This movie proves that old Broadway musicals benefited from the changes brought about by Rodgers and Hammerstein and their predecessors. Those composers added genuine stories to their musical numbers and produced heartfelt dramas with a mix of outstanding humor. But this film lacks all such charm. It seems to be about a producer's attempt to rescue a musical review from a series of disasters; I'm still not sure whether that was the subject or not. At any rate, the storyline is a thin excuse for a pastiche of dance routines accompanied by an array of songs that bear no resemblance to the alleged story or plot. Even the singers fail to impress. Add the bombastic soundtrack with what seems like 5000 horns and no strings and you've got yourself a long, long two-and-one-half hours of insipid entertainment.
Review of 42nd Street: The Musical
