"42nd Street" Movie

[Phantom487]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 10:18pm

How different is it from the Broadway version?

[Glebb]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 10:23pm

It's very good. Rent it. So much better than the stage musical.
Ginger Rogers is genius.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 10:31pm

I agree- it's so wonderful.

[Jwei123]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 10:34pm

i don't know about BETTER than the stage version, but i do enjoy the movie.

[Glebb]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 10:35pm

That is a show I would have liked my money back from.

[wildcat]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 7:29am

One important aspect of the movie is that Julian Marsh has been diagnosed with life-threatening health problems, so his driven intensity stems from knowing that "Pretty Lady" will be his last show. The tone of the film captures more of the grit of Bradford Ropes' novel.

[robert3]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 9:01am

I am a HUGE pre-code film fan, and 42nd Street was pre-code goodness (or naughtyness to be correct) at its best.

The only thing it was missing was Joan Blondell who was in every other 'stage show production' movie of the era.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 9:25am

Oh, robert! I loves me some Joan Blondell. Every film she ever made is so much richer by her presence.

I love 42nd STREET, but I can't get away from the fact that hardbitten Bebe Daniels is infinitely more talented that sweet ingenue Ruby Keeler. Bless her heart.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 9:31am

The movie is wonderful! But so is the musical. They are both terrific in their own right.

[jim coleman]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 9:38am

The movie is much darker than the musical. It was considered pretty daring when it was first released. I spent a year of my life doing the show and had a great time. Never tired of it!

[DancerGirl16]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 10:09am

It is in the book of 1001 movies to see before you die :)

[Jon]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 11:29am

About half the songs in the stage musical are NOT from the film "42nd Street", but from other movies such as "Golddiggers of 1933", "Dames", etc., by the same songwriters.

[Jwei123]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 11:35am

yeah, i noticed a few songs from the musical are from OTHER ginger movies...

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 11:37am

It's based on a book? What book?

[Urban]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 11:57am

"The Golddiggers of 1933" is my favorite song & dance movie of that era, and I have often wished that since "42nd Street" got a stage show, which was great, excellent even, but not as good as Golddiggers of 1933...

Heh.

And Joan Blondell Rocked in that.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 1:55pm

to answer your question, the Broadway adaptation of 42ND STREET is pretty close to the original film. The HUGE differences are the added songs and the fabulous Gower Champion staging in the Broadway musical.

[Jwei123]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 1:58pm

I love busby berkley's choreography in the film, but i think i like gower champion's choreography more...

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 2:19pm

Jwei123, I AGREe WITH You one thousand percent. Champion's work on 42ndSTREET was pure magic.

[AndyHardy]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 2:57pm

Glebb, you are too funny -- and correct. Ginger's "Anytime" Annie makes one almost forgive "The Major and the Minor."

Busby berkely's choreography was, in my opinion, more suited for the screen where Champion's works better on the stage.

And MasterLcz, yes, Ruby Keeler is a puzzlement. :)

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 1:40am

The question was how is the 1933 film different from the stage show.
the simple answer is that the movie s NOT a musical. None of teh songs are plot-related: they are all part of a show-within-the-movie. And we don't really see the big 3 numbers (Shuffle off to Buffalo, Young and Healthy, & 42nd Street) until the last 20 minutes. Until this point the only music (other than the main title music) are two songs seen in rehearsals.

On stage, there is a mix of "performance" songs (Shadow Waltz, Dames, We're in the Money) and "plot" songs (Go Into Your Dance, Getting Out of Town, Lullaby of Broadway.)

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Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks." Live theatre does not use a soundtrack. If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!