The Broadway Melody (1929)

6/10

robmeister17 May 2005

To say the least, watching this movie was an interesting experience. For one thing, "The Broadway Melody" predates the Hayes Code, which placed strong restrictions on what could and could not be seen (or heard) in movies. For example, we see numerous shots of Hank and Queenie in various states of undress, including shots of them in their undergarments as they change clothes, and even one of Queenie in the bathtub(!). No, nothing is revealed, but in 1929, it must have been scandalous to see this.

Another interesting aspect of this film is that, despite the fact that it is a "talkie," title cards like those seen in silent films appear throughout. Apparently, MGM wasn't quite sure how to progress the story of the movie as it switched to different sets.

Another thing I noticed was the similarities between some of the characters' names to those of real people. Specifically, "Jock Warriner" sounds like "Jack Warner" (who was head of Warner Bros. Studios) and "Francis Zanfield" is similar to "Florenz Ziegfeld" (of Ziegfeld Follies fame). It would seem the writers didn't have far to go to create some of these characters.

As for the acting, Bessie Love is the best performer in the film. Her character, Hank (yes, a man's name!), is intelligent, strong-willed, determined, and tough-minded, and she deservedly received an Oscar nomination for her performance in this film.

"The Broadway Melody" is a somewhat dated movie (to echo the sentiment of TV Guide), but it is still worthwhile to watch. The script is a little hokey, but the performances (especially from the women) shine through.

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7/10

"No Skies Of Gray On The Great White Way"

bkoganbing2 December 2008

Even though the occasional subtitle appears like training wheels on a bicycle with The Broadway Melody sound had finally arrived to tell the story of a movie. Though the movies had learned to talk, the players hadn't quite gotten down acting with a microphone instead of exaggerated gestures to make a point.

Everybody was overacting that year, you ought to see Mary Pickford's Best Actress performance in this same year. In fact she beat out Bessie Love who did a very good job as one of the aspiring Mahoney sisters for stardom on the Great White Way.

Bessie Love and Anita Page play the Mahoney Sisters who come to Broadway after being sent for by an old friend Charles King. King's had his eye on Love, but now little sister Page is all grown up. And she's also attracting Broadway wolf, Kenneth Thomson.

Charles King was a popular Broadway leading man of the day, his career going back to 1908 there. Such people as George M. Cohan, Irving Berlin, and Vincent Youmans had songs introduced by him. King had a nice singing and dancing act. He never really took to the big screen, but introducing Broadway Melody and You Were Meant For Me should qualify him for some screen immortality.

The plot is your usual backstage story, but the greatness of Broadway Melody was the singing and dancing. The possibilities of the screen musical hadn't been fully explored, it would take Busby Berkeley to do that in a few years. In its numbers Broadway Melody is a photographed stage musical.

But not a bad one at that. And our second Best Picture Oscar.

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7/10

Early Oft-Maligned Musical Well Worth Viewing

dglink23 April 2005

MGM's "The Broadway Melody" has often been criticized and lampooned, but the film holds up better than its reputation would suggest and has historical, social, and entertainment value that merit its viewing. This musical from the early days of sound won the second Best Picture Academy award and the first that went to a sound film. While its technical accomplishments may have impressed audiences in 1929, they are important today only as they show the hurdles that faced an industry in transition. The sound is harsh, which can be expected from early recording techniques, and, like the struggling technicians comically demonstrated in "Singin' in the Rain," sound created several problems for filmmakers. The camera in "The Broadway Melody" rarely moves, most of the scenes are in long-shot or mid-shot, and occasionally characters blur when they walk out of the camera's focal range. Thus, observant viewers can spot in this movie many of the real situations that faced the studios and directors during the sound transition period in the late 1920's.

Another interesting aspect of "The Broadway Melody" is social. Like the two fliers in "Wings" from the prior year, the two sisters, who form a stage act that they are attempting to bring to Broadway, openly demonstrate affection in a manner that would raise eyebrows today. The two fliers in "Wings" kissed on the mouth, embraced, and openly showed an affection that could only be interpreted as love, although there was nothing sexual implied. Here too, the two sisters kiss on the mouth, sleep together in each other's arms, and embrace more than even two sisters would be permitted to do within current social norms. Again, there is apparently nothing sexual in their affection, only sibling love. Another changing social norm is the shifting role of gays in film, and a clip from this movie was included in "The Celluloid Closet" to illustrate the change over time. The male dresser in "The Broadway Melody" is a blatant stereotype of the sissy, and the derisive remarks and put downs that he endures from other characters would or should not be tolerated today. However, like the Stepin Fetchit characters that illustrate how African-Americans were once treated on film, the sissy depicted here is a valuable lesson in how minorities were once marginalized and derided in the movies.

However, "The Broadway Melody" is of merit not only for historical and social reasons but also for its entertainment value. While the backstage story has become familiar, the plot retains a certain dated interest and is not boring. Some of the songs are familiar from "Singin' in the Rain," where they were sung and performed as well as they ever will be. But nevertheless, hearing these familiar tunes as they were first performed is fun, even if the voices and sound are lacking all around, and the clumsy dance numbers that are often performed to these songs cry out for Busby Berkeley, although they retain a certain clunky charm. While the film is neither the classic that it should be nor the campy dud that its detractors claim, "The Broadway Melody" is definitely worth a look and makes an excellent double feature with "Singin' in the Rain" as a real example of what was spoofed in that musical classic.

