Since the early days ofHollywood, the moviemusicalhas reigned as a favorite genre among movie fans and was initially popularized by classics such asThe Wizard of Oz,Yankee Doodle Dandy, andSingin' in the Rain. By the 1950s, the movie musical had started to fizzle out, overshadowed by other rising film genres and a more modernized audience, but the classic genre wasn’t left for dead and had moments where it thrived on the silver screen.
Even though movie musicals were at their prime between the 1930s and 1950s, the 1960s still featured some phenomenal and memorable movie musicals, such asWest Side Story,The Music Man, and Disney’sMary Poppins. Throughout the decade of the ’60s, there were a more than decent number of movie musicals that conquered the big screen, but when it comes to titles likeThe Sound of Music,Funny Girl, andMy Fair Lady, they stand out as some of the greatest movie musicals of the 1960s.
10’Gypsy' (1962)
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy
Rosalind Russellstars as a classic stage mother, Rose Hovick, who pushes her two daughters into show business but fails to generate much success. When her youngest daughter quits and elopes, Rose continues to work with her other daughter, Louise (Natalie Wood), even though she believes she is the least talented one of her daughters. After Louise accepts a less-than-becoming job performing at a burlesque house,she transforms herself into Gypsy Rose Lee, becoming the show’s main attraction.
Natalie Wooddazzles audiences inGypsy,delivering a different but stunning performance following her success inWest Side Story. It’s a cinematic delight to see Wood in a more care-free, vibrant setting like the world of burlesque,allowing her to show off her musical range and her commanding star power that serves as the film’s main attraction.Gypsywas a financial success, becoming the eighth highest-grossing movie of the year, and earned threeOscar nominations, including Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, and Best Scoring of Music.
9’Hello, Dolly!' (1969)
Directed by Gene Kelly
When Ambrose (Tommy Tune) asks Horace Vandergelder (Walter Matthau) permission to marry his niece, the grouchy half-millionaire refuses, claiming that his profession as an artist wouldn’t provide his niece with financial security. Ambrose decides to hire a socialite turned matchmaker, Dolly Levi (Barbra Streisand), to fix Horace up with someone, thinking that if Horace finds love, it may soften him up and lead to him reconsidering the young man’s marriage proposal.
Gene Kelly’sHello, Dolly!is a romantic comedy musical based on the 1964 Broadway production and also starsMichael CrawfordandLouis Armstrong. Initially,Hello, Dolly!earned mixed reviews from critics, as some felt Kelly didn’t take full advantage of the film’s large screen format but overall,the rom-com musical features an array of entertaining musical and dance numbers and stellar performances by an all-star cast.Hello, Dolly!earned several Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and went on to win for Best Art Direction, Best Sound, and Best Musical Score.
Hello, Dolly!
8’Oliver!' (1968)
Directed by Carol Reed
In London, a nine-year-old orphan, Oliver Twist (Mark Lester), joins a group of young pickpocketers organized by a crook, Fagin (Ron Moody), who teaches the boys the art of stealing. When Oliver is given a target, the gentleman, Mr. Brownlow (Joseph O’Conor) takes pity on the young boy and offers him a place to live. While Oliver settles into his new home, one of Fagin’s associates, Bill Sikes (Oliver Reed), plans to kidnap the boy to prevent him from talking.
The 1968 Oscar-winning musical,Oliver!, is a film adaptation ofLionel Bart’s 1960 stage production of the same name, which is based onCharles Dickens' famous novel,Oliver Twist. The musical earned immense praise from critics, many noting it asone of few musical adaptations that remains true to the original style and structure of the original stage show.Oliver!received eleven Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Cinematography, and went on to win five of its nominations, notably Best Picture and Best Director.
7’The Music Man' (1962)
Directed by Morton DaCosta
Robert Prestonstars asthe charming con-artist, Henry Hill, who convinces the residents of River City, Iowa to start a bandand purchase uniforms and instruments from him. While Henry has everyone else fooled, a wise librarian, Marian (Shirley Jones), believes he is a fraud but keeps her thoughts to herself since her brother is excited about the band. Initially, Henry had planned to split after collecting the money, but as he begins to fall for Marian, he’s faced with a difficult choice.
The Music Manis a toe-tapping musical based onMeredith Willson’s 1957 stage musical, which was also directed by the film’s director,Morton DaCosta. The film wasone of the biggest hits of the year, earning universal praise from audiences and critics for its top-tier performances and campy and quaint string of musical numbers. Preston, who originally played the role of Hill in the stage production, gives a sensational performance alongside an exceptional supporting cast.The Music Man received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Costume Design, but only took home one of its nominations for Best Musical Score.
The Music Man
6’The Producers' (1967)
Directed by Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks' Oscar-winning musical comedy,The Producers, follows a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer, Max Bailystock (Zero Mostel), who was once the toast of the town and is now in dire need of a hit. When his new accountant, Leo Bloom (Gene Wilder), informs him that if he managed to gain several investors in a new production,he could legally keep all the extra money if the show was a flop. The initial off-hand remark soon gives Bailystock an idea to come up with the worst play imaginable, leading to a humorous scheme and utter chaos that is fit for the theater.
