Best Musical of All Time

As wonderful as this film happens to be it does not compare artistically to the grand movies made by MGM and the Arthur Freed Unit. In the early 1950s, the Freed unit possessed the finest orchestral band in the world not to mention the talents of virtually every important singer, dancer, and composer: Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Leslie Caron, Debbie Reynolds, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, the list is almost endless. I've seen virtual ever MGM musical more than once. Fiddler can easily stand with them it is that good. Claiming anything is the best is always tough...I happen to like An American In Paris, Singing in the Rain, and Gigi but there are many others comparably wonderful. Is Fiddler the best musical ever? I saw the play on Broadway in the 1960s and it was grand! The movie is wonderful but the best musical? Hard to say.

I would say it's in the top ten easily.

And what appears to be an often over-looked point is just how theatrical (in terms of theatrical devices) the entire piece is, perhaps the most theatrical of all musicals.

Fiddler and West Side Story are certainly two of the most unique musicals plays ever.

You have good taste. It's at least one of the top five movie musicals. I'd be hard pressed to pick one of the five as the best of all.

In the top 20? Perhaps. The best musical of all time? Not by any stretch.




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West Side Story

I haven't seen the movie adaptation, but as a pure musical it's definitely one of the greats.

Oh, I love Fiddler on the roof a lot, but It's so difficult to classify musicals..
I think my number 1 must be My Fair Lady, Fiddler could easily come second. But I loved, loved Moulin Rouge, at least as much. I really liked Hello Dolly, but not more than Fiddler or MR. Chicago is very good but not my favourite...actually, I love Richard Gere but I didn't like his singing. and so it goes

Hair