The Chorus (Les Choristes)

Starring:GÃ©rard Jugnot, FranÃ§ois BerlÃ©and, Kad Merad, Jean-Paul Bonnaire, Marie Bunel, Jean-Baptiste Maunier, Maxence Perrin, GrÃ©gory Gatignol, Thomas Blumenthal, Cyril Bernicot, Simon Fargeot, ThÃ©odul CarrÃ©-Cassaigne, Philippe Du Janerand, Carole Weiss, Erick Desmarestz, Paul ChariÃ©ras, Armen Godel, Monique Ditisheim, Steve Gadler, Fabrice Dubusset
Director: Christophe Barratier
Studio: Miramax
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Bob Fosse's sexy cynicism still shines in Chicago, a faithful movie adaptation of the choreographer-director's 1975 Broadway musical. Of course the story, all about merry murderesses and tabloid fame, is set in the Roaring '20s, but Chicago reeks of '70s disenchantment--this isn't just Fosse's material, it's his attitude, too. That's probably why the movie's breathless observations on fleeting fame and fickle public taste already seem dated. However, Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones are beautifully matched as Jazz Age vixens, and Richard Gere gleefully sheds his customary cool to belt out a showstopper. (Yes, they all do their own singing and dancing.) Whatever qualms musical purists may have about director Rob Marshall's cut-cut-cut style, the film's sheer exuberance is intoxicating. Given the scarcity of big-screen musicals in the last 25 years, that's a cause for singing, dancing, cheering. And all that jazz. --Robert Horton

Description

Winner of six Academy Awards(R) (2003) including Best Picture, and starring Academy Award nominee (Best Actress, CHICAGO) and Golden Globe winner (Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, CHICAGO) Renée Zellweger (BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY), Academy Award winner (Best Supporting Actress, CHICAGO) Catherine Zeta-Jones (TRAFFIC), Academy Award nominee (Best Supporting Actress, CHICAGO) Queen Latifah (BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE), Golden Globe winner (Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy, CHICAGO) Richard Gere (UNFAITHFUL), and Academy Award nominee (Best Supporting Actor, CHICAGO) John C. Reilly (GANGS OF NEW YORK) -- CHICAGO is a dazzling spectacle cheered by audiences and critics alike! At a time when crimes of passion result in celebrity headlines, nightclub sensation Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones) and spotlight-seeking Roxie Hart (Zellweger) both find themselves sharing space on Chicago's famed Murderess Row! They also share Billy Flynn (Gere), the town's slickest lawyer with a talent for turning notorious defendants into local legends. But in Chicago, there's only room for one legend! Also starring Lucy Liu (CHARLIE'S ANGELS).

Customer Reviews:

Shallow and Frivolous .......2007-06-28

After many years of wanting to see this film, I finally got a chance to view it. I like musicals and loved Moulin Rouge, so I thought I'd give this one a try. However, after viewing, I was a bit puzzled at all the fuss and acclaim this movie received and continues to receive.

Chicago, while visually stunning and artistically impressive (in that the actors did their own singing), is a shallow, cynical, superficial, and unsympathetic story. Most movies rely upon story and plot for their strength; not so Chicago, whose only redeeming quality is the song and dance they put on.

The main problem with the story is that there are virtually no sympathetic main characters. To take that a step further, the main characters are all frauds, and the story's message is shallow. The two somewhat redeeming characters, Roxie's husband and the woman who is hanged, are both pretty much invisible and discarded in the film. Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly are both in jail for murder, and both have hopes and dreams of making it, being a big star, and having people adore them, so they call upon a slimebag attorney, Billy Flynn, to help them out. Roxie and Velma take turns lying and deceiving each other so they can get the fame in Chicago. Roxie openly admits she cheated on her husband, is oblivious to the fact that he's spent his life savings to get her a lawyer, and uses every trick in the book (including pretending that she has an illegitimate child) to ensure that she is the center of the newspaper headlines. Velma is a conceited fame-hungry snob who bribes the prison ward and only sucks up to Roxie when she realizing she is losing the fame war. From here we have a battle over popularity, as the two think of shenanigans to steal the headlines from each other. Who will win out? Who cares.

The message basically projected in this film is that its legitimate to whatever it takes to get ahead in this world--lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery--and, in fact, it might make you a star!

Are we are suppose to root for two back-stabbing, deceitful, murderesses who walk over people just to get their claim to fame all because they can sing and dance? Or how about a double-crossing, pompous, lying, money-hungry lawyer looking for the next damsel charged with murder? No thanks. I say throw them all in jail.

Watching this film, I found it mystifying how so many people and critics could love this movie so much. Granted the story's plot has probably changed from the musical version on stage, but the movie version falls quite short of its glowing reviews. Moreover, how could this film have received six Oscars in 2002? I liken the Oscar committee of 2002 to the gullible Chicago citizens in the film, falling over and swooning at something that puts on a little song and dance. Maybe Chicago was the Academy Award's apology for Moulin Rouge not getting any Oscars the previous year.

If you want to see a musical that is vastly superior, has heart, style and substance, and better acting, see Moulin Rouge.

Chicago IS jazz hot!.......2007-06-08

One of the best musicals of all time. Rapid paced, great story line, great actors, fantastic scenery... I can't say enough about everything this musical has going for it!!! A definite for your collection.

Loved it -- Fantastic Music and Great Cinematography.......2007-05-17

This is one of my very favorite movie musicals. The songs are so great and so much fun!

My favorite part about this movie though, is the way in which it constantly cuts back and forth between simultaneous shots of what the characters are doing in the "movie" version and what they are doing in the "stage" version of the story. It is this symmetrical blending of the two arts that really appeals to me, and the cinematography is very well done.

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere, John C. Reilly, and Queen Latifah all put on award-winning performances. I was especially impressed with Gere's and Reilly's performances. (Lucy Liu's small part was nice simply because she is so gorgeous, LOL, but she really is only a brief side character.)

This is the best and most enjoyable stage-musical-to-movie adaptation that I have yet seen, and I highly recommend it. Is it the best movie-musical ever? Probably not, I'd have to vote for The Sound Of Music, but even so, I find myself watching Chicago more often than TSOM. And Moulin Rouge is even funnier than Chicago, but I still love Chicago's songs the best.

