Adapted from the 1932 novel of the same name by Bradford Ropes, the film's screenplay was written by Rian James and James Seymour, with uncredited contributions by Whitney Bolton. The story revolves around the cast and crew rehearsing for a Broadway show at the height of the Great Depression.
In 1998, 42nd Street was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
In 1932 during the depths of the Great Depression noted Broadway producers Jones and Barry are staging Pretty Lady, a musical starring Dorothy Brock. She is involved with wealthy Abner Dillon, the show's financial backer, but she is secretly seeing her old vaudeville partner Pat Denning, who is out of work.
Julian Marsh is hired to direct, although his doctor warns that he risks his life if he continues in his high-pressure profession. Despite a long string of successes, he is impoverished following the 1929 Stock Market Crash, so he must make his last show a hit in order to earn enough money to retire.
Cast selection and rehearsals begin amidst fierce competition. Newcomer Peggy Sawyer is ignored until two experienced chorines, Lorraine Fleming and Ann Lowell, take her under their wing. Lorraine is assured a job because of her relationship with dance director Andy Lee, and she assures that Ann and Peggy are chosen. Peggy is tricked into bursting into the dressing room of the show's juvenile lead, Billy Lawler, who takes an immediate liking to her.
When Marsh learns about Dorothy's relationship with Pat, he sends some thugs led by his gangster friend Slim Murphy to intimidate Pat. Dorothy and Pat agree not to see each other for a while. Pat takes a stock job in Philadelphia.
Rehearsals continue for five weeks, to Marsh's complete dissatisfaction, until the night before the show's surprise opening in Philadelphia, when Dorothy breaks her ankle. By the next morning, Abner has quarreled with her and wants Marsh to replace her with his new girlfriend, Annie. Annie confesses that she cannot carry the show but convinces the director that the inexperienced Peggy can. Julian is desperate and rehearses Peggy mercilessly until an hour before the premiere.
Tough director Julian Marsh (Warner Baxter) and naive newcomer chorus girl Peggy Sawyer (Ruby Keeler).
Billy finally musters the nerve to tell Peggy that he loves her. They embrace and kiss, just as Dorothy appears and walks through the door. She wishes Peggy luck and reveals that she and Pat are finally getting married. The show is staged to rousing applause. As the theater audience leaves, Julian stands in the shadows outside the stage door, hearing comments that Peggy is the star and that he does not deserve the credit for the show's success.[6]
Pat Denning (George Brent) and his old vaudeville partner Dorothy Brock (Bebe Daniels).
The film was Ruby Keeler's first, and the first time that Busby Berkeley, Harry Warren and Al Dubin had worked for Warner Bros. Mervyn LeRoy, the original director, became ill and Lloyd Bacon was hired to replace him. LeRoy was dating Ginger Rogers at the time and had suggested that she take the role of Ann.[8]
The film began production on October 5, 1932. The shooting schedule ran for 28 days at the Warner Bros. studio in Burbank, California. The total production cost is estimated to have been between $340,000 and $439,000.[9][10]
Musical numbers
A lobby card for the film.
The film's music was written by Harry Warren with lyrics by Al Dubin.[11] The numbers were choreographed and directed by Busby Berkeley.
"It Must Be June" – sung by Bebe Daniels, Dick Powell and the chorus
"Shuffle Off to Buffalo" – sung and danced by Ruby Keeler and Clarence Nordstrom, with Ginger Rogers, Una Merkel and the chorus
"Young and Healthy" – sung by Dick Powell to Toby Wing and the chorus
"42nd Street" – sung and danced by Ruby Keeler, and sung by Dick Powell
The "Love Theme", written by Harry Warren, is played under scenes between Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell, and Bebe Daniels and George Brent. It has no title or lyrics and is unpublished.
The music playing during dance rehearsals and the opening of the show is an instrumental piano piece that Warren wrote titled "Pretty Lady", the name of the show that is produced in the film.
Release
The film premiered in New York on March 9, 1933 at the Strand Theatre and entered general release two days later, becoming one of the most profitable films of the year, earning an estimated gross of $2,300,000. According to Warner Bros. records, the film earned $1,438,000 domestically and $843,000 abroad.[3]
Reception
In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Mordaunt Hall called 42nd Street "the liveliest and one of the most tuneful screen musical comedies that has come out of Hollywood" and wrote: "Although it has its serious moments, it is for the most part a merry affair ... It is a film which reveals the forward strides made in this particular medium since the first screen musical features came to Broadway. Although it has its boisterous moments, '42nd Street' is invariably entertaining."[12]
The New York World-Telegram described the film as "[a] sprightly entertainment, combining, as it did, a plausible enough story of back-stage life, some excellent musical numbers and dance routines and a cast of players that are considerably above the average found in screen musicals."[13]
Variety wrote: "Every element is professional and convincing. It'll socko the screen musical fans with the same degree that Metro's pioneering screen musicals did."[14]
John Mosher of The New Yorker called it "a bright movie" with "as pretty a little fantasy of Broadway as you may hope to see" and praised Baxter's performance as "one of the best he has given us", although he described the plot as "the most conventional one to be found in such doings."[15]
In 1980, the film was adapted into a stage musical by Harry Warren and Al Dubin. It featured additional songs by Warren and lyrics by Dubin and Johnny Mercer and a book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble. The original Broadway production directed and choreographed by Gower Champion (whose death on opening night was announced at the curtain call by producer David Merrick) won the Tony Award for Best Musical. Since then, it has been produced regionally and professionally around the world. The score included all musical numbers from the film except "It Must Be June."
^ abcWarner Bros financial information in The William Schaefer Ledger. See Appendix 1, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, (1995) 15:sup1, 1-31 p 13 DOI: 10.1080/01439689508604551
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