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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Edmund Goulding (story)
Norman Houston (writer) ...
more
Release Date:
1929 (Turkey) more
Tagline:
The pulsating drama of Broadway's bared heart speaks and sings with a voice to stir your soul! more
Plot:
Harriet and Queenie Mahoney, a vaudeville act, come to Broadway, where their friend Eddie Kerns needs... more | add synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Silent Screen Star Anita Page Dead At 98
(From Studio Briefing - Film News. 8 September 2008, 10:35 AM, PDT)
Silent Screen Siren Anita Page Dies
(From WENN. 7 September 2008, 4:02 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Has a Beat of Its Own. more (48 total)
Cast
(Complete credited cast)| Charles King | ... | Eddie Kearns | |
| Anita Page | ... | Queenie Mahoney | |
| Bessie Love | ... | Hank Mahoney | |
| Jed Prouty | ... | Uncle Jed | |
| Kenneth Thomson | ... | Jock Warriner | |
| Edward Dillon | ... | Stage Manager | |
| Mary Doran | ... | Flo | |
| Eddie Kane | ... | Francis Zanfield | |
| J. Emmett Beck | ... | Babe Hatrick | |
| Marshall Ruth | ... | Stew, Mr. Zanfield's assistant | |
| Drew Demorest | ... | Turpe, Costumer (as Drew Demarest) |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
The Broadway Melody of 1929 (USA) (alternative title)
more
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
110 min | 101 min (TCM print)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Black and White | Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.20 : 1 more
Certification:
Australia:G | Brazil:Livre | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The number "Wedding of the Painted Doll" was filmed in two-color Technicolor, but survived only in black and white. The original choreography was rejected and had to be filmed again. Rather than have a live orchestra perform the music again, the new choreography was filmed during a playback of the music, making this to be the first film sequence filmed during a playback of pre-recorded music. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in This Happy Breed (1944) more
Soundtrack:
The Wedding of the Painted Doll more
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (48 total)
Message Boards
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| News articles | IMDb Musical section | IMDb USA section |
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The second Best Picture Oscar winner and the very first that used the then-new advent of sound was "The Broadway Melody", a totally under-rated and under-appreciated musical that started a genre which would be dominant well into the late-1960s. It is depression-era New York and two country sisters (Oscar-nominee Anita Page and a very young Bessie Love) come to the city to make it big on Broadway. Of course the competition is stiff and success is not a sure thing by the longest of shots. Page is in love with the star (Charles King) of the show they want to be a part of. King believes he loves Page too, but quickly falls for her younger sister instead. Now the dilemma begins. The problems escalate further as Love becomes a star and begins to run around with socialite Kenneth Thomson (in an appropriately sleazy performance). Will the bright lights of the city destroy Page and Love's relationship forever and what will become of the two men in their lives? "The Broadway Melody" is admittedly a formula-driven film, but it works so much better than most all other soap operas throughout the history of the cinema. The main reason is because of top-notch direction by Oscar nominee Harry Beaumont and the solid performances from the four leads. There is also much dazzle in the production as the sound is revolutionary with lavish dance numbers and many instrumental ensembles. Wonderful cinematography, costume design, set direction and editing complete the film's excellence. Not quite a perfect film, but definitely a worthy Oscar winner that still stands pretty tall nearly 75 years after its initial release. 4.5 out of 5 stars.