New York, New York

Can an “honest failure” become a smash hit on Broadway? We'll find out soon!

In 1977, the movie New York, New York came out to less than stellar reviews. Pauline Kael of the New Yorker called it an “honest failure.” I saw it, thought it was ok…but I loved the music. Bought the soundtrack on vinyl and listened to it over and over again. Then CDs became the way I listened to music, then streaming, and I hadn’t listened to that music in probably 30 years. Recently I found this album on Hoopla, and got reacquainted with it. There are 5 original Kander and Ebb songs in the movie, as well as some big band standards, and I enjoy them all as much as I did in 1977 (especially singing along with Liza Minnelli when she belts out the title song.) Now New York, New York has been turned into a stage musical, the story very loosely based on the movie. The Kander and Ebb songs are still there, as well as some new numbers by John Kander and some guy named Lin-Manuel Miranda. I’d love to get to New York to see the show in person, but if I don’t, I’m pretty confident the Broadway cast recording will be available on Hoopla!