Old film recommendations

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icrashalot

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Having only just found out they released Evergreen with Jessie Matthews on dvd (and grabbed myself a copy...squee!), I was wondering if anyone would recommend similar movies from the same period (30's to 40's)? I also have some early Astaire and Deanna Durbin films so looking for any recommendations other than astaire, durbin and matthews, of musicals from the 30's and 40's that people have seen and really enjoyed that I can add to my collection. :)

Sorry if it seems quite specific but it's just a phase I'm going through at the moment! :p
 
"Stand-in" from 1937. Not a musical but a comedy with Leslie Howard trying to sort out a failing movie studio. Rarely seen but very funny.
 
oh - I love Leslie Howard, but just checked how much it costs on dvd...yowser! I think I'll wait a bit for the price to come down on that one. :o

Spiderpig - love high society but as it's a 50's musical it's not really what I'm after. sorry about picking so picky...it really is daft that I only want to concentrate on the movies that came out in the 30's/40's but I haven't seen them for so long and finding out Evergreen was on dvd just made me feel really nostalgic. Thanks for the suggestion though. :)
 
Cheers CLL Dodge. Forgot about Show Boat and I love Paul Robeson so will defo add to the list. Hadn't heard of Gold Diggers of 1933 but sounRAB good by the description. I have 42nd street and didn't realise powell, rogers and keeler were in another movie together. Thanks muchly!
 
All-Time Hit Musicals - Taken from the book "Anatomy Of The Movies"
Pick from these gems:
(06) 1943 - "This Is The Army"
(09) 1946 - "The Jolson Story"
(12) 1942 - "Yankee Doodle Dandy"
(13) 1944 - "Meet Me In St. Louis"
(16) 1945 - "Anchors Aweigh"
(16) 1945 - "The Thrill Of A Romance"
(18) 1942 - "The Road To Morocco"
(20) 1946 - "Blue Skies"
(22) 1944 - "Hollywood Canteen"
(23) 1942 - "Holiday Inn"
(24) 1945 - "The Dolly Sisters"
(31) 1929 - "Sunny Side Up"
(33) 1946 - "The Road To Utopia"
(33) 1946 - "Till The ClouRAB Roll By"
(33) 1946 - "Easter Parade"
(41) 1929 - "Broadway Melody"
others
1946 - "Ziegfeld Follies"
 
You cant beat Yankie Doodle Dandy or Belles of St Mary's though not a musical has Crosby at his best. And any of the Shirley Temple ones.
 
Thanks ValLambert - I agree, the clothes were pretty amazing in that era! Actually, I shouldn't limit myself to just the musicals as I love all the rom-coms and adore the greats like Bette Davis so will definitely check out the ones you mentioned.
 
On the Town springs to mind, although you've probably seen it, and, a bit later, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, of course. Hollywood Canteen, Summer Stock, Yankee Doodle Dandy, films of Gracie FielRAB and George Formby (if you can take him, as I can't!). Glenn Miller Story, Jazz Singer.

For non-musicals, I'd highly recommend Dead of Night, Halfway House, Waterloo Bridge, Double Indemnity and Random Harvest.
 
Thanks for the recs littlemissmolz and kimindex! I just realised I don't even have Top Hat on dvd!
Dead of night sounRAB really interesting and only a fiver at amazon so definitely picking that one up. The plot of halfway house sounRAB good too but not available on dvd :(
 
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