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  • 8/11/2019 The Broadway Melody

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    The Broadway Melody 1

    The Broadway Melody

    The Broadway Melody

    Theatrical release poster

    Directed by Harry Beaumont

    Produced by Irving ThalbergLawrence Weingarten

    Written by Edmund Goulding

    (story)

    Norman Houston

    James Gleason

    Starring Charles King

    Anita Page

    Bessie Love

    Music by Nacio Herb Brown

    George M. Cohan

    Willard Robison

    Cinematography John Arnold

    Editing by Sam S. Zimbalist

    William LeVanway

    Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

    Release date(s) February 1, 1929(USA)

    Running time 110 minutes

    Country United States

    Language English

    The BroadwayMelody (alsoknown as The Broadway Melody of 1929[1]

    ) is a 1929 American musical film and the

    first sound film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. It was one of the first musicals to feature a Technicolor

    sequence, which sparked the trend of color being used in a flurry of musicals that would hit the screens in

    1929-1930. Today the Technicolor sequence is presumed lost and only a black and white copy survives in the

    complete film. The film was the first musical released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and was Hollywood's first

    all-talking musical.

    The film was written by Norman Houston and James Gleason from a story by Edmund Goulding, and directed by

    Harry Beaumont. Original music was written by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown, including the popular hit

    "You Were Meant For Me". The George M. Cohan classic "Give My Regards To Broadway" is used under the

    opening establishing shots of New York City, its film debut. Bessie Love was nominated for an Academy Award for

    Best Actress for her performance.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Academy_Award_for_Best_Actresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Academy_Award_for_Best_Actresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Academy_Award_for_Best_Actresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Academy_Award_for_Best_Actresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Give_My_Regards_To_Broadwayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_M._Cohanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=You_Were_Meant_For_Me_%281929_song%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nacio_Herb_Brownhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arthur_Freedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harry_Beaumonthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Edmund_Gouldinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Gleasonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Metro-Goldwyn-Mayerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lost_filmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Technicolorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Best_Picturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sound_filmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Metro-Goldwyn-Mayerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Willard_Robisonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_M._Cohanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nacio_Herb_Brownhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bessie_Lovehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anita_Pagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_King_%28vaudevillian%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Gleasonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Edmund_Gouldinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lawrence_Weingartenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Irving_Thalberghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harry_Beaumonthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:BroadwayMelodyy1929.jpg
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    The Broadway Melody 2

    Plot

    The plot involves the romances of musical comedy stars, set against the backstage hubbub of a Broadway revue.

    Anita Page and Bessie Love play a vaudeville sister act who have come to New York for their big break on

    Broadway. Charles King plays the song-and-dance man whose affection for one sister (Harriet alias Hank) is

    supplanted by his growing love for the younger, more beautiful sister (Queenie). Queenie tries to protect her sister

    and derail the love triangle by dating a wealthy but unscrupulous "stage door Johnny."

    The movie opens with Eddie Kearns debuting The Broadway Melody. He tells some chorus girls hes brought the

    Mahoney Sisters to New York to perform it with him in Francis Zanfields latest revue. Hank and Queenie Mahoney

    are awaiting Eddies arrival at their apartment. Hank, the older sister, prides herself on her business sense and talent

    while Queenie is lauded for her beauty. Hank is confident they will make it big while Queenie is less eager to put

    everything on the line to be stars. Their Uncle Jed arrives to tell them hes gotten them a job with a 30-week traveling

    show. Hank tells him theyre not interested but he says hell give them time to think it over.

    Eddie, who is engaged to Hank, arrives and sees Queenie for the first time since she was a girl and is instantly taken

    with her. He tells them to come to rehearsal for Zanfields revue to present their act. Zanfield isnt interested in it but

    says he might have a use for Queenie, who begs him to give Hank a part as well. She also convinces him to pretend

    Hanks business skills won him over. Eddie witnesses this exchange and becomes even more enamored of Queenie

    for her devotion to her sister. During dress rehearsal for the revue Zanfield says the pacing is too slow for The

    Broadway Melody and cuts Hank and Queenie from the number. Meanwhile, another girl is injured after falling off

    a prop and Queenie is selected to replace her. Nearly everyone is captivated by Queenie, particularly notorious

    playboy Jacques Jock Warriner. While Jock begins to woo Queenie, Hank is upset that Queenie is building her

    success on her looks rather than her talent.

