HotToastyRag Eleanor Powell is amazing. If you know all subjects Fred and Ginger, you need to rent an Eleanor Powell film. She's the best female tap dancer I've ever seen, and I have no idea why she isn't the most famous. She's pretty, a good actress, has a nice singing voice, and is a phenomenal dancer who makes it look easy. In Broadway Melody of 1938, she recreates the Fred and Ginger gazebo dance with George Murphy, but she takes the number out into the rain and ends with a big splash-literally. Once you've seen her dance, you can't help but ask, "Ginger who?"In this 1930s musical chalk-full of songs and dances from the all-star cast: Eleanor Powell, George Murphy, Buddy Epsom, Sophie Tucker, and Judy Garland, there's a very thin plot, a misunderstanding, and a love triangle. However, I don't think anyone rents a Broadway Melody movie for the storyline.Sophie Tucker, former Broadway sensation, tries to jumpstart her daughter's career and says poignantly, "I've had my day." "I remember," Robert Taylor smiles at her. She gives a very touching monologue about her experience onstage, and then gives the screen a treat by reprising her staple "Some of These Days," which eventually became the title of her autobiography. Sophie Tucker's daughter is the rising star Judy Garland, who sings the memorable song "You Made Me Love You" to a photograph of Clark Gable.Still, there's a lot of wasted screen time in this movie, interspersed among the good parts. Robert Wildhack literally talks five minutes about different types of sneezes, Billy Gilbert speaks in broken English and acts like a buffoon, and not every song will have you humming a reprise when the credits roll. You can rent it, though, or any of the other Broadway Melody movies, if you want to see some good dancing.

utgard14 Likable musical with a recycled plot that combines musical and horse racing movie clichés. This film reunites the two leads from Broadway Melody of 1936, Taylor and Powell. Also returning from that film is Buddy Ebsen. Robert Benchley, Raymond Walburn, Billy Gilbert, and Charley Grapewin are all wasted. Stiff George Murphy and scenery-chewing Sophie Tucker add little to things. On the plus side we have the dancing of Eleanor Powell, the singing of Judy Garland, and Robert Taylor being...well, Robert Taylor. Includes famous scene where teenage Judy Garland sings "You Made Me Love You" to a picture of Clark Gable. Aside from this cute number, the songs are OK but nothing terribly memorable. In Broadway '36 there was a character who did various snoring sounds. Here the same actor returns doing sneezing sounds. Amusing but hardly a knee-slapping gag. Powell's tap dancing is still the highlight, of course. Although there's precious little of that for a musical that's nearly two hours. Her number in the rain with Murphy and the finale are both nice but neither her best work. All of the Broadway Melody films are fun fluff but not quite on par with the Busby Berkeley '30s musicals for Warner Bros. for my taste. This one isn't as good as Broadway '36 or '40 but it is enjoyable.

nnnn45089191 The third installment of the Broadway Melody series has a great advantage in the performance of 15 year old Judy Garland,here making her first mark in the movies.My wife commented she had never seen a 15 year old act so full of confidence. The movie is mediocre,but very enjoyable light fluff.Robert Taylor and Eleanor Powell have a nice chemistry as the young lovers.Great support from hoofers George Murphy and Buddy Ebsen.Especially Ebsen is a joy to watch. There's also an early appearance of Robert Benchley,and his wit is as dry as ever.It's fun to watch the MGM style musical at an early stage.The next two decades no other studio could touch MGM's musicals for sheer brilliance.

CitizenCaine MGM's Broadway Melody of 1938 was actually made in 1937. It is now famous as the young Judy Garland's MGM debut feature film. In it, she sings her ode to Clark Gable's photograph, "Dear Mr. Gable". The words were added especially for her to the standard, "You Made Me Love You." However, Judy only has a small role in the film, playing the daughter of old Broadway stalwart Sophie Tucker. Sophie Tucker runs a performer boarding house where Eleanor Powell eventually finds herself. She plays a young lady, who pines for a horse that she helped raise. Robert Taylor is a producer trying to get funding for his show, etc. They meet, fall in love, and along the way we're treated to a melange of depression era nostalgia in the form of comedy, laughter, song and dance, and typical 1930's hokey plot points. Besides Garland's songs, including "Everybody Sing", the musical highlights are the tap dancing of Buddy Ebsen, George Murphy, and Powell to "Follow In My Footsteps" and Murphy and Powell dancing to "I'm Feelin' Like A Million". Director Roy Del Ruth, who did a number of these type of films in the 1930's, keeps things moving at a brisk pace and we're swept away. Well-timed humor is provided by Binnie Barnes, Raymond Walburn, and Billy Gilbert. The always welcome Robert Benchley even turns up in a small bit. However, the songs are not that memorable, and the film has a typically overproduced MGM finale, bigger than the film itself. **1/2 of 4 stars.