# Tell me about (movie) musicals **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 12, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982 "2013-01-12T19:33:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/1 "2013-01-12T19:33:44Z")
My GF loves old musicals. I occasionally watch a bit of with her, but I’m usually just sitting there doing something on my computer (like reading the SDMB). Why are so many musicals about show business, or the making of _other_ musicals? Is it just a cheap excuse for all the singing and dancing? What are some musicals you would recommend for a straight dude who’s not really that into musicals? If it’s any kind of help, I enjoyed _Hedwig & the Angry Inch_, _My Fair Lady_, and _The King and I_, while I did not care for _Chicago_ or _West Side Story_, and I hated _Moulin Rouge_ and _A Star is Born_. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/2 "2013-01-12T20:02:59Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Why are so many musicals about show business, or the making of _other_ musicals? Is it just a cheap excuse for all the singing and dancing? Because nobody loves talking about anything quite as much as they love talking about themselves. The percentage of musical theater devoted TO showcasing theater or figures of historical theater is kind of astounding. In most of these, though, the setting being theater (or Hollywood) isn’t the whole point, it’s just a familiar and convenient setting for what the show or movie is really about. _Gypsy_ isn’t really about vaudeville…and it’s not REALLY about Gypsy, for that matter. It’s about Rose and examining the mind of someone obsessively driven to do things for which she can’t be the vehicle. _Show Boat_ isn’t really about the Cotton Blossom, it’s about Magnolia and Gaylord. > [@](#): > > What are some musicals you would recommend for a straight dude who’s not really that into musicals? If it’s any kind of help, I enjoyed _Hedwig & the Angry Inch_, _My Fair Lady_, and _The King and I_, while I did not care for _Chicago_ or _West Side Story_, and I hated _Moulin Rouge_ and _A Star is Born_. You might try _South Pacific_. It’s WWII-set, about soldiers and nurses and islanders. And racism and overcoming it. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/3 "2013-01-12T20:41:32Z")
I’d suggest _Guys and Dolls_. Brando, Sinatra, and a bunch of degenerate gamblers–and Jean Simmons as the missionary who is trying to save them. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/4 "2013-01-12T21:45:40Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Why are so many musicals about show business, or the making of _other_ musicals? Is it just a cheap excuse for all the singing and dancing? And sets. They don’t have to hide the lights & everything if all the singing & dancing happens on stage. I’d recommend _White Christmas._ It also explains part of why musicals are about musicians & performers because it gives several instances of musicians bursting into song, just because they can. It makes sense for singers; talk show hosts and bicycle repairmen, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/5 "2013-01-12T22:02:04Z")
Try _1776_ and _A Funny Thing Happened on My Way to the Forum_. You can’t get less show biz than musicals about the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the freeing of Roman slaves. They are also two of the funniest musicals ever made. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/6 "2013-01-12T22:06:19Z")
It is about show biz, so maybe it’s not exactly what you’re looking for, but I would still recommend **Singin’ in the Rain**. Not only is it (IMO) the best movie musical ever made, but the best thing about it is that it’s not just a thin story that acts as an excuse for musical numbers. The movie itself is actually incredibly funny; I saw it in a theater with a packed house over the summer, and the audience was laughing throughout the whole thing. If you removed the musical numbers from **Singin’ in the Rain** , you would still have a darn good movie, which you can’t say about most musicals. I think that would appeal to someone who’s a little iffy on the whole genre. ---
**Author:** ![St.Barthgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@St.Barthgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Barthgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/7 "2013-01-12T23:49:54Z")
Singin’ in the Rain. Hair (the movie) the Apple- WAY FUN, but not a Serious show- more like Rocky Horror or a Musical Plan 9 from Outer Space -Bad Rocky Horror ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/8 "2013-01-12T23:58:12Z")
> [@St.Barthgirl](#): > > Rocky Horror I just want to add to this that if you’re just going to watch it on DVD on your couch some night, please don’t bother. Looked at from a purely objective viewpoint, Rocky Horror is an incredibly bad film with an incredibly good soundtrack. It’s only in the total experience of a midnight showing that RHPS transcends its deliberate schlockiness. Although I do absolutely recommend the soundtrack for stand-alone listening. Best damn soundtrack from an utterly horrible movie ever. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/9 "2013-01-13T00:01:26Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > My GF loves old musicals. I occasionally watch a bit of with her, but I’m usually just sitting there doing something on my computer (like reading the SDMB). > > Why are so many musicals about show business, or the making of _other_ musicals? Is it just a cheap excuse for all the singing and dancing? > > What are some musicals you would recommend for a straight dude who’s not really that into musicals? If it’s any kind of help, I enjoyed _Hedwig & the Angry Inch_, _My Fair Lady_, and _The King and I_, while I did not care for _Chicago_ or _West Side Story_, and I hated _Moulin Rouge_ and _A Star is Born_. You might like _Fiddler on the Roof._ The story is about as far from show business as one could imagine. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/10 "2013-01-13T00:10:23Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > You might like _Fiddler on the Roof._ The story is about as far from show business as one could imagine. Not true, however, of [Avenue Jew](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOq97zaBhko)… ---
