{"id":26106,"date":"2012-06-13T12:49:39","date_gmt":"2012-06-13T19:49:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=26106"},"modified":"2021-01-01T15:38:36","modified_gmt":"2021-01-01T22:38:36","slug":"gold-diggers-of-1933-the-1933","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=26106","title":{"rendered":"Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I know these showgirls: they&#8217;re just little parasites, little gold diggers!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-of-1933-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-of-1933-Poster-212x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"212\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-26108\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-of-1933-Poster-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-of-1933-Poster-90x128.jpg 90w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-of-1933-Poster.jpg 534w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA secretly wealthy aspiring composer (Dick Powell) in love with a chorus girl (Ruby Keeler) helps to finance a new musical production starring Keeler and her friends (Joan Blondell, Aline McMahon, and Ginger Rogers), much to the chagrin of his disapproving brother (Warren Williams), who attempts to break off Powell&#8217;s relationship but instead finds himself falling for Blondell.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Busby Berkeley Films<\/li>\n<li>Cross-Class Romance<\/li>\n<li>Depression Era<\/li>\n<li>Dick Powell Films<\/li>\n<li>Ginger Rogers Films<\/li>\n<li>Gold Diggers<\/li>\n<li>Joan Blondell Films<\/li>\n<li>Let\u2019s-Put-On-a-Show<\/li>\n<li>Mervyn LeRoy Films<\/li>\n<li>Mistaken Identities<\/li>\n<li>Musicals<\/li>\n<li>Ruby Keeler Films<\/li>\n<li>Showgirls<\/li>\n<li>Warren William Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary accurately refers to this Depression-era Warners musical as &#8220;super&#8221; and full of &#8220;extravagant, delightfully outlandish Busby Berkeley production numbers&#8221;. He points out that because Warners was the &#8220;one studio that called attention to the country&#8217;s social problems&#8221;, the storyline remains strongly tied to issues of the day, straight through to its stunning &#8220;mammoth&#8221; finale, a &#8220;Blondell-led production tribute to the &#8216;Forgotten Man&#8217; who fought in the war but couldn&#8217;t get a job when he came home&#8221;. He notes that &#8220;Blondell has one of her most appealing roles&#8221;, that &#8220;Rogers displays a sparkling, hungry&#8230; quality&#8221;, and that &#8220;Powell is in fine voice during &#8216;Pettin&#8217; in the Park'&#8221; (a catchy tune you won&#8217;t easily be able to get out of your head). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Keeler-Powell.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Keeler-Powell-1024x645.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"403\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-61092\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Keeler-Powell-1024x645.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Keeler-Powell-300x189.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Keeler-Powell-128x81.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Keeler-Powell-768x484.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Keeler-Powell-1536x967.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Keeler-Powell-429x270.png 429w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Keeler-Powell.png 1637w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In his review, Peary doesn&#8217;t say a word about Keeler, whose erstwhile fame as a charming leading lady of early-&#8217;30s musicals continues to puzzle modern viewers, given her decidedly weak singing voice and clunky dancing style; however, she&#8217;s cute and does an okay job here, ultimately playing more of a supporting role than a leading one. It&#8217;s more puzzling to me that Peary fails to mention Aline McMahon&#8217;s hilariously memorable turn as a boldly flirtatious gold-digger determined to seduce Williams&#8217; susceptible lawyer-friend (Guy Kibbee); she shines in a rare opportunity to share the screen equitably with her co-stars. Meanwhile, though her role is minimal, Rogers demonstrates exactly why she went on to leading-lady fame shortly after this film&#8217;s release; her Pig Latin rendition of &#8220;We&#8217;re in the Money&#8221; provides a truly stunning opening to the film (recall the presence of this particular sequence in Arthur Penn&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=4421\"><em>Bonnie and Clyde<\/em><\/a>). <\/p>\n<p>But the film&#8217;s real draw, of course, are the outrageously surreal Busby Berkeley musical numbers, each of which merits some sort of prize for sheer creative chutzpah. It&#8217;s been duly noted that such numbers would never have &#8220;worked&#8221; in real life on a stage, given that strategic cinematic framing plays an enormous part in their presentation here &#8212; but viewers must simply ignore such details and enjoy Berkeley&#8217;s incomparable vision. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Several truly memorable Busby Berkeley numbers<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Violins.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Violins-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-26116\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Violins-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Violins-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Violins-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Violins.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Pettin-Park.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Pettin-Park-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-26113\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Pettin-Park-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Pettin-Park-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Pettin-Park-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Pettin-Park.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Sets.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Sets-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-26115\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Sets-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Sets-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Sets-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Sets.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-In-the-Shadows.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-In-the-Shadows-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-26111\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-In-the-Shadows-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-In-the-Shadows-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-In-the-Shadows-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-In-the-Shadows.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Forgotten-Man.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Forgotten-Man-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-26110\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Forgotten-Man-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Forgotten-Man-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Forgotten-Man-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Forgotten-Man.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Ginger Rogers singing &#8220;We&#8217;re in the Money&#8221; in pig Latin<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Pig-Latin.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Pig-Latin-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-26114\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Pig-Latin-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Pig-Latin-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Pig-Latin-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Pig-Latin.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Joan Blondell as Carol (nominated by Peary as one of the Best Actresses of the Year)<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Blondell.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Blondell-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-26109\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Blondell-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Blondell-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Blondell-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-Blondell.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Aline McMahon as Trixie<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-McMahon.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-McMahon-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-26112\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-McMahon-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-McMahon-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-McMahon-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/Gold-Diggers-1933-McMahon.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a delightful showcase for Berkeley&#8217;s talents. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Genuine Classic<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0024069\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1933\/06\/08\/archives\/warren-william-aline-macmahon-and-guy-kibbee-in-a-musical.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/3463\/gold-diggers-of-1933#articles-reviews\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=3707&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jigsawlounge.co.uk\/film\/golddiggers.html\">Jigsaw Lounge Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s1934busb.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/gold-diggers-of-1933\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I know these showgirls: they&#8217;re just little parasites, little gold diggers!&#8221; Synopsis: A secretly wealthy aspiring composer (Dick Powell) in love with a chorus girl (Ruby Keeler) helps to finance a new musical production starring Keeler and her friends (Joan Blondell, Aline McMahon, and Ginger Rogers), much to the chagrin of his disapproving brother (Warren Williams), who attempts to break off Powell&#8217;s relationship but instead finds himself falling for Blondell. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Busby Berkeley Films Cross-Class Romance&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=26106\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26106","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26106","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26106"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26106\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61093,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26106\/revisions\/61093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26106"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26106"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26106"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}