Subgenre Sampler
Classics > Musical: 224 Films to Buy & Rent
- 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.
- Cry-Baby (Cry baby) (1990)
- Dir. John Waters
Feat. Johnny Depp, Amy Locane, Susan Tyrrell…
- Another stylish, camp classic from the infamous director who made Divine a cult sensation. Depp heads a super cast in a tribute to the juvenile…
- Bloodhounds of Broadway (1989)
- Dir. Howard Brookner
Feat. Matt Dillon, Jennifer Grey, Julie Hagerty…
- An American Playhouse adaptation of four Damon Runyon tales which intersect on New Year's Eve 1928 in a milieu of jazz–age hedonism. A good…
- Bird (1988)
- Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Forest Whitaker, Diane Venora, Keith David
- Eastwood's biopic tribute to legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie 'Bird' Parker. His turbulent and extraordinary life is sympathetically characterised…
- Earth Girls Are Easy (1988)
- Dir. Julien Temple
Feat. Geena Davis, Jeff Goldblum, Jim Carrey…
- Under–rated campy musical about a trio of goofy aliens (incl. Jim Carrey in an early role) who crash–land in Geena Davis's swimming pool.
- Crossroads (1986)
- Dir. Walter Hill
Feat. Ralph Macchio, Jami Gertz, Joe Seneca…
- Great Ry Cooder music peps this light drama in which Ralph Macchio seeks lost blues tunes in the Deep South.
- 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…
- Amadeus (1984)
- Dir. Milos Forman
Feat. Tom Hulce, F. Murray Abraham
- Academy–award winning biopic of Mozart's illustrious but brief existence that spawned much of the greatest music ever written. A humourous yet…
- Cotton Club, The (1984)
- Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Gregory Hines…
- Richard Gere heads the ensemble for Coppola's glossy musical melodrama set in the thick of New York's glitzy gangster culture of the 1930s.
- Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, The (1982)
- Dir. Colin Higgins
Feat. Burt Reynolds, Dolly Parton, Dom DeLuise…
- Dolly Parton is the buxom madam of Texas’ famous Chicken Ranch whorehouse (portrayed less flatteringly in Nick Broomfield’s documentary) in this…
- One from the Heart (1982)
- Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Frederic Forrest, Teri Garr, Raul Julia
- A lavishly mounted curiosity loosely following the romantic plight of an estranged couple, set against an impressively stylised backdrop of Las…
- Privates On Parade (1982)
- Dir. Michael Blakemore
Feat. John Cleese
- John Cleese stars in this perky adaptation of the play about a gay Song and Dance Unit of the Brtish army stationed in 1940s Singapore.
- Blues Brothers, The (1980)
- Dir. John Landis
Feat. John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Carrie Fisher
- Smash comedy with great soul music and epic sight–gags.
- Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
- Dir. Michael Apted
Feat. Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones
- Biopic of country legend Loretta Lynn.
- Elvis (1979)
- Dir. John Carpenter
Feat. Kurt Russell, Shelley Winters, Bing Russell…
- Made just two years after Elvis's death, the king of rock 'n' roll's life is traced from dirt poor beginnings to becoming the most loved entertainer…
- 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.…
- Slipper and the Rose, The (1975)
- Dir. Bryan Forbes
Feat. Richard Chamberlain, Gemma Craven, Sir Michael Hordern…
- Middling musical retells the Cinderella story from the prince's point of view. An unlikely Richard Chamberlain plays the all–singin, all dancin…
- That's Entertainment (1974)
- Dir. Various
- A jolly good compendium of MGM musical highlights that nutshell the magic of the productions and the times they were made, and judiciously cut out…
- Man of La Mancha (1972)
- Dir. Arthur Hiller
Feat. Peter O'Toole, Sophia Loren, James Coco…
- Peter O’Toole ‘dreams the impossible dream’ as Cervantes’ Don Quixote in this much–maligned adaptation of the popular Broadway musical.…
- Boy Friend, The (1971)
- Dir. Ken Russell
Feat. Twiggy, Christopher Gable, Max Adrian…
- Unavailable on any format until recently, this long lost flight of fancy finds Ken Russell remodeling the golden age of musicals in his own…
- Fiddler On the Roof (1971)
- Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Topol, Molly Picon
- Epic folk tale of community survival is given a vivid musical setting, as a Jewish family travel from pre–revolutionary Ukraine to America in…
- On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970)
- Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Barbra Streisand, Yves Montand, Bob Newhart…
- Hi–gloss screen version of the Broadway musical with Barbra Streisand as a kooky chain–smoker who is told by psychiatrist Yves Montand…
- Change of Habit (1969)
- Dir. William A. Graham
Feat. Elvis Presley, Mary Tyler Moore, Barbara McNair…
- Elvis Presley's final acting role was this musical drama in which he plays a doctor who falls in love with Mary Tyler Moore, playing one of three…
- Hello Dolly! (1969)
- Dir. Gene Kelly
Feat. Barbra Streisand, Walter Matthau, Michael Crawford…
- Barbra Streisand is the attraction of this Gene Kelly musical, as a meddling matchmaker.
- Oh! What a Lovely War (1969)
- Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. John Rae, Corin Redgrave, Maurice Roeves…
- Powerful anti–war musical adapted from the play by Charles Chilton, which depicts the mass blunder of WWI through the experiences of the poor…
- Paint Your Wagon (1969)
- Dir. Joshua Logan
Feat. Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, Jean Seberg…
- Entertaining musical epic based on the popular Lerner–Loewe play. Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood play gold prospectors who share a wife they…
- Finian's Rainbow (1968)
- Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Fred Astaire, Petula Clark, Tommy Steele
- Completely whimsical latter–day musical sees Irishman Fred Astaire popped–down in the American South to tackle racial injustice with the…
- Funny Girl (1968)
- Dir. William Wyler
Feat. Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif
- Barbra Streisand's bravura debut, playing real–life showbiz celeb Fanny Brice, won her an Oscar. Rates also as a well–executed musical.
