Broadway - First clip (1929)

[bluedoris88]

amazing! you did well . thanks

[vitajazz]

Just for reference, the onscreen band is Gus Arnheim, who probably provides the music throughout the talkie version. The camera is following the great Paul Porcassi in what would be his first talking film, the first chance to hear his unique Sicilian accent.

[scoterpool]

Broadway's got a rhythm that's hot!

[drednm]

Are you Tom?

It seems doubtful the Smithsonian would have a film archive but what do I know? If the talkie version exists in some archive somewhere, we'll probably never see it anyway.

[drednm]

The silent version of BROADWAY exists only in a Hungarian print. The sound disks for the talkie version exist but the film does not. A friend of mine attached the sound disks to the silent film version (which included the color finale. The silent and talkie versions were filmed separately, the musical numbers expanded for the talkie.

The final "melding" is awkward but it gives an impression of what the talkie was like. Until the real talkie is discovered, this is the best we'll have.

[stjn00]

This clip was taken from the mentioned Hungarian silent print with the soundtrack attached by me. A talkie print have indeed survived. It's held at the Smithsonian I believe. It is missing the color finale though. The silent version runs 88 minutes the talkie print runs 105. The production numbers have been severely shortened in the silent print.

[calvinnme2]

Does a sound version of this film still exist in its entirety?

[stjn00]

It's complicated, The sound version that exists is incomplete. The silent version contains some of the missing footage, notably the color sequence. No official attempt has been done to combine the two different versions. However, there has been some attempts to sync the soundtrack to the silent footage like the scenes I have done. It's a difficult task since the silent version differs a lot from the silent ditto.

[klkl2001]

The soundtrack is of Ferde Grofe's "Metropolis". It's great to hear it performed (it's rarely, if ever played).

[orcarus]

I was just going to make that comment, and I scrolled down and you beat me to it! Anyway glad to know that someone else recognizes it. (I have the CD performed by the Beau Hunks orchestra, with other rare Grofe music also.)

[manga12]

more like a tired hulucination with the opening. But man they just dont take the time to make sets like that much anymore, its all computer now, it has its place but I like old movies that established the genera. So how did you aquire this?

[oobleckboy]

This is amazing. It's like nightmarish mix of Murnau's FAUST and a Busby Berkeley movie. Expressionism meets Spectacle. Is this on DVD?

[stjn00]

No, no this isn't released in any form. To my knowledge the sound version has not been shown anywhere since the 30's.

[mic33george]

FASCINATING!So glad to see more from this deco gem.Till i delete some i cant add to favourites but that is were its going.