Best Musical Movies to Watch

Table of Contents

Musical movies are a genre of movie in which the music is connected to the story, often accompanied by dancing and dance performances. Tunes generally advance the plot or define the characters in the movie, yet in many cases they simply serve as breaks in the story, as imaginative performances.

The musical movie was a natural progression of the stage musical after the development of the sound movie innovation. In general, the biggest distinction between movie and stage musicals is the use of background landscapes and places that would not be possible in a theater. Musical movies typically include aspects reminiscent of the theater, such as the way the actors relate to the music and dance numbers. In a sense, the audience ends up being a diegetic audience, as the actor looks straight into the camera and performs in front of it.

Musical-Movies

A Brief History of Musical Movies

With the introduction of sound in the late 1920s, musicals gained appeal to the general public and were represented by the movies of Busby Berkeley, a choreographer known for his imagination and original scenes. Throughout the 1930s, the musical movies of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers ended up being major cultural components in the eyes of American audiences. Victor Fleming’s The Wizard of Oz (1939) became a reference movie for the motion picture musical by experimenting with innovations such as Technicolor.

Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, MGM musical movies frequently premiered. These era movies usually depended on famous movie actors such as Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Ann Miller, Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel. They also relied on famous directors such as Stanley Donen and Vincente Minnelli as well as musicians such as Comden and Green, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and the Gershwin Brothers.

Throughout the 1960s, movies based on stage musicals continued to be pivotal and box office hits. eed in Business Without Really Trying, In the 1970s, movie culture and the growing demographic of moviegoers placed more emphasis on gritty realism, while the sheer entertainment and set design of classic-era Hollywood musicals were seen as antiquated. 

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, musical movies tended to come generally from Disney animated movies of the time, from lyricists and authors, Howard Ashman, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. In the 21st century, the wail of musical movie has been revamped with darker musicals, biopics , musical remakes, musicals dramas legendary comedies dramatic musical 

GO TO MOVIES TO WATCH

Alam Ara (1931)

It’s a 1931 historical musical Indian movie directed and produced by Ardeshir Irani. It tells of a king and his 2 wives, Navbahaar and Dilbahaar, who are childless. A fakir (Muhammad Wazir Khan) informs the king that his previous spouse will give birth to a child, later named Qamar (Master Vithal), but the child will die after his 18th birthday if Navbahaar fails to find a locket. The king discovers that Dilbahaar falls in love with Adil (Prithviraj Kapoor), leading the king to evict his pregnant partner, who later gives birth to Alam Ara (Zubeida).

Irani was influenced to make Alam Ara, after enjoying the 1929 American Show Boat. The story was adapted from the play of the same name by Bombay playwright Joseph David. Made on a budget equivalent to US$130,000 in 2020, movieing took place in Mumbai. 

Critics praised the actors and music. Apart from being a commercial success, the movie was also widely regarded as a significant development for the Indian movie market and Ardeshir Irani’s career. No prints of the movie have survived, thus making it a lost movie. 

42nd Street (1933) 

It is a 1933 American musical movie directed by Lloyd Bacon and a screenplay by Rian James and James Seymour, adapted from the 1932 book of the same name by Bradford Ropes. Starring an ensemble cast including Warner Baxter, Bebe Daniels, George Brent, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell and Ginger Rogers, the movie focuses on the rehearsal sessions of a Broadway show at the height of the Great Depression. The movie was choreographed by Busby Berkeley, with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Al Dubin.

This behind the scenes musical was very successful at the box office and is now a cult movie. A stage adaptation of the movie opened on Broadway in 1980. 

It is a funny movie, the liveliest musical to come out of Hollywood at the time, a story of behind-the-scenes life with exceptional musical numbers, dancing and a very good cast of actors. It’s also an intense movie about a little Broadway dream that has continued to garner praise in the years since its release.

GO TO MOVIES TO WATCH

Gold Diggers (1933)

It is a 1933 musical movie directed by Mervyn LeRoy with music by Harry Warren and Al Dubin, choreographed and staged by Busby Berkeley. It stars Warren William, Joan Blondell, Aline MacMahon, Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell, and includes Guy Kibbee, Ned Sparks and Ginger Rogers.

The story is based on Avery Hopwood’s play The Gold Diggers, which performed 282 times on Broadway in 1919 and 1920. The play was made into a silent movie in 1923 by David Belasco, the Broadway play’s producer, and again time as a sound musical movie in 1929, directed by Roy Del Ruth. 1933’s Gold Diggers was among the highest-grossing movies of 1933. This version was written by James Seymour and Erwin S. Gelsey.

Footlight Parade (1933)

It is a 1933 American musical movie starring James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell and includes Frank McHugh, Guy Kibbee, Hugh Herbert and Ruth Donnelly. The movie was written by Manuel Seff and James Seymour based on a story by Robert Lord and Peter Milne, and was directed by Lloyd Bacon, with musical numbers developed and directed by Busby Berkeley. The movie tunes were composed by Harry Warren, Al Dubin, Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal. 

Jolly Fellows (1934)

It is a Soviet musical movie from 1934, directed by Grigori Aleksandrov and starring his partner Lyubov Orlova, a talented singer and the first recognized star of cinema Soviet. The screenplay was composed by Aleksandrov, Vladimir Mass and Nikolai Erdman. It includes numerous songs that became instant classics throughout the Soviet Union. The most famous melody – “Kak mnogo devushek khoroshikh” (Many good women) – enjoyed worldwide popularity. Both Orlova and her co-star, singer and star Leonid Utyosov, rose to fame after this movie.

GO TO MOVIES TO WATCH

Top Hat (1935)

It is a 1935 American musical and comedy movie in which Fred Astaire plays an American tap dancer called Jerry Travers, who lives in London to star in a show produced by Horace Hardwick (Edward Everett Horton). Try to impress Dale Tremont (Ginger Rogers) to win her love. The movie also stars Eric Blore as Hardwick’s valet Bates, Erik Rhodes as Alberto Beddini, a designer and contender for Dale’s love interest, and Helen Broderick as Hardwick’s longtime partner Madge.

