47 Classic Movie Musicals to Watch While Quarantined | Playbill

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Lists 47 Classic Movie Musicals to Watch While Quarantined From Fred Astaire in Top Hat to Gene Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain, from West Side Story to The Sound of Music to Fiddler on the Roof and more, here’s how to rent or buy dozens of movie musicals without leaving your home.
Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain MGM

Broadway may be shutdown, but there is no shortage of musicals to watch from the comfort of your home. Dozens of titles have been put online, from the MGM musicals that inspired stage adaptations to the film adaptations of Broadway hits.

Be it Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers or Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, the magic of old Hollywood is now available in your home! Not to mention musicals from Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, Cole Porter, Jule Styne, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, and more.

READ: Where to Rent or Download All 10 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers Movies Right Now

Scroll through the list below for an abundance of choices from 1933–1974. Asterisks indicate free with a membership to Disney+ or Amazon Prime. What classics are available to stream that we didn't include?

Stay tuned to Playbill for our list of modern movie musicals, from 1975 onward.

42nd Street
1933
Starring: Ruby Keeler
The movie that inspired the 1980 Gower Champion Broadway tap extravaganza. Producer Julian Marsh is doing a show and casts leading lady Dorothy Brock for her boyfriend’s deep pockets. But when Brock can’t go on, newcomer Peggy Sawyer must step in and save the show.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes

Top Hat
1935
Starring: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers
Often considered the duo’s best dancing film, the movie with a score by Irving Berlin follows a woman who mistakenly thinks her best friend's husband is in love with her.
Available on: Vudu, YouTube, Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Play

Swing Time
1936
Starring: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Victor Moore
A dancer tries to make it big to prove he’s worthy of his fiancée.
Available on: YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu

Follow the Fleet
1936
Starring: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Randolph Scott
A sailor wants to reunite with his former girlfriend and dance partner.
Available on: Amazon Prime, Vudu

Shall We Dance
1937
Starring: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton
A ballet dancer and a showgirl fake a romance for publicity, but then they fall in love.
Available on: Google Play, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Vudu

A Damsel in Distress
1937
Starring: Fred Astaire, George Burns, Gracie Allen
When Astaire wants to bring American musical comedy to England, he meets Joan Fontaine,who’s pining for a husband.
Available on: Amazon Prime, YouTube, iTunes, Google Play

Carefree
1938
Starring: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Ralph Bellamy
A “marriage-shy” woman falls for her therapist. Dancing ensues!
Available on: Amazon Prime

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
1939
Starring: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edna May Oliver
In the years leading up to the first World War, vaudeville performer Vernon Castle realizes he shares a love for dancing with Irene Foote.
Available on: Amazon Prime, Vudu

Broadway Melody of 1940
1940
Starring: Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell, George Murphy
Dance duo Johnny Brett and King Shaw are barely getting by performing in dance halls when a producer sees Brett’s moves and wants to cast him as the partner for Broadway star Clare Bennett. But confusion ensues and when Shaw ends up with Bennett, hilarity follows.
Available on: Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, iTunes

Second Chorus
1940
Starring: Fred Astaire, Paulette Goddard, Burgess Meredith
After two college music students intentionally fail their exams to put off the real world, the re-think their choice to stay in school when they meet the manager of Artie Shaw’s band and try to woo her as a way to book the gig.
Available on: Amazon Prime, iTunes

You’ll Never Get Rich
1941
Starring: Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, John Hubbard
A Broadway producer gets caught cheating on his wife when she finds him buying a gift for his mistress. The producer tells her he’s buying it on behalf of his friend—but to prove it the mistress and the friend have to go on their own date.
Available on: Amazon Prime, Vudu, YouTube, Google Play

Easter Parade
1948
Starring: Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Ann Miller, Peter Lawford
When Don Hewes’ dancing partner leaves him to go solo, he swears he can make the next dancer he sees a superstar. As he trains the inexperienced Hannah, sparks fly.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Amazon Prime, iTunes, Vudu

