From the very beginning, Hollywood has been known for its diverse interests when it comes to entertainment. Every decade has had its own defining moment. The Roaring Twenties featured great silent movies anchored by black and white visuals and compelling performances. However, the era that followed was that of the Great Depression, when production houses neither had the financial resources nor the target audience for movies. Or musicals, to be precise.
Warner Bros. was particularly facing a crisis before they were nudged to place a bet on 42nd Street, a big-budget musical that brought back an audience that was used to enjoying rich musical numbers and expensive house orchestras. The movie saved WB from going broke, kick-started a whole new trend, and gave birth to something that would go on to become a favorite genre among fans – the musicals. Charting both the pre-Code and times of the Great Depression, we have put together a definitive list of movie musicals that shook the theaters in the 1930s.
20 Whoopee! (1930)
Starting off with a zany, technicolor extravaganza that features enough foot-tapping musical numbers to make the film definitive of the lively aesthetic of the 1930s, we have Whoopee! Sally Morgan is the rancher’s daughter, madly in love with a common man named Wanenis, who is half-Indian. When her father disapproves of their union, Sally has no choice but to agree to a marriage with Western sheriff Bob Wells. However, right before the wedding, Sally manipulates the farmhand Henry Williams to help her flee and hide out on a ranch. Starring Eleanor Hunt, John Rutherford, and Paul Gregory in an absurd love triangle, the film is filled with funny repertoire, and humorous gags reminiscent of a time when stage dramas were more prominent than screen versions.
19 The Smiling Lieutenant (1931)
Maurice Chevalier rakes up a time in history when romance was often associated with scandal, thanks to his doting and amorous character of Lt. Nikolaus von Preyn. It all begins when a harmless wink, directed at his all-girl-orchestra-leading adorable girlfriend Franzi is accidentally received by Princess Anna. The charismatic Austrian lieutenant is then forced to marry the princess. But his loyalties lie somewhere else, and he continues to see Franzi, keeping her as his girlfriend on the side. Claudette Colbert and Miriam Hopkins radiate an eternal beauty as the two women caught in Chevalier’s scheming habits and lustful behavior. They not only find their lives entangled but Franzi also gives Princess Anna the workaround on keeping a man satisfied. Director Ernst Lubitsch is known particularly for the chemistry he imbues within every second of the frame, and suffice it to say, in The Smiling Lieutenant, it’s electric.
18 Love Me Tonight (1932)
During the pre-Code era, cinema delivered a lot of films centered around forbidden romance and lovers going to extreme ends to fulfill their desires. In Love Me Tonight, Maurice Chevalier plays Maurice, a Parisian tailor who disguises himself as a nobleman named Baron Courtelin and enters the grand corridors of an aristocrat to collect a generous bill, only to end up getting closer to Princess Jeanette, whom he falls in love with and is devoted to. What follows is a racy back-and-forth and a game of false identities, leading to a grand confession that involves Jeanette standing in front of the train Maurice is taking back to Paris to stop him. Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart give an incredible score that blends with the romance and humor of the film.
17 One Hour with You (1932)
The iconic duo of director Ernst Lubitsch and actor Maurice Chevalier returns for One Hour With You, with a straightforward premise this time. Chevalier’s Dr. Andre Bertier is in a three-year marriage to Colette Bertier, played by Jeanette MacDonald, but he finds himself attracted to Colette’s friend from school, Mitzi. Meanwhile, Colette also develops intense feelings for Andre’s good friend Adolf.
They’re both shifting their priorities and attention elsewhere but remain oblivious to the fire started by their own friends. For a movie set in pre-Code, One Hour With You delivers tropes of the age-old romantic comedies in a way that is both funny and predictable. The ending isn’t grand whatsoever, but the way the film progresses makes it a delightful watch.
16 Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)
The 1930s were big on showbiz and grand Broadway musicals. To see the same imbued in cinema was nothing short of spectacular as Gold Diggers of 1933 features three showgirls named Carol King, Trixie Lorraine and Polly Parker. They share an inexpensive apartment in New York City, but being out of work because of the onset of the Great Depression is starting to become taxing. Their only hope is the affluent playboy/producer/songwriter Brad, who funds a brand new production of a Broadway show centered around the cause itself. The only problem? Brad’s evil, aristocratic brother. In a series of manipulating schemes and involvement from high-society lads, the movie plays out as a naive, impressive, and wildly endearing one, with outstanding performances from Busby Berkeley, Dick Powell, and Joan Blondell.
15 42nd Street (1933)
Released at the same time as the former, 42nd Street is an adaptation of the 1932 novel of the same name. It follows the story of Broadway director Julian Marsh and the moral conundrum he is placed in when the leading lady of his Broadway musical breaks an ankle and can no longer perform. Possessing high standards and being clamorous in nature, his need for money drives him to star a younger and less popular chorus girl as the star of his show. While the movie is devoid of any heavy themes or infectious romance, it is regarded highly for Ruby Keeler’s tap dancing performance. The singing is maximum, with the catchy tunes resonating throughout. Moreover, its uplifting plot, the constant music, show of legs, and a compelling narrative really makes for a proud revisit.
