THE UNFINISHED DANCE
US, 1947, 101 minutes, Colour.
Margaret O'Brien, Cyd Charisse, Danny Thomas, Karin Booth.
Directed by Henry Koster.
The Unfinished Dance was a star vehicle for child star Margaret O'Brien. She had had a significant career during the '40s with such films as Journey for Margaret, Our Vines Have Tender Grapes, Meet Me In St. Louis. As she grew older, she failed to make the transition from child star to adult star.
This ballet story gives her a chance for emotion - and also for some ballet dancing. The bulk of the dancing falls to Cyd Charisse who was emerging as an M.G.M. musical star at this time. She was to achieve great fame in the next decade for her contemporary dance style as well as for classical styles. Here she concentrates on ballet dancing. The film also introduces comedian Danny Thomas in a sympathetic and sentimentally comic role. Direction is by Henry Koster who directed some of Deanna Durbin's films, moved to light comedy with such films as The Bishop's Wife and directed a number of the Cinemascope spectacles of the '50s including the first Cinemascope film The Robe.
1. The appeal of this kind of film? Adult audiences? Children? The feminine appeal?
2. M.G.M. production values: colour photography, staging of ballet sequences? Glossy production values? Musical score - with classical excerpts?
3. The adaptation of a French story to the United States? The French touches - in characters and names? Adaptation for a star vehicle for Margaret O'Brien? The highlighting of Cyd Charisse's dancing?
4. The appeal of the ballet? The introductory comments about singing and dancing and the beauty of dance? The visual beauty of the ballet sequences? The style for photographing the dancing, the movements, the tableaux? The pleasure of seeing the ballet excerpts?
5. The prologue about love and hatred? Love and too much love and its destructive force? Fear, lies? Tragedy and change for the better? New opportunities?
6. Margaret O'Brien and her talent - acting, dancing? Her sentimental appeal? Her watching Mademoiselle Bouchet? Her admiration for her, following her about? The credibility of what she was to do to Darina? Her friendship with Josie, the jealousy of Phyllis? Her hatred of Darina? Her scheme and the misadventure of Darina's accident? Her fear? Worries, dreams? Mr. Paneros and his help? Her absent aunt? The head of the dancing school and her wanting Meg to leave? Her more favourable regard after Mr. Paneros' intervention? The dancing classes? Her home life? Her friendship with Josie and giving her the hat? Her fear of the devil in the ballet? Mr. Paneros and his invitation for her to share her secret? Her going to tell Darina the truth and her not being able to, her dancing for her, her admiration for Darina? Phyllis' threats, Josie and the temptation of the coat, her final betrayal after not winning the Butterfly role? Darina's helping Meg to dance, the audition for the Butterfly role, her winning? Her fears of the revelation of the truth and her terror after the performance? Mr. Paneros persuading her to go for a holiday? The reconciliation with Darina and forgiveness? The possibility of a future? The blend of the monstrous and the charming?
7. Arianne and her skill, superficial personality, her ambitions, self-regard, love of clothes and wealth, her fiance? Her gaining the lead roles and her success? Her lack of interest in Darina? Her response to Meg - superficial? Her decision to marry? Darina telling her the truth - and her finding a new force in her dancing? Cyd Charisse's skill?
8. Darina and her reputation, ability? The crisis situation and Meg's hatred? Swan Lake and her becoming the victim of Meg's hatred? Her injury, coping, help from Olga, the possibility of dancing again and her failing, wanting to teach, the discovery of the truth and its pain, her forgiving Meg and wanting to help her?
9. Mr. Paneros - Danny Thomas and his sentiment, comedy? The watch and the head of the school - and later using it for Darina? His awkwardness, sincerity, help? His unmasking the ballet dancer devil? Meals, words of wisdom for Meg? His going to see Darina and telling the truth? A kindly man? (Would he be happy with Meg's aunt?!)
10. The schoolgirls, their dancing, jealousies, bickering? The Butterfly auditions? Friendships and betrayals?
11. The atmosphere of the dancing school: the head of the school, Olga and her support of Darina, the managers and the publicity people?
12. The focus on the world of the child and the child's perspective on life, things larger than life, love, hatred, fear? Learning to cope? The dire repercussions?
13. The world of the arts, ballet - and the possibilities of jealousy and destruction?
14. How persuasive were the melodramatic sequences? The preparation for the accident? The two men at work - and their talking about drinking?
15. A family film? Comedy? Dance? Sweetness and tragedy?
