Some of my absolute fondest memories of childhood include my dad and I snuggled up in his recliner with spicy food and a classic musical playing on the VHS. (Or a John Wayne film, but that’s beside the point.) My father was, and still is, a sound engineer who would often get asked to design and/or run the sound for area high school musical productions and I was his little shadow who quickly gained a serious love for the genre. I honestly cannot tell you when I experienced my first musical on film, but I was very tiny. I’d guess three, if I had to. The first musical I ever saw on stage, at age 5, was Hello Dolly—with a high schooler playing the lead who would later go on to star on broadway(!!!). I love musicals and my dad for, among other things, exposing me to them at such a young age.

My childhood love for musicals grew steadily over the years—I began taking part in stage productions at the age of 7 and spent a serious amount of time jumping from obsession film to obsession film all throughout elementary, middle, high school, and into college. I still get excited when a new musical is put into film production and I go through a phase of infatuation, but the classics, or at least what I consider to be the classics, remain my favorites.

So, according to approximately a quarter of a century spent watching and loving musicals of the 1930s-1970s, here is my narrowed down, totally subjective, MUST-SEE list of musicals from the golden age of Hollywood (complete with categorization and commentary, because I just can’t help myself):

I’ll start with the incomparable Barbara Streisand:

1. Funny Girl (1968)

This is probably my most watched musical of all time. Awkwardness, comedy, dancing, singing, stage shows, love, and heartache—what more could you possibly need?!

2. Hello Dolly (1969)

Fun for all ages, funny, and a seriously great cast. PLUS, those costumes!

Now on to Ol’ Blue Eyes (Frank Sinatra for any of the newbies out there):

3. Anchors Aweigh! (1945)

This film, and film 5 on this list, are not particularly brilliant in their storylines or character development, BUT I really love Sinatra’s roles. He’s endearing, slightly naïve, and just a little bit goofy. His co-star (Gene Kelly) certainly has him on the toe tapping (though Frank can hold his own), but Frank’s baby face and smooth-as-ever voice keeps me coming back movie-night after movie-night.

4. On the Town (1949)

A true classic in the musical film world, this film has a slam-bang cast and fast-paced, multi-perspective narritive that will keep you laughing, dancing, and singing along. The shorter length will also add convenience for those rare afternoon free-times!

5. Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)

I won’t harp on since I already mentioned this one, but seriously, go watch! You won’t regret it.

6. Guys and Dolls (1955)

If there is one film that can rival Funny Girl for my most watched musical of all time, it’s Guys and Dolls. I love this musical so much that I even watch the commentary and adverts, and read the guide book that came with my 50^th Anniversary Special Edition (which happens to be my second copy of this film, because one just isn’t enough!). The cast (again) is FANTASTIC and the music and quirky story line and characters will keep you coming back for years! Did I mention the leads are Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons, and Vivian Blaine? Go watch. Repeat.

No list of great American musicals on film could be complete without the following films starring the king of dance himself, Gene Kelly:

7. An American in Paris (1951)

Curiously enough, I had no clue that this musical existed until my junior year in high school when my marching band covered this music for our show. I quickly became obsessed. There’s love triangles galore, France, dream sequences (the last of which, in my opinion, has no equal...), and tons of singing, dancing, and instrumental scores. You can NOT miss this film!

8. Singing In the Rain (1952)

Do I even need to hook you on this one? Debbie Reynolds, Gene Kelly, and Donald O’Connor are perhaps the best trio ever realized in American musicals on film!

Next up is Fred Astaire and...Audrey Hepburn. I know most of you are thinking “BUT GINGER ROGERS!!” And I hear you, but...Audrey Hepburn.

9. Top Hat (1935)

Admittedly, I have yet to sit down and watch this show in entirety, but if you love Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (see, she’s here, just not as the stand-out character, for me) OR you just love dancing, this is a must! Oh! And, as a bonus, it’s in black and white for all of you nostalgic-types.

10. Funny Face (1957)

This is another that I hesitate to even comment about. It’s an iconic piece of film filled with a fabulous cast and a great story line!

11. My Fair Lady (1964)

I love this musical. I’ve seen it on stage and wore out my VHS version before buying it on DVD. ANOTHER amazing cast of actors combined with, arguably, one of the most beloved plot lines and musical scores. And if you’re really into literature, it’s based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, so you have no excuses.

