Give a Girl a Break (1953)

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Approved
1h 22min
Comedy, Musical
03 Dec 1953 (USA)
Movie

6.3 (854)

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Broadway choreographer Ted Sturgis auditions dancers for a new musical after the lead walks out, with talent ranging from a ballerina to an untrained novice and his former partner, a retired star.

Director:

Stanley Donen

Writers:

Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich, Vera Caspary

Stars:

Reviews:

Photos and Videos

The star of an upcoming Broadway production, walks out during rehearsals. The producers of the show, begin to search a replacement. The rest of the movie tells in a series of musical and dance scenes how they finally pick.

Still of Debbie Reynolds (I), Bob Fosse and Lurene Tuttle in Give a Girl a Break (1953)

Still of Debbie Reynolds (I) and Bob Fosse in Give a Girl a Break (1953)

Still of Gower Champion and Marge Champion in Give a Girl a Break (1953)

Still of Gower Champion, Marge Champion and William Ching (I) in Give a Girl a Break (1953)

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31 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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	Marge Champion	...	Madelyn Corlane
	Gower Champion	...	Ted Sturgis
	Debbie Reynolds	...	Suzy Doolittle
	Helen Wood	...	Mrs. Olga Bradshaw / Joanna Moss
	Bob Fosse	...	Bob Dowdy
	Kurt Kasznar	...	Leo Belney
	Richard Anderson	...	Burton Bradshaw
	William Ching	...	Anson Prichett
	Lurene Tuttle	...	Mrs. Doolittle
	Larry Keating	...	Felix Jordan
	Donna Martell	...	Janet Hallson
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
	Dorothy Abbott	...	Chorine (uncredited)
	Jimmy Ames	...	Joe (uncredited)
	Jerry Antes	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Brandon Beach	...	Show Spectator (uncredited)
	Margaret Bert	...	Fanny (uncredited)
	Wanda Jay Bieber	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Donia Bussey	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Emilie Cabanne	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	John Call	...	Mr. Doolittle (uncredited)
	George Chakiris	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Helen Chapman	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Sonia Charsky	...	Margot (uncredited)
	Ruth Clifford	...	Madelyn's Mother (uncredited)
	Jonathan Cott	...	Assistant Director (uncredited)
	Carli Elinor	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	James Farrar	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	Mary Foran	...	Singer (uncredited)
	Inez Gorman	...	Miss Leslie (uncredited)
	Jane Howard	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Diana Howe	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	Eileen Howe	...	Model (uncredited)
	Duke Johnson	...	Juggler (uncredited)
	Harry C. Johnson	...	Juggler (uncredited)
	Donna Kaye	...	Contortionist (uncredited)
	Jan Kayne	...	Girl in Subway (uncredited)
	Colin Kenny	...	Man Leaving Bar (uncredited)
	Noelle Kent	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	June Lyden	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	Archer MacDonald	...	Peter (uncredited)
	Svetlana McLee	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Teresa Mitchell	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	Ralph Montgomery	...	Dresser (uncredited)
	Troy Patterson	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Sam Pierce	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	Shirley Powell	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	Erin Selwyn	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	Sandra Spence	...	Girl in Lavish Apartment (uncredited)
	Cy Stevens	...	Writer (uncredited)
	Sandra Stone	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Beverly Thompson	...	Dancer (uncredited)
	Marjorie Wood	...	Mme. Cerette (uncredited)
	Wilson Wood	...	Dog Trainer (uncredited)

Directed by

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Stanley Donen

...

(directed by)

Written by

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Albert Hackett	...	(screen play by) and
Frances Goodrich	...	(screen play by)

Vera Caspary	...	(story by)

Produced by

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Jack Cummings

...

producer

Music by

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Burton Lane
André Previn	...	(uncredited)

Cinematography by

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William C. Mellor

...

director of photography (as William Mellor)

Editing by

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Adrienne Fazan

Editorial Department

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Robert Brower	...	color consultant: Technicolor
Henri Jaffa	...	color consultant: Technicolor

Art Direction by

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Cedric Gibbons
Paul Groesse

Set Decoration by

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Arthur Krams
Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by

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Herschel McCoy	...	costume designer: men
Helen Rose	...	costume designer: women

Makeup Department

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Sydney Guilaroff	...	hair stylist
John Truwe	...	makeup artist
William Tuttle	...	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Marvin Stuart

...

assistant director

Sound Department

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Douglas Shearer

...

recording supervisor

Special Effects by

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Warren Newcombe	...	special effects
Irving G. Ries	...	special effects

Music Department

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Gower Champion	...	musical numbers staging
Saul Chaplin	...	musical director
Stanley Donen	...	musical numbers staging
Ira Gershwin	...	lyricist
André Previn	...	musical director
Wally Heglin	...	orchestrator (uncredited)
Bill Lee	...	singing voice: Gower Champion (uncredited)

Production Companies

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Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

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Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1953) (United States) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1953) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1954) (Sweden) (theatrical)
Metro (1956) (Norway) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1960) (France) (theatrical)
France 3 (2022) (France) (tv) (French subtitles)
The Criterion Channel (2019) (United States) (tv) (digital)

Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary	The star of an upcoming Broadway production, Janet Hallson, walks out during rehersals. The producers of the show, Ted Sturgis, Leo Belney and Bob Dowdy begin to search a replacement. After a quick audition, each favors someone else: Madelyn Corlane, Joanna Moss, Suzie Doolittle. The rest of the movie tells in a series of musical and dance scenes how they finally pick ... Written by Gerhard Gonter Plot Summary
Plot Keywords	title-co-written-by-female reference-to-montana pregnancy-announcement romantic-reconciliation reference-to-minnesota See All (102) »
Taglines	M-G-M's Breezy, Teasy - Color by TECHNICOLOR Musical See more »
Genres	Comedy Musical Romance
Parents Guide	View content advisory »
Certification	Australia:G Finland:S France:Tous publics Norway:A Sweden:Btl United Kingdom:U United States:Approved

Additional Details

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Also Known As	Donnez-lui une chance (France) Tres chicas con suerte (Spain) Dajcie dziewczynie szansę (Poland) Mai scutește-o! (Romania) Gençlere fırsat (Turkey, Turkish title) See more »
Runtime	82 min
Official Sites	Ira Gershwin
Country	United States
Language	English
Color	Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio	1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix	Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Filming Locations	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA See more »

Box Office

Budget

$1,200,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia	Although Stanley Donen and Gower Champion were credited with staging the musical numbers, Bob Fosse insisted on doing the choreography for his dance scenes. See more »
Goofs	The theater marquee on opening night says "Felix Jordan's New Review". It should be "New Revue". See more »
Movie Connections	Featured in That's Dancing! (1985). See more »
Soundtracks	Give A Girl A Break See more »
Quotes	Bob Dowdy: Wait a minute. This is show business! There's nothing you can't do in show business. You just got to try a little harder, that's all. Leo Belney: That's all. Ted Sturgis: That's all! Ted Sturgis, Bob Dowdy: [singing] There's no other way, Beginning today, You're going to work, Under pressure Leo Belney: But pressure, I will not know where I'm at Ted Sturgis, Bob Dowdy: You've gotta come through, And isn't it true, The new stuff you write, May be fresher Leo Belney: Yes, I've a thesis, Masterpieces, Often happen like that... See more »

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