Main Street to Broadway (1953)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Tay Garnett

Writers:

Samson Raphaelson (writer)
Robert E. Sherwood (story)

Release Date:

13 October 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Romance

Plot Keywords:

Theater

Cast

Tom Morton	...	The Playwright - Tony Monaco
Mary Murphy	...	The Actress - Mary Craig
Agnes Moorehead	...	Mildred Waterbury
Herb Shriner	...	Frank Johnson
Rosemary DeCamp	...	The Mother - Mrs. Craig
Clinton Sundberg	...	The Father - Mr. Craig
Tallulah Bankhead	...	Herself
Ethel Barrymore	...	Herself
Lionel Barrymore	...	Himself
Gertrude Berg	...	Herself as Molly Goldberg
Shirley Booth	...	Herself
Louis Calhern	...	Himself
Leo Durocher	...	Himself
Faye Emerson	...	Herself
Oscar Hammerstein II	...	Himself

Runtime:

103 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 #16401, General Audience)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Cinema Productions

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story (1996)

Broadway Stars Amuck in the 50's

Main Street to Broadway is an odd little film. Like Stagedoor Canteen or Thousands Cheer, it contains the merest thread of a plot, used primarily to show off everyone on Broadway in the 50s. It is also a bit awkward, with Helen Hayes starting off the festivities introducing the audience to the world of Broadway, while Ethel Barrymore walks through a soon-to-be torn down theatre on Broadway. The storyline is pedestrian; a girl gives up acting to go home to Indiana, a playwright follows her home. Then boy loses girl and goes back to New York to write play. Then girl comes back to boy on the opening night of his play and decides that she loves him, even though his play is a flop. Storyline and performances are pretty weak. What makes this film utterly entrancing are the broadway stars. Talullah Bankhead gives a strong and wickedly funny performance as herself. Rodgers and Hammerstein, not only appear in the film, but Hammerstein sings a song they wrote for the film, "There is Music in You," which is later reprised by Mary Martin on stage. Even then-married Lili Palmer and Rex Harrison appear, supposedly on the street fighting over how to make a sandwich. My favorite part, however, is the main girl's hometown boyfriend, who talks EXACTLY like Billy Bob Thornton in Slingblade. He also has a number of really odd lines that left me scratching my head and trying to figure out where he came from. Broadway to Main Street is very worth seeing, if you get the chance.