Although rom-coms are a Friday night staple for light entertainment, there’s nothing more warm and fuzzy or feel-good than a solid musical movie, complete with sing-a-longs and dance numbers. Here, 25 iconic musicals that are not to miss, featuring the most epic duets, dance sequences, and hand jives of all time.
From: Marie Claire
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The 25 Best Musical Movies Ever Made
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
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The musical that reminded us "we're not in Kansas anymore," transported us to the land of Oz filled with flying monkeys and witches and a wizard. Judy Garland plays a wayward girl who's just trying to find her way back home, accompanied by a medley of characters like the Lion, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Man. Photo: Getty
An American in Paris (1951)
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This Gene Kelly classic tells the story of a former American soldier who remains in Paris after the war to become a painter (how romantic, right?) and falls for a local French girl. Two becomes a love triangle of three though when a rich heiress starts to show interest in the painter on more than a professional level. Photo: Getty
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
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Known for its iconic dance scenes with umbrellas, this Gene Kelly film captures the upheaval in the entertainment industry over the transition from silent films to "talkies" when two silent movie stars join the cast of a musical. Photo: Getty
The King and I (1955)
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Yul Brynner reprised his Broadway role as the King of Siam in the movie remake of The King and I, a movie for music, fashion, and design lovers that's full of sumptuous fabrics and ballroom dance scenes. The musical follows the budding romance between the King and his children's governess, Anna, which earned Brynner an Academy Award. Photo: Getty
Oklahoma! (1955)
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You may already know the musical from the famous song "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning"—composed by legendary duo Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rogers—that sees a country girl caught in a love triangle between a farm hand and a cowboy. The musical draws inspiration from the play Green Grow the Lilacs and there's nothing quite like the movie adaptation. Photo: Getty
Guys and Dolls (1955)
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An outstanding cast of Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, and Jean Simmons all star in this film about a gambler played by Sinatra who needs to make some money. He places a bet he thinks is foolproof that his old acquaintance Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando) won't be able to get the saintly Sergeant Sarah Brown (Jean Simmons) to go on a date with him. Photo: Getty
Funny Face (1957)
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This winning Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire combination sees a young librarian in Paris caught up in the throes of the colorful American fashion world when she's scouted by a top magazine editor and a famous fashion photographer. Photo: Getty
West Side Story (1961)
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This love story for the ages tells a modern Romeo and Juliet tale of a couple caught between to rival gangs: the Jets and the Sharks. A gang member falls in love with his rival's sister—played by It-girl of the day Natalie Wood—and trouble brews in the form of many elaborate dance scenes. Photo: Getty
My Fair Lady (1964)
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Prepare yourself to be completely charmed by Audrey Hepburn's Eliza Doolittle in this modern-day Cinderella story of a working class Cockney girl who learns how to speak like a polished aristocrat and pass as a member of high society. Photo: Getty
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
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Yet another umbrella-heavy song-and-dance musical, this bittersweet French film follows a young Catherine Deneuve who works at a boutique selling umbrellas. She falls in love with a young mechanic and gets pregnant, before he gets drafted into the Algerian War, and she has to move on with her life without him. Photo: Getty
Mary Poppins (1964)
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The movie where we first learned the practical advice that "a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down" follows Julie Andrews as a nanny with *magical* powers (umbrellas play another guest role here, too). Photo: Getty
The Sound of Music (1965)
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Unless you've been living under a rock, you probably already know what the hills are alive with. The Von Trapp family singers and their idyllic life in the Austrian countryside with their winsome governess (clothes made out of curtains! whiskers on kittens!) captured our hearts, and this film remains one of the most iconic musicals to date. Photo: Getty
Funny Girl (1968)
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Ah, Babs. Known for its big hit "Don't Rain on My Parade," this comedic musical sees Barbara Streisand in her element as a budding vaudeville singer who works her way up to the big time on Broadway. Photo: Getty
Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
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Adapted from the Broadway musical of the same name, here's an iconic story about an older Jewish father who tries to keep his five daughters in line with the Jewish cultural traditions of his upbringing. He meets resistance when he realizes how much his eldest daughters want to marry husbands beyond the customs of their faith. Photo: Getty
Cabaret (1972)
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Liza Minnelli takes center stage in this musical film that put her on the map and made her an international star (it swept up eight Oscars in its day). She plays a young American cabaret singer performing at the Kit Kat Klub in pre-Nazi Berlin who gets caught up in a love triangle with a young British academic and a German playboy. Photo: Getty
Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
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The cult musical of all musicals Rocky Horror Picture Show still inspires recurring live renditions in local theaters that recreate the eerie happenings of Dr. Frankenfurter's mansion and a wayward couple, Brad and Janet, who get stranded there for one freaky night. Photo: Getty
Grease (1978)
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This classical musical recently reappeared in the news following some eerie conspiracy theories, but we know and love Grease because of the finger-jivin' melodies, the outstanding cast, and the iconic outfit changes, to boot: "tell me about it, stud." Photo: Getty
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
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There's never a dull moment in this rock musical about a transgender punk-rock performer on the tour of the U.S. who runs into a former flame who stole all of her songs. Photo: Getty
Moulin Rouge (2001)
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This "love it or hate it" modern musical from director Baz Luhrmann reimagines popular songs from modern artists like Elton John and The Police, but centers the story in early 19th century bohemian Paris. The most beautiful courtesan at Moulin Rouge (played by Nicole Kidman) and a poor writer fall in love but have to keep their romance a secret when she catches the eye of a wealthy investor who's keeping the cabaret from shutting down. Photo: Getty
Chicago (2002)
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Two of the most badass roles for women on Broadway are the dueling Velma and Roxie Hart characters. Here, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger play the jailhouse rivals in this larger-than-life musical about crime, fame, and revenge.
Once (2006)
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A street musician and a Czech immigrant make an unlikely pair in this indie-film-that-could which nabbed several Oscars and launched a Broadway musical run. You won't find any overproduction or jazz hands in this sparse, subtle film, but the musical arrangements from Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are gorgeous, and worth hearing on the big screen. Photo: Fox Searchlight
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
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Tim Burton regulars Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter rejoin forces in this barbershop musical set in old London. A barber returns a madman after being convicted for a crime he didn't commit and goes on a rampage with several unlucky customers who fall victim to his blade.
Hairspray (2007)
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This feel-good comedy starring John Travolta and Nikki Blonski revolves around a teen who loves to dance that wins a spot on a local TV show. The new role catapults her to teen stardom, and she tries to channel her new power into a force of good to bring racial integration to TV. Photo: Everett
Les Miserables (2012)
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Ready the Kleenex while watching this weepy French musical set in the 19th century about an ex-convict named Jean Valjean who turns his life around and takes in an orphan named Cosette after her mother Fantine dies. Valjean's former jailer, the police inspector Javert, continues to pursue him as France begins to split before the Paris Uprising of 1832.
La La Land (2016)
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Now's a better time than ever to catch Oscar bait La La Land before it tap dances out of local theaters. Created as a "modern musical" by director Damien Chazelle, the L.A.-based musical follows an aspiring actress (Emma Stone) and a traditionalist jazz musician (Ryan Gosling) as they struggle to hit the big time, but adorably hit it off. Photo: Courtesy of Summit Entertainment
- TAGS:
- An American in Paris
- Cabaret
- Chicago
- Culture
- Fiddler on the Roof
- Funny Face
- Funny Girl
- grease
- Guys and Dolls
- Hairspray
- Hedwig and the Angry Inch
- La La Land
- Les Miserables
- Life
- Mary Poppins
- Moulin Rouge
- Movies
- Musicals
- My Fair Lady
- Oklahoma!
- Once
- Rocky Horror Picture Show
- Singin' In The Rain
- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
- The King and I
- The Sound of Music
- The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
- The Wizard of Oz
- West Side Story