"Bolero" is a pleasant little film....not one I'd rush out to see but one still worth seeing. It's particularly nice because although George Raft is known more for playing tough guys, here he's actually doing what he did best...dance.
When the film begins, Raoul (Raft) is working in a dance hall...dancing with old ladies for a pittance. He knows he's too good for that and soon find himself a dance partner and they hit it big in nightclubs. But there's a problem...Raoul always maintained that this was business but his partner is more interested in romance and her professionalism was lacking. Soon, he meets Helen (Carole Lombard) and she agees with him...it's business. And, not surprisingly, the act hits it even bigger...so big that Raoul has the money to do what he's drempt about...open his own nightclub. But a pesky little thing called WWI intervenes....so what's next?
The most interesting thing about this film for me was its Pre-Code sensibilities. Because Hollywood routinely ignored the old Production Code, a few shocking things occur in this one...such as a supporting actress being Sally Rand (doing a cleaned up version of her famous fan dance) and Raft with his hands on Lombard's boobs during the Bolero number! Shocking to imagine but things were pretty rique back before July, 1934!
Overall, a pleasant musical which is a tad better because again and again, the film surprised me by not using all the usual cliches and story elements. See the picture...see what I mean.
When the film begins, Raoul (Raft) is working in a dance hall...dancing with old ladies for a pittance. He knows he's too good for that and soon find himself a dance partner and they hit it big in nightclubs. But there's a problem...Raoul always maintained that this was business but his partner is more interested in romance and her professionalism was lacking. Soon, he meets Helen (Carole Lombard) and she agees with him...it's business. And, not surprisingly, the act hits it even bigger...so big that Raoul has the money to do what he's drempt about...open his own nightclub. But a pesky little thing called WWI intervenes....so what's next?
The most interesting thing about this film for me was its Pre-Code sensibilities. Because Hollywood routinely ignored the old Production Code, a few shocking things occur in this one...such as a supporting actress being Sally Rand (doing a cleaned up version of her famous fan dance) and Raft with his hands on Lombard's boobs during the Bolero number! Shocking to imagine but things were pretty rique back before July, 1934!
Overall, a pleasant musical which is a tad better because again and again, the film surprised me by not using all the usual cliches and story elements. See the picture...see what I mean.