- Live a Little, Love a Little (1968)
- Dir. Norman Taurog
Feat. Elvis Presley, Michele Carey, Rudy Vallee
- Another musical comedy pairing director Norman Taurog with The King. Elvis plays a playboy pin–up photographer whose carefree life is…
- Oliver! (1968)
- Dir. Carol Reed
Feat. Ron Moody, Oliver Reed, Mark Lester
- Perfect screen adaptation of the 1960 stage musical by British writer and composer Lionel Bart, based on Charles Dickens' timeless tale. For a…
- One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, The (1968)
- Dir. Michael O'Herlihy
Feat. Walter Brennan, Buddy Ebsen, Lesley Ann Warren…
- A rambunctious Disney musical in which the large Bower family band sets off to the 1888 Democrat Party convention in St. Louis to support Grover…
- Star! (1968)
- Dir. Robert Wise
Feat. Julie Andrews, Richard Crenna, Michael Craig…
- A commendably lavish biopic of the stage–comedienne Gertude Lawrence, who wooed the British stage in the first half of the 20th…
- Sweet Charity (1968)
- Dir. Bob Fosse
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Ricardo Montalban, John McMartin…
- Neil Simon's Broadway version of Fellini's NIGHTS OF CABIRIA makes a smashing musical film thanks to the director's razzamatazz, late 60's chic, and…
- Camelot (1967)
- Dir. Joshua Logan
Feat. Richard Harris, Vanessa Redgrave, Franco Nero…
- This King Arthur musical was a disastrous, expensive–looking flop. Good performances though.
- How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967)
- Dir. David Swift
Feat. Robert Morse, Michele Lee, Rudy Vallee
- Skillfully treading the line between silliness and satire, this adaptation of the lauded Broadway musical sees Morse play an ambitious young window…
- Young Girls of Rochefort, The (Les Demoiselles de Rochefort) (1967)
- Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Francois Dorleac, Gene Kelly
- The carrot of love is dangled in Jacques Demy's positively radiant follow–up to UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG: an unbridled, colour–saturated…
- Frankie and Johnny (1966)
- Dir. Frederick de Cordova
Feat. Elvis Presley, Donna Douglas, Harry Morgan…
- The King and Donna 'Elly May' Douglas (of The Beverly Hillbillies) hitch up in Mississippi, only for a wily seductress (Kovack) to crach their party.…
- Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum, A (1966)
- Dir. Richard Lester
Feat. Zero Mostel, Buster Keaton, Jack Gilford…
- Wild spoof–musical set in Roman times, is somewhat spotty but still generates plenty of comic gas courtesy of some old pros. Mostel plays a…
- Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966)
- Dir. Michael D. Moore
Feat. Elvis Presley, James Shigeta, Suzanna Leigh…
- A touristy musical that sticks to the Elvis Presley formula of songs and romance with the added bonus of lush tropical scenery.
- Spinout (1966)
- Dir. Norman Taurog
Feat. Elvis Presley, Shelley Fabares
- Musical comedy starring Elvis as a race car driver and singer in a band, whose carefree single life is threatened by the romantic advances of three…
- Beach Blanket Bingo (1965)
- Dir. William Asher
Feat. Paul Lynde, Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello…
- Most successful and best known of the ‘Beach Party’ movies, though it shows signs of being fifth in a series by straying quite a way from the…
- Girl Happy (1965)
- Dir. Boris Sagal
Feat. Elvis Presley, Shelley Fabares, Harold J. Stone
- Elvis escorts the daughter of a mobster to a Florida beachside resort for a holiday. Enjoyably kitsch Presley musical.
- Sound of Music, The (1965)
- Dir. Robert Wise
Feat. Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker…
- Enduring Rogers and Hammerstein musical based on the real–life Von Trapp family, who deserted their homeland to escape the Nazis.…
- Christmas Television Classics (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town) (1964-1970)
- Feat. Fred Astaire
- Three festive features garanteed to bring nostalgic cheer to any child of the sixties.
- Kissin' Cousins (1964)
- Dir. Gene Nelson
Feat. Elvis Presley, Arthur O'Connell, Glenda Farrell…
- Elvis both an Air Force officer and his hillbilly cousin, and negotiates the affections of two other female cousins, in this cheerfully hick musical…
- My Fair Lady (1964)
- Dir. George Cukor
Feat. Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison
- Ever–popular, though rather long musical version of George Bernard Shaw's 'Pygmalion', starring Audrey Hepburn as riffraff transformed into…
- Roustabout (1964)
- Dir. John Rich
Feat. Elvis Presley, Barbara Stanwyck
- Relatively pleasing Elvis Presley vehicle. The King joins a carnival run by Barbara Stanwyk.
- Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The (1964)
- Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Nino Castelnuovo
- Gorgeous French musical with Catherine Deneuve, in her acting debut, one of its many pleasures. A bittersweet romantic story is allied to a lush…
- Unsinkable Molly Brown, The (1964)
- Dir. Charles Walters
Feat. Debbie Reynolds, Ed Begley, Harve Presnell
- Rags to riches musical based on the eventful life of Margaret Brown who survived flooding, snobbery and a trip on a boat called the Titanic. One of…
- Viva Las Vegas (1964)
- Dir. George Sidney
Feat. Elvis Presley, Ann-Margret
- Elvis Presley is paired with Ann–Margret in this rumbunctious Vegas–set musical.
- Bye Bye Birdie (1963)
- Dir. George Sidney
Feat. Dick Van Dyke, Ann-Margret, Janet Leigh…
- Fluffy yet fabulous film version of the hit Broadway musical with rock 'n' roller Dick Van Dyke traveling to small town Ohio to make his final…
- I Could Go on Singing (1963)
- Dir. Ronald Neame
Feat. Judy Garland, Dirk Bogarde, Jack Klugman…
- A successful singer visits her estranged son while on tour in England. Teary melodrama was Garland's last film and featured arguably her best acting.
