Thursday Thirteen #76 -- All Singing! All Dancing!

THE 13 GREATEST MUSICALS
IN AMERICAN FILM HISTORY

The American Film Institute loves to make lists, and, as a movie fan, I love to read them. In 2006, the AFI nominated 180 American movie musicals and distributed ballots to AFI members. Here are the top 13 vote getters. In italics I've added the musical scene that springs immediately to mind when I think of these classics.

1 SINGIN' IN THE RAIN 1952 MGM "The sun's in my heart and I'm ready for love."

2 WEST SIDE STORY 1961 United Artists "A boy like that would kill your brother! Forget that boy! Go find another!"

3 WIZARD OF OZ, THE 1939 MGM "With the thoughts I'd be thinkin' I could be another Lincoln, if I only had a brain."

4 SOUND OF MUSIC, THE 1965 Twentieth Century-Fox "Somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good."

5 CABARET 1972 Allied Artists "Farewell, Mein Leber Herr! It was a fine affair, but now it's over."

6 MARY POPPINS 1964 Disney "With every job that must done there is an element of fun. You find the fun and SNAP! The job's a game! And every task you undertake becomes a piece of cake ..."

7 STAR IS BORN, A 1954 Warner Bros. "Ever since this world began there is nothing sadder than a one-man woman looking for the man that got away."

8 MY FAIR LADY 1964 Warner Bros. "Oh, so loverly sitting absobloominlootly still. I would never budge till spring crept over me windersill."

9 AMERICAN IN PARIS, AN 1951 MGM CONFESSION: I have never seen this movie start to finish, so I don't have a favorite scene

10 MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS 1944 MGM "As he started to leave I took hold of his sleeve with my hand, and as if it were planned, he stayed on with me and it was grand, just to stand with his hand holding mine … to the end of the line!"

11 KING AND I, THE 1956 Twentieth Century-Fox "Getting to know you, getting to know all about you. Getting to like you, getting to hope you like me ..."

12 CHICAGO 2002 Miramax "Start the car, I know a whoopee spot where the gin is cold and the piano's hot ..."

13 42ND STREET 1933 Warner Bros. "C'mon along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway, the hip-horray and bally-hoo, the lullaby of Broadway."

I don't completely agree with this list. I have never been crazy about West Side Story. Natalie Wood was a luminous screen presence, but she was a lousy Maria. And what about that lame-ass Tony? For what it's worth, I've always found An American in Paris pretentious. Instead I would have included Easter Parade because I love the "Couple of Swells" number, and Young at Heart, where Sinatra sits at the piano and breaks our hearts by singing "Someone to Watch Over Me." But isn't disagreeing now and again part of what makes these lists such fun?

Include your link in the comments and I'll list you here:
1) The Green Movement gets the Pink Flamingo treatment
2) Nicholas shares his plan for world rule
3) Malcolm -- the speed demon who once again hit my TT before I could visit his! -- takes us out to the arcade
4) Sandy Carlson has a "sultry," and evocative TT
5) Hootin' Ani waxes poetic this week
6) Lilibeth's TT is a valentine to her home
7) Sobeit has a movie TT -- and you KNOW how the Gal loves movie TTs!
8) Marcia takes us back to the 4th
9) Kay helps us learn more about Kay ... and ourselves
10) Claudia takes on an online version of Scrabble. Play along ... if you dare!
11) Jenny McB faces her apathy head on!
12) Diana M's TT is musical, too!
13) Poppingbubbles introduces those who came BEFORE her prince
14) Janet's TT is a trip down memory lane
15) Kristi shoots the fireworks, and the results are great
16) Travel to Ontario with Adelle
17) Visit Kim's birthday TT
18) Jane shares the most beautiful baby in the world
19) Toni's TT is all about the month of July
20) Feefifoto is about my least favorite domestic chore
21) Lori introduces us to a super new superhero
22) Randlin's TT is musical, too.
23) Chris has another laugh out loud TT
24) Jen has a name-calling TT
25) Angie has a colorful TT


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Unexpectedly melancholy

This morning, for the first time, I left my condo without passing the venerable old elm tree in the parkway out front.

I knew it was coming down. We got notice over the holiday weekend that the village discovered Dutch Elm Disease and was removing it. I didn't think I cared. After all, it's not visible from my condo unit and the tree that amuses the cats and provides shade to my livingroom remains strong and healthy.

Only this morning, I did care. A lot. Turns out I will miss that mighty old tree, after all.