The 25 best movie musicals of all time

1.'Singin' in the Rain'

The 1952 film was directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly and centers on Don Lockwood (Kelly), a silent-film star who finds his career threatened when movies switch to "talkies" and the nails-on-a-chalkboard voice of his female costar (Jean Hagen) could torpedo their newest film. To save their movie, Don, musician Cosmo (Donald O'Connor), and Don's girlfriend, Kathy (Debbie Reynolds), work to change the movie to a musical, with Kathy's skilled singing voice dubbing over that of Don's costar.

2.'West Side Story'

The 1961 film, directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise, is an updated version of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." Tony (Richard Beymer), member of the American Jets gang, falls in love with the sister, Maria (Natalie Wood), of the leader of the Puerto Rican Sharks gang.

Various actors' vocals were dubbed for the film, including Beymer's and some of Wood's. Actress Rita Moreno, who played Maria's brother's girlfriend, Anita, sang some of her songs herself but also had sections dubbed by singer Betty Wand. On one particular day, Moreno was unable to record her own vocals as planned because she was ill and Wand was sick, too, so singer Marni Nixon, who was handling some of Wood's vocal parts, sang Moreno's as well.

3.'The Wizard of Oz'

The 1939 film, directed by Victor Fleming, stars Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, a Kansas farm girl who dreams of traveling to a land over the rainbow. It looks as if Dorothy gets her wish when a tornado lands her in the country of Oz, where she makes friends with a scarecrow (Roy Bolger), a tin man (Jack Haley), and a lion (Bert Lahr). The movie was nominated for six Academy Awards, but lost the coveted Best Picture award to "Gone with the Wind."

The 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum was first turned into a musical in 1902. It ran for a year on Broadway, before closing in 1904. In that version, there was no Wicked Witch and the dog, Toto, was a cow named Imogene.

4.'The Sound of Music'

Director Robert Wise's 1965 film follows Maria (Julie Andrews), a postulant who becomes a governess for the seven children of Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) in Austria as the Nazis gain power in Europe.

Following the release of the movie, many audience members thought that the song "Edelweiss," sung by the captain to his children, was a song originating in Austria, but the tune was written for the musical. While Plummer sang the entrances and exits of the song, the longer passages were overdubbed by singer Bill Lee.

5.'Cabaret'

Actress Liza Minnelli plays nightclub star Sally Bowles in Bob Fosse's 1972 film. Sally works at a club in Berlin in 1931 as the Nazi Party is growing stronger.

The filming for the movie took place entirely in Germany, often in Berlin itself. In the original 1966 Broadway production, Joel Grey played the Emcee. He had the same role in the movie.

6.'Mary Poppins'

Director Robert Stevenson's film was released in 1964 and stars Julie Andrews as the titular magical nanny. Two children, Jane (Karen Dotrice) and Michael (Matthew Garber), wish for a nanny and soon find that Mary Poppins has floated down from the sky to care for them – but she only stays as long as her charges really need her.

The film won five Academy Awards, including Best Actress in a Leading Role for Andrews.

7.'A Star Is Born'

Director George Cukor's 1954 take on the oft-filmed story cast Judy Garland as rising actress Vicki Lester and James Mason as her actor husband, Norman Maine, whose career is on the decline. Norman's alcoholism has been taking a toll on his acting, and Vicki saves him from an embarrassing moment when he goes onstage drunk, earning his gratitude and his help making her career a success.

Some of the names that were considered early on to take the part of Norman included Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, and Frank Sinatra.

Garland and Mason were nominated for Academy Awards in the Best Actor categories, but Grace Kelly won for "The Country Girl" and Marlon Brando won for "On the Waterfront."

8.'My Fair Lady'

Audrey Hepburn stars as flower seller Eliza Doolittle in George Cukor's 1964 film. While plying her wares one day, Eliza runs into Prof. Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison), who makes a bet with a friend that he can turn a girl from the streets into a high-society lady.

Hepburn was chosen to star in the film over actress Julie Andrews, who originated the role of Eliza on Broadway in 1956. But Andrews won the Oscar in 1964, the year that "Lady" was up for consideration, for Best Actress for her film "Mary Poppins."

