20 movies like Sparkle, ordered by similarity : Two Girls and a Sailor(1944), The Idolmaker(1980), I Could Go on Singing(1963), Summer Stock(1950), Purple Rain(1984), Saturday Church(2017), Shine On, Harvest Moon(1944), Scenes From the Goldmine(1987), Footlight Parade(1933), Love Thy Neighbor(1940), Coney Island(1943), West Side Story(1961) ...
Musical
USA
1976
100 Minutes
Philip Michael Thomas Irene Cara Lonette McKee Dwan Smith Mary Alice Dorian Harewood Tony King Beatrice Winde Paul Lambert Joyce Easton De Wayne Jessie
mother singer sister songwriter gangster pimp emotional tense harlem, n.y. church long island, n.y. stage club apartment sibling rivalry show business drug addiction kidnapping struggle fame
Three sisters form a singing group in 1950s Harlem, but success threatens to ruin their relationship forever.
Musical, Romance
1944
124 Minutes
Van Johnson June Allyson Gloria DeHaven Jimmy Durante Tom Drake Henry Stephenson Henry O'Neill Ben Blue Frank Sully Donald Meek Lena Horne
singer sister wealthy man sailor vaudevillian amusing spectacular charming emotional nightclub apartment backstage canteen new york city warehouse world war ii home front sibling rivalry sister relationship love triangle
A sailor (Van Johnson) from a rich family meets a nightclub-singing sister act (June Allyson, Gloria DeHaven) in wartime New York.
Musical
USA
1980
119 Minutes
Ray Sharkey Tovah Feldshuh Peter Gallagher Paul Land Joe Pantoliano Maureen McCormick John Aprea Richard Bright Olympia Dukakis
songwriter singer teen idol girlfriend spectacular melodramatic sultry pennsylvania stage apartment backstage street nightclub music pop culture fame rags to riches music industry rise rivalry
Based on the life of rock promoter/producer Bob Marcucci, who discovered, among others, Frankie Avalon and Fabian.
Musical
UK|USA
1963
99 Minutes
Judy Garland Dirk Bogarde Jack Klugman Aline MacMahon Gregory Phillips Russell Waters Pauline Jameson Jeremy Burnham
singer mother doctor father son rousing melodramatic tender london england london palladium lost loves career vs. family singing mother/son relationship failed romance father/son relationship love discovery rivalry
Jenny Bowman is a successful singer who visits David Donne to see her son Matt again, spending a few glorious days with him while his father is away in Rome in an attempt to attain the family that she never had.
Musical, Comedy
USA
1950
109 Minutes
Judy Garland Gene Kelly Eddie Bracken Gloria DeHaven Marjorie Main Phil Silvers Ray Collins Carleton Carpenter Nita Bieber Hans Conried Paul E. Burns
actress sister dancer housekeeper fiancé cheery lighthearted farm connecticut stage farming sibling rivalry song and dance romance show business transformation love rivalry 1950s
A small-town farmer, down on her luck, finds her homestead invaded by a theatrical troupe invited to stay by her ne'er-do-well sister.
Musical, Romance, Drama
USA
1984
111 Minutes
Prince Apollonia Kotero Morris Day Jerome Benton Clarence Williams III Olga Karlatos Billy Sparks Jill Jones
musician singer rival father mother brooding sultry minneapolis nightclub household family dysfunction abuse music stardom love triangle quest rivalry love rise 1980s
A young musician, tormented by an abusive situation at home, must contend with a rival singer, a burgeoning romance, and his own dissatisfied band, as his star begins to rise.
Musical, Drama, Gay & Lesbian
USA
2017
82 Minutes
Luka Kain Margot Bingham Regina Taylor Marquis Rodriguez Mj Rodriguez Indya Moore Alexia Garcia Kate Bornstein Jaylin Fletcher Stephen Conrad Moore Evander Duck Jr.
teen boy mother brother aunt drag queen transgender woman emotional profound tense powerful inspiring moving new york city high school apartment club stage homeless shelter transsexuality cross-dressing
A 14 year-old-boy, struggling with gender identity and religion, begins to use fantasy to escape his life in the inner city and find his passion in the process.
Musical
USA
1944
111 Minutes
singer songwriter manager magician friend rival engaging melodramatic positive cabaret theater stage new york city music hall show business vaudeville marriage jealousy singing songwriting
Biographical movie about the early 20th century Broadway stars Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth.
Musical
USA
1987
105 Minutes
Catherine Mary Stewart Cameron Dye Steve Railsback Alex Rocco
singer band leader manager brother father lover emotional los angeles stage backstage rock 'n' roll show business emotional abuse addiction new love transformation wretched excess 1980s
A young songwriter/musician joins a rock group but pays the price for success when she becomes involved with the band's leader and he tries to steal her music.
Musical
USA
1933
102 Minutes
James Cagney Joan Blondell Ruby Keeler Dick Powell Guy Kibbee Ruth Donnelly Hugh Herbert Frank McHugh
director actor secretary competitor theater owner ex-wife lighthearted charming spectacular witty new york city stage backstage apartment street filmmaking musicals theft secret love show business
Chester Kent struggles against time, romance, and a rival's spy to produce spectacular live "prologues" for movie houses.
