Your Top 10 Best Movie Musical Performances

[CapnHook]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 3:23am

What would you say are the best 10 performances that stand out to you in movie musicals?

Here's mine, in order:

10) Roy Scheider as "Joe Gideon" in ALL THAT JAZZ
9) Catherine Zeta Jones as "Velma Kelly" in CHICAGO
Audrey Hepburn as "Eliza Dolittle" in MY FAIR LADY
7) Julie Andrews as "Maria Von Trapp" in THE SOUND OF MUSIC
6) George Chakiris as "Bernardo" in WEST SIDE STORY
5) Gene Wilder as "Willy Wonka" in WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
4) Dick Van Dyke as "Bert" in MARRY POPPINS
3) Barbra Streisand as "Fanny Brice" in FUNNY GIRL/FUNNY LADY
2) Topol as "Tevye" in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
1) Ron Moody as "Fagin" in OLIVER!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 3:42am

10. Amy Adams in ENCHANTED
9. Jennifer Hudson / Anika Noni Rose in DREAMGIRLS (tie)
8. Donald O'Connor in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
7. Joel Grey in CABARET
6. Catherine Zeta Jones in CHICAGO
5. Helena Bonham Carter in SWEENEY TODD
4. Nicole Kidman in MOULIN ROUGE
3. Julie Andrews in THE SOUND OF MUSIC
2. Rita Moreno in WEST SIDE STORY
1. Liza Minnelli in CABARET

Honorable mentions: Ellen Greene in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, Judy Garland and Margaret Hamilton in THE WIZARD OF OZ, James Marsden in ENCHANTED, and the cast of MOULIN ROUGE.

Updated On: 12/26/07 at 03:42 AM

[jeniferrenepatricia]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 4:12am

10- Carol Burnett in "Annie"
9- Bea Arthur in "Mame"
8- Gene Kelly in "Singin'in the Rain"
7- Gordon MacRae "Oklahoma"
6- Divine in "Hairspray"
5- Joel Grey in "Cabaret"
4- Julie Andrews in "Victor/Victoria"
3- Judy Garland in ANYTHING, but especially "A Star is Born"
2- Bette Midler in "The Rose"
1- Ann Reinking in "All That Jazz"

[Matters]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 4:35am

Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins
Elijah Kelly in Hairspray
Natalie Wood in West Side Story
Laura Michelle Kelly in Sweeney Todd
Queen Latifah in Chicago
Jamie Campbell Bower in Sweeney Todd
George Chakiris in West Side Story
Rita Moreno in West Side Story
Margaret Hamilton in The Wizard of Oz
Angela Lansbury in Bedknobs and Broomsticks

and an honorable mention for Tv Musical Performance:
Cobie Smulders in the How I Met Your Mother episode "Slap Bet"

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 9:32am

Not in any order:

Judy Garland in "A Star Is Born"
Jean Hagen in "Singin' in the Rain"
Topol in "Fiddler on the Roof"
Julie Andrews in "Mary Poppins"
Barbra Streisand in "Funny Girl"
Gene Kelly in "An American in Paris"
Robert Preston in "The Music Man"
Yul Brynner in "The King and I"
Liza Minnelli in "Cabaret"
Rex Harrison in "My Fair Lady"

[NYC4Life]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 9:46am

Barbra Streisand- Funny Girl
Julie Andrews- Mary Poppins
Bjork- Dancer in the Dark
Gene Kelly- Singin' in the Rain
The Cast of Chicago
Ray Bolger- The Wizard of Oz
Judy Garland- A Star is Born
Rex Harrison - My Fair Lady
Ann-Margret- Tommy
Liza Minnelli-Cabaret

[mattonstage]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 9:56am

Off the top of my head (with some help from your lists) and in nor order:
Donald O'Connor in Singin' in the Rain
John C. Reilly in Chicago
Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria
Joanna Gleason in Into the Woods (I'm cheating with a DVD)
Albert Finney in Scrooge
Pat Carrol in The Little Mermaid
Fred Astaire in The Band Wagon
Rita Moreno in West Side Story
Kay Thompson in Funny Face
Robert Preston in The Music Man

And a special mention of those in musicals who don't sing:
Jean Hagen in Singin' in the Rain
Michael York in Cabaret

[OtherDaryl]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 10:22am

10? Ten? Just TEN!?! Can't Do it . . . and sometimes performances are so indelibly interwoven they are impossible for me to separate. Sorry . . . I can't get the list any shorter - well, I could, but don't really want to - you, know . . . apples and oranges.

