DIRTY DANCING (1987)

"Nobody puts Baby in a corner."

For as old as it is DIRTY DANCING has held up remarkably well.  I guess it has to do with the 1963 setting.  During the summer of 1963, the Houseman family (mom, dad, two late-20's teenage daughters) go a for a summer vacation up at a Catskill Mountains resort.  The resort is geared more towards the older crowd, so younger daughter "Baby" is bored.  That is until she discovers some of the staff secretly "dirty dancing" over in their private quarters.  The initial display of dirty dancing is pretty much just vertical, clothed dry-humping, but later when Baby is convinced to substitute for a sick dancer at a dance performance at another resort, the dancing is pretty subdued.  Even in their private time we never get to see Baby truly dirty dancing like we saw at the beginning.  Although I guess the "dirty" in dirty dancing simply refers to Rock N' Roll.

Lack of dirty dancing aside, DIRTY DANCING is still a fun film.  The quality of the filmmaking is better than I expected and I really got into the relationship of Baby and the resorts number one dancing stud, Johnny Castle.  It's easy to see why this film was so popular upon its initial release.  Great music (I loved the Mickey & Sylvia - "Love Is Strange" scene), good pace, nice photography, Patrick Swayze looking dreamy as fuck, an illegal abortion, Jennifer Grey looking properly nerdy, but then blossoming and becoming more confident in her own sexuality, strong acting (especially by Jerry Orbach), jean shorts, classic cars, beautiful scenery. Now I want to know if Baby and Johnny stayed together?  As much as I would like for them to, I think that after that summer they drifted apart, mainly for the reasons Johnny stated earlier: they come from different walks of life.  Or maybe he joined her in the Peace Corps and they taught dancing.  Johnny and Baby dancing to "I Can't Help Myself" by The Four Tops, smiling while looking into each other eyes, on the an African savanna with the sun going down behind them, surrounded by dozens of smiling little faces. Yeah, I think I'll go with that.

Prequel - Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)

THE FROGMEN (1951)

The "prima donnas" of Underwater Demolition Team #4 have a new commander (Richard Widmark) and they're all butthurt over it because their last commander was a real man and this guy's just a turkey!  They hate his guts.  Behind his back they even call him Richard "Skidmark" Widmark.  Alright, that didn't really happen, but when, during a mission to scout a beach's underwater obstacles before an invasion, he makes a decision that they see as cowardly, they really get their panties in a bunch.  Moral is low, but Widmark is so focused on the mission he doesn't have time to pamper his men.  Things only get worse when on the next mission a guy is shot doing something stupid.  Will Widmark be able to earn the respect of his men or will their petty squabbles cause all of the men to transfer?

THE FROGMEN was fun film.  I love the standard WWII movie, they're usually about airmen, armored cavalry or grunts, but seeing one about an underwater demolition unit is pretty unique.  Honestly, I can't even think of another one off the top of my head.  Strong (all male) cast, exciting underwater scenes, quick pace, Harvey Lembeck, Navy ships, explosions, heroism.  Highly recommended for WWII Navy buffs.

If you pay close enough attention, you'll see a young Jack Warden in a brief role (the sailor who spills water on Dana Andrews shoes) and Robert Wagner in an even briefer role (all he does is stand there and say "Aye aye, sir." to Gary Merrill).

In one scene a UDT guy swims onshore and plants a sign on the beach welcoming the Marines.  I'm curious if anything like this ever happened in real life?

Underwater Demolition Team Team?