That's Dancing!


That's Dancing! is a 1985 American compilation film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that looked back at the history of dancing in film. Unlike the That's Entertainment! series, this film not only focuses specifically on MGM films, but also included films from other studios.
A highlight of the film was the first theatrical release of a complete dance routine by Ray Bolger for his "If I Only Had a Brain" number that had been shortened in The [Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz].

Summary

The hosts for this film are Gene Kelly, Ray Bolger, Liza Minnelli, Sammy Davis Jr., and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Pop singer Kim Carnes was commissioned to sing an original song, "Invitation to Dance", that plays over the closing credits.
This film is sometimes considered part of the That's Entertainment! series, especially since its starting credits contain a card with the That's Entertainment! III title, but even though it shared studio and producers, it is considered a separate production. Jack Haley Jr., who wrote, produced and directed the first That's Entertainment! film, also wrote and directed this one, co-producing with longtime friend David Niven Jr. Haley's father, Jack Haley, had co-starred with Bolger in The Wizard of Oz.

Dedication

This film is dedicated to all dancers, especially those who devoted their lives to the development of their art long before there was a motion picture camera.

Appearances

Films featured

The Dumb Girl of Portici So [This Is Paris (1926 film)|So This Is Paris] Flying High 42nd Street Gold Diggers of 1933 Rufus Jones for President Dames The Gay Divorcee Gold Diggers of 1935 Broadway Melody of 1936 Roberta The Littlest Rebel Born to Dance Swing Time Honolulu The Wizard of Oz Gone with [the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind] On Your Toes Down Argentine Way Babes on Broadway Yankee Doodle Dandy Bathing Beauty Kismet The All-Star Bond Rally The Harvey Girls Till the Clouds Roll By Ziegfeld Follies Good News The [Red Shoes (1948 film)|The Red Shoes] Neptune's Daughter Three Little Words Royal Wedding An [American in Paris (film)|An American in Paris] The Merry Widow Singin' in the Rain The Band Wagon Give a Girl a Break Kiss Me Kate Latin Lovers Seven Brides for Seven Brothers It's Always Fair Weather Jupiter's Darling Oklahoma! Carousel Invitation to [the Dance (film)|Invitation to the Dance] Les Girls Silk Stockings Indiscreet tom thumb West Side Story Viva Las Vegas Sweet Charity The [Boy Friend (1971 film)|The Boy Friend] Cabaret Saturday Night Fever The Turning Point Fame Beat It

Home media

That's Dancing! was not included when the three That's Entertainment! films were released on DVD in 2004; it was instead released on its own in 2007. The DVD includes several behind-the-scenes promotional featurettes from 1985 on the making of the film, as well as its accompanying music video featuring Kim Carnes singing "Invitation to Dance" although the DVD omits both the video and song itself.