One Of Dirty Dancing's Most Recognizable Scenes Was Improvised
When film fans talk about great on-screen chemistry, one of the first pairings that comes to mind for me is Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the now-classic, "Dirty Dancing." As Johnny Castle and Frances "Baby" Houseman, the duo are practically radiating with charisma and it's impossible not to fall in love with them throughout the film. It's also a huge testament to their acting abilities, as the pair famously butted heads throughout the production of "Red Dawn," a film they appeared in together three years prior.
"Patrick was playing pranks on me and everybody," Grey said during an episode of "The View" in 2022. "[He was] late and the boss of everybody and it was just, like, macho and I just couldn't take it. I was just like, 'Please, this guy, that's enough with him.'" Grey was the first of the duo cast, and for a time it looked like Billy Zane, Benicio del Toro, or Val Kilmer were going to play Johnny. But Swayze's talent and experience with the Joffrey Ballet made him a no-brainer. "They said, 'Oh no, but he's a dancer.' I know he's a dancer, I've heard the whole story, I've heard all about the dancing," Grey joked.
Swayze even apologized for his "Red Dawn" machismo. "He pulled me down the hall and said to me, 'I love you, I love you, and I'm so sorry. And I know you don't want me to do the movie,'" Grey recalled. But once the duo had their screen test, the chemistry was undeniable. "We go in there and he takes me in his arms and I was like, 'Oh, boy. I'm done,' " she confessed. The pairing was a match made in romantic dance movie heaven, so much so that one of their most memorable moments was completely improvised.
'My sweet baby, you're the one'
I'm of the opinion that like "Magic Mike's Last Dance," all movies can be improved with an extended dance sequence. Fortunately, the climax of "Dirty Dancing" is a show-stopping dance performance during a country club talent show, so there's no shortage of rug-cuttin' or shape-pullin'. But to get to the point where Johnny and Baby can believably win the talent show, the two must practice. "Dirty Dancing" is filled with scenes of the pair training together, with one scene in particular etched into the memories of a generation.
Set to the tune of "Love Is Strange" by the musical act Mickey & Sylvia, Swayze and Grey dance, lip-sync, and saunter around like there's no tomorrow. At one point, Swayze's Johnny even takes his dance moves to the floor, motivating Grey's Baby to crawl toward him while mouthing "Baby, oh, baby. My sweet baby, you're the one." The chemistry is so electric in the scene you can practically feel it jumping off of the screen, and it's a moment that was completely organic to the two acting opposite one another.
The story has been passed around for decades, but as the tale goes, the two were just warming up before filming. However, director Emile Ardolino was so enamored with the playfulness of the crawl that he incorporated it into the final film. And thank the cinema gods that he did, because it's one of the greatest examples of on-screen chemistry ever captured.