favourite Busby Berkeley production number

[dfordoom]

When I think of musicals, I always think of Busby Berkeley. Especially his early 1930s work on films like 42nd Street. Do you have a favourite Busby Berkeley production number?

[ayresorchids]

By a Waterfall, I'm calling you-hoo-hoo-hoo...

[MikeBSG]

"The Lullaby of Broadway" from Golddiggers of 1935. The stuff he crams into that number make a movie in and of itself. The way the heroine falls to her death but that doesn't stop the dancing (or break the mood of the larger film) is remarkable.

[NZ]

'By A Waterfall'

 

'Don't Say Goodnight' from Wonder Bar runs it a very close second.

 

'We're In The Money' comes to mind.

[JackBurley]

The kaleidescope of Carmen Miranda's "Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat" from The Gang's All Here

 

Mickey and Judy running the trombone gauntlet of Tommy Dorsey's band in the "I Got Rhythm" number from Girl Crazy.

 

The Depression wail of "Remember My Forgotten Man" from Gold Diggers of 1933.

 

Ann Miller tapping around the disembodied instrumentalists in Small Town Girl.

 

And the ultimate tapping number, "Lullaby of Broadway" from Gold Diggers of 1935.

[ch3]

Andre Previn reported on his first meeting with Berkeley as a young composer/arranger assigned to SMALL TOWN GIRL. As Berkeley sat behind his desk, he informed Previn that he wanted "Janie" Powell to make her entrance in the film riding in a carriage drawn by fifty golden eagles. Previn eventually said, "Okay." In any event, Berkeley's grand vision was scaled back (perhaps by MGM chief Dore Schary) and Powell made her entrance by walking out her front door and putting on her gloves.

[genetikci]

The Waltz Of The Shadows from Gold Diggers of 1933 (neon violins)

The Words Are in My Heart from Gold Diggers of 1935 (pianos)

and

Pettin' In The Park from Gold Diggers of 1933

[Cinemascope]

I'm also gonna go with "Lady in the Tutti-Frutti Hat" performed by Carmen Miranda in The Gang's All Here - but don't expect to see those wonderful colors in all their splendor in the recent (and botched) DVD release. The old laserdisc release still looks a lot better, and this has got to be the splashiest Technicolor number BB ever directed! B-)