Musicals 101 (Part One): An Introduction

Movie Musical 101: A (semi) crash-course towards a more enlightened view on the most misunderstood genre.

The movie musical is , in my opinion, a very misunderstood genre. Because the  musical is so innately unrealistic and its aesthetic is so utterly poppy, the genre tends to be lumped into the category of “childish” — unworthy of further analysis. Sure, the genre may run rampant with child-like actions such a spontaneous singing/dancing and its Technicolor palette may resemble a box of Crayolas but make no mistake, the genre is more complicated than its youthful spirit lets on.

Though sometimes children did make the best musicals. Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney in Strike Up the Band. (1940, director Busby Berkeley)

You see, not only does the genre’s inherently unrealistic nature create a subversively avant-garde form, but by analyzing the evolution of the movie musical through a historical lens we can also see how the musical reflects social change in American History. This series will explore the growth and history of the movie musical from the early thirties to the end of the sixties or as it’s better know, The Golden Age of The Musical. So please, sit back, relaxed, put on some Judy Garland and enjoy the musical ride!

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Minoo Allen for Classic Movie Hub