42nd Street | |
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Theatrical release poster
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Directed by |
Lloyd Bacon Busby Berkeley (musical numbers) |
Produced by | Darryl F. Zanuck (uncredited) |
Written by |
Rian James James Seymour Whitney Bolton (uncredited) |
Based on | 42nd Street (1932 novel) by Bradford Ropes |
Starring |
Warner Baxter Ruby Keeler Dick Powell Ginger Rogers |
Music by |
Harry Warren (music) Al Dubin (lyrics) |
Cinematography | Sol Polito |
Edited by |
Thomas Pratt Frank Ware |
Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release date
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Running time
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89 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $439,000 |
Box office | $2,250,000 |
42nd Street is a 1933 American pre-Code musical film, directed by Lloyd Bacon. The choreography was staged by Busby Berkeley. The songs were written by Harry Warren (music) and Al Dubin (lyrics). The script was written by Rian James and James Seymour, with Whitney Bolton, who was not credited, from the 1932 novel of the same name by Bradford Ropes.
This backstage musical was very successful at the box office and is now considered a classic by many. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. In 1998, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". In 2006, it ranked 13th on the American Film Institute's list of best musicals.
It is 1932, the depth of the Depression, and noted Broadway producers Jones (Robert McWade) and Barry (Ned Sparks) are putting on Pretty Lady, a musical starring Dorothy Brock (Bebe Daniels). She is involved with wealthy Abner Dillon (Guy Kibbee), the show's "angel" (financial backer), but while she is busy keeping him both hooked and at arm's length, she is secretly seeing her old vaudeville partner, out-of-work Pat Denning (George Brent).
Julian Marsh (Warner Baxter) is hired to direct, even though his doctor warns that he risks his life if he continues in his high-pressure profession; despite a long string of successes he is broke, a result of the 1929 Stock Market Crash. He must make his last show a hit, in order to have enough money to retire on.