A favorite among classic film lovers, Footlight Parade is set in a time when movie houses were clamorous with audiences rushing in, bibs on, ready to devour what filmmakers fed them. But the talkies era had a toll on artists making a living out of stage fever. Chester Kent, who produced musical comedies for theaters suffered with the rest but was determined to find a workaround and adapt to the evolving times. He started making short live prologues for upcoming movies and injected them with song and dance. While it was already an arduous feat, being at odds with the financers, stage artists, and his ex-wife wasn’t helping his case either. The movie stars fascinating actors like James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell, and Ruby Keeler, who only add to the magic.
13 The Gay Divorcee (1934)
The Gay Divorcee is an astounding musical directed by Mark Sandrich and starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as the main leads. The plot is quite simple. Rogers’ Mimi wants to end her marriage and divorce her geologist husband, but these things are easier said than done. Following the advice from her aunt, Mimi hires a man to flirt with her so that her husband accuses her of adultery and it makes things easier for the lawyer to expedite the divorce. Sandrich has collaborated with Fred and Ginger on several projects, but none matches the wonder and volume of this 1934 musical. We witness Fred’s flawless style to Ginger’s enviable grace, and feel ourselves delighted by songs like “The Continental” and “Looking for a Needle in a Haystack.”
12 Dames (1934)
Brimming to the top with dance numbers created by the legendary Busby Berkeley, Dames follows multimillionaire Ezra Ounce, a reformer who launches a campaign against illicit forms of entertainment and targets Broadway shows first. But his life takes an interesting turn when his daughter wins the lead role in one of these scandalous shows.
The movie starts out slow and balanced, still thriving with Berkeley’s signature imaginings but not too high on spectacle. However, the second and final act of the film is where the characters, the songs, the grandiosity comes into focus in black and white. Besides, it features the biggest movie songs ever in “I Only Have Eyes For You.”
11 The Merry Widow (1934)
Inspired by the 1905 operetta of the same name created by Franz Lehár, The Merry Widow kicks of with quite the charisma when King Achmet of Marshovia realizes that his kingdom’s main taxpayer, Madam Sonia, is traveling back to Paris and he appoints the very appealing Count Danilo to court her, marry her, and eventually win back her allegiance. The feat sounds exceptionally back-breaking but with the physical chemistry brought to screen by Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald, it was only fated. From the glorious sets to the flawless production design, everything about the film is close to perfect. Moreover, watching a swarm of couples dancing in white then in black around Danilo and Sonia reminds you just why you love going to the movies.
10 Top Hat (1935)
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are a match made in heaven. In Top Hat, Astaire plays an American tap dancer named Jerry Travers who is spending some time in Britain. He is the leading man in a show produced by Horace Hardwick and in his time living in London, Travers finds himself practicing tap dance in his hotel bedroom, which wakes Dale Tremont (Rogers), who is staying on the floor below. Travers is mesmerized by her as she goes on about how he was being a nuisance, and he falls hopelessly in love with her. The movie is a musical screwball comedy and it does fair justice to all genres by humor, song and dance, lavish sets, incredible performances, and pure, unfiltered entertainment.
9 Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)
With Gold Diggers of 1935, Busby Berkeley rebrands himself as an overall director and choreographer. The second film in the series turns up the merriment by creating a backdrop of an annual charity show. Hosted by Mrs. Mathilda Prentiss, the show demands that the ladies be escorted for the summer. Mathilda’s daughter Ann is stuck with the hotel’s desk clerk, Dick, who is engaged but his fiancée, Arlene, accepts the arrangement because she’s being escorted by Mathilda’s son, Humbolt. Over the course of the charity show, the faux couples develop feelings for each other and what follows is a ridiculous series of events anchored by Berkeley’s choreography and carefully crafted regimens. Dick Powell and Gloria Stuart are stunning as the romantic leads.
8 Roberta (1935)
Directed by William A. Seiter, Roberta is a fascinating musical set against the backdrop of Paris. The plot is neat and thin; it follows Huckleberry Haines arriving in France with his band to perform at a nightclub. But when the band turns out to be something the owner wasn’t expecting, he redacts the contracts, leaving Haines and the band accompanying John Kent to a fashion house named Roberta in Paris. While looking for work, the lads meet and strike up a romance with Stephanie and Comtesse Scharwenka. With its major focus on fashion and the magnificence of the city during the era, Roberta plays out beautifully. And it features one of the greatest musical numbers ever put to screen, “Smoke Gets in Your Eye,” which is performed by Irene Dunne.
