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Musicals!
Want to escape our troubled times? Immerse yourself in the emotional, life-enhancing pleasures of the musical.
BFI Player's blockbuster collection celebrates the film musical from the late 1920s to today, exploring the visionary work of the artists who transformed the musical into the most joyful and creative of film genres. Going beyond escapism, our global journey will see how the musical tackled the Depression, confronted racism and how it continues to reflect the contemporary world. But most of all we’ll be having fun.

Meet Me in St. LouisMeet Me in St. Louis
Musical1944113 minsDirector: Vincente Minnelli
Vincente Minnelli’s hymn to family, home and community is a musical miracle with Judy Garland as its beating heart.

Kiss Me KateKiss Me Kate
Musical1953110 minsDirector: George Sidney
Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson brush up on their Shakespeare.

A Star Is BornA Star Is Born
Musical1954176 minsDirector: George Cukor
Judy Garland breaks your heart in a performance of devastating emotion.

Calamity JaneCalamity Jane
Musical1953101 minsDirector: David Butler
Doris Day shares her secret love in this whip-crackin’ musical western.

Singin' in the RainSingin' in the Rain
Comedy1951103 minsDirector: Gene Kelly
Hollywood’s troubled transition from silent to talking pictures at the end of the 1920s provided the inspiration for this greatest of movie musicals.

Little Shop of HorrorsLittle Shop of Horrors
Comedy198694 minsDirector: Frank Oz
Frank Oz's vivid adaptation of the cult sci-fi musical, with Rick Moranis as a flower-shop assistant battling a 'Mean Green Mother from Outer Space'.

42nd Street42nd Street
Musical193389 minsDirector: Lloyd Bacon
The great backstage musical features Busby Berkeley’s thrilling and groundbreaking choreography.

Gold Diggers of 1933Gold Diggers of 1933
Musical193398 minsDirector: Mervyn Leroy
This Depression-era story about four showgirls is an extraordinary mix of Busby Berkeley dance numbers, politics and pre-Code sex.

Cabin in the SkyCabin in the Sky
Musical194399 minsDirector: Vincente Minnelli
Featuring an all-star, all-African-American cast, Cabin in the Sky plays like a gospel reworking of Faust and the Wizard of Oz.

The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz
Fantasy1939102 minsDirector: Victor Fleming
Venture down the yellow brick road once again with this sumptuous magical fantasy.

South Park: Bigger Longer & UncutSouth Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut
Animation & Artists Moving Image199981 mins
In the outrageous spinoff from the animated series, Cartman and co. inadvertently instigate a war between the US and Canada.

The WizThe Wiz
Fantasy1978134 minsDirector: Sidney Lumet
NYC becomes Oz in the cult, urban reimagining of the family favourite, featuring an all-African American cast including Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.

Pennies from HeavenPennies from Heaven
Drama1981108 minsDirector: Herbert Ross
Steve Martin boldly takes centre stage in the acclaimed film adaptation of Dennis Potter's ground-breaking TV serial.

FameFame
Musical1980134 minsDirector: Alan Parker
Alan Parker’s gritty take on the tough and competitive training within a New York performing arts school reveals all the vulnerability and attitude it takes to rise to the top.

Goodbye, Mr. ChipsGoodbye, Mr. Chips
Musical1969155 minsDirector: Herbert Ross
Petula Clark gives one her finest performances as a stage star who seduces a shy, stuffy school teacher, impeccably played by Peter O’Toole.

Hedwig and the Angry InchHedwig and the Angry Inch
Musical200192 minsDirector: John Cameron Mitchell
The trailblazing cult musical about a transgender punk from East Germany who reinvents herself as a rock diva.

Show BoatShow Boat
Period drama1936114 minsDirector: James Whale
By far the best film version of Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kern’s landmark stage show.

La La LandLa La Land
Musical2016128 minsDirector: Damien Chazelle
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone channel old-school Hollywood glamour in this bright and playful romantic musical from director Damien Chazelle (Whiplash).

London RoadLondon Road
Musical201492 minsDirector: Rufus Norris
Daring, startling and wholly original: a musical based on the infamous Ipswich murders of 2006, adapted by National Theatre director Rufus Norris.

Billy the Kid and the Green Baize VampireBilly the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire
Musical198590 minsDirector: Alan Clarke
Alan Clarke’s once derided feature is surely the only vampire snooker musical in cinema history and a genuine cult artefact ripe for rediscovery.

The Boy FriendThe Boy Friend
Musical1971136 minsDirector: Ken Russell
A timid actress is forced to cover for the injured star and falls for the leading man, in Ken Russell's thoroughly British variant on the MGM musical.

An American in ParisAn American in Paris
Musical1951113 minsDirector: Vincente Minnelli
Gene Kelly stars as a former GI turned bohemian artist, torn between two women in this exhilarating ride through the Gershwin songbook.

Ziegfeld FolliesZiegfeld Follies
Musical1944110 minsDirector: Vincente Minnelli
Many of MGM's leading talents assemble for the most spectacular of the Broadway revues.

