I'm not a huge fan of musicals -- although there are exceptions -- but I do find that a good musical performance can add a lot to a narrative feature: They can serve great comedic, satiric, rousing, or romantic value. In many cases, they also showcase the singing talents of actors we don't otherwise associate with singing. The history of film has seen some fantastic musical performances over the years, and the 15 below are my favorites.
Note that I've only included songs where the actors or actresses actually sing (or at least, in the case of Michael J. Fox, are supposed to be singing). Lip-syncing numbers, such as the car scene in Wayne's World do not count for the purposes of this list, although singing along with a song does.
Stranger than Fiction, "The Whole Wide World," by Will Ferrell
High Fidelity, "Let's Get It On," by Jack Black
Almost Famous, "Tiny Dancer," by the Cast.
Mulholland Drive, "Crying," by Rebekah Del Rio.
Before Sunset, "Let Me Sing You a Waltz," by Julie Delpy
Adventures in Babysitting, "Babysitting Blues" by Elisabeth Shue
Beautiful Girls "Sweet Caroline" by Cast.
Back to the Future, "Johnny B. Goode" by Michael J. Fox.
About a Boy, "Killing Me Softly" by Hugh Grant and Nicholas Hoult
The Meaning of Life, "Every Sperm is Sacred" by Monty Python.
This is Spinal Tap, "Big Bottoms" by Spinal Tap.
The Muppet Movie, "Rainbow Connection" by the Kermit the Frog.
Blazing Saddles, "Work Song" by Cast.
Magnolia, "Wise Up" by Aimee Mann and Cast.
Young Frankenstein, "Puttin' on the Ritz"
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Plastic Jesus in Cool Hand Luke
Julia Delpy gets me every time.
The only thing I would disagree with is that The Muppet Movie isn’t a non-musical film. There are several songs in it!
Love that Stranger Than Fiction and About a Boy were included!
Personally I would like to have seen the space opera song from The Fifth Element included! Love that.
That version of Crying is so beautiful and haunting, and the only version of anything I’ve heard that comes close to doing justice to a Roy Orbison song.
What about Twist & Shout in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off?
The Three Amigos or GTFO.
Maybe I’m dense and missed you acknowledging this, but Huey Lewis did the voice-over for Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future.
How are Spinal Tap and The Muppet Movie considered “non-musical”?
Since you have to remove Spinal Tap and the muppets, I would like to submit Bill Murray singing “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” in Lost In Translation.
Doris Day. In the Man Who too Much
And after having just watched it, I’ll say Chris Penn in The Funeral.
“These Eyes” by Michael Cera in Superbad. Definitely should be on here.
“I Say a Little Prayer” from “My Best Friend’s Wedding.”
that’s a lot of singing white people. any clips from non-white singers?
they toatally screwed over Steve Carrell in Dan in Real Life singing Let my Love Open the Door!
“You’ve lost that lovin’ feelin’”… TOP GUN
Uh, 10 Things I Hate About You?? Heathy??
“Destination Anywhere” in The Commitments preceded Almost Famous by almost a decade, and was infinitely more sincere.
M*A*S*H Suicide is Painless Sung to the “Painless Pole” just before his apparent Suicide.
you missed eddie murphy and greatest love of all!
postcards from the edge…meryl streep AND shirley maclaine but mostly meryl streep…none of us had any idea she could sing back then
Cameron Diaz “I don’t know what to do with myself” in “My Best Friend’s Wedding.”
@ Terry I agree
Also, Gene Wilder is awesome.
What about Vanilla Ice in TMNT2:SOTO or Shaq in Kazaam?!