Give a Girl a Break

Give a Girl a Break

Promotional movie poster for the film
Directed by Stanley Donen
Produced by Jack Cummings
Written by Vera Caspary
Frances Goodrich
Albert Hackett
Starring Marge Champion
Gower Champion
Debbie Reynolds
Music by Burton Lane
Cinematography William C. Mellor
Edited by Adrienne Fazan
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates
  • December 3, 1953
Running time
 84 min.
Country United States
Language English
Budget $1,746,000[1]
Box office $1,278,000[1]

Give a Girl a Break is a 1953 musical comedy film directed by Stanley Donen, starring Debbie Reynolds and the dance team of Marge and Gower Champion. A young Bob Fosse has a featured role.

Plot

When the temperamental star of a new Broadway musical revue in rehearsals walks out, director and choreographer Ted Sturgis (Gower Champion) suggests casting an unknown for the role. When it is announced in the newspapers, throngs of hopefuls show up. The revue's musical composer, Leo Belney (Kurt Kasznar), champions ballerina Joanna Moss, while gofer Bob Dowdy (Bob Fosse) is enchanted by novice Suzy Doolittle (Debbie Reynolds). Then producer Felix Jordan (Larry Keating) persuades Ted's former dance partner, Madelyn Corlane (Marge Champion), to come out of retirement to try out, much to Ted's great discomfort.

Songs

Ira Gershwin and Burton Lane wrote Applause, Applause for the film.[2]

Cast

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $772,000 in the US and Canada and $506,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $1,156,000.[1]

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. ↑ Deena Rosenberg Fascinating Rhythm: The Collaboration of George and Ira Gershwin 1991 "In 1953, Ira and Burton Lane wrote Give a Girl a Break, which featured the song "Applause, Applause."

External links