42nd Street

1933
Approved
1h 29m

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

13K

YOUR RATING

Warner Baxter, George Brent, Bebe Daniels, Allen Jenkins, Ruby Keeler, Guy Kibbee, Una Merkel, Ned Sparks, and George E. Stone in 42nd Street (1933)

Play trailer2:19

2 Videos

99+ Photos

Comedy Drama Musical Romance

When the leading lady of a Broadway musical breaks her ankle, she is replaced by a young unknown actress, who becomes the star of the show.When the leading lady of a Broadway musical breaks her ankle, she is replaced by a young unknown actress, who becomes the star of the show.When the leading lady of a Broadway musical breaks her ankle, she is replaced by a young unknown actress, who becomes the star of the show.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

13K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 2 wins & 2 nominations total

Videos2

Trailer 2:19

42nd Street

Video 6:12

Hollywood's Shared History with Broadway

Video 6:12

Hollywood's Shared History with Broadway

Photos199

+ 192

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The film was so financially successful it saved Warner Brothers from bankruptcy.

Goofs
The opening screen says "COPYRIGHT MCMXXXIII" (i.e., 1933), but the closing credits say "COPYRIGHT MCMXXXII" (i.e., 1932).

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 keep your feet on the ground and your head on those shoulders of yours and go out, and Sawyer, you're going out a youngster but you've got to come back a star!

Alternate versions
A digitally restored and colorized version was recently released.

Connections
Edited into Musical Memories (1946)

Soundtracks
42nd Street
(1932) (uncredited)
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Music by Harry Warren
Played during the opening credits and often in the score
Sung and Danced by Ruby Keeler
Sung by Dick Powell and chorus girls

User reviews138

Review

Featured review

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!!