The movie was written by Allan Scott and Dwight Taylor. It was directed by Mark Sandrich. The songs were composed by Irving Berlin. “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails” and “Cheek to Cheek” have become American classics. Astaire and Rogers made 9 movies together at RKO. This movie was the most successful of their collaboration between Astaire and Rogers, reaching number two at the box office worldwide for 1935. Top hat remains, to this day, the best-known work of the collaboration.

Follow the Fleet (1936)

It is a 1936 American RKO musical movie starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in their fifth collaboration as dance partners. Also features Randolph Scott, Harriet Hilliard and Astrid Allwyn, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. Lucille Ball and Betty Grable also appear, in supporting roles. The movie was directed by Mark Sandrich with a screenplay by Allan Scott and Dwight Taylor based on the 1922 play Shore Leave by Hubert Osborne.

The movie was incredibly successful at the box office, and throughout 1936, Astaire’s songs from the movie topped the US Hit Parade. Harriet Hilliard and Tony Martin made their screen debuts in this movie. 

Swing Time (1938)

It’s an American musical movie from 1936, the sixth of 10 with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Directed by George Stevens for RKO, stars Helen Broderick, Victor Moore, Betty Furness, Eric Blore and Georges Metaxa, with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Dorothy Fields. Primarily set in New York City, the movie follows a punter and dancer, “Lucky” (Astaire), who is attempting to raise money to protect his marital relationship when he meets dance instructor Penny (Rogers) and starts dancing with she; the two fall in love.

For some critics it is the best movie of Astaire and Rogers, It includes 4 dance scenes which are considered the best of musicals. Although the script of the movie is contrived the dance is outstanding. “The Way You Look Tonight” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and went on to be Astaire’s most effective hit, topping the US charts in 1936. Music by Jerome Kern, who invented specifically for the movies of Astaire, includes 3 of his most notable pieces. The movie also marked the beginning of the decline of Astaire-Rogers’ success with audiences.

Circus (1936)

It’s a 1936 Soviet musical movie. It was directed by Grigori Aleksandrov and Isidor Simkov at the Mosmovie studios. Starring the popular and attractive Lyubov Orlova (Aleksandrov’s wife), the very first recognized star of Soviet cinema and a talented singer, the movie is composed of a number of songs that immediately became Soviet classics. The most popular is the “Song of the Motherland”. 

The movie was based on a performance made by the Moscow music hall, Under the Circus Dome, which was seen and enjoyed by Aleksandrov. They turned the comedy into the plot, but during the preliminary shooting of the movie they went to America. Upon returning, they did not like the director’s version and, after a dispute, abandoned the job, forbade reference to their names in the credits, and Isaac Babel continued to deal with the plot.

GO TO MOVIES TO WATCH

Volga, Volga (1938) 

It is a Soviet musical directed by Grigori Aleksandrov, released on April 24, 1938. It centers on a group of amateur entertainers heading to Moscow to perform in a competition called the Moscow Music Olympiad. Most of the action takes place on a steamboat making a journey on the Volga River. The main roles were played by Alexandrov’s wife Lyubov Orlova and Igor Ilyinsky.

According to Orlova, the movie’s name is taken from a popular Russian song, Stenka Razin, which Alexandrov sang while rowing with Charlie Chaplin in San Francisco Bay. Chaplin jokingly recommended the words as a title for a movie, however Alexandrov took it seriously and called his movie Volga-Volga. It was Soviet Premier Stalin’s favorite movie. Nikita Khrushchev in his memoirs claims that in the pre-WWII era Stalin made fun of him as he looked like a character in the movie. 

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

It is a 1939 American musical fantasy movie. An adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s unique dream The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the movie was directed primarily by Victor Fleming, and stars Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke and Margaret Hamilton. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf received screenplay credit for the movie, however others made uncredited contributions. The music was composed by Harold Arlen and adapted by Herbert Stothart, with lyrics composed by Edgar “Yip” Harburg.

With use of Technicolor, dreamlike storytelling, musical arrangement, and unforgettable characters, The Wizard of Oz was a hit upon its initial release on August 25, 1939. The movie was considered shortlisted for 6 Academy Awards. It was MGM’s most expensive production up to that point.

It is among the most watched movies in the history of cinema. The Wizard of Oz has come to be the source of several quotes referenced in modern pop culture. The movie frequently ranks on critics’ lists of the greatest movies ever and is the most commercially successful adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s work.

Easter Parade (1948)

It’s a 1948 American Technicolor musical movie starring Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Peter Lawford and Ann Miller. Irving Berlin’s music consists of some of Astaire and Garland’s most popular tunes, including “Easter Parade,” “Steppin’ Out with My Baby,” and “We’re a Couple of Swells.”

Gene Kelly was initially cast opposite Judy Garland, however he broke his ankle. The part was then supplied to Fred Astaire, who had actually retired 2 years earlier. Astaire, who was really excited to be working again, asked Kelly for advice regarding the deal, and Kelly enjoyed supporting his decision to take the job. Garland and Astaire were an effective group, and Astaire was restored to his success as an MGM star. An industrial and pivotal success, Easter Parade was the highest-grossing musical movie of 1948 and the second highest-earning MGM musical of the 1940s, after Meet Me in St. Louis.

On the Town (1949)

It’s a 1949 Technicolor musical movie with music by Leonard Bernstein and Roger Edens and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. It is an adaptation of the Broadway stage musical of the same name produced in 1944. A number of changes were made to the script and initial music; due to circumstances, much of Bernstein’s music was replaced with new pieces by Edens, who disliked most of Bernstein’s music as too operatic and too intricate for cinema audiences. This prompted Bernstein to boycott the movie.

