Broadway, Vaudeville, Burlesque & Theater

List creator: DGood Created on: February 10, 2008 - 5:20 AM PST Description: Vintage entertainment, variety acts, musical numbers and the legitimate theater

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	movie title	related list	average rating	MPAA rating	watch	rent	buy
	42nd Street (1933)			Not Rated
A musical about the making of a Broadway musical - interesting characters, backstage antics and on-stage routines
	The Great Ziegfeld (1936)			Not Rated
Splendid story of the life of Florence Ziegfeld (William Powell), one of the greatest producers of lavish, spectacular stage shows featuring hosts of lovely ladies
	After the Thin Man (1936)			Not Rated
Great nightclub sequence - New Year's Eve at a Chinese restaurant and a suspicious singer. Nothing but trouble.
	Ziegfeld Girl (1941)			Not Rated
Follow-up to The Great Ziegfeld focusing on the cast of the show. Not as solid a film and recycles some stage scenes, but does have Hedy Lamar, Lana Turner & Judy Garland
	Holiday Inn (1942)			Not Rated
Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire as a nightclub song-and-dance duo gone separate ways, later joined by Marjorie Reynolds. Fun musical numbers. Music by Irving Berlin.
	Stage Door Canteen (1943)
Mostly a series of rare footage from classic variety performers - Gypsy Rose Lee, Ray Bolger, Ethel Waters, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Xavier Cugat & many more. Backed by a thin war-time plot.
	To Be or Not to Be (1942)			Not Rated
Comedy about a theater troupe in Poland during World War II.
	Lady of Burlesque (1943)			Not Rated
Fun murder story written by Gypsy Rose Lee set in a burlesque theater. Many good scenes of authentic stage acts.
	Belle of the Yukon (1944)			Not Rated
Musical western centering on saloon performers. Starring Gypsy Rose Lee & has some fantastic costuming.
	Gilda (1946)			Not Rated
Some steamy nightclub song sequences with Gilda (Rita Hayworth)
	Black Angel (1946)			Not Rated
Film noir with a piano vocal duo investigating nightclub owner Peter Lorre. Some nice variety snippets and a great audience scene with Lorre.
	Quai des Orfevres (Criterion Collection) (1947)			Not Rated
French noir film with scenes of a music hall variety show (important to the plot too)
	The Time of Your Life (1948)			Not Rated
One of the characters talks of having been a big burlesque performer - some discussion of it, but not much else
	The Third Man (Criterion Collection) (1949)			Not Rated
If you look for it, there's an interesting dance sequence in the background of a scene or two. Apparently some of the creators used to frequent the local cabarets when off set.
	Singin' in the Rain (1952)
Cute chorus-style dance number near the opening, nice reference to 'burlesque, vaudeville & Ziegfeld Follies" later, great dancing from Donald O'Connor & Gene Kelly, and good show biz stuff throughout
	There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)			Not Rated
Classic musical of a big show biz family. Includes dance duets with Donald O'Connor & Mitzi Gaynor. Music by Irving Berlin.
	White Christmas (1954)			Not Rated
Features a musical variety show (within the musical film that is) with BIng Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney & music by Irving Berlin
	Guys and Dolls (1955)			Not Rated
Has some cute nightclub style numbers with Miss Adelaide and her girls at the Hot Box club
	Les Girls (1957)			Not Rated
The exploits of a three-girl cabaret act and show lead played by Gene Kelly. Some great dance routines, stage numbers and costumes.
	Pal Joey (1957)			Not Rated
If you can look beyond Sinatra's obnoxious lead Pal Joey character and the annoying plot, there are some nice musical numbers by Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak
	Gypsy (1962)			Not Rated
Musical based on the autobiography of Gypsy Rose Lee
	What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
Sinister melodrama of a childhood vaudeville star, her sister and things going terribly wrong
	The Producers (1968)			Not Rated
Classic, hysterical comedy about show producers trying to create a flop
	Cabaret (1972)
Some classic Bob Fosse sequences to a story based on memoirs of 1930's Berlin and the Kit Kat Club
	All That Jazz (1979)
Experimental semi-autobiography from legendary choreographer and show man Bob Fosse
	Victor/Victoria (1982)
Classic comedy musical about a 1930's nightclub performer - a women impersonating a female impersonator. Music by Mancini.
	The Cotton Club (1984)
Drama centered around the historic Harlem Cotton Club, 1920's - 30's. Features dancing by Gregory Hines.
	Bullets Over Broadway (1994)
Woody Allen comedy about a playwright in the 1920's ensnared in quirky actors, mobsters and artistic crisis
	Gypsy (1993)			Not Rated
Musical based on the autobiography of Gypsy Rose Lee (remake)
	Farinelli (1994)
Intriguing tale of a famous 18th century castrato
	Showgirls (1995)
If you can sit through the atrocious film, you'll get some equally atrocious, over-the-top Vegas style dance numbers. Good luck.
	Cradle Will Rock (1999)
Engaging historical fiction of theater, art and politics in the 1930's. Features the Federal Theater Project, a vaudeville ventriloquist (Bill Murray), Orson Welles, Marion Davies & Frida Kahlo (among others).
	Chicago (2002)
Evolved from a stage musical based on a 1920's play about current events. Really more of a satire about the media, but it's a darn fine film with some great numbers
	Auto Focus (2002)
Biopic of Bob Crane (Hogan's Heroes), features some burlesque sequences including modern performer Kitten De Ville
	Stage Beauty (2004)
Spicy drama in 17th century England about the shift from men playing female roles on stage
	Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005)
Beautiful true story of an eccentric, wealthy widow in 1937 opening a successful variety theater featuring nude tableaus
	The Prestige (2006)
Clever tale of rival magicians in the turn-of-the-century