If she's looking for balletic-style dancing, try The Red Shoes and An American in Paris. For old-fashioned hoofing, you can't beat Singin' in the Rain, and even though there's not a lot to Summer Stock, I love Gene Kelly's dance number with no music but what he creates with a squeaky board and a piece of paper on the floor (the predecessor of Stomp). This also has the fantastic number "Get Happy," sung by Judy Garland in a tuxedo top and hat, surrounded by adoring dancing men in tuxes.

For fun dancing with not much plot beyond the basic romance, almost any Astaire/Rogers pairing will do, with Top Hat and Swing Time at the top of the list. I also really adore Easter Parade, since it has the fabulous dancing of Astaire and Ann Miller, and the adequate dancing but divine voice of Judy Garland.

For more modern films with modern dancing, All That Jazz has more Fosse choreography than Cabaret, but I would track down the PBS recording of the stage show Fosse for pure dancing (no pesky plot to worry about with that review). Most modern musicals with dance numbers suffer from the MTV-style school of editing, to cover up the fact that most of the principal performers are barely adequate dancers (Chicago, anyone?).

ETA my favorite dance number of all time! Seven Brides for Seven Brothers: the barn raising dance. Absolutely amazing.

Thanks for the recs, all! I think "beautiful dancing" just means they do it well, I didn't really ask. Off to Netflix.

Oh dear Loward. Over at TwoP someone posted links to a spoof article about Katie Holmes starring in Jerry Maguire 2 and another poster responded:

Cuba -- I wish you did not have to lower yourself to this.

After Boat Trip, just how bad would a movie have to be to be considered "lowering oneself"?

Dance movie: The Company.

I was JUST gonna post about the barn dance in Seven Brides. So much fun to watch!

Joan of Arcadia's dad is in Seven Brides. Yes, I'm shallow. Plus the coffee hasn't kicked in yet.

I had a Bale-centric afternoon yesterday. I watched Newsies, kindly lent to me by Nicole. Yes, it was purely voluntary, and I actually enjoyed it, since I knew going in it was spray cheese served on top of Velveeta. Followed it up with Laurel Canyon, which after musing in the opening scenes: was it really necessary to cast two British actors as unremarkable Americans? I couldn't seem to concentrate on the Bale-fulness for the luminescent McDormand. God, I love that woman. This, Fargo, Paradise Road...poles apart. And yes, I know, only two poles, still. Her range is astounding and she disappears into her characters so beautifully.

And in a rush of cognitive dissonance, today's two Netflix offerings are Phone Booth and Batman Returns.

Joan of Arcadia's dad is in Seven Brides.

I had about five very confused seconds of "Joe Mantegna is in Seven Brides?" before I figured out you were talking about Russ Tamblyn. (Also in West Side Story as Riff. There's another movie with great dancing.)

Joe Mantegna was the dad in Searching for Bobby Fischer. Which I need to rewatch. Again.

And yes, Russ Tamblyn. I guess Seven Brides and West Side Story are his two best-known roles.

I had about five very confused seconds of "Joe Mantegna is in Seven Brides?" before I figured out you were talking about Russ Tamblyn.

Thank you! I would still be confused if you hadn't posted that. I adore Seven Brides. One of my all time favorite movies.

This also has the fantastic number "Get Happy," sung by Judy Garland in a tuxedo top and hat, surrounded by adoring dancing men in tuxes.

And I can't help but think about how vitally unhappy she likely was at the time.

Followed it up with Laurel Canyon, [snip] I couldn't seem to concentrate on the Bale-fulness for the luminescent McDormand.

Heh. How powerful is that, that her mere presence can knock the lust for Bale right out of your head.