All but one Hepburn song was dubbed over by Marni Nixon.

9.'An American in Paris'

Vincente Minnelli's 1951 film stars Gene Kelly as WWII vet Jerry Mulligan, who has come to Paris after the war to try to make it as an artist. He falls in love with Lise (Leslie Caron), a Frenchwoman who is already involved with someone else.

10.'Meet Me in St. Louis'

Director Vincente Minnelli's movie was released in 1944 and follows the Smith family, including middle daughter Esther (Judy Garland) and youngest Tootie (Margaret O'Brien), who are living in St. Louis right before the 1904 World's Fair. Their father (Leon Ames) gets a new job, forcing them to plan a move to New York, which will mean leaving behind their beloved hometown.

The movie spawned the classic holiday song "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," which Esther sings to Tootie because she's heartbroken at the idea of her family going to a new place.

11.'The King and I'

Walter Lang's 1956 film is the story of teacher Anna Leonowens (Deborah Kerr), who is hired to tutor the children of the King of Siam. The king and Anna clash as Anna insists on teaching her pupils about subjects like slavery and as troubles between their two countries loom.

Kerr's singing was dubbed by prolific Hollywood singer Marni Nixon, who also supplied vocals for Natalie Wood in "West Side Story" and Audrey Hepburn in "My Fair Lady" and appeared onscreen as one of the nuns in the film "The Sound of Music."

12.'Chicago'

The 2002 movie, directed by Rob Marshall, follows Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger), a woman who is sent to jail after shooting her boyfriend. She worships women, such as Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones), who have become celebrities by embracing a life of crime.

13.'42nd Street'

Lloyd Bacon's 1933 film follows the making of a musical titled "Pretty Lady." Star Dorothy Brock (Bebe Daniels) is torn between her old flame (George Brent) and the man funding her show (Guy Kibbee), whom she has to keep happy. When Dorothy is injured, an unknown (Ruby Keeler) may be tested to see if she has what it takes to be a star. Actress Ginger Rogers plays Keeler's streetwise chorus girl friend.

The film was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, but lost to "Cavalcade."

14.'All That Jazz'

Bob Fosse's 1979 movie follows Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider), a choreographer and director based on Fosse, who is trying to edit a movie as he directs his newest Broadway musical. Because of the stress, he suffers health problems and those around him must decide what to do about his creative output.

Scheider, who is today best remembered for his roles such as Police Chief Brody in the movie "Jaws," was an unexpected musical leading man, but TV Guide called his lead role in the film "an illustrious example of casting against type."

15.'Top Hat'

The 1935 movie, directed by Mark Sandrich, features Fred Astaire as an American dancer, Jerry Travers, who annoys the woman in the hotel room below his by tap-dancing at night. But once Jerry sees Dale Tremont (Ginger Rogers), he falls hopelessly in love and pursues her, regardless of the various misunderstandings that ensue and the romantic competition from Italian designer (Erik Rhodes).

16.'Funny Girl'

1968's "Funny Girl," directed by William Wyler, stars Barbra Streisand as real-life actress Fanny Brice. The movie portrays Brice's rise through stage ranks, including starring in the "Ziegfeld Follies," to fame and fortune. "Funny Girl" also delves into Brice's marriage with gambler Nicky Arnstein (Omar Sharif).

Streisand made her name as Brice in the 1964 Broadway production of the story, but when a film version was pitched to Columbia Pictures, executives weren't too excited over the idea of a film unknown carrying the picture. Producer Ray Stark insisted on Streisand. "I just felt she was too much a part of Fanny, and Fanny was too much a part of Barbra to have it go to someone else," he told Turner Classic Movies.

17.'The Band Wagon'

The 1953 film, directed by Vincente Minnelli, follows Tony Hunter (Fred Astaire), a star in theater and in movies who's worrying that his career may be encountering trouble. To rejuvenate it, he decides to star as Faust in a musical retelling of the famous legend. But as he goes through rehearsals, he becomes paranoid that his costar Gabrielle Gerard (Cyd Charisse) will steal the spotlight because of her youth and skill.

