Customer Reviews

Broadway Melody of 1929 [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This wonderful movie was made in both silent and talkie versions in 1928, and released the following year.Bessie Love and the beautiful Anita Page star as two sisters trying to make it big on the NY stage, and both in love with the same man. Charles King,(1889-1944), a fairly well-known hoofer and song man of the era, plays Eddie. He does well in this movie, but it has been recorded elsewhere that he had great problems remembering his lines. Miss Page, 18 at the time, gives a stellar performance as a typical Jazz Age baby, but yet very naive and innocent.There was much of Miss Page in real life as she was here in this movie. Love is great as the scared-of-nothing older sister. The unbilled costume designer gives the ultimate fey performance everytime he appears. Jed Prouty is good as the stuttering Uncle Jed. Unfortunately, a lot of the men are very heavily and overly made up. The music is great, except for overkill of "You Were Meant for Me"(originally written for Anita Page by Nacio Herb Brown) and "Broadway Melody." 20's wisecrack remarks abound, especially well delivered by Mary Doran, who plays Flo. A great, great movie to be seen again and again. Because it is from 1929 is one of its charms. It is never outdated.

While this was the second film to win the best picture Academy Award, it was, in fact, a film of a number of firsts. It was the first all talking, all singing musical. Bessie Love, a name we certainly don't hear today, was nominated as best actress. She lost to Mary Pickford (Coquette).

The film is somewhat dated, but don't forget it is over 70 years old. However, that notwithstanding, two songs, the title song and You Were Meant for Me, still hold up well. It is worth watching for for at least its historic value.

Claimed by some as "The worst film to ever win best picture" I couldn't disagree more. "The Broadway Melody" carried a lot of importance with it in the world of cinema. It was the first complete "talkie". Flooded with music and dance.
"The Broadway Melody" tells the story of the Mahoney sisters, Queenis (Anita Page) and Hank (Bessie Love) who go to New York with the idea in their head they'll make it on Broadway with the help of Hank's boyfriend, Eddie Kearns (Charles King). But, as the film goes on we find outt hat both sisters are in love in Eddie, and Eddie feels the same way towards them, and everybody better get their feelings straight before and after the curtain closes on broadway!
I have to admit, even though slammed by many people as dull, too old-fashion, too cliche, and just plain boring, I enjoyed the film and for more reasons then it's techinical achievements. The film has a charm to it that has been forever lost in today's Hollywood. I would only recommend that serious movie lovers watch this film, other people will have no appreciation for it. This not the worst film to ever win the best picture award. And even if it didn't win the award I would still enjoy this film.
The only reason I'm giving this film 4 stars instead of 5 is that the dance numbers seem flat. There is no pizazz to it. Watch other musicals of the 30's like "Whoopee" made in 1930. Watch "42nd Street" or the Fred Astaire Ginger Rogers musicals. They all seem to have more "glitz and glamour" to them. "The Braodway Melody" number is awfully flat. But, they make up for it with "The Wedding of the Painted Doll" number. But even in this piece, the dancing is not amazing. The songs in the film however are, which happened to be written by the team of Freed & Brown, if you're having trouble placing them, they wrote "Temptation" along with, "The Broadway Melody" & "You Were Meant For Me" are enjoyable to listen to.
The story to the film is by Edmund Goulding, who directed "Grand Hotel" with Greta Garbo, which won best picture in 1932.
Bottom-line:Although it was the first musical to ever win the best picture award and was the first complete "talkie", the film has more to enjoy then this. It is a charming film that works more as a drama than a musical.

Some reviewers here have slammed this musical because it's "dated, old, stilted, stagey." For God's sake, this movie was made nearly a century ago! Of course it looks stagy and stilted and old-fashioned. But in l928, when this movie was being filmed, this was all revolutionary. And it's still fantastic fun. To me, Anita Page is fabulous. She should definitely have emerged as a super-star but according to her, Louis B. Mayer wanted to play footsie-wootsie (a polite way of saying you know what) and she refused to. End of starring roles. I love studying the fashions, the fresh and original music, the lingo, that young, naive air of the Jazz Age. Watch this one and then watch "The Jazz Singer." Both are utter joys. Watch them with an unbiased mind and accept "Melody" for what it must have been back in l928 (released l929)and the incredible impact it on audiences back then.

