Strictly Ballroom

Strictly Ballroom is the name of a 1986 play and its 1992 film adaptation. Both play and film were written by Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce. The film was directed by Luhrmann.

Strictly Ballroom is a romantic comedy telling the story of an Australian ballroom dancer, Scott Hastings. Having come from a family with a history of ballroom dancing, Scott has been training since childhood and has become very proficient. However, he encounters considerable resistance when he tries to dance his own steps in preference to the more traditional ballroom moves. His dancing partner Liz leaves him, and he eventually finds a new dancing partner, and love, with dancing student Fran, who takes lessons from Scott's mother. At the Pan-Pacific Grand Prix, Scott and Fran overcome the odds and practically bring down the house dancing the Paso Doble, which they have learned from Fran's father and grandmother. A sub-plot involves Scott's investigation of his parents' hidden past.

Style

The film plays with clichés and stereotypes, mocking and embracing them at the same time. Luhrmann has also commented that the film revolves around stories similar to David and Goliath and The Ugly Duckling, though whether he was merely commenting on the stories' similarities to the plotlines of the movie, or stating that the film was based on the stories, is unclear.

Original play

The film was an adaptation of an original short play of the same name created by Luhrmann and first staged in 1986. At the end of 1988, Luhrmann was approached by producer Tristram Miall to transform his play into a movie.

Luhrmann will revive the play onstage sometime in 2005, the director told Playbill.

Awards

Strictly Ballroom was a huge hit at the Cannes Film Festival, winning the Prix de Jeunesse award. It was sought after by distributors from across the world. Immediately after its showing at Cannes, it was sold to 86 countries for more than $10 million. It has been placed as the film option on the British and Irish school leaving examinations for English, alongside such classics as On the Waterfront and Ten Little Indians.

Cast

Paul Mercurio — Scott Hastings
Tara Morice — Fran
Bill Hunter — Barry Fife
Pat Thomson — Shirley Hastings
Gia Carides — Liz Holt
Peter Whitford — Les Kendall
Barry Otto — Doug Hastings
John Hannan — Ken Railings
Sonia Kruger — Tina Sparkle
Pip Mushin — Wayne Burns

Music

Among the songs featured on the soundtrack are:

"The Blue Danube"
New versions of "Love Is In The Air" (The Ballroom Mix) and "Standing In The Rain" by John Paul Young
A cover version of John Paul Young's "Yesterday's Hero" by Ignatius Jones
"Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" by Doris Day
A cover version of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" by Mark Williams and Tara Morice

External links

Narrative Structure and Social Meaning: Strictly Ballroom and Dead Heart, Academic study of the film

1992 films | Australian films | Romantic comedy films