20th Century Fox Studio Musicals
This is a list of both music/musical films produced by the 20th Century Fox Studio.
There is distinction between what I term a "music film" vs. a "film musical."
A movie that fits the "music film" category is often one that features a band leader, or musical performers within a band or orchestra. Characters don't break out into song in place of regular speech. Any singing or dancing tends to take place in a nightclub, theater, or on a stage of some kind. The music itself is presented in a logical, realistic setting. Examples of a "music film" would be the biopic features "With a Song in My Heart" about real life singer Jane Froman. Another would be "Stars and Stripes Forever" about John Phillip Souza.
On the other hand, a "film musical" usually includes scenes where characters sing/or dance in place of merely speaking dialogue. Examples would be "Singin' in the Rain," "State Fair" and "The King and I."
To reiterate, "musicals" by definition are always fantasies because of these afore-mentioned elements, whereas straight "music films" can appear to be more realistic, and are often dramatic biopics of famous composers or musicians.
There is distinction between what I term a "music film" vs. a "film musical."
A movie that fits the "music film" category is often one that features a band leader, or musical performers within a band or orchestra. Characters don't break out into song in place of regular speech. Any singing or dancing tends to take place in a nightclub, theater, or on a stage of some kind. The music itself is presented in a logical, realistic setting. Examples of a "music film" would be the biopic features "With a Song in My Heart" about real life singer Jane Froman. Another would be "Stars and Stripes Forever" about John Phillip Souza.
On the other hand, a "film musical" usually includes scenes where characters sing/or dance in place of merely speaking dialogue. Examples would be "Singin' in the Rain," "State Fair" and "The King and I."
To reiterate, "musicals" by definition are always fantasies because of these afore-mentioned elements, whereas straight "music films" can appear to be more realistic, and are often dramatic biopics of famous composers or musicians.
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- DirectorHamilton MacFaddenStarsWarner BaxterMadge EvansJames DunnA little girl's (Shirley Temple) toe-tapping musical numbers uplift the nation during the Depression in this charming classic that includes Temple's rendition of "Baby Take a Bow.
- DirectorHarry LachmanStarsShirley TempleJames DunnClaire TrevorEddie Ellison is an ex-con who spent time in Sing-Sing prison. Kay marries him as soon as he serves his time. Five years later, Eddie and his ex-convict buddy Larry, have both gone straight, and Eddie and Kay have a beautiful little daughter named Shirley. However, Welch has kept a close eye on them for years. He believes in "once a criminal, always a criminal." When Eddie's employer's wife's pearls go missing, it comes out that Eddie and Larry both spent time in prison, and they're fired. Welch suspects that Eddie and Larry have something to do with the theft of the pearls. Will Welch prove that Eddie and Larry had something to do with the theft, or will the truth prevail?
- DirectorDavid ButlerStarsShirley TempleJames DunnJane DarwellAn orphaned girl is taken in by a snobbish family at the insistence of their rich, crotchety uncle, even as her devoted aviator godfather fights for custody.Shirley sings "On the Good Ship Lollipop" in this otherwise film drama.
- DirectorHenry HathawayStarsGary CooperCarole LombardShirley TempleA swindler and his girlfriend take in his young daughter, who has been living with the family of his deceased wife.
- DirectorRichard BoleslawskiStarsLawrence TibbettVirginia BruceAlice BradyAn opera prima donna leaves the Metropolitan to form her own company with Tibbett as leading man, then leaves this company too, which means Tibbett and company must carry on without her.
- DirectorIrving CummingsStarsShirley TempleJohn BolesRochelle HudsonWealthy Edward Morgan becomes charmed with a curly-haired orphan and her pretty older sister Mary and arranges to adopt both under the alias of "Mr. Jones." As he spends more time with them, he soon finds himself falling in love with Mary.
- DirectorIrving CummingsStarsShirley TempleAlice FayeGloria StuartThe daughter of a wealthy businessman becomes lost in the city while traveling to a new school, and is taken in by a pair of down-on-their-luck performers.
- DirectorLewis SeilerStarsJane WithersPinky TomlinRita HayworthPaddy O'Day is an Irish immigrant who learns on arrival in the U.S. that her mother is dead. Friends help her survive as an entertainer, and success is a good argument against the immigration officials.
