Gold Diggers of 1933: Pettin in the Park | 1:11 | 1932 | USA
Director: Mervyn LeRoy | Choreographer: Busby Berkeley
Busby Berkeley is one of the founders of dancefilm, with his elaborately choreographed sequences for dancers that are found in many of the big studio films from the 1930s and 1940s. He was particularly famous for his overhead ‘kaleidoscope’ effect, seen in this excerpt from ‘Pettin’ in the Park,’ a song and dance number featuring a snowball fight… “Gold Diggers of 1933” is one of the best showcases of his outrageously lavish choreography, seemingly endless chorus lines, fluid camera work and dizzying overhead compositions. And in addition to Berkeley’s signature talent, the movie also boasts an amazing mix of comedy, gritty Depression-era commentary, romance and pre-Production Code sex.
