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" The Hollywood musical based on the jazz sounds on which we grew up is part of us, a genre that is
peculiar to America. I think the musicals reflect American society and what that society has wanted to see.
I made them because I am a product of that society."
What Kelly is saying is that the musical embellishes and reinvents a dreamlike and idyllic vision of American traditions, customs
and widely held beliefs within a complex system of American folklore. In the same article, film critic William Wolf takes Kelly's
comments on board and identifies Hollywoods dominant role in marketing movie musicals. He states,
"Gene Kelly was contemplating Hollywoods virtual monopoly of the film musical. Britain had a fertile
period in the 1930's with such stars as Jessie Matthews, Jack Buchanan, Gracie Fields and Anna Neagle,
but the Hollywood musical is unparalleled."
Wolf's insight prompts a brief glimpse at the British film industry's efforts to challenge Hollywood's musicals. It was the
phenomenal success of the Beatles in the early sixties and the immense adulation from American fans that paved the way for
Britain to produce a string of hit musicals on par with Hollywood. The Beatles had opened the door, Petula Clark, Tommy Steele
and Cliff Richard (Britain's answer to Elvis) entered and burst onto the American musical scene.
The success of Richards first British musical Expresso Bongo (1959) clearly indicated that the young British pop star's
popularity was escalating on both sides of the Atlantic. His career was ascending, gifted with a voice and good looks, associated
British pathe EMI film distributors based at Elstree Studios armed with a cinemascope licence, Technicolor and American
choreographer Herbert Ross, were quick to exploit Cliff Richards marketable qualities in The Young Ones (1961). Britain had
finally penetrated the American market with a whopping successful musical. There was consensus amongst critical circles that
Britain could produce better musicals than Hollywood. The success of The Young Ones was replicated in Summer Holiday
(1962) with American dancer Lauri Peters in a starring role and a promotional trumpet announcing that The Young Ones have
gone abroad.
By the time Wonderful Life (1964), a musical spoof on movie making, appeared the public had become bored with Cliff
Richard musicals, but not the star himself. In the next few years Richard vanished from the movie world but continues to this day
to enjoy popularity with devoted fans.
Fellow Brits Petula Clark and Tommy Steele would star together in Warners Finians Rainbow (1968) Steele was fresh from his
role in Disney's big budget musical The Happiest Millionaire (1967). The British stars work in Hollywood is brief but very
memorable. They came too late, as the Hollywood musical was dead! Ironically it was Britain who produced the last of the great
musicals Oliver (1968). However with Fiddler on the Roof (1971) and Grease (1978) Hollywood bounced back - temporarily,
and had the last word before the film musical was finally laid to rest.

Not Interested in Hollywood!
Even Richard Rodgers and Oscar
Hammerstein II could not have
predicted the immense popular
public and critical reception their
musicals would receive.
Oklahoma!, which had opened on
Broadway on March 31, 1943,
made an indelible impression on
th
theatre audiences and 20 Century
Fox. The studio approached the
producers of the Broadway hit to
create a musical score for a re-
make of the Will Rogers movie
State Fair (1933). The masters of
the musical agreed with one
condition that they did not have to
work in Hollywood. State Fair
(1945) became a hugely
entertaining hit, winning an
Academy Award for Best Song "It
Might As Well Be Spring". Meanwhile back on Broadway, Oklahoma! was breaking records as the longest running musical
ever, the magic of Rodgers and Hammerstein was born. Based on a play by Lynn Riggs (born in Claymore, Oklahoma), Green
Grow the Lilacs ran for 64 performances in New York. The musical version Oklahoma! would run for a total of 2,202
performances. Why did it take so long for such an obvious success to reach the screen? The answer is simple, Rodgers and
Hammerstein were totally dispassionate about Hollywood, Oklahoma! was making money on stage and they were in no sense
desperate to sell the film rights. Michael B. Druxman in his book, The Musical From Broadway to Hollywood (1980) explains:
"Oklahoma! had grossed seven million dollars in it's initial theatrical run.
It took twelve years for the Broadway hit to appear on cinema screens. National and world tours plus
revivals kept the property alive and active during that time.
Rodgers and Hammerstein did not believe that the limited screen size available at this time would do
justice to their great musical. They became very interested when Mike Todd invented a new widescreen
format called Todd AO."

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