"Alexander's Ragtime Band" (1938)

Loved this movie. It's a musical. Since the story's about a band, there were a lot of natural places to add songs; and unlike "The Great Waltz" (where the instrument playing was so clearly mimed--which was how they could dance playing bassoons), if they mimed this, they did a good job of it. And not only were there tons of quality songs, a number of them I knew because they've become standards: "Alexander's Ragtime Band" (of course), "Blue Skies", "We're Having a Heat Wave", "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning", and "Easter Parade" are the one's I recognized for sure. Had a young Ethel Merman. (After the days of "I Love Lucy," I was sure I'd know her. The whole movie I thought I knew. When the end credits rolled, I found I was wrong. Whoops.) Still 30s spectacle--but all dance numbers, and not too overdone, but still lavish. Several music styles as the band's story traveled through time--ragtime, big band, blues, swing. Story was strong enough to pull through all the songs. Overall: Win.