Bolero (1934 film)
| Bolero | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Wesley Ruggles |
| Written by |
Carey Wilson Kubec Glasmon Ruth Ridenour Horace Jackson |
| Starring |
George Raft Carole Lombard Sally Rand Ray Milland William Frawley |
| Music by |
Ralph Rainger Maurice Ravel |
| Cinematography | Leo Tover |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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85 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Bolero is a 1934 American pre-Code musical drama film starring George Raft and Carole Lombard, and directed by Wesley Ruggles. The movie was a rare chance for Raft to star and to play a dancer, which had been his profession in New York City, rather than portraying a gangster. The film takes its title from the Maurice Ravel composition Boléro (1928). The supporting cast features William Frawley, Ray Milland, and Sally Rand.
The film opens shortly before World War I. Raoul De Baere (Raft) is a dancer from New York City, aiming to become king of the European nightclub circuit. He tries to get Annette (famed exotic dancer Sally Rand) to be his dancing partner, but she refuses. He recruits Helen Hathaway (Lombard), instead, and devises a very athletic routine to be accompanied by Ravel's Boléro (an anachronism, as the composition was not written until 1928).
He falls in love with Helen, but this is unrequited, and she marries Lord Robert Coray (Milland). Raoul serves in the United States Army in World War I, and emerges with a weakened heart. Nevertheless, he vows to carry on with his career. He opens a smart nightclub in Paris, and recruits Annette (now desperate for work) as his new partner. On the opening night, as he is about to start the show, he finds her drunk and unable to perform. Fortunately, Helen is in the audience and agrees to stand in. Raoul hopes that she will rejoin him. Desperate to impress the audience, he overdoes his athletic routine, collapses, and dies.
The film was released before rigorous enforcement of the Hollywood Production Code would come into effect on July 1, 1934, under which at least two scenes would have been banned by the code. Firstly, George Raft tells Carole Lombard, when she auditions in his hotel room, to do so in her underwear; she complies. Later, Rand performs her famous fan dance, in which she hides her nudity with two strategically positioned ostrich-feather fans. A double was used for Lombard in many of the shots in the dance scenes. Although regarded as a musical, the film has no songs.
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