Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History

Trying to fit the entire history of the Hollywood musical into a 108-minute documentary—from the ’20s through the ’30s Busby Berkeley years to the golden age of the ’40s and ’50s, the downward spiral in the ’70s and ’80s and the recent resurgence with Chicago in 2001—must have had its challenges. But with musical stalwart Shirley Jones as host, a slew of great clips and celebrity talking heads from the obvious (Liza Minnelli, Rita Moreno, Bill Condon) to the not so obvious (Beverly D’Angelo, Joel Grey, Barry Bostwick), Hollywood is an entertaining and educational ride that will appeal to both novices, die-hard musical fans and anyone who wants to take in sequences from such classics as Flying Down to Rio, On the Town, Singin’ in the Rain, Meet Me in St. Louis, My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, Grease, Cabaret, West Side Story, Chicago and Dreamgirls, amongst others. And who doesn’t want to do that?

Shelf Talk: This is a comprehensive package that has a place in every movie lover’s DVD collection. It’s also as non-controversial as they come, omitting any ugliness or rumor associated with the films (excepting that Audrey Hepburn was chosen over Julie Andrews to star in My Fair Lady due to Hepburn being a “bigger star”). This might frustrate the more seasoned viewers, but makes it a perfect vehicle for a general audience.