As soon as movies could talk, they began to sing and dance—and musicals quickly became among the most popular film genres in America. Over the next nine decades the movie musical would evolve to embrace every type of performance, from operetta to rock and soul, tap to ballet, and draw from Broadway hits and original creations from composers like Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and Irving Berlin.

Brian Rose, professor emeritus at Fordham University, traces the fascinating history of this uniquely American form and includes more than 30 excerpts spotlighting artists including Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, the Nicholas Brothers, Busby Berkeley, Gene Kelly, and the Beatles.

Patron Information

• If you register multiple individuals, you will be asked to supply individual names and email addresses so they can receive a Zoom link email. Please note that if there is a change in program schedule or a cancellation, we will notify you via email, and it will be your responsibility to notify other registrants in your group.
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• View Common FAQs about our Streaming Programs on Zoom.