    Over the next couple weeks Queenie spends a lot time with Jock, of which Hank and Eddie fervently disapprove.

    They forbid her from seeing him, which results in Queenie pushing them away and deterioration of the relationship

    between the sisters. Queenie is only with Jock to fight growing feelings for Eddie but Hank thinks shes setting

    herself up to be hurt. Eventually, Eddie and Queenie confess their love for each other but Queenie, unwilling tobreak her sisters heart, runs off to Jock once again.

    Hank, after witnessing Queenies fierce outburst toward Eddie and his devastated reaction to it, finally realizes they

    are in love. She berates Eddie for letting Queenie run away and tells him to go after her. She claims to never have

    loved him and that shed only been using him to advance her career. After he leaves she breaks down and alternates

    between sobs and hysterical laughter. She composes herself enough to call Uncle Jed to accept the job with the

    30-week show.

    Theres a raucous party at the apartment Jock had recently purchased for Queenie but he insists they spend time

    alone. When she resists his advances he says its the least she could do after all hes done for her. He begins to get

    physical but Eddie bursts in and attempts to fight Jock, who knocks him through the door with one punch. Queenie

    runs to Eddie and leaves Jock and the party behind.

    Sometime later, Hank and Uncle Jed await the arrival of Queenie and Eddie from their honeymoon. The relationship

    between the sisters is on the mend but there is obvious discomfort between Hank and Eddie. Queenie announces

    shes through with show business and will settle down in their new house on Long Island. She insists that Hank lives

    with them when her job is over. After Hank leaves with her new partner and Uncle Jed, Queenie laments the fact that

    her sister hasnt found the happiness she deserves. The final scene is of a distraught Hank on her way to the train

    station.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_King_%28vaudevillian%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Broadway_theatrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bessie_Lovehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anita_Page
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    The Broadway Melody 3

    Production

    A silent version was also released, for there were still many motion picture theaters without sound equipment at the

    time. The film featured a musical sequence for "The Wedding of the Painted Doll" that was presented in early

    two-color Technicolor (red and green). Color would quickly come to be associated with the musical genre, and

    numerous features were released in 1929 and 1930 that either featured color sequences or were filmed entirely in

    color, movies like On With the Show (1929), Gold Diggers of Broadway (1929), Sally (1929), The Life of the Party

    (1930), and others. No known color prints of the sequence survive, only black-and-white.

    Musical numbers

    Music by Nacio Herb Brown, lyrics by Arthur Freed except as noted

    "Broadway Melody"

    "Love Boat"

    "You Were Meant For Me"

    "Wedding of the Painted Doll"

    "Boy Friend" "Truthful Deacon Brown", music and lyrics by Willard Robison

    "Lovely Lady"

    Sources[2]

    [3]

    Reception

    The Broadway Melody was a substantial success. It was the top grossing picture of 1929, and won the Academy

    Award for Best Picture. Historically, it is often considered the first complete example of the Hollywood musical.

    However, the film has since come to be seen as weak, clich-ridden, and overly melodramatic. Even in 1929, the

    creaky stereotypes of backstage show biz were something less than fresh. Most believe that the primary reason for itssuccess in the Academy Awards was due to the films with which it competed being equally unimpressive.

    Filmsite.org describes the 1929 Oscars as follows: "The films nominated for this year's awards were some of the

    weakest films in the history of American cinema, reflecting the chaos of the transition from silents to sound films."

    Sequels

    Three more movies were later made by MGM with similar titles, Broadway Melody of 1936, Broadway Melody of

    1938 and Broadway Melody of 1940, were released by MGM. Although not direct sequels in the traditional sense,

    they all had the same basic premise of a group of people putting on a show (the films also had recurring cast

    members playing different roles, most notably dancer Eleanor Powell who appeared in all three).

    The original movie was also remade in 1940 as Two Girls on Broadway. Another Broadway Melody film was

    planned for 1942 (starring Gene Kelly and Eleanor Powell) but production was cancelled at the last minute.

