Experiencing the filmed version of a Broadway musical is just something live-wired you can’t take your eyes off. From time to time, the changeover hits the magic spot, and sometimes, it turns out to be a disaster-movie spectacle that you cannot look away from. In any case, these films are landmark moments in pop culture for musical theatre fans (and even the sceptics). Considering this, here are ten musicals ranked from “solidly good” to “unquestionably unmissable”, all of which first were shows on the Great White Way.
10. The Sound of Music
Few movies possess the period charm of The Sound of Music. If you ever sang Do-Re-Me” in your living room as a child, you understand why this one has lasted. Julie Andrews had already nailed the role on stage, but she gave an equally perfect performance on screen that raised the bar for all stage-to-screen translations. No tricks, no auto-tune, pure timeless talent.
9. Grease
It’s cheesy, it’s poppy, and it’s irresistible. Grease not only made John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John famous—it solidified itself as a cultural phenomenon. Numbers like “Summer Nights” remain karaoke cash, and the movie serves as the gateway to musicals for those who insist they don’t enjoy them.
8. Chicago
Blinding choreography, acuist casting, and an irresistible sense of style made Chicago a knockout. Winning six Oscars, including Best Picture, the film reinvigorated the movie musical for a new generation. With its jazz-infused energy and showbusiness cynicism, Chicago was a Broadway success that could conquer Hollywood as well.
7. In the Heights
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s initial Broadway hit was turned into a diverse celebration of culture, aspiration, and community on screen. With wise casting and joyful musical sequences, In the Heights provides spectacle with heart. Unlike most adaptations, it resisted the temptation of placing non-singers in starring roles—and it worked.
6. West Side Story (2021)
Steven Spielberg’s remake of the timeless musical stunned viewers by giving young theatre talent a higher priority than Hollywood stars. Ariana DeBose was outstanding as Anita, receiving accolades and awards. Spielberg’s adaptation showed that authenticity and high-caliber performances trump box office appeal.
5. tick, tick…BOOM
Part tribute, part biography, Miranda’s directorial debut celebrates the Rent creator Jonathan Larson. Andrew Garfield delivers a heartwrenching, award-winning performance as the composer living in poverty, capturing the joy and the devastation of pursuing dreams as an artist. For theatre fans, it’s a gut punch and a love letter.
4. Fiddler on the Roof
With its broad narrative of tradition and change, Fiddler on the Roof translated exquisitely into film. Generations have come to appreciate its poignant music and themes. For many, it was the soundtrack to childhood—whether singing “Matchmaker” in the living room or seeing the movie for the first time.
3. My Fair Lady
Refined, sophisticated, and full of iconic performances, My Fair Lady is the template for how to translate a Broadway success. Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison brought George Bernard Shaw’s tale to rich movie life, and music and production remain indelible forty years later.
2. Cabaret
Bold, disturbing, and superbly mounted, Cabaret defied what was possible in a musical. More than dazzling acts, it was not afraid to go dark in its themes, making it one of the greatest stage-to-screen adaptations ever produced.
1. Hamilton (Disney+)
It is a filmed stage production, rather than a conventional film adaptation; however, Hamilton still changed the rules of the game. The combination of hip-hop, history, and drama by Lin-Manuel Miranda was a huge success, and the Disney+ release made it available to millions who were not able to get the tickets. It changed the concept of “movie musical” for the streaming era.
A single battle that never gets resolved: do musicals employ movie stars or real singers? In a very unfortunate manner, studios bank on the highest-profile stars who, in most cases, are out of tune—auto-tune, very uncomfortable sounding phrasing, and lip-syncing, which is done to deceive and is very distracting. In effect, it takes away from the essence of musicals, which are basically the songs. Anyone can attest to the fact that they are still suffering from Emma Watson’s Beauty and the Beast shock.
Naturally, sometimes it succeeds. Hugh Jackman added gravitas (and vocal abilities) to Les Misérables. But when trained musical theater actors such as Reneé Rapp (Mean Girls) are given the opportunity, the payoff is unmistakable. The movie breathes. The songs fly.
Even the flops pay their dues. For others, a bad-reviewed movie like A Chorus Line was the introduction to learning about the stage show—and adoring it. At their finest, musical movies of musicals make theater more accessible to a broader audience. At their worst, they’re a messy, but still fun, entrance to a genre full of heart. So if you’re an old pro at being a theatre kid or just an occasional viewer, there’s a musical film out there waiting to transport you with its music, narrative, and showmanship.