42nd Street (film)

42nd Street is a 1933 American Pre-Code musical film, directed by Lloyd Bacon. The choreography was staged by Busby Berkeley. The songs were written by Harry Warren (music) and Al Dubin (lyrics). The script was written by Rian James and James Seymour, with Whitney Bolton, who was not credited, from the 1932 novel of the same name by Bradford Ropes.

This backstage musical was very successful at the box office and is now considered a classic by many. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. In 1998, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". In 2006, it ranked 13th on the American Film Institute's list of best musicals.

Plot

It is 1932, the depth of the Depression, and noted Broadway producers Jones (Robert McWade) and Barry (Ned Sparks) are putting on Pretty Lady, a musical starring Dorothy Brock (Bebe Daniels). She is involved with wealthy Abner Dillon (Guy Kibbee), the show's "angel" (financial backer), but while she is busy keeping him both hooked and at arm's length, she is secretly seeing her old vaudeville partner, out-of-work Pat Denning (George Brent).

42nd Street

42nd Street may refer to:

New York City Subway

42nd Street (song)

42nd Street is the title song from the 1933 Warner Bros. backstage musical film 42nd Street, with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Al Dubin. The song was published in 1932. It is the finale of the film, where it was sung by Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell and ensemble. It was used again in 1980 when the film was adapted as a long-running Broadway musical. In 2004 the song placed #97 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of the top tunes in American cinema.

The music inspired the title song to the Indian Hindi language film Sabse Bada Rupaiya. The song "Sabse Bada Rupaiya" would be used again in another Indian Hindi film Bluffmaster (2005).

References

42nd Street (IRT Third Avenue Line)

42nd Street was an elevated express station on the IRT Third Avenue Line in New York City. It had two levels with the lower level (built first) having three tracks. The main line tracks were served by two side platforms. A side platform connected to the southbound platform was used for shuttle service to Grand Central. The upper level was built as part of the Dual Contracts, and had one track and two side platforms over the two local tracks.

The next stop to the north was 47th Street for local trains and 106th Street for express trains. The next stop to the south was 34th Street for local trains and 23rd Street for express trains. The shuttle platform closed on December 23, 1923 and the main line station closed on May 12, 1955, with the ending of all service on the Third Avenue El south of 149th Street.When the IRT Second Avenue Line was closed on June 13, 1942, a free transfer for Third Avenue Line passengers was made available to and from the subway services at Grand Central – 42nd Street to replace the direct service to lower Manhattan that was lost.