The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)

A married musical team splits up so the wife can become a serious actress.

Director:

Charles Walters

Writers:

Betty Comden (original screenplay), Adolph Green (original screenplay)

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:

astaire and rogers | reference to trilby | reference to svengali | telephone call | charity benefit | 

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Taglines:

Joyously Together Again!

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was the last film to co-star Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, their first in ten years The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939). Also, it was their only film together in color, and the only one they made for a studio (MGM) other than RKO.

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Goofs

When Ezra goes to the theater to ask Dinah to appear at the hospital benefit, Jacques calls her back to rehearsal, and she says, "I'll be there in a second, JOSH" instead of Jacques.

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Quotes

Bert Felsher: Ezra, we've got to get an understudy for Dinah.
Ezra Millar: Don't look at me. I'm knock-kneed.
Bert Felsher: Come on up on the stage. There's a cute kid from the chorus I've had my eye on for some time.

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Connections

Featured in Dream Me Up Scotty! (2013)

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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!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

1 September 1949 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

You Made Me Love You

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,325,420 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1