Great Musical!.......2007-04-10

This is the musical for people who hate musicals! My kids and I all belt out the words when the songs come--each song is so unique and original. This really is an incredible film--the acting is perfect--I love the casting. Catherine Zeta Jones is so powerful, as is Renee Z. Ruchard Gere is at his best, as well, which was a cool surprise!

Bob Fosse lives on!.......2007-04-02

The dance and music and lyrics of Bob Fosse is still going strong, and it is evident through the big-screen adaptation of "Chicago". Director Rob Marshall stays faithful to Fosse's Broadway intentions, though he does change many things with the way the songs are performed (all songs are sung in reverie settings). Renee Zellweger and Richard Gere are very good when going along with their solos ("They Both Reached for the Gun" is fun and funny), but John C. Reilly, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah steal the show with their dazzling vocals ("Mister Cellophane", "When You're Good to Mama" and "I Can't Do It Alone" are well worth the oscar wins).

This movie is a splendid achievement, and if you don't even like musicals, then you'll probably be surprised at how much you're going to love this film.

Average customer rating:

I actually liked this film.....
Bad transition
Worth Watching
A Chorus Line
Fantastic, if you like musicals

A Chorus Line
Starring: Michael Blevins , Yamil Borges , Jan Gan Boyd , Sharon Brown , and Gregg Burge
Director: Richard Attenborough
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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A Chorus Line (1975 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B00008973A
Release Date: 2003-04-15

Amazon.com

If you've never seen this popular production performed on stage in its original form as one of the longest-running musicals in Broadway history, the movie version is probably your next best option--heck, it's your only option! But beware the major difference between the experience of stage and screen, because A Chorus Line is a perfect example of a show that doesn't translate well from one medium to another. Director Richard Attenborough gives it his best shot, cutting some of the production numbers and adding new ones while "opening up" the show to explore the off-stage lives of struggling performers as they prepare for another grueling audition. Michael Douglas plays the harsh, workaholic director who puts the auditioning "gypsies" through the paces, winnowing a large group of hopefuls down to eight lucky cast members for his next big show. There's a subplot about the director's former girlfriend, who returns for the big audition, and along the way the other hopefuls sing and dance while revealing their various hopes and fears. On screen, the musical works best when focused on its dramatic passages; otherwise it's impossible to escape the fact that this material is best suited to live performance. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Michael Douglas stars as a choreographer who subjects 16 dancers to a grueling audition in this Academy AwardÂ(r)-nominated* adaptation of the landmark Broadway musical. Featuring Marvin Hamlisch's OscarÂ(r)-nominated* music and Jeffrey Hornaday's (Flashdance) sizzling choreography, this thrilling portrayal of life behind the velvet curtain is truly "One Singular Sensation"! After narrowing down hundreds of Broadway hopefuls, Zach (Douglas) leads a select group of dancers on the tryout of their lives. In an audition twist, Zach asks each performer personal and intimate questionswith results that powerfully affect not only the young performers but the hardened stage veteran as well. *1985: Original Song, Sound, Film Editing

Customer Reviews:

I actually liked this film............2007-06-09

Not that I had a choice, since I was way too young to see it on Broadway. I wasn't even born yet, when it had already been on the Broadway stage for seven years. I have heard a lot of criticism about the film version of A CHORUS LINE, from people who had the opportunity to see it on stage. I wish I could have had that opportunity, just so I had something to compare it to...but I don't. For me, it was pretty charming. The dance numbers were okay, and the singing left something to be desired, but I could tell that they tried to translate it to screen as best they could. What's more, it was an interesting change of pace to see Michael Douglas cast as the casting director, on the other side of the stage, critiquing the performers. Yes, it was a little odd, too. At any rate, the best numbers from the production are featured here: "One," "Nothing," and "What I Did For Love" (among others). This is worth a look. Would I reccomend you buying it? Only die hard fans who want it, for the main reason that this is the only filmed version of the musical, that is available to the public.

Bad transition.......2007-06-04

I have seen the stage version 3 times and loved it every time. When I saw this film version I was thoroughly disappointed in the way Atteborough changed the plot. On the stage, Casie was already part pf the audition and Zack was trying very hard to discourage her. The song "what I did for love" was not sung by Cassie but by one of the girls after one of the dancers is injured, and Zack asks them how they feel. The song is about love of dancing, not for the love of 2 people. The best part of the movie is the finale, the rest is trash.

Worth Watching.......2007-05-18

I was too young to get to see the show on Broadway, but I think this movie does a pretty good job of being a screen adaptation. The singing isn't quite as great as it probably could have been, but the acting is good. It is worth watching though. The extras with Marvin Hamlish is lots of fun to watch.

A Chorus Line.......2007-05-12

Saw the revival in Oct 2006 and have been listening to the CD every weekend ever since. Superb musical as was the original.

Fantastic, if you like musicals.......2007-05-08

I'm NOT a big fan of musicals. There are only a few of them that I really like, and this is one of them. The singing is great, the dancing is great, and the acting is even pretty good. Great music, and a look into the hopeful minds of young Broadway wannabes. Worth a good look, even if, like me, you don't really love musicals.

Average customer rating:

merveilleux
beatiful things abound in this sweet (if pedestrian) tale
A moving French drama, well-told and with fine performances (acting and music-wise).
Action...Reaction
Working with the wild side.

The Chorus (Les Choristes)
Starring: Gérard Jugnot , François Berléand , Kad Merad , Jean-Paul Bonnaire , and Marie Bunel
Director: Christophe Barratier
Manufacturer: Miramax
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ASIN: B0007NMJPO
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Amazon.com

By getting nominated for Academy Awards in both the Foreign Language Film and Best Song categories, Les Choristes (The Chorus) made a rare (for a European film) double impression at the 2004 Oscars. This sentimental tale follows the arrival of a new teacher at a remote boys school in 1949 France (the war is a largely unspoken but ghostly presence). With disciplinary problems rampant, and the policies of the old-fashioned headmaster not helping, Monsieur Mathieu decides to introduce choral singing as a way to bridge the gap with his students. You don't need a crystal ball to figure out where this will go, although the movie uses its atmospheric location and lush vocal arrangements well. Bald, dumpy Gerard Jugnot provides a refreshingly offbeat hero (though securely in the traditions of the My Most Memorable Teacher movie); he's sort of a younger Philippe Noiret. Director Christophe Barratier works in the winsome-cute mode that makes a certain kind of French movie into an overly sweet bon bon, although at least this bon bon sings. --Robert Horton

Description

An inspirational story in the rich tradition of MUSIC OF THE HEART and MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS, THE CHORUS has moved critics everywhere to declare it one of the year's very best films! When he takes a job teaching music at a school for troubled boys, Clément Mathieu is unprepared for its harsh discipline and depressing atmosphere. But with passion and unconventional teaching methods, he's able to spark his students' interest in music and bring them a newfound joy! It also puts him at odds with the school's overbearing headmaster, however, locking Mathieu in a battle between politics and the determination to change his pupils' lives!

