The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)

A successful but constantly-feuding husband and wife musical comedy team threatens to break up when the wife entertains an offer to become a serious actress.

Director:

Charles Walters

Writers:

Betty Comden (original screen play), Adolph Green (original screen play),

Stars:

Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Oscar Levant

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Fred Astaire	...	Josh Barkley
Ginger Rogers	...	Dinah Barkley
Oscar Levant	...	Ezra Millar
Billie Burke	...	Mrs. Livingston Belney
Gale Robbins	...	Shirlene May
Jacques François	...	Jacques Pierre Barredout (as Jacques Francois)
George Zucco	...	The Judge
Clinton Sundberg	...	Bert Felsher
Inez Cooper	...	Pamela Driscoll
Carol Brewster	...	Gloria Amboy
Wilson Wood	...	Larry

Storyline

Josh and Dinah Barkley are a successful (though argumentative) musical-comedy team, yet Dinah chafes as Galatea to her husband's Pygmalion. When serious playwright Jacques Barredout envisions her as a great dramatic actress, Dinah is not hard to persuade.

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Plot Keywords:

manhattan new york city | astaire and rogers | dance | new york city | dancer | 

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Taglines:

M·G·M's New Technicolor Musical Hit

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

1 September 1949 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

You Made Me Love You

Box Office

Budget:

$2,325,420 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Loew's

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Fred Astaire had sung "They Can't Take That Away from Me" to Ginger Rogers previously in Shall We Dance, but they had never danced to it. Rogers suggested that they use the song again (this time dancing), and so it was included.

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Goofs

In "Shoes with Wings on" dance, one dancer has his shoes off when trying the tap shoes. When he takes them off and gives them to Fred Astaire's character, the dancer forgets to pick up his shoes when he walks out the door. After that, they are not to be found when the routine continues.

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Quotes

Ezra Millar: Thank you. I'm touched, the piano's touched, and Tchaikovsky's touched.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Hail, Hail, Black and White (1989)

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Soundtracks

"The Courtin' of Elmer and Ella"
(1949) (uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Written for the film but not used

User Reviews

Still a fun musical

"The Barkleys of Broadway" holds up well as a fun musical, especially significant as Fred and Ginger's final re-teaming effort. It's just downright good fun to see them together again, singing and dancing as only they can. What a delightful screen pair they are!