Eight classic musical movies added to BBC iPlayer
© RKO Radio Pictures / Public domain
A number of movie musicals have been added to BBC iPlayer to perk up viewers as venues remain shut and large-scale live performances remain impossible.
The films come predominantly from the Golden Age of Hollywood – we've rounded them up below:
Carmen Jones (1954)
Based on the stage show that used the music of Georges Bizet, (reorchestrated by Robert Russell Bennett with book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II), the film transplants the story of Carmen to the 1940s, where it follows an African-American community during the Second World War.
Carousel (1956)
Rodgers and Hammerstein's iconic musical has some of the greatest tunes of the last century, and the story of Billy Bigelow is realised on the silver screen in Henry King's sweeping movie adaptation.
Top Hat (1935)
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are the go-to for musical movies and Top Hat, featuring music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, may be one of their finest.
Carefree (1938)
The perfect pairing of Astaire and Rogers continues with this comedy, which also features the work of Berlin. The film controversially (at the time) featured a "long on-screen kiss", which shocked audiences in their droves.
The Gay Divorcee (1934)
Based on Dwight Taylor's 1932 musical of the same name (but controversially leaving out a lot of Cole Porter's original tunes) this was another of the ten movies Astaire and Rogers did together.
Guys and Dolls (1955)
Main man Marlon Brando is joined by Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra, and Vivian Blaine in this version of Frank Loesser, Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows' stage show, which won two Golden Globes.
Paint Your Wagon (1969)
Before My Fair Lady, Lerner and Loewe had a smash stage show with Paint Your Wagon. The 1969 film version has a cast including Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood.
The Sky's the Limit (1943)
Joan Leslie and Astaire star in the 1943 film which has music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Johnny Mercer.