- DirectorSidney LanfieldStarsAlice FayeAdolphe MenjouGregory RatoffNightclub singer Joan Warren's agent Nicky puts her into situations designed to advance her career.
- DirectorJames TinlingStarsJane WithersTony MartinLeah RayJane is the daughter of an officer in the Naval Air Service who, while putting on musical shows for the troops, uncovers a group of spies.
- DirectorIrving CummingsStarsShirley TempleGeorge MurphyJimmy DuranteAn orphan is provisionally adopted by the manager of a hotel populated by show-business people. The hotel's owner doesn't like the entertainers and wants the girl returned to the orphanage.
- DirectorRoy Del RuthStarsSonja HenieDon AmecheJean HersholtBandleader (Romero) and manager (Ameche) discover skater (Henie) in Norway. They become rivals after she returns with them to America.
- DirectorDavid ButlerStarsThe Ritz BrothersAl RitzHarry RitzThe Ritz Brothers go to the race track. They raise training end entrance money in a wrestling match and help a young man train the horse of his fiancée.
- DirectorDavid ButlerStarsShirley TempleLionel BarrymoreEvelyn VenableIn the post-Civil war south, a darling little girl attempts to restore the peace between her parents and her plantation owner grandfather.
- DirectorDavid ButlerStarsShirley TempleGuy KibbeeSlim SummervilleA little girl named Star lives with the lighthouse keeper who rescued her when her parents drowned. A truant officer decides she should go to boarding school, but she's rescued by relatives.
- DirectorWilliam A. SeiterStarsShirley TempleFrank MorganRobert KentDimples Appleby lives with the pick-pocket grandfather in 19th century New York City. She entertains the crowds while he works his racket. A rich lady makes it possible for the girl to go legit. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is performed.
- DirectorWilliam A. SeiterStarsShirley TempleRobert YoungAlice FayeA young girl lost in Shanghai is taken in by an American playboy and his girlfriend.
- DirectorAllan DwanStarsShirley TempleJean HersholtArthur TreacherA plucky little orphan girl gets dumped abruptly into her gruff, hermit grandfather's care, then later gets retaken and delivered as a companion for an injured girl.
- DirectorIrving CummingsStarsShirley TempleGeorge MurphyJimmy DuranteAn orphan is provisionally adopted by the manager of a hotel populated by show-business people. The hotel's owner doesn't like the entertainers and wants the girl returned to the orphanage.
- DirectorAllan DwanStarsShirley TempleJack OakieCharlotte GreenwoodA show business family leaves the Great White Way and heads to a farm in New England. What results are the difficulties they have before they are accepted by the community.
- DirectorIrving CummingsStarsBetty GrableCarmen MirandaJohn PayneBroadway partners Vicky Lane and Dan Christy have a tiff over Christy's womanizing. Jealous Vicky takes up with her old flame and former dance partner, Victor Price, and Dan's career takes a nosedive. In hopes of rekindling their romance and getting Vicky back on the boards with him, Dan follows her to a ritzy resort in the Canadian Rockies, where she and Victor are about to open their new act. But things get complicated when Dan wakes after a bender to find that he's hired an outlandish Latin secretary, Rosita Murphy, which makes Vicky think he's just up to his old tricks again.
- DirectorGregory RatoffStarsDick HaymesVera-EllenCesar RomeroTwo pairs of lovers try to thwart an arranged marriage at Costa Rican fiesta time.
- DirectorGregory RatoffStarsMonty WoolleyJune HaverDick HaymesA tuneful account of the life of Ernest R. Ball, composer of many popular Irish songs, including "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling".
- DirectorIrving CummingsStarsBetty GrableRobert YoungAdolphe MenjouMadeleine Marlowe, engaged to the Duke of Trippingham, discovers she's exposed as Rosie O'Grady by Police Gazette hack Samuel A. McGee, leading to an Irish brawl in her stage show.
- DirectorHenry KosterStarsBetty GrableVictor MaturePhil HarrisAndy Clark discovers he was cheated out of a half interest in partner Mike's business, now a thriving dance hall in 1892 Chicago. Unable to win it back, Andy schemes to make Mike's position untenable. He also hopes to turn Ruby Summers, Mike's motor-mouthed burlesque queen, into a classier entertainer, and incidentally to make her his own. But at the last minute, Andy's revenge comes unravelled.