    Broadway Rhythm, a 1944 musical by MGM, was originally to have been titledBroadway Melody of 1944.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Broadway_Rhythmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eleanor_Powellhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gene_Kellyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Two_Girls_on_Broadwayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1940http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eleanor_Powellhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Broadway_Melody_of_1940http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Broadway_Melody_of_1938http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Broadway_Melody_of_1938http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Broadway_Melody_of_1936http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Filmsite.orghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2nd_Academy_Awardshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Academy_Awardshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hollywoodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Academy_Award_for_Best_Picturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Academy_Award_for_Best_Picturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=You_Were_Meant_For_Me_%281929_song%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arthur_Freedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nacio_Herb_Brownhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Life_of_the_Party_%281930_film%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sally_%28film%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gold_Diggers_of_Broadway_%28film%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=On_With_the_Showhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Technicolorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Silent_film
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    The Broadway Melody 4

    Awards and honors

    Academy Awards

    Wins

    Best Picture

    Nominations

    Best Actress - Bessie Love (lost to Mary Pickford for Coquette)

    Best Director - Harry Beaumont (lost to Frank Lloyd for The Divine Lady)

    No nominations were announced prior to the 1930 ceremonies. Love and Beaumont are presumed to have been

    under consideration, and are listed as such by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

    References

    Notes

    [1] The Broadway Melody - AKAs (http://www.imdb. com/title/tt0019729/releaseinfo#akas) - IMDB.com

    [2] Bloom, Ken.Hollywood Song: The Complete Film Musical Companion, Vol. 1, 1995. Published by Facts On File, Inc. ISBN 0-8160-2668-8

    [3] "Music, The Broadway Melody (1929)" (http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=12482& category=Music) tcm.com, accessed March

    4, 2011

    External links

    The Broadway Melody(http://www.imdb. com/title/tt0019729/) at the Internet Movie Database

    The Broadway Melody(http://tcmdb.com/title/title.jsp?stid=12482) at the TCM Movie Database

    The Broadway Melody(http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/v7192) at AllRovi

    The Broadway Melody(http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/broadway_melody/) at Rotten Tomatoes

    http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rotten_Tomatoeshttp://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/broadway_melody/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=AllRovihttp://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/v7192http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Turner_Classic_Movieshttp://tcmdb.com/title/title.jsp?stid=12482http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Internet_Movie_Databasehttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019729/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=12482&category=Musichttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019729/releaseinfo#akashttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Academy_of_Motion_Picture_Arts_and_Scienceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Divine_Ladyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frank_Lloydhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harry_Beaumonthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Academy_Award_for_Best_Directorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Coquette_%28film%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mary_Pickfordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bessie_Lovehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Academy_Award_for_Best_Actresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Best_Picture
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    Article Sources and Contributors 5

    Article Sources and ContributorsThe Broadway Melody Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=450564837 Contributors: 23skidoo, AdamSmithee, AllTalking, Ameliorate!, Andrzejbanas, BD2412, BRG, Before

    My Ken, Betty Logan, Betty kerner, Beyond My Ken, Bovineboy2008, Bzuk, Cburnett, Chairman S., Chupon, Cptmurdok, Dellhpapple, Dputig07, Dutzi, EchetusXe, Erik, Estrose, Ezzex,

    FV2WRLD, FeanorStar7, Flami72, Gh87, HarringtonSmith, Harro, Headbomb, Hut 8.5, Infrogmation, Jar789, JoanneB, Joey80, Kaisersanders, Koyaanis Qatsi, Lugnuts, MachoCarioca,

    MarnetteD, Matlefebvre20, Mohammad Aziz, Mr Hall of England, Mr.Vibrato, NHStormie, Nedergard, Nehrams2020, Niall Guinan, Pigman, Piniricc65, RBBrittain, Reminiscent, RicJac, Rich

    Farmbrough, Rodrigogomespaixao, Rossrs, Sam Hocevar, Savidan, Skier Dude, Suruena, Swpb, Syd Henderson, Tassedethe, TheMovieBuff, Theshibboleth, Thismightbezach, Tjmayerinsf,

    UZiBLASTER7, Ummagumma23, Walloon, Woohookitty, Wool Mintons, Yworo, Zoe, Zosimus Comes, Zzyzx11, 58 anonymous edits

    Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:BroadwayMelodyy1929.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:BroadwayMelodyy1929.jpg License: Fair Use Contributors: Drilnoth, Frazier, Sfan00 IMG, Skier

    Dude, Swpb, Zosimus Comes

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    Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/