the beginning: beyond fred, ginger & gene

This is the start of my tribute to memorable dance sequences on film and, in the spirit of this site, the usual suspects will not be included. There's nothing here with Astaire, Rogers or Kelly. Instead, each day throughout April, I'll showcase a dance that, from where I sit, has gone, well, unsung.

First up: Tommy Rall and Bob Fosse dancing up a storm in "The Competition" (aka, "No Room for Mr. Gloom") from Richard Quine's delightful 1955 film musical, "My Sister Eileen." The basis for the number is simple: Both Fosse and Rall are vying for Janet Leigh's attention, with each one trying to prove himself the better man - or, in this case, dancer.

It's a game of terpsichorean oneupsmanship, very cleverly executed.

The number: "The Competition"/"No Room for Mr. Gloom" (The unused lyric for "No Room for Mr. Gloom" was written by Leo Robin, Styne's writing partner on the excellent "My Sister Eileen" score.)

The composer: Jule Styne

The choreographer: Bob Fosse

The dancers: Tommy Rall and Fosse

The cinemtographer: Charles Lawton, Jr.

The editor: Charles Nelson

The production designer: Walter Holscher