BROADWAY MELODY OF 1940
US, 1940, 100 minutes, black-and-white.
Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell, George Murphy, Ralph Morgan, Ian Hunter, Florence Rice.
Directed by Norman Taurog.
Broadway Melody of 1940 is a rather conventional musical from MGM at the period. MGM had won an Oscar for best film for Broadway Melody of 1929 and had made variations in 1936 in 1938.
This was the first time Fred Astaire had been at MGM since Dancing Lady in the early 1930s, having made his reputation, especially with Ginger Rogers, in a series of musicals at RKO. This time, he has the dancing leading lady of MGM, Eleanor Powell, who matches him step for step in a range of different dances and routines, and to the music and lyrics of Cole Porter. George Murphy appears as the second string with Frank Morgan as an absent-minded agent and Ian Hunter as a producer.
There are auditions for various vaudeville acts, some of which are very corny and one wonders why they were included. However, a juggling act by Trixie Firschke is very entertaining.
Much of the plot seems to have been borrowed from 42nd Street, the star going on, something to prevent the star continuing, the understudy moving in and having great success. The film was directed by Norman Taurog, Oscar for directing Skippy in 1931. He was to go on to direct a wide range of light films, especially Martin and Lewis comedies and some Elvis Presley musicals.
1. The musical of the 1930s-1940s? MGM production values? Sumptuous sense, sets, fitted, stages, lavish design?
2. The musical score, the songs and lyrics of cold water? Cole Porter?
3. The dancing talent of Fred Astaire, his reputation by 1940, the okay musicals, his career in the 40s, at MGM in the 1950s? A great dance talent? Eleanor Powell, her films, the dancing, the screen presence, cheerful, agile, graceful? In combination with Fred Astaire? In combination with George Murphy and his dancing style?
4. The contrived story, music and song, dance, the variation on the 42nd Street plot? The star, something happening, the underling moving in and being successful?
5. To King and Jack and their friendship, dancing together, then deaths, their hopes, the debt collector, Jack making a mistake, giving Kings name to the agent? The consequences?
6. Casey, watching, escorting the girls, their own coat, the devices to keep it, his devices to get it back? The parody of the gold-diggers?
7. Matthews, relationship with Claire, producing the musicals, and declaring his love, Clare not ready?
8. Waking up King, the audition, Jack’s mistake? His dancing, success? The publicity? The rehearsals? Falling in love with Claire?
9. Claire, sensible, regarding love, regarding career, and dancing? The attraction to King?
10. Jack, realising his mistake, stepping back, coaching King with his dance steps?
11. Jack, at the theatre, watching Claire’s performances, in love, not impeding King? In the dressing room, the dance step, Clare being present, seeing Jack and his complete routine? Her attraction? Joining in? Going out to breakfast?
12. Success going to King’s head, wanting to go out with clay, her develop device of the headache, changing her mind, getting Jack on the phone, King going out, drunk, the rehearsals, Matthews and his annoyance?
13. The night, King drunk, Jack stepping in, the good reviews, sobering up King to go to the rest of the performance? His not remembering? The reviews?
14. King, set, upset, pretending to be drunk, Having to go on, Jack’s success?
15. The happy ending, the three dancing together – and the future?
