Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

Millionaire turned composer Dick Powell rescues unemployed Broadway people with a new play.

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy

Writers:

Erwin S. Gelsey (screenplay) (as Erwin Gelsey), James Seymour (screenplay)

Stars:

Warren William, Joan Blondell, Aline MacMahon

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Warren William	...	J. Lawrence Bradford
Joan Blondell	...	Carol King
Aline MacMahon	...	Trixie Lorraine
Ruby Keeler	...	Polly Parker
Dick Powell	...	Brad Roberts
Guy Kibbee	...	Faneul H. Peabody
Ned Sparks	...	Barney Hopkins
Ginger Rogers	...	Fay Fortune

Storyline

Chorus girls Polly, Carol and Trixie are ecstatic when they learn that Broadway producer Barney Hopkins is putting on a new show. He promises all of the girls parts in the new show and even hires their neighbor Brad Roberts, an unknown composer, to write some of the music. There's only one problem: he doesn't have the money to bankroll it all. That problem is solved when Brad turns out to be quite rich but he insists that he not perform. When opening night comes, the juvenile lead can't go on forcing Brad to take the stage. He's recognized of course and his upper crust family wants him to quit. When he refuses, they tell him to end his relationship with Polly or face having his income cut off. When Brad's snobbish brother Lawrence mistakes Carol for Polly, the girls decide to have a bit of fun and teach him a lesson.

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Plot Keywords:

chorus girl | neighbor | dancing | dance | pianist | 

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Taglines:

REVEL IN THESE MIGHT SPECTACLES -- "The Parade of the Gold Diggers" "The Stairway to the Stars" "The Flower Garden of Girls" "The Ballet of the Snows" "The Dance of the Singing Violins" "The Pageant of the Forgotten Man"

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Musical

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 May 1933 (USA)

Also Known As:

Golddiggers of 1933

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$433,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min (Turner library print)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the early "cattle call" scene, the girls are asked to raise their skirts for the producer to appraise their legs. Fay wise-cracks "Not a calf in a carload". This was a pun on the well-known "Not a cough in a carload" slogan of Old Gold cigarettes.

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Goofs

When Brad plays piano for Mr. Hopkins, his fingers don't match the sound of the piano.

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Quotes

Faneul H. Peabody: [Fay squeals when Trixie kicks her under the table] What's the matter?
Trixie Lorraine: Oh nothing, Fay had an attack of chiseling, it's chronic with her.

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Connections

Follows The Gold Diggers (1923)

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Soundtracks

I've Got to Sing a Torch Song
(1933) (uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Played during the opening credits
Sung by Dick Powell
Played also as dance music

User Reviews

Marvyn Leroy and Busby Berkeley, what a combination!

"Golddiggers of 1933" is a fun movie to watch because all the right elements that went into the making of this motion picture. Mervyn Leroy was truly inspired, and his direction clearly shows he was in total command. The contribution made by the incomparable Busby Berkeley is one of the best things in the film. His choreography for the big production numbers is one of the most impressive thing he did for the movies.

The film is a sweet story about young hopefuls in New York trying to make it in the musical theater. Thus, we find the impoverished room mates, Carol, Trixie and Polly, who are so poor they have to steal their neighbor's milk! These young women are at the end of their rope when Barney, the Broadway impresario comes by to tell them about the new show he is working on. The only trouble, he has no money for it.

How naive and wonderful those movies that came during the great depression were! Everything was possible, in spite of what was happening in the country at the time. In fact, this film, as well as others of that era, served as an excuse for people that were facing a hard time making ends meet for escaping it all when watching a movie like this one.

The cast is excellent. Warren William, Joan Blondell, Aline McMahon, Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler, Ned Sparks, Ginger Rogers, and Guy Kibbee giving performances that endeared them to the American public of the time.

The production number of "Shadow Waltz" has to be one of the best ones in this musical genre ever produced. The number is an amazing one and a tribute to the man who staged it, Busby Berkley. It also help the chorus girls were dressed by Orry-Kelly and the music was by Harry Warren and Al Dubin.

"Golddiggers of 1933" is one of the best movies to come out of the Hollywood of those years.