- It Happened At The World's Fair (1963)
- Dir. Norman Taurog
Feat. Elvis Presley, Yvonne Craig, Gary Lockwood…
- The King plays a pilot–for–hire who hitchhikes to the World's Fair in Seattle to earn some cash after his plane is seized by the local…
- 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…
- Summer Magic (1963)
- Dir. James Neilson
Feat. Hayley Mills, Burl Ives, Dorothy McGuire
- Sweetly sentimental Disney version of the Kate Wiggins novel 'Mother Carey's Chickens', about a poor Boston family who make a drafty Maine homestead…
- Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962)
- Dir. Charles Walters
Feat. Doris Day, Stephen Boyd, Jimmy Durante…
- Cracking musical extravaganza based around the real–life Billy Rose stageshow and doctored with brilliant Rodgers and Hart songs, plus dance…
- Gypsy (1962)
- Dir. Mervyn LeRoy
Feat. Rosalind Russell, Natalie Wood, Karl Malden
- Eye–catching musical comedy–drama based on the memoir of burlesque entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee, whose career was driven by her aggressive…
- Kid Galahad (1962)
- Dir. Phil Karlson
Feat. Elvis Presley, Charles Bronson, Joan Blackman…
- Musical remake sees Elvis enter the ring as an upstart boxer under the tutelage of grizzly Charles Bronson, who's not about to put the champ in…
- Music Man, The (1962)
- Dir. Morton DaCosta
Feat. Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett…
- A lively and delightful Broadway musical adaptation with conman Robert Preston (reprising his stage role) diddling a small Iowa town in 1912. Full of…
- Blue Hawaii (1961)
- Dir. Norman Taurog
Feat. Elvis Presley
- Lush setting for this Elvis vehicle is easy on the eye. The King's least Rock'n'Roll effort.
- Flower Drum Song (1961)
- Dir. Henry Koster
Feat. Nancy Kwan, James Shigeta
- Amiable if overlong musical comedy telling the story of a Chinese girl who smuggles herself into San Francisco as a "picture bride" to marry a young…
- West Side Story (1961)
- Dir. Robert Wise
Feat. Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn…
- Oscar–sweeping, hugely influential film version of Bernstein and Sondheim's landmark Broadway musical, updating Romeo and Juliet to dockland…
- Wild in the Country (1961)
- Dir. Phillip Dunne
Feat. Elvis Presley, Hope Lange, Tuesday Weld…
- Unusual Elvis Presley vehicle, playing a country hothead with a literary bent.
- Young Ones, The / Summer Holiday (1961-1962)
- Dir. Sidney J. Furie, Peter Yates
Feat. Cliff Richard, Robert Morley, The Shadows
- A pairing of delightfully dated musical vehicles for Brit pop sensation of the day, Cliff Richard. THE YOUNG ONES has Cliff organising a fundraising…
- Bells are Ringing (1960)
- Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Judy Holliday, Dean Martin, Fred Clark…
- Winning musical rom–com from Vincente Minnelli (MEET ME IN ST LOUIS), with Judy Holliday playing a fictionalised version of real–life…
- Can-Can (1960)
- Dir. Walter Lang
Feat. Frank Sinatra, Shirley Maclaine, Maurice Chevalier…
- Agreeable Cole Porter musical by way of Old Blue Eyes' Rat Pack croon. Sinatra teams up with Shirley Maclaine, here the proprietor of Parisian cafe…
- G.I. Blues (1960)
- Dir. Norman Taurog
Feat. Elvis Presley
- A fond Elvis vehicle in which his guitar–playing G.I. meddles with things a young cadet shouldn't while stationed in Germany. Presley sings…
- Let's Make Love (1960)
- Dir. George Cukor
Feat. Marilyn Monroe, Yves Montand
- An under–rated Marilyn Monroe comedy with Yves Montand as a millionaire who joins her theatre company, then hires a host of real–life…
- Black Orpheus (1959)
- Dir. Marcel Camus
Feat. Breno Mello, Marpessa Dawn, Lourdes De Oliveira
- Get caught up in the rhythms and colour of Rio De Janiero at Carnival time for an exotic, utterly unique spin on the Greek legend of doomed lovers…
- Five Pennies, The (1959)
- Dir. Melville Shavelson
Feat. Danny Kaye, Barbara Bel Geddes, Louis Armstrong…
- Cheery Red Nichols biopic with Danny Kaye turning in a heartfelt performance as the famed jazz trumpter.
Contains many soapy moments between Kaye…
- 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.
- Damn Yankees (Whatever Lola Wants) (1958)
- Dir. George Abbott, Stanley Donen
Feat. Tab Hunter, Gwen Verdon, Ray Walston…
- Supremely entertaining musical rom–com that transposes the Faustian legend to the world of American baseball, with Gwen Verdon in the iconic…
- Gigi (1958)
- Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, Louis Jourdan…
- This cheerful musical odyssey of a Parisian girl trained to be a courtesan was the Oscar–winner of its year.
- King Creole (1958)
- Dir. Michael Curtiz
Feat. Elvis Presley, Carolyn Jones
- Many would agree with Elvis that this is his best film. He plays a roguish street hustler who manifests his rebellion in his music. Tight direction…
- South Pacific (1958)
- Dir. Joshua Logan
Feat. Rossano Brazzi, Mitzi Gaynor, John Kerr…
- Solid screen version of Rogers and Hammerstein's stage spectacle, memorable for its lush location photography and infectious tunes.
- Speedway (1958)
- Dir. Norman Taurog
Feat. Elvis Presley, Nancy Sinatra
- Elvis Presley musical set in stock–car racing scene. With Nancy Sinatra in the passenger seat.
- Jailhouse Rock (1957)
- Dir. Richard Thorpe
Feat. Elvis Presley
- Great musical numbers highlight this Elvis Presley vehicle. The handsome delinquent learns to pick the guitar while behind bars, which of course…
- Pajama Game, The (1957)
- Dir. George Abbott, Stanley Donen
Feat. Doris Day
- Exemplary screen musical stars Doris Day in exuberant form as a feisty union delegate who falls for her boss while negotiating a wage rise for her…
- Pal Joey (1957)
- Dir. George Sidney
Feat. Rita Hayworth, Kim Novak, Frank Sinatra
- Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak clash over Frank Sinatra who happens to belt out 'The Lady is a Tramp' among others in cool, jazzy musical.