Musical, Comedy
USA
1940
82 Minutes
Jack Benny Fred Allen Mary Martin Verree Teasdale Eddie Anderson Virginia Dale
jack benny fred allen niece valet sister rival amusing cheeky madcap coast united states docks miami apartment feud show business brawling love triangle imprisonment rivalry
Jack Benny is preparing his New Year's Eve radio broadcast but takes time out to take his valet Rochester to meet his girlfriend Josephine arriving on a steamer. Fred Allen and his sister ... See full summary »
Musical, Romance
USA
1943
96 Minutes
Betty Grable Cesar Romero George Montgomery Charles Winninger Phil Silvers Matt Briggs Paul Hurst Frank Orth
promoter saloon owner singer carnival worker bartender drunk amusing cheeky lighthearted coney island broadway theater saloon carnival backstage stage show business jealousy carnivals ambition love triangle
Set at the turn of the century, smooth talking con man Eddie Johnson weasels his way into a job at friend and rival Joe Rocco's Coney Island night spot. Eddie meets the club's star ... See full summary »
Musical
USA
1961
151 Minutes
Natalie Wood Richard Beymer Russ Tamblyn George Chakiris Rita Moreno Simon Oakland Ned Glass William Bramley Tucker Smith
gang member rival love interest police officer melodramatic emotional sad new york city street romance gangs showdown jealousy racism dance forbidden love rivalry 1950s
Two youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.
Musical
USA
1951
86 Minutes
Betty Grable Macdonald Carey Rory Calhoun Eddie Albert Fred Clark Lois Andrews Irene Ryan Steve Condos Edwin Max Bob Nash
broadway star broadway producer rival singer husband lawyer playful crafty broadway theater apartment backstage nightclub doctor's office boat marriage divorce amnesia ambition trial reconciliation
Delilah Lee is the star of husband Jeff Ames' Broadway show when she starts to suspect he has been exchanging more than contracts with the show's vampish backer. Alimony and amnesia become the order of the day.
Musical, Comedy
USA|UK|Canada
2007
115 Minutes
John Travolta Nikki Blonsky Amanda Bynes Christopher Walken Zac Efron Elijah Kelley Queen Latifah Michelle Pfeiffer Brittany Snow James Marsden Allison Janney
teenager dancer mother father best friend rival campy heartwarming inspiring baltimore household television studio high school dance racism television love competition underdog rivalry
Pleasantly plump teenager Tracy Turnblad teaches 1962 Baltimore a thing or two about integration after landing a spot on a local TV dance show.
Musical
USA
1962
123 Minutes
Doris Day Stephen Boyd Jimmy Durante Martha Raye Dean Jagger Joseph Waring Lynn Wood Charles Watts James Chandler Robert Burton Norman Leavitt
circus performer daughter rival son emotional touching circus backstage role reversal love revenge family financial crisis deception rivalry sacrifice 1960s
A debt-ridden circus is saved by a well-meaning but inept publicity man.
Musical
1993
150 Minutes
Bette Midler Peter Riegert Cynthia Gibb Ed Asner Christine Ebersole Michael Jeter Andrea Martin Linda Hart Anna McNeely Jeffrey Broadhurst Tony Shalhoub
mother daughter sister agent vaudevillian burlesque dancer charming spirited backstage family home office stage gypsy rose lee mother/daughter relationship ambition show business burlesque sibling rivalry growing up rise
Stage-mother Mama Rose (Bette Midler) sees one daughter quit, while her other one (Cynthia Gibb) becomes stripper Gypsy Rose Lee.
Musical, Comedy
USA
1963
97 Minutes
Elvis Presley Ursula Andress Paul Lukas Alejandro Rey Elsa Cardenas Larry Domasin Robert Carricart Teri Hope Charles Evans Alberto Morin Francisco Ortega
lifeguard diver daughter young boy love interest rival amusing melodramatic charming acapulco, mexico boat hotel jealousy new job love interest music competition diving love transformation
A yacht owner's spoiled daughter gets Mike fired, but a boy helps him get a job as singer at Acapulco Hilton etc. He upsets the lifeguard by taking his girl and 3 daily work hours. Mike's also seeing a woman bullfighter.
Drama
2017
106 Minutes
Jean Jean Ramón Emilio Candelario Judith Rodriguez Jose Cruz Manuel Raposo Karina Valdez Aleja Johnson Carlota Carretero Keunis Álvarez Orestes Amador
prison guard prisoner prisoners messenger gangsters love interest romantic interest romantic rival rival dark disturbing emotional engaging gripping intense moving passionate powerful raw tense
Incarcerated in the Dominican Republic, an inmate uses sign language to communicate with his imprisoned girlfriend at an adjacent institution.
Musical
USA
1937
132 Minutes
Jeanette MacDonald Nelson Eddy John Barrymore Herman Bing Tom Brown Lynne Carver Rafaela Ottiano Charles Judels Paul Porcasi Sig Ruman Walter Kingsford
opera singer teacher husband love interest melodramatic emotional passionate paris opera house new york city love triangle jealousy opera marriage infidelity forbidden love rivalry revenge 1930s
An aging opera singer looks back on her long life, including her relationships with her vocal teacher and a student.
Musical
USA
1944
113 Minutes
Judy Garland Margaret O'Brien Leon Ames Lucille Bremer Tom Drake Mary Astor Marjorie Main June Lockhart Harry Davenport Joan Carroll Hugh Marlowe
sister mother father boy grandfather tailor airy charming spirited endearing heartwarming st. louis household love love triangle ball world's fair metamorphosis rivalry transformation
Young love and childish fears highlight a year in the life of a turn-of-the-century family.