Starring Maureen Stapleton, Charles Durning, Charlotte Rae, and Michael Brandon
Directed by Sam O'Steen
Music by Billy Goldenberg; Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman
First of all, this review is dedicated to my good friend Linda Young, who suggested it a month ago after I mentioned listening to the Ballroom cast album. Thanks, Linda.
Let's jump-start the cold winter months with a double-dose of small-screen nostalgia from the 70's and 80's that have a lot in common. They fondly recall the nightclubs and ballrooms of the 30's and 40's at a time when ballrooms were the home of elderly dancers reliving their younger years and nightclubs were more likely to feature DJs playing disco than big bands. We'll put on our dancing pumps and head to the ballroom first with this sweet story of a widow who learns life really does begin after fifty when she starts going to a local ballroom regularly and falls for an equally lost mail man. Does this story still resonate, even long after the ballrooms have long vanished? Let's begin with Bea Asher (Stapleton) and her family at the hospital as they receive devastating news and find out...
The Story: Bea is numb at first after her husband dies, until she decides to be her own boss and opens a thrift shop to sell all the things they accumulated over the years. She's even more devastated when her beloved son David (Brandon) and his family move across the country to Los Angeles after he gets a better job. Her waitress friend Angie (Jacqueline Hyde) insists on taking her out to the Stardust Ballroom for a night of dancing. Bea hasn't danced in years, and she feels frumpy and out of place among the beautiful older women there...until she meets Al (Durning). Al has been looking for the right partner, and he's enchanted by gentle, kind Bea.
One date at the Stardust becomes many, and Bea becomes far more confident. She dyes her hair, wears brighter clothes, and stands up to her pushy sister Helen (Rae) and uptight daughter Diane (Beverly Sanders) who disapprove of all the time she spends not bowing to them. Al and the ballroom become her second home and her lifeline, even after she finds out the truth of why Al is there. She's never been happier, even competing in the big dance show to become the annual Queen of the Stardust Ballroom with Al by her side.
The Song and Dance: This was a huge hit for CBS in the winter of 1975...and it's not hard to see why. The simple, touching story is unusually and refreshingly realistic for a musical. Stapleton is devastating as the woman who has spent her whole life kowtowing to her husband and family's wishes and finally discovers who she is on the dance floor. During equally matches her as the dashing mail man she falls for with secrets of his own. The gritty cinematography contrasting the glamorous ballroom with Bea's Bronx neighborhood won an Emmy, as did the lovely choreography by Marge Champion.
The Numbers: We open with Bea's devastating sung-spoken "Who Gave You Permission?" as she wanders around her Bronx home, wondering what she's doing to do without her husband. She reprises it later, actually singing this time as she changes her hair, updates her wardrobe, and realizes she doesn't need anyone's permission to enjoy life. She's hoping "Pennies and Dreams" will be enough to get her through when she realizes how much of life she's been collecting and not living and wonders if her new life is "A Big Mistake." Singer Martha Tilton performs "Call Me Yours" at the ballroom when Al tries to get Bea to dance. Al, for his part, realizes how "Suddenly It's You" and that Bea is the dance partner he's been waiting for. "I Love to Dance" is their charming duet in the finale at the Queen dance off as they sing about the delights of couples dancing. There's also all of the instrumental chorus numbers at the ballroom, including the one after Bea dyes her hair where Bea and Al win third place in a contest for free ballroom passes.
Trivia: The musical was so well-received, it was expanded into a full Broadway show, Ballroom, in 1978. Alas, it had a lot of trouble on the road in previews. Director-choreographer Michael Bennett wanted to emphasize the dancing and had most of the character songs from the film, including "Suddenly It's You" and "Who Gave You Permission," cut. The show barely ran two months and lost a ton of money despite featuring Tony-nominated performances by Dorothy Loudon and Vincent Gardenia in the leads. It would be reworked in 1998 for a Chicago production under the title Queen of the Stardust Ballroom, restoring the cut material and once again focusing on Bea and Al.
What I Don't Like: The ballroom dance sequences aside, this is not a big, brassy musical. This is the small, sweet story of one woman's self-discovery and working through grief. Some people may wonder why she stuck with Al, despite him being married. Others may find the entire story dated. I wasn't enamored with the tragic ending. In fact, this is one place I think the stage version actually works better. The stage musical ends with Bea becoming the queen and accepting Al despite his marriage. Her sudden death doesn't really jive with all the self-discovery that came before it, even if it does give Durning one last, touching scene leaning over her while realizing he'll never have another partner - or love - like her.
The Big Finale: If you're a fan of ballroom dance or either of the leads, or are looking for a sweet, lower-key musical, I highly recommend this lovely look at one woman's journey through grief and into self-love via dance.
Home Media: Easily found in all formats, but the discs do tend to be pricey. Your best bet here may be streaming. It can currently be found for free at Tubi with commercials.
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