Although I’m sure this looks like the Irving Berlin’s Christmas section, it’s meant to be the Bing Crosby section:

12. Holiday Inn (1942)

Also filmed in black and white and featuring Bing Crosby and, among other co-stars, Fred Astaire, this is a fabulous piece of American film history. I will warn you that the African-American stereotyping in this film is quite egregious, but if you can look past the sexism of pretty much all of the films on this list and set them in their appropriate historical context (I'll point you to an awesome article that explains the importance of historical context, among other things, if you're not so sure about this point: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/meet-historians-s... )you can certainly find pleasure in Bing’s beautiful voice and the somewhat ridiculous premise of this show.

13. White Christmas (1954)

This is the one Christmas film that I will watch all year around. Danny Kay, Vera-Ellen, Rosemary Clooney, and Bing Crosby are absolutely mesmerizing all throughout this show. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll sing along, and you’ll get serious dance-envy. And once you become TOTALLY obsessed you can go find yourself tickets to a live show and buy the Broadway soundtrack, which is equally as heartwarming. Happy Christmas, everyone!

Judy Garland: and after you’re done becoming obsessed with her on film, go buy her biography Get Happy. You’re welcome:

14. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

I won’t waste my breath (fingers?) explaining the magic of this film, but I will tell you to see it on stage if you ever get the chance!

BONUS FUN FACT: This was the first feature-length film produced in Technicolor!

15. Meet Me In St. Louis (1944)

There are slightly strange “traditions” seen in this film, but the lovable characters, great music, and beautiful costumes make it worthy of my top thirty.

16. A Star Is Born (1954)

JUST WATCH IT (specifically the second version, with Judy Garland).

Julie Andrews, my true aspiration in life:

17. Mary Poppins (1964)

Teamed up with Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews is truly magical in this film. Perfect for your family movie night because it’s a great Disney film!

18. The Sound of Music (1965)

At least to me, this is the film of childhood. I played Brigitta Von Trap when I was about 8 and somehow the years of watching and the copious hours of learning and practicing still haven’t sucked the joy out of this film’s music for me. If you love history and have a couple of hours on your hands, there’s no better way to spend them!

The rest of these films are what I’m categorizing as “plain old classics”. Well worth the watch in your quest for musical movie-cation (again, barring your ability to look past blatant sexism and various other discriminatory elements found throughout American history):

19. 42^nd Street (1933)

For the dancers in the crowd, the Ginger Rogers lovers, and maybe the crime story lovers as well.

20. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)

Strange and somehow enjoyable, all at once!

21. Oklahoma! (1955)

Quirky, romantic, and stereo-typically central plains-y.

22. The King and I (1956)

A beautiful attempt (but fail, if we’re being honest) at a film focused on a non-western culture. Full of gorgeous costumes, music, and a serious romance.

23. Carousel (1956)

Iconic music for the musical-lover, but I have to say that if you can’t stand the sexism of the other films, stay far, far away from this one. On the plus side, it is currently on Netflix!

24. South Pacific (1958)

Wartime love is never easy, especially for those in the fight, but music and perseverance over prejudice can certainly bring you a long way.

25. West Side Story (1961)

Famously based on Romeo and Juliet, this is an amazing show both on film and on stage! The dancing, language, and music are all truly moving. If there are little eyes around, you might want to save this one for a date night; there’s a bit of violence!

26. The Music Man (1962)

Con-man caught up in a romance with a small town librarian and a whole crowd of children wanting to play instruments?? Sounds like TROUBLE, but maybe for the good.

27. Bye Bye Birdie (1963)

The Elvis effect in musical form!

28. Oliver! (1968)

What’s not to love about an orphan turned pick-pocket turned son?? It'll leave you saying "please sir, I want some more!"

29. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

A glimpse into the traditions of a Jewish man and his struggle with the ever-changing world. Everyone can relate to the challenges of changing with the times.

30. Cabaret (1972)

Definitely not suitable for all audiences, but this is a strong commentary on a whole slew of controversial topics set within the confines of a challenging historical context.

This list is by no means comprehensive, and I have yet to see some musicals of this period that others consider standards, but I think this will give anyone interested in becoming a true musical nerd, a great start. The music, actors, and stories (although some are more substantial than others...) will transport you into a magical world where spontaneous song and dance is perfectly normal.

And really, we could all use a bit more of that.