Gold Diggers of 1933

In Brief: For the follow-up to the wildly successful 42nd Street, Warner Bros. dusted off the basics of one of their first musical successes, the now mostly lost Gold Diggers of Broadway (1929), and gave it a new Depression-era story—along with new songs by Harry Warren and Al Dubin and, of course, four Busby Berkeley production numbers. The idea behind Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) naturally was to outdo 42nd Street—and it did. The real draw are the Berkeley production numbers: “We’re in the Money,” “Pettin’ in the Park,” “The Shadow Waltz” and “Remember My Forgotten Man.” They’re all good—and occasionally a little perverse (especially “Pettin’ in the Park” with Billy Barty as a lecherous baby)—but the real eye-opener is the brilliant “Remember My Forgotten Man,” which brings the film down to earth with the grimmest depiction of the Depression imaginable. This is raw emotionalism that grabs the viewer and won’t let go, resulting in what may well be the single most powerful depiction of the Depression anyone ever dared to commit to film at the time. This excerpt was taken from a review by Ken Hanke originally published on July 9, 2013. The Wedge at the Foundation will present a free screening of Gold Diggers of 1933 on Monday, July 17 at 7 p.m. at the brewery's new location at 5 Foundy Street in the River Arts District.