Broadway Melody of 1938

Likable musical with a recycled plot that combines musical and horse racing movie clichés. This film reunites the two leads from Broadway Melody of 1936, Taylor and Powell. Also returning from that film is Buddy Ebsen. Robert Benchley, Raymond Walburn, Billy Gilbert, and Charley Grapewin are all wasted. Stiff George Murphy and scenery-chewing Sophie Tucker add little to things. On the plus side we have the dancing of Eleanor Powell, the singing of Judy Garland, and Robert Taylor being...well, Robert Taylor. Includes famous scene where teenage Judy Garland sings "You Made Me Love You" to a picture of Clark Gable. Aside from this cute number, the songs are OK but nothing terribly memorable. In Broadway '36 there was a character who did various snoring sounds. Here the same actor returns doing sneezing sounds. Amusing but hardly a knee-slapping gag.

Powell's tap dancing is still the highlight, of course. Although there's precious little of that for a musical that's nearly two hours. Her number in the rain with Murphy and the finale are both nice but neither her best work. All of the Broadway Melody films are fun fluff but not quite on par with the Busby Berkeley '30s musicals for Warner Bros. for my taste. This one isn't as good as Broadway '36 or '40 but it is enjoyable.