The movie was directed by Gene Kelly, who also choreographed, and Stanley Donen in their directorial debut, and stars Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett and Ann Miller, and includes Jules Munshin and Vera-Ellen. The movie had a mix of studio and real location recording, per Gene Kelly’s insistence that some scenes be movieed in New York City, including at Columbus Circle, the American Museum of Natural History, the Brooklyn Bridge and Rockefeller.

The movie was an instant success and won the Academy Award for Best Score for a Musical movie and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Cinematography. Screenwriters Comden and Green won the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Musical. In 2006, the movie was ranked 19th on the American movie Institute’s list of the best musicals.

An American in Paris (1951) 

It’s a 1951 American musical movie set to music by George Gershwin’s 1928 orchestral An American in Paris. Starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guétary and Nina Foch, the movie is set in Paris and was directed by Vincente Minnelli from a screenplay by Alan Jay Lerner. The music is by George Gershwin, with lyrics by his brother Ira, with extra music by Johnny Green and Saul Chaplin, the conductors.

The story of the movie is sprinkled with dance numbers choreographed by Gene Kelly and set to music by Gershwin. movieing the ballet scenes cost almost half a million dollars. The movie ran into a censorship issue for a dance scene with a chair; the censor seeing the scene called it “sexually intriguing”, which amazed Caron, who replied “What can you do with a chair?” An American in Paris was a huge success, amassing 8 Academy Award nominations and winning 6 (consisting of Best Picture), as well as garnering other market accolades. It is ranked No. 9 on AFI’s Best Movie Musicals.

GO TO MOVIES TO WATCH

Awaara (1951)

It is a 1951 Indian police musical movie, produced and directed by Raj Kapoor and written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas. It stars Raj Kapoor and his father Prithviraj Kapoor, along with Nargis, Leela Chitnis and KN Singh. Other members of the Kapoor family make an appearance including Raj’s younger brother Shashi Kapoor who plays the younger version of his character and Prithiviraj’s father Dewan Bashesshwarnath Kapoor who plays a cameo role. The movie’s music was composed by Shankar Jaikishan.

The movie reveals socialist themes, and mixes reformist and social styles with the crime genre, romantic comedy and musical melodrama. The plot centers on the lives that unite a bad thief Raj (played by Raj Kapoor), privileged Rita (played by Nargis) and Judge Raghunath (played by Prithviraj Kapoor) who is unaware that Raj is his son. In the movie, Kapoor’s “little tramp” villain character refers to Charlie Chaplin and was further featured in other Kapoor movies like Shree 420. Awaara is considered to be a turning point in the history of Bollywood.

The movie ended up being a triumph in South Asia and found even greater success overseas in the Soviet Union, East Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. In particular, the track “Awaara Hoon” (“I am a Vagabond”), sung by Mukesh with lyrics by Shailendra, ended up being hugely popular across the Indian subcontinent, as well as nations like Soviet Union, China, Bulgaria, Turkey , Afghanistan and Romania. The movie was also chosen for the Grand Prix at the 1953 Cannes movie Festival. The movie is estimated to have sold over 200 million tickets overseas, including over 100 million in China and around 100 million in the Soviet Union. . Due to its appeal in many nations, the movie is a candidate for the best movie of all time.

Aan (1952)

It’s a adventure movie of 1952, Indian Bollywood musical directed by Mehboob Khan. It was India’s first Technicolor movie. Starring Dilip Kumar, Nimmi, Nadira. It was the most expensive Indian movie ever at the time, and was also the most profitable Indian movie ever, a record it held for several years. Aan was the first Indian movie to be released worldwide in many countries. Likewise, the movie garnered high praise in the British press at the time.

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

It is a 1952 American musical romantic funny movie directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell and Cyd Charisse. It provides a depiction of Hollywood in the late 1920’s, with 3 actors who are involved in the transition from silent movies to talking movies.

When it was first released, the movie was only a modest success. O’Connor won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy movie, and Betty Comden and Adolph Green won the Writers Guild of America Award for their movie’s screenplay, while Jean Hagen was nominated for the Academy Award for Best supporting actress. The movie has been re-evaluated by modern critics, and is generally regarded as the greatest musical movie ever made.

High Society (1956)

It is a 1956 American musical romantic funny movie directed by Charles Walters and starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra. The movie was produced by Sol C. Siegel for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and shot in VistaVision and Technicolor, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter.

The movie is a musical remake of the 1940 movie The Philadelphia Story, based on the 1939 play The Philadelphia Story by Philip Barry. The screenplay for the movie was composed by John Patrick and features a popular and successful jazz artist (Crosby) attempting to win back the love of his ex-wife (Kelly), who is preparing to marry another man. The cast also includes Celeste Holm, John Lund and Louis Calhern, in his latest movie, with musical contributions from Louis Armstrong. The movie was Kelly’s last professional one before marrying Prince Rainier III and becoming Princess of Monaco.

Gigi (1958)

It is a 1958 American musical romantic funny movie directed by Vincente Minnelli. The screenplay for the movie by Alan Jay Lerner is based on the 1944 novella of the same name by Colette. The movie includes pieces with lyrics by Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, staged and performed by André Previn. At the 31st Academy Awards, the movie won all 9 of its nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for Minnelli. The movie is the latest Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical and the latest blockbuster from the Freed Unit, led by producer Arthur Freed.

Holiday Inn (1942)

It’s a 1942 American musical movie starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, with Marjorie Reynolds, Virginia Dale and Walter Abel. It was directed by Mark Sandrich with music by Irving Berlin. The author composed twelve songs especially for the movie, the most famous of which is “White Christmas”. The movie includes a reuse of the song “Easter Parade,” composed by Berlin for the 1933 Broadway revue As Thousands Cheer and used as the soundtrack to the 1948 movie, Easter Parade starring Astaire and Judy Garland. The movie’s choreography was by Danny Dare. The movie won a 1943 Academy Award for Best Original Song (Berlin’s “White Christmas”), as well as Academy Award nominations for Best Score (Robert Emmett Dolan) and Best Original Story (Irving Berlin).

GO TO MOVIES TO WATCH

White Christmas (1954)

It’s a 1954 American musical movie directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. Shot in Technicolor, it includes music by Irving Berlin, with a new version of the title song, “White Christmas,” featured by Crosby in the 1942 movie Holiday Inn. The movie is significant in being the first to be cast in VistaVision, a widescreen system developed by Paramount that used twice the area of ​​normal 35mm movie. 

Funny Face (1957)

It’s a 1957 American musical romantic funny movie directed by Stanley Donen and written by Leonard Gershe, composed of various songs by George and Ira Gershwin. Having the same title as the 1927 Broadway musical Funny Face by the Gershwin brothers and including the exact same male star (Fred Astaire), the storyline is totally different and consist of only 4 of the tunes from the musical show. Along with Astaire, the movie stars Audrey Hepburn and Kay Thompson.

A pleasant movie, vibrant and sparkling and extremely elegant, made with excellent packaging, it was not appreciated by all the critics. Some called it a disappointing, over-sophisticated, repulsive, and insensitive work: American musical at its worst. There is satire in the movie that angered intellectuals. 

Oklahoma! (1955)

It is a 1955 American musical movie based on the 1943 musical of the same name by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, which in turn was based on the 1931 play Green Grow The Lilacs composed by Lynn Riggs. It stars Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones (in the cast of her movie), Rod Steiger, Charlotte Greenwood, Gloria Grahame, Gene Nelson, James Whitmore and Eddie Albert. The production was the only musical directed by Fred Zinnemann

Set in the Oklahoma Territory, it tells the story of farm lady Laurey Williams (Jones) and her courtship by 2 competing men, cowboy Curly McLain (MacRae) and scary, menacing farmhand Jud Fry (Steiger). A side love involves Laurey’s good friend Ado Annie (Grahame) and cowboy Will Parker (Nelson), who likewise has a competitor. A background theme is the local dispute between ranchers and farmers.

Shree 420 (1955)

It is a 1955 Indian comedy-drama movie directed and produced by Raj Kapoor from a story written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas. The movie stars Nargis, Nadira and Kapoor. Number 420 describes section 420 of the Indian Penal Code, which recommends the penalty for the offense of cheating; thus, “Mr. 420” is a negative term for a scam. The movie centers on Raj Kapoor, a Bombay orphan influenced by Charlie Chaplin’s “little tramp” much like Kapoor’s character in his 1951 Awaara. The music was composed by Shankar Jaikishan’s group and the lyrics were written by Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri.

Shree 420 was the highest-grossing Indian movie of 1955, the highest-grossing Indian movie ever at the time of its release, and the tune “Mera Joota Hai Japani” (“My shoes are Japanese”), sung by Mukesh, ended for being popular and a patriotic sign of newly independent India.

Pyaasa (1957)

It’s a 1957 Indian drama movie directed and produced by Guru Dutt, starring along with Mala Sinha, Waheeda Rehman, Rehman and Johnny Walker. Set in Calcutta, it focuses on disillusioned Urdu poet Vijay (Dutt), whose works are ignored by publishers and panned for writing on social issues instead of romantic subjects. The movie follows his encounters with the golden-hearted woman Gulabo who helps him publish his poems, the success of his works, and his romantic relationship with Gulabo. The movie was one of the most commercially successful movies of the year. Pyaasa is a classic movie and is regarded as one of the best movies in Indian cinema.

The King and I (1956)

It is a 1956 American musical movie directed by Walter Lang and produced by Charles Brackett and Darryl F. Zanuck. The screenplay for the movie by Ernest Lehman is based on the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon. That book in turn was based on memoirs written by Anna Leonowens, a school instructor to the sons of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. Leonowens’ stories were autobiographical, although numerous aspects of them have indeed been questioned. The movie stars Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner. The movie was a major commercial success, and was nominated for 9 Academy Awards, winning 5, including Best Actor for Brynner.

Mother India (1957)

It is a epic movie , directed by Mehboob Khan and starring Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and Raaj Kumar. A remake of Khan’s earlier movie Aurat (1940), it is the story of a poverty stricken city woman called Radha (Nargis), who due to lack of her husband, has a hard time raising her boys and dealing with a shrewd moneylender of money in the midst of numerous problems.

The movie’s title was chosen to counter American author Katherine Mayo’s belligerent 1927 book Mother India, which harmed Indian culture. The movie metaphorically depicts India as a country in the aftermath of its independence in 1947 with a strong sense of Indian nationalism and nation building. Allusions to Hindu folklore are abundant in the movie and its protagonist has been seen as a representation of an Indian woman who exhibits high ethical values ​​and the principle of what it means to be a mother to society through self-sacrifice. While some authors treat Radha as a sign of women’s empowerment, others see her as being embedded in female stereotypes. The movie was shot in Mehboob Studios in Mumbai and in the cities of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. 

The movie was among the most expensive Indian (Bollywood) productions and made the largest earnings for an Indian movie at the time. Updated for inflation, Mother India is still among the all-time hits of Indian ticket offices. It was released in India in October 1957 and had a number of major screenings, including one in the capital, New Delhi, attended by the nation’s president and prime minister. Mother India has become a cult movie and is considered one of the best movies of Indian cinema. The movie won the All India Certificate of Merit for Best Feature movie, moviefare Best movie Award for 1957, and Nargis and Khan won the Best Actress and Best Director awards respectively. It was likewise shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best International Feature movie, ending up being the first Indian movie ever to be shortlisted.

Paper Flowers (1959)

https://youtu.be/zGgZOc0KIrw

It is a 1959 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama movie produced and directed by Guru Dutt, who also played the lead role in the movie Beyond with Waheeda Rehman . It is the first Indian movie in CinemaScope and the last movie directed by Dutt. It marked a technical transformation in Indian cinematography and is widely considered to be ahead of its time.

