Movies That Became Broadway Musicals

                                                            Part 1

There have been many of Broadway Musicals that were made into movies. While researching those I had this thought: what about flipping the coin? Have there been a lot of movies that were made into Broadway Musicals? Actually, yes. Comparatively speaking not that many, but here are those that made the trip.

    Perhaps the most famous movie that went to Broadway is Singin’ In The Rain (1952). And it is a wonderful film! Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds singing and dancing up a storm in the musical story of movies leaving their silent beginning and becoming talkies. Jean Hagen is on board as Lina, a star in silents whose grating, high pitched voice dooms her career in talkies. Ms. Hagen won the only Oscar for this film.  Good for her, but everyone else deserved one, including the movie itself. The film was made into a Broadway musical, still performed across America. And directors have struggled with that scene with Gene Kelly singing and dancing through a rain storm. With mixed success.

The next two examples of the film to play genre are Disney vehicles. Beauty and the Beast (1994) and The Lion King (1997) were born as animated films. Never mind that, both became excellent musical plays. The first is very faithful to the film and the music is stellar. The fairy tale story of the prince cursed by a witch to live his life as an ugly beast is well suited for the stage.  The second would seem to be difficult to stage, but the artists at Disney made stage-worthy animals. These are manipulated by actors and are really the stars of the show. The stage animals are just jaw dropping!

Hairspray (1988) is a fun story about a chubby Baltimore girl (Tracy) who wants to be a star on a TV dance show. The teen-age dance show is sponsored by Ultra Clutch Hair Spray. Really!  The music is outstanding and the story is semi-serious, as the star is invested in integration and winds up in jail for her trouble. The film traveled to Broadway in 2002, then was remade as a movie in 2007. Several actors have had a grand time playing Tracy’s mother Edna. John Travolta, Divine, and Harvey Feirstein are some of the actors who played Edna. The part has always been cast as a man in drag since the original production. 

Sunset Boulevard (1950) is a splendid movie that seems to be perfectly positioned as a Broadway play. Directed by the famous Billy Wilder, the original film has Gloria Swanson chewing the scenery as washed up actress Norma Desmond and William Holden as her would-be biographer. And it has legendary director Erich Von Stroheim as Max, Norma’s servile husband. The music in the original film is orchestral and quite good. But Andrew Lloyd Weber’s soaring score for the play is outstanding. The cast album is a big winner.

All of the movies in this article are available somewhere, probably for a price. The first three are fine for all audiences. The last two are for grown-ups. 

                                                                   Teri Garr

                                                                        Part 2

Teri Garr had the unique experience of playing a major role in two similar movies less than a year apart. One featured a man dressing as a woman to land a part. And one that involved a man taking on the job of stay-at-home Dad while his wife becomes the breadwinner. In one she assists the man. In the other she is finally impressed by the job the man is doing.

In Tootisie (1982) she is Sandy Lester, who tries out for a part in the soap opera Southwest General. She doesn’t get the part. Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) is an actor who is so difficult nobody will hire him. He hears about the available role in the soap and decides to dress like a woman and try for it. He is so convincing as Dorothy Michaels they hire him. He also convinces everyone else, but Sandy catches him out when she finds him in her dressing room to try on some of her clothes. She doesn’t give him up, though. Various romances develop with Michael falling for actress Julie (Jessica Lange) who doesn’t realize he’s a man. And Les (Charles Durning) falls for Dorothy, thinking she is in fact a woman. This film was wildly successful, and was nominated for 10 Oscars. Teri Garr was nominated, but so was Jessica Lange, and Lange won the statue. The picture was nominated for Best, but lost to Gandhi. 

Then in 1983 came Mr. Mom. It featured Michael Keaton in his first starring role. He portrays Jack Butler, engineer and father of three. He is laid off from his job at Ford, and his wife Caroline (Teri Garr) uses her education and experience to land a good job at an advertising agency. She succeeds and impresses the clients of the agency, especially when she brings a needed feminine perspective to some of the ads. Meanwhile, Jack struggles as the new main caretaker and homemaker with little experience or  knowledge of what he’s doing. But he catches on quickly and becomes the darling of the neighborhood mothers, while Caroline climbs the corporate ladder. 

In After Hours (1985) Teri portrays Julie, a waitress with artistic talent who draws a Wanted poster of poor Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne) that gets him into all kinds of trouble. This is a complicated black comedy, directed by none of than Martin Scorcese.

Teri Garr has a brief appearance as herself in the Hollywood satire The Player (1992). Tim Robbins has a ball playing a studio hack who will do anything to advance his career. Including murder. 

The boy and the horse are just about the whole show in The Black Stallion (1979). After a shipwreck, the two are washed up on a desert island where they become inseparable. Then they’re rescued and the horse becomes a racer. Teri Garr is there to carry the water as the boy’s mother and she carries it well. 

All of the movies in this article are available somewhere, probably for a price. Only the last one is really suitable for all ages.