Customer Reviews:

merveilleux.......2007-05-13

This film was beautifully made. The subtitles help a lot, but if you know or are learning French you will understand. The songs in this film were amazing, Enchanting. I would very highly recommend this.

beatiful things abound in this sweet (if pedestrian) tale.......2007-05-12

utterly enjoyable if at times too obvious variant on the school boy coming of age film. the music is lovely and the scenery, as you might imagine, is filled with things la belle france does so well.

A moving French drama, well-told and with fine performances (acting and music-wise)........2007-05-07

Despite viewing many Japanese Anime, I cannot consider myself a foreign movie fan. I don't mind watching occasional live-action flicks from places other than America, but most of the time it's hit and miss for me. That said I was pleasantly surprised to discover how much I enjoyed LES CHORISTES (or, as the Miramax DVD release calls it, THE CHORUS). Gently told and beautifully photographed, this drama from first-time director Christophe Barratier struck both an emotional and musical chord with this viewer--in fact it was enough to bring back childhood memories for me. But before I get all sappy, onto the movie itself.

Set in 1947 France, LES CHORISTES tells the story of Clément Mathieu, a music composer and teacher who finds himself taking a job at Fond de L'Etang, a run-down boarding school consisting of troubled boys who are either orphans or borderline delinquents. Mathieu, a patient, compassionate fellow, eventually turns the entire school upside down when he communicates with the boys through his special talent of music. Before long, the insubordinate wards are transformed into a melodic chorus, much to the chagrin of the school's cruel and abusive headmaster, M. Rachin, who emphasizes corporal punishment as the method for dealing with misbehavior. Mathieu, on the other hand, has a different --or, if you will, kinder-- method for dealing with rowdy boys. For one thing he does not tell on them and instead sentences them to lighter consequences.

Over the course of his continual (albeit forbidden) chorus sessions, Mathieu sees potential in one Pierre Morhange, a surly boy with an absolutely stupendous voice and musical gifts which enables him to become the choir's soloist. But first Mathieu must bring the troubled, quick-tempered kid out of his shell. This task is made less easier when Mathieu develops romantic feelings for Morhange's single mother, Violette; it only earns Mathieu Morhange's wrath. Eventually, however, things work out and Pierre eventually finds a career as a highly successful conductor. This is actually displayed at the beginning of the movie, where we see Morhange, as an elderly man, leading his orchestra, and later, reading through the personal journal of his former music teacher. (The whole story, in case you didn't figure out by now, is told entirely in flashback.)

As entertainment, LES CHORISTES is heartfelt and uplifting without being too sappy, but as a story it is especially winning. Okay, so it may not be the most original tale --other movies have reprised many of the themes expressed in this movie countless times-- but director Barratier makes this movie "sing" by providing both credibility and real emotion to the characters and their situations. Aside from the numerous moments where we see the boys singing songs Mathieu writes for them, some of my favorite sequences in the movie involved Mathieu gently persuading any troubled boy into confessing their misdeed without reporting them. A subplot involving a boy stealing money from the school, in particular, turns out to be a touching episode, especially when we discover the real culprit and learn that his intentions are to free himself from the unloving walls of the school.

Personally, however, this movie struck me as a delightful trip down memory lane. I used to attend a musical summer camp for several years, where I've sung in chorus. The scenes where Mathieu and his boys are performing, in particular, were strong enough to recall that special feeling of inclusion for me during the good ol' days.

Speaking for the movie itself, LES CHORISTES is handsomely photographed and well-acted--particularly noteworthy are Gérard Jugnot as the kindly music teacher, Jean-Baptiste Maunier as the talented but emotionally troubled Pierre, and Maxence Perrin as a sympathetic orphan in search of his father. Naturally, since music is the subject for this movie, one would expect nothing less than the angelic sound of a boys' choir, and LES CHORISTES delivers this in full. Particularly spectacular is the song during a performance for the French countess. It helps, too, that the boys have excellent voices. (By the way, the singers are none other than the professional boys' choir Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc Choir.)

Some may argue that LES CHORISTES lacks originality, especially for a film that was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, but for what it is, this is a very moving, touching story, well executed and heartfelt. I recommend it heartily, especially for music lovers and fans of feel-good movies.

One catch--Miramax's DVD has an excellent visual transfer but sadly doesn't have any bonus features. Considering that this is a recent release, one would expect more. On the other hand, since this movie didn't receive the same ecstatic reception here in America as its native country, France, (and arthouse movies with subtitles like these aren't crowd-drawers), it probably is not too surprising.

Action...Reaction.......2007-04-26

"Les Choristes" is delightful! I am a sucker for boys choirs, and I like foreign films, so I expected a pleasant evening. This one unfolds beautifully and it exceeds my expectations, so I recommend it to you.

First of all, the "frame story": we know that we are to see the story of a teacher who comes to a school for troubled boys and teaches them to sing, but this tale is couched within the telling of events that happened much later. A famous musician is called back to his homeland, France, when he must bury his mother. While there, he receives a visitor who presents him with the journal of the humble teacher who had "discovered" him when they were both boys at the Fond de l'étang. Together they read the journal and relive the events that changed both of their lives for the good. Where the journal ends, the visitor takes up the tale and relates "the rest of the story."

The casting is good and I also enjoyed the realistic scenery--the oppressive, dilapidated school, as so forth. The actors seemed generally more natural and believable than Hollywood actors tend to be. Gérard Jugnot is perfect as the unassuming and un-glamourous Clement Mattieu. I like how the boys come in all sizes and with varied features. Except that they are just a bit too pat; the first "bad boy" is homely, the real thug is a pimply redhead, "Boniface" is a little curly mop-top with glasses, and the soloist with the heartrendingly beautiful voice is also beautiful of face. And the adorable tiny-tim orphan--he gets his just reward, too. A bit sweetsy.

