There have been marvelous movie musicals adapted from Broadway hits—including The Gay Divorcee (1934), The Pajama Game (1957), Cabaret (1972), and Chicago (2002)—and there have been classic film musicals with original screenplays tailored to match scores comprised of great old tunes by esteemed songwriters—notably, An American in Paris (1951), Singin’ in the Rain (1952), The Band Wagon (1953), and Funny Face (1957). However, this chapter pays tribute to musicals created for the screen from scratch. Even if based on plays or stories, they were brand-new as musicals. Inspired collaborators fashioned them with never-before-heard scores and a completely cinematic approach to song and dance, achieving a blissful fusion of the aural and the visual. Though it pains me not to have a Fred Astaire offering, the following casts are nonetheless knockouts. Cue the orchestra…

excerpted from John DiLeo’s
Screen Savers: 40 Remarkable Movies Awaiting Rediscovery
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