Take Me Out to the Ballgame
1949
Starring: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Esther Williams
Directed by Busby Berkeley, the movie follows two baseball players for the Wolves who secretly love vaudeville. When a gambler bets on the Wolves losing, he tries to shore up his bet by offering one of the guys the lead in the show—but his buddy and his manager (who happens to be his girlfriend) won’t be so pleased…
Available on: YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes

On The Town
1949
Starring: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Jules Munshin
Three sailors find adventure (and love) in New York during their 24-hour shore leave. Don’t miss songs like “New York New York” and Ann Miller’s unbelievable tap number in “Prehistoric Man.”
Available on: Amazon Prime, Vudu, iTunes

Summer Stock
1950
Starring: Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Phil Silvers
A farmer gets roped into show business when a theatre troupe invades her farm. But really, you want to see it for “Get Happy.”
Available on: YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu

An American in Paris
1951
Starring: Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron
Directed by Vincente Minnelli, this Oscar-winning Best Picture inspired the Broadway musical. With music by George and Ira Gershwin (like “I’ve Got Rhythm” and “S Wonderful”), the story of ex-GI Jerry and his love for Parisian dancer Lise, is told through stunning dance—including the epic 18-minute finale number.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes

Show Boat
1951
Starring: Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner, Howard Keel
The Oscar-nominated movie musical came after the many-times revised musical by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein, about the lives and the romances of a theatre troupe aboard a Mississippi river boat.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes

Singin’ in the Rain
1952
Starring: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O’Connor
Betty Comden and Adolph Green’s forever-brilliant musical features songs like “Moses”, “Make Em Laugh”, “Good Morning” and the iconic title number. Kelly and Stanley Donen directed and choreographed the magnificent film full of thrilling tap numbers and a love story for the ages.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes

The Belle of New York
1952
Much to the disdain of his wealthy aunt, bachelor Charlie won’t give up his fast and loose lifestyle—until he meets charity worker Angela
Starring: Fred Astaire, Vera Ellen, Marjorie Main
Available on: YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu

The Band Wagon
1953
Starring: Fred Astaire
When a movie musical star fears his career could be over, his friends write him a show. But an egotistical director gives him a run for his money and the leading lady he casts may be more than this star can handle.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Vudu, iTunes

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
1953
Starring: Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend in this movie based on the 1949 musical with new music for the film by Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Adamson plus songs from the Broadway score by Jule Styne and Leo Robin.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Vudu, iTunes

Kiss Me, Kate
1953
Starring: Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ann Miller
The 1947 Cole Porter-Bella and Samuel Spewack musical gets the movie treatment. A meta re-telling of The Taming of the Shrew, producer-actor Fred Graham is putting on a musical version of Shrew starring himself and his ex-wife Lilli Vanessi. Gangsters, tap-dancing, and backstage drama abound amongst songs like “Another Openin’, Another Show,” “Tom, Dick, and Harry” and “Too Darn Hot.”
Available on: Amazon Prime, Vudu

Brigadoon
1954
Starring: Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, Cyd Charisse
While on a Scottish hunting trip, two pals stumble upon the magical town of Brigadoon—which appears for one day every 100 years. But when Tommy falls for the woman he meets there, he must decide whether to stay or return to his life.
Available on: Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
1954
Starring: Jane Powell, Howard Keel, Jeff Richards
With music by Saul Chaplin and Gene de Paul, and lyrics by Johnny Mercer, songs leap to life with Michael Kidd’s acrobatic and groundbreaking choreography in a story about Jane Powell trying to teach Howard Keel's six brothers manners.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes

White Christmas
1954
Starring: Bing Crosby, Vera Ellen, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney
This is a case of the movie musical pre-dating the stage musical, which did not hit Broadway until 2008 (directed by Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Randy Skinner). The story follows a successful vaudeville duo who become involved with a sister act and try to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general to the tunes of Irving Berlin.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, iTunes, Amazon Prime