Invaribly dated with old-fashioned notions, sets, acting techniques - and most everything else antiqued - this film is nevertheless a fascinating historical milestone of the cinema. This was the film which is credited for starting the popularity of the backstage movie musical in the early sound era. Seen today, BROADWAY MELODY is a quaint curio filled with crude staging, hefty, lumbering chorines, and hackneyed situations - but, in its day it was (rather unbelievably) considered fresh, daring and exciting. In 1929, its success was phenomenal. Made at he cost of a mere $280,000, it took in more than 4 MILLION in profits -- (average theatre admission then was 35 cents!). It was both the first sound and musical film to win an AA for best picture; with Bessie Love winning a best actress nomination - the Oscar went, rather undeservedly, to Mary Pickford for her ridiculous performance in COQUETTE.

Even though it was advertised as "All Talking! All Singing! All Dancing!", this movie, named the Best Picture of 1929, contains certain elements that point out that sound was still unfamiliar territory to most filmmakers. For example, this movie is still using title cards to announce the chapters. Also, the actors are still using silent film acting techniques as though nobody can hear them. For example, in one scene, characters indicate their drunkenness by hiccuping and wildly staggering about. This unpolished musical was undoubtedly recognized more for combining drama with the musical revue than for its overall production value. The inclusion of a major production number, "The Wedding of the Painted Doll," originally a Technicolor number that is now lost, may also have impressed the Academy.

The story is basically just a backdrop for the real attraction - the singing and dancing. The vaudeville sister act of Hank (Harriet) and Queenie Mahoney come to Broadway where their friend, Eddie Kerns, needs them for his number in a show. Eddie has had a long distance romance with Hank for some time, but when he meets the now grown-up Queenie, he falls in love with her. However, she is also being courted by Jock Warriner, a wealthy playboy. Queenie uses her relationship with Jock as a shield against getting involved with Eddie so as not to hurt her sister. When Hank sees what Eddie and Queenie mean to each other, she steps out of the way so the pair can be together. Unremarkable end to unremarkable story, although Bessie Love's acting as Hank is quite good for an early talkie. Unlike later movie musicals where it is expected that the players will burst into song at any time, this movie seems self-conscious about it all. The very few songs and dances that are performed are - with only one exception - performed within the context of the Broadway show that is being performed. Also note the brief appearance of two character actors early in their careers - William Demarest and James Gleason.

In spite of its obvious shortcomings, this film is one of my favorite early talkies. I love it not because of how it plays in the 21st century. Instead, I love it knowing that it really is the first true movie musical and knowing how it was made in the fall of 1928 when sound technology was so primitive. The cameras were rolled around on wheels - rolling coffins they called them - to give the film some of the fluid visual motion that was lost when sound came in because the noise of the camera had to be insulated. Also, since there was no such thing as a mobile microphone at that point, the microphone was manually hauled just off camera by someone in their stocking feet. These are only a few of the anecdotes dealing with how this film was made and the on-the-spot innovations that had to be made.

The extras are Warner Brothers shorts that pertain to the talkies and musicals of the late 20s and early 30s. "The Dogway Melody" is a 16 minute-long spoof of the original The Broadway Melody with a cast entirely of dogs. You have to see this to believe it. It is funny in an "Our Gang" kind of way. There are also Metro Movietone Reviews consisting of five shorts less than 20 minutes each of some singing and dancing and comedy bits taken directly from the stage. "Van & Schenk" is a 5 minute short with Gus Van and Joe Schenk singing "Chinese Firecracker" and "Way Down South" with piano accompaniment sounding like they are singing through a megaphone. "Broadway Trailer Gallery" contains trailers for the four sequels to Broadway Melody. These films were Broadway Melody of 1936, 1938, 1940, and 1944.

This always fascinating movie came out just at the end of the Roaring Twenties. If you've always wanted to see a genuine, real-life jazz baby, then this is it! Anita Page, who plays the gorgeous, indepenent sister of a duo act steals the movie. The blonde bombshell is sensational. One only wonders why she never became a superstar. She's alleged her MGM boss, Louis B. Mayer, put the moves on her and she resisted, thus ending her movie career. Bessie Love is an acquired taste. Charles King has a good voice but during film, he consistenly forgot his lines. Anita remembers how hellaciously hot it was on the set. She fainted at one time. A book should be written about this charismatic star who should have been one of the great ones. Fascinating to see the Jazz Age gowns of the gals, especially the knockout white, spangled outfit of Anita's and her ermine-lined cape she wears to a party. One sequence, Wedding of the Painted Dolls, was filmed in early Technicolor, but you don't see this on the video version. Anita, at this writing, is still alive and well. She's featured prominently in the biography of Billy Haines entitled "Wisecracker". See the gin-splashed ambiance of how it really was at the end of the Jazz Age. Buy your own copy and rejoice--over and over.

