That's Dancing!

This is the way to see Hollywood dance sequences: no flimsy plot or vacuous dialogue, just the dancers doing their stuff. The only problem is that the pleasure of seeing the clips themselves is compromised by the sycophantic narration (Liza Minnelli's contribution in particular) and the random chronology of the arbitrary selection. So, while we may be mesmerised by the extraordinary silent Charleston sequence from So This Is Paris or the kaleidoscopic patterns of Busby Berkeley's 42nd Street, the compilation itself is a formless mess. An extraneous ballet sequence featuring Mikhail Baryshnikov sticks out like a sore toe amid the furious tap dancing of the Nicholas Brothers, the sinuous sexiness of Cyd Charisse, and a charming ad-lib routine featuring Shirley Temple and 'Mr Bojangles'. And when the suave smoothness of Fred and Ginger in Swing Time gives way to the tight-trousered posturing of John Travolta and the gymnastic gracelessness of flashdancer Marine Jahan, the nostalgia bubble bursts.