Guys and Dolls
1955
Starring: Frank Sinatra, Vivian Blaine, Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons
Nathan and Adelaide have been engaged for 14 years—put off over and over because of the floating crap game he hosts. Sky Masterson has no intention of setting down. But when Nathan needs money to hold his crap game, he makes a bet with Sky that sends the bachelor towards an unexpected romance. An unrivaled musical comedy, you’ll be singing along to songs like “Luck Be a Lady,” “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat” and more.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Amazon Prime

Oklahoma!
1955
Starring: Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones, Gloria Grahame
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1943 classic came to the screen years later, with Agnes De Mille providing her game-changing choreography again to tell the story of Curly and Laurey agains the backdrop of a changing Oklahoma territory.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes

Carousel
1956
Starring: Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones
Julie Jordan falls in love with carnival barker Billy Bigelow. Money troubles strain their marriage and when Julie becomes pregnant, Billy goes to extreme measures to provide to complicated results.
Available on: YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes

The King and I
1956
Starring: Deborah Kerr, Yul Brenner
The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical about the British teacher who moves to Siam to teach the king’s children, and meets the immovable king, first premiered on Broadway in 1951. Immortalized on film, the musical features iconic tunes like “Whistle a Happy Tune,” “Shall We Dance,” and “We Kiss in a Shadow.”
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes

Funny Face
1957
Starring: Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire, Kay Thompson
NYC fashion photographer Dick Avery sees bookseller Jo Stockton and is captivated by her beauty. Knowing he can make her a supermodel, he whisks her off to Paris to take photos and the chemistry is undeniable. You'll want to watch it for Kay THompson singing "Pink" at the very least.
Available on: Vudu, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes

Gigi
1958
Starring: Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier
In the movie musical by Lerner and Loewe, a Parisian tomboy falls for her guardian while being groomed to become a proper courtesan. After the movie, their story and score (including “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” and “The Night They Invented Champagne”) was adapted for the Broadway stage in 1973.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, iTunes, Amazon Prime

Damn Yankees
1958
Starring: Tab Hunter, Gwen Verdon
The musical bowed on Broadway in 1955 and Verdon reprised her Tony-winning performance on screen. With songs like “Whatever Lola Wants,” “Who’s Got the Pain?,” and “You Gotta Have Heart,” the musical by George Abbott, Richard Adler, and Jerry Ross sings again!
Available on: Amazon Prime

Bells Are Ringing
1960
Starring: Judy Holliday, Dean Martin
Holliday reprised her Tony-winning role of switchboard operator Ella Peterson on screen in this musical from Jule Styne, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, iTunes, Amazon Prime

*Flower Drum Song
1961
Starring: Nancy Kwan, James Shigeta, Benson Fong
Nominated for five Oscars, the adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1958 musical finds a young woman arriving in San Francisco's Chinatown from Hong Kong with the intention of marrying a nightclub owner, unaware he is involved with one of his singers.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime

West Side Story
1961
Starring: Natalie Wood, George Chakiris, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno
A cinematic masterpiece, Jerome Robbins directed and choreographed the then-modern day Romeo & Juliet story of rival gangs the Jets and the Sharks and the timeless love story of Tony and Maria. The movie won 10 Oscars, including Best Picture and for Robbins, Moreno, and Chakiris.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, iTunes, Amazon Prime

Bye Bye Birdie
1963
Starring: Dick Van Dyke, Chita Rivera
Bye Bye Birdie has it all: the amazing opening of “Telephone Hour,” a light-footed Dick Van Dyke in “Put on a Happy Face,” and Chita Rivera’s ferocity in “Spanish Rose.” Songwriter Albert Peterson was just about to hit big with Conrad Birdie recording his song, but then the rock star gets drafted. Peterson cooks up a scheme to have his song “One Last Kiss” sung on a national broadcast, where Conrad will kiss a lucky contests winner—just don’t tell her boyfriend.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, iTunes, Amazon Prime

