Martin Scorsese said that there were three genres that represent specifically American contribution to world cinema – western, gangster film and musical. The last among them was also the last to be introduced, being unavailable before the arrival of sound technology. However, most of the early musicals that had followed The Jazz Singer turned out to be uninspired and forgettable, making the audience quickly get sick of them. After a few years, Hollywood studios, concerned with hig production cost and their own financial troubles caused by Great Depression, were becoming wary of making musicals. 42nd Street, 1933 film directed by Lloyd Bacon, was a film that changed all that, becoming not only the massive hit at the box office but also the first true classic in the history of the genre.
The film is based on the eponymous novel by Bradford Ropes. The plot takes place in Autumn 1932 in New York City, where the still-ongoing Great Depression affects even the show business. So, when famed Broadway producers Barry (played by Ned Sparks) and Jones (played by Robert McWade) announce a new show called “Pretty Lady”, this brings a lot of attention to multitudes of unemployed and struggling actors, singers and showgirls. The show is being bankrolled by Abner Dillon (played by Guy Kibbee), wealthy tycoon who acts as sugar daddy for the show’s main star Dorothy Brock (played by Bebe Daniels). She, on the other hand, has a secret affair with Pat Denning (played by George Brennt), struggling actor and her former partner from vaudeville days who helped launch her career. Producers also have to deal with Julian Marsh (played by Warner Baxter), once respected and successful director who is, despite recent nervous breakdown and bad health, forced to take the job because he has lost all savings in Wall Street Crash of 1929. The cast, that would be subjected to weeks of intense rehearsals under Marsh’ tyrannical direction, includes young tap dancer Peggy Sawyer (played by Ruby Keeler) who meets young actor Billy Lawler (played by Dick Powell) before, due to series of coincidences, gets opportunity to become show’s star.
42nd Street is considered to be the first backstage musical film. The subgenre and its plots dealing with the actual production of stage musicals allows audience to suspend its disbelief more easily with music and dance numbers comes organically and realistically, without characters suddenly breaking into song. As such, 42nd Street is more realistic and less escapist than most Classic Hollywood musicals. Realist approach was used by Ropes, who described his novel as “Uncle Tom’s Cabin for showgirls” and obviously didn’t hesitate to point to some of the darker aspects of show business. This was taken by the film itself, one of the last to enjoys benefits of relatively lax censorship before the enforcement of infamous MPAA Production Code, as well as being produced by Warner Bros., studio known for making more socially conscious films than other studios. Just like the audience, characters in the film are deeply affected by Great Depression, which is explicitly mentioned in the film. Actors, singers and dancers are subjected to brutal treatment by tyrannical director and those who actually managed to become the part of the show often had to do it via casting couch, which is something ironically suggested by two cynical and experienced showgirls brilliantly played by Una Merkel and Ginger Rogers (who had, at the time, dated Mervyn Le Roy, originally slated to direct the film). Character of Julian Marsh, who was explicitly gay in the novel, even asks his dance director Andy (played by George E. Stone), who is straight and actually has relationship with one of the showgirls, to spend the night with him, because he is “lonely”, which Andy reluctantly agrees to. Lax censorship standards can also be seen in many rather explicit double entendres during dialogues, but also in most of the showgirls in the film appearing in rather skimpy clothes for early 1930s and director’s attention being given to women’s legs. Only a year later, with Hays Code being enforced, 42nd Street would have been impossible.
This film owes a lot of success to great collection of talents in front and behind the camera. It was produced by Daryl F. Zanuck, one of the legends of Classic Hollywood, and it brought him second of 15 Oscar nominations in his career. Music was composed by Harry Warren, one of the first composers to gain his fame by working on films and song lyrics were written by Al Dubin. 42nd Street also had very good ensemble cast, with numerous actors and actresses making great impression despite their roles being relatively small. Ruby Keeler stands out simply for being the youngest and most glamorous among them. But the greatest contribution to the film was given by choreographer Busby Berkeley who also directed dance scenes. The film, which almost didn’t have much music and dance for almost an hour, ends with three spectacular songs – “Shuffle Off to Buffalo”, “Young and Healthy” and “42nd Street”. All three are brilliantly choreographed, while “Young and Healthy” features large number of showgirls performing in unusual geometric patterns, which would become Berkeley’s trademark. Those scenes are brilliant, but the last number, which gives fantasy recreation of everyday life in New York City, even features dark detail like brief scene of domestic violence and murder. Despite being an escapist entertainment, 42nd Street is grounded in real life and dark overtones can be found even in finale following the triumphant first performance of “Pretty Lady”. Yet, the future ultimately proved to be bright for Classic Hollywood musicals.
RATING: 8/10 (+++)
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