In examining the relationship between the spectacular, iconic and vibrant New York of the musical and the off-screen history and geography of the real city—this book explores how the city shaped the genre and equally how the genre shaped representations of the city. Shearer argues that while the musical was for many years a prime vehicle for the idealization of urban density, the transformation New York underwent after World War II constituted a major challenge to its representation. Including analysis of
42nd Street
,
Swing Time
Cover Girl
On the Town
The Band Wagon
Guys and Dolls
West Side Story
and many other classic and little-known musicals—this book is an innovative study of the relationship between cinema and urban space.