- Silk Stockings (1957)
- Dir. Rouben Mamoulian
Feat. Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Peter Lorre
- Handsome musical version of Garbo's NINOTCHKA, with Cyd Charisse's million dollar legs the star attraction.
- Carousel (1956)
- Dir. Henry King
Feat. Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones, Cameron Mitchell
- Rodgers and Hammerstein carnival musical has some of their best songs. A darker than usual storyline – possibly partly why it wasn't such a…
- Don't Knock the Rock (1956)
- Dir. Fred F. Sears
- Small town Mellonville becomes a makeshift Woodstock in this swinging companion piece to dir. Sears' ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK. Quaint fashion, bad…
- Funny Face (1956)
- Dir. Stanley Donen
Feat. Fred Astaire, Audrey Hepburn
- Hip musical boasts the unrestrained ebullience of Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn as a fashion photographer and book–clerk who becomes his…
- Girl Can't Help It, The (1956)
- Dir. Frank Tashlin
Feat. Tom Ewell, Jayne Mansfield, Julie London
- This ebullient comedy is not only the best showcase for what one Jayne Mansfield had to offer, but also for many of the rock 'n' roll talent of the…
- High Society (1956)
- Dir. Charles Walters
Feat. Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra…
- On the button remake of THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, giving the skewed love–triangle tale a musical treatment. Score by Cole Porter.
- King and I, The (1956)
- Dir. Walter Lang
Feat. Yul Brynner, Deborah Kerr, Rita Moreno…
- Lush screen adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's broadway show, Anna and the King of Siam. Yul Brynner is unforgettable in the title role.
- Rock Around the Clock (1956)
- Dir. Fred F. Sears
- This upbeat, toe–tapping 'advertorial' for rock & roll was intially brushed off as a show–reel for live performance, yet remains a lively…
- Daddy Long Legs (1955)
- Dir. Jean Negulesco
Feat. Fred Astaire, Leslie Caron, Terry Moore…
- An orphaned French teenager (Caron) endears herself to a playboy sophisticate (Astaire), who secretly sponsors her in an American private education.…
- Guys and Dolls (1955)
- Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Feat. Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Vivien Leigh
- Snappy popular musical in spite of its length. Marlon Brando appears in an atypically upbeat performance.
- It's Always Fair Weather (1955)
- Dir. Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen
Feat. Gene Kelly
- An American musical satire, shot in CinemaScope and Eastmancolor, with music by Andre Previn. It was one of the last major dance–oriented MGM…
- 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.
- Love Me or Leave Me (1955)
- Dir. Charles Vidor
Feat. Doris Day, James Cagney
- Multiple Oscar–nominated biopic of singer Ruth Etting, played here by Doris Day in a more substantial role than usual. Story chiefly concerns…
- Lucky Me (1955)
- Dir. Jack Donohue
Feat. Doris Day, Robert Cummings, Phil Silvers
- Showbiz musical comedy with Doris Day paired once again with CALAMITY JANE tune smiths Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster.
- Oklahoma! (1955)
- Dir. Fred Zinnemann
Feat. Gordon MacRae, Gloria Grahame, Gene Nelson…
- Ground–breaking Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, includes many classic numbers.
- Pete Kelly's Blues (1955)
- Dir. Jack Webb
Feat. Jack Webb, Janet Leigh, Edmond O'Brien…
- Musical set in 1920's Kansas which blends jazz, gangsters and political corruption.
Directed by and starring Jack Webb as a cornet player who is…
- A Star Is Born (1954)
- Dir. George Cukor
Feat. Judy Garland, James Mason
- All–time great musical melodrama, with actress Judy Garland's star eclipsing hubby James Mason's.
- Brigadoon (1954)
- Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse
- Overlooked Gene Kelly musical, with Kelly discovering a magical Scottish village.
- Carmen Jones (1954)
- Dir. Otto Preminger
Feat. Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte
- Blazing screen version of George Bizet's "Carmen" classic opera uniquely staged in the Deep South with an all–black cast and new lyrics by…
- Glenn Miller Story, The (1954)
- Dir. Anthony Mann
Feat. James Stewart, June Allyson, Louis Armstrong…
- A creditable star–biography of the big–band leader and trombonist, which, verging on the overly sentimental, is saved by its reverance to…
- Living It Up (1954)
- Dir. Norman Taurog
Feat. Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin, Janet Leigh…
- One of the funnier Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis comedies of the 17 they made together. Jerry Lewis plays a stationmaster from provincial New Mexico…
- Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
- Dir. Stanley Donen
Feat. Jane Powell, Howard Keel, Jeff Richards…
- Rollicking musical set in backwoods Oregon, with brothers all looking for brides–to–be.
- 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…
- There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
- Dir. Walter Lang
Feat. Ethel Merman, Donald O'Connor, Marilyn Monroe…
- Gaudy musical about Show Business. Stars Marilyn and some great Irving Berlin songs.
- White Christmas (1954)
- Dir. Michael Curtiz
Feat. Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye
- Timeless Irving Berlin musical, whose stocking full of great tunes – 'Sisters', 'Blue Skies' and of course the title–track – redeem…
- Affairs of Dobie Gillis, The (1953)
- Dir. Don Weis
Feat. Debbie Reynolds, Bobby Van, Bob Fosse…
- Lighthearted MGM college musical set on a Midwestern university campus, where two freshmen spend their time cutting class and courting two coeds.…
- Band Wagon, The (1953)
- Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Fred Astaire, Jack Buchanan, Cyd Charisse
- In the top echelon of screen–musicals, this follows the fortunes of toe–tapping movie actor Fred Astaire, revue style, as he attempts a…
- 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…
- By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953)
- Dir. David Butler
Feat. Doris Day, Gordon MacRae
- Quaint sequel to ON MOONLIGHT BAY finds Gordon MacRae returning from WWI where fiancée Doris Day waits impatiently to begin married life together.…
- Calamity Jane (1953)
- Dir. David Butler
Feat. Doris Day, Howard Keel
- Big, rousing musical western, featuring Doris Day as the tomboy heroine, who falls for easygoing Wild Bill Hickok (Howard Keel).
