Please don't spend money on this.

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Absolutely Fantastic

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

"Gold Diggers of 1933) opens with Ginger Rogers singing as part of a bevy of chorus girls. Then it switches to an apartment shared by three others in that show, bemoaning how tough it is to get a job. It's the depression, and it colors every aspect of the story. (Another film about the backstage lives of actresses will follow in 1937--"Stage Door", also starring Ginger Rogers, is a better film, but both are worth watching.)The three women are played by Ruby Keeler, Joan Blondell, and Aline MacMahon. Just when they are at their lowest, there is hope of a new revue--if only they can find financing. The funding finally comes from a surprising source, and the film launches into a number of parallel love stories that develop as the show gets off the ground.The rest of the cast is talented, including Dick Powell, who is well suited for the revue format. A large portion of the film is consumed by Busby Berkley extravaganza pieces that deserve to be seen for their own historical significance. The final number is driven by a beautiful piece of music, "My Forgotten Man", a lament for the victims of the economy, especially those who served as doughboys in WWI. It's a jazz march with gospel overtones--a very powerful piece of music, accompanied by scenes of soup lines filled with former heroes."Gold Diggers" is also notable for its pre-Code titillations, like the obligatory stocking shots and the racy implications of nudity, in silhouette.

Like many of the movies involving Busby Berkeley, the impact made on viewers by GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 likely will be counter-intuitive. Other than being promised several times earlier in the story, Berkeley's closing ballad of The Forgotten Man has merely a tenuous relationship to the previous 95 percent of this film. Yet it catches the essence not only of its fictional world, but also the flavor of the atrocities waged against ordinary Americans by the Hoover Administration in the early 1930s, as well as the Corporate-purchased U.S. Administrations and Congresses of the 21st Century, which have allowed a concentration of wealth that now exceeds that prompting Theodore Roosevelt to bust the trusts of the Robber Barons even before Teddy's cousin Franklin socialized much of the American economy. Perhaps Berkeley's chief accomplishment was to get his truth into a format entertaining enough to win over not only the public well off enough to be able to spare a dime for the movies, but also the suits at Warner Brothers (though they admittedly WERE notoriously cheap, and consequently always on the look-out for anything sensational). Michael Moore's tirades of today cannot hold a candle to the subtly subversive power of this GOLD DIGGERS, which features sexy girls socking it to the rich guys before standing up and shouting out for their own "forgotten men."

While "42nd Street" gets most of the acclaim today I think that "Gold Diggers of 1933" may be the best all-around effort among the Busby Berkeley musicals. The story concerns a Boston blue blood songwriter who finances a Broadway show and ends up taking the stage at the last minute. However, when his brother hears about his undignified behaviour he comes to town in order to put an end to his newfound career & romance.The cast is a fine one which produces several entertaining performances. A number of the actors are "42nd Street" alumni, including Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Guy Kibbee, Ned Sparks & Ginger Rogers. Warren William, Joan Blondell & Aline MacMahon join them to make up an enviable cast.Mervyn LeRoy was in the director's chair and he did a pretty good job but the obvious attraction here is Busby Berkeley's peerless musical numbers featuring the music of Warren & Dubin. From the opening number "We're in the Money" to the visual splendour of "Pettin' in the Park" & "The Shadow Waltz" it's clear that we're seeing and hearing something special. However, I question the use of "Remember My Forgotten Man" as the closer since I consider it the weakest and least 'fun' of the numbers.Minor complaints aside, "Gold Diggers of 1933" is an entertaining musical containing some stellar work from Busby Berkeley along with catchy songs from Warren & Dubin. Unlike some of the other Berkeley musicals the story here is more than just an excuse to show some musical numbers, which I think elevates it above the pack.

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)*** 1/2 (out of 4)Millionaire turned songwriter (Dick Powell) gives $15,000 to get a Broadway play off the ground but by doing so he embarrasses his rich family who don't want him marrying a showgirl (Ruby Keeler). His older brother (Warren William) shows up to force the woman to break up with him but he ends up speaking with the wrong woman (Joan Blondell) and soon finds himself falling in love. The actual story here isn't the strongest and it's certainly not the high point of this film but the terrific cast and excellent Busby Berkeley music scenes make this a true classic in its genre. After the cast introductions we get kicked into high gear with The Gold Diggers' Son (We're in the Money) sung magnificently by the beautiful Ginger Rogers. From here we get plenty of other great tunes including Powell singing Shadow Waltz, I've Got to Sing a Torch Song and Pettin' in the Park among others. For me the highlight of all the music was the first tune by Rogers as her talent, beauty and charm jump right off the screen the minute she opens her mouth and it's not hard to see why America fell in love with her. It seems Powell gets a few major critics today but he too was very charming in his role and he played the part extremely well. Keeler didn't seem to have the greatest talent in the world but she makes her character very believable here and her scenes with Powell are another major plus. I've yet to see a woman that William wasn't good in and his dark, grumpy character is a lot of fun as is his relationship with Blondell. Aline MacMahon and Guy Kibbee add great support as well. The music sequences are all extremely beauty to watch unfold and especially a later "glowing in the dark" sequence, which will certainly catch anyone's attention even if they hate musicals. I think the film is far from perfect with most of the blame being on the lack of songs in the middle of the picture and the fact that the "joke" being pulled on William isn't the strongest bit of writing out there. With that said, the cast and music is so great that this here certainly deserves its reputation of a classic.