Die 42. Straße (1933)
61KDie 42. Straße: Directed by Lloyd Bacon. With Warner Baxter, Bebe Daniels, George Brent, Ruby Keeler. When the leading lady of a Broadway musical breaks her ankle, she is replaced by a young unknown actress, who becomes the star of the show.
“Perhaps the greatest musical of them all, this lively Warner Bros film boats a great cast and music and served as the prototype plot for scores of other films. Backstage drama in putting on a show when the star falls and breaks her ankle and must be replaced by a newcomer. It worked in film, and it worked in the Broadway stage version of this film. This film also served as a springboard to stardom for Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler, and Ginger Rogers. Warner Baxter stars as the dyspeptic director who harangues his cast into making a great show. Bebe Daniels is his star who is seeing an old boyfriend (George Brent) while stringing along rube producer (Guy Kibbee). Ruby Keeler is the newcomer who has eyes for the showu0026#39;s u0026quot;juvenileu0026quot; (Dick Powell) and who is befriended by old hands, Ginger Rogers and Una Merkel. Toss in Ned Sparks, Allen Jenkins, George E. Stone, Louise Beavers, Charles Lane, Lyle Talbot, Henry B. Walthall, and the dayu0026#39;s top chorus girl, Toby Wing. Great musical numbers boast the singing talents of Powell and the dancing talents of Keeler. Bebe Daniels also has a great number in u0026quot;Youu0026#39;re Getting to Be a Habit with Me.u0026quot; And Rogers does NOT make a mistake during the u0026quot;Shuffle Off to Buffalou0026quot; number. She starts to say u0026quot;bellyu0026quot; but changes it to u0026quot;tummy.u0026quot; Itu0026#39;s part of the show, folks! u0026quot;Bellyu0026quot; was considered to be a vulgar term in 1933; her use of the word shows her character. Itu0026#39;s not a mistake. But it is odd that Keeler stars in this number with Clarence Nordstrom rather than Dick Powell. Other songs include u0026quot;Young and Healthyu0026quot; and the superb u0026quot;42nd Street.u0026quot; The best and oft repeated line belongs to Daniels speaking to Keeler: u0026quot;Now go out there and be so swell . that youu0026#39;ll make me hate you!u0026quot; This line is also said by Glenda Jackson to Twiggy in 1971u0026#39;s The Boy Friend.”