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Great Acting, Good Music

drednm28 February 2004

This is NOT a bad film. It's a 1929 musical that won an Oscar for best film as well as nominations for direction (Harry Beaumont) and lead actress, Bessie Love. It was the number ONE hit of 1929. Central to this film is Love's great performance as Hank Mahoney, the older sister in a musical act trying to make it on Broadway. The plot is pretty sophisticated for 1929. Bessie Love is in love with a singer (Charles King) who falls for younger sister, gorgeous Anita Page. Rather than hurt her sister, Page starts running around with a scummy playboy (Kenneth Thomson).

The truth comes out and Love backs off in a heart-breaking scene, giving up King and the act, and clears the way for Page and King. Two great songs: The Broadway Melody and You Were Meant for Me, both nicely done by Charles King. Love and Page are also fun in The Boy Friend song, in which Bessie Love gets to cut loose and dance in a full-fledged number. Another song, The Wedding of the Painted Dolls, is truly bizarre, and possibly the most over produced musical number you'll EVER see! But I like the music.

Yes, yes, you've seen all this before, but remember this is a 1929 talkie. The opening number is wonderful, with Charles King introducing The Broadway Melody. That's James Gleason as the music publisher. And keep your eyes on Rosie (no idea who played her) with her swinging beads. Blanche Payson plays "the big woman" in charge of the dressing room, who has a terrific scene with the gay designer (Drew Demorest). Mary Doran, Eddie Kane, Ray Cooke, and Jed Prouty have roles and that's composer Nacio Herb Brown at the piano. I love this film! I love the music. Bessie Love is SO GOOD in this film, you wonder why her talkie career didn't go better. Anita Page is also good and has a couple of terrific dramatic scenes. Charles King is a good singer but his acting was hammy. The three stars also appeared in Hollywood Revue of 1929. And yes, Bessie Love had been in films since the teens and was already a veteran of 15 years when she made this film. Catch her in Intolerance and The Lost World.

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6/10

A 1929 Achievement

van_ferro8 April 2005

I had the chance of watching this amazing movie when I bought the DVD version of The Broadway Melody. Although the restoration of the film wasn't that good, it still brought me to a conclusion that the film itself is a landmark achievement in the invention of a new Hollywood genre: the movie musical.

In the strictest sense of the word musical, however, The Broadway Melody is still at tips. It only contains some three songs blurted out of nowhere by the actors, as well as some orchestral music accompanying the movie as musical score. However, this kind of musical, which is still very much understood to be young in 1929's case, is already a rave not only for audiences but also for the critics.

Also, the technical aspects of the film, although are not outstanding enough to win the modern Best Picture, are very much appreciated in 1929's case. If we watch the movie in 1929's style, we can see that indeed it is a great movie. Long shots of dance sequences, great art and set decoration and of course great costumes would fill your eyes, not mentioning the kind of sporadic editing techniques and bright lighting that this movie utilized. This movie, in 1929's opinion, would really win the Best Picture, hands down.

However, what's more interesting with this movie is that, as a contemporary audience watching it, I am so enthralled at the history it had shown me. Remember, this is the transition to sound. It is much amusing to notice the fact that for the first time in my life, I have seen movie title cards (used for denoting various locations in the film) and that it is obvious that the movie utilized the 16-frames-a- minute hand-cranked camera which was common with the silent films of the 1920s, because of the seemingly fast motion (you'd notice it too)that actors made in the movie. Another thing is the static nature of the cameras in this movie. It is explainable since cameras are enclosed in "iceboxes" or camera rooms that are enclosed so as not to be heard by the then all-hearing microphone, that's why, in 2005's opinion, it did not have an imaginative screenplay. However, at this focal points, I can say that history has been shown in this movie and has added a great deal of weight for it to be considered as Academy Award winner for Most Outstanding Production of 1929.

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7/10

Not the worst Best Picture

Qanqor15 March 2006

OK, it's very simple. If you want to watch and enjoy this film, you have to put yourself back into 1929. If you're not willing to do that, don't waste your time. If you *are* willing to do that, it's a pretty good film. If the sound or picture seems ancient-- well, not in 1929! If the plot seems old hat-- well, not in 1929! You really do have to put yourself mentally into the time-frame of the time. This was really pretty damn good for 1929.

Of course, part of the enjoyment, today, of watching such a film, is indeed the time-warp you get. It really is interesting to see the movie people groping to find their way in the new era of talkies. Some have mentioned the odd silent-movie-style story-boards that open the scenes. Or the way that the players sometimes get out of focus when they get out of range of the camera. There were some other limitations of the time that I found interesting. Very interesting to note all the silence, when the characters are not speaking, especially when they are just emoting. Today, of course, every such scene would have orchestral back-up music, to tell you how to feel, but obviously nobody had thought of that yet. Or the way that they hadn't really invented the modern notion of a Musical, where people burst into song for no reason. In the one scene here where somebody seems to spontaneously burst into a song describing his feelings to someone else... at the end of the song he explains that he wrote it just for her (thus, it wasn't spontaneous after all).

All in all, not a *great* film, but enjoyable. I gave it six stars, plus an extra one for the historic interest. My one real gripe: I did think that the actress who played Queenie was just terrible. Too often she just didn't sound natural, she sounded like she was reading lines.

