Golden Age of Musicals
Hollywood Musicals at their best. Something for everyone. Sometimes a good laugh. Sometimes a good cry. A chance to leave the cares of the world behind for an hour or two. But always a good song. And it only cost a quarter or two.
The movie music reflected the mood of its time. The no-plot showcases for the likes of Mac & Eddy or Astaire & Rogers in the 1930s. The star parades of the war years. The Latin influx of the late 1940s. The full-blown color extravaganza of the 1950s. A musical really had something for everyone.
If you watch through all of the "Films to Know", you'll see a wide variety of glorious black-and-white movies and color film, enough to fill even the biggest widescreen television. A thorough study of the names and sites found on this page is essential for your self-improvement. It will broaden your horizons and enrich your ability to converse intelligently in many circles.
To condense this into a one-page study, we've included as many external links as possible. If you click on any of the names in the left column, you'll most often be taken to a website dedicated to that person. If a website isn't available, you'll see a picture of them. And don't miss the trilogy of "That's Entertainment" movies. In fact, if you haven't the time or desire to watch through the whole list, then this trilogy is probably just the thing for you. Most importantly, don't forget the popcorn. And--oh, yes--don't forget to turn off the lights. Black-and-white film should be watched in the dark. Okay, ALL film should be watched in the dark, but you probably know that already.
(Faces in the filmstrip: Fred Astaire, Deanna Durbin, Oscar Levant, Doris Day, Donald O'Connor, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra.)
Quotes to Remember
You know, you can wait around and hope, but I'll tell you, you'll never see the likes of this again.
Frank Sinatra
(on Astaire and Powell in "Broadway Melody of 1940")
A musical is a series of catastrophes ending in a floor show.
Oscar Levant
The most talented woman I ever knew was Judy Garland. She was a great, great comedienne and she could do more things than any girl I ever knew. Act, sing, dance, make you laugh.
Bing Crosby
The finest all-around performer we ever had in America was Judy Garland. There was no limit to her talent. She was the quickest, brightest person I ever worked with.
Gene Kelly
You know, that Kelly, he's just terrific. That's all there is to it.
Fred Astaire (on Gene Kelly)
