Dancing in the Dark (1949) DVD-R

Starring William Powell, Mark Stevens, Betsy Drake, Adolphe Menjou, Randy Stuart, Lloyd
Corrigan, Walter Catlett
Directed by Irving Reis

Print: color
Runtime: 92 min.
Genre: musical
Print Quality: B

This musical comedy stars William Powell as Emery Slade, who was once a major film star
but lately isn't getting much work. Arrogantly determined to climb back to the top, Slade
convinces studio chief Melville Crossman (Adolphe Menjou) to give him the male lead in the
film version of a Broadway musical. However, Crossman's offer comes with a catch: Emery
has to persuade the show's female lead to appear in the movie. Slade heads to New York to
seal the deal, but instead he discovers a gifted young unknown named Julie Clark (Betsy
Drake) and decides she's perfect for the role. Crossman is not too enthusiastic about this
news, and neither is publicist Bill Davis (Mark Stevens), who is given his pink slip along with
Slade. However, Slade is determined to make a career for Julie in Hollywood, though it's not
until later that he realizes why he feels so strongly about her. Movie buffs will get a kick out
of Menjou's performance, closely modeled on 20th Century Fox boss Darryl F. Zanuck.