+Liza Minnelli - Cabaret - I wanted to be Sally Bowles!
+Liza Minnelli/Robert DeNiro - New York, New York - I wanted to be Sally Bowles and date a saxophone player.
+Liza Minnelli in the opening sequence of Lucky Lady - Uno. Dos. Uno, dos, three, four! - Okay, I just wanted to be Liza!
+Roy Scheider/Leland Palmer/Ann Reinking - All That Jazz - Well, maybe I wanted to be Bob Fosse.
+Gene Kelly/Debbie Reynolds/Jean Hagen/Donald O'Connor/Cyd Charisse - Singin' in the Rain - The perfect ensemble.
+Hermione Gingold/Maurice Chevalier - Gigi - Ladies and Gentlemen, THIS is how it is done.
+Johnny Depp/Helena Bonham-Carter - Sweeney Todd - Iconic characters remade through the dedication and genius of two of the best actors working today.
+Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls - Better and better with repeated viewings
+Julie Andrews - Any Singing Nanny Movie - us kids in the Foster home would march around pretending to be the VonTrapps
+Judy Garland - I Could Go On Singing - Wow!
+Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney - Any "Let's put on a show" Movie
+Jesse Martin - Rent - I didn't know - I just didn't know he could do that.
+Margaret O'Brien - Meet Me in St. Louis - a kid playing a kid marvelously.
+Queen Latifah - Chicago - give her the Bessie Smith story, already.
+Diana Ross - Lady Sings the Blues - the best right off the bat - never lived up to it.
+Doris Day - Love Me or Leave Me - she was a much better actress than she was ever given credit for.
+Ann Margaret/Roger Daltry/Tina Turner - Tommy - the most beautiful man of his time with a mother who could sing while applying lipstick. And the Acid Queen.
+Bert Lahr - The Wizard of Oz - too cuddly for words.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 10:49am

Not in any order:

Judy Garland: A STAR IS BORN
Robert Preston: THE MUSIC MAN
Barbra Streisand: FUNNY GIRL
Gene Kelly: SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
Fred Astaire: THE BANDWAGON
Doris Day: LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME
Gwen Verdon: DAMN YANKEES
Julie Andrews: THE SOUND OF MUSIC
James Cagney: YANKEE DOODLE DANDY
Rex Harrison: MY FAIR LADY

[Broadway Bound2]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 10:53am

10. Emmy Rossum-The Phantom Of The Opera
9. Catherine Zeta Jones-Chicago
8. Rita Moreno-West Side Story
7. Ron Moody-Oliver
6. Judy Garland-The Wizard Of Oz
5. Adam Pascal-Rent
4. Margaret O'Brien-Meet Me In St. Louis
3. Ray Bolger-The Wizard Of Oz
2. Julie Andrews-The Sound Of Music
1. George Chakiris-West Side Story

[americanboy99]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 11:19am

"10. Emmy Rossum-The Phantom Of The Opera"

HAHAHA! Thanks for giving me a good laugh!

[Rosalind]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 12:16pm

10. Audrey Hepburn -My Fair Lady
9. Julie Andrews - Mary Poppins
8. Gene Kelly - Singin' In the Rain
7. Russ Tamblyn - West Side Story
6. Rex Harrison - My Fair Lady
5. Liza Minelli - Cabaret
4. Joel Grey - Cabaret
3. Donald O'Connor - Singin In the Rain
2. Topol - Fiddler On the Roof
1. Ron Moody - Oliver!

[NYC4Life]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 12:57pm

"10. Emmy Rossum-The Phantom Of The Opera"

not trying to say you don't have the right to this opinion but what makes you think this is a great performance.

[singingbackup]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 1:59pm

much of what others have said.....'

The entire cast of "Sweet Charity"

Gene Kelly in everything (Even Xanadu!)



Updated On: 12/26/07 at 01:59 PM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 2:48pm

10. Julie Andrew in The Sound of Music
9. Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls
8. Catherine Zeta Jones in Chicago
7. Vivian Blaine in Guys and Dolls
6. Johnny Depp in Sweeney Todd
5. Nikki Blonsky in Hairspray
4. Bette Midler in Gypsy
3.Liza Minnelli in Cabaret
2. Shirley McLaine in Sweet Charity
1. Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 3:03pm

I'm surprised so few are including Bjork's performance in Dancer in the Dark...it was just brilliant.

