THE BROADWAY MELODY (1929) Bessie Love, Anita Page & Charles King | Musical Drama| B&W| Retro Movie

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The Broadway Melody, also known as The Broadway Melody of 1929, is a 1929 American pre-Code musical film and the first sound film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. It was one of the early musicals to feature a Technicolor sequence, which sparked the trend of color being used in a flurry of musicals that would hit the screens in 1929–1930.

The Broadway Melody was written by Norman Houston and James Gleason from a story by Edmund Goulding and directed by Harry Beaumont. Original music was written by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown, including the popular hit "You Were Meant for Me". The George M. Cohan classic "Give My Regards to Broadway" is used under the opening establishing shots of New York City, its film debut. Bessie Love was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance. Today, the Technicolor sequence survives only in black and white. The film was the first musical released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and was Hollywood's first all-talking musical.

Due to being a film published in 1929, it entered the public domain on January 1, 2025.

Synopsis

Eddie Kearns sings "The Broadway Melody" and tells some chorus girls that he has brought the Mahoney Sisters vaudeville act to New York to perform it with him in the latest revue being produced by Francis Zanfield. Harriet "Hank" Mahoney and her sister Queenie Mahoney are awaiting Eddie's arrival at their apartment. Hank, the older sister, prides herself on her business sense and talent, while Queenie is lauded for her beauty. Hank is confident they will make it big, while Queenie is less eager to put everything on the line to become a star. Hank declines the offer of their Uncle Jed to join a 30-week traveling show but consents to think it over.

Eddie, who is engaged to Hank, arrives and sees Queenie for the first time since she was a young girl and is instantly taken with her. He tells them to come to a rehearsal for Zanfield's revue to present their act. Flo, a dancer in Zanfield’s company, sabotages their performance by placing a bag in the piano, which causes a fight with Hank. Zanfield isn't interested in it but says he might have a use for Queenie, who begs him to give Hank a part as well, saying both will work for one wage. She also convinces him to pretend that Hank's business skills won him over. Eddie witnesses this exchange and becomes even more enamored of Queenie for her devotion to her sister. During a dress rehearsal for the revue, Zanfield says the pacing is too slow for "The Broadway Melody" and cuts Hank and Queenie from the number.

Meanwhile, another woman is injured after falling off a set prop, and Queenie is selected to replace her. Nearly everyone is enamored with Queenie, particularly notorious playboy Jacques "Jock" Warriner. While Jock begins to woo Queenie, Hank is upset that Queenie is building her success on her looks rather than her talent.

Over the following weeks, Queenie spends a lot of time with Jock, of which Hank and Eddie fervently disapprove. They forbid her to see him, which results in Queenie pushing them away and deteriorating the relationship between the sisters. Queenie is only with Jock to fight her growing feelings for Eddie, but Hank thinks she's setting herself up to be hurt. Eventually, Eddie and Queenie confess their love for each other, but Queenie, unwilling to break her sister's heart, runs off to Jock once again.

After witnessing Queenie's fierce outburst toward Eddie and his devastated reaction to it, Hank finally realizes that they are in love. She berates Eddie for letting Queenie run away and tells him to go after her. Hank claims to have never loved him and that she'd only been using him to advance her career. After he leaves, Hank breaks down and alternates between sobs and hysterical laughter. She composes herself enough to call Uncle Jed to accept the job with the 30-week show.

Cast & Crew

Anita Page as Queenie Mahoney
Bessie Love as Harriet "Hank" Mahoney
Charles King as Eddie Kearns
Jed Prouty as Uncle Jed
Kenneth Thomson as Jacques Warriner
Edward Dillon as Stage Manager
Mary Doran as Flo, the blonde
Eddie Kane as Zanfield
J. Emmett Beck as Babe Hatrick
Marshall Ruth as Stew
Drew Demarest as Turpe

Directed by: Harry Beaumont
Written by: Sarah Y. Mason (continuity), Norman Houston (dialogue), James Gleason (dialogue)
Story by: Edmund Goulding
Produced by: Irving Thalberg, Lawrence Weingarten
Cinematography: John Arnold
Edited by: Sam S. Zimbalist
Uncredited Editing: William LeVanway (silent version)
Music by: (See article)

Color Process: Black and White (with a Technicolor sequence)
Distributed by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Release Dates:

February 1, 1929 (Grauman's Chinese Theatre)
February 8, 1929 (New York City)
June 12, 1929 (United States)
Running Time: 100 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English
Budget: $379,000
Box Office: $4.4 million