Warning: Movie Spoilers Ahead!
Trigger Warning: Abortion
Dirty Dancing (1987). The epitome of a classic 80s romantic drama. It’s got dancing, summer vibes, Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze. What more could you need?
Almost everyone has heard of this film, but the shocked response people have when they actually see the film tells me that it has not quite got the recognition it deserves for being a drama. After all, the driving force behind this plot is abortion and believing in one’s choices. When I showed my friend this film, she was shocked! She had heard about it, about “Nobody puts Baby in a corner” and the iconic dance scene to “The Time of My Life,” but never had she heard about the abortion plot that drives Baby and Johnny together!
Especially in the political era we are in, where abortion rights and healthcare are being attacked, it’s important to watch this movie for what it truly is. Aside from being a romance, it is deeper and forces audiences to question their own beliefs and morals. As Sarah Crompton, of The Daily Telegraph, notes “what seems an enjoyable piece of fluff about a summer camp romance is, in its own quiet way, a powerful morality tale.” This could not be any more true, and I could not agree any more. The older I get, the more I appreciate the story and the characters. It’s layered and complex, and disguises itself as nothing more than a summer romance movie. This film demands healthcare rights and is 100% pro-choice, as it shows the harms that come from botched abortions, and advocates for safer means of aborting an unwanted pregnancy.
Definitely give this one a try and let me know what you think in the comments!
Crompton, Sarah. “Dirty Dancing, review: 'a hard-eyed fairy tale'.” The Telegraph. 2014 August.
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