A Review of Dirty Dancing - Why It's Still a Classic After All These Years
When Patrick Swayze said, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner," as he took on the role of Johnny Castle, he likely had no idea that these words would be iconic decades later. The 1987 film Dirty Dancing continues to be a favorite source of inspiration, with many people using this iconic line to stand up for themselves. But where did this empowerment start? The story will captivate you.
The Movie Plot That Stole Hearts
Dirty Dancing follows the life and summer adventure of Frances "Baby" Houseman, a role portrayed by Jennifer Grey. See more details below:
A Summer of Change: Baby's Life Before the Catskills Resort
Frances, known to many as 'Baby', is your typical idealistic teenager who has gone through life sheltered from the hard facts of life. At 17, she dreams of studying economics and eventually joining the Peace Corps - her life is already mapped out, and she can't wait for the future. Her father, a physician, decides to take the family on a vacation in the Catskill Mountains at a resort owned by the Kellermans, who are close family friends. As the younger of two daughters, Baby expects this to be the typical relaxation spree.
A Dance That Changed Everything - Baby's Transformation with Johnny
For a while, Baby remains confined to the refined environment in the resort, what with fine dining and practiced etiquette. But curiosity gets the better of her, and she finds herself in the staff quarters. She's quite shocked to find them dancing in sensual ways - she can't stop staring. Her curiosity pushes her to interact with Johnny (Patrick Swayze), the dance instructor, and his cousin Billy (Neal Jones). She discovers her love for dancing and soon starts joining them as she discovers the joy of rhythmic dancing.
She soon discovers that Johnny and Penny (Cynthia Rhodes) are dance partners who participate in a seasonal dance performance where they get paid. At the time, Robbie (Max Cantor), a waiter, is dating Baby's sister, Lisa (Jane Brucker). Unfortunately, Robbie is quite a ladies' man and has even impregnated Penny, who wants to get an abortion but cannot afford it. So, Baby decides to help her out by borrowing money from her father. However, she hides the reason behind this, as her dance sessions remain a secret.
Even with Baby's financial assistance, the dancing duo (Johnny and Penny) cannot quite compete in the seasonal dance, which will cost them money. After all, Penny is not in a condition to perform optimally. Seeing how excited Baby is about the dances, Penny suggests that Baby take her place. Johnny is unsure about this as Baby is quite new to their world. But he soon agrees to it when Billy also chimes in, stating that the girl has the potential to be great.
The dance lessons start. At first, Baby struggles with the moves. But since she's determined, she starts showing improvement. Johnny soon realizes that she's more than a spoiled girl from a rich family and sees her for the radiant, lovely woman she is becoming. Slowly, an attraction starts building between the two, and it shows in the way they move their bodies to the beat. Even the mambo routine starts showing in all its sensuality. However, Baby still struggles with the climactic lift. "Hungry Eyes" plays during this scene, where Baby's training starts taking effect, and the chemistry becomes evident.
The Moment That Defined Dirty Dancing - Love, Rebellion, and the Perfect Lift
Baby and Johnny have fallen in love at this time and continue seeing each other behind her father's back. With Johnny's good looks, he gets a lot of attention, including from a guest, Vivian (Miranda Garrison), who wants a relationship with him. When he turns her down, she accuses him of stealing, and he loses his job. Baby sticks up for him and reveals that Johnny was with her on the night of the supposed theft. But even with this confession, the resort refuses to reinstate him.
It's the last day of the vacation, and Baby is eating with her family, looking devastated. Johnny suddenly walks in and states, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner." He takes her hand and leads her to the stage, where the song "I've had the time of my life" starts playing. The two break into a beautiful dance that ends with the climactic lift that Baby was previously unable to execute. At that moment, her father realizes just how wrong he was about Johnny and that Baby is so much more than his sheltered little girl.
With a mix of classics from the 1950s and 1960s like "Do You Love Me" and "She's Like the Wind", this movie was able to embrace a nostalgic and timeless appeal, which is why it remains iconic to this day.