The film nicely illustrates the fact that there are those people living quiet lives, out of the limelight, doing "small things" that make big differences in our world. Mattieu understood the meaning of life: that every individual, no matter how hopeless he or she seems, has great worth, and that the greatest thing we can do during our brief sojourn on this planet is to help others. To lessen suffering and to help others achieve more is the biggest achievement of all.

And yes, the music is very pretty.

Working with the wild side........2007-04-18

"A MAN AMONG WOLVES" National Geographic Channel one hour special with Shaun Ellis as he teaches three wolf pups abandoned by their mother how to hunt and survive.

"The Chorus" (Les Choristes) Running Time: 97 Minutes / Rating: PG-13 Director: Christophe Barratier Cast: Gérard Jugnot (Clément Mathieu), Jean-Paul Bonnaire (La Père Maxence), François Berléand (Monsieur Rachin), Marie Bunel (Violette Morhange), Philippe Du Janerand (Monsieur Langlois), Jean-Baptiste Maunier (Pierre Morhange), Grégory Gatignol (Mondain), Maxence Perrin (Pépinot), Thomas Blumenthal (Corbin), Cyril Bernicot (Le Querrec), Simon Fargeot (Boniface), Théodul Carré-Cassaigne (Leclerc), Kad Merad (Chabert)

The National Geographic Special on Shaun Ellis and the wolf pups is an interesting hour as this two legged Englishman teaches three rejected North American Timberwolf pups how to survive including fishing, singing, hunting and working out the relationships within the pack. He gets down and dirty with the pups as he wears the same clothes for two years and eats the same food, growls and asserts his Alpha dominance. Along the way his own family deserts him as he makes the choice to stay with the wolves. After two years and a necessary separation from the pack he is forced to submit himself and become the pack "peacemaker" since he no longer has the physical strength to assert his leadership. At that point he becomes the clever "peacemaker" who through force of "superior" knowledge is able to choose to give up obvious power for the power that is behind the throne. One could almost relate to the White House's Carl Rove position as he survived through his wits and greater knowledge of the outside world.

This is an old story that tells a lot about the dominant culture's projections onto other species and what they believe they will need to survive. We cannot know what these three beautiful wolves would have been like if they had grown up naturally. Indeed we can't even judge how good a teacher Ellis was but his journey into howling may have taught the science folks some important lessons about wolf music and even some of the purposes of singing in primal reality.

This takes us over into the French film from 2005 just making its appearance on the cable channels. Funny thing about it or Surprise! It's the same story. Failed French musician accepts a job teaching in a state reform school for wild children who are doomed to graduate into a society that doesn't know or appreciate their talents. The teacher discovers their voices and like the wolves, he teaches them to sing and to release their aggression through art and the cooperative values of choral ensemble. We even have the Alpha male and the Peacemaker. The teacher writes new music for them, brings out their lovely voices and teaches them to keep the authorities at bay with the beauty and power of the human voice. He even, like Ellis, lives with them as he integrates them into the ways of Western Civilization. His star singer even becomes a professional musician and tells the story in flashbacks. It is a lovely story and I suspect is more true for humans than for wolves since we can't talk to the wolves and get them to grade their teacher although they obviously love Shaun Ellis a lot.

That being said, I would recommend both programs for the lessons learned about the evolution of consciousness and cooperation through the power of music even across species. As for Wolves? I suspect that we have always had people who went out to live with and learn from Wolves, Bears and other consciousnesses. We do have such stories from our history.

I would also point out that our ancestors went to learn from them and had the necessary humility about what they themselves had to teach the wolf and the bear. The minimum for learning from a bear was three years before you could even begin the lessons and survive. We should tender our humility in these matters since yesterday's NYTimes pointed out that Chimpanzees had better memories than humans in certain areas having to do with numbers.

Ray Evans Harrell
editor, Nuyagi Keetoowah Journal

PS there is also a National Geographic program about a man who lives with bear cubs as well. Same story. Maybe they are all French. (joke) REH

This review appeared in the Nuyagi Keetoowah Journal April 2007

Average customer rating:

Awesome Blu-ray title
IT WILL RAZZLE DAZZLE YOU...
Ersatz

Chicago [Blu-ray]
Starring: Christine Baranski , Colm Feore , Richard Gere , Catherine Zeta-Jones , and Queen Latifah
Director: Rob Marshall
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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The Prestige

ASIN: B000KEG94C

Product description

The winner of 6 Academy Awards® (2002) including Best Picture, Chicago seduces like never before on Blu-ray's high definition disc. Starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger, Richard Gere and Queen Latifah, this "splashy, sexy, knockout" (Rolling Stone) sizzles in this spectacular new format. After committing crimes of passion, nightclub sensation Velma Kelly and spotlight-seeking Roxie Hart both wind up on Chicago's famed Murderess Row. But with the help of slick, defense lawyer Billy Flynn, these notoriously lethal ladies will soon become local legends! Get more than an eyeful of "razzle dazzle" in jaw-dropping 1080p, and experience every sultry, musical nuance with 5.1 48 kHz, 24-bit uncompressed audio. Set your senses free with Blu-ray™ High Definition.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome Blu-ray title.......2007-01-28

This movie has the BEST audio of any Blu-ray movie, and far better than anything HD-DVD can offer. I don't really like musicals, but I wanted to experience the audio for this film and it was simply amazing, the picture was excellent too. Just make sure you have your HDMI cables hooked up correctly!

IT WILL RAZZLE DAZZLE YOU..........2007-01-21

This is a fantastic musical. From the beautifully designed sets, to the period costumes, to the show-stopping song and dance numbers, it will simply razzle-dazzle the viewer. The director and his singing and dancing troupe of stars simply pull out all the stops in this brilliantly executed musical.

The film, which provides a cynical and satirical look at fame and fortune, centers in nineteen twenties Chicago around two murderesses, Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger). Velma, who together with her sister, was a dance hall success, killed her husband and her sister when she caught them together en flagrante delicto. True to the maxim, however, that the show must go on, she goes on stage immediately after dispatching the two lovers, where she is promptly arrested.

