And last night, on what felt like one of the lasts nights of summer, I watched Dirty Dancing. Again. This is a movie I could watch every day and never tire of it. I know every line, and a few key dance moves. Dirty Dancing isn't just one of the greatest chick flicks of all time, its one of my all time favorite movies. And here's why:
1. The suprisingly progressive story line. Baby is "going to Mount Holyoke in the fall," at a time where its perfectly acceptable for her older sister Lisa to "decorate." She wants to join the peace corps after that. She cares about starving children in east Asia and monks burning themselves in protest. Baby wants to save the world and that's exactly why Johnny falls in love with her. Now we won't even get into the whole "Penny's in trouble" plot, but let's just give the movie overall props for a pro-female story that still allows the heroine to fall in love.
2. The clothes, of course! Baby's outfits are somehow a perfect combination of 60s and 80s trends and no one will ever look as cute in white keds as she did sneaking off to dance practice. Also, her sweet natural curls . . . I've tried to cut my hair like this many a times . . . no one has ever pulled me out of a corner.
every girl wants a dress that twirls
maxi skirt and tied up shirt? totally in right now!
adorable!
3. Johnny Castle. I mean, what else is there to say?
He's a bad boy with a good heart and he genuinely loves Baby for who she is, watermelon carrying and goofy dance moves. His dance moves are divine and if you get to the end of the movie without developing a crush . . . well just wait for this part.
When Johnny lifts up Baby... er, Francis? and then sings "I owe it all to you"- I melt, everytime.
4. Dirty Dancing is the perfect summer fling movie. We don't know what happens to Johnny and Baby after their Kellerman's reunion. But lets face it. Baby goes to college, joins the peace corps, meets a Harvard grad and former Freedom Rider and they eventually settle down and raise their daughters to be confident and optimistic and brave. Johnny opens a dance studio in the city with Penny and never feels ashamed about who he is and where he came from. What? You've never thought of that? The point is, we don't need to know. We know they had the time of their life!
5. The "Cry to Me" scene. ( Sorry I couldnt embed. But you should click and watch it. Now.)
This scene goes down in history for me as the greatest movie love scene of all time. If you're ever in a cabin in the Catskills, wearing white jeans and a peasant top and pouring your heart out to a guy and a Solomon Burke song comes on . . Just ask him to dance. You'll thank me later.
"Join hands and hearts and voices, voices, hearts and hands,
At Kellerman's the friendships last long as the mountains stand."
Thanks for the good times Kellerman's- see ya next summer!
What's your favorite summer movie?
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