Is this movie any good?


Hey I was wondering if this movie was any good? I love old musicals and I was wondering if I should watch this one. I thought someone should give me some input on this thanx!

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I want to see it as well-it was never released on dvd and it is most annoying

Narrator: I am Jack's raging bile duct.

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To the both of you, it is worth seeing The Broadway Melody on DVD (it's the best copy of the movie, believe me). I recently bought one here in the Philippines and, being a real film buff and historian, I fell in love with the second musical in history and the second Academy Award winner for Best Picture.

However, you might get the shock when you watch this film, because it is not like seeing a Gene Kelly musical in black and white or hearing those endearing songs stream across the music line. Before you watch the movie and be "disappointed" (I wasn't, they were just the critics) let me give you some points to consider in watching The Broadway Melody for you to understand why the movie was made in that fashion.

First, you will observe that only about three songs were presented in the movie and yet it is called a musical. Gees, it is 1929. Musicals were just a baby genre in Hollywood then, and virtually any movie with songs sporadically sung by the actors are called as musicals. Don't be shocked.

Second, title cards are still in use in this flick, but not to the complete scale of them replacing the dialogue, as silent films used to utilize them. Good heavens, this is a sound film. Title cards were just used to denote the places, but then it is very much lovely to see title cards (when I watched this, it was the first time that I saw title cards ON ACTION in a real film).

Third is the seemingly silent-film-like movement of the actors. They don't go in the normal speed in which we see Gene Kelly dance. This is quite explainable since cameras were still hand-craked back in 1929 and the camera operator just normally cranks it fast. This movie's audio was recorded on a disc (read more about the sound-on-disc process), which explains its seemingly fake audio, but then, in 1929 standards, it is a landmark achievement.

Lastly, observe that the camera does not move, or the screenplay wasn't that imaginative. 1929 until the perfection of sound technology in 1931 confined cameras in the so-called ice box, where cameras have to be confined in order not to be heard by the all-hearing microphone. If you will research, cameras back then wheer so noisily. The microphones do not need that kind of camera sound, though.

In short, think in 1929 standards before watching the film. Putting yourself in a capsule of history would help you understand any piece of antiquity or history, most notable a film. This is one great movie and a trip down musical lane.

Enjoy watching it!

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I LOVE early talkies, and you hardly ever get to see them (except maybe on Turner Classics). They're transitional and no one quite knows what to do with the huge change in technology. Often the soundtrack is very "muddy" and full of noise. The dialogue is stilted, but most of these actors have never handled dialogue before. And nobody moves: everyone is clustered around the potted palm behind which the massive mike hides. One affectation is the fact that everyone sounds English. Directors may have been alarmed at Brooklyn or Southern accents and told everyone to sound "cultured", so they say "cahhhnt" instead of "can't.

According to my records, this movie will be on Turner Classics on December 2, 6:30 Canadian time, so it may be somewhat different elsewhere.

I love my wife, but oh you kid

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Wow thanks for all that info! Your just a wealth of info! I think I will check that movie out next time at the library!

"The only way to enjoy anything in life is to earn it first" - Ginger Rogers

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You will definitely love "The Wedding of the Painted Doll" dance number!

All right Mr. de Mille, I'm ready for my close-up...
Regards, THE GODFATHER

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I loved the film immensely, but there's just one thing.

Motor-powered cameras have existed since the early 1920s. As this was a sound film with the sound recorded live, the cinematographers had no choice *but* to use a motored camera in order to achieve synchronization with the soundtrack. The purpose for the actors' jerky, fast movements...that is because no one had much experience in sound film acting, so they just used their normal silent film acting techniques. This is what a silent film would look like if you added sound to it. Either that, or something is wrong with your DVD.

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I think so. John Gilbert did his own bit of silent film acting in his first sound film, and boom went his career!

All right Mr. de Mille, I'm ready for my close-up...
Regards, THE GODFATHER

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[deleted]

I really liked it!! if you are new to the classic/early Hollywood-talkie genre, may I also suggest the Busby Berkely films "42nd Street", "GoldDiggers of 1933" and the ultimate backstage movie, "Stage Door"? Huge fan of Ginger Rogers, so I watch all three repeatedly.