7 Swing Time (1936)
Widely regarded as one of their most successful films, Swing Time brings back the dynamic pair of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Fred plays Lucky Garnett, an incorrigible gambler and aspiring dancer, who is challenged by his fiance's father to earn a sum of $25,000 and prove himself worthy of his daughter’s hand in marriage. Determined to raise cash, he embarks on an adventure in New York City with his friend Pop Cardetti and eventually stumbles upon Penny Caroll, who is a dance instructor.
Penny and Lucky take their sweet time to realize that they are meant to be together and meanwhile, we get to enjoy foot-tapping dance numbers, and splendid melodies like “Pick Yourself Up” and “The Way You Look Tonight,” crafted with brilliance by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields.
6 Show Boat (1936)
Show Boat is another iconic movie musical with Irene Dunne as the phenomenal leading lady. The film is an adaptation of the 1927 theater production of the same name and it stars Dunne as Magnolia Hawks, the daughter of a show boat captain, who despite the wishes of her mother, thrusts herself into the business as the center of stage in a new production. Director James Whale paints a portrait of a century that saw drastic revolution by focusing on themes of racism as well as the evolution of cinema. Helen Morgan also gives a career defining performance, and for anyone who truly appreciates the art of theater, watching her sing “Can't Help Lovin' That Man and Bill” is an experience of a lifetime.
5 Follow the Fleet (1936)
A nautical themed musical comedy, Follow the Fleet charts the fiery romance between Bake Baker and Sherry Martin across the steep, foggy rolling hills of San Francisco. The two were once dance partners dreaming to make it big on Broadway. But Bake fate had pulled them apart, sending Bake in the Navy and leaving Sherry a dance hostess in a ballroom named Paradise. While on liberty, Bake and his friend Bilge visit the ballroom. After a series of mistaken identities, honest fallacies, a huge benefit show, and Bilge turning sides, Bake and Sherry finally get the chance to reunite. Apart from a gorgeous tap solo by Ginger Rogers, the movie features tremendous music, a series of likable characters, and a nail-biting narrative.
4 Shall We Dance (1937)
It turns out that fake dating and fake marriages have been a beloved trope ever since the ‘30s. So far, we’ve seen every possible side of a romance between Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. But if you’re like us who simply cannot get enough of this fantastic pair, Shall We Dance throws them into a plot where they pretend to be a married couple in order to seek publicity. The result? The fall for each other, for reals. Astaire plays Petrov, a ballet dancer with a respectable image in the media as a solemn but often hot-headed Russian who dances for a ballet company based in Paris. Rogers plays Linda Keene, a popular tap dancer who, unbeknownst, gets mentioned in tabloids as Petrov’s better half because of one little public interaction they had. Astaire is the everyman as he tries to impress Rogers and that one particular scene where he’s got every woman in the room wearing a mask with her face on them is truly breathtaking.
3 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Disney’s timeless animated adventure deserves a proud mention in this list of movie musicals of the 1930s not only because it was the studio’s first animated feature, but because it brought the world of technicolor to cinema and was also nominated at the Oscars in the Best Musical Score category. We know how the fairy tale goes: Snow White is a beautiful, innocent princess exiled by her jealous stepmother, the Evil Queen, and ordered for murder.
She escapes the treacherous fangs and finds a haven among seven friendly little miners in their cottage. However life-threatening things get for her, she manages to win with her kindness. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs also features some iconic musical numbers like, “Heigh-Ho” and “Someday My Prince Will Come.”
2 Carefree (1938)
Needless to say, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers basically owned the musical landscape in the 1930s. Under the brilliant direction of their frequent collaborator Mark Sandrich, Carefree takes the pair and places them in yet another original setting. Ralph Bellamy’s Stephen has proposed to Amanda (Rogers) for marriage, but strangely enough, she is unable to make up her mind and say yes. So Stephen takes her to a friend named Tony (Astaire) who is a mental health practitioner. Following which, Stephen takes a backseat because Tony finds herself being attracted to Amanda. The plot may sound very silly, but the adorable cast brings a delightfully authentic emotion to their roles, leaving the audience chortling for its 83-minute runtime.
1 The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Victor Fleming’s iconic musical fantasy ended a decade of wonder and innovation with a bang. In The Wizard of Oz, a tornado brings absolute devastation in Kansas and the main protagonist Dorothy Gale finds herself transported to the magical land of Oz, with only her dog Toto accompanying her. Dorothy realizes that the only way she can return home is with the help of a Wizard, whom she seeks on her perilous journey across the Yellow Brick Road. Along the way, she not only faces a series of absurd obstacles, but also makes friends with a Scarecrow, a Tin Man, and a Cowardly Lion. The movie is widely acclaimed for its soundtrack as well as the memorably weird characters. It even won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Over the Rainbow.”
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