BROADWAY MELODY OF 1938

Broadway Melody of 1938
MGM, 1937, B/W, 111 minutes, ***
Released August, 1937

Probably best known today as Judy Garland's first feature film at MGM.

Vaudevillians Steve (Robert Taylor) and Sonny (George Murphy) are bound for New York to break into the big time. On the train they meet Sally Lee, a dancer who wants to break into show business. Once in New York, they land work, but the production runs out of money before rehearsals are complete. So Eleanor hatches a plan to raise the money by racing her horse. Rather weak story line leaves Taylor and Powell with little to do, so the support actors - Billy Gilbert, Judy Garland and Buddy Ebsen - run away with the show. An encounter between Helen Troy and Buddy Ebsen is almost worth the price of admission all by itself!

The musical numbers are great. I especially enjoy George Murphy and Eleanor Powell dancing to "Feelin' Like a Million" and, of course, Judy's "Dear Mr. Gable" and "Everybody Sing". This was Judy Garland's first feature film at MGM, and she bowled 'em over!

Produced by: Jack Cummings
Directed by: Roy Del Ruth
Screen Play by: Jack McGowan
Original Story by: Jack McGowan and Sid Silvers
Music and Lyrics by: Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed
Musical Presentations: Merrill Pye
Music Direction: Georgie Stoll
Musical Arrangements: Roger Edens
Vocal and Orchestral Arrangements: Leo Arnaud and Murray Cutter
Dance Ensembles: Dave Gould
Art Director: Cedric Gibbons
Associates: Joseph Wright, Edwin B. Willis
Gowns by: Adrian
Recording Director: Douglas Shearer
Photographed by: Wlliam Daniels
Montage Effects by: Slavko Vorkapich
Film Editor: Blanche Sewell

Cast: Robert Taylor [Steve Raleigh], Eleanor Powell [Sally Lee], George Murphy [Sonny Ledford], Binnie Barnes [Caroline Whipple], Buddy Ebsen [Peter Trot], Sophie Tucker [Alice Clayton], Judy Garland [Betty Clayton], Charles Igor Gorin [Nicki Papaloapas], Raymond Walburn [Herman Whipple], Robert Benchley [Duffy], Willie Howard [The Waiter], Charley Grapewin [James K. Blakely], Robert Wildhack [The Sneezer], Billy Gilbert [George Papaloapas], Barnett Parker [Jerry Jason], Helen Troy [Emma Snipe], Marjorie Lane [singing voice of Eleanor Powell]

Program: [0:00] Overture: The Broadway Melody (sung by Chorus) / You Are My Lucky Star (played by Orchestra) / Yours and Mine (sung by Judy Garland); [0:01] The Toreador Song (from the opera CARMEN, sung by Charles Igor Gorin as barber shaving Buddy Ebsen); [0:16] Follow in My Footsteps (sung and danced by Eleanor Powell, George Murphy and Buddy Ebsen, Marjorie Lane dubbing for Eleanor Powell); [0:25] Yours and Mine (sung by Marjorie Lane dubbing for Eleanor Powell at the piano with Robert Taylor); [0:32] Everybody Sing (sung by Judy Garland and Chorus, solo parts by Barnett Parker, Delos Jewkes and Sophie Tucker); [0:31] The Sneeze Expert; [0:52] Some of These Days (sung by Sophie Tucker); [1:00] I'm Feelin' Like a Million (sung and danced by George Murphy and Eleanor Powell); [1:10] Largo al factotum (from the opera IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, sung by Charles Igor Gorin); [1:11] Emma Snipe and Buddy Ebsen; [1:13] Dear Mr. Gable (You Made Me Love You) (sung by Judy Garland); [1:34] Largo al factotum (reprised by Charles Igor Gorin); [1:36] Finale: The nearly 13-minute finale is a mish-mash of most of the songs in the movie, along with snippets of additional songs. The first segment is danced by Eleanor Powell and Geroge Murphy; The second segment is danced by Buddy Ebsen and Judy Garland; The third segment is Sophie Tucker speaking and singing Your Broadway and My Broadway; The fourth and final segment consists of a long dance by Eleanor Powell solo and with Chorus; music includes: "I'm Feelin' Like a Million" / "Yours and Mine" / "Follow in My Footsteps" / "The Broadway Melody" / "Broadway Rhythm" / "You Are My Lucky Star" / "Got a Pair of New Shoes" / "Your Broadway and My Broadway" (sung by George Murphy and Chorus, danced by Eleanor Powell and Chorus); "The Broadway Melody" (reprised by principals)