Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935)

Director:

Roy Del Ruth

Writers:

Moss Hart (story)
Jack McGowan (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

20 September 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Romance

Tagline:

You have waited seven years for this!

Plot:

Bob Gordon is staging a new Broadway Show, but he is short of money. He gets an offer of money by the young widow Lilian...

Plot Keywords:

Gossip Columnist | Dancer | Railway Porter | Deception | Theatrical Director

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Jack Benny	...	Bert Keeler
Eleanor Powell	...	Irene Foster
Robert Taylor	...	Robert Gordon
Una Merkel	...	Kitty Corbett
Sid Silvers	...	Snoop Blue
Buddy Ebsen	...	Ted Burke
June Knight	...	Lillian Brent
Vilma Ebsen	...	Sally Burke
Nick Long Jr.	...	Basil Newcombe
Robert Wildhack	...	Hornblow
Paul Harvey	...	Scully
Frances Langford	...	Herself
Harry Stockwell	...	Himself

Also Known As:

Broadway Melody of 1935 (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #1157)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Buddy Ebsen's first movie.

Quotes:

Sally Burke: Why don't you go back and see Gordon?
Irene Foster: I will not!
Sally Burke: You *came* here to see him, didn't you?
Irene Foster: Yes, but I still have a little pride left.
Ted Burke: So's Gandhi, but he's getting awful thin.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Jack Benny Program: Musicale (#11.18)" (1961)

Soundtrack:

The Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)

Lightweight, But Lots of 1930s Musical Charm

The plot of Broadway MELODY OF 1936 is a classic of its kind. Bob Gordon (popular matinée idol Robert Taylor) is producing a Broadway musical--but he runs afoul of actress and financial backer Lilly Brent (June Knight), who sees herself not only as the star of the show but Bob's ladylove as well. When their "romance" is played up by gossip columnist Bert Keeler (Jack Benny) fireworks ensue, and matters are further complicated by the arrival of Bob's old flame Irene Foster (Eleanor Powell) who has come to make her fortune as a dancer on the Great White Way.

The twists and turns of the story are fairly obvious and the outcome is a foregone conclusion--like many Hollywood musicals of the mid-1930s the story really exists as an excuse for comic turns and musical numbers--but the film has a great deal of charm and catches a host of performers moving up to stardom. The big news here is Eleanor Powell and Jack Benny, both fairly new to film and both somewhat stiff in front of the camera... but whatever their faults in this film there's no denying that Powell clearly poised to become a great musical star or that Benny is a comic genius in the making.

Powell, Taylor, and Benny are backed by a truly solid host of character actors and cameo performers, most notably Sid Silvers, Una Merkle, Frances Langford, and Harry Stockwell. But most film buffs will be particularly interested in the brother-sister team of Buddy and Vilma Ebsen, a popular vaudeville act; Vilma would soon retire, but Buddy's scruffy look, dunderheaded comedy, and hilariously eccentric dance style would propel him to a series of popular musicals and a very long career indeed. The musical numbers--which include such perennials as "Broadway Melody," "You are My Lucky Star," and "Gotta Feeling You're Fooling"--are all lots of fun to hear and see as well.

When all is said and done, Broadway MELODY OF 1936 is hardly a "classic musical;" it is too disjointed, too cliché in plot and character to measure up to the truly great musicals of the era. But it is quite a bit of fun, and hardcore 1930s musical fans should enjoy it quite a bit.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer