Dirty Dancing (1987)

	Directed by: Emile Ardolino	COUNTRY USA GENRE Dance/Romance/Drama NORWEGIAN TITLE Dirty Dancing RUNNING TIME 97 minutes
	Produced by: Linda Gottlieb Eleanor Bergstein
	Written by: Eleanor Bergstein

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Baby	Jennifer Grey
Johnny Castle	Patrick Swayze
Dr. Jake Houseman	Jerry Orbach	½
Penny Johnson	Cynthia Rhodes	½
Max Kellerman	Jack Weston	½

Review

This instant success has become a cult classic within certain groups and demographics. And no wonder – it is the sweetest, most dreamy story any girl can hope for, equalling The Frog Prince, equalling Cinderella. The story is naive and saccharine, but also completely irresistible. The execution, from Emile Ardolino's direction to Kenny Ortega's choreography and Jeff Jur's photography, is enticingly delicate and well-proportioned. The script is also clever in all its simplicity – the important scenes are given an earnestness and acted with true inspiration by the lead performers. Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze are the perfect match, their differences completely compatible. Shrewdly and seductively, Dirty Dancing takes hold of you and imposes its steamy, at times magic universe, almost covering up the fact that it is 1980s music and spirit we are being presented.