With "The Busby Berkeley Collection," four more of those musicals that provided much-needed escapism for Depression-era audiences join the already-issued "42nd Street" in a lavish boxed set tribute to director Berkeley, whose kaleidoscopic production numbers have never been equaled in terms of over-the-top extravagance.

Black-and-white print quality on all these discs is superb, and the four new-to-DVD titles each include "making-of" featurettes with present-day film historians, and four to six vintage short subjects and cartoons, thematically tied to the film or to the songs from those films.

Making a welcome appearance on DVD as a bonus is "The Busby Berkeley Disc," originally put out several years ago on laserdisc, with many of the great musical numbers in all their glory without the clunky plots. However, there are only four that can't be found on the accompanying films themselves, and Al Jolson's "Going to Heaven on a Mule" has been dropped for its period racial stereotyping. (There is, however, some other racial caricaturing in some of the extra DVD materials, duly preceded by a disclaimer that they were reflective of the era and to eliminate them would be to pretend such attitudes never existed.)

All the films were released before the formation of the Catholic Legion of Decency (the precursor to today's Office for Film & Broadcasting), but, though mildly risque in their day, they're fairly innocuous today except for some skimpy costuming and some suggestive dialogue and song lyrics. The films were subsequently classified either A-II (adults and adolescents) or A-III (adults). None was rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. The set is available through Warner Home Video.

"Dames" (1934)

Uneven screwball musical in which a puritanical millionaire (Hugh Herbert) tries to stop a Broadway revue (starring Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler), unaware that a dim relative (Guy Kibbee) is being blackmailed by a showgirl (Joan Blondell) into financing the show. Director Ray Enright gets some easy laughs at the expense of moral hypocrites but the real fun is in Berkeley's staging of "The Girl at the Ironing Board," "I Only Have Eyes for You" and the finale, "Dames." Stylized violence, sexual innuendo and comic inebriation. (A-III)

"Footlight Parade" (1933)

Classic backstage musical in which the advent of talking pictures puts a Broadway director (James Cagney) out of work until he turns to staging live prologues for first-run movies, then is helped by a love-smitten secretary (Blondell) in overcoming his greedy wife (Renee Whitney), scheming partners (Arthur Hohl and Kibbee) and a rival company's dishonesty. Director Lloyd Bacon relies on Cagney's colorful performance to keep the contrived plot on track until the rousing climax in Berkeley's staging of "Honeymoon Hotel," "By a Waterfall" and the spectacular "Shanghai Lil." Considerable sexual innuendo and acceptance of divorce. (A-III)

"42nd Street" (1933)

Prototypical backstage musical in which a member of the chorus (Keeler) wins stardom when the frantic director (Warner Baxter) has her take over for the disabled leading lady (Bebe Daniels) on opening night. Directed by Bacon, the Depression-era setting, slangy dialogue and zesty cast (Ginger Rogers, Una Merkel and Powell among them) are still fun, aided by Al Dubin and Harry Warren's brassy music and topped off by Berkeley's inventive staging for the title song, "I'm Young and Healthy" and "Shuffle Off to Buffalo." Some romantic complications and mild sexual innuendo. The DVD includes three featurettes, one on Warren. (A-II)

"Gold Diggers of 1933" (1933)

Frothy backstage musical about a Broadway producer (Ned Sparks) mounting a show with money from a novice songwriter (Powell) whose Boston banking family threatens to disinherit him if he weds a showgirl (Keeler). Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, the creaky plot has stuffy family emissaries Warren William and Kibbee falling for showgirls Blondell and Aline MacMahon, but what still holds interest are Berkeley's "We're in the Money," "Petting in the Park," the illuminated violins in "Shadow Waltz" and the finale's Depression-themed "My Forgotten Man." Considerable sexual innuendo and alcoholic excess. (A-III)

"Gold Diggers of 1935" (1935)

Lame musical comedy in which a hotel clerk (Powell) agrees to chaperone the daughter (Gloria Stuart) of a rich dowager (Alice Brady) who hires a shifty producer (Adolphe Menjou) to put on a charity show with two big numbers -- "The Words Are in My Heart," staged with endless pianos, and Wini Shaw singing "Lullaby of Broadway," one of the most fascinating Berkeley stagings. Berkeley directed this one, and gets only weak smiles from the anemic plot. Romantic complications and mild sexual innuendo. (A-II)

Movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating, the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief synopsis of the movie.

The classifications are as follows:

• A-I -- general patronage;
• A-II -- adults and adolescents;
• A-III -- adults;
• A-IV**
• L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
• O -- morally offensive.
  

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