On the Avenue (1937)

Broadway producer satirizes an important New York family. The family sues but their daughter falls in love with producer.

Director:

Roy Del Ruth

Writers:

Gene Markey (screen play), William M. Conselman (screen play) (as William Conselman)

Stars:

Dick Powell, Madeleine Carroll, Alice Faye

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dick Powell	...	Gary Blake
Madeleine Carroll	...	Mimi Caraway
Alice Faye	...	Mona Merrick
The Ritz Brothers	...	Performers (as Ritz Brothers)
George Barbier	...	Commodore Caraway
Alan Mowbray	...	Frederick Sims
Cora Witherspoon	...	Aunt Fritz
Walter Catlett	...	Jake Dibble
Douglas Fowley	...	Eddie Eads
Joan Davis	...	Miss Katz
Stepin Fetchit	...	Herman
Sig Ruman	...	Herr Hanfstangel (as Sig Rumann)
Billy Gilbert	...	Joe Papaloupas
E.E. Clive	...	Cabby
Douglas Wood	...	Mr. Trivet

Storyline

A new Broadway show starring Gary Blake shamelessly lampoons the rich Carraway family. To get her own back, daughter Mimi sets out to ensnare Blake, but the courtship is soon for real, to the annoyance of his co-star, hoofing chanteuse Mona Merrick.

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Plot Keywords:

love | manhattan new york city | central park manhattan new york city | broadway manhattan new york city | male female relationship | 

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Genres:

Musical | Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 February 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

Na bulvaru

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Despite introducing three Irving Berlin classics ("This Year's Kisses," "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" with Dick Powell, and "Slumming on Park Avenue," followed by The Ritz Brothers in drag), Alice Faye, already well established in screen musicals, received only third billing, below the film title. Mr. Powell and non-vocalizing Madeline Carroll placed above Miss Faye.

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Goofs

In his third and final scene, actor Stepin Fetchit tells Dick Powell that Mimi is on the phone. His character name is Herman, but Powell says "Thanks Step."

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Connections

Referenced in 20th Century Fox Promotional Film (1936)

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Soundtracks

Largo al factotum
(1816) (uncredited)
from "Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville)"
Music by Gioachino Rossini
Libretto by Cesare Sterbini
Partially sung by Harry Ritz in the "Slumming on Park Avenue" number

User Reviews

Trite story and some good singing

"On the Avenue" was made in 1937 and starred Madeline Carroll, Dick Powell, Alice Faye and the Ritz Brothers. A musical revue does a send-up of a wealthy family, which outrages them. The writer, Gary Blake, accuses the young woman of the family, Mimi Caraway (Carroll) of being a bad sport. She invites him to dinner, and they fall in love. He promises to rewrite the skit. However, Mona Merrick (Faye), the leading lady who is in love with Gary, performs the skit so that the family comes off as even worse. Mimi retaliates by buying the production and planning some big revenge on Gary.

There are some good numbers and wonderful singing by Faye and Powell; alas, the appeal of the Ritz Brothers has always been lost on me. They always do these incredibly long routines in films, and to me, anyway, they're annoying rather than funny.

Madeline Carroll is stunningly beautiful; it's a shame she wasn't in Hollywood longer (in 1938, she was the highest paid actress in Hollywood). She returned to England to work for the war effort and stayed on after the war. Dick Powell, in the course of a 30-year career, reinvented himself several times. Here he is in his first incarnation, that of a juvenile tenor. He's very good and as he evolved into a serious actor and then a director and producer, he only got better. Alice Faye looks great and sings in her beautiful, smooth contralto; her stardom was just about to hit its peak.

All in all, very pleasant. If you're like me, record this and fast forward through the Ritz Brothers.