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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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 ParisCabaretChicagoFiddler on the RoofFunny FaceFunny GirlgreaseGuys and DollsHairsprayHedwig and the Angry InchLa La LandLes MiserablesLifeMary PoppinsMoulin RougeMoviesMusicalsMy Fair LadyOklahoma!OnceRocky Horror Picture ShowSingin' In The RainSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetThe King and IThe Sound of MusicThe Umbrellas of CherbourgThe Wizard of OzWest Side Story