Du Barry Was a LadyDu Barry Was a Lady
Comedy1943101 minsDirector: Roy Del Ruth
Thanks to a drugged drink, the world of a 1940s nightclub is transported to 17th-century France...

LisztomaniaLisztomania
Biopic1975103 minsDirector: Ken Russell
Ken Russell's characteristically spectacular biopic of Liszt, with Roger Daltrey portraying the composer as a rock god, is a heady brew complete with garish Freudian symbolism, Hitler, spaceships and Ringo Starr as the Pope.

Chi-RaqChi-Raq
Musical2015127 minsDirector: Spike Lee
Spike Lee’s bold and vivacious hip-hop musical restages an ancient Greek battle-of-the-sexes in 21st-century Chicago.

I've Gotta HorseI've Gotta Horse
Musical196592 minsDirector: Kenneth Hume
Great British rock and roller Billy Fury buys himself a racehorse in this colourful musical for all the family.

Bride & PrejudiceBride & Prejudice
Musical2004107 minsDirector: Gurinder Chadha
Gurinder Chadha’s Bollywood retelling of Austen’s classic romance is an all-round joy, adding colour and song to Austen’s evergreen wit.

BabymotherBabymother
Musical199877 minsDirector: Julian Henriques
Neeta and her crew rise to dancehall fame in North West London's Caribbean community, in the first Black British musical.

Sing StreetSing Street
Drama2015106 minsDirector: John Carney
The third in John Carney’s trilogy of musical films is the utterly charming story a boy who escapes his troubles through fronting a pop band.

Song of FreedomSong of Freedom
Drama193677 minsDirector: J. Elder Wills
A black London docker becomes a famous opera singer in this stirring musical drama starring Paul Robeson

Kentucky MinstrelsKentucky Minstrels
Musical193466 minsDirector: John Baxter
Rarely-seen 1930s British musical about two African American travelling minstrels in search of entertainment work.

The Flame of LoveThe Flame of Love
Melodrama193075 minsDirector: Richard Eichberg
Chinese-American star Anna May Wong dazzles as a Chinese dancer forced to give herself to a Russian General in order to save her brother.

Million Dollar MermaidMillion Dollar Mermaid
Biopic1952110 minsDirector: Mervyn Leroy
Esther Williams stars in this dramatic true musical romance of turn-of-the century swimming champion Annette Kellerman, better known as the Million Dollar Mermaid.

Hit the DeckHit the Deck
Comedy1954112 minsDirector: Roy Rowland
Jane Powell and Debbie Reynolds lead an all-star cast in this memorable maritime musical.

I Love MelvinI Love Melvin
Musical195277 minsDirector: Don Weis
With charm and invention by the bucketload, Singin’ in the Rain’s Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor are reunited in the story of a chorus girl who dreams of becoming a star.

The Band WagonThe Band Wagon
Musical1953112 minsDirector: Vincente Minnelli
The problems of staging a big theatre production is the backdrop to this gorgeous, gloriously colourful musical.

KismetKismet
Musical1955113 minsDirector: Vincente Minnelli
Baubles, bangles and beads abound in Vincente Minnelli's shimmering musical.

The Belle of New YorkThe Belle of New York
Musical195181 minsDirector: Charles Walters
Fred Astaire and Vera-Ellen dance above the rooftops of New York.

Summer Stock (If You Feel Like Singing)Summer Stock (If You Feel Like Singing)
Musical1950109 minsDirector: Charles Walters
Gene Kelly and Judy Garland star in the charming musical about a theatre troupe that take over a barn for rehearsals.

Till the Clouds Roll ByTill the Clouds Roll By
Biopic1946135 minsDirector: Richard Whorf
Busby Berkeley and Vincente Minnelli are among creative team behind this fictionalised biopic of Broadway composer Jerome Kern, which includes several songs from Show Boat.

Show BoatShow Boat
Period drama1951108 minsDirector: George Sidney
Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kern's classic musical brought to life in dazzling Technicolour.

Seven Brides for Seven BrothersSeven Brides for Seven Brothers
Musical1954102 minsDirector: Stanley Donen
Stanley Donen's classic musical western, in which a backwoodsman brings home his new bride, sparking inspiration in his six brothers, who decide they want to get married too.

Girl CrazyGirl Crazy
Musical194399 minsDirector: Norman Taurog
Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney star in the second adaptation of George Gershwin's musical following a playboy's exploits in the wild West.

Mister CindersMister Cinders
Comedy193569 minsDirector: Friedrich Zelnik
Jolly gender-swapped musical version of Cinderella, featuring a play within the film in which the characters star in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.

First a GirlFirst a Girl
Comedy193692 minsDirector: Victor Saville
Sparkling musical comedy about a shop girl who pretends to be a boy in order to perform on stage as a female impersonator.

Expresso BongoExpresso Bongo
Drama1960111 minsDirector: Val Guest
Val Guest's 1959 London-shot Brit Beat classic charts the fortunes of aspiring musician Bert Rudge (Cliff Richard)

Beat GirlBeat Girl
Drama195987 minsDirector: Edmond T. Gréville
A cult classic British film about late-fifties youth-rebellion set against an intoxicating Beatnik backdrop.

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