- Call Me Madam (1953)
- Dir. Walter Lang
Feat. Ethel Merman, Donald O'Connor, Vera-Ellen…
- Delightful musical starring Ethel Merman as a Washington hostess who becomes a Truman–era US ambassador to a European grand duchy. Songs by…
- 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…
- Give a Girl a Break (1953)
- Dir. Stanley Donen
Feat. Debbie Reynolds, Marge Champion, Gower Champion…
- Musical comedy about three unknown actresses who are all competing for Broadway stardom after a temperamental performer walks off the set of a major…
- How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)
- Dir. Jean Negulesco
Feat. Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall
- An extravagent, cheery comedy with a trio of sexy opportunists who collectively devise schemes to entrap well–to–do bachelors.
- Kiss Me Kate (1953)
- Dir. George Sidney
Feat. Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ann Miller
- Cole Porter’s irreverent take on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew is one of the most pleasurable (and fabulously danced) MGM musicals of the…
- Miss Sadie Thompson (1953)
- Dir. Curtis Bernhardt
Feat. Rita Hayworth, Jose Ferrer, Aldo Ray…
- Rita Hayworth turned it on in this lavish musical with a hard edge of sex and sin in the South Seas, here playing a smokin’ dame stranded on a…
- Story of Gilbert and Sullivan, The (1953)
- Dir. Sidney Gilliat
Feat. Robert Morley, Maurice Evans, Eileen Herlie
- Spirited biopic of the careers of W.S. Gilbert, a barrister turned–comic–writer, and Arthur Sullivan, a classic composer (converted…
- Has Anyone Seen My Gal? (1952)
- Dir. Douglas Sirk
Feat. Charles Coburn, Lynn Bari, Piper Laurie…
- Sirk–for–hire musical comedy finds the iconic melodramatist at his most unidentifiable: Coburn stars as an elderly money bags with no…
- 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'…
- Singin' in the Rain (Singing in the Rain) (1952)
- Dir. Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly
Feat. Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds…
- The quintessential Hollywood musical happens to be about the movie biz. Its blend of vivacious style and humour, catchy numbers and dazzling…
- An American in Paris (1951)
- Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Gene Kelly
- Ebullient, multi–styled musical with Gene Kelly dancing his socks off. Terrific George Gershwin score.
- Great Caruso, The (1951)
- Dir. Richard Thorpe
Feat. Mario Lanza
- Entertaining biopic of the legendary tenor Enrico Caruso with American protege Mario Lanza in the title role. His hokey performance and some…
- On Moonlight Bay (1951)
- Dir. Roy Del Ruth
Feat. Doris Day, Gordon MacRae
- Winning musical with Doris Day trading baseball obsession for the courtship of a strapping Gordon MacRae. Folksy tunes are blended with carefree…
- On The Riviera (1951)
- Dir. Walter Lang
Feat. Danny Kaye, Gene Tierney, Corinne Calvet…
- Talented Broadway veteran Danny Kaye stars in this musical comedy, playing an American entertainer who develops a skit impersonating a wealthy…
- Show Boat (1951)
- Dir. George Sidney
Feat. Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner, Howard Keel…
- Lavish technicolor adaptation of the 1920 Hammerstein stage musical in which an aspiring actor goes from working a Mississippi river–boat to…
- Tales of Hoffmann, The (1951)
- Dir. Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Feat. Moira Shearer, Pamela Brown, Sir Robert Helpmann…
- Boldly visual imagining of Offenbach's 1880 opera which takes three tales of magic and deception by E.T. Hoffmann and weaves them into a disquieting…
- Annie Get Your Gun (1950)
- Dir. George Sidney
Feat. Betty Hutton, Howard Keel
- The much–filmed story of Annie Oakley, star of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, is the subject of this Irving Berlin musical, with Betty Hutton…
- My Blue Heaven (1950)
- Dir. Henry Koster
Feat. Dan Dailey, Betty Grable, David Wayne…
- Treacly musical concerns a variety show couple enduring all manner of misfortune as they try to create a family of their own.
Unusually bright…
- 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.
- Summer Stock (1950)
- Dir. Charles Walters
Feat. Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Eddie Bracken…
- This technicolor musical was Judy Garland's final film for MGM as she struggled with many personal problems during filming. Garland plays a farm…
- A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949)
- Dir. Tay Garnett
Feat. Bing Crosby, Rhonda Fleming, William Bendix…
- Mark Twain's comedy given a light musical spin with Bing Crosby.
- In the Good Old Summertime (1949)
- Dir. Robert Z. Leonard
Feat. Judy Garland, Van Johnson, S.Z. Sakall
- Judy Garland and Van Johnson star in this musical adaptation of the 1940 film, The Shop Around the Corner, with the locale changed from 1930s…
- 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.
- On the Town (1949)
- Dir. Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen
Feat. Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly
- Exuberant musical about three sailors enjoying a day's leave in New York is about as good as this stuff gets. The cast almost bounce off the screen.
