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MONEY
Did you know
Shot for just $0.4M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Gold Diggers of 1933
"THE BIGGEST SHOW ON EARTH!"
1933 1h 37m EN
👍
7.2
SOLID
★7.2TMDB · 184
ComedyDrama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
When all Broadway shows are shut down during the Depression, a trio of desperate showgirls scheme to bilk a repugnant high society man of his money to keep their show going.
“THE BIGGEST SHOW ON EARTH!”
Cast
Warren William
Lawrence
Joan Blondell
Carol
Aline MacMahon
Trixie
Ruby Keeler
Polly
Dick Powell
Brad
Guy Kibbee
Peabody
Ned Sparks
Barney
Ginger Rogers
Fay
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Mervyn LeRoy
- Writers
- Erwin S. Gelsey, James Seymour
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Made its money back 7.4× over at the box office.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
ERA
Did you know
93 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, shot by Sol Polito. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Al Dubin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor George Amy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Warren William and Joan Blondell and Aline MacMahon carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "THE BIGGEST SHOW ON EARTH!".
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Mervyn LeRoy directs. Sol Polito behind the camera. Al Dubin scores. George Amy cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Shot for just $0.4M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
- 2Made its money back 7.4× over at the box office.
- 393 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
- 4Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, shot by Sol Polito. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Al Dubin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor George Amy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Warren William and Joan Blondell and Aline MacMahon carry the top of the cast.
- 8Marketing tagline: "THE BIGGEST SHOW ON EARTH!".
- 9IMDB entry: tt0024069 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 10Classified under 10 themes, including "mistaken identity", "musical", "great depression", "songwriter".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Sol Polito
- Original score
- Al Dubin
- Editing
- George Amy
- Costume design
- Orry-Kelly
- Makeup / hair
- Perc Westmore
- Runtime
- 97 min · 1h 37m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $433,000
- Box office
- $3,200,000
- Return
- 739% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- NR
Also by
Mervyn LeRoy
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Warner Bros. Pictures
US
The Vitaphone Corporation
US
Key crew
- DialogueDavid Boehm
- Costume DesignOrry-Kelly
- DialogueBen Markson
- ChoreographerBusby Berkeley
- EditorGeorge Amy
- Art DirectionAnton Grot
- Theatre PlayAvery Hopwood
- ConductorLeo F. Forbstein
- LyricistHarry Warren
- LyricistAl Dubin
- ProducerRobert Lord
- ProducerJack L. Warner
- Associate ProducerRaymond Griffith
- Makeup ArtistPerc Westmore
- Production SupervisorRobert Lord
- Second Assistant DirectorArthur Lueker
- Sound RecordistNathan Levinson
- Assistant CameraSpeed Mitchell
- Still PhotographerBuddy Longworth
- Second Assistant CameraMike Joyce
- OtherEugene Joseff
- Music ArrangerRay Heindorf
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- mistaken identity
- musical
- great depression
- songwriter
- pre-code
- hard times
- chorus girl
- broadway musical
- hidden identity
- show girls
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere1933-05-26· Denver, Colorado
- Theatrical1933-05-27NR
Also known as
International titles
- Cavadoras de Ouro de 1933BR
- Chercheuses d'or de 1933FR
