42nd Street

"Come and meet Those dancing feet ''On the avenue I'm taking you to, Forty-second street."

At a little less than 90 minutes, 42nd Street is a fast-moving picture that crackles with great dialogue and snappily plays up Busby Berkeley's dance routines and and the bouncy Al Dubin-Harry Warren ditties that include the irrepressably cheerful "Young and Healthy" (featuring the adorable Toby Wing), "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" and the title number.

A famous Broadway director (Warner Baxter) takes on a new show despite his ill health, then faces disaster at every turn, including the loss of his leading lady on opening night. The film features Bebe Daniels as the star of the show and Berkeley regulars Guy Kibbee, Ginger Rogers, Dick Powell, and Ruby Keeler, whom Baxter implores, "You're going out a youngster, but you've got to come back a star!"

42nd Street was added to the National Film Registry in 1998.


 * Busby Berkeley Number: Par for the course for a Warner Bros movie in the early 1930s.