Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935)

Bob Gordon is staging a new Broadway Show, but he is short of money. He gets an offer of money by the young widow Lilian, if she can dance in his new show. Bert Keeler, a paper man, gets ... See full summary »

Director:

Roy Del Ruth

Writers:

Jack McGowan (screen play), Sid Silvers (screen play),

Stars:

Jack Benny, Eleanor Powell, Robert Taylor

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jack Benny	...	Bert Keeler
Eleanor Powell	...	Irene Foster
Robert Taylor	...	Bob Gordon
Una Merkel	...	Kitty Corbett
Sid Silvers	...	Snoop
Buddy Ebsen	...	Ted
June Knight	...	Lillian Brent
Vilma Ebsen	...	Sally
Nick Long Jr.	...	Basil
Robert Wildhack	...	The Snorer
Paul Harvey	...	Managing Editor
Frances Langford	...	Herself
Harry Stockwell	...	Himself

Storyline

Bob Gordon is staging a new Broadway Show, but he is short of money. He gets an offer of money by the young widow Lilian, if she can dance in his new show. Bert Keeler, a paper man, gets this information and is writing about this in his column in an slight unfriendly way. Gordon's old class mate Irene Forster, a tap dancer from Albany also tries to get the leading role in this show, but Lilian insists in getting this part herself. So Irene Forster, Bert Keeler and Gordon's secretary Kitty start a little game to get Irene the leading role.

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Plot Keywords:

dancer | gossip columnist | childhood sweetheart | fisticuffs | impersonation | 

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Taglines:

You have waited seven years for this!

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Genres:

Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 September 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

Broadway Melody of 1935

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The radio announcer who introduces Jack Benny is Don Wilson, the announcer on Benny's real-life radio program.

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Quotes

Sally Burke: Why don't you go back and see Gordon?
Irene Foster: I will not!
Sally Burke: You *came* here to see him, didn't you?
Irene Foster: Yes, but I still have a little pride left.
Ted Burke: So's Gandhi, but he's getting awful thin.

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Connections

Referenced in The Jack Benny Program: Musicale (1961)

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Soundtracks

"On a Sunday Afternoon"
(1935) (uncredited)
Music by Nacio Herb Brown
Lyrics by Arthur Freed
Sung and danced to by Buddy Ebsen and Vilma Ebsen

User Reviews

Great, great fun

Robert Taylor is a Broadway producer and Eleanor Powell is his ex-girlfriend from Albany who wants a chance in his Broadway show in "Broadway Melody of 1936," also starring Jack Benny, Sid Silvers, Buddy and Vilma Ebsen, June Keith, Frances Langford, and Una Merkel.

The plot is thin, as it often is with a musical is all singing and dancing, so who cares. But this plot is extra fun - Benny, as a columnist, creates a fake French star, La Belle Arlette (the name of his cigar) to tantalize Taylor, who can't find a lead for his new show. When Taylor's secretary finds Benny's assistant, played by Sid Silvers, sleeping in Arlette drag with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, she knows it's a hoax. In the meantime, Taylor refuses to give sweet, unspoiled Parker a chance and escorts her to the train to Albany. Soon afterward, he meets Arlette, a fabulous singer and tap dancer.

The songs include The Broadway Melody." "You Are My Lucky Star." "I Gotta Feelin' You're Foolin'," "Sing Before Breakfast," "All I Do Is Dream of You," "On a Sunday Afternoon," "Broadway Rhythm." "I Gotta Feelin' You're Foolin'" won the Academy Award for best dance direction.

Funny thing about MGM - they let their non-singing leading men do their own singing and dubbed their non-singing female stars. Taylor actually sings in this, and, like Jimmy Stewart, his voice is pleasant enough. Taylor is stunning, no doubt in the film for box office. Powell is fantastic - great dancing - not just tap but ballet - and her comedy is wonderful. Have to say I LOVED both her disguise and disguised persona. For some reason, I much prefer this to "Born to Dance," but don't ask me why. It was also a pleasure to see a young Frances Langford and Ebsen dance with his sister, who would soon retire.

A real treat.