Below is a list of my ten favorite movie musicals (seven of them are period pieces) . . . so far:
TOP TEN FAVORITE MOVIE MUSICALS
1. “Mary Poppins” (1964) – Oscar winner Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke starred in Walt Disney’s Oscar winning adaptation of P.L. Travers’ literary series about a magical English nanny. Robert Stevenson directed.
2. “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952) – Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds starred in this musical classic about Hollywood’s transition from silent films to talkies. Kelly co-directed with Stanley Donen.
3. “Hello Dolly!” (1969) – Barbra Streisand and Walter Matthau starred in this colorful adaptation of David Merrick’s 1964 Broadway hit musical about a matchmaker in late 19th century New York. Gene Kelly directed.
4. “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” (1971) – Angela Landsbury and David Tomlinson starred in this entertaining adaptation of Mary Norton’s novels about a woman studying to become a witch, who takes in three London children evacuated to the country during World War II. Robert Stevenson directed.
5. “Grease” (1978) – John Travolta and Olivia Newton-Johns starred in this adaptation of Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey’s 1971 Broadway play about the lives of high-school students during their senior year in the late 1950s. Randal Kleiser directed.
6. “42nd Street” (1933) – Lloyd Bacon directed this musical about the preparation of a Broadway musical during the Great Depression. Warner Baxter, Bebe Daniels, Ruby Keeler and George Brent starred.
7. “Dreamgirls” (2006) – Bill Condon wrote and directed this adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical about the travails of a female singing group from Detroit during the 1960s and 1970s. Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, Oscar nominee Eddie Murphy and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson starred.
8. “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” (1967) – Robert Morse starred in this hilarious adaptation of the 1961 Broadway musical about an ambitious New York window washer using a “how-to” book to rise up the corporate ladder of a wicket company. David Swift wrote and directed the film.
9. “1776” (1972) – William Daniels, Howard Da Silva and Ken Howard starred in this entertaining adaptation of the 1969 Broadway musical about the creation and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Peter H. Hunt directed.
10. “The Gay Divorcee” (1934) – Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers starred in this adaptation of the 1932 Broadway musical, “The Gay Divorce” about an American woman who mistakes a song-and-dance man as the professional correspondent, who had been hired to help her get a divorce. Mark Sandrich directed.
Filed under: Art and Fashion, History, Movies | Tagged: alice brady, american revolution, angela landsbury, annette charles, barbra streisand, bebe daniels, betty grable, beyonce knowles, bill condon, blythe danner, british empire, colonial america, cyd charisse, danny glover, david tomlinson, dawnn lewis, debbie reynolds, dick powell, dick van dyke, disney, donald madden, donald o'connor, e.j. parker, eddie murphy, edward everett horton, edwardian age, fred astaire, gene kelly, george brent, gilded age, ginger rogers, glynis johns, great depression, history, howard da silva, jamie foxx, jane darwell, jean hagen, jeff conway, jennifer hudson, john lithgow, john travolta, julie andrews, karen doctrice, keith robinson, kelly ward, ken howard, literary, louis armstrong, marianne mcandrews, matthew garber, michael crawford, michele lee, mid 20th century, movies, music, old hollywood, olivia newton-john, politics, reginald owen, robert morse, robert stevenson, roddy mcdowall, ruby keeler, rudy vallee, sharon leal, stockard channing, travel, una merkel, walter matthau, warner baxter, william daniels, world war 2 | Leave a comment »
Ladylavinia1932's Blog 