As a fan of musical theatre, Busby Berkely's 42nd Street was great to watch. I thought the concept of this film was intriguing as we as an audience only see the finished product of a show, so I felt a film broadening out this view and showing the process was a unique and ingenious idea that appeals to both theatre and film enthusiasts. The depiction of the work that goes into the final piece encourages a new appreciation for the cast.
As a modern viewer I found the roles of women within the film to be though provoking. female narratives were surrounded by men and their pursuit of them which for me was the side of the plot I was less enthused by. However, the scene before Sawyers debut where there is this encouragement between women, with a real sense of strength and unity was a great, empowering moment for those characters which I would have liked to have seen more of.
The large dance sequence in the final part of the film was spectacular to watch. I found it really interesting as when you are a member of an audience watching a show you take on a fairly passive role, but Berkely's moving camera allowed the viewers to interact with the dance moving through it as if become fully apart of it. The use of symmetry, shape, and the now iconic overhead angles made this scene something unique and ingenious within the film industry at this time. A real highlight has to be the cut out buildings forming together to create the New York Skyline, a truly inspiring design that works brilliantly in the routine.
This film is a masterpiece of its time bringing the audience into the rehearsal and pushing them further into the performance than has ever been possible.
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