- Take Me Out To The Ball Game (Everybody's Cheering) (1949)
- Dir. Busby Berkeley
Feat. Frank Sinatra, Esther Williams, Gene Kelly
- An excellent warm–up for ON THE TOWN with Sinatra and Kelly playing vaudeville buddies in the early–1900s who yuck it up in variety…
- Young Man With a Horn (Young Man of Music) (1949)
- Dir. Michael Curtiz
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Doris Day, Lauren Bacall…
- Sharp biopic based on legendary jazz trumpeteer Bix Beiderbecke (played here by Kirk Douglas), who rose from obscurity to possess one of the most…
- Easter Parade (1948)
- Dir. Charles Walters
Feat. Fred Astaire, Amy Miller, Judy Garland
- Big–scale musical treat by Irving Berlin, has Fred Astaire swapping dance–partner Amy Miller for celebrity plus Judy Garland, in a role…
- Pirate, The (1948)
- Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Judy Garland, Vincente Minnelli, Gene Kelly
- Real–life partnership Judy Garland and Vincente Minelli reteam for a fine musical that also boasts Gene Kelly's footwork and Cole Porter's…
- Red Shoes, The (1948)
- Dir. Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Feat. Anton Walbrook, Moira Shearer, Marius Goring…
- Beloved dance classic is a strikingly realised story of a young ballerina who, in an echo of the Hans Christian Andersen story, becomes torn between…
- Down To Earth (1947)
- Dir. Alexander Hall
Feat. Rita Hayworth, Larry Parks, James Gleason…
- Musical comedy sequel to HERE COMES MR. JORDAN starring Rita Hayworth as Greek Goddess Terpsichore who comes down to Earth to join a Broadway…
- Good News (1947)
- Dir. Charles Walters
Feat. June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Patricia Marshall…
- Toe–tapping MGM musical based on the 1927 stage production of the same name.
Set on a collage campus, where a football star falls in love…
- Perils of Pauline, The (1947)
- Dir. George Marshall
Feat. Betty Hutton, John Lund, Billy DeWolfe…
- Showbiz melodrama in which Hutton plays true–life actress Pearl White, who graduated from being a lowly–paid seamstress to queen of the…
- Gaiety George (Showtime) (1946)
- Dir. George King, Leontine Sagan
Feat. Richard Greene, Ann Todd, Peter Graves…
- Victorian–era musical about Irishman George Howard, who moves to London and purchases a theatre, aiming to enhance the local entertainment…
- Jolson Story, The / Jolson Sings Again (1946)
- Dir. Alfred E. Green, Henry Levin
Feat. Larry Parks
- An American success story in song, accomplished biography traces the career of mammy–singing Al Jolson. Larry Parks offers a flawless…
- Man I Love, The (1946)
- Dir. Raoul Walsh
Feat. Ida Lupino, Robert Alda, Bruce Bennett…
- Romantic drama about a New York lounge singer who becomes homesick and decides to visit her siblings on the West Coast, where she unexpectedly falls…
- Night and Day (1946)
- Dir. Michael Curtiz
Feat. Cary Grant, Alexis Smith, Jane Wyman
- Somewhat unreliable biography of Cole Porter that gets by on it's soundtrack and Cary Grant's amiable performance.
- Anchors Aweigh (1945)
- Dir. George Sidney
Feat. Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Gene Kelly
- Wartime tale of two sailors on leave in Hollywood. A milestone due to the combination of gene Kelly's live–action choreography coupled with…
- Dolly Sisters, The (1945)
- Dir. Irving Cummings
Feat. Betty Grable, John Payne, June Haver
- Flash, energetic musical biopic on Hungarian–born sisters Jennie and Rosie Dolly, who conquered Broadway in the early 1900s. Ravishing…
- Harvey Girls, The (1945)
- Dir. George Sidney
Feat. Judy Garland, John Hodiak, Ray Bolger…
- A much–loved, if rather formless musical about the heyday of the railroad in the Old West and the Harvey House restaurants which sprang up…
- 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.
- State Fair (1945)
- Dir. Walter Lang
Feat. Jeanne Crain, Dana Andrews, Dick Haymes…
- Cheerful Rodgers & Hammerstein musical about Iowa family visiting a colossal fairground.
- 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.…
- Bells of St. Mary's (1944)
- Dir. Leo McCarey
Feat. Bing Crosby, Ingrid Bergman
- Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman team up for a musical comedy as a gentle priest and a prim nun who slug out their differences. 8 Oscar nominations.
- Can't Help Singing (1944)
- Dir. Frank Ryan
Feat. Deanna Durbin, Robert Paige, Akim Tamiroff
- Sugary sweet technicolour western musical based on the book "Girl of the Overland Trail" by Samuel J. and Curtis B. Warshawsky. Set during the…
- 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…
- Going My Way (1944)
- Dir. Leo McCarey
Feat. Bing Crosby
- Oscar–sweeping musical favourite stars Bing Crosby as the singing priest, Father O'Malley, whose casual unorthodoxy casts an influential spell.
- Meet Me in St Louis (1944)
- Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor…
- In the year before the 1904 St Louis World's Fair, the four Smith daughters learn lessons of life and love, even as they prepare for a reluctant move…
- Pin Up Girl (1944)
- Dir. H. Bruce Humberstone
Feat. Betty Grable, John Harvey, Martha Raye…
- Betty Grable, America's #1 pin–up during WWII, strikes a pose as a canteen girl who pretends to be broadway star in order to stay close to her…
- Cabin in the Sky (1943)
- Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Lena Horne, Ethel Waters, " Eddie ""Rochester""" Anderson…
- Landmark musical presents a 'faux–negro' folk story accompanied by the sophisticated musicianship of Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and…
- Gang's All Here, The (1943)
- Dir. Busby Berkeley
Feat. Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda
- Exhibitionist Fox musical combines some sensational talent (Miranda, in particular) with wildly innovative visuals from the great Busby Berkeley. The…
- Hard Way, The (1943)
- Dir. Vincent Sherman
Feat. Ida Lupino, Dennis Morgan, Joan Leslie
- Musical drama based on a story by Irwin Shaw, which was reportedly inspired by Ginger Rogers' first marriage to Jack Pepper.
Joan Leslie plays a…
- Heat's On, The (Tropicana) (1943)
- Dir. Gregory Ratoff
Feat. Mae West
- Famous Mae West flop, with the screen vamp playing a Broadway star torn between rival producers. Once the talk of the town, she wouldn't make another…
- Hello, Frisco, Hello (1943)
- Dir. Bruce Humberstone
Feat. Alice Faye, John Payne, Jack Oakie…
- Classic technicolor musical set in Frisco's lively vaudeville scene in 1915.