Roxie Hart, an admirer of Velma Kelly, is married to Amos Hart (John C. Reilly), a good-hearted, regular Joe, but she longs for tabloid fame and fortune. She begins to have an affair with a man who promises that he could get her a stage gig only to find that he lied just to get her in bed. So, she ends up killing him. Her long suffering husband stands by his little woman as she is trundled off to jail to await trial. There, she meets her idol, Velma Kelly, who finds her hero-worship annoying.

In the jail, Matron "Mama" Morton (Queen Latifah) reigns supreme over the inmates, accepting bribes for favors. Velma Kelly, represented by star defense attorney Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), is in tabloid heaven. Roxie Hart, longing to be in tabloid heaven as well, gets her husband to retain Billy Flynn on her behalf. Before she knows it, she, too, is in tabloid heaven, playing the media like a violin.

The legal profession also gets a cynical slap in the guise of the slimy, fast talking Billy Flynn, who looks for the best selling point rather than for the truth. He understands the thirst of the media for the perfect sound-bite and he gives it to them. Guilty or not guilty, it doesn't matter. What matters to him, as a hired mouthpiece, is the media mileage he can get for his client, as well as for himself. To that end, he is the ventriloquist, and his client is no more than his dummy.

The razzle-dazzle musical numbers move the story along. Catherine Zeta-Jones is terrific, looking impossibly beautiful and showing off her musical theatre background to great advantage with "All That Jazz" and "Cell Block Tango". Queen Latifah is outstanding as the sly and voracious Mama Morton, who goes whichever way the wind is blowing. She also has a show-stopping musical number, "When You're Good To Mama" that is simply memorable. Renee Zellweger, though not a professional singer or dancer, shows that she can sing and dance with the best of them.

The men also shine in this musical. John C. Reilly, as Roxie's long-suffering husband, also has a terrific number, "Mister Cellophane", that is truly heart rending and poignant, as well as metaphoric. Richard Gere gamely rises to the occasion in his first musical, making the slick Billy Flynn character an integral part of the film with his "Razzle Dazzle" number and his tap dancing.

I love this top notch, clever film, finding it hugely entertaining. It deserves every one of its six Academy Awards, including that for "Best Picture". Director Rob Marshall deserves kudos for this brilliantly directed, seamlessly edited, musical masterpiece. While it is a fairly faithful screen adaptation of Bob Fosse's Broadway musical, it has Rob Marshall's contemporary imprimatur on it. It is a film of which he can be justly proud. Bravo!

Ersatz.......2007-01-08

"Captain Kirk, the approaching probe will destroy Earth if we do not respond with whale sound!" "O.K., send them some." "The sounds will be real but it will just be gibberish." "Well people watched `Chicago'; what make you think the probe is any more discerning?"

The plot line by (Maurine Dallas Watkins) is a killer; it is all about the whimsical world of killing. Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) killed her husband and sister. Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger) shoots her boyfriend Fred Cassely (Dominic West) dead. And a whole bevy of sleazy babes that killed their significant others. They kill a few songs. And the plot was never alive.

It is possible that the play may have had some redeeming social value. However by the time it was hacked up for this movie the only thing of value is the fast forward button. And again just because the movie has the appearance of a play does not give it any virtue.

If you do like murder and music then you may prefer "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (1982)

Average customer rating:

Shallow and Frivolous
Chicago IS jazz hot!
Loved it -- Fantastic Music and Great Cinematography
Great Musical!
Bob Fosse lives on!

Chicago (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Taye Diggs , Cliff Saunders (II) , Catherine Zeta-Jones , Renée Zellweger , and Dominic West
Director: Rob Marshall
Manufacturer: Miramax
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Moulin Rouge! (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Cabaret
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All That Jazz - Music Edition
The Phantom of the Opera (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B00009RGBS
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

Shallow and Frivolous .......2007-06-28

Chicago IS jazz hot!.......2007-06-08

Loved it -- Fantastic Music and Great Cinematography.......2007-05-17

Great Musical!.......2007-04-10

Bob Fosse lives on!.......2007-04-02

Average customer rating:

Shallow and Frivolous
Chicago IS jazz hot!
Loved it -- Fantastic Music and Great Cinematography
Great Musical!
Bob Fosse lives on!

Chicago (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Taye Diggs , Cliff Saunders (II) , Catherine Zeta-Jones , Renée Zellweger , and Dominic West
Director: Rob Marshall
Manufacturer: Miramax Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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Moulin Rouge! (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Cabaret
Chicago
All That Jazz - Music Edition
The Phantom of the Opera (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B0009X75RO
Release Date: 2005-12-20

Amazon.com

Description

This Razzle-Dazzle Edition is the ultimate CHICAGO DVD Collection and features the award-winning motion picture and brand-new bonus material! Winner of six Academy Awards(R) (2002) including Best Picture, and starring Academy Award(R) nominee Renée Zellweger (Best Actress, CHICAGO), Academy Award(R) winner Catherine Zeta-Jones (Best Supporting Actress, CHICAGO), Academy Award(R) nominee Queen Latifah (Best Supporting Actress, CHICAGO), Golden Globe winner Richard Gere (Best Actor, CHICAGO), and Academy Award(R) nominee John C. Reilly (Best Supporting Actor, CHICAGO) -- CHICAGO is a dazzling spectacle of unparalleled entertainment!

Customer Reviews:

Shallow and Frivolous .......2007-06-28

Chicago IS jazz hot!.......2007-06-08

Loved it -- Fantastic Music and Great Cinematography.......2007-05-17

Great Musical!.......2007-04-10

Bob Fosse lives on!.......2007-04-02

Average customer rating:

A Near-Classic
Superior in all ways.
The real star of this film!
ONE OF THE VERY BEST MUSICALS EVER
Marilyn deserved a better script. Her musical numbers are a joy to watch.