[snl89]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 3:37pm

Not really in any particular order:

-Julie Andrews, The Sound of Music: it's such a classic, and she was so brilliant in it!
-Audrey Hepburn, My Fair Lady: again, a classic
-Carol Burnette, Annie: One of the most comedically perfect movie performances I can think of, period. She's a comedic genius.
-Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago: She was BRILLIANT. Just. simply. brilliant.
-Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge: I have to put them together as one because they kind of go hand in hand. They were both just so amazingly wonderful, and they had the greatest chemistry! Plus I have a HUGE soft spot for Ewan's voice :)
-Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd: I believe he is one of the greatest actors of our time. Period. He's just astounding, and he acted his freaking BUTT off in this movie. It was rather insane.
-Helena Bonham Carter, Sweeney Todd: She was so FIERCE. And FUNNY. And the fact that she was not over shadowed by Johnny just speaks toward how fantastic an actress she is herself.
-Bette Midler, Gypsy: I'm way biased because it's the only version of Gypsy I've actually seen, but seriously. She was awesome. Really, really awesome!
-Nikky Blonsky, Hairspray: She made me happy she was fantastic
-Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls: A didn't even love the movie, but she MADE it for me. Just... she was absolutely UN.FRIGGIN.BELIEVABLE.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 3:47pm

10. Shirley Jones in Oklahoma!
9. Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins
8. Doris Day in Love Me or Leave Me
7. Debbie Reynolds in The Unsinkable Molly Brown
6. Tommy Steele in Half a Sixpence
5. Julie Andrews in Star!
4. William Daniels in 1776
3. Ron Moody in Oliver!
2. Robert Preston in The Music Man
1. Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music

Updated On: 12/26/07 at 03:47 PM

[jewishboy]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 3:51pm

Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz" and "Meet Me in St. Louis"
Julie Andrews in "Sound Of Music"
Barbra Streisand in "Funny Girl"
Gene Kelly in "Singing In The Rain"
Robert Preston in "The Music Man"
Yul Brynner in "The King and I"
Rex Harrison in "My Fair Lady"
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in "Swing Time"
Joel Grey "Cabaret"
Margaret O'Brien in "Meet Me In St. Louis"

I really want to add on,
Nicole Kidman in "Moulin Rouge"
Catherine Zeta Jones in "Chicago"
both Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter in "Sweeney Todd"
and both Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy in "Dreamgirls"

Edit: Ann Miller in everything!! Updated On: 12/27/07 at 03:51 PM

[SweetSoprano]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 4:04pm

Natalie Wood - Gypsy
Rita Moreno - West Side Story
Gordon MacRae - Carousel
Barbra Steisand - Funny Girl
Yul Brynner - The King And I
Audrey Hepburn - My Fair Lady
Liza Minelli - Cabaret
Gene Kelly - Singin' In The Rain
Shirley Jones - Carousel
Catherine Zeta Jones - Chicago

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 4:12pm

Um, y'all?

WILLIAM DANIELS IN 1776.

End of story.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 4:20pm

You are so right! I changed mine.

[thejcm]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 4:38pm

I haven't seen many of the older "classic" movie musicals, but from what I've seen:

10.Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls.
09.Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music.
08.Jessica Harper in Shock Treatment.
07.Helena Bonham Carter in Sweeney Todd.
06.Catherine Zeta-Jones in Chicago.
05.Ellen Greene in Little Shop of Horrors.
04.Tim Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
03.Pat Carroll in The Little Mermaid.
02.Liza Minnelli in Cabaret.
01.John Cameron Mitchell in Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 5:12pm

I was gonna add tim curry in Rocky Horror and JCM in Hedwig, jcm :)

and I would def include Bjork in Dancer.

[jam_man]

Posted: 12/26/07 at 5:13pm

No order:

Robert Preston: The Music Man
Johnny Depp: Sweeney Todd
Ellen Greene: Little Shop of Horrors
Topol: Fiddler on the Roof
William Daniels: 1776
Liza Minnelli: Cabaret
Eddie Murphy: Dreamgirls
Catherine Zeta-Jones: Chicago
Barbra Streisand: Funny Girl
Yul Brynner: The King and I