18.'Yankee Doodle Dandy'

"Dandy," released in 1942 and directed by Michael Curtiz, finds actor James Cagney portraying legendary stage performer George M. Cohan, who also worked as a playwright and producer. Actress Joan Leslie portrayed Cohan's wife, Mary.

Cohan himself worked as a consultant on the film and later saw the finished product. He said he agreed with Cagney's portrayal.

19.'On the Town'

Directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, the 1949 film followed sailors Gabey (Kelly), Chip (Frank Sinatra), and Ozzie (Jules Munshin) as they go on leave in New York City and meet three girls (Betty Garrett, Vera-Ellen, and Ann Miller), with all three couples heading to the Empire State Building for a triple date.

20.'Grease'

The 1978 film, directed by Randal Kleiser, chronicles the senior year of the students at Rydell High, including new student Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) and leather-jacketed car aficionado Danny (John Travolta).

That year, Travolta managed the feat of being the lead in the movies that were the basis of two bestselling albums of the year, with the soundtrack for "Saturday Night Fever" coming in at No. 1 and "Grease" following behind in the second spot.

21.'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'

"Seven Brides," released in 1951 and directed by Stanley Donen, begins when Adam Pontipee (Howard Keel), oldest brother of a family of seven men, decides it's time for him to marry and proposes to waitress Milly (Jane Powell). Milly cleans up his messy house and runs it so well that the other six brothers decide they want brides, too.

The movie is often remembered today for its athletic choreography, which finds the Pontipee brothers showing off their dance skills by moving planks of wood, chopping wood, and raising a barn.

22.'Beauty and the Beast'

Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale's 1991 animated film is the story of a bookish girl named Belle (voice of Paige O'Hara), who rescues her father when he becomes the prisoner of a fearsome beast (Robby Benson). Belle takes his place as the Beast's captive and the Beast wonders if she might be the girl who could break the spell, which requires him to love someone and for him to earn their love in return.

"Beast" was the first animated film nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award and remains the only movie to have earned the nod when there were only five nomination slots. (There can now be between five and 10.)

23.'Guys and Dolls'

The 1955 film, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, centers on two gamblers, Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra) and Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando). Nathan bets his friend Sky that Sky can't win over the local prim missionary and take her on a date to Cuba. Sky wins the bet when he and Sarah Brown (Jean Arthur) set off for a romantic island dinner, but he finds himself in over his head when he falls in love with her. Meanwhile, Nathan tries to stay on the good side of his longtime fiancée, Adelaide (Vivian Blaine).

Modern viewers may be startled by the fact that Nathan, Sky, and their other gambler friends very rarely speak with contractions ("I have been" and "you will admit" rather than "I've" and "you'll"). The style came from the writing of author Damon Runyan, whose stories "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" and "Blood Pressure" were the basis for the musical.

24.'Show Boat'

"Show Boat," directed by George Sidney, was released in 1951 and centers on the riverboat, which travels the Mississippi with a cast of performers on board. Passengers include Magnolia Hawks (Kathryn Grayson), the daughter of the ship's captain; her paramour Gaylord Ravenal (Howard Keel), a gambler; and Julie LaVerne (Ava Gardner), the boat's star performer who is discovered to have African-American ancestry.

25.'Moulin Rouge!'

The 2001 film, directed by Baz Luhrmann, stars Ewan McGregor as a penniless writer who falls in love with the star attraction (Nicole Kidman) at the famous Paris cabaret. The movie uses songs by artists ranging from David Bowie to U2 to Dolly Parton, and the only original track is the lovers' anthem "Come What May," which was originally written for Luhrmann's 1996 modern interpretation of "Romeo and Juliet" titled "Romeo + Juliet."

The movie received mixed reviews. "What Mr. Luhrmann has done is take the most thrilling moments in a movie musical — the seconds before the actors are about to burst into song and dance, when every breath they take is heightened — and made an entire picture of such pinnacles," New York Times critic Elvis Mitchell wrote. "As a result every moment in the film feels italicized." He wrote that the film lacked a "coherent narrative."