- 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…
- Phantom of the Opera (1943)
- Dir. Arthur Lubin
Feat. Claude Rains, Nelson Eddy, Susanna Foster
- Technicolour version of the old tale with Claude Rains warbling it up behind the mask. The emphasis here is more on singing than chills, it could be…
- Presenting Lily Mars (1943)
- Dir. Norman Taurog
Feat. Judy Garland, Van Heflin, Fay Bainter…
- MGM Musical comedy starring Judy Garland in an early grown–up role as the titular small–town girl who heads to Broadway but struggles to…
- Stormy Weather (1943)
- Dir. Andrew L. Stone
Feat. Lena Horne, Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway…
- An on–off romance between a dancer and a popular songstress provides a suitable excuse for a fantastic retrospective of the great…
- For Me and My Gal (1942)
- Dir. Busby Berkeley
Feat. Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, George Murphy
- A Busby Berkeley–directed musical that provided the first real "adult" role for a nineteen–year–old Judy Garland. Gene Kelly…
- Holiday Inn (1942)
- Dir. Mark Sandrich
Feat. Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby
- Love–triangle musical scored by Irving Berlin has Astaire dancing without Rogers and Bing Crosby unleashing 'White Christmas'.
- Orchestra Wives (1942)
- Dir. Archie Mayo
Feat. Ann Rutherford, George Montgomery, Lynn Bari…
- Swing–era musical featuring the Glenn Miller orchestra, with Miller himself playing the leader of a band.
When the trumpet player…
- 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…
- Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
- Dir. Michael Curtiz
Feat. James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston
- An energy–filled and well–loved musical biography of Show–Biz King George Cohan, played by James Cagney.
- You Were Never Lovelier (1942)
- Dir. William A Seiter
Feat. Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth
- Gently funny musical with Fred Astaire pursuing Rita Hayworth.
- Hellzapoppin' (1941)
- Dir. H.C. Potter
Feat. Ole Olsen, Chic Johnson
- Batty and rambunctious comedy classic runs a gamut of slight gags and inspired slapstick lunacy, with wild pair Olsen and Johnson guiding the…
- Moon Over Miami (1941)
- Dir. Walter Lang
Feat. Betty Grable, Don Ameche, Robert Cummings
- One of Betty Grable's better musical outings, it's a bright and breezy story of two sisters who attempt to ensnare a pair of Miami millionaires when…
- Sun Valley Serenade (1941)
- Dir. H. Bruce Humberstone
Feat. Sonja Henie, John Payne, Milton Berle…
- Winter wonderland musical sets the stage for the Glenn Miller Orchestra and skating star Sonja Henie, here playing a Norwegian refugee turned…
- 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…
- Ziegfeld Girl (1941)
- Dir. Robert Z. Leonard
Feat. James Stewart, Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr…
- A star–sudded MGM musical melodrama featuring musical numbers staged by Busby Berkeley, highlighted by "You Stepped Out of a Dream". Set in the…
- Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)
- Dir. Norman Taurog
Feat. Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell, George Murphy…
- The final of the loosely connected BROADWAY MELODY quartet is unusually plot–heavy, but still features glittery dance numbers and a lovely Cole…
- Down Argentine Way (1940)
- Dir. Irving Cummings
Feat. Carmen Miranda, Betty Grable, Don Ameche
- A horse mad New Yorker falls for a wealthy Argentine rancher in this fluffy technicolor musical, but is hampered by the longstanding feud between…
- It All Came True (1940)
- Dir. Lewis Seiler
Feat. Ann Sheridan, Jeffrey Lynn, Humphrey Bogart
- A crime–themed musical comedy featuring Ann Sheridan as a fledgling singer in her first starring role as well as Humphrey Bogart as a fugitive…
- 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.
- Second Fiddle (1939)
- Dir. Sidney Lanfield
Feat. Tyrone Power, Edna May Oliver, Sonja Henie…
- A musical romance with a score composed by Irving Berlin and a screenplay based on George Bradshaw's story "Heart Interest".
A studio publicist…
- Story of Vernon and Irene Castle, The (1939)
- Dir. H.C. Potter
Feat. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edna May Oliver…
- Fred & Ginger star in the story of the dancing team who taught the world to two–step, based on the stories "My Husband and My Memories of…
- Wizard of Oz, The (1939)
- Dir. Victor Fleming, King Vidor
Feat. Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr…
- The world's best loved film down through and across the generations, and a key cultural icon.
MGM pulled out all the stops to realise L. Frank…
- Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938)
- Dir. Henry King
Feat. Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, Don Ameche…
- Irving Berlin contributes over two dozen songs as well as the screenplay for this rousing story of the history of (white) jazz music from ragtime to…
- 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…
- Carefree (1938)
- Dir. Mark Sandrich
Feat. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Ralph Bellamy
- The eighth of the ten films that Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers did together, this screwball comedy features only four musical numbers, and is…
- 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.
- Keep Fit (1937)
- Dir. Anthony Kimmins
Feat. Kay Walsh, Guy Middleton, George Formby
- Snappy–yet–slight musical–comedy sees Formby play a skinny wimp who faces off against a stocky Middleton in a 'keep fit' contest in…
- On the Avenue (1937)
- Dir. Roy Del Ruth
Feat. Dick Powell, Madeleine Carroll, Alice Faye
- The songs of Irving Berlin feature prominently in this infectious Broadway–set musical, with Dick Powell, Alice Faye and the Ritz Brothers (as…
- Shall We Dance (1937)
- Dir. Mark Sandrich
Feat. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers
- Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers pretend to be married in this last notable musical of their partnership. Features the classic roller–skate…
- 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…
- Follow the Fleet (1936)
- Dir. Mark Sandrich
Feat. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers
- Astaire & Rogers musical that marked a career peak for the pair after TOP HAT. Irving Berlin scores.
