42nd Street

Rating:
Summary: Come And Hear The Beat Of Dancing Feet On "42nd Street"
Review: "42nd Street" is truly one of the all-time great movie musicals. It was seen when first released, as a gritty back-stage look inside what "really" happens durning the preparations of a Broadway play.
What is truly amazing about this film, is after some 70 years, "42nd Street" is still a dazzler. It still possess such charm and elegance that to be honest, not even the Broadway musical could beat it!
"42nd Street" tells the story of a young novice chorus girl, Peggy Sawyer (Ruby Keeler) whom is trying to get in her first
Broadway play. She dreams of the bright lights of Broadway, and her name flashing high above. Sawyer will go into that play a youngster and has to come back a star. "42nd Street" throws in a lot of sub-plots dealing with most of it's main characters who include; Bebe Daniels, George Brent, Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers (Before she got her big break that same year in "Flyin' Down to Rio w\ a then unknown Fred Astaire!), Una Merkel, Guy Kibbee and of course Warner Baxter who plays Julian Marsh, the director of the play. But, none of these sub-plots throw the film off-track. They merely give the film more "color". By the end of the film all the sub-plots coincide with one another.
Another star of the movie I forgot to mention is of course the music itself composed by Harry Warren. The songs include; "You're Getting To Be A Habbit With Me", "Shuffle off to Buffalo", "Young & Healthy", and "42nd Street". It's in "42nd Street" that we see Ruby Keeler show us her steps. While many people today might not be impressed with it, there's something about her, that always holds my interest.
If you've never seen this film before, it really is a must. If you've already seen it, there's no harm in watching it again!
Bottom-line:This Oscar nominated musical is one of the best of it's day. Unforgettable songs, wonderful dancing by Ruby Keeler, and all around charm have made this film a classic!

Rating:
Summary: The First And The Best
Review: "42nd Street" is still the funniest, sexiest and most exciting movie musical ever to come out of Hollywood.

Don't expect to see a string of elaborate production numbers strung together by little whisps of plot. "42nd Street" is actually a comedy-drama about the tribulations of creating a Broadway show and was made before the Hay's Office really got its claws into Hollywood. The movie is peppered with cynacism and risquee lines. When the production numbers finally come, they're icing on the cake.

The only weak point is of course Ruby Keeler. It's almost an in joke when the Ginger Roger's character - Any Time Annie - ("she only said 'no' once and that's because she hadn't heard the question") bravely gives up the starring role to Keeler's character. Ginger Rogers had more talent in her small toe than Ruby Keeler had in both of her two clutzy feet, but who cares? Even Ruby's jumping around the stage has an endearing quality.

While there are only a few Busby Berkley numbers, they're all gems. Especially:

"Shuffle Off To Buffalo" and "42nd Street"

Rating:
Summary: It has its moments, but falls flat
Review: ... what really redeemed the 42nd st film version for me was the many moments it shook off the constraints of following the play and used the medium of film to its advantage. It's that difference that you see in films like My Fair Lady between an amazing film construction of a number like "I could have danced all night", and the stagnant race track number(s). and 42nd st. really explodes in it's final title sequence. from the breathtaking track through all the girls' legs, too the expansive and seeming endless NYC sets this number outshone the entirety of the rest of the film in my opinion. There was some very nice cinematography throughout the film, but the story behind the numbers fell flat too many times for me to accord it any higher a rank than it gets. I'd actually like to see this play remade, if only because I think the stage production is strong enough that it could translate better to film, this film isn't as strong (or revered) as other musicals, so it'd be interesting to see someone like Paul Thomas Anderson take a crack at bringing to life a classic stage musical, if only because it hasn't really been done yet.

Rating:
Summary: This movie is "getting to be a habit with me"!
Review: 42nd STREET is an absolutely wonderful film! This landmark in the history of movie musicals remains fresh and timeless. Oscar- winner Warner Baxter leads a magnificent all-star cast as the director of the Broadway production PRETTY LADY. This film was a turning point in the careers of Dick Powell and Ginger Rogers. Ruby Keeler makes a strong impression in her debut and star-making role, but silent film star Bebe Daniels, as the tempermental leading lady who breaks her ankle on the eve of opening night, probably gives the best performance. The screenplay is structured, tight, and overflowing with delightful vignettes and observations about the theatre, while maintaining a perfect balance between comedy and surprisingly powerful drama. Busby Berkeley's stupendous choreography make the three finale numbers classics. Harry Warren's melodies and Al Dubin's lyrics are memorable in such standards as SHUFFLE OFF TO BUFFALO and YOUNG AND HEALTHY. Everything from the set decoration and costumes to the cinematography are perfect. This nostalgic piece of movie magic is among the greatest motion pictures ever produced.

Rating:
Summary: Prepare To Be Dazzled With This 1933 Classic.
Review: 42nd Street is the story of Peggy Sawyer, a young inspiring actress, who ends up auditioning, and starring as a chorus girl in a new musical called "Pretty Lady", directed by Julian Marsh. While at a party however, the leading lady, Dorothy Brock breaks her leg, and Peggy's love interest Billy Lawlor suggests to Julian that Peggy be the replacement for the leading lady's role. However, there are only 2 weeks left before opening night. Will Peggy be ready for this challenge?

