Watches
October 21, 2022
An early musical. 42nd Street doesn't have any of the big musical stars of the era, and that kind of shows. The numbers and dance acts are pretty elementary, so they went with the costume department to add some extra flair to the film. Not the worst choice in history, but it's not the most stylish way to elevate a film.
The plot is negligible. Showbiz is a tough world, people quarrel and the number one priority is making sure there is a show to perform. When the lead star breaks her ankle, one of the chorus girls has to take over. She isn't really Broadway star material yet, so she gets a crash course before taking on the stage.
The pacing is decent, the film isn't too long, and the performances are pretty jolly and flirty. The acts didn't really do it for me though, and they present a rather large chunk of the film. If you like classic musicals though, you can't really go wrong with this one. It's certainly not the worst I've seen.