Teaching short musical films

This article recounts the author’s experiences teaching undergraduate courses on the studio-era musical, with a focus on three short films: All-American Co-Ed (1941), Cow Cow Boogie (1942) and The House I Live In (1945). Each is exceptionally intriguing from the vantage point of twentieth-century cultural history. All-American Co-Ed offers an unexpected take on gender and sexuality; Cow Cow Boogie , featuring Dorothy Dandridge, anticipates the music video; and The House I Live In provides a window onto the visual culture of the Popular Front.