42nd Street is one of the best movie musicals of all time, if not one of the best movies in history. The film is a spectacular creation of dance and song, and is very realistic to the real life acting world that surrounds inspiring actors today. The performances are excellent, in particular Warner Baxter for his portrayel of Julian Marsh, the director of the show, who is very ill. Another highlight of the show is Ginger Roger's performance as Anytime Annie, one of Peggy's friends, and a supporting cast member in the show. The ending is fabulous...they go into great detail with the musical, and it ends right where it should. There are no flaws at all, except for the opening scene, in which Julian hears from his Doctor, that he may be suffering from a nervous breakdown. The scene was well thought out, but would have came at a better time sometime later in the film.

42nd Street is a must-see for those fans of Broadway at heart.

Rating:
Summary: Can't get it out of my head ...
Review: 42nd Street, released in 1933, was the first successful early musical. Busby Berkeley, a Broadway-Hollywood transplant, was the musical director for this masterpiece. His avant-garde style was showcased by the musical scenes. He uses many different camera shots, and wild, geometric props to put together a remarkable effect. These sensational visual effects are prominent in the title music score, "42nd Street". This song has surpassed the test of time, and has become a classic work, perhaps better known than the film itself. The camera execution in 42nd Street is very modern. The camera no longer stands still, fixed on the main characters, and ignoring its ability to change the entire scene, mood, and film, by purely making the camera mobile. This advance allows for a free-spirited, well-flowing film. It is no longer a stationary and trite film, lacking human emotion, but a film that flows as the human spirit, and essentially evoking the emotions that it attempts to.While 42nd Street has its carefree musical numbers, it is also true to its time period. 42nd Street does not ignore the fact that it was filmed in the midst of the Depression. In fact, it embraces it, and uses it tactfully in the plot. However, the escapist musical numbers evoke the same attempt at escaping the problems of the day. These problems were plaguing the people and, hence, part of the reason 42nd Street was so successful.

Rating:
Summary: ESCAPE INTO THE THIRTIES
Review: Along with "Gold Diggers of 1933" and the superlative "Footlight Parade" (my personal favourite), "42nd Street" indeed ranks as one of the great musicals made during the early thirties. Warner Baxter (who is rarely seen in videos) is quite effective as director Julian Marsh while Ruby Keeler had a freshness about her (even though her voice tended to be a bit cloying) Una Merkel delivers a snappy performance (where was our brassy Joan Blondell?) and we get to view the rarely seen Bebe Daniels. The "Shuffle off to Buffalo" number is the perhaps the most memorable in the film.

Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite old movies
Review: As a tap dancer and fan of old movies, I fell in love the first time I saw 42nd Street. I've always enjoyed the way people danced in the 1930s and 1940s. What made this movie more enjoyable was watching a production being rehearsed and then performed. I have to admit, though, that I found some of the regular scenes a little boring at times. But the songs and dancing were wonderful.

Rating:
Summary: Lush Black & White and a musical to boot!
Review: First of all, if you are expecting non-stop singing and dancing, you've come to the wrong place. 42nd street is more of a backstage drama enlivened by several songs rather than what you might expect from an all-out musical. Only at the end does it make---and unabashedly so---a final push to bring down the house, so to speak. The DVD box headlines Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell, but this is a Warner-Baxter-lead ensemble. Baxter is the star even though Ruby shines at the end. George Brent, Guy Kibee, Bebe Daniels, and---my favorite supporting player herein---Ned Sparks, round out the cast. But this film has more working for it not than just able players and memorable music. This film is lush, I'd argue; not in drama and/or color---since it's in black & white of course---but lush in light. The lighting is wonderfully apparent in this film. The rich black backgrounds in the musical numbers couldn't be any blacker & the whites---blouses, tuxedo jackets, you name it---in contrast couldn't be any more livelier as a result. As I write this I see a black piano, for instance, filmed from the floor on an angle as Bede Daniels slinks aside it in a long black dress set off with a white top. Ruby Keeler is similarly arrayed, but in a lush all white dress as she "shuffles off to Buffalo." It's a brilliant film in this regard (pardon the pun); an example how black & white can sometimes best color. Do consider such when you have a look at this crisply filmed 1933 classic. (Trivial aside: Have a look at Ruby's shoes just after George Brent is punched in the face and notice that soon after---as she is carried by him from a sofa---she is wearing different ones.) Cheers!

Rating:
Summary: STUPENDOUS!
Review: GREAT MUSIC; GREAT SONGS; GOOD ACTING, WITH BEAUTIFUL ACTORS; GREAT DANCING; ALL IN BEAUTIFUL BLACK AND WHITE WHICH MAKES IT ALL SO VERY REAL AND ALIVE. THE BEST PART IS THE COMEDY WHICH IS SUPERB AND TOP NOTCH!