2. Broadway Melody of 1929

Broadway Melody of 1929

Let me preface today's movie by saying that I 'heart' musicals. I truly do. My best friends and I once stayed up all night watching Singin' in the Rain over and over again. I always loved the show That's Entertainment because it showed the best musical numbers from all musicals. I never have had a problem with the way that the actors just slip right into song. Even today I can't turn down a good musical like Bride and Prejudice which I thoroughly enjoyed.

With that said, I looked forward to watching Broadway Melody of 1929 despite the terrible reviews I had heard over the years. It is considered the precursor of the musicals that I love. After finishing it I can definitively say two things:

1. I'm glad I watched it.
2. I never want to watch it again. 

Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse in
Singin' in the Rain

I think that anyone who loves Singin' in the Rain will gain a greater appreciation of that movie by watching this one. For one thing, a number of the songs are included in the movie: "Broadway Melody," "You Were Meant for Me," and "Wedding of the Painted Doll." Seeing them in their original context helped me realize what a tongue-in-cheek tribute Singin' was to the old musicals. However, after hearing "Broadway Melody" 5 TIMES in an hour and a half movie, I have no real interest in watching that particular scene from Singin' for quite awhile. (I'd just skip through the dream sequence until we get to the enchanting dance sequence with Cyd Charisse!)

Anita Page (left) and Bessie Love in Broadway Melody.

In addition, the main beauty of the show played by Anita Page was a cross between Lina Lamont (the high pitched meanie in Singin') and Tony Curtis as a 'dame' in Some Like It Hot. She was supposed to be the love interest of a 'sugar daddy' and the main star of the show. However, while not ugly she wasn't to my eyes a stand out. She wasn't the best dancer. She was kind of horsy with terrible posture. And she had the worst nasally, lower East side accent around. I was wondering if the writers of Singin' weren't using her as their model for a woman who was better in silent films but couldn't make the transition to the talkies because of her accent. That was until I read about her life. At the height of her popularity she was the second most popular star in Hollywood behind Greta Garbo. Benito Mussolini sent her multiple marriage proposals. She 'retired' from movies at the age of 23. However, she revealed that in 2004 she was pushed out because she wouldn't sleep with Irving Thalberg.

SPOILER ALERT.

Broadway Melody was about two sisters, Hank and Queenie, who had a sister act which travelled around the country performing. The older sister, Hank, always protected her sister. The male star of the show, Eddie, played by Charles King, was in love from Hank from their youth, never having paid attention to her 'kid sister' Queenie. That is until he met her again in New York City where the sisters travelled to 'make it' on Broadway. When he saw that she was all grown up, he immediately fell in love with her. Of course, he still kisses Hank and has no compunction with leaving her embrace to then turn to Queenie and express his love for her. He even says he wrote 'You Were Meant for Me' for her. Queenie, too, is in love with Eddie. But Queenie is a good and devoted sister. Instead of hurting Hank, she rebuffs Eddie and turns to sugar daddy Jacques Warriner. Even though her sister warns her he's after only one thing, she blithely accepts gifts and an apartment. But when Jacque tries to make an advance on her, she acts as if she had no clue what was coming. Hank realizes Eddie loves Queenie and sends him in to save her sister. He charges in and gets punched and thrown out, but not before saving her. They go on to get married. Her sister finds a new partner and goes back on the road, leaving Broadway behind. But it's not a happy ending. She's sad as she leaves for Peoria, vowing she will return to Broadway. And that's the end!

My Thoughts:

1. As I tried to figure out the structure of this movie, I realized that Blake Snyder was right. There were serious gaps in the structure of the story. I never felt that the writers could decide whose story was being told. Over time, it became apparent that Hank was the real protagonist, but the message is quite a sad one. In fact, their Uncle sums it up when he says:
   
   "Troopers are all tramps. Here today and gone tomorrow. No love and no nothing. Hank you're just a born trooper."
   
   But I didn't feel that Hank was that. She wanted to settle down, but she wanted to make sure that Queenie was taken care of. She lost the man and the dream of Broadway. She ends sad as she leaves it behind with a new partner who is rude and brash.
2. I know that a lot of early films are full of stereotypes. However, as film evolved it seemed that these stereotypes were not played so much for meanness as for comic effect. Not the case here. In this movie, there was a stutterer as an uncle. He reminded me to some extent of Uncle Felix in Christmas in Connecticut. However, where Felix had a thick accent that made his lines humorous, the uncle in this film is a stutterer. Many of the jokes center around his stuttering. While his nieces don't seem mean-spirited, there are others who roll their eyes or push him along to get his words out. But this is nothing to how the gay man is treated in the Zanfield's theater. Zanfield's wealthy friends who hang out at the show are downright mean and mocking of him. It was shocking to me. Women too were treated like children. They were told to "Run along and be a good little girl," and when the matron who works in the chorus line's dressing room sends them out on stage, she gives a few of them slaps on the bum.
3. The dialogue really stunk. I mean bad. There were jokes made that I hope would have made sense in the past, but they sure made no sense to me today. Here are a few examples:



"Your profile was ruined the day you were born."

Singer:
"I can't sing without a spotlight."
Technician
"You couldn't sing if you had a searchlight."

And then there were stellar lines by Queenie like:
"I can't say anything but I really like it a lot."
"You dirty bum you!" (After a man just tried to force himself on her.)
"I've never taken my clothes off in my life before.



4. The fact that sound was new is evident from the first moment. The movie starts in the cacophony of a music studio with acts singing in rooms throughout the building. Every few seconds, the sound focuses on one of the groups then goes back to all the sounds interacting. See what I mean: 
   
   In addition, when large groups of people were together, the sound got muddled. Further, there is an underlying noise thorughout the whole movie that gets louder at times. 
5. The older sister basically bathes and dresses her younger sister who has to be at least 19 or 20 in the film. She even dries her off when they got out of the shower. I found that a bit odd to say the least.



Bessie Love and Charles King in Broadway Melody

6. The two sisters kiss on the lips a few times. This is not something that is commonly seen these days. It's odd how our concerns about sexuality have led to people being less demonstrative with those in their family.
7. Charles King should have stayed in Vaudeville. His histrionics were just over the top. Further, he kind of gave me the creeps with his shows of affection for the two girls. It was really odd.
8. The best scene in the movie, acting-wise, was when Hank realizes that Eddie loves Queenie and sends him after her. She then cries jaggedly for quite some time, and I truly felt her pain. In fact, I would say that even though she went over-the-top at times, Bessie Love was the best actor or actress in the film.