There's No Business Like Show Business
Starring: Ethel Merman , Donald O'Connor , Marilyn Monroe , Dan Dailey , and Johnnie Ray
Director: Walter Lang
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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Call Me Madam
How To Marry A Millionaire
Anything Goes
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Bus Stop

ASIN: B000059GEI
Release Date: 2002-05-14

Amazon.com

This 1954 dinosaur brings together two giants of Broadway, Ethel Merman and Irving Berlin, just as their moment was passing forever, to create one last hurrah: a celebration of the glories that were vaudeville. Still, it's hard to imagine that Broadway--or nightclub entertaining, for that matter--was ever quite this lavish and satisfying. The story centers on a married couple, the Donahues (Dan Dailey and Merman), who live on the road as vaudeville entertainers, and since they have children, begin incorporating the kids into the act. Eventually, the kids grow up to be Donald O'Connor, Mitzi Gaynor, and Johnny Ray, and they begin having interests of their own. Donald's is an ambitious showgirl (Marilyn Monroe), whose standoffish response to his romantic overtures drives him to drink. Best for its lavish, splashy production numbers built around some of the best of the Berlin songbook, including the title tune and "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody." --Marshall Fine

Description

An all-star cast that includes Ethel Merman, Dan Dailey, Marilyn Monroe, Donald O'Connor, Johnnie Ray and Mitzi Gaynor sparks this tuneful Irving Berlin musical that depicts the trials and triumphs of a veteran vaudeville family. Molly (Merman) and Terry (Dailey) Donahue start out as a duo and keep adding kids to the act until they finally become The 5 Donahues. Their busy, sometimes tumultuous lives aren't always easy, but the Donahues have plenty of love to get them through the hard times and more than enough talent to keep them on top. Highlighted by one classic Irving Berlin song after another and an array of dazzling production numbers, this upbeat, utterly delightful tale of life on the stage proves, beyond and doubt, that There's No Business Like Show Business!

Customer Reviews:

A Near-Classic.......2007-06-13

While "There's No Business Like Show Business" is not one of Hollywood's top musicals it's still worth watching. The story is simple and entertaining. Ethel Merman, Donald O'Connor, Dan Dailey and Mitzi Gaynor are, as usual, entertaining and fun. Though Johnnie Ray tries very hard he shows that he is a singer rather than an actor. Marilyn Monroe is, at best, adequate. While she has never been one of my favorite performers she usually does a better job than she does in his movie.

Superior in all ways........2007-04-11

They certainly don't make 'em like them used to, and this film is a fine example. Excellent songs, actors, story line, costumes, etc. Superb all the way.

The real star of this film!.......2006-09-05

This is a great movie with Marilyn Monroe and Ethel Merman.
However the real star of this movie is the vivacious Mitzi Gaynor! She steals every scene she is in. She is beautiful, talented, and hard to take your eyes off of!
I recommend this movie ! I also recommend " Anything Goes"
with Mitzi Gaynor. It has just been restored and the look of it is probably the best color of any DVD I own.

ONE OF THE VERY BEST MUSICALS EVER.......2006-05-29

it surpasses many an MGM extravagansa..... I`ve been thinking.... "What and WHO does this film miss? Judy? NO! I`m mad for Judy and will always be a fighter for her and Liza.... but THIS one may be the very best musical I`ve ever seen... If I ever produced or directed a film - this would be it.....

The musical score is out of this world as are the performances, set designs, choreography, costumes and art direction...

It`s a very CinemScoped film aaaaaaaaaaaaaand for the better of it:-)))))))

Marilyn deserved a better script. Her musical numbers are a joy to watch........2005-12-15

Why did Marilyn accept such a limited role as Vicky after she was a full star in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) is hard to
explain.
Yet there are things in this movie that has caught my attention.
As soon as Marilyn appears as the Hat check girl named Vicky, she mentiones that she has just finished acting in the CHERRY
ORCHARD, a Chekov play. This movie was filmed 2 years before she
joined the Actor Studio. But at this time, she was receiving
acting lessons from Michael Chekhov, nephew of Anton Chekov the
Russian playwright who wrote the Cherry Orchard. One gets the
feeling that this dialogue in the film was ¨suggested¨by Marilyn
herself. It shows the intellectual side of Marilyn.
Her comic ability does not get many scenes. There's is a comic
scene in which she plays with the pronunciation of the word
AFTER, right before she sings her sing AFTER YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT YOU DON'T WANT IT.
Her best number is HEAT WAVE. Even today it does not look dated.
Her other number LAZY is ok, where she shares the number with
Mitzy Gaynor and Dan Dailey. I felt a more glamorous number
could have been selected here.
¨You'd be surprised¨¨ was a number deleted from the film, but it is found in many Marilyn Monroe CDs .¨In Donald O'Connor's song
A MAN CHASES A GIRL Marilyn provides a background voice. This
song was later recorded by Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds and
it became a hit.
Marilyn deserved a more comic role in this film. Walter Lang did
not know how to make good use of Marilyn's humorous ability. In
her next film, the SEVEN YEAR ITCH, Billy Wilder got a tremendous performance out of Marilyn.

Easter Parade (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Easter Parade
Visual Poetry in Slow Motion !!!
Easter Parade
ABSOLUTLY WONDERFUL
didn't recieve it

Easter Parade (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Judy Garland , Fred Astaire , Peter Lawford , Ann Miller , and Jules Munshin
Director: Charles Walters
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B0007939MU
Release Date: 2005-03-15

Amazon.com essential video

Don Hewes (Fred Astaire) is devastated when his longtime dancing partner, Nadine Hale (Ann Miller), breaks up the team to set out on her own. Determined to prove that he can succeed without her, Astaire vows that he can pick any random chorus girl and make her a star. Fortunately for him, the chorus girl he picks happens to be one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century, Judy Garland (playing Hannah Brown). Easter Parade turned out to be the first and only collaboration between the two screen legends. Garland made the 1948 film despite ongoing health problems then had to pull out of a planned follow-up, The Barkleys of Broadway (Ginger Rogers replaced her); Astaire had retired following Blue Skies in 1946 but was brought in for this film as an emergency replacement after Gene Kelly broke his ankle playing touch football. Fortunately, Easter Parade always feels like an Astaire film rather than a Kelly film, from its Pygmalion-esque plot (which helps explain the principals' 23-year age disparity) to its score of Irving Berlin standards (some new, some recycled from earlier films). The film capitalizes on the strengths of both stars, Astaire in dance solos, including "Drum Crazy" and "Steppin' Out with My Baby" (MGM's take on Astaire's earlier, persona-defining "Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails"), and Garland in vocal solos, including the torchy "Better Luck Next Time." The stars especially shine, however, when they perform together in their vaudeville numbers, most notably the persona-defying hobo routine "We're a Couple of Swells." Watch this classic every Easter. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Easter Parade.......2007-06-21

In this joyous musical romp, MGM producer Arthur Freed paired Garland with the recently "retired" Astaire after original lead Gene Kelly injured his ankle. Combining Astaire's moves and Garland's pipes with a phenomenal Irving Berlin score adapted by Johnny Green and Roger Edens, highlights include the vaudevillian duet "We're a Couple of Swells" and Astaire's excellent solo to "Steppin' Out With My Baby". The movie was a big success in 1948, and no wonder! By all means, step out with this title.

