The 7 best movie musicals of all time – Mary Poppins not no. 1 | Films | Entertainment
A ranking of the top-rated musical films has been revealed — and neither Mary Poppins, Wizard of Oz nor Hamilton took top spot. With the colder nights of autumn upon us, many Britons will be nursing their winter blues with the extravagant costumes, stirring anthems, and escapism of their old favourite musicals.
But for the uninitiated looking for the best loved and most acclaimed movies in the genre, review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes put together a list based on their Tomatometer score, which reflects the percentage of approved critics who have given it a positive review. Films that are Certified Fresh (a designation they give to best-reviewed shows and films) went first. The site noted that it specifically picked films “where people break into song and dance”, rather than ones that just feature musical performances, like biopics about musicians’ lives. It features some of the all-time greats of the genre, and one Hollwood icon stars in three of the top 7. Read on to find out if your favourite is on the list.
In at number 7 is A Star is Born, a classic from 1954 starring Judy Garland and James Mason.
Garland stars as Esther Blodgett on her way to fame as an actress and singer under the stage name Vicki Lester with the help of Norman (Mason) a declining matinee idol.
But as her career takes off, he falls further into alcoholism and despair.
The film boasts a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, an earned Mason and Garland Oscar nominations.
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A Hard Day’s Night was The Beatles’ first feature film, depicting a fictionalised, zany, gag-filled snapshot of life at the height of their fame.
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr star as themselves, getting into various hijinks and playing some of their best known numbers including the titular track, and And I Love Her.
The film, which was directed by Richard Lester and written by Alun Owen, has a 98% score on the site.
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The Wizard of Oz is hailed by many as the greatest musical – and perhaps the greatest film – ever.
In her second appearance on this list, Judy Garland stars as Dorothy a Kansas girl who gets caught in a tornado and is transported to a bizarre, dream-like world of Oz along with her dog Toto.
She soon makes friends with the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, the Scarecrow and set off to see the mysterious wizard, in hopes that he will grant their wishes, including hers – to return home.
The film is based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and remains a beloved classic of the genre.
(Image: Getty)
Hamilton (2020) was the only film in the top seven released in the 21st century, and was a live recording of the musical being performed on broadway.
It tells the life story of Alexander Hamilton, a founding father of the USA who was the country’s first secretary of the treasury under George Washington.
The musical, which was filmed over three performances, tells the story of his life and role in the American Revolution using a blend of modern musical styles and proved a massive hit.
It was inspired by Ron Chernow’s 2004 biography of Hamilton, and starred Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also wrote the music, lyrics, and book, as the historic statesman.
It garnered a superb 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
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In Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), tells the story of the Smiths, a Missouri family shortly in the lead up to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (commonly known as the World’s Fair) in 1904.
Told in a series of vignettes across the seasons, Garland stars as Esther Smith one of the Smiths’ four daughters who is smitten with the boy next door.
It’s still adored for its charming depiction of family life and iconic songs, including “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”.
It boasts a near perfect 99% Tomatometer score, and like all seven on this list is Certified Fresh.
(Image: Getty)
