42nd Street (1933)

Julian Marsh (Warner Baxter), a successful Broadway director, produces a new show, in spite of his poor health. The money comes from a rich old man, who is in love with the star of the show, Dorothy Brock (Bebe Daniels). But she doesn't reply his love, because she is still in love with her old partner. Hilarity ensues the night before the premiere, Dorothy Brock breaks her ankle, and one of the chorus girls, Peggy Sawyer (Ruby Keeler) tries to take over her part.

Trivia: Ginger Rogers took the role of Anytime Annie at the urging of director Mervyn LeRoy, whom she was dating at the time. In one of the opening scenes, Bebe Daniels is reading the premiere issue of The New Yorker magazine, with its trademark top-hatted Manhattanite on the cover. The film was so financially successful that it saved Warner Brothers from bankruptcy. The movie's line "Sawyer, you're going out a youngster, but you've got to come back a star!" was voted as the #87 movie quote by the American Film Institute (out of 100).

A good old classic movie. Now it would be considered a cliche. Aging director trying to create one last show to go out on top, a temperamental star, a wealthy investor who wants to woo said star but gets the brush off, the star breaks her ankle and can't perform and it is left up to a newcomer in her first show to save the day and step in for the star. But can it really be a cliche when it is probably the first one to do it? There is plenty of leg shown also which is always a good thing and was probably pretty racy in 1933. This was part of the trio of films that put choreographer Busby Berkley's name into the mainstream. The final musical numbers during the opening of the show foreshadowed the great movie musical numbers to come in the next couple of decades. It is in black and white which gives it that old timey feel, but I wonder what it would have looked like in color? The dialog is also a great throwback to the golden age of movies. It was rapid fire and included plenty of snappy comebacks. It was fun to watch. The poster for this movie is a very good example of the Art Deco look for the 30's.