1941 | Sailors Fighting in the Dance Hall

Wally (Bobby di Cicco) wants to dance with Betty (Dianne Kay), but he'll have to sneak into the USO club and pry her away from the bully Corporal Chuck Sitarski (Treat Williams) first. In the process, he and Donna end up winning a dance contest and setting off a brawl. Enjoy this chaotic dance/fight sequence from Steven Spielberg's 1941!

Buy/Rent 1941!

Steven Spielberg directs this riotous farce depicting the hysteria of a cross section of Los Angeles citizens following the bombing of Pear Harbor. The film is loosely based on a true event in which a Japanese submarine surfaced off the California coast, setting off a brief wave of panic.

© 1979 Universal City Studios, Inc. and Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Cast: Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Ned Beatty, Treat Williams, Robert Stack, Tim Matheson, John Candy, Slim Pickens, Christopher Lee
Produced by: Buzz Feitshans
Directed by: Steven Spielberg

[mynameissimonechoule]

Right up there with the best sequences Spielberg ever filmed. I absolutely love this movie

[AGPfan]

I don't care what people say, 1941 is a hilarious movie! I wish it got more love than it did.

[sivaro]

Respect of the dancers and the big band. What a scene!

[sylvanaperera]

I'll never understand why this movie is so underappreciated, it may not be a super-nailed comedy but it sure is a great visual spectacle, a live-action cartoon in my opinion. One of my Spielberg's favorite and i'm not ashamed of it!

[mrchrisgau]

The timing and camera moves are brilliant and sync perfectly with the music. There are only a few directors with such an eye for moving the camera and blocking action rich shots elegantly.

[Davedio]

You have to give it to Dianne Kay, the blonde who also was a regular cast member in "Eight is Enough" in the late 70's. She was not a trained dancer and still was game enough to pull off her part as Wally's dance partner/love interest. I think she was cast more for her looks than acting abilities, but she gave her all for a woefully under-appreciated movie.

[theylied]

Even though 1941 is one of Steven Spielberg's least-liked movies, I actually liked this movie. Without a doubt, the funniest parts were with Slim Pickens on the Japanese Submarine. This movie seems like Spielberg was trying to make a non-musical version of Grease.

[jayarby]

The Director’s Cut of 1941 is an underrated comedy masterpiece

[not.supermario]

RIP Treat Williams. You were hilarious in this movie. Still hating those eggs.

[bradleybarrios]

I was one of the Bugs in Sing, Sing, Sing.. We had ten couples in the jitterbug contest. Working with Spielberg was a dream come true. Paul DeRolf Choreographed the number. We shot for three weeks. Patti Lupone was cast in Evita while she was filming this scene.

[GRogers]

This scene, along with the opening scene and Ferris wheel collapse was one of my favorite moments from the film

[jaguilar]

I saw this in the theater in '79 and it was perfect for someone not quite 10 yet. I also remember the dance scene was made into a music video for TV as well.

[psychotictactoe]

I actually loved this movie, it was chaos!

[mrjackpots]

Spielberg's most underrated movie, but actually a brilliant piece of comedic film making. Unfortunately it was released at a time when Americans hadn't as yet gotten over the Japanese war. I think it would get a different response if released today.

[th_Century_Man]

Joe Flaherty brought me here, RIP Sal Stewart. I'm so glad so many people love this movie as much as I do. I'm forever grateful to my brother for introducing me to it!

[michaelj.r]

The first clip I came to after just learning about the tragic death of Treat Williams (6-12-2023) at 71, since this is the first film I remember seeing him in. May he Rest in Peace.
P.S Hopefully somewhere where there's no eggs (If you've seen the movie, you will get the joke.)

[thevoid]

wendie jo sperber.... she was incredible. hilarious and tough. they don't make actresses like that anymore. she is so missed.

[sickkat]

This is a standing set on the Warner studio lot... It was also the South Seas Club in The Rocketeer and can be seen in numerous Warner Bros pictures...

[xmariner]

Dear Mr. Speilberg: Thank you for one of the Late Great Joe Flaherty's best movie moments.

I have watched this over and over and over. Everything about it. The timing, The Music, the Camera Angles. SOOOO Good.

[standepain]

Great movie and the Score is just amazing The march is one of Williams best.