The movie was not a box office success, however it was later re-evaluated as a cult classic in the 80s. Its failure, both critically and commercially, greatly affected Guru Dutt and brought his studio to the brink of ruin. The movie’s music was composed by SD Burman and the lyrics were composed by Kaifi Azmi and Shailendra. Today Kaagaz ke Phool is studied in many movie schools. It is thought to be the best autobiographical movie ever made in India.

GO TO MOVIES TO WATCH

West Side Story (1961)

It ​​is a 1961 American musical romantic drama movie directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. With a screenplay by Ernest Lehman, the movie is an adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the exact same title, which itself was inspired by Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. It stars Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno and George Chakiris, and was photographed by Daniel L. Fapp in Super Panavision 70. The music was composed by Leonard Bernstein, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The movie gained critical and public acclaim and ended up being the highest-grossing movie of 1961. It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 10, including Best Picture. West Side Story is regarded as one of the best musical movies of all time. 

The Music Man (1962)

It is a 1962 American musical movie directed and produced by Morton DaCosta, based on the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name by Meredith Willson, which DaCosta also directed . Robert Preston repeats the lead from the stage version, with Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett, Hermione Gingold, Ron Howard and Paul Ford. The movie was among the most significant blockbusters of the year and received critical acclaim. It was nominated for 6 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, with author Ray Heindorf winning Best Music, Score, Adaptation. The movie won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and Preston and Jones were both singled out for their acting.

Bye Bye Birdie (1963)

It’s a movie romantic comedy 1963 American musical directed by George Sidney from a screenplay by Irving Brecher, based on Michael Stewart’s book of the 1960 musical of the same name. Includes songs by author Charles Strouse and lyricist Lee Adams, and music by Johnny Green. Produced by Fred Kohlmar, the movie stars Janet Leigh, Dick Van Dyke, Ann-Margret, Maureen Stapleton, Bobby Rydell, Jesse Pearson and Ed Sullivan. 

The story was inspired by the phenomenon of singer Elvis Presley being trained for the US Army in 1957. Jesse Pearson plays the role of teen idol Conrad Birdie, whose character name is a pun on national singer Conway Twitty, who was, at that time, a well-known teenage pop artist. Presley himself was the first choice for the role of Birdie, but his manager rejected the idea as he did not want Presley to play roles that were parodies of himself or his profession. The movie made Ann-Margret a superstar throughout the mid-1960s, having her appear with Presley himself soon after in Viva Las Vegas.

My Fair Lady (1964)

It is a 1964 American musical comedy-drama adapted from Lerner and Loewe’s 1956 stage musical based on George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 stage play Pygmalion. With a screenplay by Alan Jay Lerner and directed by George Cukor, the movie tells the story of a Cockney florist called Eliza Doolittle who chances upon a cocky phonics teacher, Henry Higgins, who bets he could teach her how to speak English correctly, thereby making her likeable in the upper middle class of Edwardian London. The movie stars Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle and Rex Harrison as Henry Higgins, with Stanley Holloway, Gladys Cooper and Wilfrid Hyde-White in supporting roles. A commercial success, it ended up being the second highest-grossing movie of 1964 and won 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director. 

Mary Poppins (1964)

It is a 1964 American musical fantasy movie directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney, with songs composed and invented by the Sherman Brothers. The screenplay for the movie is by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, based on the PL Travers Mary Poppins book series. The movie, which integrates live-action and animation, stars Julie Andrews in its rollout feature as Mary Poppins, who goes to a troubled family in London and uses her lifestyle to improve the family dynamic. The movie was shot entirely at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California using painted London background scenes.

Mary Poppins was launched in August 1964, to critical acclaim and commercial success. It ended up being the highest-grossing movie of 1964, and at the time of its release, it was the highest-grossing Disney movie ever. It garnered a total of 13 Academy Awards nominations, including Best Picture, a record for any movie released by Walt Disney Studios, and won 5: Best Actress for Andrews, Best movie Editing, Best Original Score, Best Visual Effects , and Best Original Song for “Chim Chim Cher-ee”. 

The Sound of Music (1965)

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It is a 1965 American musical drama movie produced and directed by Robert Wise and starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, with Richard Haydn, Peggy Wood , Charmian Carr and Eleanor Parker. The movie is an adaptation of the 1959 musical of the same name, composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. The movie’s screenplay was composed by Ernest Lehman, adapted from the stage musical book by Lindsay and Crouse. Based on the 1949 short story The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria von Trapp, the movie deals with a young Austrian woman in Salzburg, Austria in 1938 who is sent to the vacation home of a retired naval officer and a widower to be governess to his 7 children. After bringing love and music into the family’s life, she marries the officer and, together with the children, discovers a way to cope with the loss of their homeland to the Nazis.

Critical reaction to the movie was diverse and it was a notable commercial success, becoming the number one box office movie and the highest-grossing movie of 1965. As of November 1966, it was the highest-grossing movie of all time. The movie was equally popular worldwide, breaking previous box office records in twenty-nine countries. After a 4 1/2 year preliminary theatrical release and 2 re-releases, the movie had 283 million admissions worldwide and grossed a combined $286 million. The Sound of Music won 5 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. The movie also received 2 Golden Globes, for Best Motion Picture and Best Actress, the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement, and the Writers Guild of America Award for Best American Musical. 

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)

It’s a historical movie 1966 musical Richard Lester, with Zero Mostel and Jack Gilford reprising their stage roles. Also includes Buster Keaton in his latest movie role. The movie was adapted for the screen by Melvin Frank and Michael Pertwee from the stage musical of the same name with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, which was influenced by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus, particularly Pseudolus, Miles Gloriosus and Mostellaria. The movie tells the story of a servant called Pseudolus and his efforts to help his young master charm the lady next door.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967)

It is a 1967 American romantic musical comedy-drama based on the 1961 musical of the same name, which in turn was based on Shepherd Mead’s book by 1952. The movie was directed by David Swift, with initial staging by Bob Fosse. The cast consists of Robert Morse, Rudy Vallee and Michele Lee all reprising their Broadway roles; along with Anthony Teague and Maureen Arthur. The movie marks the launch of Lee’s movie. Robert Osborne, who was a star at the time, was offered a small uncredited role as a member of the office staff.

