This is one of the greatest movie musicals of all time. Some would say the best of them all, including the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers and Gene Kelly classics. It is one of the few musicals of the 1930's and 40's that ventured to include social commentary and social criticism with the comedy and music. The "Remember My Forgotten Man" number is one of the best, some would say the best, choreographed song and dance of them all. It is sort of icing on the cake coming as it does near the end of this amazing film. Arthur Penn's "Bonnie and Clyde" would use the "We're in the Money" opening number as a backdrop to emphasize the irony of the outlaws' dilemma, since most persons living in the southwest in 1933 were certainly not "in the money." The only one actually watching the movie is Bonnie. "Gold Diggers" is filled with New Deal aphorisms. I have never read anything about the new President FDR's reaction to "Gold Diggers," but I'm sure it was a positive one, since it helped promote his economic ideas concerning recovery as outlined in the writings of British economist John Maynard Keynes.
There are so many goodies in "Gold Diggers" that it is easy to miss many of them on first viewing. Many throwaway lines are gems. For example, when Barney (Ned Sparks) is hyping his new musical that he will make if he can only get the money together, he beams, "Why, it's the funniest thing you've ever seen." One of the hoofers replies sarcastically, "I don't know, have you ever seen me ride a pony?"
This was the apex of Busby Berkeley's career. He came close a few times but never reached the lofty heights of "We're In The Money," "Pettin' in the Park" and "Remember My Forgotten Man." Tunesmiths Warren and Dubin reached their apogee as well. This is one of those rare animals where everything down to the minutest item jells. It is a winner all the way. Strange that the only true gold digger in the film is Ginger Rogers.
There are so many goodies in "Gold Diggers" that it is easy to miss many of them on first viewing. Many throwaway lines are gems. For example, when Barney (Ned Sparks) is hyping his new musical that he will make if he can only get the money together, he beams, "Why, it's the funniest thing you've ever seen." One of the hoofers replies sarcastically, "I don't know, have you ever seen me ride a pony?"
This was the apex of Busby Berkeley's career. He came close a few times but never reached the lofty heights of "We're In The Money," "Pettin' in the Park" and "Remember My Forgotten Man." Tunesmiths Warren and Dubin reached their apogee as well. This is one of those rare animals where everything down to the minutest item jells. It is a winner all the way. Strange that the only true gold digger in the film is Ginger Rogers.