Brooks made his directorial debut with the cult classic comedy musical,The Producers, which was later adapted into a stage production by Brooks andThomas Meehan. Due to the film’s premise of the characters' production,Springtime for Hitler, which was described as a “love letter to Hitler,“many didn’t want Brooks to makeThe Producersand received some backlash.Like most of Brooks' work, his comedy is an acquired taste, but that doesn’t mean thatThe Producersisn’t still a hilarious contribution to the musical film genre. Despite the controversy,The Producersearned two Oscar nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for Wilder and won Brooks the award for Best Story and Screenplay.
The Producers
5’Funny Girl' (1968)
Directed by William Wyler
Barbra Streisand makes her feature film debut inone of her all-time best films,Funny Girl,as the groundbreaking comedienne, Fanny Brice,who started out as a bit play on the New York Vaudeville Circuit and eventually worked her way up to becoming a shining staron the Broadway stage. While Brice succeeds in the limelight, her romantic relationship with a suave gambling man, Nick Armstein (Omar Sharif), is another obstacle with challenges of its own for the famous funny girl.
Funny Girlis a notable musical comedy about the life and career ofFanny Brice, who rose to popularity with her hit comedy radio show,The Baby Snooks Show. At the time, Streisand was already an established singer, buther near-perfect performance inFunny Girlallowed her to prove her worth as a star on the silver screen, delivering a show-stopping performance that earned her the Oscar for Best Actress, tying withKatharine HepburnforThe Lion in Winter.Funny Girlalso received several other Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Cinematography.
Funny Girl
4’The Sound of Music' (1965)
Directed by Robert Wise
In 1938, a young woman, Maria (Julie Andrews), who is studying to become a nun, is sent to work for a retired naval officer, Captain Gregorg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), as the new governess for his seven children.Initially, the von Trapp family attempt to scare Maria off with practical jokes and tricks, but her playful nature and kind heart lead not only to her staying but also to earning the children’s love and affection.
The Sound of Musicis a heartwarming movie musical which is based on the 1949 memoir,The Story of the Trapp Family SingersbyMaria von Trappand a fictional retelling of her time as the family’s governess and her eventual marriage to Captain von Trapp. While some felt the film downplayed the historical aspects of its timeframe,The Sound of Musicwas never intended to be a historical drama and, today, it is regarded by many asone of the greatest movie musicals.The Sound of Musicreceived ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. The film went on to win five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Musical Score.
The Sound of Music
A young novice is sent by her convent in 1930s Austria to become a governess to the seven children of a widowed naval officer.
3’My Fair Lady' (1964)
Directed by George Cukor
The 1964 classic movie musical,My Fair Lady, tells the story of an intelligent but pretentious professor, Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison), who makes a bet with his colleagues that he can transform a young working-class woman, Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn), into a sophisticated member of high society. WhileHenry proves to be successful, turning Eliza into a glowing representation of class and elegance, he finds himself in the unexpected situation of falling in love with the now-highly sought-after Eliza, forcing him to choose between his pride and his heart.
My Fair Ladyis the film adaptation of the hit stage musical byAlan Jay LernerandFrederick Loewe, which originally starred Harrison as Professor Higgins and Julie Andrews as Eliza. The film ranks asone of the greatest classic movie musicals of all timeand, in 2006,film critic, Roger Ebert, includedMy Fair Ladyin his list of great movies, praising Hepburn’s performance and calling the movie “the best and most unlikely of musicals.“My Fair Ladywas a massive success and earned twelve Academy Award nominations, and went on to win eight of its nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Harrison.
My Fair Lady
In 1910s London, snobbish phonetics professor Henry Higgins agrees to a wager that he can make crude flower girl Eliza Doolittle presentable in high society.
2’Mary Poppins' (1964)
Directed by Robert Stevenson
In London, a wealthy and uptight family, the Banks, are in need of a new nanny for their rebellious children, Jane (Karen Dotrice) and Michael (Matthew Garber), who, after running away for the fourth time, led to their current caregiver quitting her job. While the brother and sister expect another boring nanny,they are pleasantly surprised when they meet the magical and fun-loving Mary Poppins(Julie Andrews).
Disney’sMary Poppinswasa monumental movie musical as well as a major milestone for the Walt Disney Company both financially and creatively. At the time, animation was not considered to be genuine cinema by the industry and while Disney stepped into live-action, it also remained true to its original roots in the animation and musical genres, showcasing the genre’s immense possibilities.Mary Poppinsearned thirteen Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Costume Design. It went on to win five Oscars, notably for Best Special Visual Effects, Best Musical Score, and Best Actress for Andrews.
Mary Poppins
1’West Side Story' (1961)
Directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins
West Side Storyis a modernizedRomeo and Juliet storyset in the hard streets of New York wheretwo rival gangs, the Sharks and the Jets, are engaged in a vicious turf war. When a former member of the Jets, Tony (Richard Beymer),falls in love with Maria (Natalie Wood), who is the sister of the Shark’s leader, Bernardo (George Chakiris), their newfound romance leads to violence, betrayal, and senseless bloodshed.
West Side Storywasthe highest-grossing movie of 1961 and today, reigns as one of the greatest classic movie musicals of all time. The film made history with its diverse cast and by boldly addressing social issues of its time, such as gang violence and racial discrimination.West Side Storyearned eleven Academy Award nominations and ended up winning ten of its well-deserved nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor for Chakiris. The film also won Best Supporting Actress forRita Moreno’s exceptional performanceas the fiery Anita, making Oscar history as the first Latin American woman to win an Academy Award.
West Side Story
Two youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.