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5/10

Time not kind to the Oscar-winning "Broadway Melody"...

Doylenf5 June 2007

The transition to sound movies means that MGM's decision to do a musical in 1929 called "The Broadway Melody" was beset with lots of problems. First and foremost, the sound was primitive (tinny orchestrations of popular songs and squeaky female voices), the characters were strictly stereotypes of all the backstage musicals you've ever seen, and the plot can be boiled down to one sentence: two sisters try to make it big on Broadway while in love with the same man.

But one can understand that back in '29, this must have seemed a fresh and novel concept, despite all the drawbacks--especially by today's standards of what passes for musical entertainment.

Biggest compensation is the performance of BESSIE LOVE as "Hank", the tough, determined sister who tries to protect her younger sister (ANITA PAGE) from a wealthy playboy who wants Anita as a plaything. In the meantime, Love's boyfriend Eddie (CHARLES KING) is also falling in love with Page. Many strong outbursts occur backstage over the love lives of this trio and, of course, most of the dialog is pretty sappy.

What helps are a couple of big production numbers, most notably "The Wedding of the Painted Doll" (now shown only in B&W with original color footage lost), which has to be the most original of all the Arthur Freed/Herb Nacio Brown songs and is given the full production treatment in the MGM manner. Other songs are mostly throwaways due to the poor sound equipment and the fact that Anita Page is no singer. Her Brooklyn accent and flat delivery of lines doesn't serve her well but she certainly looks pretty and is very photogenic.

This is really a curiosity piece more than anything else, a brave attempt (at the time) to do something different in the movies that now had a voice. It has to be judged for what it was in its time period and if you can enjoy it for whatever values it still retains, that's about all you can do.

Summing up: One visit to this one is enough. Believe it or not, it won Best Picture of 1929--but I can see why Bessie Love won her Best Actress Oscar. She's terrific.

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7/10

It's a bit dusty with age, but for old movie buffs it's a must

planktonrules27 June 2007

Warning: Spoilers

This movie hasn't aged very well, but when it debuted it was a heck of a film--sparking many sequels as well as an entirely new genre of films, such as 42ND STREET, FOOTLIGHT PARADE and DANCING LADY. Because of this, even in spite of its many shortcomings, it's an important film historically speaking. The film may at times look like a bunch of clichés, but you should remember that although many of the plot elements would become clichéd over time, here they were quite original. It was also the first all singing/all talking musical (winning the Oscar for Best Picture), so it deserves to be remembered.

Hank and Queenie are sisters who have come to Broadway to make it big. Hank knows they will become stars as a team and doesn't seem willing to consider any other option. Frankly, as I watched their act, I couldn't help but think that these two women had practically no chemistry as a team-- they couldn't sing or dance all that well together. Well, despite Hank's confidence, Mr. Zanfield (a takeoff on Flo Ziegfeld) wasn't interested in the team--just Queenie. Queenie was not only much prettier but she also wasn't a giant pain in the neck and would take direction! Hank was too self-confident as well as pushy and obnoxious. Her only experience had been dancing in small venues but she tried to lecture the great Zanfield on how to put on a show! Despite Hank's general unlikability (to some she had "pluck and determination", to me she needed a rap in the mouth), she was still given a small part thanks to Queenie and Eddie's intervention. Hank, by the way, was the show's star and Hank's fiancé--that does sound a bit weird, huh?

The problem is that after a while, Eddie starts to realize that Hank's little sister, Queenie, is prettier and a nicer person. It's obvious that he is falling in love with her and vice-versa. However, both Eddie and Queenie love Hank and can't hurt her, so Queenie begins dating Jock--a rich guy. Now up until the very end, we really DON'T know Jock is no-good, but the instant Queenie shows interest in Jock, Hank interferes and tries to split them up. This isn't a good idea, as Queenie is only dating Jock in order to get Eddie out of her system. However, the longer the film goes, the more Hank rides Queenie for dating Jock. Eventually, Queenie can't take Hank's bullying any more and runs off to the arms of Jock. Fortunately, at that moment Hank figures out the score and tells Eddie their engagement is over and encourages him to marry Queenie. Eddie confronts Jock and gets punched in the kisser. Queenie runs to him and pledges her undying love, as he was willing to stand up and fight to protect her honor. Now at this point, you assume the film is over but it goes on needlessly for about 15 more minutes.

The film had a lot of energy and was unique--a truly innovative film. There were a few cute supporting characters I liked, such as the extremely flamboyant costumer as well as the three "yes-men". They added some nice color to the film. Oh, and speaking of color, while the color has vanished over time (a common problem with Two-Color Technicolor), many of the big production numbers were shot in a primitive form of color. Also, the title song ("Broadway Melody") was pretty good, but they sang it about six times during the film and four times in a row! I chalk this up not to lousy production values but to the fact this was the first musical extravaganza. Another minor problem that for me was not really a problem was the extensive use of inter-title cards. Considering this was such an early talkie, it's not surprising that they relied a bit too much on these cards to connect scenes.