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I have been a BIG fan of Anita Page since seeing her get a standing Ovation in 2002 for this movie.... As you can see in her bio. she married Nacio Herb Brown[he wrote music for this, and lots of other hits with Mr. Arthur Freed.
BUT, now i am in LOVE with Miss Bessie Love!!!!!!!!!!!!!! her crying scene towards the end of the movie was great, VERY natural.... Do others who have seen this movie agree?... And if Ms. Page was only 5'2"... Miss Love couldn't be even 5'!!!!!!!!!! she could dance,too!....
I'm saddened by her SHORT unceremonious career!!! Just like in this movie!!!!!!Strange!

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I agree with you about Bessie Love, I thought that crying scene was one of the all-time best acting scenes I've ever seen captured on film. As you put it, she managed to make that scene believable and natural when it so easily could have appeared hammed up and overdone--quite an accomplishment! However, I also enjoyed and admired Anita Page's performance as well, another underappreciated actress in my view. By the way, I don't think the movie is that dated--and I'm only 39! What I especially love about the movie is how it featured lead characters who really cared for each other more than themselves but took place just after the Depression hit. I think the movie's altruistic attitude was at least a little bit influential in keeping us from getting an every person for his(her)self type of attitude during the Depression.

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Took place just after the Depression hit? Wasn't it released in June before the October crash?

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According to the info in IMDB, you're right, it was released in June. I'm not sure why I thought it was after the Depression. Thank you for pointing that mistake out.

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Bessie Love didn't have a short career - she acted in films from 1915-1983. If you'd like to find out more about Bessie Love, she wrote a wonderful autobiography called "From Hollywood with Love." It might be hard to find, but many university libraries own it.

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I saw this film for the first time, last night on TCM.
And, I agree with you that the crying scene with Bessie Love great; it was so startling in its realism. It totally threw me, as I think most silents and early talkies seem to really ham it up with plenty of over-acting, but her crying scene was so realistic it was almost painful to watch.
I'm also a fan of hers now, and that scene had a lot to do with it. She really was a very good actress.

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Bessie Love was really great in this and her character was much more appealing and attractive than Queenie. Not sure why everyone in the movie is gaga for Queenie and not Hank.

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It is a very good movie. But, it's not like the classic Hollywood musicals such as "Singin' In The Rain". There's not even really that much singing in it. But, musicals weren't a very big genre in 1929, so basically any movie with a song in it was considered a musical. But before you watch it and be "disappointed", think in 1929 stantards. It really is an excellent film and I strongly suggest you see it (but watch it on DVD, it's the best copy of the movie, believe me).

Enjoy watching! :)

----
"Everytime a bell rings, an angel gets its wings"

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It is very gratifying to read all the positive comments in this thread, because I really am very fond of this movie.

First and foremost, this is a very sentimental movie. Characters feel deeply and though their behavior will seem dated and corny to modern audiences, there is a real heart to the pic.

The premiere instance of this is, of course, Bessie Love's crying scene which is very naturalistic even as it seems to go on forever. But how I could feel for this poor girl and what she just sacrificed.

The anguish of Queenie (Anita Page) over loving her sister's boyfriend is palpable even if Ms. Page's acting is not on par with Bessie Love's, she is still directed effectively.

The backstage scenes have great banter in them: "I can't sing without a spotlight." "You couldn't sing if you had a searchlight!".

I fell in love with this movie, and I hope you do too.

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Despite all of the technical issues with early sound films, I think this is great. There are some great lines and some wonderful characters, although some of the characters became cliches pretty quickly - the effeminate costume designer, rich drunk guy, rich charmer who has chasing after the girl to use her as a trophy girlfriend, etc.

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Yes, in spite of technical limitations in the early sound picture, it's very good. The story is compelling and the chemistry between the main players is great. My only issue is with the hideous choreography. There are some very good dancers, but a bad choreographer can overshadow a good dancer. Thank goodness for Busby Berkeley!

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I have an interest in silents and early talkies,so I thought the production values and sound were quite good for the first musical.I too wish they would of colorized the lost color Wedding Dance number.The story is average,but seeing early theatre was a treat.Gave it a 6

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