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"
The Girl Can't Help It (1956)
6.9/10
Director: Frank Tashlin
Starring: Jayne Mansfield, Tom Ewell, Edmond O'Brien
A gangster prevails upon a theatrical agent to groom the former's dumb girlfriend for stardom. Featuring wild sight gags, a great comedic turn by Jayn... Read more
High Society (1956)
7/10
Director: Charles Walters
Starring: Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra
One of the best musicals of the fifties! With Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Grace Kelly, the score written by Cole Porter and played by Louis Armstro... Read more
The King And I (1956)
7.5/10
Director: Walter Lang
Starring: Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner, Rita Moreno
Walter Lang's remake of the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical is thematically buttressed by the daring choreography of Jerome Robbins ('West Sid... Read more
Love Me Tender (1956)
6.2/10
Director: Robert D Webb
Starring: Richard Egan, Debra Paget, Elvis Presley, Robert Middleton, William Campbell, Ne...
Elvis Presley's film debut is a story set in the civil war about conflicting politics among sons in a Southern family. Read more
My Sister Eileen (1955)
6.8/10
Director: Richard Quine
Starring: Janet Leigh, Jack Lemmon, Betty Garrett, Bob Fosse
Aspiring writer Ruth Sherwood (Betty Garrett) moves to New York with her man-magnet sister, Eileen (Janet Leigh). Editor Bob Baker (Jack Lemmon) help... Read more
Anything Goes (1955)
6.2/10
Director: Robert Lewis
Starring: Bing Crosby, Donald O'Connor, Jeanmarie, Mitzi Gaynor, Phil Harris
An effervescent musical comedy, based on the play by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, with Bing Crosby and Donald O'Connor as Broadway stars on the look... Read more
Love Me or Leave Me (1955)
7.2/10
Director: Charles Vidor
Starring: Doris Day, James Cagney, Cameron Mitchell, Robert Keith, Tom Tully
An engrossing musical bio of Jazz Age singing sensation Ruth Etting (Doris Day), whose life and career were dominated by a gangster called 'The Gimp'... Read more
Daddy Long Legs (1955)
6.7/10
Director: Jean Negulesco
Starring: Fred Astaire, Leslie Caron, Fred Clark, Terry Moore, Thelma Ritter, Larry Keatin...
Young French orphan, Leslie Caron, is subsidised by a wealthy playboy (Fred Astaire) with the stipulation that his identity be kept secret in this del... Read more
Guys and Dolls (1955)
7.2/10
Director: Joseph L Mankiewicz
Starring: Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra
Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra and Jean Simmons star in Joseph Mankiewicz's quality adaptation of the Broadway hit about the gamblers, missionaries and... Read more
Oklahoma! (1955)
7.2/10
Director: Fred Zinnemann
Starring: Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones, Rod Steiger
The Rodgers and Hammerstein epic musical is a classic of immortal songs and fancy steppin'. "Oh What a Beautiful Morning", "The Surrey with the Fringe... Read more