- Gay Desperado, The (1936)
- Dir. Rouben Mamoulian
Feat. Ida Lupino, Leo Carrillo, Nino Martini…
- A light comedy with operatic tenor Nino Martini playing a singer who works as a live entertainer in a movie theatre, and is kidnapped by a trigger…
- Keep Your Seats, Please (1936)
- Dir. Monty Banks
Feat. George Formby, Florence Desmond, Gus McNaughton
- An endearing Formby is at his gormless best in this musical comedy, where he must find his aunt's inheritance sewn up in 12 chairs that have…
- 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.
- Rose Marie (1936)
- Dir. W.S. Van Dyke
Feat. Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy
- Jeanette MacDonald/Nelson Eddy musical vehicle set in the Canadian Rockies.
- Show Boat (1936)
- Dir. James Whale
Feat. Irene Dunne, Allan Jones, Charles Winninger…
- A faithful adaptation of Oscar Hammerstein's 1920's stage musical covering four decades as an aspiring actor goes from working a Mississippi…
- 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…
- Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)
- Dir. Busby Berkeley
Feat. Dick Powell, Adolphe Menjou, Gloria Stuart…
- Summer season at New England's Wentworth Plaza hotel..the rich will come out to play, and so will the golddiggers!
Dick Powell heads up this…
- 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…
- Phantom Empire, The (1935)
- Feat. Gene Autry, Frankie Darro, Smiley Burnette
- Oddball children's serial from the thirties has singing cowboy Autry discovering the last remaining inhabitants of the lost continent of Mu living…
- Roberta (1935)
- Dir. William A. Seiter
Feat. Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers…
- An unsuccessful American Football player inherits his Aunt's Parisian fashion house. One of the weaker Rogers/Astaire efforts.
- Top Hat (1935)
- Dir. Mark Sandrich
Feat. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers
- Magically irrepressible musical with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers enacting some brilliant toe–tapping routines to the tunes of Irving Berlin…
- Belle of the Nineties (1934)
- Dir. Leo McCarey
Feat. Mae West
- Mae's first post–production code outing: she plays a sultry cabaret singer lusted after by a myriad of Missippian males. Duke Ellington also…
- Dames (1934)
- Dir. Ray Enright, Busby Berkeley
Feat. Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, ZaSu Pitts…
- This blissful musical battle between stage–hopefuls and a disapproving decency group is often referred to by critics as the 'Gold Diggers of…
- Gay Divorcee, The (1934)
- Dir. Mark Sandrich
Feat. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers
- Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers received top–billing for the first time in this excellent revision of Cole Porter's Broadway musical. Songs…
- March of the Wooden Soldiers (Babes In Toyland) (1934)
- Dir. Gus Meins, Charles R. Rogers
Feat. Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy
- Imaginative musical fantasia also makes the most of Laurel and Hardy's comic genius – as dim–witted toymakers whose mistaken order for…
- 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…
- 42nd Street (1933)
- Dir. Lloyd Bacon
Feat. Warner Baxter, Bebe Daniels, George Brent
- The definitive backstage musical, centered around a chorus girl's shot at stardom when the leading lady twists her ankle. Busby Berkeley wrote the…
- Footlight Parade (1933)
- Dir. Lloyd Bacon, Busby Berkeley
Feat. James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler…
- James Cagney stars as an indefatigable Broadway producer, working show–biz miracles to keep his company afloat through the Depression.
Most…
- Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)
- Dir. Mervyn LeRoy
Feat. Warren William, Joan Blondell, Aline MacMahon…
- Busby Berkeley brings his snappy camerawork and choreography magic to the production numbers of this pre–'Hays code' musical, in which Dick…
- Hallelujah, I'm a Bum (1933)
- Dir. Lewis Milestone
Feat. Al Jolson, Madge Evans, Frank Morgan…
- Freewheeling musical comedy set (and made) during the Great Depression, with Al Jolson playing a hobo in New York who falls in love with the mayor's…
- Blonde Venus (1932)
- Dir. Josef von Sternberg
Feat. Marlene Dietrich, Cary Grant, Herbert Marshall…
- Director Josef von Sternberg reunites with muse Marlene Dietrich in this sweeping melodrama about a German chanteuse turned struggling housewife who…
- Love Me Tonight (1932)
- Dir. Rouben Mamoulian
Feat. Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette MacDonald, Myrna Loy…
- Charismatic tailor Maurice Chevalier makes beautiful music with princess Jeanette MacDonald in this splendiferous romance, one of the great musicals…
- Madam Satan (1930)
- Dir. Cecil B. DeMille
Feat. Kay Johnson, Reginald Denny, Roland Young
- A genuine oddity (and second talkie) from Cecil B. DeMille, this typically extravagant pre–Code musical comedy stars Kay Johnson as a jealous…
- 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…
- Cocoanuts, The (1929)
- Dir. Robert Florey, Joseph Santley
Feat. Groucho Marx, Zeppo Marx, Chico Marx…
- The first feature–length Marx Brothers is probably one for completists only, with much of the film's running time devoted to mediocre musical…
- Jazz Singer, The (1927)
- Dir. Alan Crosland
Feat. Al Jolson, May McAvoy
- Historically important as the first–ever 'talkie' (ie. sound–film), featuring synchronised singing in several numbers. Al Jolson plays…
- Blind Husbands / The Great Gabbo (1919-1929)
- Dir. Erich von Stroheim, James Cruze
Feat. Erich von Stroheim, Gibson Gowland, Sam De Grasse…
- Two feature films on one disc featuring visionary Austrian–American silent filmmaker and actor Erich von Stroheim.
Blind Husbands (directed…
- Busby Berkeley Disc, The
- Dir. Busby Berkeley
- A unique collection of twenty one complete musical numbers that established the choreographic genius of Busby Berkeley.
- Gilbert & Sullivan Box Set
- This extensive collection contains twelve of Gilbert and Sullivan's best loved operas specially filmed for home entertainment. A cast of top…