PENNIES FROM HEAVEN (1981)
Dark musical comedy melodrama telling the story of a traveling sheet music salesman (Steve Martin) in the great depression who leaves his wife for a schoolteacher (Bernadette Peters) only to experience together a horrible descent into poverty and tragedy.
This has some of the most beautiful music and musical numbers ever. And the more tragic the events of the story get, the more beautiful the music, a great story strategy I adore (similar to Dancer in the Dark and Umbrellas of Cherbourg). And all the music is lyp-synching to beautiful old records. So amazing! And watch for the Christopher Walken scene. He delivers the most brutal line of the movie and then does a striptease to “Let’s Misbehave”. It’s crazy. And he’s the best dancer! But watch out, this is one of the most depressing and despairing movies. Not for the faint of heart.
