Shall We Dance
Year: 1937
Runtime: 109 mins
Language: English
Director: Mark Sandrich
Foot‑free Fred and his exuberant partner Ginger star in their brightest, most cheerful production. Ballet virtuoso Petrov books a berth on the same transatlantic liner as the dancer‑singer he’s fallen for, though they barely know each other. When the ship reaches New York, a harmless white lie spreads, sparking rumors that the two celebrities are secretly married.
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Shall We Dance (1937) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained
Read the complete plot breakdown of Shall We Dance (1937), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Peter P. Peters, a genial American ballet dancer, is billed as Petrov, Fred Astaire lending him a persona of a serious, demanding Russian, even though his employer knows the truth. Peters dances for a Paris ballet company run by the bumbling Jeffrey Baird, a role given life by Edward Everett Horton. Baird secretly resists mixing classical ballet with modern jazz, convinced it won’t look professional.
When Peters spots a photo of Linda Keene, Ginger Rogers brings the star to life, and he falls in love. They meet again on an ocean liner returning to New York, and Linda grows warmer toward Petrov. Their budding romance triggers a tabloid campaign claiming they are married, whether or not it’s true.
Unknown to them, their associates stage a publicity stunt: bedroom pictures of the two together—one showing Keene with a lifelike wax figure for her, and a sleeping Peters—handed to the press to “prove” the marriage. Believing it was Peters’ idea to force her into marriage to protect her reputation, she becomes engaged to Jim Montgomery, the bumbling fiancé behind the scheme.
This sets off both Peters and Arthur Miller, her manager, who secretly launches more fake publicity, a plan brought to life by Jerome Cowan as Arthur Miller. Peters (who has revealed his true identity) and Keene, unable to squelch the rumor, decide to marry in secret to avoid the scandal and then immediately get divorced. Linda begins to fall in love with Peters, but then accidentally discovers him with another woman, Lady Denise Tarrington, Ketti Gallian, unaware of his marriage, and leaves before he can explain.
Later, when Keene comes to his new show to personally serve divorce papers, she sees him dancing with dozens of women all wearing masks with her face on them: Peters has decided that if he cannot dance with Linda, he will dance with images of her. Seeing that he truly loves her, she joins him dancing onstage, as the finale brings together a lively display of movement, humor, and reconciliation, with the onstage company including dancers such as Harriet Hoctor.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:08
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