**Author:** ![Gabing\_Gaboing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b38774/32.png) [@Gabing\_Gaboing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gabing_Gaboing)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/11 "2013-01-13T00:35:00Z")
My husband dislikes musicals also as a rule, but he has watched and enjoyed a few with me. (By “enjoy” I mean he follows through to the end and doesn’t leave the room mumbling) He has enjoyed _Rent_, _Hairspray_, _White Christmas_ and _Mamma Mia_ and _Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat._ Most old musicals, like _Singing in the Rain_ seem to have a dream sequence or play-within-a-play musical number which is grandiose and has no bearing on the story whatsoever. That annoys him to no end, whereas I never really noticed. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/12 "2013-01-13T00:40:22Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I just want to add to this that if you’re just going to watch it on DVD on your couch some night, please don’t bother. Looked at from a purely objective viewpoint, Rocky Horror is an incredibly bad film with an incredibly good soundtrack. It’s only in the total experience of a midnight showing that RHPS transcends its deliberate schlockiness. > > Although I do absolutely recommend the soundtrack for stand-alone listening. Best damn soundtrack from an utterly horrible movie ever. And it branded Tim Curry I think. I once heard a radio interview with him, when I was in Michigan. He was appearing in a road production of some other show. I think it may have been a revival of _42nd Street_. One thing he said was that no matter what project he is involved in currently, if he does an interview, sometime, somewhere during the interview, the reporter will want to talk about Rocky Horror. “I can’t leave it behind!” he said. ---
**Author:** ![KermitTheFrig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/47e85d/32.png) [@KermitTheFrig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KermitTheFrig)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/13 "2013-01-13T01:46:25Z")
If you watch _Sweeney Todd_, see [THIS VERSION](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084747/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3) with Angela Lansbury and George Hearn in the national tour of the original stage presentation and not the 2007 film with Johnny Depp. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/14 "2013-01-13T01:49:42Z")
_Seven Brides for Seven Brothers_ is pretty butch. It’s also colorful, exuberant, and has great songs. And the best dancing! Also, _Good News._ ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/15 "2013-01-13T02:08:37Z")
> [@Gabing\_Gaboing](#): > > Most old musicals, like _Singing in the Rain_ seem to have a dream sequence or play-within-a-play musical number which is grandiose and has no bearing on the story whatsoever. That annoys him to no end, whereas I never really noticed. That’s a good point. I’m trying to think of a classic musical that doesn’t have something like this but it still good. Maybe **Seven Brides for Seven Brothers**? That doesn’t have anything to do with show business or any kind of long, arty musical numbers that I can remember, unless you count the spectacular barn-raising sequence. The dancing is more athletic and acrobatic than a lot of the dancing in musicals, which might appeal to the OP. Unfortunately, the storyline is a little creepy in parts, with the men kidnapping the women and all that, but if you can get past that, it’s very charming!\* \*That probably doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement, but oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Sandra\_Battye](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sandra_battye/32/552_2.png) [@Sandra\_Battye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandra_Battye)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/16 "2013-01-13T02:11:51Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > _Seven Brides for Seven Brothers_ is pretty butch. It’s also colorful, exuberant, and has great songs. And the best dancing! It is the opposite of butch but _Gentlemen Prefer Blondes_ is a lot of fun – and it stars Jane Russel and Marilyn Monroe. It includes the famous\* Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend\* number. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/17 "2013-01-13T02:14:17Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > \while I did not care for _Chicago_ or _West Side Story_,\ ~gasp!~ In that case, I got plenty of nothin’! ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/18 "2013-01-13T02:23:56Z")
Don’t forget the great hippie musicals, _Hair, Tommy, and Jesus Christ Superstar_ ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/19 "2013-01-13T02:59:31Z")
Everyone loves **The Music Man** , a show that’s delightfully proud of its own corniness. The movie version is an especially good adaptation, since it had the same director and star as the Broadway version. Practically nothing was cut. **How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying** was made into a fine film, with much of the original cast intact. Funny satire of 50s business. **Cabaret** , directed by the great Bob Fosse, had all its numbers set on a stage or in a venue where singing would come naturally, an attempt to make a more “realistic” musical. But don’t let that faze you. It’s a great movie, and the drama offstage is designed to contrast with the music onstage. It also has probably [the most chilling song ever written](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEhHeILa3HE) (stay to the very end to find out why). Fosse’s **All That Jazz** is also amazing, though it is a backstage musical. It’s extremely autobiographical, but far from a puff piece – Fosse’s counterpart is shown warts and all. **Take Off With Us** is a number any heterosexual man will like. There’s the underrated **[Everyone Says I Love You.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everyone_Says_I_Love_You)**. It’s not set on stage, and Woody Allen was smart enough to realize that songs from the 30s are perfect for musicals. Some musicals are great on stage but never had a decent film adaptation. **Bye Bye Birdie** is really awful (they screwed with the plot), **Man of La Mancha** was even worse, and **A Chorus Line** is an OK summary, but not much better than a high school production. **Anything Goes** had a couple of mediocre versions (though did have Ethel Merman in the first); both came before the play was rewritten to be more of a showcase for Cole Porter’s music. Other great musicals like **Avenue Q** and **The Drowsy Chaperone** have not been filmed yet. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982/20 "2013-01-13T04:39:28Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Everyone loves **The Music Man** , a show that’s delightfully proud of its own corniness. Actually, not everyone. A much better Robert Preston musical is _Victor/Victoria_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-movie-musicals/646982.md?page=2)