Broadway Melody (1929)

[louisa1832]

I get such a kick out of the way the girl with the long string of pearls gets into the song.

[Txboy85A]

Those two girls singing at 0:40 are the cutest things! My my my.

[brandon91616]

Does anyone know any possible way to view the full film?

[TVWriterGuy]

I should have lived in the era of this film. I am certain i was born several decades too late.

[177coc]

I love it !!!!!!

[HarborGuy]

Another great long forgotten by Hollywood of today.........

[FoPo4]

Don't let this one delightful and polished scene fool you. Broadway Melody of 1929 deserves its rep as the worst Best Picture ever. Anita Page can't act. Bessie Love over acts. During the final scenes players seem to make

up dialog as they go along. Some of it couldn't have been rehearsed. Actors move about awkwardly, often leaving the camera field.

Musical fans will appreciate seeing legends Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed.

[hebneh]

I really enjoy seeing how the fairly-new technology of sound is so well used here. At the start, the disorganized jumble of various musical styles gets across the hectic atmosphere of this office where all sorts of competitors are vying for attention. Then, when "Broadway Melody" begins, the various instruments join in as the curious onlookers gradually pay attention and get enthusiastic.

[nostalgiajunkie70]

Do you hear Nacio Herb Brown ask Charles King: Is this a good song Eddie?

Charles King says: Is this a good song Herb? It's just as good as the Doll Dance number! LOL..Also notice "Is Zat So?" which I have not seen.



[bill3murr]

yes, errolfan, that is james gleason on the right of the guitar player with the cigarette. he was a great character actor.

[errolfan]

This is crazy. Where do I sign up?

[louisa1832]

Shivers and goosebumps indeed! What wonderful fun. Thank you!

[ConfusedSponge]

amazing

[andeaver1937]

Great movie. Saw it on TCM a couple of months ago!

[ikevyoiPhone3G1996]

I watched this movie again today, I think this is the best early talking movie ever made and also the best movie of the 1920s.

[frsdonahue]

That's Nacio Herb Brown at the piano. He composed all the music for Broadway Melody, along with Arthur Freed.

[HarborGuy]

Still true today! A great film then and now.

[melollylolly]

i am not sure; but i believe hollywood had high hopes for him-i don't know whether he went on to better films--or got put into regular run of the mill films--i think i saw him in a western once--but i am going to look him up and get back to you on more info on him--thanks!

[nostalgiajunkie70]

There may be streets that have their sorrow, A tear today a smile tomorrow, But there's a street that lives in glory, It always tells the same old story.

Don't bring a frown to old Broadway You've got to clown on Broadway, Your troubles there are out of style, For Broadway always wears a smile, A million lights they flicker there, A million hearts beat quicker there. No skies of grey on the great white way. That's the Broadway Melody.

[nostalgiajunkie70]

That is how it is printed on the original sheet music...

BTW, it is going to be on TCM in Feb.

[melollylolly]

i used to see these films on tv when i was a little girl

[dudemantwo]

What was Charles King's background?

[LKKruse]

@dudemantwo

He was huge on Broadway in the teens, twenties and thirites. He didn't like Hollywood much and went back to the stage. He died in Europe while entertianing troops during World War Two.

[ikevyoiPhone3G1996]

I'm just going to ask you one more time can you please upload the part where Charles King sings The Broadway Melody, if you have this movie on DVD

[ikevyoiPhone3G1996]

If you got the DVD of The Broadway Melody can you put the part where Charles King sings The Broadway Melody on Youtube

[ManilaSyndicate]

The women seemed so nice to embrace and cuddle.

Such a lovely glimpse from so long ago.

[Dutchfan33]

I love Rosie!

Actress Charlotte Merriam dances the Charleston nicely!

[gmmix]

What a fantastic period piece...and in such good quality. Thank you for this video. FIVE STARS!

[theshadow1932]

YES! It's always a pleasure when nice, clean prints of these great old pictures surface. Many thanks. I've been hoping that 'Just Imagine' would resurface in this condition. I know it exists, having attended a screening of a newly stricken print, back in 1971.

Norm

[shirliechau]

1936 , 1938 and 1940 I see them in LD when I was young.

I prefer 1936 because I love to hear that movie's song.

[23brookside]

Oh, Arthur is standing by the piano at 2:50, good eye! Later a great musical producer. Check the fairly recent Ava Gardner bio for a not so nice story about him.

This film is available on DVD.

The lovely Anita was in it. What a doll she was! She left Hollywood suddenly, a few years after this picture was made. Male pressure by a studio suit, she said. 1929. A great time for music, not so great for the rights of women. The picture itself references that situation

[bjnevin]

Yeah, I read in her obituary that Thalberg had been hitting on her, despite being married to Shearer. She mentioned that when she refused to take him up on that, he was so mad with her that he refused to let her career go any further in MGM.

Such a pity- whenever anyone asks who the greatest beauties were, Anita Page is always one of my five- so natural...

[Bobolink03]

"I'll tell the world!"

[Bobolink03]

"Hot Dog!" is right.. wonderful. What energy! Imagine what it was like to see this in a movie palace, during the original run! Shivers and goosebumps, anyone?

[stjn00]

And how! :)

[clevelandphil]

@Bobolink03 Grauman's Chinese premiered it.

[louisa1832]

@Bobolink03 Maybe in Heaven we'll get to attend that opening night. I'm hoping!

[LStrachey]

Was that a nice thing to say bout GMC? I mean, was it meant nicely? (great clip!)

[bill3murr]

where is eddie lang? he's not the guy playing the guitar on king's left....james gleason played character parts on many movies...good actor.

[stjn00]

You're correct! That's not Eddie Lang, my mistake :)

[errolfan]

@bill3murr My question is, is that James Gleason to the left of the guitar player?

[HarborGuy]

The film if you get a chance to see it (you can rent it at you library) is quite good but I don't think all scenes are available in what is left - time has eroded some.........

[rosieyposie7]

THANKS4sharing this veryRAREmusiclip! 10Stars, thats the OrgBroadwaymelody'

[shirliechau]

however, I love to see 1936 version.

[23brookside]

Shirlie, check out the the 1938 version as well. Nacio and Arthur songs in that one too. Both Bwy Melodies released in the 1930s are available on DVD, and you get Elie Powell dancin' with them. The 1938 film is especially entertaining.

Yet to be DVDed, the great Marion Davies Bing Crosby vehicle directed by Raoul Walsh, "Going Hollywood" (1933). Lots of Brown Freed songs in that one. Features one of the longest extended closeups ever, of Davies, for nearly the entirety of "Our Big Love Scene"

[300bluebooks]

Going Hollywood has "Temptation", right? Fantastic song!

[23brookside]

Yes, the music is great throughout. Get the Singin in the Rain DVD and among the extras will be the scene in which Bing sings "Temptation." Love that dramatic ending to the song when Bing holds that higher note. The younger Bing was pretty cool. The rumour is Davies insisted Bing get the part. Bing insists both were drunk when the two did the "We'll Make Hay While the Sun Shines" scene. The waving daisies may them both feel sick. Ha, ha.

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What was Charles King's background?