Let's address rest of the people in the film. The character "Uncle Jed" was annoying and insensitive. His schtick was stuttering like Porky Pig and this got old very quickly. Also, if you haven't guessed from my above comments, Hank was just too darn unlikable and you wanted Eddie to dump her. Had she been softened up a bit (less pushy, controlling and rude), then the audience would have cared more for her plight. Also, when she and Queenie have their showdown, it's one of the shrillest scenes in movie history and should have been toned down a bit.

Now there are also many technical problems with the film. Many of the edits are very sloppy--either being edited too soon or allowing pointless footage to remain that should have been shortened. Frankly, it's editing is just awful--especially in one very long and protracted scene where Queenie just stares off in space towards the end. Also, while "Melody of Broadway" is pretty good, the rest of the songs aren't. In fact, during one song that was being sung by a guy dressed as a Roman soldier, the sound and singing was so bad I couldn't understand any of the song. This wasn't just me, either, as the film featured excellent Closed Captioning when shown on Turner Classic Movies but when it came to this song, the captioning stopped--obviously they couldn't figure it out as well! Also, while for 1929 the dance numbers were big and impressive, but about 1932 or 1933, these numbers looked amazingly small, poorly choreographed and flat--needing a strong injection of the Busby Berkely touch.

An important but flawed film.

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5/10

Give My Regards To Old Broadway

strong-122-4788851 November 2013

The following are lyrics by Arthur Freed - A million lights they flicker there - A million hearts beat quicker there - No skies of gray on the Great White Way - That's the Broadway Melody.

Released in 1929 - The Broadway Melody is a somewhat difficult movie to review since one feels that with every comment they must be reminding the readers that this was one of the very first all-sound pictures to come out of Hollywood.

Set against the backstage hubbub of an elaborate Broadway musical revue that's being financed by big-shot, Frank Zanfield, The Broadway Melody's all-too-familiar plot revolves around the romances, the heartaches, and the struggles of certain prominent cast members who are appearing in the show.

I found that far too often it became quite clear that the technicians behind the cameras and sound equipment didn't have a full grasp of what to do with this new medium - And, as a result, a number of the scenes came across as being noticeably clunky, disjointed and overlong.

It's interesting to note that this film (now 85 years old) predates the Hayes Code, which placed strong restrictions on what could and could not be seen (or heard) in movies.

This film does not contain any nudity, but there were a number of scenes where 2 of the female characters were shown in various states of undress, including shots of them parading around indoors in just their undergarments.

Even though The Broadway Melody wasn't a particularly good picture, it was interesting to view it in the context of its significance and value in the history of early movie-making.

*Trivia note* - Back in 1929 movies generally had 35-cent admission prices. With that in mind - This film grossed nearly $4 million upon its initial release.

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6/10

Well I liked it!

1930s_Time_Machine2 September 2023

All the negative reviews put me off watching this for years but I thought I'd finally give it a whirl and discovered something instantly engaging and entertaining. It's no GODFATHER but it's certainly not rubbish.

So why are there so many negative reviews? Being so (relatively) well-know makes it an easier target to shoot down. Lesser known and vastly inferior early talkies such as CHARMING SINNERS or FRAMED slip under the radar and escape such vitriol. Being made in 1928 does obviously make it look old-fashioned but that goes with the territory - it's a 1920s musical with 1920s actors, what do expect? I wonder whether its detractors have seen other films from the late twenties other than M and UN CHIEN ANDALOU? This was never meant to be a work of art, it was just fun: entertainment for the masses. Clearly it's not in the same league as the wonderful GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 but it's actually better than GOLD DIGGERS OF 1937!

For maximum popular appeal it used a well trodden story - two sisters both in love with the same man so don't expect anything remotely original. What I wasn't expecting but got was such a strong emotional story. Bessie Love's performance at the climax of the film is genuinely heartbreaking. It's a remarkably sensitive and nuanced performance with an intensity you wouldn't normally get in a light comedy - extremely well acted. It's a happy ending, she's laughing but for us the viewer, we're almost crying. Unlike the Busby Berkeley classics from the time of The Depression, this was made in the optimistic and progressive late twenties. It is therefore really quite upsetting to know that the plans and dreams of these characters are probably not going to find their happy ending.

If you like films from the early thirties you will like this. It's a lot better than most 1920s talkies, it's a lot better than a lot of early thirties movies too. If you're familiar with old films you'll find it almost impossible to believe how well made and well acted this "first ever" talkie is considering the cinematic trash (including 69 copy-cat musicals in 1929 alone!) that was to follow. Considering nobody really had a clue how to make a talking picture at the start of the year the result is amazing. It has a sweet endearing charm about it, it's emotionally engaging, it's got a building tension, it's fun and sad - what more could you want? Obviously the filming is a quite static, the story is cliched and the songs are horrible but overall it's thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining.

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3/10

Honestly a bit disappointing

stevengrnt2 July 2020

My wife and I have started from the begging with the Best Picture winners and this was a huge disappointment. After watching Wings this was just a huge let down. The cinematography and script was a huge step back. Watch it just to say you have seen all of the best pictures otherwise - skip it.

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10/10

The Outstanding Pioneer Musical Film

earlytalkie22 September 2007

Having seen "The Broadway Melody", one has to be taken in as to what an achievement this must have been to 1929 audiences. Here is the very first original musical written for the screen. It balances the interesting storyline with musical numbers which must have seemed to be quite spectacular for 1929, especially the "Wedding Of The Painted Doll" number. The performances in the film are uniformly good, with knockout work by Miss Bessie Love and Miss Anita Page. They bring a believability to their characters which is amazing considering the newness of the sound technology at the time.

