Broadway Melody Of 1936 (1935)/Broadway Melody Of 1938 [DVD]

A great package of two very nice musicals from the 1930s. Robert Taylor and Eleanor Powell are fantastic in both - bright, attractive and talented. The story lines are average but interesting enough, both of them concerned with putting on Broadway shows, and all the joys and problems connected with this kind of endeavor. The songs are good and the sets are classic New York Art Deco. If you are into this kind of thing, you won't be disappointed. Other reviewers have commented mostly on Eleanor, who is indeed an exceptional dancer and a classy woman in every way. But I think the real standouts were Buddy Ebsen and Judy Garland.Buddy was a funny personality, a natural actor and a fantastic dancer. He brightens up every scene he is in, shaggy hairdo and all. He was a beatnik before the word existed. And he set the tone for physical comedy on screen for years to come. Sad to think that he would have been the Tin Man had the toxic aluminum paint not put him in the hospital... oh well, there's a world beyond imagining awaiting Jed in Beverly Hills.And then there's Judy Garland, in one of her first starring roles. So young and fresh and full of life, Baby Gumm belts out the most rousing song of the film, "Everybody Sing", pulling a whole room full of folks into the excitement with her. Despite a horrible outfit and soundproof walls, she shines like no other could. And then there's "You Made Me Love You", which is arranged with an intro and break all centered around Clark Gable. This song brought her a funny kind of fame - here it is to see and hear at its origin. There's also a great tap dance with Buddy at the climax of the film, which reminds you that she was a great dancer in addition to being one of the greatest singers of the century. This film put her on everybody's radar, wondering what role she might find herself in next...Sometimes films from the thirties are great and sometimes they're not worth it, considering what else there is to choose from. These two fall squarely in the former category, and are a solid buy for anyone who loves classic musicals and appreciates real talent on the silver screen.

"Broadway Melody of 1936" is a confection of a movie, meant to sweeten the lives of Depression weary Americans. It stars the unlikely triumvirate of Jack Benny, Eleanor Powell and Robert Taylor. The plot is flimsy, involving the parallel efforts of a columnist (Benny) trying to save his career, a Broadway producer (Taylor) trying to find a star for his new show and a dancer (Powell) trying to get her big break on Broadway.All this is secondary to the wonderful songs by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed: "I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'"; "Broadway Rhythm"; "You Are My Lucky Star"; "On a Sunday Afternoon";" Sing Before Breakfast." The production numbers for each song range from clever to spectacular. "I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin" is sung by Taylor and New York actress June Knight. The special effects are a delight, especially as they are done so long before CGI.Powell proves, as always, that she is unmatched as a dancer--her energy, grace and strength are a marvel. She dances solo, with Buddy and Vilma Ebsen, with Nick Long, Jr. and with huge choruses.Nor can the acting be faulted. Jack Benny is excellent as the gossip-obsessed wise-cracking and scheming columnist. Robert Taylor is remarkably poised and mature for his years (24) and even has a nice singing voice. The second banana roles are filled admirably by Sid Silvers and Una Merkel. If Powell and Knight are less impressive when their feet are still, it doesn't matter--their dancing more than redeems them."Broadway Melody of 1936" was a high budget, high gloss, pull out all the stops, MGM production. No expense was spared for the costumes, sets, choreography or photography. The direction by Roy del Ruth is crisp and effective. We could use more films like this in our own economically challenged times.

I haven't seen this film in some years and I'm sure it's still just as entertaining now...However, the current packaging leaves a lot to be desired. These films are now being released in wafer-thin packages that makes storage with standard DVD discs a problem. The normal packages of DVD films give you a chance to see the title of the film clearly along the title back of the package. This extra slim package means you have to get up close and personal to read the title. For someone who has a large collection of films in standard DVD cases these "economy packs" leave a lot to be desired. Amazon should alert customers to the fact that these are in "economy slim packs."

It is great to have both of these movies, but the must-see of the two is the 1936 Broadway Melody. Eleanor Powell and Robert Taylor work well together. The other cast members also work well in this uplifting musical comedy. I just about died when Eleanor Powell was transformed into Mademoiselle La Belle Arlette. Blonde was a good color for Eleanor who never looked so stunning as she did when she was Arlette. Jack Benny was also good as was his side-kick (who is the first man that I ever saw do drag on film). In short, I found this movie funny, entertaining, and it was thrilling to watch Eleanor introduce her unique and overpowering style of tap dancing. Now, the 1938 Broadway Melody is something of a let down. Though Eleanor and Taylor are the leads, most of the story is focused around a number other characters who finally get merged (very roughly) into the finale. For a musical, I found this movie to be a little on the slow side. You have to wait patiently for Eleanor to appear and do a dance. BTW, Judy Garland is in this movie where she sings a song and later tap dances with Buddy Ebsen. Her singing and tap dancing were good, her acting not so much. In short, 1936 is the gem of these two, while 1938 is good to have as a historical look at the careers of a number of well-known movie stars.

Die Filme habe ich schon lange gesucht, und endlich gefunden.Sehr schnell verschickt. Die DVD's sind neu bzw. neuwertig. Vielen Dank, ich bin sehr zufrieden.

Fabulous dancing, great songs, and nothing wrong with admiring Robert Taylor, either.

Two excellent pair of films very entertaing.

immagni the truly excellent and the sound even if only in English, I hope to have the subtitles in other possibly Italy.

Great Films