Song and Dance: My Top 10 Musical Movies

Musical theatre and musicals have always been my passion. Over the years, I have managed to watch several musical productions: some at the theatre (mostly school ones), some on VHS/DVD, some from both stage and screen.

Many became my favorite, either because of the storyline, the music, the actors, or a combination of it all.

Here is my list of preferred musicals that started out on stage and then were made into movies. It is in alphabetical order, since I could not decide which one was going to be Number One!

Camelot

This is a legendary tale that has conquered the hearts of many. Meet King Arthur and his perfect kingdom, where even natural occurrences, such as sunrise and sunset, rain and snow, summer and winter, appear and disappear on king's orders. After all, there is not "A more congenial spot, For happily-ever-aftering than here In Camelot [i] ." Meet his lovely bride Guinevere and trusted Knight Sir Lancelot.
Unfortunately, this perfection and Arthur's Kingdom come to an end when Guinevere and Sir Lancelot become lovers. It was not planned. Guinevere actually set out to oust Sir Lancelot from the kingdom despising his arrogance. There is not a more moving scene than that of King Arthur agonizing over whether his once trusted knight will appear and rescue his once faithful wife from certain execution.

I watched this on screen. The opening scene conquered me right away. The humor and lyrics could not have been more perfect, just like Camelot! I own a copy and often watch it singing along.

http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/Wart/Camelot.htm

Fiddler on the Roof

This is a lovely story of a poor milk man and his family during czarist Russia. The characters are simply great. Tevye and Golde are parents of five daughters, three of which choose love over traditions. As the couple tries to uphold customs and the daughters go against them, the whole family is threatened by anti-Semitic sentiments. Although tension develops between family members as to whom the daughters should marry, it is love of the father for his daughters that soften his heart into accepting and even helping in their decision.

I had the pleasure to watch this play at the local community theatre and as a movie production. I loved them both and cried both times. One of my favorite scenes was the one in which Tevye helped his daughter Tzeitel marry the man she loved. To disclose any more details about this scene would spoil it.

http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/Fiddler/tevye.htm

Kiss Me Kate

It is a play about a play. Two divorced actors become co-stars in the musical rendition of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. In the latter, a Venetian merchant has two daughters, Catherine and Bianca. The younger Bianca wants to marry but cannot fulfill her dream until Catherine is wed. This is easier said than done, given the terrible personality the she displays. The screen characters are just simply wonderful. The movie evolves around the love-hate relationship between the two co-stars. Add to them two shady characters, two not so innocent co-actors that set everything in motion, some wonderful Cole Porter music and you will have one of the most entertaining nights you could plan for yourself.

Although hard to choose, I think my most favorite scenes are the ones involving the two shady characters because of their humor and witty remarks.
If you have never seen this movie you will need to put it on your "to do" list.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/musicals/kate.html

My Fair Lady

Based on Shaw's play, Pygmalion, this production is a lovely story about an uncultured flower girl (Eliza Doolittle) who is taught to talk and behave like a high society lady. This is all thanks to the bet arrogant phonetics professor Higgins makes with another phonetics expert, Colonel Pickering. He bet that he would be able to teach Eliza to speak proper English and behave like a lady so that no one would recognize her for the flower girl she was.

The musical score was the winning point for me in this production. The story line was nice and very romantic. The open ending leaves the viewer to imagine what will happen next.

http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/Loverly/Loverly.htm

Oklahoma

Will cowmen ever be friends with farmers? The plot develops around cowman Curly who is in love with Laurey, a farmer's niece. However, the two have some work cut out for them before they are able to declare each other's love. Suspense makes its way into the production in the character of the farmer's hired hand, Judd. You will laugh, fall in love, and hold your breath while watching this show.

I saw it performed as a high school production and as a movie. I enjoyed both versions thanks to the captivating music and Laurey's giggly friend Annie.

http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/Judd/OK.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/musicals/oklahoma.html

Showboat

This is an engrossing story in which the lives of a troupe of actors on a floating theatre, the Cotton Blossom, their captain and his family intertwine with one another over several decades. Destinies are changed as events evolve and truths are uncovered. Will their lives find a balance?

I loved this musical because of the depth of the issues covered. Some heart wrenching moments are paired up with some very tender ones. The music only adds to the beauty of this screen production.

http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/Riverboat/oleman.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/musicals/showboat.html

The King and I

A widow and her child move to Bangkok where she is to teach English to the king's children. She is ready to return to England when things don't go the way she expected, but decides to remain for the sake of her pupils. Although she and the king find each other at odds most of the time, they end up falling in love and reaching compromises that help bring some sort of democracy to the country.

I found this movie very moving, especially towards the end. Determination and love were engaging key elements that kept my attention. The music is also worthy of mention.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=42:36473

The Phantom of the Opera

A young man, suffering from a deformity since birth, turns into a lonely and bitter adult living in an opera house in Paris. As a troupe starts rehearsing at the opera house, he becomes interested in a young chorus girl and begins to tutor her. His goal is to have her sing the lead role in the production that is being prepared. He haunts the troupe and makes his demands known until his protégé is given the lead role in the play. The next step is to take her to his quarters and make her his bride. However, she is in love with someone else. Will he follow his desires or hers?

I saw this one on screen and found the story line to be very moving. The music was absolutely fantastic.

http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/Christine/masquerade.htm

The Sound of Music

Based on a true story, this musical follows the lives or Maria, the governess and former postulant, seven children and their father, Captain Von Trapp, right before Germany's occupation of Austria. Maria wins over the hearts of the children and not long after that of their father. She brings them laughter, music, and love. Together, and with the help of the nuns Maria was supposed to join, they outsmart the Germans and cross the Alps to freedom.

I really enjoyed the exchange Maria and the Captain had right after he returned home from a trip, just in time to see the children fall in the river. I also found quite as humorous the scene with the nuns, right after the police left the convent. The music is absolutely brilliant and the scenery breathtaking.

http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/Edelweiss/salzburg.htm

West Side Story

This is the most known musical rendition of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The two feuding families of Verona are represented by two feuding gangs living in New York City in the 1950s. The two Italian, young lovers are represented by Puerto Rican Maria, whose brother is the leader of one gang, and American Tony, whose friend is the leader of the other gang. Will Tony and Maria's fate be any different than that of Romeo and Juliet's?

I really like the musical score for this stage to screen rendition of the famous play. One of my favorite songs of all is "Somewhere," which has been interpreted by many singers independently of the script.

http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/Sharks/jets.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/musicals/westside.html

These are not the only theatre plays that transitioned to screen productions. However, I highly suggest that you add these to your collection of must see musicals.

[1] http://www.allmusicals.com/lyrics/camelot/camelot.htm