Wonderful character development!

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

42nd Street is one of those films that I had often heard about, yet failed to see until far too late in my cinematic journey. I am certainly glad that I finally indulged in 42nd Street because it's simply brilliant. Lloyd Bacon, not Busby Berkeley as I had incorrectly thought, directed 42nd Street in 1933. Lloyd Bacon was a true workhorse for Warner Brothers, directing over 100 films between 1920 and 1955. Bacon worked with such greats as Bette Davis, Charles Chaplin, Humphrey Bogart, and James Cagney, just to name a few. Bacon's body of work is massive, and though he is only responsible for a few classics, 42nd Street among them, he consistently created works that have spanned the decades and are standouts of those who starred in them. This isn't simply a Lloyd Bacon appreciation post, though he has more than earned one, but I felt it necessary to highlight the career of this largely forgotten director. I'm sure I'm not the only one to incorrectly attribute 42nd Street to Berkeley instead of Bacon, and Bacon deserves his due. Upon investigation, I had seen many more films by Lloyd Bacon than I ever realized, further cementing his status, in my mind anyway, that he is a stable director of classic Hollywood. 42nd Street, starring Warner Baxter and Bebe Daniels follows the plight of a Broadway film director pouring his heart into what could be his final production when the star must be replaced by a chorus girl at the last minute. It is no wonder why 42nd Street remains so revered today as it was at the time of its release, the plot is infused with wonderful chemistry between characters, and obviously sprinkled with brilliant dance numbers captured by genius overhead shots. 42nd Street is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the soul.Julian Marsh (Warner Baxter), the most brilliant director of his time has been tasked with the production of a new show, despite his health. Unbeknownst to those around him, Julian has suffered a nervous breakdown and has been warned by his doctors to not take any shows on until he is better equipped to handle the immense stress that accompanies these productions. Despite this warning, Julian decides to proceed with the production, determined to deliver a promising display, even if it's his last. The show has been funded by a wealthy senior who is in love with its star, Dorothy Brock (Bebe Daniels). Dorothy has not responded to his advancements because she is still in love with her former dance partner, Pat Denning (George Brent). Dorothy is used to being in the spotlight and has developed quite an attitude of superiority, making her fall from grace all the harder when she breaks her ankle the night before the show is to premiere. Peggy Sawyer (Ruby Keeler) a chorus girl who has caught the eye of Billy Lawler another member of the production, is deemed the perfect replacement. With only a night to prepare, Peggy commits herself completely to rehearsals hoping to catapult the show, and her career, to greatness.The camera work of musicals from the 1930's is captivating no matter how many films of that era I've seen. The low angle shots and the overlays are sensational at immersing the audience in the performances. Bacon seems to place heavy reliance upon steady cam and tracking shots, an interesting choice that paid off ten-fold in creating a visual masterpiece. The camera acts as a guide for the audience, taking us on a journey through both the backstage antics and on-stage perfection seen in 42nd Street. All the dancing was incredible but that final dance number was a gift to us all. 42nd Street is a classic, and one that I am immensely thankful to have finally seen.

42nd Street is only mildly naughty, bawdy, or sporty, as the lyrics of Al Dubin and Harry Warren's title song would have it, but once Busby Berkeley takes over to stage the three production numbers at the movie's end, it is certainly gaudy. What naughtiness and bawdiness it contains would not have been there at all once the Production Code went into effect a year or so later. It's doubtful that Ginger Rogers's character would have been called "Anytime Annie" once the censors clamped down, or that anyone would say of her, "She only said 'no' once and then she didn't hear the question." Or that it would be so clear that Dorothy Brock (Bebe Daniels) is the mistress of foofy old moneybags Abner Dillon (Guy Kibbee). Or that there would be so many crotch shots of the chorus girls, including the famous tracking shot between their legs in Berkeley's "Young and Healthy" number. Although it's often remembered as a Busby Berkeley musical, it's mostly a Lloyd Bacon movie, and while Bacon is not a name to conjure with these days, he does a splendid job of keeping the non-musical part of the film moving along satisfactorily. It helps that he has a strong lead in Warner Baxter as the tough, self-destructive stage director Julian Marsh, balanced by such skillful wisecrackers as Rogers, Una Merkel, and Ned Sparks. But it's a blessing that this archetypal backstage musical became a prime showcase for Berkeley's talents. Dick Powell's sappy tenor has long been out of fashion, and Ruby Keeler keeps anxiously glancing at her feet while she's dancing, but Berkeley's sleight-of-hand keeps our attention away from their faults. Nor does anyone really care that his famous overhead shots that turn dancers into kaleidoscope patterns would not be visible to an audience in a real theater. In the "42nd Street" number, Berkeley also introduces his characteristic dark side: Amid all the song and dance celebrating the street, we witness a near-rape and a murder. It's a dramatic twist that Berkeley would repeat with even greater effect in his masterpiece, the "Lullaby of Broadway" number from Gold Diggers of 1935. Berkeley's serious side, along with the somewhat downbeat ending showing an exhausted Julian Marsh, alone and ignored amid the hoopla, help remind us that the studio that made 42nd Street, Warner Bros., was also known for social problem movies like I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang (Mervyn LeRoy, 1932) and the gangster classics of James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, and Edward G. Robinson. (charlesmatthews.blogspot.com)

At one level this is less a musical and more a movie about musicals and theatre. Full of shonky businessmen, the odd sexual favour, a frustrated and cantankerous director, actors and dancers just wanting a piece of the action or struggling to get by. Throw in some quick one liners, numerous wannabes and there you have 42nd Street. And there's some dancing and singing. And there you have the template for Fame, Flashdance, Centre Stage et al. There are better musicals. But this is a very good movie about musicals.

42nd Street (1933): Dir: Lloyd Bacon / Cast: Warner Baxter, Bebe Daniels, George Brent, Ruby Keeler, Ginger Rogers: Musicals were popular in this time and here we have the happening as well as the time and place. It is the production of Pretty Lady with Warner Baxter hired to direct with Bebe Daniels as the star player. It showcases the stress and anxiety of putting a play together but it also boils down to a predictable outcome that features the play in its entirety. The musical numbers are mostly corny and over the top but the setup and structure are detailed and payoff. Directed by Lloyd Bacon with Busby Berkeley handling the musical numbers. Some of these are visually effective while others are flat and look about as fetching as something out of a box of cereal. The cast is appealing. Baxter plays off the frustration of a director struggling to meet a dead line. Daniels plays Dorothy the star player who is involved in a relationship. George Brent plays an old partner and lover of Dorothy who pulls away. Ruby Keeler plays a new actress and dancer for the play who comes off as a tad naïve. Perhaps the biggest name to emerge from this film is the dancing star Ginger Rogers who will become a force within musicals. It is on par with The Broadway Melody but musicals have certainly improved. This is entertaining with its detailed view of staging such an event. Score: 7 / 10