In examining the relationship between the spectacular, iconic and vibrant New York of the musical and the off-screen history and geography of the real city-this book explores how the city shaped the genre and equally how the genre shaped representations of the city. Shearer argues that while the musical was for many years a prime vehicle for the idealization of urban density, the transformation New York underwent after World War II constituted a major challenge to its representation. Including analysis of 42nd Street , Swing Time , Cover Girl , On the Town , The Band Wagon , Guys and Dolls , West Side Story and many other classic and little-known musicals-this book is an innovative study of the relationship between cinema and urban space.