Screenplay:
Horace JacksonCinematography:
Leo ToverCast:
George Raft, Carole Lombard, Sally Rand, Frances Drake, William Frawley, Gertrude Michael, Ray Milland, Gloria Shea, Ann Sheridan, Martha Bamattre (more)Plots(1)
Bolero stars George Raft as Raoul de Barre, an arrogant dancer who rises to fame in the years prior to, during, and after WW I. Raoul is helped along the way by his promoter brother Mike (William Frawley) and scores of willing females, matriculating from two-bit gigolo to the greatest ballroom dancer in Paris. Determining that nothing will stand in his way to the top, he regularly fires any female dancing partner who has the misfortune to fall in love with him -- until the last of his partners, the beautiful Helen (Carole Lombard) beats him to the punch by walking out on him. His heart weakened during the war, Raoul aspires to open his own nightclub, despite warnings that if he ever dances again the consequences will be fatal. On opening night of his new establishment, Raoul dances Maurice Ravel's "Bolero" with Helen, now the wife of a British nobleman. Having reached his emotional and professional pinnacle, Raoul collapses and dies in his dressing room -- as the nightclub patrons, oblivious to his fate, loudly demand an encore. Surprisingly, George Raft and Carole Lombard's dancing is doubled by others, but the same cannot be said of the inimitable Sally Rand, whose famous fan dance is tastefully re-created here. Raft and Lombard later reteamed in 1935's Rumba. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Cast
George Raft
USA
Best movies:
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Scarface (1932)
Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
Carole Lombard
USA
Best movies:
To Be or Not to Be (1942)
Zelig (1983) - a.f.
My Man Godfrey (1936)
Sally Rand
USA
Best movies:
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925)
The Sign of the Cross (1932)
The King of Kings (1927)
Frances Drake
USA
Best movies:
It's a Wonderful World (1939)
Les Misérables (1935)
Mad Love (1935)
William Frawley
USA
Best movies:
Monsieur Verdoux (1947)
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Gentleman Jim (1942)
Gertrude Michael
USA
Best movies:
Caged (1950)
Flamingo Road (1949)
Cleopatra (1934)
Ray Milland
UK
Best movies:
Dial M for Murder (1954)
The Lost Weekend (1945)
Love Story (1970)
Gloria Shea
USA
Ann Sheridan
USA
Best movies:
Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
Dodge City (1939)
Woman on the Run (1950)
Martha Bamattre
Switzerland
Best movies:
The Great Sinner (1949)
An American in Paris (1951)
To Catch a Thief (1955)
Julanne Johnston
USA
Best movies:
The Thief of Bagdad (1924)
The Big Parade (1925)
The Scarlet Empress (1934)
Dell Henderson
Canada
Best movies:
Laurel and Hardy's Laughing 20's (1965) - a.f.
The Crowd (1928)
Our Relations (1936)
William H. O'Brien
Australia
Best movies:
Some Like It Hot (1959)
The Mysterious Lady (1928)
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Jack Chefe
Russian Empire
Best movies:
Miracle of Fatima (1952)
It Started with Eve (1941)
All About Eve (1950)
Larry Steers
USA
Best movies:
Love Crazy (1941)
The Gold Rush (1925)
The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)
William Irving
German Empire
Best movies:
The Great Dictator (1940)
All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
The Cameraman (1928)
William Wagner
USA
Best movies:
It Happened One Night (1934)
The Gay Divorcee (1934)
My Man Godfrey (1936)
Elinor Fair
USA
Best movies:
The Scarlet Empress (1934)
Broadway Bill (1934)
Heinie Conklin
USA
Best movies:
Modern Times (1936)
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
The Circus (1928)
Adolph Milar
Switzerland
Best movies:
Come and Get It (1936)
Man Hunt (1941)
Platinum Blonde (1931)