Musicals
As soon as sound was introduced to the movies, the movie musical was born. The musical was one of the most popular movie entertainments from the 1930s through to the 50s, before falling out of favour at the end of the 60s for audiences now being weened on Vietnam, race riots, political assassinations, flower power and psychedelia. The musical still continued onwards, albeit in a different form, with various efforts such as "Cabaret", "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", "Grease", "Hair", "All That Jazz" and "The Blues Brothers" appearing over the next decade. More recently, "Moulin Rouge" and particularly "Chicago" hark back to the glory days of the musical.
Right: Liza Minnelli does "Cabaret"
Show Boat (1951)
7/10
Director: George Sidney
Starring: Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner, Howard Keel
George Sidney supplies movement and grace to the great Jerome Kern score that colours the lives of misfits and losers in a musical that deftly moves f... Read more
The Last of the Blonde Bombshells (2000)
7.4/10
Director: Gillies MacKinnon
Starring: Judi Dench, Ian Holm, Leslie Caron, Olympia Dukakis, Cleo Laine, Joan Sims, Bill...
Recent widow, Elizabeth (Judi Dench), begins playing her tenor sax again, remembering back to when she was in an all-girl (almost) swing band back in... Read more
Doctor Dolittle (1967)
6.2/10
Director: Richard Fleischer
Starring: Rex Harrison, Samantha Eggar, Anthony Newley, Richard Attenborough, Peter Bull
Rex Harrison is the man who can talk to the animals in this epic musical entertainment for children of all ages, based on the stories of Hugh Lofting.... Read more
The Cliff Richard Movie Collection: The Young Ones / Wonderful Life / Summer Holiday (1961)
Director: Peter Yates, Sidney J Furie
Starring: Cliff Richard, The Shadows, Robert Morley, Carole Gray, Susan Hampshire, Derek B...
A Cliff Richard triple feature! 'The Young Ones' (1961) - Nicky and his friends find their youth club threatened by a property tycoon who intends to b... Read more
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
7/10
Director: Richard Lester
Starring: Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, Buster Keaton
This adaptation of the Broadway musical hit about a conniving slave in ancient Rome features comedy legends Zero Mostel (re-creating his Tony award-wi... Read more
Sunshine on Leith (2013)
6.6/10
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Jane Horrocks, Jason Flemyng, Peter Mullan, George MacKay, Antonia Thomas, Freya...
Dexter Fletcher directs "Sunshine on Leith"; a jubilant, heartfelt musical about the power of home, the hearth, family and love. It is the tale of one... Read more
The Sound of Music (1965)
8/10
Director: Robert Wise
Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn
Julie Andrews lights up the screen as Maria, the spirited young woman who leaves the convent to become a governess to the seven children of Captain Vo... Read more
The Sapphires (2012)
7.1/10
Director: Wayne Blair
Starring: Deborah Mailman, Chris O'Dowd, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens, Miranda Tapsell
1968. Four young women from a remote Aboriginal mission, sisters Gail, Julie and Cynthia, together with their cousin Kay, are discovered by Dave, a do... Read more
Gigi (1958) / Gigi (1949) (1958)
Director: Vincente Minnelli, Jacqueline Audry
Starring: Leslie Caron, Louis Jourdan, Maurice Chevalier, Daniele Delorme
Gigi 1958: Leslie Caron is the bewitching title character in this dazzling musical that won nine Oscars including Best Picture. Maurice Chevalier sing... Read more
The Glenn Miller Story (1954)
7.3/10
Director: Anthony Mann
Starring: James Stewart, June Allyson, Henry Morgan, Frances Langford, Louis Armstrong, Ge...
James Stewart and June Allyson star as the popular band leader and his wife in this Anthony Mann film bio loaded with swinging music and fine musician... Read more