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OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 1263

The Dance of Life

1929115 minUnited States
Musical
Video edition
Wikimedia Commons
Original language
English
This copy runs
111:35
Subtitles
No subtitle track in this language

Languages and subtitles

No subtitle track in this language

Wikimedia Commons · John Cromwell · Public domain

Synopsis

A burlesque comic and a dancer form an act after meeting at a railway station. Their professional partnership becomes a marriage, but his Broadway opportunity separates them and exposes the relationship to drink, neglect and another performer.

Cast

DirectorsJohn CromwellA. Edward Sutherland

Inspirations

The film adapts the stage play Burlesque. Hal Skelly repeated the role he had played on Broadway; the story later returned to the screen in Swing High, Swing Low and When My Baby Smiles at Me.

Behind the scenes

The surviving copies are black and white, although the original release included colour material.

Sources and availability

General references identify the work and its copy. A reference beside an editorial section is linked to the claims checked in that section.

Wikipedia — film referenceWikidata — film identity and credits

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

The public-domain references concern the original films in the United States. Rights can differ for other countries, editions, restorations, music or translations. Sources are listed on each film page.

Availability checked on September 16, 2026.

Photograph credit

Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.

  • Hal Skelly — Film screenshot (Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation); https://archive.org/details/TheDanceOfLifeaugust161929 · Public domain
  • Nancy Carroll — Unknown author Unknown author; https://www.ebay.com.sg/itm/NANCY-CARROLL-19-PHOTO-PRINT/120966786411?hash=item1c2a2ead6b:g:xWwAAMXQgoBRhf-A · Public domain

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