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Today, we're all accustomed to the beauty of sharp color cinematography. However, there is still a lot we can all learn about film by watching the early classics in black and white. Even though it can be hard to get over the grainy film quality, older black and white movies can show off more contrast and impressive lighting techniques than movies in color. In addition, the lack of color and cinematographic pyrotechnics leaves space for the story and sound to really shine through. If you are interested in studying historical film, or in the mood for an old-fashioned style of entertainment, here are the best black and white musicals.
7 Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is often thought of as a Christmas movie, but most of the film doesn't actually take place around the winter Holidays. Jim (Bing Crosby) sets up a hotel only to provide food and entertainment every holiday of the year. Hilarious trouble arises when Jim starts falling for the hotel's dancer the same holiday that his old partner comes to whisk her away.
The film isn't shown very often today because of a musical number in atrocious and unnecessary black-face. Putting that monstrosity aside, the film remains a sweet love story, made complete by the Oscar-winning music, and great singing and dancing of Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, along with the introduction of the classic holiday song White Christmas.
6 The Gay Divorce
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers co-starred in enough iconic black and white musicals to make up a list of their own. The dancing duo represents a golden age in Hollywood and even in tap dancing. In this movie, Guy instantly falls in love with Mimi, however, she mistakes him for her best friend's husband. As incidents escalate atop each other around mistakes and miscommunications, the story grows into a comical mess that makes for one of the funniest Fred and Ginger films. We love this movie for Fred and Ginger's witty back and forth as well as their fun musical numbers that remain memorable to this today.
5 The Little Colonel
Shirley Temple is still a household name for her adorable childhood acting. Although she starred in many black and white films, The Little Colonel is a must-watch for her tap dance number with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. As the time it was extremely controversial for a white girl (especially one as young as Shirley Temple) to hold hands with and dance with a Black man. Today we can properly appreciate both the skill of the dancers and the forward-thinking ideals that their musical number represents. In this charming film, Sherman Lloyd (Shirley Temple) tries to charm her hardened grandfather and repair broken family relationships.
4 Girl Crazy
Judy Garland is most famous for her musicals in color; one in particular, the classic movie The Wizard of Oz, makes her a recognizable face to all ages. However, in her youth, Judy Garland also starred in nine films alongside Mickey Rooney. Even though color technology was available, most of these films with the two together were low budget enough to remain in black and white. Girl Crazy was Garland and Rooney's last film together, and one that displayed some of the best of their acting talent. In this film, a father sends his playboy son off to school in order to keep him out of trouble with women. However, when the son meets the local postmistress, the father's plan does not have the intended effect, to comical effects. The dynamic between the two actors was legendary, and their musical performances together does not fail to entertain here.
3 Stormy Weather
With a cast full of renowned tap dancers and singers like Lena Horne, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, and Cab Calloway, this film is a staple for any tap lover. In one surprising number, two of the most incredible tap dancers, the Nicholas brothers, incorporate acrobatics into their high energy tap choreography. In Stormy Weather, an up-and-coming dancer falls in love with an up-and-coming singer. After the two find success, they drift apart, but a new shot gives them the chance to reconnect. With a refreshing focus on Black talent, Stormy Weather remains one of the most entertaining black and white musicals of all time.
2 Showboat (1936)
This version of the famous musical often gets traded for the 1951 version of Show Boat with Howard Keel. Although the other version may be in color, there is something special about watching this incredibly acted and performaed version, a perfect remake of the paltry 1927 Show Boat. In this movie, two women performers on a showboat think they have found true love. However, racial prejudices and other common challenges of the time impede their happily ever after.
One of the standout moments of this film is the performance of "Old Man River" by the legendary Paul Robeson. He didn't appear in many other movies after joining the communist party (and being targeted and harassed by the FBI and McCarthy investigations), but his musical talent is still unmistakable and helps make this the best version.
1 Top Hat
Top Hat is often considered one of the greatest musicals of all time, black and white or not. This movie is famous because of a certain dance number where Ginger Rogers wore a feather dress, and the unique shape and texture of the outfit is especially striking in black and white. Fred Astaire famously opposed her wearing it, because it constantly inferred with their actual dancing, but even he had to admit that it looked good on the big screen. Aside from that, the film is brimming with outstanding choreograpphy and perfect use of the sharp contrast between black and white, along with phenomenal music. Top Hat tells the story of a dancer who falls in love with a girl when he comes to preform at a show in London. The film is complete with the usual quality of comedy and dancing typical of any Fred and Ginger film, but arguably tops them all.