Musical movies are truly one of a kind. There’s something so unique about people bursting into singing in the middle of perfectly normal conversations.
Movies have been telling stories through music ever since The Jazz Singer hit theaters in 1927, and they have come a long way from there. There’s no doubt the 1930s through the early 1950s was the golden age of the musical, giving life to many successes like Singin’ in the Rain, one of the most popular musical movies ever. It’s about a silent film actor struggling during the transition from silent movies to sound films (also called ‘talkies’).
Musical films characteristically contain elements reminiscent of theater; performers often treat their song and dance numbers as if there’s a live audience watching. In a sense, the viewer becomes the audience, as the performer looks directly into the camera and performs to it.
Whether we like it or not, we live in a musical world. The past 20 years have seen a significant resurgence in the industry: Moulin Rouge!, Chicago, Walk The Line, Les Misérables, and La La Land were all Golden Globe Award winners. Mamma Mia!, The Greatest Showman, A Star is Born, Enchanted, and Pitch Perfect all attracted big-name stars to the cinematic stage.
Numerous musicals have come out over the years, each one more memorable than the last. The list below ranks the best musical movies of all time, as determined by critics and fans alike.
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#1 Singin' In The Rain
1952 | 1h 43m | Directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly
Starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor
Singin’ In The Rain offers a lighthearted depiction of Hollywood in the late 1920s, with the three stars portraying performers caught up in the transition from silent films to talking pictures. The film was a modest hit when first released. However, it topped the American Film Institute’s list of greatest musicals in 2006 and is frequently described as the best musical ever made.
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61points
#2 The Little Mermaid
1989 | 1h 23m | Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker
Starring Jodi Benson, Christopher Daniel Barnes, and Pat Carroll
A true classic, The Little Mermaid was the first of a resurgence of Disney animated features in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The story follows Ariel, a young mermaid who falls in love with Prince Eric and sets off on an adventure to become human. It’s not only one of the best musical movies; it’s one of the best animated movies of all time.
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55points
#3 The Lion King (1994)
1994 | 1h 28m | Directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
Starring Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, and James Earl Jones
Many of Disney’s most beloved animated films are also some of their most memorable musicals. The Lion King is one such example. It’s a classic story of good against evil, with the son of a murdered king struggling to come to terms with his future as king himself, all set to an outstanding soundtrack that you’ll be singing for days.
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55points
#4 The Unsinkable Molly Brown
1964 | 2h 8m | Directed by Charles Walters
Starring Debbie Reynolds, Harve Presnell, and Ed Begley
Inspired by the life of Margaret Brown, the American socialite and philanthropist who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. This delightful rags-to-riches story of a mountain girl features fantastic songs by Meredith Willson and became Wilson’s personal favorite movie among the ones she acted for.
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50points
#5 White Christmas
1954 | 2h | Directed by Michael Curtiz
Starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney
Bob Wallace, Phil Davis, Betty, and Judy Haynes are about to perform a Christmas show in Vermont when they run into WWII commander, Gen. Waverly. It turns out that he’s having financial difficulties, so the foursome comes up with a plan to make a miracle and put the general back in the black!
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49points
#6 Rocketman
2019 | 2h 1m | Directed by Dexter Fletcher
Starring Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, and Richard Madden
Elton John’s journey about his breakthrough years. The film follows his incredible transformation from a shy piano prodigy into an international superstar. This inspirational story, set to Elton John’s most beloved songs and performed by Taron Egerton, tells the universally relatable tale of how a small-town boy became one of the most iconic figures in pop culture.
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45points
#7 Daddy Long Legs
1955 | 2h 6m | Directed by Jean Negulesco
Starring Fred Astaire, Leslie Caron, and Terry Moore
A wealthy American man decides to anonymously pay for the college education of a French orphan girl. When they meet in person years later, they fall in love with each other, but she doesn’t know that the man she loves and her secret benefactor are one and the same. During filming for the movie, Fred Astaire’s wife passed away, and he would often retreat to his trailer and cry. That’s why his eyes look so red and swollen in some scenes.
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45points
#8 Man Of La Mancha
1972 | 2h 12m | Directed by Arthur Hiller
Starring Peter O’Toole, Sophia Loren, and James Coco
Man Of La Mancha is a joyous, life-affirming adaptation of the Broadway hit that finally gives Don Quixote a happy ending. It’s also a tribute to Miguel de Cervantes, the seventeenth-century author who created the windmill-tilting dreamer. In director Arthur Hiller’s film, Peter O’Toole plays Cervantes himself, who is imprisoned by the Spanish Inquisition.
