50 Greatest Musical Numbers In Film History

3. Sunrise, Sunset - Fiddler On The Roof

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DujvTfXoFA Above and beyond anything else, Sunrise Sunset is one of the most beautifully shot musical sequences ever. The entire Jewish population of Anatevka has gathered for the wedding of Tzeitel and Motel, and watching them together at the alter seems to have put a lot of the wedding party in a contemplative mood. The general theme of the song is the inevitability of time forever going forward, with the mother and father of the bride reflecting on their shock that their little girl is suddenly a woman old enough to be wed. A huge part of what makes this scene so emotional are the extras Norman Jewison has chosen to populate it with. They're all such interesting, real people that when he lets the camera linger on them, you can easily read the character and emotions that are etched in their faces.

2. Make 'Em Laugh - Singin' In The Rain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SND3v0i9uhE Just as comedy is often under-appreciated in musical theater, Donald O'Connor never seems to get the credit he deserves, especially in comparison to his legendary costar Gene Kelly. But if most people were given the choice between watching Kelly's long ballet sequence in Singin' in the Rain or Make 'em Laugh, they'd probably choose the latter. It's a tour de force from O'Connor, the ultimate in slapstick and vaudeville-inspired physical comedy. He's rubber-faced and hilarious, to be sure, but the athletic ability he possessed to be able to pull of some of the stunts in this scene is truly astonishing. After Donald O'Connor finished filming this routine, he ending up needing a week of bed rest, which speaks to its level of difficulty. (And after an unfortunate accident destroyed all the footage of the first take, he gamely agreed to do it all over again.) This is the benchmark against which all other physical comedy must be measured. So what's the greatest?