Hollywood Musical Men: The representation of the dancing man post-classical American Musicals - Essay Example

Both on screen and off men have traditionally directed the musical and they have shown the male physique as something to behold. In the early 20s and 30s musical extravaganzas were most popular because they were designed to make people feel good. Both the traditional musicals like "Grease" and those that used music as a backdrop like "Saturday Night Fever" and "Dirty Dancing." Each showed the dancing man in a different light. In this research I will use both academic and non-academic sources as well as movie posters and trailers to emphasize points.

Music has always been a way for Americans and other cultures to express themselves. In the 20s and 30s musical extravaganzas became popular because they were designed to make people feel good. Central to these extravaganzas were dance numbers that eventually explored onto the silver screen and they allowed people to "oooo" and "ahhh" at the beauty of these spectacular events. Women were initially the ones who were put out in front with the glamour and glitter of these musical productions because the emphasis was on entertainment more than plot.

The men were portrayed as virile, as dandies, uniquely debonair and handsome. Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly danced their way into the hearts of Americans on the big screen and still do today in many of their movies. Dancing men evolved form this phase to the "bad boy" image of the early 60s and 70s where characters like Tony Manero ("Saturday Night Fever"), Danny Zuko ("Grease") and Johnny Castle ("Dirty Dancing") used dance as a way to escape their otherwise mundane lives. These dancing men were more macho and they reflected the moral values of the times that they portray.

All three men were insecure but portrayed very macho, very "hip" men who took advantage of women and show an air of confidence in their public images. American musicals became a foundation during WWII because people needed to be entertained. The American male took center stage and was a gentleman to the