Top Five… moments from musicals
‘Hey, why don’t we put on the show right here?’ Honestly, not all movie musicals have to be utterly naff, or trite, or corny, or Annie. Here – and with heartfelt apologies to the reluctantly-rejected likes of Guys And Dolls, Carousel and, er, Little Shop Of Horrors – are some of the scenes that’ll make you want to gaze to the sky, stretch your arms out wide and just sing, sing, sing…
5. ‘I Can’t Do It Alone’ – Chicago
John Leslie’s greatest mistake – yes, even more so than Wheel Of Fortune (and others) – hurtles headlong into Minnelli mode, hoofing her way to a merited Oscar in a mere three (exhausting) minutes.
4. ‘Oom-Pah-Pah’ – Oliver!
Can’t a bloke enjoy a simple pint at his local in peace? That’ll teach Bill Sykes for sharing a drink with someone so stingy even his beard appears to be shreds of hair from his crown Superglued to his chops. Just one of many thrilling, swirling ensemble scenes from the film, only even better here because Mark Lester’s sappy Oliver stays silent. Shani Wallis, the finest singing talent to emerge from Tottenham outside of Chas and D–… Actually, make that just: Shani Wallis, the finest singing talent to emerge from Tottenham.
3. ‘Well, Did You Evah?’ – High Society
The suavest (if barely ‘risqué really’) duel you can imagine – with Ol’ Blue Eyes somehow playing the punk of proceedings. ‘Don’t dig that kind of crooning, chum’ indeed. (Do please admire, though, how Sinatra’s journo character hits the free booze impeccably.)
2. ‘And When They Ask Us’ – Oh! What A Lovely War
Blackadder Goes Forth’s got nothing on this: a sing-a-long, sob-a-long ending supreme. No wonder director Dickie Attenborough’s never stopped crying. And yet, as elegiac as the ending is, it remains as corrosively sardonic as the rest of the movie.
1. ‘Tomorrow Belongs To Me’ – Cabaret
It’s official: the devil really does have the best tunes. And none so unsettling as this one, not just for Joel Grey’s appearance at the end. Who needs Springtime For Hitler anyway? Only one pint-draining, party-pooping old man seems to see chilling sense at what’s been, and what’s to come.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE MOMENTS FROM MUSICALS?
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Ross v Ross 
April 14, 2009 at 9:35 am
A bit obscure but you have to love the sheer joie-de-vivre of this sequence from “It’s always fair weather”. Gene Kelly on rollerskates – it’s totally delightful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfJIarhYYZQ
This musical is a bit of a dud, but I adore Frank Sinatra and Vivian Blaine is this song – he’s so appealing and she’s so touching – I love the way she sings “I could honestly diiiiee…” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9sp3vGTm5k
April 14, 2009 at 11:17 am
Good choice, especially leaving out Grease… apart from Zeta Jones though, she dances like an uncle at a wedding. Worst Oscar ever.
How about this one from Astaire – dancing, song and golf all in one (about 1min30 in).
Kenny Perry couldn’t do this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pw0XRAuO0w
April 14, 2009 at 11:43 am
What I like about Catherine Zeta-Jones (and, slightly more irritatingly, Renee Zellweger) in “Chicago”, is the fact that they are slightly flawed, but try-hard hoofers – wonderful as Liza Minnelli is in “Cabaret”, she’s pehaps a little TOO good as a singer and performer, too much of a compliment to Sally Bowles the character.
“Sue Me” is indeed beautiful – I felt guilty leaving out anything from “Guys And Dolls”, which perhaps deserves an odd award of its own for casting Sinatra – then giving the majority of singing-time to Brando instead…
April 14, 2009 at 12:44 pm
great list AidanRad – that Cabaret bit gives me goosebumps. heres a favourite of mine from Guys and Dolls, but its not Sinatra or Brando – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7kzsZreG0o&feature=related
and then theres this, a great medley – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJZatJ2g4do
April 14, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Aidan,
I have a blind spot when it comes to CZJ, so it’s more of a grump than a criticism.
Get what you mean about being ‘too good’ and for that reason always liked Rex Harrison in musicals. Couldn’t hit a note but it worked.
Didn’t think I would admit this in public but My Fair Lady has always been a favourite, esepcially this bit – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYMSvyqHHwA
April 14, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Yeah good call on the ‘too good’ point Aidy
That’s why I like Moulin Rouge so much. McGregor and Kidman are so obviously not singers, which makes their efforts so much more believable and loveable
April 14, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Meh! Not impressed! Should be Top Five most boooooring moments from musicals!
April 15, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I’m afraid musicals suck! Though there are two exceptions:
1) South Park – The movie
2) The Producers
and I can’t believe neither are in?
April 15, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Hm. I left out ‘The Producers’, because the original comedy only really has one song – glorious though it is – and the follow-up, fuller musical was better on stage than screen.
April 17, 2009 at 11:11 am
Eh? Cannibal The Musical has all top 5 moments in it.
In no particular order..
the 1st 19 minutes
the 2nd 19 minutes
the 3rd 19 minutes
the 4th 19 minutes
the 5th 19 minutes
April 30, 2009 at 11:23 am
Sweet Charity…how utterly ice-cool is this scene!!? – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZnFQvlb2OA
November 16, 2010 at 2:01 am
Sorry, but when it comes to “Sweet Charity”, nothing comes remotely close in coolness to this:
January 3, 2011 at 5:45 pm
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