*Mary Poppins
1964
Starring: Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke
The flying nanny introduces the Banks children to a world of imagination, adventure, and love—featuring songs like “A Spoonful of Sugar” and “Feed the Birds.”
Available on: Disney+; Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes

My Fair Lady
1964
Starring: Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison
Based on the 1956 Lerner and Loewe classic, the film famously starred Audrey Hepburn instead of original leading lady Julie Andrews as the poor flower girl scooped up by a linguistics professor as he proves that he can teach anyone to speak proper English and pass for the social elite. Featuring songs like “Wouldn’t It Be Lover-ly,, “I Could Have Danced All Night,” and “On the Street Where You Live.”
Available on: Amazon Prime

*The Sound of Music
1965
Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer
A novice nun gets sent to care for the seven Von Trapp children and begins to heal a broken family through music. The unforgettable Rodgers and Hammerstein score includes “Do Re Mi,” “Favorite Things,” and “So Long, Farewell.”
Available on: Disney+; Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes

Camelot
1967
Starring: Richard Harris, Vanessa Redgrave
The 1960 Lerner and Loewe musical quickly won over fans, and the movie earned three Oscars. Though the movie features a screenplay by Lerner, it varies from the stage musical—all the more reason to give it a try!
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, iTunes, Amazon Prime

Finian’s Rainbow
1968
Starring: Fred Astaire, Petula Clark, Tommy Steele
A musical fantasy with a score by Burton Lane and E.Y. Harburg, the story follows Finian McLonergan (Astaire) and his faithful daughter, Sharon (Clark), who stole a pot of gold from the leprechaun Og (Steele) and put down roots in the village of Rainbow Valley, Missitucky. The McLongergans get in and out of trouble, including being chased by Og who will turn mortal without his gold.
Available on: iTunes, YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, Amazon Prime

Funny Girl
1968
Starring: Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif
Fanny Brice works her way up from nobody to bit player to bona fide star, but her relationship with Nicky Arnstein threatens her career. Streisand won the Golden Globe and the Oscar for it and you’ll know why when you witness her sing “People” and “The Music That Makes Me Dance.”
Available on: Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu, YouTube, iTunes

Sweet Charity
1969
Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Sammy Davis Jr., John McMartin
The film marked Bob Fosse’s feature directorial debut (as seen in FX’s Fosse/Verdon) based on the 1966 musical he conceived, directed, and choreographed. Davis’ performance of “Rhythm of Life” is unforgettable.
Available on: Amazon Prime

*Paint Your Wagon
1969
Starring: Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, Jean Seberg
Paddy Chayefsky adapted the 1951 Lerner and Loewe musical set in a mining town in California during the Gold Rush.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes

*Fiddler on the Roof
1971
Starring: Chaim Topol
The 1964 musical by Joseph Stein, Jerry Bock, and Sheldon Harnick made it to the silver screen before any of the five subsequent Broadway revivals hit the stage. With songs like “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” “Sunrise Sunset,” and more, the story of Tevye the Jewish dairyman and his five daughters became a classic of the canon.
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes

*Bedknobs and Broomsticks
1971
Starring: Angela Lansbury
This must-see animated/live action hybrid tells the story of Eglantine Price who reluctantly takes in three children displaced by the London Blitz. Her secret? She’s learning witchcraft. Lesser known than Mary Poppins but of the same ilk, sing along to “Portobello Road” and “Bobbing Along.”
Available on: Disney+; Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, iTunes, Amazon Prime

Mame
1974
Starring: Lucille Ball, Bea Arthur, Robert Preston
Based on the 1966 Jerry Herman musical (which was based on the play Auntie Mame), Ball plays the eccentric title character who takes in her brother’s son upon his passing and raises him to be as progressive and free as she is—with touching and funny tunes like “Bosom Buddies” and “My Best Girl.”
Available on: Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, iTunes, Amazon Prime

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