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45points
#9 Funny Lady
1975 | 2h 16m | Directed by Herbert Ross
Starring Barbra Streisand, James Caan, and Omar Sharif
Nominated for five Academy Awards. After this 1975 sequel to Funny Girl, even some of the haters grudgingly had to admit that Barbra Streisand is a gifted comedienne with a flair for musical comedy. The film is set in the 1920s as Fanny Brice ends her marriage to Nicky Arnstein and becomes an established headliner on Broadway.
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45points
#11 Bedknobs And Broomsticks
1971 | 1h 57m | Directed by Robert Stevenson
Starring Angela Lansbury, David Tomlinson, and Roddy McDowall
Bedknobs And Broomsticks is a delightful fantasy musical movie. Three kids, an apprentice witch, and a cynical magician search for the missing component to a magic spell that could save Britain during World War II. This was the last Disney movie released while Roy O. Disney was still alive: he passed away a week after the premiere.
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44points
#12 Nashville
1975 | 2h 40m | Directed by Robert Altman
Starring Keith Carradine, Lily Tomlin, and Karen Black
The movie follows the hustle and bustle of those involved in the country and gospel music industries in Nashville, Tennessee, over five days, ending with their participation in a gala concert for a populist outsider running for President on the Replacement Party ticket. For this musical movie, each actor and actress was required to write and perform their own songs.
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43points
#13 The King And I
1956 | 2h 13m | Directed by Walter Lang
Starring Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner, and Rita Moreno
Based on Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic and inspired by the real-life story of a schoolteacher hired by the king of Siam to tutor his children. The movie is filled with rousing marches and unforgettable ballads, not to mention a heartwarming love story. The film was a critical success and was nominated for nine Oscars, winning five, including Best Actor for Brynner.
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42points
#14 Fiddler On The Roof
1971 | 3h 1m | Directed by Norman Jewison
Starring Topol, Norma Crane, and Leonard Frey
Backed by a strong cast and production team, this is a movie that still holds up amazingly well even after 50 years. It tells the story of a father trying to maintain his Jewish traditions in a changing world, where growing antisemitic sentiment threatens his family’s safety. This film also won three Academy Awards and was nominated for another five.
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40points
#15 Damn Yankees
1958 | 1h 51m | Directed by George Abbott and Stanley Donen
Starring Tab Hunter, Gwen Verdon, and Ray Walston
Film adaptation of George Abbott’s Broadway musical. A desperate baseball fan sells his soul to the devil to see his favorite team win the pennant. While it doesn’t stray far from the stage version, it picks up an extra element of fun from having Ray Walston as Mr. Applegate. In fact, this is one of the significant roles that made him famous.
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40points
#17 Anything Goes
1956 | 1h 46m | Directed by Robert Lewis
Starring Bing Crosby, Donald O’Connor, and Zizi Jeanmaire
Adapted from one of the most popular musicals of the 1930s, Anything Goes tells the story of two entertainers scheduled to appear in a Broadway show who travel to Europe, where each discovers the perfect leading lady for the female role. This movie marks Bing Crosby’s last Paramount picture.
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39points
#18 The Fantasticks
1995 | 1h 26m | Directed by Michael Richie
Starring Joel Gray, Bernard Hughes, and Jean Louisa Kelly
Based on the 1960 musical of the same name, The Fantasticks is a parable about love and life. It follows the story of two neighboring fathers who trick their children into falling in love by pretending to feud in order to unite them. The movie was made in 1995, but its proper (though minimal) release didn’t happen until 2000.
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38points
#19 Pinocchio
1940 | 1h 28m | Directed by Ben Sharpsteen and Hamilton Luske
Starring Dick Jones, Cliff Edwards, and Christian Rub
We all know his story: Pinocchio, a living wooden marionette, must prove he’s worthy of becoming a human boy. Despite being produced more than 80 years ago, Pinocchio still catches the attention of both kids and adults with its music and memorable characters. Walt Disney enjoyed the character Figaro so much he wanted him to be included in the movie as much as possible and also made him Minnie Mouse’s pet.
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37points