Miss Page was always a good actress as well as a beautiful woman, and I find it interesting that in two of the films that I have seen with her, "Our Dancing Daughters" and this one, she has marvelous "drunk" scenes. "The Broadway Melody" opened the floodgates for musical pictures which went unabated until late 1930, when the public had had enough. If you are lucky enough to get the DVD version of this film, you get an additional ninety minutes of extras consisting of some interesting early sound short subjects, including "The Dogway Melody", which is a funny parody of "The Broadway Melody" starring an all-canine cast. So step back in time and put yourself in the audience of the first of the "all-talking, all-singing, all-dancing" entertainments, which just so happened to be the first sound film to win the best picture Oscar. If you enjoy film history as much as I do, you'll love it. Thanks for reading.

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6/10

An enjoyable pioneering work

drweir15 September 2005

Warning: Spoilers

The Broadway Melody of 1929 is one in a series of Broadway Melody films. This film (the 1929 one) won an Academy Award for Best Film, which mainly goes to show how far movie-making has got since then. This film is, many claim, the first "all-talking, all-singing, all-dancing" film in Hollywood, although many talkies had been created before that, but apparently that didn't matter too much for the marketing agents of this film.

The storyline of The Broadway Melody of 1929 follows a well-known pattern within the musical genre, namely that of the two poor girls who come to the Big Apple to try and make it to the big scene on Broadway, and team up with the struggling performer/songwriter, who gets them a small role in a musical. Unsurprisingly, the lead actress somehow manages to fall off a large pedestal in a rehearsal and injure herself, and one of the girls is chosen to take her place at the last moment. This of course leads to a rift in the relationship between the girls, which will have to be taken care of in an orderly Hollywood manner throughout the film. To top it off, the struggling songwriter falls in love with the new star, which is all fine and dandy, except for the fact that is engaged to the other half of the sister act. Oops. Being a musical, it all works out in the end, via a number of arguably well-plot-connected musical acts.

Which leads us to the singing and dancing. Having seen a Busby Berkeley-choreographed film, this one does look quite amateurish at times, with dancers sometimes a bit out of sync with each other, and the routines perhaps a little chaotic at times. Having said that, they can still be quite enjoyable.

The Broadway Melody is classically defined as a revue, with a series of scenes which are not necessarily interconnected. I, however did not see it as a revue, but rather as a flawed backstage musical. Although some scenes do come out of the blue, such as a semi-surreal, almost comical dance scene called "The Wedding of the Painted Doll", and a scene at the beginning which takes place in a Tin Pan Alley studio (Tin Pan Alley is a name applied to places and studios where songwriters and performers came together to make songs and musicals which they then tried to sell to Broadway theaters), they can be found to serve a purpose within the main plot of the movie.

The actors perform well for most of the time, except perhaps for moments when they seem to have a sort of a "silent hangover", that is, do horrifyingly extended and exaggerated impressions and gestures, as done in the silent movies a few years earlier. Mind you, the concept of talking in movies was only 2 years old at this time, so it's no surprise that the filmmakers and actors hadn't fully got the hang of it yet.

All in all, this is an enjoyable, if not very deep, little film to see, with interesting scenes and characters you even start to care about a little, despite their horrendous over-acting at times. 3 out of 5 for me, thanks.

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2/10

Oscar at it's Worst!

heatmise8 June 2001

I guess there was a time when this wasn't a tired old plot, but it was long before the filming of this awful picture. I'm sure the Academy Voters of the time, who voted it Best Picture, were mesmerized by the freshness of the idea of a musical motion picture with the recent advent of sound in the industry, but this film features highlights such as lousy performances, uninspired songs, unprofessional singing, a juvenile script, incompetent editing and it is also boring. It's not even good enough to be forgettable. This is truly a film that has nothing going for except that inconsistent little golden trophy.

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It was a different world

Gunko110 May 2004

I have just watched the Broadway Melody for the second time. I liked the picture very much because it takes one back to a very interesting time in our history. I am fascinated with the period it represents. I liked the dialogue and the music and the dancing and so on. I think that the film is excellent for its time. Many modern viewers will look at the film and think it as poor because of the dated acting and technology. You have to remember it is 1929 not 2004. Central to its appeal for me is the fact the plot is both complicated and simple. The conflicts of affection between the characters is nicely resolved in the end. The simple fact of life is shown in the film. That is to say that all the fame and money in the world is not worth a thing if one is not happy with it.

Most films today depress me very much. I want to be entertained. I don't want to see a bunch of banality. Broadway Melody takes you back to a time when there was true entertainment. I really liked "The Wedding of the Painted Dolls". A lot of precision went into that number.

