42nd Street (1933)

A producer puts on what may be his last Broadway show, and at the last moment a chorus girl has to replace the star...

Director:

Lloyd Bacon

Writers:

Rian James (screenplay), James Seymour (screenplay),

Stars:

Warner Baxter, Bebe Daniels, George Brent

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Warner Baxter	...	Julian Marsh
Bebe Daniels	...	Dorothy Brock
George Brent	...	Pat Denning
Ruby Keeler	...	Peggy Sawyer
Guy Kibbee	...	Abner Dillon
Una Merkel	...	Lorraine Fleming
Ginger Rogers	...	Ann 'Anytime Annie' Lowell
Ned Sparks	...	Barry
Dick Powell	...	Billy Lawler
Allen Jenkins	...	Mac Elroy
Edward J. Nugent	...	Terry
Robert McWade	...	Jones
George E. Stone	...	Andy Lee

Storyline

Julian Marsh (Warner Baxter), a successful Broadway director, produces a new show, in spite of his poor health. The money comes from a rich older man, who is in love with the star of the show, Dorothy Brock. But Dorothy (Bebe Daniels) doesn't respond to his love, because she's still in love with her old partner. On the night before the premiere, Dorothy breaks her ankle, and Peggy Sawyer (Ruby Keeler), one of the chorus girls, tries to take over Dorothy's part.

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Plot Keywords:

chorus girl | director | song | actress | cameos | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 March 1933 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rua 42

Filming Locations:

Stage 11, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$439,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$2,300,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie's poster was as #7 of "The 25 Best Movie Posters Ever" by Premiere.

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Goofs

The establishing shot of Dorothy Brock's (Bebe Daniels) hotel door, on the night before the big opening, clearly shows her to be in room 831, yet, when she throws everyone out of her rooms a few minutes later, the door number is 284.

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Quotes

Julian Marsh: Sawyer, you listen to me, and you listen hard. Two hundred people, two hundred jobs, two hundred thousand dollars, five weeks of grind and blood and sweat depend upon you. It's the lives of all these people who've worked with you. You've got to go on, and you've got to give and give and give. They've got to like you. Got to. Do you understand? You can't fall down. You can't because your future's in it, my future and everything all of us have is staked on you. All right, now I'm through, but you...

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Connections

Featured in Footlight Parade: Music for the Decades (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Pretty Lady"
(1932) (uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Fast dance number danced by chorus girls throughout picture

User Reviews

Depression-era Gem

This is one fun movie if you like singing, dancing and adore the whole atmosphere of the early 30's. A back stage story that sets the standard for all those "unknown becomes overnight star" films. The weakest part of it all is Ruby Keeler and I apologize in advance to all of her fans and there are many. She was an Irish Step Dancer, which does not come across very well in film. Step dancers concentrate on their feet only and upper body movement is not a consideration. This makes the dancer appear as heavy footed and clumsy. Plus she wasn't a very good actress and didn't sing very well either. But she was as cute as a button with those big eyes and innocent face,so all is forgiven.

Warner Baxter gives the best performance of his career as the driven director who verges on madness. Dick Powell is delightful as the juvenile; many who only know him from his later films are not aware that he had a beautiful tenor voice and made his first splash in films as a singer and light comedian. Ginger Rogers is perfect as the slightly dishonorable chorus girl with the sugar daddy and Una Merkle playing Ginger's pal is surprisingly cute. Bebe Daniels is beautiful as the star of the play and does a great rendition of "You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me"., The rest of the supporting cast is right on target...with some good support from Ned Sparks, Guy Kibbee and the ubiquitous George E. Stone.

A lot got by the censors in this film to the delight of the audience....things were tightened up the next year as the Hayes Office started cracking down. Enjoy this film...enjoy, enjoy, and enjoy!!