This clip is my favorite of all dance sequences in movies. It’s a masterpiece and a thirteen minute movie all in itself. From “Gold Diggers of 1935,” it demonstrates Busby Berkeley’s genius. Coming at the end of a not too spectacular story, the segment stands alone and has little connection to the rest of the film. Most musical numbers from this period, the depth of the Great Depression, are designed to lighten the hearts, but that’s not the intent of “The Lullaby of Broadway.” Berkeley spins off the goodie-happy platter of good feelings and lands in a fantasy, grand nightlife of the wealthy whose lives people dream of. But, here he writes a dark finale to an exciting five minutes of fabulous choreography danced by over a hundred performers. I’m still shocked and saddened by the last couple minutes of this scene. Below the clip are some comments from an excellent writer whose article, “In the End She Dies,” tells us what we need to know about the director, the era, and the puzzling conclusion of this thirteen minute gem.
