Released - May, 1933 

Directed By - Mervyn LeRoy

Starring – Warren William (J. Lawrence Bradford), Joan Blondell (Carol King), Aline MacMahon (Trixie Lorraine), Ruby Keeler (Polly Parker), Dick Powell (Brad Roberts), Ginger Rogers (Fay Fortune).

Description – This pre-code Warner Brothers musical was staged and choreographed by Busby Berkeley. During the height of the depression, producer Barney Hopkins has everything he needs to produce a hit show.

He’s got the talent in “gold diggers” with Polly the ingenue, Trixie the comedienne, Fay the glamour puss, Carol the torch singer, and a good story. Only one thing lacking…money. Creditor’s have just closed down rehearsal due to unpaid bills.

Out of the blue, Polly’s boyfriend Brad Roberts, a talented singer and songwriter who has written the music for the show, offers to put up $15,000 to back the production. Everyone thinks he is joking until he comes up with the money and production begins.

One catch, Brad does not want to perform in the show despite his talent. This adds to everyone’s suspicion as to where this money came from and why not perform? Is Brad really hiding something?

It seems he is, as Brad is the son of a wealthy family who has no intention of allowing him to become a stage performer and end up seduced by some “gold digger.”

NOTABLE: In 2003 Gold Diggers of 1933 was selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

This film was nominated for Best Sound, Recording.

The Busby Berkeley Collection (Footlight Parade / Gold Diggers of 1933 / Dames / Gold Diggers of 1935 / 42nd Street)

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Released - March, 1933 

Directed By - Lloyd Bacon

Starring - Warner Baxter (Julian Marsh), Bebe Daniels (Dorothy Brock), George Brent (Pat Denning), Ruby Keeler (Peggy Sawyer), Ginger Rogers (Ann Lowell), Dick Powell (Billy Lawler).

Description – The original Warner Brothers musical classic choreographed by Busby Berkeley. It’s the Depression and financial backing for Broadway shows is hard to come by. However, produces Jones and Barry have a financial angel in industrialist Abner Dillon.

Abner is infatuated with the beautiful Dorothy Brock who will star in the new musical so long as she can keep Abner interested in both her and backing the show. In reality, Dorothy’s heart lies elsewhere, with her old vaudeville partner Pat Denning who is now out of work.

To help insure the success of the show, the producers hire famed director Julian Marsh. For Julian, this is his last chance. Broke, as a result of the stock market crash and in ill health, Julian hopes to make enough money from this show to retire.

Rehearsals for the show are grueling, competitive, and disappointing to director Marsh. On the night before the grand opening a catastrophe seemingly stirkes. Star Dorothy Brock sprains her ankle and will be unable to do the show.

Financial backer Abner Dillon wants his new “interest” Ann Lowell for the lead hoping to save the show. However, Ann admits that she does not believe she is talented enough to pull it off and tells Marsh that he should sue newcomer Peggy Sawyer.

With everyone’s future depending on the outcome, the show is on.

NOTABLE: This film was nominated for two Academy Awards; Best Picture, and Best Sound Recording.

In 1998 42nd Street was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

The American Film Institute has voted this film as the 13th best movie musical of all time.

Personal Note: This is one of the most popular musicals of all time. At any given moment it is being performed on the stages of Broadway, local theater, college, and high-school productions across the country.

The classic depiction of the backstage musical and an “understudy’s dream come true.”

42nd Street (Keepcase)

The Busby Berkeley Collection (Footlight Parade / Gold Diggers of 1933 / Dames / Gold Diggers of 1935 / 42nd Street)

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Released - September, 1952 

Directed By - Howard Hawks

Starring – Cary Grant (Dr. Barnaby Fulton), Ginger Rogers (Mrs. Edwina Fulton), Charles Coburn (Mr. Oliver Oxley), Marilyn Monroe (Miss Lois Laurel), Hugh Marlowe (Hank Entwhistle).

Description – Dr. Barnaby Fulton is a research scientist working on a fountain of youth pill. One day, a lab chimp happens to get loose and pours some chemicals into the water cooler without anyone noticing.

Dr. Fulton, anxious to try his new fountain of youth formula, decides to test it on himself washing it down with water from the cooler. It doesn’t take long for the formula to kick in causing the Dr. to act as if he were a twenty-year old.

Mrs. Fulton hears of the effects and also decides to try it out turning herself into a prank-pulling schoolgirl. Soon, more and more people from the laboratory drink from the cooler causing a second childhood complex with hilarious results.

A minor comedy classic that is a lot of fun.

Monkey Business

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Released – September, 1942 

Directed By - Billy Wilder

Starring – Ginger Rogers (Susan Kathleen), Ray Milland (Major Philip Kirby), Rita Johnson (Pamela Hill), Diana Lynn (Lucy Hill), Robert Benchley (Albert Osborne).

Description – With no luck finding steady work in New York, Susan Kathleen wants to return home to Iowa. One problem, no money for the full train fare. Solution, pretending to be a 12 year old child in order to travel at half-fare.

What seemed like a good idea leads only to trouble after a train conductor catches her smoking. In an effort to avoid being thrown off the train, Susan hides in the compartment of Major Philip Kirby.

When the train is delayed due to flooding the Major’s fiancee and her father, the commanding officer at the military academy where Major Kirby is assigned, come to pick him up only to find Susan sleeping in a berth in the Major’s compartment.

Jealously is now the order of the day, and to make things worse Susan is becoming more and more attracted to the Major who still believes her to be 12 years old.

NOTABLE: This film was the U.S. directorial debut for Billy Wilder.

Near the end of the film we meet Susan’s mother who just happens to be Lela E. Rogers the real life mother of Ginger Rogers.

Actor Ray Milland got the part in this film in an unusual way. Director Wilder, while driving home from the studio one evening, stopped at a traffic light alongside a car driven by Milland. Wilder told Milland he was doing a picture, and asked if he would like to be in it.

The Major and the Minor (Universal Cinema Classics)

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Released – December, 1940 

Directed By - Sam Wood

Starring – Ginger Rogers (Kitty Foyle), Dennis Morgan (Wyn Strafford), James Craig (Mark).

Description – A story of love, heartbreak, and social class differences.  Told in flashbacks, Kitty Foyle, a hard-working girl from a lower-class family falls in love with socialite Wyn Strafford while working at his magazine.

When the magazine fails, and Wyn doesn’t ask Kitty to marry him, she leaves Philadelphia for New York.  There she meets a doctor who falls in love with her.  Soon after, Wyn shows up in New York and does ask Kitty to marry him. 

At first she is reluctant due to the differance in their social backgrounds, but does eventually agree to marry Wyn.  They return to Phiadelphia to tell his family but receive a disappointing reception.  Problems arise and Kitty divorces Wyn only to learn that she is pregnant.  Her baby is delivered still-born.

Wyn has since married a rich socialite and had a son.  By chance, Kitty meets Wyn’s wife and son which only adds to her heartbreak.

As time passes, Kitty begins to put things behind her and gets a second chance at love with Dr. Mark Eisen who she previously met in New York.

NOTABLE: This movie won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and was nominated for four more Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing, Screenplay, and Best Sound, Recording.

The Oscar winning role of Kitty Foyle was originally turned down by Katherine Hepburn, who that same year, was also nominated for her role in The Philadelphia Story.

This film earned $869.000 in profits, and was RKO’s biggest hit in 1940.

Personal Comment:  I have several musical comedies in my personal collection and have always been a big fan of the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies.  This Oscar winning dramatic performance by Ginger Rogers proved to the world just what a talented and versatile actress she really was.

Kitty Foyle

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