Top Tango Film Moments

The films all feature at least one significant tango dance scene that will make you want to get to your next milonga or tango class as soon as possible!

1. Take the Lead (2006)

‘Take the Lead’ stars Antionio Banderas and is loosely based on the dancing instructor Pierre Dulaine’s life. Pierre (Banderas) volunteers to teach dance to a group of ‘problem students’ in a rough New York school. Pierre struggles to engage and work with the pupils who prefer hip hop dancing. Teachers at the school also doubt that he can make any difference. Pierre manages to inspire them by dancing the tango and encourages them to enter a ballroom dance competition.

2. Shall We Dance? (2004)

Starring Jennifer Lopez, Susan Sarandon and Richard Gere. Richard Gere has a monotonous life that he is keen to break free from. A chance encounter with a beautiful dance teacher (Lopez) inspires him to take up dance lessons in the hope of getting closer to Paulina (Lopez). Paulina is not impressed that John (Gere) has joined the dance class in an attempt to go out with her. She makes it clear that she takes dancing seriously and expects him to do so as well. John falls in love with dancing and decides to enter a Chicago dancing competition.

3. Scent of a Woman (1992)

An Oscar winning performance by Al Pacino, who plays blind, retired Army officer, Frank Slade. Slade employs a student to assist him over Thanksgiving weekend, and the bond that the unlikely pair form enables them to help each other through mutually difficult times. During one evening, Slade spots a beautiful young woman and leads her in a beautiful tango. The film is also famous for Slade’s quote: “If you make a mistake and get all tangled up, you just tango on.”

4. Frida (2002)

A biography of the Mexican surrealist painter, Frida Kahlo. Frida (Salma Hayek) suffered Polio as a child and was involved in a road traffic accident at the age of 18, leaving her in excruciating pain. It was during her rest period following the accident that she took up painting. The Tango scene in this film is the result of Frida winning a bet with Ashley Judd’s character. Their intimate dance together is accompanied by music by Alroba Azul.

5. StrictlyBallroom (1992)

An Australian romantic comedy produced by Baz Luhrmann. The first part of Luhrmann’s ‘Red Curtain Trilogy’ which included Romeo and Juliet and Moulin Rouge. The film is the story of an unconventional dancer, Scott, who is determined to win the Pan Pacific Dancing Championship. Scott’s difficulty is that his dance style and steps are ‘not strictly ballroom’. Scott has already won championships but has confidence in his ‘new steps’. Scott’s determination cause him to lose his dancing partner and he forms a new dancing partnership with a beginner dancer, Fran.

6. Evita (1996)

A film of the famous musical ‘Evita’, that Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice wrote about Eva Peron. The film stars Antonio Banderas and Madonna who plays the lead role as Evita. The film focuses on the life of Eva, from her early days as a young working class girl, moving to Buenos Aires and eventually becoming the President of Argentina’s wife. The tango scene here is when Evita first moves to Buenos Aires. Evita was nominated for multiple awards and won an Oscar and three Golden Globe Awards.