The movie received generally favorable ratings because it effectively recreates everything that had contributed to the theatrical success, in particular the role of Morse and Vallee and the effectiveness of the close-ups of the character of Horatio Alger, much more effective for moviegoers than in the cinema. stage. 

Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)

It is a 1967 American romantic-musical comedy movie directed by George Roy Hill and starring Julie Andrews. The screenplay of the movie, by Richard Morris is based on the 1956 British musical Chrysanthemum. When Millie sets her sights on marrying her wealthy manager, she follows a naïve young woman on a series of crazy experiences. The movie also stars Mary Tyler Moore, James Fox, John Gavin, Carol Channing and Beatrice Lillie. The soundtrack inserts new songs by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn (“Thoroughly Modern Millie”, “The Tapioca”) and Jay Thompson (“Jimmy”) with staples from the 10s and 20s. The movie was nominated for 7 Academy Awards and 5 Golden Globes. It ranked eighth among the top-grossing movies of 1967. 

GO TO MOVIES TO WATCH

Oliver! (1968)

It is a 1968 British historical musical drama movie based on the 1960 musical of the same name by Lionel Bart, itself an adaptation of the original 1838 Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. Directed by Carol Reed from a screenplay by Vernon Harris, the movie is made up of many musical performances. Starring Ron Moody, Oliver Reed, Harry Secombe, Shani Wallis, Jack Wild and Mark Lester. At the 41st Academy Awards for 1968, Oliver! was nominated for eleven Academy Awards and won 6, including Best Picture, Best Director for Reed and an Honorary Award for choreographer Onna White. 

Funny Girl (1968)

It is a 1968 American biographical musical comedy-drama directed by William Wyler and written by Isobel Lennart, adapted from his book for the stage musical of the same title. It is loosely based on the Broadway life and work of movie star and comedian Fanny Brice and her stormy relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nicky Arnstein.

Produced by Brice’s son-in-law Ray Stark, with music and lyrics by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, the movie stars Barbra Streisand as Brice and Omar Sharif as Arnstein. A significant critical and commercial success, Funny Girl ended up being the highest-grossing movie of 1968 in the United States and garnered 8 Academy Award nominations. Streisand won the Best Actress award. It is considered among the best musical movies ever made. 

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

It’s a 1971 American musical fantasy movie directed by Mel Stuart and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. It is an adaptation of the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from 1964 by Roald Dahl. The movie tells the story of a boy named Charlie Bucket who, after discovering a golden ticket in a chocolate bar, goes to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory along with 4 other boys from all over the world.

Dahl was credited with writing the movie’s screenplay, however, against Dahl’s wishes, story changes were made, and other choices made by the director led to Dahl disavowing the movie. The musical numbers were composed by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley while Walter Scharf arranged and performed the orchestral music.

The movie garnered favorable reviews and grossed $4 million. In 1972, the movie earned an Academy Award election for Best Original Score, and Wilder was chosen for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical. The movie also featured the tune “The Candy Man”, which was recorded by Sammy Davis Jr. and became a popular hit. The movie remained in obscurity until the 1980s, when it gained a cult following and ended up being hugely popular due to airplay and home video sales.

Fiddler on the Roof (1971

It is a 1971 American musical movie based on the 1964 musical of the same name, produced and directed by Norman Jewison. Set in early 20th century Imperial Russia, the movie centers on Tevye, played by Topol, a Jewish milkman who is faced with the obstacle of marrying his 5 sons amid mounting stress in his shtetl. The cast also includes Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, Molly Picon, Paul Mann, Rosalind Harris, Michèle Marsh, Neva Small and Paul Michael Glaser. The musical arrangement, composed by Jerry Bock with lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, was adapted and performed by John Williams.

Recorded at Shepperton Studios in England and Yugoslavia, it was released in theaters on November 3, 1971 by United Artists to a hit. Audiences applauded Jewison’s direction, the movie’s screenplay and the skill of the cast. The movie earned $83.3 million worldwide on spending of $9 million, ending up being the highest-grossing movie of 1971. The movie garnered 8 nominations at the 44th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best director, and won 3: Best Score Adaptation (Williams), Best Cinematography (Oswald Morris), and Best Sound (Gordon K. McCallum, David Hildyard). 

Cabaret (1972)

It is a 1972 American musical drama movie directed by Bob Fosse and starring Liza Minnelli, Michael York and Joel Gray. Set in Berlin during the Weimar Republic in 1931, under the existence of the growing Nazi Party, the movie is loosely based on the 1966 Broadway musical Cabaret by Kander and Ebb, which was adapted from Christopher Isherwood’s semi-autobiographical novel The Berlin Stories (1945) plus John Van Druten’s 1951 play I Am a Camera, itself adapted from Isherwood’s book. More numbers than the stage show were used for the movie, which included three songs by Kander and Ebb, with two composed for the adaptation. 

In conventional musical comedy fashion, many characters in the stage version sing to reveal their feelings and advance the plot; in the movie, however, the musical numbers are totally diegetic. All occur within the club, with one exception: “Tomorrow Belongs to Me”. The movie was successful and led to Liza Minnelli, daughter of Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli, winning the Academy Award for Best Actress. It received Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor (Grey), Best Director (Fosse), Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Sound, Best Score and Adaptation of an Original Song, and Best movie Editing.

Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973)

https://youtu.be/eZeD31mIdI8

It is a 1973 Indian language masala movie, directed by Nasir Hussain and written by Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. It comprises an ensemble cast, featuring Dharmendra, Vijay Arora, Tariq, Zeenat Aman, Neetu Singh and Ajit. The movie was influential in the history of Indian cinema and was recognized as the first masala movie, integrating aspects of action, drama, love, musical, crime and movie genres thrillers. Masala has become the most popular category in Indian cinema, and Yaadon Ki Baaraat has been called the first quintessential ‘Bollywood movie’. Zeenat Aman and Neetu Singh became the leading starlets of the 70s thanks to this movie. The soundtrack is in Hindi, composed by music director RD Burman. The movie was later remade in Tamil as Naalai Namadhe, in Telugu as Annadammula Anubandham and in Malayalam as Himam.

Amar Akbar Anthony (1977)

It is a 1977 Indian language masala movie directed and produced by Manmohan Desai and written by Kader Khan. The movie stars an ensemble cast of Vinod Khanna, Rishi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Neetu Singh, Parveen Babi, Shabana Azmi, Nirupa Roy, Pran and Jeevan. The plot focuses on 3 brothers who get separated in their youth and convert to various faiths; Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. As fate would have it, the trio are reunited by chance in their adult years and set out to seek revenge from the individual responsible for their separation.

The soundtrack album was composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and the lyrics were written by Anand Bakshi. The movie was the highest grossing Indian movie of that year, alongside Dharam Veer and Hum Kisise Kum Naheen. Spiritual tolerance came to be a reference style in Bollywood masala movies, building on the masala formula originated a couple of years earlier from Nasir Hussain’s Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973). Similarly, Amar Akbar Anthony has had a lasting effect on popular culture with his memorable tunes, one-liners and character of Anthony Gonsalves. He won multiple awards at the 25th moviefare Awards, including Best Actor, Best Music Director and Best Editing. 

Grease (1978)

It is a 1978 American musical romantic funny movie based on the 1971 musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Written by Bronte Woodard and directed by Randal Kleiser in his pitch feature movie, the movie portrays the lives of Greaser (a 1960s Amewrican subculture) Danny Zuko and Australian student Sandy Olsson, who fall in love in the summer season. The movie stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as Danny and Sandy. Grease achieved both critical and commercial success, ending up being the highest-grossing musical movie ever at the time. His soundtrack finished 1978 as the second best-selling album of the year in the United States, behind the soundtrack to the 1977 smash hit Saturday Night Fever and was nominated for an Academy Award. 

The Wiz (1978)

It’s a adventure movie 1978 American musical Sidney Lumet and produced by Rob Cohen. A reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s traditional 1900s children’s movie The Wizard of Oz that includes an all African-American cast, the movie was loosely adapted from the 1974 Broadway musical of the same title. It follows the experiences of Dorothy, a shy twenty-four-year-old Harlem teacher who finds herself surprisingly relocated to the dream town Land of Oz, which looks like a dreamlike variation of New York City. Befriending a Scarecrow, a Tin Man and a Cowardly Lion, she takes a journey across town to find the wizard Wiz, who they claim is the only one skilled enough to send her home.

movieing took place in Queens, New York from October to December 1977 with a cast including Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, in his pitch feature movie, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Theresa Merritt, Thelma Carpenter, Lena Horne and Richard Pryor. The Wiz was released in theaters on October 24, 1978 marking the completion of the renewal of African-American movies that began with the blaxploitation movement of the early 1970s. Despite its commercial failure, it ended up being a cult classic among audiences, Jackson fans, and Oz lovers. 

Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988)

It is a 1988 Indian-language romantic musical movie, directed by Mansoor Khan, written and produced by Nasir Hussain, and starring Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla in the roles main. The movie was a huge commercial success worldwide, making Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla into superstars. The plot of the movie was a modern take on traditional love stories like Layla and Majnun, Heer Ranjha, Romeo and Juliet, and it transformed the romantic music category in Bollywood. The movie was a turning point in the history of Hindi cinema, setting the design template for Bollywood musical romance movies of Hindi cinema in the 1990s. 

The movie’s soundtrack was equally successful, turning into one of the most popular Bollywood soundtrack albums of the 80s with over 8 million copies sold. At the 36th National movie Awards the movie won the National movie Award for Best movie. At the 34th moviefare Awards, the movie garnered 11 nominations and won 8 major awards, including Best movie, Best Director (Mansoor), Best Male Debut (Aamir) and Best Female Debut (Chawla). 

Maine Pyar Kiya (1989)

It is a 1989 Indian language romantic musical movie written and directed by Sooraj Barjatya. Produced by Rajshri Productions, the movie stars Salman Khan and Bhagyashree. He scored the throws of Barjatya and Bhagyashree. Principal photography took place in Mumbai and Ooty. The movie’s music and soundtrack were created by Raamlaxman while Asad Bhopali wrote the lyrics. Maine Pyar Kiya is considered to be one of the most popular romantic movies ever made and ended up being a cult hit due to its melodies, dialogues and cleverness of Khan and Bhagyashree. It launched to favorable reviews and went on to become a blockbuster with a worldwide gross of 280 million, eventually being the highest-grossing Bollywood movie of 1989 and the highest-grossing Indian movie of the 1980s. Won 6 moviefare Awards.

Hum Aapke Hain Koun! (1994)

It is a 1994 Indian-language musical romantic drama movie written and directed by Sooraj Barjatya and produced by Rajshri Productions. The movie stars Madhuri Dixit and Salman Khan and commemorates the customs of Indian wedding events through the story of a couple and the relationship between their families; a story about compromising one’s love because of one’s family. The plot is based on the earlier movie Nadiya Ke Paar (1982), based on Keshav Prasad Mishra’s Hindi book, Kohbar Ki Shart. The movie features music by Raamlaxman who also composed a score of 14 songs, an unusually large number of songs for a movie.

The movie was the top grosser of the year and the highest grossing Indian movie upon its release. It was the first movie ever to earn over 1 billion in India and when adjusted for inflation is the highest grossing Indian movie of the 1990s and similarly among the highest earning Bollywood movies of always. It garnered positive reviews upon release, with praise for the movie’s direction, story, screenplay, dialogue, soundtrack, production style, costumes and cast, with significant appreciation to Dixit’s performance . The movie is regarded as one of the most important movies in the Indian movie and popular culture market. It has had a lasting effect on weddings in India, which often consist of music and performances from the movie. 

