Golddiggers of 1933 (1933)

Warren William, Aline McMahon, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Guy Kibbee

Directed by Mervyn LeRoy

Musical Direction by Busby Berkeley

Available to stream on Prime Video

In February we are exploring movies about the "Forgotten Man," a term used throughout the Depression to refer to the men who had fought in World War I but were now unemployed and impoverished. In a campaign speech in April of 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt used the term when he spoke of his plans: "These unhappy times call for the building of plans that rest upon the forgotten, the unorganized but the indispensable units of economic power, for plans like those of 1917 that build from the bottom up and not from the top down, that put their faith once more in the forgotten man at the bottom of the economic pyramid."

Our first "Forgotten Man" film is a musical -- Golddiggers of 1933 -- a story of showgirls looking for work during the Depression.

Aline McMahon, Joan Blondell, and Ruby Keeler

Why We Love It: This film is a classic because of the spectacular musical numbers by the legendary Busby Berkeley. Ginger Rogers, dressed scantily in coins, singing "We're in the Money" in Pig Latin; sixty girls dancing in formation with neon-lit violins in "Shadow Waltz;" Dick Powell using a can opener to open Ruby Keeler's metal outfit in "Pettin' in the Park" -- these are some of the memorable and innovative Berkeley musical numbers featured in this film. The film is also notable because of its social commentary about the Depression and what was actually happening at the time it was made. According to TCM's Ben Mankiewicz, this film is "the most socially relevant musical of the Depression era."

Fun Facts:

• The film was loosely based on a Broadway comedy, "The Goldiggers," which had already been made into a movie in 1923 and again in 1929 as "Golddiggers of Broadway."

• Warner Brothers Studios had just made 42nd Street earlier in 1933 and the studio executives were so confident in its success that they delayed releasing it by several weeks so that Goldiggers could be released only a few months after and they could capitalize on the success of both films. 42nd Street was a hit, but Golddiggers was even bigger - the two films were among the top three moneymakers of the year for Warner Brothers.

Ginger Rogers

Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell

Joan Blondell

Blondell, Powell, and William

Aline McMahon and Guy Kibbee

• During the filming of the "Shadow Waltz" number, an earthquake hit, causing a power outage. Several of the violins short circuited and shocked the women holding them. Berkeley was thrown off his chair - he held on by one hand from the camera crane before pulling himself back up to safety. Berkeley has a small cameo toward the end of the film when he's shown backstage calling everyone out for the "Forgotten Man" act.

"Remember My Forgotten Man"

"The Shadow Waltz"

"The Shadow Waltz"

• One of the most moving scenes is the final song "Remember My Forgotten Man," a musical number directed by Berkeley. He was inspired by the 1932 Bonus Army March on Washington when 20,000 out-of-work WWI veterans set up camp in Washington D.C. to demand that they receive their promised bonus payouts early. Camps were broken up violently by the police and President Hoover then ordered the U.S. Army to clear the campsites. All of the marchers, along with their wives and children, were driven out of Washington and the campsites were burned. The two video clips below show the song in its entirety with Joan Blondell and Etta Moten Barnett, a chorus of forgotten men, and Berkeley's moving choreography. The film ended with this scene -- a stark reminder of the time when it was made.

"Remember my forgotten man,

You put a rifle in his hand;

You sent him far away,

You shouted, "Hip, hooray!"

But look at him today!

Remember my forgotten man,

You had him cultivate the land;

He walked behind the plow,

The sweat fell from his brow,

But look at him right now!"

"We are the real forgotten men

Who have to lead this life again.

We sallied forth to fight,

For glory was our pride

But somehow glory died.

Remember your forgotten men.

You’ve got to let us live again.

We came, we marched away,

To fight for USA,

But where are we today?"

• Etta Moten Barnett, the African American woman who sings "Remember My Forgotten Man," became the first African American to perform at the White House when she sang this song at President Roosevelt's birthday celebration in January of 1934. She later sang the part of Bess in the 1942 revival of Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" and went on to become a noted philanthropist and activist.

Etta Moten Barnett in "Golddiggers of 1933"

For articles, ads, and reviews from the time, go to the Fan Magazine Reviews page.

Featured Cocktail:

Southside

Born during Prohibition, the Southside was reputed to be Al Capone’s drink of choice, named for his gang’s territory—Chicago’s South Side.

2 oz (60 ml) gin

1 oz (30 ml) lime juice

1 Tbsp (15 ml) sugar syrup

6-8 mint leaves

Sprig of mint for garnish

Gently muddle mint leaves with sugar syrup in shaker. Add ice, gin, and lime juice. Shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with mint sprig.

Topping the drink with club soda yields a Southside Fizz. Muddling 2-3 slices of cucumber along with the mint creates an Eastside.

Cheers to the Classics!