American Film Musical Themes and Forms

This work examines the subjects, themes, and contemporary relevance of Hollywood musicals, analyzing each show in historical and political context.
Golddiggers of 1933 (1933) and Stand Up and Cheer (1934) deal with the economic crises of the Depression. Race issues surface in the prevalence of blackface minstrelsy in the 1930s and 1940s, in productions like Swing Time (1936) and Dixie (1943). Rock and roll culture is addressed through such hits as Girl Crazy (1943), Bye Bye Birdie (1963), and Grease (1978).
The work also explores dance as a signifier of character; the geography of musicals (such as New York or "the South"); the musical biopic; and more. A later chapter discusses intertextuality in such shows as Singin' in the Rain (1952), which refers to many earlier musicals, and Kiss Me Kate (1953), which refers to Taming of the Shrew. The work concludes with an examination of the continuing popularity of the musical with such hits as Moulin Rouge (2001) and Chicago (2002).

Michael Dunne is a professor of English at Middle Tennessee State University.