Visual Poetry in Slow Motion !!!.......2007-06-10

Words are not able to fully describe what your eyes will see.
Can never, ever, be remade even with an unlimited budget.
Fred is Priceless.

Easter Parade.......2007-05-19

I love Judy Garland and Fred Astaire. The singing and dancing is wonderful. I orriginally bought it because my Grandson figure skated to Steppin out with my baby in a show.

ABSOLUTLY WONDERFUL.......2007-04-16

ANOTHR GEM FROM THE GOLDEN AGE. I THINK THAT FRED ASTAIRE DOES SOME OF HIS GREATEST DANCING IN THIS MOVIE: STEPPIN OUT. YOU'VE READ THE STORY PLOT IN THE OTHER REVIEWS. THE IMMORTAL JUDY GARLAND SHINES IN THIS. NOT ONLY HER WONDERFUL SINGING, BUT HER DANCING AS WELL. WHAT A TALENT. AND OF COURSE THE IRVING BERLIN SONGBOOK. THIS MOVIE IS JUST GREAT.

didn't recieve it.......2007-02-24

I never recieved this item. If you could look into it for me I would like to have it though

Average customer rating:

The naughty, gaudy, bawdy, tawdry 42nd Street--with Busby Berkeley's sensational Depression-lifting numbers!!!
Great film, poor extras
"WHAT A MOVIE ! "
DICK POWELL AND RUBY KEELER!!
Nostalgia at its best, with great songs by Harry Warren and Al Dubin

42nd Street (Keep Case)
Starring: Warner Baxter , Bebe Daniels , George Brent , Ruby Keeler , and Guy Kibbee
Director: Lloyd Bacon
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Similar Items:

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ASIN: B000E0ODZY
Release Date: 2006-03-21

Product Description

When the leading lady of a Broadway musical breaks her ankle, she is replaced by a young unknown actress, who becomes the star of the show.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

Set during the depression, this is the granddaddy of backstage musicals in which the understudy finally gets a chance to shine. It may seem a little cliché now, but in 1933 this was hot stuff. All that behind-the-scenes atmosphere feels very genuine, and the script is more acerbic than you might expect.

A sickly Julian Marsh (Warner Baxter) puts his all into what may be his last show, only to face a disaster when leading lady Dorothy Brock (Bebe Daniels) sprains her ankle. Thank heavens for ingenue Peggy Sawyer (Ruby Keeler), who steps in at the last minute. The vivacious soundtrack includes "Shuffle off to Buffalo," and the still-catchy title tune. Best of all are those extravagant, kaleidoscopic dance numbers by Busby Berkeley, then in his prime. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Customer Reviews:

The naughty, gaudy, bawdy, tawdry 42nd Street--with Busby Berkeley's sensational Depression-lifting numbers!!!.......2007-05-18

42nd Street remains of the great classic musicals to this day. As Amazon correctly notes, this movie was blazing hot stuff at the time it was released; but the storyline makes this movie great entertainment even in these times. The plot moves along at a good pace and the action holds your attention rather well. I enjoyed it and I can easily tell you why.

The movie begins with a new stage show about to be cast by director Julian Marsh (Warner Baxter) because his bosses Jones and Barry think they can squeeze out another hit show despite the Great Depression putting a damper on everyone's bank accounts. Julian assembles his team of troupers including Bebe Daniels as the huge Broadway star Dorothy Brock; Ruby Keeler playing Peggy Sawyer, the chorus girl who just barely makes it into the show and actor Billy Lawler who is played very ably by Dick Powell. You should also look for Ginger Rogers in an early screen appearance as chorus line girl "Anytime" Annie and Guy Kibbee plays Abner Dillon, the wealthy old man who is funding the show on the condition that Dorothy Brock, his love interest, stars in the show.

Julian begins to run his troupe to death and it seems he never is satisfied with their work; to add some drama to his role Julian is under doctor's orders to abstain from theater work for health reasons. Julian, however, goes ahead and runs the show as the director anyway. Dorothy Brock also begins to encounter trouble as stuffy old man Abner Dillon wants more and more romantic time with her; but what Dorothy truly wants is to spend time with the real love of her life, Pat Denning (George Brent). Ruby tries to hang in during Julian's grueling rehearsals; she almost doesn't make it but she ultimately survives the torture.

Of course, despite the real movie--which consists of the song and dance numbers--you get a fair amount of suspense to hold your attention. Will Dorothy stay true to Abner so that her career can go forward to even new heights? Will Dorothy go back to Pat Denning, her true love, instead? What happens when for unforeseen circumstances develop and Peggy Sawyer must perform the lead in the show--with a mere five hours advance notice? Can Peggy pull that off? Can Julian direct the show without losing his health altogether? Watch the film and find out as you enjoy it--no spoilers here, folks! SMILE

Then there are the song and dance numbers. I loved all of them. The musical arrangements by Harry Warren glisten as true gold ever could. You get a great duet for "I'm Young And Healthy;" and there's the classic "Shuffle Off To Buffalo." Of course we can't forget the show stopping "42nd Street" either. Excellent! The choreography really shines during these musical numbers with great aerial views of the cast on stage and the dancing couldn't be better. Great!

The DVD comes with a few extras; and they also were fascinating to watch. I liked the segment about Harry Warren with him playing piano while his friends sing along; and the featurette entitled A Trip Through A Hollywood Studio fascinates me, too. The Hollywood newsreel is a rare treat!

Overall, fans of musicals from the Great Depression era and the golden age of Hollywood will cherish this classic musical. The actors work so hard; and it shows in their highly convincing acting. People who enjoy the music of Harry Warren will be delighted with this movie; and the Busby Berkeley dance numbers reflect his genius as they always did.

May you get this movie and enjoy it as much as I did! Great job, everyone!!!

