Research Paper 3: Film
April 25, 2011
Dirty Dancing: The Movie
Some may believe that the movie Dirty Dancing is just a dancing movie but there are several issues that arise in the movie. Some issues that occurred in the movie are illegal abortion, stealing, falling in love with the wrong person, the differences in being rich and poor, affairs, premarital sex, having sex with multiple partners, growing up, seeing the times changing, the differences between sisters, going against family’s beliefs, and jealousy. The movie tells the story of Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey) growing up and falling in love (Gottlieb, & Ardolino, 1987). The iconic film, Dirty Dancing, from 1987 is continuing to be popular even twenty-four years later.
“Baby” begins as a very naïve teenager that is a daddy’s little girl. Her sister, Lisa is a very much goody-goody, wears more normal clothing for her age, and is into boys more than Baby. Johnny Castle is that bad boy dance partner that in the end Baby falls in love with. Penny is Johnny’s dance partner that has a botched illegal abortion that Baby’s father unknowingly paid for and then helped her because he is a doctor. Robbie was the father of Penny’s baby but he wanted nothing to do with her. Lisa also liked Robbie, and was going to have sex with him, but he was with another person at the time. Dr. Jake Houseman was Baby and Lisa’s father that wanted the best for his daughters and did not enjoy seeing Baby growing up. The Schumachers were a little old couple that seemed the sweetest but were actually wanted in a few states and had made a profit from stealing peoples’ wallets at the surrounding hotels (Gottlieb, & Ardolino, 1987).
The story begins as the Houseman family arrives at a Castkill’s resort called Kellermans in the summer of 1963. While exploring the property she found where the entertainment staff has their parties and joined them. She is surprised at their risqué dancing because it is nowhere near the proper dancing that she was exposed to prior. She finds out that Penny wanted to have an abortion and asks her father for the $250 to fund the illegal abortion. Baby then has to learn Penny’s dance moves to cover for her during Penny and Johnny’s dance job at a nearby hotel. Unfortunately, the abortion was not a good one because the so called doctor had a folding table, dirty knife, and no drugs. When Baby realizes how sick Penny is, she gets her father so that he can rectify the botched abortion. When Penny’s father asks who is responsible for Penny’s pregnancy, Johnny says he is even though Robbie is really the one responsible (Gottlieb, & Ardolino, 1987). Instead of Baby following her father’s instructions, she goes to Johnny’s room to apologize and they consummate their relationship. Penny realizes Johnny and Baby’s relationship and tells him to stop it because it is dangerous for the staff and guests to have sexual relationships. Johnny was fired because a jealous woman blamed him for stealing her husband’s wallet (W, &C, n.d.). His alibi was that he was alone in his room reading. Baby tells the boss that really she was with him, and Johnny is then fired for that reason. Baby is sad that she let down her family, and then he was still fired. Johnny on the other hand explains to her that nobody has ever done anything like that for him. Johnny leaves the resort but then returns for the iconic scene where he and Baby dance together to the song (I’ve Had) the Time of my Life. Dr. Houseman begins to give Robbie money for medical school, where he learns that Robbie was responsible for Penny’s situation. Dr. Houseman apologizes to Johnny for everything and tells Baby that she looked wonderful (Gottlieb, & Ardolino, 1987).
The last scene of the movie is definitely an iconic one where various people and TV shows have tried to recreate it. The last scene to the song (I’ve Had) the Time of my Life was recreated in a wedding dance and has generated more than 1.2 million views. The song (I’ve Had) the Time of my Life has become a popular first wedding dance choice and some even include the signature lift (Wong, Lynch, Stoynoff, & Sundel, 2007). One quote from the movie that almost did not make it in to the movie was “Nobody puts Baby in the corner.” That quote occurred when Johnny came back to the resort, found Baby sitting at the table with her parents, and took her to the stage where they did their beautiful dance. A less known quote but was a funny one was “I carried a watermelon.” In the beginning of the movie while exploring the resort grounds she finds an entertainment worker, which is Johnny’s cousin, carrying three watermelons, was sworn to secrecy, and enters the party. When Johnny asks his cousin why is she here, she just says “I carried a watermelon” (Gottlieb, & Ardolino, 1987).
Most of the actors did not think that this little summer movie would become such an iconic movie, even more than twenty years later. The movie’s budget was very small at $5 million. It has since grossed more than $170 million. The budget was so small that the extras were not provided a hot meal, but maybe at times peanut butter crackers. Jennifer Grey who played Frances “Baby” Houseman did not have that many big time roles because she was in a bad car accident and also had a nose job that made her look unrecognizable. On the other hand, Patrick Swayze who played Johnny Castle had a very successful career afterwards until his death to Pancreatic Cancer. The known star and who continued to be well known was Jerry Orbach who played Dr. Jake Houseman unfortunately also died to cancer. He became well known on Law and Order. Although the setting of the movie took place in the Catskills in New York, the filming was actually done in Virginia and North Carolina. That decision was based on filming in New York was too expensive (Wong, Lynch, Stoynoff, & Sundel, 2007).
In conclusion, Dirty Dancing is not a movie just about dancing but goes much deeper than that. It tells the story of how Baby grows up, does not follow her father’s instructions, and falls in love with the boy Johnny. A botched illegal abortion was also performed in the movie with it being unknowingly paid for by Baby’s father. In the end, Baby’s father was able to get all of the information and became happy for Baby falling in love, even though it was hard to see her grow up. The last scene of the movie continues to be an iconic scene with people even attempting to recreate it.
Works Cited
Gottlieb, L (Producer), & Ardolino, E (Director). (1987). Dirty dancing [Motion Picture]. USA: Lionsgate.
W, A, & C, L. (n.d.). Dirty dancing (1987) plot summary. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092890/plotsummary
Wong, M., Lynch, J., Stoynoff, N., & Sundel, J. (2007). Dirty dancing. People, 67(21), 110. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
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