User Reviews

"Private Lessons" is one of the best of the Vitaphone shorts from Warner Brothers. Hal LeRoy, a much better dancer than actor, sneaks into Dawn O'Day's dance studio via a window to sell the dancing girls taps for their shoes. He makes such an impression on them by his dancing and with his charms that he is taken in by Dawn to give private lessons. Unfortunately, he also stirs up petty jealousies among the dancers who begin spreading rumors that Hal is giving the gals a little something extra with their lessons. As a result, he is fired and so starts his own dance studio in the same building next door to Dawn's. Hal and Dawn had fallen in love before the rumor mill caused them to split and become rivals. Ultimately, love prevails; Hal and Dawn combine their studios and each other.

Made in 1934 in the wake of such Busby Berkeley masterpieces as "Footlight Parade," "Gold Diggers of 1933," and Forty-Second Street, "Private Lessons" is obviously influenced by those extravaganzas. The final kaleidoscopic dance choreographed by Paul Florenz has Berkeley written all over it. That doesn't make it any less pleasing to the eyes.

There are several good songs from the period included, such as "Let's Dance," but perhaps the standout song is sung by the talented Dorothy Dare as Babs Henderson, one of the gossip mongers with a crush on Hal. Dare makes "Red Headed and Blue" her own. She also belts out "Yoo Hoo Hoo," reminding one of the Boop-Oop-A-Doop Queen, Helen Kane, for whom the cartoon character, Betty Boop, was patterned.

Hal's romantic rival in "Private Lessons," John Humphries, is none other than future Superman, Kirk Alyn. Alyn's role is minor but he makes the most of it.

"Private Lessons" is an entertaining two-reel short (twenty-two minutes) that makes a good addendum to the Berkeley feature-length films of the day. The compact little story goes perfectly with the song and dance numbers.

I'll second another reviewer who came before me on this board, how Hal Le Roy managed to impress the dancers of the Dawn O'Day Dance School that he was a heart throb is a mystery to me. So much so that cutie Madge was offering to give Hal private lessons of her own, if you know what I mean. But Hal WAS pretty smooth on his feet when all is said and done. Watch out for that back kick though, you don't want to be in the vicinity when he cuts loose.

It's not too long into the story when Hal offers up the quickest marriage proposal in the shortest whirlwind romance in screen history. Not only that, but Dawn O'Day herself was already engaged to her business manager John Humphries. Talk about being dropped like a hot potato! I didn't realize it till I came to this film's IMDb page that the part of Humphries was played by movies' first Superman, Kirk Alyn. That role however would come a full decade and a half later.

The best part of this flick for me was the finale with that Busby Berkeley inspired 'snowflake' number, which in turn appeared to mimic the weather outside the window of the studio. That closing scene is cleverly done, with the dancers appearing in miniature under the watchful eye of Le Roy and O'Day.

Hal Le Roy is hired by Dawn O'Day to give some private lessons to some of the lady dance students in her school. Now it's obvious to EVERYONE but Hal and Dawn that the ladies only want the lessons so they can make love to Hal. This is inexplicable, as he's a gawky looking guy but somehow he's like a giant pork chop in a room full of hungry wolves!! However, later Hal is accused of making it with the students...which is awful as he's done nothing wrong and the women harassed HIM! So, to get back at the O'Day family, he decides to open up his own school of tap. But the battle is short-lived as the pair make up and merge the schools...and they live happily ever after.

This is basically a B-movie crammed into a two-reel format. Because of this the film is a bit rushed and the denouement comes WAY too quickly. Still, it's pleasant and entertaining...even if I have NO idea how that pipsqueak Hal Le Roy got all those pretty ladies going googly-eyed over him! And, the final production number is just insane...so crazy you have to see it to believe it!!