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7/10

Better than it's made out to be

TheLittleSongbird22 August 2013

Seeing The Broadway Melody for the first time for historical interest and to see whether it really was down there as one of the worst Best Picture winners, it wasn't as bad as I'd heard it cited to be. It is a long way from perfect, the editing is sloppy which hinders the choreography(which sometimes was dull, small-scale and stagy), much of the supporting cast overact(Jed Prouty is especially annoying) and Anita Page's- as charmingly photogenic as she is- acting doesn't seem very natural at all. However, while not Best Picture worthy it is not one of the worst films ever made, not by a long shot. The costumes are just lovely and the sets are good as well. The dialogue is snappy(the orchestra is trying to drown me out line is very funny), the story while slow at times does have a simple nostalgic fun and charm to it and Page is very photogenic as said already. Charles King has a beautiful voice, he isn't the best of actors either but he's charming and not annoying. The choreography wasn't hugely impressive, but it does have some good moments, choreographically the best number by a landslide is Wedding of a Painted Doll. The Broadway Melody is competently directed, but Best Director worthy, not so sure. The best aspects of The Broadway Melody are the songs and the performance of Bessie Love, the only assets that come across as truly outstanding. The songs are marvellous, The Broadway Melody and You Were Meant for Me are classics. And Love is just terrific as Queenie, she does so much with the character and was more than deserving of her Oscar nomination. In conclusion, not a great film but better than it's made out to be. 6.5/10 Bethany Cox

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6/10

The second Best Picture winner-an interesting artifact

jjnxn-112 October 2013

Keeping in mind that the film is 80 years old and was made just when sound was new its interesting to see considering that it won best picture the year it came out. You can still feel the studios adjusting to the new medium since at several scene breaks they still use title cards, the sound is often uneven, the acting techniques antiquated and the plot older than the hills. With all that taken under advisement the picture is still worth viewing to see for the archetypes that it established and of course being a pre-code it has a racier content than would have been allowed even five years later. Famed songwriter Nacio Herb Brown, Singin in the Rain, Good Morning etc., is featured in the cast next to his future wife, albeit briefly, Anita Page. More of an fascinating artifact than a truly great film it's still worth watching at least once.

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3/10

Worst of the Oscar Best Pictures

Lyra8 September 1998

I considered "The Broadway Melody" to be a very boring movie, the worst movie to be honored with Best Picture. This may well have to do with watching a movie made 70 years ago, realizing that today's movies are a totally different animal than they were in our grandparents (or great -grandparents) day. The acting lacks imagination and passion, WITH the exception of Bessie Love's crying/laughing scene in the last half of the film. Outside of that very impressive bit of acting which I considered to be downright amazing and outstanding, this is one forgettable piece of cinematic history.

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6/10

Some good numbers but a little disjointed

carleeee22 August 2012

The film had great music, dancing and acting. I particularly enjoyed the Wedding of the Painted Doll number which was vibrant and fun; I loved how they had the dancers rise up through the stage floor. Some of the songs were later used in the 1952 musical Singin' in the Rain (one of my all-time favourites) so it was interesting to see them in their original context and get some of the references used in that film.

Charles King had a lovely singing voice, adding a beautiful performance of the hit song "You Were Meant For Me". Anita Page, known at the time as "the girl with the most beautiful face in Hollywood" shone as Queenie. Her acting lacked a bit of naturality, however it's important to note in the post-silent era they were still hired more on their looks than their vocal skills.

Sadly, the storyline seemed to lose focus and become disjointed; I had not developed enough of a relationship with the characters to care about the love triangle (which was solved too conveniently). It seemed to me the major focus was on the sound, being a fairly new addition to films of that era, and the scriptwriting fell on the wayside as a result. The title makes it sound like a musical of non-stop excitement whereas the storyline was quite dull, making it seem to go on for longer than 100 minutes. For the time, however, it must have been such a marvel to see talking and singing on screen that the audiences of 1929 wouldn't have been too bothered about the plot.

I can't be too harsh of course, it was 1929 after all and many aspects of film (especially audio) were in their infancy. It's worth seeing, even if just for the Wedding of the Painted Doll and to see how far films have come over the decades since.

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3/10

Early Sound Film Is Not Very Watchable

evanston_dad28 March 2012

"The Broadway Melody" is nearly impossible to review now, because it feels like every comment should be qualified by reminding everyone that this was one of the first all-sound pictures to come out of Hollywood. As a result, it's a hopelessly clunky, pretty dull movie, but it was likely a sensation at the time, garnering the second Academy Award for Best Picture in that institution's history.

We've seen the plot a thousand times, but only because it was in this movie first. Two sisters head to New York to make it on the Great White Way -- one is hypnotized by the glamour and immorality of show biz while the other sits dutifully by and tries to keep her sister on the straight and narrow. Bessie Love and Anita Page play the sisters, and while Page's performance is a disaster, Love's is quite good, and could stand on its own even without the qualification that it was one of the first sound performances committed to celluloid. People at the time obviously thought she was pretty good too, because she received a Best Actress Academy Award nomination for her performance.

It's clear that the technicians didn't have a clue what to do with the new medium. Director Harry Beaumont (who was inexplicably a nominee in that year's Oscar race for best director) throws up his hands and simply plants his camera in the middle of the set for every scene, not even moving it to track an actor across the room. The result is disconcerting, as there are times when the actors are bundled over into the corner of the frame while a big empty set dominates the rest -- it's not unlike watching a widescreen movie in a badly done pan and scan version.

The acting and I suppose even directing could be forgiven because of the newness of the technology, but I don't know why the damn film couldn't have been better edited, or why the dance numbers couldn't have been better rehearsed (at one point, you actually see one of the dancers almost fall over). You don't need sound to pull off a choreographed dance number on screen.

