Roy Del Ruth directed Broadway Melody of 1938, the third panel of MGM musical franchise, which began in 1929 with the first, Oscar-winning picture, Broadway Melody, and would end in 1940.
Grade: B
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Theatrical release poster
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A backstage musical revue, featuring high-budget set pieces and glorious dancing, the movie stars Eleanor Powell and Robert Taylor and features Buddy Ebsen, George Murphy, Judy Garland, Sophie Tucker, Raymond Walburn, Robert Benchley and Binnie Barnes.
At present, the film is notable for young Garland’s performance of “You Made Me Love You (I Didn’t Want to Do It),” a tribute to Clark Gable which turned the teenage singer into overnight sensation, leading to her assuming the lead, Dorothy, in the legendary The Wizard of Oz (1939).
Young horse trainer Sally (Eleanor Powell) befriends Sonny (George Murphy) and Peter (Buddy Ebsen), hired to look after a horse her family once owned. Concerned for the horse’s well-being, she sneaks aboard a train taking the horse and its caretakers to New York.
En route she meets talent agent Steve Raleigh (Robert Taylor) who sets her on the road to stardom, and of course, soon a romance blossoms between the two.
A subplot involves a boarding house for performers run by Alice (Sophie Tucker), who is trying to get a big break for young Betty (Judy Garland).
Most of the songs in Broadway Melody of 1938 were written by Nacio Herb Brown (music) and Arthur Freed (lyrics)
The movie was only moderately successful at the box-office, compared to the previous two panels.
Cast
Robert Taylor as Steve Raleigh
Eleanor Powell as Sally Lee
George Murphy as Sonny Ledford
Binnie Barnes as Caroline Whipple
Buddy Ebsen as Peter Trot
Sophie Tucker as Alice Clayton
Judy Garland as Betty Clayton
Charles Igor Gorin as Nicki Papaloopas
Raymond Walburn as Herman J. Whipple
Robert Benchley as Duffy, P.R. Man
Credits:
Directed by Roy Del Ruth
Written by Jack McGowan
Produced by Jack Cummings
Cinematography William H. Daniels
Edited by Blanche Sewell
Music by Nacio Herb Brown (songs-music); Arthur Freed (song-lyrics)
Production: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distributed by Loew’s Inc.
Release date: August 20, 1937
Running time: 110 minutes
Budget $1,588,000
Box office $2,846,000
