(aka 'Forty-Second Street ')
Directed by
Lloyd Bacon
USA 1933
Set during the depression, this is the granddaddy of backstage musicals in which
the understudy finally gets a chance to shine. It may seem a little cliché now,
but in 1933 this was hot stuff. All that behind-the-scenes atmosphere feels very
genuine, and the script is more acerbic than you might expect.
A sickly Julian Marsh (Warner Baxter) puts his all into what may be his last
show, only to face a disaster when leading lady Dorothy Brock (Bebe Daniels)
sprains her ankle. Thank heavens for ingenue Peggy Sawyer (Ruby Keeler), who
steps in at the last minute. The vivacious soundtrack includes "Shuffle off to
Buffalo," and the still-catchy title tune. Best of all are those extravagant,
kaleidoscopic dance numbers by Busby Berkeley, then in his prime.
Posters
 |
 |
 |
Theatrical Release: February 2nd, 1933
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
DVD Review: Warner - Region 1 - NTSC
| DVD Box Cover |
|
Individual order:
|
 |
Also part of
The Busby Berkeley Collection with Footlight Parade / Gold Diggers of
1933 / Dames / Gold Diggers of 1935 and 42nd Street.
|
|
| Distribution | Warner Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC | |
| Runtime | 1:29:09 | |
| Video | 1.33:1
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.65 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
|
|
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
||
| Bitrate: |
|
|
| Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0) | |
| Subtitles | English, French, None | |
| Features |
Release Information: Edition Details: • Vintage
Featurette Harry Warren: America's Foremost Composer |
|
| Comments: |
Looks very strong! I never owned the previous snapper-case version so I can't determine if it has been an improvement - and quite possibly it is repackaged with the same duplicated extras (unlike the others in the boxset it is only region 1 - as opposed to compatible with 2,3,4). It has the typical grain, great contrast, a few speckles and good detail. More solid extras but I would have thought it might have warranted a commentary. I highly doubt it will ever look better - the groundbreaking choreography made Busby Berkeley's name and it marks this film as a true spectacle - astounding that over 70 years later it is still so captivating with its faux-dramaturgy that is totally unapologetic. What a glorious hoot! NOTE: the old snapper-case version from Sept. 2000 is actually more expensive now than this newer release. We recommend buying the entire Berkeley Collection package - it is reviewed HERE. |
DVD Menus
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Subtitle Sample
 |
Screen Captures
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| DVD Box Cover |
|
Individual order:
|
|
|
Also part of
The Busby Berkeley Collection with Footlight Parade / Gold Diggers of
1933 / Dames / Gold Diggers of 1935 and 42nd Street.
|
|
| Distribution | Warner Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC | |
DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive and advertisement free:
Mail cheques, money orders, cash to: or CLICK PayPal logo to donate!
|
Gary Tooze 1775 Rowntree Court Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 4V3 CANADA |
|
Thank You!
