Top 10 Performances in Movie Musicals That Were Short But Iconic

“Tommy” (1975)
The Who’s rock musical is a surreal trip through the aesthetics of the mid-70s. Elton John’s appearance as an outlandish pinball champion is a delight, but it’s the brief sequence starring another music icon that is the movie’s standout cameo. As the aptly named Acid Queen, Tina Turner enters “Tommy” to the sound of a lively drumbeat. Administering some alternative medicine to the title character, she dances across the screen as the increasingly bizarre house of horrors unfolds around her. Her quivering, tortured smile acts as the perfect punctuation to the fever dream of a scene.

“The Blues Brothers” (1980)
There are many legendary cameos in this spirited musical comedy, including blues musicians Ray Charles and James Brown. But it’s Aretha Franklin’s role we’re left thinking about the most. Franklin plays the proprietor of a Chicago soul food restaurant, whose husband is a semi-retired guitar player in the Blues Brothers’ old band. After cutting the brothers down to size, she launches into her hit song, “Think,” and gets the whole restaurant dancing. It’s a barnburner of a number, and a truly hilarious scene. All in all, she appears on screen for around seven glorious minutes.

“Victor/Victoria” (1982)
In this 1982 gender-bending musical comedy, a female singer, played by Julie Andrews, pretends to be a man who also happens to be a drag queen. Lesley Ann Warren’s shrill, ditzy, and hilariously vicious Norma Cassidy is a force of nature. Her constant misreadings of situations, paired with her insistence that everyone else is out of the loop, makes for a classic comedy of errors. Her bawdy musical number "Chicago, Illinois" is a highlight of the film. If you can steal a scene from Julie Andrews, James Garner, and Robert Preston, you’re doing something right! It should come as no surprise that she earned an Oscar nomination for her efforts.

“Little Shop of Horrors” (1986)
Even though a major plot point revolves around his character Orin Scrivello, Steve Martin isn’t actually in “Little Shop of Horrors” for very long. Scrivello is a heightened parody of the bad boy archetype. He’s a sleazy, sadistic Elvis wannabe whose entire ethos is abuse, and whose career as a dentist is just a disguise for his desire to inflict pain. Although it’s not much of a disguise. Martin creates a character who’s just begging to be fed to a carnivorous plant from outer space. Just as iconic was Bill Murray’s brief cameo as Orin’s pain-loving patient. They’re the sadomasochistic comic duo we didn’t know we needed.

“Nine” (2009)
Despite its stacked cast, including several Oscar-winning performers, this 2009 musical adaptation failed to capture the humor or magic of the original stage show. But one performer stood tall, delivering what is arguably the movie’s best moment. Yes, Fergie delivered the goods in an all too brief appearance in “Nine.” As the pouty and seductive Saraghina, her heavily choreographed number, “Be Italian,” is a highlight in an otherwise uninspired movie. Nailing the number’s chair-based dance moves, and showcasing her range as a singer, Fergie gave it her all in a committed and memorable performance.

“Across the Universe” (2007)
A Beatles jukebox musical set against the backdrop of Vietnam War-era turmoil, “Across the Universe” is full of unique and often intense arrangements of Beatles songs. The movie itself is polarizing, but even the biggest skeptic can get behind this one. One of the most heartbreaking moments is Timothy T. Mitchum and Carol Woods’ mournful rendition of “Let It Be.” The performers only appear briefly but, played against Mitchum’s character’s death in the 1967 Detroit riots, and the funeral of a young soldier, the scene leaves a lasting impact. Woods’ heartfelt and haunting wailing on the chorus is bone-chilling and raw, drawing out the original song’s religious and existential themes.

“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” (2017)
Arriving just in time, Cher sweeps into this gloriously messy sequel and injects a dose of utter fabulousness. The pop icon shows up as Ruby, the mother of Meryl Streep’s Donna, which is a hilarious and fitting tribute to Cher’s timeless look, considering the two are only three years apart in age. Her entrance is grand enough, but the twisting of ABBA’s song about two soldiers in the Mexican Revolution to fit her character’s backstory makes the whole performance pure camp. Like the performer herself, “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” isn’t afraid to take big swings!

“Annie” (1982)
Coming in near the end of the story to help Carol Burnett’s Miss Hannigan swindle a billionaire, Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters add some much-needed stakes and pizazz to “Annie”s final act. Rooster, a man so oily he leaves streaks across the screen, and Lily, a peroxide blonde with a voice like a busted horn, are two of the nastiest villains to ever (dis)grace the stage or screen. Curry and Peters bite into these roles with relish. Musical legends in their own right, the two really kick things into high gear for their performance of “Easy Street,” a lively number they sing alongside Burnett.

“Singin’ in the Rain” (1952)
The extended dance sequence begins as a ballet showcase for star, choreographer, and co-director Gene Kelly, but he is nearly knocked silly by the long and elegant legs of rising star Cyd Charisse. Credited only as “Dancer,” Charisse was handpicked by Kelly to be his dance partner for the sequence. The two are a match made in heaven. Charisse’s captivating and elastic movements are every bit as impressive as Kelly’s. Some of it is so steamy, it’s a wonder it got past the infamously harsh censors of the time. Without a word, the two have what might be one of the most romantic dance duets in Hollywood …and she’s not even his leading lady!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

The Original Anita Came Back in a New Role & Killed the Movie’s Biggest Number

His Song Is Just as Memorable as His Violent Death

Meet Mrs. Banks, Mother, Activist, & Crusher of the Patriarchy

This Original Broadway Cast Member Stops By to Inject Some Smooth Vocals

Who Can Forget This Gravel-Voiced Performance of “Roxanne”?

“Stormy Weather” (1943)
Featuring an all-African American cast, this 1943 musical boasts an impressive roster of stars, and songs by some of the era’s best composers. It also features what Fred Astaire called the “greatest movie musical number he had ever seen.” Performed by Cab Calloway and his orchestra,“Jumpin’ Jive” is a delightfully upbeat number with a show-stopping dance segment performed by the Nicholas Brothers. In their precise, technically ambitious, and absolutely thrilling routine, the brothers keep turning up the dial. And just when you think they’ve shown us everything, we get the pièce de résistance. The two begin leaping down a huge staircase, over each other’s heads, landing in a split each time. It’s a feat of rhythm, timing, and acrobatics that’s breathtaking to watch.