Well hello there!

Welcome to the first of many “supposes” I will be sharing with you here on my shiny new blog, Rose’s Supposes.

I thought a nice way to introduce the blog would be to share some of my favourite movie musicals with you. These aren’t necessarily my favourite musicals of all time, as many of my favourites have remained exclusively on stage, but I have no doubt that watching these iconic movie musicals as I was growing up played a huge role in fuelling my love for live theatre. There’s something so magical about them but I’m going to do my best not to get too soppy on you even though these all make my heart MELT. I had to feature some of the classics but I’ve also included some slightly lesser known films that are equally absolute gems. So here we go..!

1. Singin’ in the Rain – 1952

I think this is quite possibly my favourite film of all time (I did a project on it in year 9 so it must be true…) There’s nothing quite like Gene Kelly’s cheeky grin to make even the worst of days seem a little bit better. Whilst the film is most widely known for its title song, I couldn’t include it in this list without mentioning the number “Moses Supposes” (*fun fact* the song that inspired the name of this blog) as being one of my favourite numbers. A huge element of the genius of Singin’ in the Rain is the choreography and this is just one of the many numbers that showcases the impeccable stagecraft (/screencraft..?) of Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor.

2. Bedknobs and Broomsticks – 1971

I will be forever grateful to my grandparents for watching this over and over with me (to be fair, I think they loved it too) when I was younger. You can’t help but fall in love with Angela Lansbury in this film. A group of WW2 evacuees find themselves in the house of Miss Eglantine Price who is secretly studying witchcraft. Before long they are in a magical land of talking animals and it’s bloomin’ marvellous. This film is the sole reason that whenever I’m in Notting Hill I can’t help but hum “Portobello Road“. If you’re looking for a film to make you feel all fuzzy inside like Mary Poppins, this is one to check out.

3. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – 1968

I’m sure this film is a favourite even for those who aren’t particularly into musical theatre. It’s just so magical and a perfect example of the ability musicals have to whisk you away from reality. I don’t think I’ll ever not have a little panic when the car heads off the cliff edge but *spoiler alert* it’s all good guys…it’s a freakin’ flying car!?!? Iconic. I’m not going to lie and pretend Truly Scrumptious isn’t up there on my bucket list of roles to play too.

4. Pete’s Dragon – 1977

I don’t know if this one is really classed as a musical but there are some gorgeous songs in it. It follows the story of, you’ve guessed it, Pete and his dragon. My favourite numbers are probably “It’s Not Easy” and “There’s Room for Everyone” sung by Helen Reddy. The choreography in this film, with huge scale dance numbers and some top notch pre-Matilda “swing usage” is also great. There was a recent non-musical remake of the film in 2016 but I’m personally holding on to this gem in all its ’70s glory. It also features Mickey Rooney who’s an absolute legend.

5. Hello Dolly – 1969

I DEFY you not to smile at least at the finale of this film. Barbra Streisand is (I legit had to sit back and stop typing for a few minutes as I couldn’t think how to describe how incredible she is…) I MEAN?? Queen Babs is just a dream as Dolly Levi and you can’t not adore a young Michael Crawford too. You’ve got Babs, men in tailcoats, LOUIS ARMSTRONG and it’s just glorious.

AND FINALLY….

6. The Producers – 2005 (the Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick version)

I really tried to keep this list to just 5 films but I just couldn’t leave this one out. I know this isn’t the original version but it’s the one I grew up watching and I just love it. Mel Brooks’ humour is SO great. This musical is controversial to say the least and I first watched it at a hilariously young age considering the content. For me, it’s one of those films where you’re already laughing at the start of the scene because you know what’s coming up. *Top tip* If you really want to belly laugh, watch the bloopers from this film. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve re-watched these and they continue to make me laugh.

If this post prompts you to check out or revisit some of these movie musicals, let me know! I would love to hear your thoughts on them 🙂

You can find me on twitter as @OliviaDowden and make sure to follow @OR_Supposes for more of Rose’s Supposes!

Olivia Rose 🌹