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

It is a 2001 musical romantic drama movie directed, co-produced and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. It follows a young English poet, Christian, who falls in love with Moulin Rouge star, cabaret actress and courtesan Satine. The movie uses the musical setting of the Montmartre district of Paris and is the last part of the “Red Curtain Trilogy” by Luhrmann, after Strictly Ballroom (1992) and Romeo + Juliet (1996) . An Australian-US co-production, it stars Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent and Richard Roxburgh play supporting roles.

Moulin Rouge! premiered at the 2001 Cannes movie Festival and was released in theaters on May 18, 2001 in North America and May 25, 2001 in Australia. The movie was applauded for Luhrmann’s direction, the skill of the cast, the column sound, the style of the costumes and the production value. It was also a commercial success. At the 74th Academy Awards, the movie earned 8 nominations, including Best Picture, and won 2 (Best Production Design and Best Costume Design). 

Idlewild (2006)

It is a 2006 American musical movie written and directed by Bryan Barber. The movie stars André 3000 and Big Boi of hip hop duo Outkast, and includes music that was composed, produced and performed by the group. Idlewild juxtaposes the group’s soul, funk, and hip-hop in a story set in the fictional Depression-era town of Idlewild, Georgia in 1935. Idlewild received mixed reviews from critics and earned $12 millions worldwide. He has been chosen for 6 Black Reel Awards.

Hairspray (2007) 

It’s a 2007 funny romantic movie based on the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on the movie of the same name by John Waters from 1988. It was adapted from both Waters’ 1988 screenplay and Thomas Meehan and Mark O’Donnell’s book for screenwriter Leslie Dixon’s stage musical, directed and choreographed by Adam Shankman and has an ensemble cast including John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, Allison Janney and Nikki Blonsky. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the movie follows “happily plump” teenager Tracy Turnblad (Blonsky) as she pursues fame as a dancer on a local television dance show and rallies against racial division.

Dixon rehashed Meehan and O’Donnell’s initial draft of the movie’s screenplay to tone down the musical component. Composer/lyricist Marc Shaiman and lyricist Scott Wittman revamped their tunes from the Broadway musical for the movie score, and composed 4 new songs for the movie.  Hairspray became the tenth-grossing musical movie in US cinematic history, behind the movie adaptations of Grease, Chicago and Mamma Mia!, and stands as one of the biggest musical movie hits of the 2000s. 

Sweeney Todd (2007)

It is a 2007 musical slasher movie directed by Tim Burton and an adaptation of the 1979 Tony Award-winning musical of the same name. The movie tells the melodramatic Victorian story of Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp), an English barber and serial killer who, while seeking revenge on Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) who wrongfully found him guilty and banished him to take his wife, kills his clients and, with the help of his accomplice, Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), turns their remains into meat pies.

Having actually been impressed by the cinematic quality of Sondheim’s musical while still a student, Burton had been fascinated by the idea of ​​a movie version since the early 1980s. In 2006, he got a chance to realize that aspiration when DreamWorks Pictures brought him in to replace director Sam Mendes, who had worked on that adaptation. Depp, not versed in singing, took lessons for his role, which producer Richard D. Zanuck acknowledged was something of a gamble. Earning over $150 million worldwide, the movie was applauded for its cast, musical numbers, costumes, set design and faithfulness to the 1979 musical.

Nine (2009)

It is a 2009 romantic musical drama movie directed and produced by Rob Marshall and written by Michael Tolkin and Anthony Minghella. The movie is an adaptation of the 1982 musical of the same name, which in turn is based on Federico Fellini’s 1963 semi-autobiographical movie 8 1/2. In addition to the stage musical tunes, all composed by Maury Yeston, the movie has 3 original tunes, also composed by Yeston. The cast includes Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penélope Cruz, Judi Dench, Fergie, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman and Sophia Loren. The movie was a commercial failure and was picked up for 4 Academy Awards.

La La Land (2016)

It is a 2016 American romantic musical comedy-drama written and directed by Damien Chazelle. It stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone respectively as a struggling jazz pianist and a hopeful starlet, who fall in love while pursuing their dreams in Los Angeles. John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt, Finn Wittrock and JK Simmons appear in supporting roles.

Having really loved musicals during his time as a drummer, Chazelle initially conceived the movie together with Justin Hurwitz while he was attending Harvard University. After moving to Los Angeles in 2010, Chazelle wrote the script but could not find a studio ready to finance the production without changes to his script. Following the success of his movie Whiplash (2014), the work was produced by Summit Entertainment. 

The movie was a commercial success, earning $448 million worldwide on a planned production budget of $30 million, and received critical praise for the movie’s screenplay and direction, Gosling’s performance and Stone, the music, the musical numbers, the cinematography and the production. It won a record 7 awards from its 7 nominations at the 74th Golden Globes and garnered eleven nominations at the 70th British Academy movie Awards, winning 5, including Best movie. The movie also garnered a record fourteen nominations at the 89th Academy Awards, winning in six, including Best Actress for Stone and Best Director for Chazelle. In the latter category, Chazelle ended up being the youngest winner at age 32.

Dear Evan Hansen (2021)

It’s a 2021 American training movie directed by Stephen Chbosky from a screenplay by Steven Levenson. It is based on the 2015 musical of the same name by Levenson, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Ben Platt plays the title character, repeating the role he came from in the theater 6 years earlier. The cast consists of Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Nik Dodani, Colton Ryan, Danny Pino, Julianne Moore and Amy Adams. The movie underperformed at the box office and garnered unfavorable ratings from critics, with much criticism centering on Ben Platt’s acting, with much criticism that his role was due to his father, Marc Platt, who produced in the movie. Criticisms were leveled at the direction, lack of fidelity to the original show, and portrayal of mental disorder, although some applauded the talent of the supporting cast.

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