Great film, poor extras .......2007-02-03

There have been so many excellent reviews of this landmark film that there is not much to add so here are a few observations about the film and the extras:

- The film has a dark and sombre mood which is unexpected and surprising. The backstage glimpses have a harshness and the comedy is very sharp and venal - nothing light and frothy here.
- Warner Baxter and Bebe Daniels had at least 10 years experience behind them when they made the film and their performances have great depth. Baxter portrays a very sick man and Daniels captures the prospect of being over the hill movingly.
- Ruby Keeler's ingenuousness maybe real but the casting makes her perfect here. Never was such blank innocence so convincing which explains why her reviews at the time were so good. It was only as her career progressed that her limitations became obvious, although she always improved. Her tap dancing is a legacy of a different style from heavy shoes and timber floored speakeasies when she really had "to put 'em down" to be heard. Later in the decade, her tap lightened up.
- Dick Powell is also perfectly cast and his devilish way with the lyrics of "Young and Healthy" suggest an active libido. He is underrated.

The print of the film is excellent but Warner's seemed to have messed up the extra features. The documentary on this film appears on the DVD of "Goldiggers of 1933" with a short on the promotion of the film when Warner's hired a train, the 42nd Street Special, to cross America to reach Washington for President Roosevelt's birthday. What remains is a poor short film on Harry Warren, who wrote the songs, and other shorts promoting Warner Brothers which in fact were made 2 years later and refer to other musicals. It is all a bit confusing.

Unless you purchase this DVD as part of the Busby Berkeley set, the DVD is only OK value.

"WHAT A MOVIE ! ".......2006-10-28

"This was one innovative, exciting, pleasurable, and very entertaining
movie!"

Innovative in the sense that at the beginning.....the main actresses and actors are shown in large individual photos accompanied by very
beautiful background music composed by Harry Warren.
The Plot was exciting and entertaining since it concerned and developed
the real problems intrinsic to producing, developing, and directing a
winning musical/dancing/acting/and choreographed ensemble!
The "Kingpins"in bringing this whole thing to reality were:
Warner Baxter....Director/Slavedriver
Busby Berkeley...Master Choreographer/Director
Bebe Daniels.....terrific Singer...Actress...Dancer
Prominent Cast Members...Ruby Keeler..Ginger Rogers..Dick Powell
...and others listed in opening credits!
Harry Warren /Al Dubin...provided music and lyrics for:
" 42nd St"..."Young and Healthy".."Shuffle
off to Buffalo".."You're Getting To Be A Habit
With Me!"

"Chorus Girls" were extremely talented ladies!....they had to
be... since this was 1933 and the country was
in a big Depression! Jobs were scarcer than "Hen's
Teeth!" 5,000 fully experienced and talented
ladies tried out for the Chorus Girl positions...only 200 or 4% survived!
A good bit of pleasure can be derived from the movie...not just as you see it.....but afterwards!
The probability is that you'll be humming, whistling, or even singing
some of the tunes after seeing this movie.
The one song that lends itself especially to the above symptoms is:
"You're Getting to be a Habit with me!" Personally...I think this is one of the best songs that I've heard in a long time.!
It's a real blessing that this 73 year old movie can now be viewed on
DVD with exacting clarity and superior sound!

If it were not for the superior upgrading in casting, music, Choreography, and plot of the movie......the title of this Review would be:......................."What Movie?"
rather than:
"WHAT A MOVIE!"

DICK POWELL AND RUBY KEELER!!.......2006-09-10

42nd Street is one of the greatest movies of all time. It has been 7 months since I first watched it, and while some people would say that I am WAY too young to be interested in classics (people have told me that I should be watching stuff like the Princess Diaries) I have ALWAYS found stuff like Footlight Parade more interesting, and instead of swooning over Brad Pitt or whovever is considered a hot male star these days, I find myself swooning over old-timey actors like Robert Taylor or Rudolph Valentino. So i really LOVE old movies, even silents from the earliest days, like Intolerance. I had never seen any Busby Berkeley pictures before I bought the collection (which is AWESOME) So 42nd Street was new to me. I was ASTOUNDED by the musical numbers. That guy was a genius! And the cast! I recognized Bebe Daniels, from her silents, and I think she was AMAZING in this. Didn't know she could dance or sing! I also recognized Warner Baxter form his slents, and he was AMAZING too! He looked much older than I'd seen him before, though. I loved the Dubin/Warren music, which is PURE 30s. Good memorablehits like You're Getting to be a Halbit With Me and Young and Healthy. Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler are just SO CUTE TOGETHER!! I EVEN LIKE THEM BETTER THAN ASTAIRE AND RODGERS!! I have seen almost all their movies, except for Colleen and Shipmates Forever. If you are a Powell/Keeler fan, you'll love 42nd Street. Oooh, and the comedy is very cliche, but put over well. This keep caseDVD is nice, and the picture is clear, but there aren't many extras. The 42nd Street dcumentary is on the Gold Diggers of 1933 DVD. So I reccomend you buy the whole Busby Berkeley Collecion instead of the one DVD. I am not going to mention the plot, so just check out the summary. Plus, in 1933, this is the musical that made everyone like musicals again, beacuse they weren't poular at that time until 42nd Street came along. Oh, and Ruby Keeler is heavy footed, and she did better in her later films. She is still a teriffic dancer, although she can't copare to Eleanor Powell. (If you don't know who Eleanor Powell is you've been living under a rock.) Well, this is a very good movie, and the essential musical. Here are some other movies that you should like if you like old muicals: Footlight Parade, Dames, Colleen, The Broadway Melody, Born to Dance, Honolulu, Broadway Melody of 1940, Rio Rita, Dixiana, Top Hat, Flying Down to Rio, Roman Scandals, Whoopee!, Go Into Your Dance, Take a Chance(very good), Down Argentine Way, Wonder Bar, Go Into Your Dance, Ziegfeld Follies, Boldie of the Follies, and my PERSONAL FAVRITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME......the BROADWAY MELODY OF 1936!!! Starring Robert Taylor, Jack Benny, Eleanor Powell, June Knight, Una Merkel, Nick Long Jr., Sid Silvers, Buddy Ebsen, Vilma Ebsen, and others. IT THE BEEEESSSSTTT!!! YOU HAVE GOTTA SEE THE I'VE GOT A FEELN' YOU'RE FOOLIN MUISCAL NUMBER! HLOORAY FOR JUNE KNIGHT AND ROBERT TAYLOR!! AHHH-MAZING!!!

Nostalgia at its best, with great songs by Harry Warren and Al Dubin.......2006-07-11