Subgenre Sampler
Rental > Classics > Musical: 30 Films to Rent on VHS
- That's Entertainment III (1994)
- Feat. June Allyson, Cyd Charisse, Lena Horne…
- Starlets of the golden age recall their heyday and bring fresh insight to this third showcase of infectious musical highlights.
- That's Dancing! (1985)
- Dir. Jack Haley, Jr.
Feat. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, James Cagney…
- A compilation of splendid dance sequences from dozens of Hollywood films. Includes over fifty top dancers, with the best of the crop generally dating…
- Hobbit, The (1977)
- Dir. Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jnr
Feat. Orson Bean, Richard Boone, John Huston…
- A homebody demi–human in Middle Earth gets talked into joining a quest with a group of dwarves to recover their treasure from a dragon.…
- That's Entertainment II (1976)
- Dir. Gene Kelly
Feat. Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Spencer Tracy…
- A second helping of musical nostalgia, with Astaire and Kelly again hosting while also contributing a number of brand new dance numbers together.…
- Roustabout (1964)
- Dir. John Rich
Feat. Elvis Presley, Barbara Stanwyck
- Relatively pleasing Elvis Presley vehicle. The King joins a carnival run by Barbara Stanwyk.
- Live it Up! (Sing and Swing) (1963)
- Dir. Lance Comfort
Feat. David Hemmings
- Low–budget, but historically fascinating musical wraps some great mid–60s pop music around its slender plot.
Hemmings plays a…
- Girls Town (1959)
- Dir. Charles Haas
Feat. Mamie Van Doren, Mel Torme, Paul Anka…
- Wayward teen Mamie Van Doren is sent to a girls' home after being ratted out by 'greaser' Mel Torme. Loaded with rock'n'roll.
- Kismet (1955)
- Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Howard Keel, Ann Blyth
- An Arabian–Nights style musical, with Howard Keel attempting to woo wicked wizar's wife Ann Blyth.
- Student Prince, The (1954)
- Dir. Richard Thorpe
Feat. Ann Blyth, Edmund Purdom, John Ericson…
- Taken from the operetta by Sigmund Romberg, and the third filmed version of the tale of a young Prince breaking out into the real world by falling in…
- Beggar's Opera, The (1953)
- Dir. Peter Brook
Feat. Laurence Olivier
- Initially a commercial failure, this energetic romp through John Gay's 18th century ribald opera has since been critically acclaimed. In his first…
- Dangerous When Wet (1953)
- Dir. Charles Walters
Feat. Esther Williams
- Musical starlet Esther Williams gets to do what she does best as an athlete who attempts to swim the English channel. Highlight is a subterranean…
- Lili (1952)
- Dir. Charles Walters
Feat. Leslie Caron, Mel Ferrer
- Fairytale–like story of Leslie Caron's amorous adventures in a carnival is swimming in charm, whimsical songs and 'circus–type'…
- Petty Girl, The (1950)
- Dir. Nat Perrin
Feat. Constance Cummings
- Robert Cummings stars in this comedy–musical as an artist who causes a scandal through his choice of model.
- Ladies of the Chorus (1949)
- Dir. Phil Karlson
Feat. Marilyn Monroe
- Modest musical burlesque has the distinction of giving Marilyn Monroe her first sizeable role.
- Rhapsody in Blue (1945)
- Dir. Irving Rapper
Feat. Robert Alda, Joan Leslie, Alexis Smith…
- George Gershwin's life and work is given a good glossing over from Hollywood, but the magical music keeps things sprightly for over two hours.
- Tonight and Every Night (1945)
- Dir. Victor Saville
Feat. Rita Hayworth
- Rita Hayworth starring musical about a London nightclub during the war which despite bombings and blitzes, never skips a beat.
- Wonder Man (1945)
- Dir. Bruce Humberstone
Feat. Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Vera-Ellen…
- A typically zany fairy–tale for Danny Kaye, as a mild–mannered student persuaded by the ghost of his dead twin to seek out his murderer.…
- Cover Girl (1944)
- Dir. Charles Vidor
Feat. Rita Hayworth, Gene Kelly, Phil Silvers…
- Sheer energy and razzamatazz compensate for the rampant cliches of this Rita Hayworth/Gene Kelly dance–musical, set in the world of magazine…
- Lulu Belle (1943)
- Dir. Leslie Fenton
Feat. Dorothy Lamour, George Montgomery, Albert Dekker
- Montgomery leaves his fiancee to take up with disreputable night club singer Lulu Belle. Almost forgotten musical is mostly of interest for it's…
- Road to Morocco (1942)
- Dir. David Butler
Feat. Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour
- Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour do their bit for the war effort by enchanting the public with mad–cap (rom)antics on the North African…
- You'll Never Get Rich (1941)
- Dir. Sidney Lanfield
Feat. Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, John Hubbard…
- Generally amusing showbiz comedy has Fred Astaire play a star Broadway dancer who helps his boss (Benchley) out of trouble with his wife over a…
- Road to Singapore (1940)
- Dir. Victor Schertzinger
Feat. Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour
- The first of half a dozen 'Road to' films has Bing Crosby and Bob Hope as clowning, crooning rivals vying for the affections of Dorothy Lamour.
- Broadway Melody of 1938 (1938)
- Dir. Roy Del Ruth
Feat. Judy Garland, Robert Taylor, Eleanor Powell
- Splendidly lavish "Show Musical", where a flimsy storyline is but an excuse to launch the brilliant dancing talents of Eleanor Powell. Also included…
- Great Waltz, The (The Life of Johann Strauss) (1938)
- Dir. Julien Duvivier
Feat. Fernand Gravey, Luise Rainer, Lionel Atwill
- The lIfe story of Johann Strauss is given a rich if somewhat corny treatment in this otherwise well–mounted musical biopic.
- Dimples (1936)
- Feat. Shirley Temple, Frank Morgan, Robert Kent
- Shirley Temple musical set in the New York Bowery, where the young lass helps her pickpocket grandfather., Soon however her musical talents come to…
- Pennies from Heaven (1936)
- Dir. Norman Z. McLeod
Feat. Bing Crosby
- Bing Crosby vehicle sees the showman protecting a little girl from the big bad school system.
- Swing Time (1936)
- Dir. George Stevens
Feat. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers
- A fine example of Fred and Ginger's magical screen partnership, their sixth together, weaving the music of Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields, into…
- Naughty Marietta (1935)
- Dir. W.S. Van Dyke
Feat. Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy
- The first vehicle for onscreen singing duo Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy – both hugely popular in their day – is a rehash of an…
- Merry Widow, The (1934)
- Dir. Ernst Lubitsch
Feat. Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette MacDonald
- Out of cold–blooded patriotism to his homeland Marshovia, gadabout Maurice Chevalier attempts to seduce millionairess Jeanette MacDonald into…
- Broadway Melody of 1929 (1929)
- Dir. Harry Beaumont
Feat. Charles King, Anita Page, Bessie Love…
- "100% All Talking! 100% All Singing! 100% All Dancing!" – this creaky MGM tale of two sisters bringing their act to Broadway was tremendously…