The Dancers

George O'Brien stars as a runaway aristocrat who runs a sleazy bar in South America where he tries to forget Una (Madge Bellamy) who is back in England and living a wild life. She goes out dancing every night. Maxine (Alma Rubens) is a dancer in the South American club, and she's in love with O'Brien. They all lead dissolute lives.

While Una's stepmother (Alice Hollister) pressures her to marry an older rich man (Templar Saxe) she resists. She sleeps all day and only cares about the night clubs and dancing.

When O'Brien learns that he has inherited the family fortune, he sails for England and Una. But Una resists and finally admits to her wild life (she's pregnant) sure that O'Brien can never forgive or forget. She takes a radical step to end the relationship.

O'Brien (in a mustache) is quite good here in a role far removed from his smash hit of the previous year (THE IRON HORSE). He handles his dance scenes well. Alma Rubens dances wildly but still looks delicately beautiful. Madge Bellamy is just plain stunning here in her 20s flapper clothes and makeup. All three stars turn in solid performances.

This film was based on a West End play that caused a sensation in London in 1923 because of star, Tallulah Bankhead.

George O'Brien leaves England to make his fortune. He leaves confident in the promises he and Madge Bellamy have made to each other, to be true until they can wed. O'Brien is running a bar down in Argentina, where they dance, and Alma Rubens asks him to love her, but he is rue. Hen he receives word from London that his uncle the Lord has died and left him a million pounds, so he writes to Miss Bellamy -- for the first time ever, apparently -- that they can be wed, and leaves for the old homeland. The trouble is that they dance in London just like they do in Argentina, and she has not been true.

The copy I looked at was in pretty poor shape, looking like it was drawn from an old VHS, but needs must when the Devil drives, and it was adequate to the viewing. The story isn't much, although clearly it was intended to be racy for 1925, a typical Fox programmer for the up-and-coming trio of young stars. Director Emmett J. Flynn offers his usual care, with some nice dancing sequences, but O'Brien looks rather silly in his mustache. Still, Miss Rubens is quite lovely, and all three give good performances.