Absolutely the only enjoyment I received in watching this film came from its historical significance, and from seeing the original that would spawn an entire genre of "putting on a show" musical spectacles -- "The Broadway Melody" is the kind of movie that other movies like "Singin' in the Rain" are spoofing.

A lover of cinema and cinema history will probably want to see this for some of the same reasons I did, but I can't promise he/she will enjoy it much, not to mention everybody else.

Grade: D

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6/10

THE Broadway MELODY (Harry Beaumont, 1929) **1/2

Bunuel197628 February 2009

Surprisingly, for a film of its vintage, this got shown as a Saturday matinée on local TV, which is how I first got to watch it in the late 1980s. THE Broadway MELODY, of course, has a lot to answer for: it was not only the first Talkie to win the Best Picture Oscar but the very first Musical – featuring songs by composer Nacio Herb Brown and lyricist Arthur Freed that would be much re-used including the title tune and "Singin' In The Rain" (which, of course, spawned the acknowledged all-time best musical in 1952 produced by Freed himself) – and, similarly, the first of many to revolve around a 'putting-on-a-show' scenario (which would reach its apex in Warners' 42ND STREET [1933]). The musical sequences in this case culminate in the show-stopping "The Wedding Of The Painted Doll", which set the template for elaborate routines later immortalized by choreographer Busby Berkeley. In retrospect, the film's Oscar triumph had a lot to do with its novelty factor since two other competing titles I have watched – the gangster picture ALIBI (1929) and the Western IN OLD ARIZONA (1928) – are clearly superior. Still, though technically it leaves a lot to be desired (the main culprit being Beaumont's bafflingly Oscar-nominated[!] static direction) and bears an equally creaky plot (two small-town sisters attempting to make it big on Broadway both love the same man), THE Broadway MELODY holds plenty of interest even after all these years, particularly as a time-capsule of late 1920s New York (and theater) life. Unfortunately, after a bright first half (the story by Edmund Goulding was co-scripted by James Gleason – who also appears, uncredited, as himself!), the film bogs down into talky (and repetitive) melodrama: nevertheless, the two female leads (Anita Page and Oscar-nominated Bessie Love) are both appealing and quite good. The same, however, cannot be said of their male counterpart (Charles King) or, for that matter, the heavily stereotyped supporting characters and bit parts: the girls' stuttering manager uncle, the millionaire playboy constantly drooling over Page, the gay costume designerthough I personally found the impresario's legion of 'yes men' (including a drunkard dubbed "Unconscious") rather amusing. In conclusion, MGM would follow this up with 4 more Broadway MELODY movies over a 15-year period, of which I have only watched one earlier this year.

Bonus Shorts:

GUS VAN AND JOE SCHENCK: THE PENNANT WINNING BATTERY OF SONGLAND (N/A, 1929) **; THE DOGWAY MELODY (Zion Myers and Jules White, 1930) **; METRO MOVIETONE REVUE #1 (Nick Grinde, 1929) *1/2; METRO MOVIETONE REVUE #2 (Nick Grinde, 1929) *1/2; METRO MOVIETONE REVUE #3 (Nick Grinde, 1930) *1/2; METRO MOVIETONE REVUE #4 (Nick Grinde, 1930) *1/2; A MOVIETONE DIVERTISSEMENT (N/A, 1928) *1/2

Accompanying THE Broadway MELODY (1929) on Warners' DVD is a cluster of even more primitive Talkie musical shorts and one canine(!) spoof. The former are simply a ragbag collection of song'n'dance routines – annoyingly shot with a camera firmly fixed in the stalls – by stars of the day no one remembers anymore; the same can be said of the host(s) who introduce the numbers: two feature the rather effeminate Harry Rose and two more the baby-faced and would-be wisecracking Jack Pepper, with both getting in on the action at some point (the latter's shtick even incorporates some weird vocal inflections!). It is useless to catalogue any highlights because there are none – which explains my ultra-low ratings for the lot. For the record, A MOVIETONE DIVERTISSMENT, which preceded the others, would be re-issued as METRO MOVIETONE REVUE #7; this and the Gus Van/Joe Schenck (one of the two has a deep voice, making for a fair Al Jolson-type crooner) short are, er, the shortest because they get down to business and do away with the redundant intros entirely. As for THE DOGWAY MELODY, it is downright eccentric: apparently, there were a number of these comedies featuring canines in human attire, and this one obviously sums up the plot of that first musical (a Best Picture Oscar winner, no less) in about 15 minutes. While the idea may be amusing at first, it wears thin very quicklyand, somehow, I could not help wondering what the dogs had to go through in order to act in such an unnatural manner!

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5/10

Less than routine---by today's standards

kijii5 November 2016

This 1929 Harry Beaumont-directed movie won an Oscar for Best Picture at the 1928-29 Oscar ceremonies. It features the songs by Nacio Herb Brown (composer) and Arthur Freed (Lyrics) and they both have small parts in the movie.

This is a fairly entertaining movie, considering the time in which it was made. I wonder if this was the first MGM sound movie about putting on a Broadway show? (The IMDb cast list is rather skimpy in that it doesn't tell us more about who played which role. For example, I would like to know who played the stuttering uncle. He was sort of entertaining and should have been listed in the cast.)

