-do and at least somewhat liberal father who nevertheless turns protective when realising that his girl is nearing womanhood.
The biggest flaw of the film is, somewhat ironically, an crucial ingredient that helped its success – music. Soundtrack for Dirty Dancing was written by famous composer John Morris, but it is quite unremarkable and almost unnoticeable when paired with great 1960s pop classics featured in some of the memorable scenes. Unfortunately, those Golden Oldies are mixed with 1980s pop, including songs that clearly helped promoting film with music video. One of them - the end theme “Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes – won Oscar for Best Original Song and the other, “She’s Like a Wind”, co-written and performed by Swayze, became a hit. But they also remove suspension of disbelief (especially when “Time of My Life” is anachronistically used in the end scene) and because of it Dirty Dancing looks less like a period piece and more like typical 1980s Hollywood product. Audience nostalgic towards the era probably wouldn’t mind, but the rest of the audience might ask what was all the fuss about this film.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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