What Was Dirty Dancing in 1987, Isn’t That Dirty in 2008

I wasn’t very old when Dirty Dancing first came out, okay I was 3, almost 4 years old and it is one of the first movies (not animated) that I actually remember watching. My Mother loved this movie and I was so small that I could watch it without catching the “dirty” parts, so that was pretty convenient for her.

Fast forward over 20 years later and Dirty Dancing is still a pretty popular movie, it has officially stood the test of time.

It is in Dirty Dancing that we meet the lovable character Baby (Jennifer Grey). While her real name is Frances, her family, friends and acquaintances all call her by Baby. Baby is traveling with her family for a 3 week vacation to Kellerman’s, an all inclusive resort in the Catskills and it is 1963

It is during this vacation that Baby is introduced to dancing and more importantly she gets acquainted with the main dancers of the establishment Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) and Penny Johnson (Cynthia Rhodes). At first Baby is attracted to Johnny, but assumes that him and his dance partner are a couple. She couldn’t be more wrong and once she realizes, Baby is on no less than a hunt for Johnny’s attention.

It also, doesn’t take long for us to realize that Penny is in a bit of a ‘delicate’ position and that is when Baby really steps in. After realizing the problem, the lack of cash to fix it, she asks her Dad (Jerry Orbach) for some money, but she says she can’t share why she needs it. Trusting her, her Dad gives her the money which leaves Johnny and Penny with one last problem, who will dance in her place at a nearby resort the night of her doctors appointment? Helping Baby jumps in one last time and offers to learn the dance and fill in for her.

The only problem with Baby’s helping hand is that she shouldn’t even really be speaking to the ‘help’ this much, not to mention her Father would kill her. So, she sneaks around, learns the dance and also tries to win her man…

Dirty Dancing came out in 1987 and was a big success back then, but no one probably realized the longevity that it really had. Today, people are still watching Dirty Dancing and enjoying it. It is one of those movies that is timeless.

The plot of the movie, in all terms of ‘romances’, generally isn’t that special, but the cast really did a good job and the musical numbers and dancing scenes are the most memorable parts of the movie. It’s apparent at first that Baby is uncomfortable dancing with Johnny, but she really gets into it and loosens up, eventually.

The character Jennifer Grey portrays is an excellent character that anyone can look up to also. While she comes off as naïve in many situations, she truly tries to be helpful and optimistic regardless of the situation or who she is dealing with.

All of the actors do an excellent job with their characters and portraying them in a believable fashion, this is something that doesn’t always work as a cohesive unit in a movie. I think it is something that has made Dirty Dancing special.

The songs and dancing in the movie are just as memorable, if not more so than the actors. Most people would be able to recall some of the songs in this film, very easily - I know I could. The dancers do a great job, as do Swayze and Grey.

Overall Dirty Dancing is an excellent movie for all ages. Even though it is rated PG-13 I think it is suitable for any age, because younger children won’t catch on to the illusions provided in the movie. Not only is Dirty Dancing a love story, it is the birth of a new generation.