The Broadway Melodies and other Hollywood Musicals

[happyfilmluvguy]

Here's a clip my mom shared with me earlier today. Voiced by Frank Sinatra,
from Broadway Melody of 1940.

The Clip

What Broadway Melody do you enjoy? What other musicals do you enjoy? What's your favorite dance number? Lots of questions, more answers.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I really like the original Broadway Melody, the 1929 version. Sure it creaks, but in the context of its era, it was a tremendous step forward in talkie storytelling -- and Bessie Love's performance is especially good. The tunes are excellent, and while a lot of the script was hokum even in 1929, it's *endearing* hokum.

The recent DVD release is excellent, with some really interesting extras: a collection of Metrotone Review shorts featuring a wide assortment of popular vaudeville acts of the day. A real slice of the twenties!

 

[Amy Jeanne]

This is a favourite topic of mine because I LOVE musicals from the 1930s, especially pre-Code. My favourite of The Broadway Melody series is the original from 1929. I love the snappy slang and the great songs. The 1936 installment is entertaining, but nothing I'd watch over and over. 1938 was kind of lame, though. I stopped after that. I don't know if I could sit through 1940 [huh]

As for my favourite musicals:
The Broadway Melody (1929)
On With The Show! (1929) - so creaky it's irresistable!
Just Imagine (1930) - my favourite movie ever
Madame Satan (1930)
Paramount On Parade (1930) - better than MGM's Hollywood Revue
42nd Street (1932)
Footlight Parade (1933)
Flying Down To Rio (1933) - the most risque of the bunch
Gold Diggers Of 1933 (1933)
Dames (1934)
365 Nights In Hollywood (1934)
Fashions Of 1934 (1934)
Hips, Hips Horray! (1934)
Wonder Bar (1934)
Gold Diggers Of 1935 (1935)
Gold Diggers Of 1937 (1936)
Hollywood Hotel (1937)
The Goldwyn Follies (1938) - I love The Ritz Brothers
Two Girls On Broadway (1940) - a remake of the 1929 Broadway Melody with Joan Blondell and Lana Turner

Musicals of the 1930s are one of my most favourite genres! Actually, they are probably my favourite next to bedroom farce. I'm kind of looking forward to getting sick this Spring so I can stay home from work and just watch musicals all day

 

[HadleyH]

What Broadway Melody do you enjoy?

I agree with Lizzie. My favorite of all the Brodway Melodies is the 1929 version with Anita Page, Bessie Love and Charles King with King singining the numbers "You Were Meant For Me", "Brodway Melody" and others.
The movie was an amazing hit, it was the first real musical filmed by MGM also the firt all-talkie and on top of everything it won the Academy award as the best picture of the year!!! Way to gooooooooo :eusa_clap

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Hips, Hips Hooray! (1934)

lol :eusa_clap

.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Some really black humor in those very early musicals.


Ever see the late '20s rendition of "Singin' in the Rain," with a ton of slicker-clad MGM stars standing outside of Noah's ark? Sayonara, kiddies ...

.

 

[HadleyH]

Some really black humor in those very early musicals.


Ever see the late '20s rendition of "Singin' in the Rain," with a ton of slicker-clad MGM stars standing outside of Noah's ark? Sayonara, kiddies ...

.

Do you think there was black humor in those early musicals??? Hmmm... I don't know... for me at least ,they were sweet and inocent and completly charming I adore most them!!!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Some black humor, I think. After all, those MGM stars were going to end up drowning in the Flood ...

.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

it was the first real musical filmed by MGM also the firt all-talkie

Was The Broadway Melody the first all-talkie MGM musical film? I know I knew this information at one time, but my memory has become rusty

I think the very first all-talkie musical ever made was On With The Show! (1929), which was also the first all-colour musical. The first all-talkie was The Lights Of New York (1928).

And those stars "Singin' In The Rain" is at the ending of The Hollywood Revue Of 1929 -- a most charming movie! Though I think Paramount On Parade is better. I guess it's because the budget wasn't as big and I tend to find the "smaller" movies more endearing.

As for 1930s humour -- I LOVE IT!! Yes, some of it is dark. But that's what makes it so great. I tend to prefer the sexual double entendres myself. And the "in jokes" about the stars that we know today, but weren't known widely then! I can't get enough of it.

 

[HadleyH]

Was The Broadway Melody the first all-talkie MGM musical film? I know I knew this information at one time, but my memory has become rusty

I think the very first all-talkie musical ever made was On With The Show! (1929), which was also the first all-colour musical. The first all-talkie was The Lights Of New York (1928).

Yes Amy Jeanne, I think 'The Brodway Melody' was indeed the first all-talkie- musical film by MGM. 'On With The Show' was created by Warner Brothers.
But, hey , please correct me if I'm wrong!

 

[Amy Jeanne]

Yup, you're right!! I'm just a HUGE 20s and 30s film buff and it saddens me a little that I'm forgetting things

 

[LizzieMaine]

Broadway Melody was filmed in late 1928, but not released until early 1929 -- still beat On With The Show to the screen by a couple of months.

Speaking of OWTS, a short clip of original Technicolor footage from the original 1929 release was found a couple of years ago -- turned up with a toy projector, of all things -- and it may turn up as an extra on some future early-musical DVD release. It's only about 20 seconds of footage, but the colors are really vivid, and gives a real sense of why the film was so well-liked in its day.

 

[Fletch]

Yup, you're right!! I'm just a HUGE 20s and 30s film buff and it saddens me a little that I'm forgetting things

You know what they say:
If you can remember the 60s, you weren't there.
If you can remember the 30s, you weren't born!

 

[Novella]

I think of the Broadway Melodies I've actually only seen the 1929 one. I enjoyed it, but not as much as I enjoy Busby Berkeley musicals. Although, usually the earlier the musical the better, because once the code came in some of the charm went out. I love the sly indirect humor. I'm not as big a fan of later musicals, unless the songs are really good or the dance numbers particularly unique. I think later ones somehow seem too sterile.

I tried to get into Jeannette MacDonald musicals, but I just couldn't. Something is too formal about her singing style. I like silly, which is why I also like a lot of Astaire-Rogers movies too.

About a month ago I watched a British made short called Strip, Strip, Hooray! (1931) which was super fantastic. Goofy musical numbers, tons of fun jokes, everything is approached with a wink. That's my kind of show.