Charles King (Eddie Kearns), Anita Page (Queenie Mahoney), and Bessie Love (Hank Mahoney) steal the show as a boyfriend and two sisters from out of town. The theater owner's name was Francis Zanfield (Eddie Kane), and one wonders if this isn't a takeoff on the name, Florenz Ziegfeld. (Well, I probably just answered my own question there!!)

The story, itself, is rather thin, but the entertainment is good. One thing it presents, that I had never seen before or since, is a woman tap dancing on her toes in ballet slippers. To me, this was really quite a remarkable feat on some really remarkable feet!!

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10/10

The Granddaddy Of Them All

Ron Oliver8 August 2002

A song & dance sister act strives for happiness and fame on the Great White Way.

Hailed as Hollywood's first true musical, THE Broadway MELODY shows its age, but ought to be judged by its own era, not ours. When it premiered in 1929, the movie industry was still releasing its last silent films. To see a hundred-minute movie full of music & talk, with a storyline that made sense, some good acting and genuinely hummable tunes - this was all tremendously exciting. That the film won the Academy Award for Best Picture of the year is hardly surprising. From this source the mighty American Movie Musical would spring.

Some of the acting is a bit awkward, illustrating the rough transition from silents to talkies - the Microphone was a Monster that would completely devour some actors - but most of the performances are adequate. Of special note is Miss Bessie Love. Pert & pretty, as well as a most engaging actress, she dominates the proceedings as the tough, realistic half of the sibling duo. Able to show joy or despair with equal conviction, she amply demonstrates her mastery of the new medium. Her Academy Award nomination was well earned.

As her younger sister, Anita Page is lovely to look at. Her ease with the microphone would increase with her next few acting assignments. Broadway singing star Charles King plays the composer/performer loved by both young ladies and he is quite agreeable in this role. Mr. King had the distinction of being America's first male musical movie star, aside from Jolson, but his film career would be very short, covering only six pictures from 1928 to 1930.

The team of Arthur Freed & Nacio Herb Brown supplied the tunes, including the classics 'The Broadway Melody,' 'You Were Meant For Me' & 'The Wedding of the Painted Doll,' which is unfortunately missing its original Technicolor hues. Mr. Brown can be spotted as a piano player in the film, while movie mavens should recognize James Gleason as a music publisher in the opening sequence and Jed Prouty as the girl's stuttering agent - both uncredited.

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7/10

Exceptionally Sophisticated Early Talkie

LeonardKniffel28 September 2019

An exceptionally sophisticated early talkie, "The Broadway Melody of 1929" is significant as the first real Hollywood musical. This Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production featured music by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, including the delightful "The Wedding of the Painted Dolls. The score also includes the lovely old standard "You Were Meant for Me." Freed stayed on at MGM and was responsible for some of the studio's most successful musicals, continuing in the 1950s. A must-see for cinema buffs.

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4/10

A Historical Curio, But Not a Timeless Gem

Turfseer25 March 2024

Warning: Spoilers

The Broadway Melody, heralded as the first sound film to snag an Academy Award, deserves a nod for its pioneering role in cinematic history. Back in those nascent days of sound technology, the production was akin to a wild experiment, with sets being shuffled around like a deck of cards in a bid to capture even a whisper of audio.

Most of the film unfolds indoors, with only occasional glimpses of New York City's hustle, culminating in a bustling Times Square shot. At its core, The Broadway Melody follows the Mahoney Sisters' vaudeville escapades as they venture onto the illustrious Great White Way in pursuit of showbiz stardom. Harriet "Hank" Mahoney and her sister Queenie Mahoney take center stage, egged on by Broadway luminary Eddie Kearns, who's romantically entangled with Hank.

The showbiz extravaganza is orchestrated by Francies Zanfield, a thinly veiled nod to Broadway's iconic impresario Florenz Ziegfield. Tensions simmer when Eddie (reconnecting with Queenie from their childhood) falls head over heels for her.

However, the audition drama unfolds as a chorus girl pulls a sneaky stunt, sabotaging Hank's chance by stashing a bag in the piano. Zanfield, unimpressed by the duo, axes their roles but hints at Queenie's potential elsewhere. Queenie, in a commendable sisterly move, vouches for Hank's business savvy. Eddie, charmed by Queenie's loyalty, is further smitten.

Queenie's rise to stardom, spurred by a fateful substitution and entanglements with the dastardly Jock Warriner, rattles both Hank and Eddie. Yet, her maneuvers are a strategic dance to keep her distance from Eddie and safeguard her bond with Hank.

Amid confrontations, heartaches, and even a scuffle between Eddie and the roguish Jock Warriner, Queenie eventually retires from the limelight after tying the knot with Eddie. Meanwhile, Hank forges ahead on a new showbiz journey with a fresh partner, harboring hopes of a triumphant return to Broadway in the future.

Anita Page's Queenie and Bessie Love's Hank deliver commendable performances, seamlessly transitioning from silent-era grace to the demands of talkies. However, Charles King's Eddie falls into the "corny" camp, missing the mark on subtlety.

Despite its historical allure, The Broadway Melody's musical numbers lack lasting impact, and the choreography feels more like a quaint relic of a bygone era.

In sum, The Broadway Melody shines as a historical artifact worth a watch, but as a timeless masterpiece of drama and musical prowess, it falls more than a tad short.

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