The Broadway Melody Of 1929 was the first "talkie" to receive an Oscar for Best Picture. The film was distinctly modern for its time although in our times the story would never suffice as a movie plot. Some people say that the thin plot was essentially an excuse for song and dance numbers--and they are right. Bessie Love and Anita Page play the two sisters Hank and Queenie Mahoney respectively; and they do a good job of it. Just one look at Charles King as Eddie Kearns tells you he's the good guy who can't help being human; and Kenneth Thomson gives a great performance as the rich playboy Jacques Warriner (a reference to Jack Warner, I would think). Arthur Freed himself gets a small role as a bystander in the rehearsal room for Francis Zanfield's latest Broadway production; the character of Francis Zanfield clearly refers to the great Flo Ziegfeld--excellent!

When the film starts, we meet sisters Hank and Queenie who arrive in New York to seek fame and fortune on Broadway. They talk it over with Eddie (Charles King), who loves Hank until he gets a glimpse of Queenie now that she's "all grown up." Eddie tries to get the sisters into the latest Broadway show being staged by Francis Zanfield. Things begin to happen both for the better and for the worse as Eddie realizes that he loves Queenie and not Hank anymore. Queenie tries not to interfere with Eddie and Hank; she doesn't want to steal her sister's boyfriend. Queenie dates a rich playboy named Jacques (Kenneth Thomson) so that Hank still has a real chance to be happy with Eddie. However, Jacques' money may not be enough to win Queenie's true love. Queenie winds up having to choose between Eddie and Jacques; and her decision effects Hank's life, too.

The shades of black and white complement the fine acting perfectly; and the superb musical numbers strike you as infectious even today. The movie score boasts the infectiously happy "The Broadway Melody;" "You Were Meant For Me" and "Truthful Parson Brown." These numbers are sung with the great sensitivity you expect from a MGM musical and the musical arrangements reflect forethought, too. There are some intertitles cards so that the audience can easily understand the way the plot is going--you can tell by this that Hollywood hadn't completely disposed of some of silent picture devices when this film was made.

The cinematography is quite good--for it's time. The opening moments feature beautiful aerial views of Manhattan; the lighting is good and the subjects are well framed within the screen. The strength of the choreography shows in the dance numbers as well as the brief fight scene between Eddie and Jacques. In addition, the sound quality is actually pretty good--thanks to people who walked around very quietly while carrying microphones, safely out of the range of the camera.

The DVD offers wonderful extras, too. MGM spoofs its own movie with "The Dogway Melody." The trained dogs act out a story that is remarkably similar to The Broadway Melody of 1929; and it's actually quite entertaining! We get some "Metro Movietone Revues," too, which showcase other talented acts in short movies. Gus Van and Joe Schenk perform in their own musical short as well.

Sure, the plot is somewhat corny, contrived and predictable--but, then again, who cares? The film is excellent for its time; and I love that. The actors show the human sides of the characters they play through good acting; and the musical numbers exceed my expectations for a film from this era. The movie held my attention throughout and the themes of love, humanity and wanting success will remain forever relevant to us both today and in the future. I tip my hat to MGM and these outstanding actors for producing such a treat as The Broadway Melody of 1929! Great job, everyone!

If you weren't there, this is likely the closest you'll come to experiencing the sights and sounds of the Jazz Age. The pall of the Great Depression descended right on the film's heels and nothing was the same again. But in this spirited romp of a musical there's no hint of what was to come. The story, to be sure, is a bit hackneyed by today's standards, but the music and performances are full of life and the picture fairly vibrates with jazzy energy. Grab yourself a bathtub-gin martini and pop this one into the moving picture victrola - and try to keep your feet still!

I thouroughly loved this one! I wouls only add to the other reviewers words by saying I've always loved the song "Broadway Melody", both the music and gleefully,carefree happy time flavor of those 1929 lyrics. Thought I'd never be able to listen enough times to this song to satisfy me,BUT,this movie justabout does the trick. I shall be keeping this gem among my treasures and to think I was able to purchase a $680,000.00 movie which grossed 4 million bucks, for only [$$$] here at Amazon. This movie has delicious nostalgia. and if you really try, you can almostget a tangible scent of the places theaters and ambience of the ornate beautiful movie palaces all so new at that time. A time piece and keep-sake of a happier and more carefree "era,dear-ah." (Credit Ruth Donelley from her book)

If you've got a love for old movies you just may love this.(vo-dody-oh-do!)