The Tedium of BROADWAY MELODY OF 1940
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feaito
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feaito
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feaito
OK John. I have it on DVD, so that's why I had the opportunity of watching it. TCM Latin has never aired it. Shame on them.
Before it came out on DVD it had been a perennial must-see for me, ever since I read about this musical in John Kobal's fantastic book "Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance!". Kobal was an ardent fan of Miss Powell.
I rememeber that the sequences in which the leading players danced "Begin the Beguine" were the best, unforgettable. Two terrific dancers face-to-face for the first and only time.
I remeber reading that some critic felt that although Eleanor (technically speaking) was the best dancer Astaire danced with, she wasn't her best partner, because unlike what happened with Ginger, Rita or Cyd, they did not properly blend their talents as a couple, but rather displayed independently their skills as tap dancers. It was more a competition than a partnership. What do you think of that statement?
BTW, the other day Cinecanal Classics aired Eleanor's rare 1944 final film "Sensations of 1945" and I only watched the finale. The print was rather blurry; not in the best condition.
-Out of Topic- You know something John? It has always bothered me my inability to retain or remember details of the films I've seen or the books I've read. If I don't write immediately my feelings after watching a particular film or reading a book, most probably I'll forget most of my impressions and feelings about them. It's rather unusual when certain aspects stay with me or linger in my mind forever. I sincerely envy people who have the ability to retain their impressions and feelings for a long time and can even quote lines (by heart) from certain films.
Before it came out on DVD it had been a perennial must-see for me, ever since I read about this musical in John Kobal's fantastic book "Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance!". Kobal was an ardent fan of Miss Powell.
I rememeber that the sequences in which the leading players danced "Begin the Beguine" were the best, unforgettable. Two terrific dancers face-to-face for the first and only time.
I remeber reading that some critic felt that although Eleanor (technically speaking) was the best dancer Astaire danced with, she wasn't her best partner, because unlike what happened with Ginger, Rita or Cyd, they did not properly blend their talents as a couple, but rather displayed independently their skills as tap dancers. It was more a competition than a partnership. What do you think of that statement?
BTW, the other day Cinecanal Classics aired Eleanor's rare 1944 final film "Sensations of 1945" and I only watched the finale. The print was rather blurry; not in the best condition.
-Out of Topic- You know something John? It has always bothered me my inability to retain or remember details of the films I've seen or the books I've read. If I don't write immediately my feelings after watching a particular film or reading a book, most probably I'll forget most of my impressions and feelings about them. It's rather unusual when certain aspects stay with me or linger in my mind forever. I sincerely envy people who have the ability to retain their impressions and feelings for a long time and can even quote lines (by heart) from certain films.
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jdb1
First of all, John, I want to say that I agree with you about Broadway Melody. I tried to get through it last night, but the dialog, especially, was so inane and intolerable that I just kept switching back and forth between the movie, America's Next Top Model, and Bionic Woman. None of these three is Oscar-worthy, but Melody came in third, in my estimation, save for the fabulous Astaire/Powell dancing. She really was amazing.
Second, I want to reassure you, Fernando, that your memory troubles are not unique. I seem to have a very retentive memory for films, their stars, their details, etc, but I can never remember things like the titles and authors of books, even when I am in the act of reading them. It's just the way our brains are wired, is all. Life has gotten a lot easier in that respect since the advent of the Internet. If I can't remember the name of a book, I can look it up instantaneously. Besides, you probably have so much information in your head, something is bound to slip out once in a while!
Second, I want to reassure you, Fernando, that your memory troubles are not unique. I seem to have a very retentive memory for films, their stars, their details, etc, but I can never remember things like the titles and authors of books, even when I am in the act of reading them. It's just the way our brains are wired, is all. Life has gotten a lot easier in that respect since the advent of the Internet. If I can't remember the name of a book, I can look it up instantaneously. Besides, you probably have so much information in your head, something is bound to slip out once in a while!
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feaito
I agree with your opinions regarding "memory" John & Judith.
I'm good at remembering the names and last names of people I've known and most of the faces of the people I've met in my life. I'm also good at remembering birth dates, but actually have to calculate my relative's and friend's ages, because what I have in mind are the dates not their ages; which may be good
And yes Judith. I have always too much information in my head. My train of thought is usually vertiginous!!
And most definitely I'll have to revisit "Broadway Melody of 1940". Maybe my memory fails me and the good impressions I have of the film rests mainly on the dance sequences and I forgot about the inane plot
... I'm not sure now
I'm good at remembering the names and last names of people I've known and most of the faces of the people I've met in my life. I'm also good at remembering birth dates, but actually have to calculate my relative's and friend's ages, because what I have in mind are the dates not their ages; which may be good
And yes Judith. I have always too much information in my head. My train of thought is usually vertiginous!!
And most definitely I'll have to revisit "Broadway Melody of 1940". Maybe my memory fails me and the good impressions I have of the film rests mainly on the dance sequences and I forgot about the inane plot
... I'm not sure now-
Moraldo Rubini
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I hope you'll share your stories here.JohnM wrote:I was just recently talking about all the wonderful movie palaces that served as venues for my childhood film experience. They are all gone. It's so sad, yet I can describe each one, in detail. My siblings call me all the time and ask, "where did we see My Fair Lady?", or "which theater had the stadium-seating balcony", etc. I always know the answer. About everything else, I'm an idiot.
It's these tales of our theatre-going experiences that led me to begin the thread, but it didn't catch on...
As for Broadway Melody of 1940, it has some pretty mundane moments, but there's more than enough cake to compensate for the cheap icing. The soprano audition is jaw-droppingly bad. So bad, that I recorded that section alone and gave it to some opera connoisseurs that I know, just to watch their expressions. [Does that mean it's so bad that it's good? I hated it so much, I forced everyone to watch it?] The swell Cole Porter score -- "I Concentrate on You" and "Begin the Beguine" alone would put the movie over for me. Some of the best black-and-white usage in a musical; gorgeous. And the musical numbers get me through it. Eleanor Powell is mostly supberb (her balletic moments are a bit of a stretch, but good for her for taking on the challenge). I can do without George Murphy, but he is good for the lifts in "Between You and Me" (slim Fred Astaire never did lifts, did he?) and came through for the ending trio of "I've Got My Eyes on You". The "Jukebox Dance" is a knockout, and it's the height of luxury to have this immediately follow Astaire's solo "I've Got My Eyes on You". And the ultimate tap number, "Begin the Beguine" makes this movie worth it for me.Every time I watch this picture, I marvel at not only the dancing, which is first-rate, but just how horrible it is, otherwise. With a plot that is hackneyed, even for 1940, it's barely watchable. The endless novelty acts are horrid, never funny, never entertaining, in the slightest; and, destroy what little charm the film manages to muster. Other than one really breathtaking number, it mostly wastes the talents of its two main stars. I'm always surprised when people speak highly of it. Thoughts?
Broadway Melody of 1940
The thing that intrigues me about this movie is that FA's character in this movie is truly unusual for him. The movie contains lots of froth, no doubt--and I think great chunks of it are embarrassingly silly--but Astaire plays a more complex person than he usually does, and for the most part I think he pulls it off really well. He portrays a man who is loyal and supportive to a hotheaded friend, nearly to the point of obsequiousness, but who can stand up for himself when pushed too far. And though Astaire often had played a love-struck guy in his movies with Rogers, in this one his yearning has a kind of pathos to it throughout that is very touching.
So here you have a lightweight, often unbearably dopey musical--but his acting in it! Think of the scene with Clare (Eleanor Powell), just before their dance in the cafe where they have lunch. In succession, he plays good-natured humor ("Do I really look like THAT?" he laughingly asks the silhouette-maker), skepticism ("We-ell, I don't think you've quite got her [likeness]..."), frankness (as she asks him whether he always tells the truth), and shy desire for her ("Johnny," she asks him, "was that what you were REALLY thinking?" and even in black and white you can see him blush!).
He shows often that the character is sensible and sensitive, but that he can be tough if he has to be, and that overall he is (of course) more than competent. In the scene where he finally starts to get angry at King's (George Murphy's) implications, he admittedly overplays his toughness, as if he's imitating a B-movie gangster. But in all the scenes with Murphy in which he reacts to King's attitude toward women, he's so proto-feminist: "Maybe it's time you found out they're not all alike."
Astaire is also terrific (and very boyish) in the scene where he gets all excited and impatient about the job he thinks both men have been offered, then learns that King alone has been sought, and then bucks up and tries to cheerfully support his friend. He actually plays that last part in such a way that you know how hard it is for him to be positive, because he has just had his ego crushed. That's pretty subtle stuff.
Most of all, I love the telephone scene, where Johnny tells Clare he loves her when she thinks she's on the phone with King. As soon as he realizes it, he nearly jumps away from the phone, looks dazed as he processes what he has just done, and then gets angry at himself in a way that I bet Fred Astaire often did in real life. The way he kicks the floor and calls himself stupid looks totally spontaneous. Then he throws his head back with disbelief, turns to whip his hand about as if to strike some imaginary foe, and then puts his hands deep in his pockets and gives a kind of despairing shrug. If you play this all at fast speed, it looks like a dance sequence. He may think he's a stupid guy, but he sure is a graceful one!
So here you have a lightweight, often unbearably dopey musical--but his acting in it! Think of the scene with Clare (Eleanor Powell), just before their dance in the cafe where they have lunch. In succession, he plays good-natured humor ("Do I really look like THAT?" he laughingly asks the silhouette-maker), skepticism ("We-ell, I don't think you've quite got her [likeness]..."), frankness (as she asks him whether he always tells the truth), and shy desire for her ("Johnny," she asks him, "was that what you were REALLY thinking?" and even in black and white you can see him blush!).
He shows often that the character is sensible and sensitive, but that he can be tough if he has to be, and that overall he is (of course) more than competent. In the scene where he finally starts to get angry at King's (George Murphy's) implications, he admittedly overplays his toughness, as if he's imitating a B-movie gangster. But in all the scenes with Murphy in which he reacts to King's attitude toward women, he's so proto-feminist: "Maybe it's time you found out they're not all alike."
Astaire is also terrific (and very boyish) in the scene where he gets all excited and impatient about the job he thinks both men have been offered, then learns that King alone has been sought, and then bucks up and tries to cheerfully support his friend. He actually plays that last part in such a way that you know how hard it is for him to be positive, because he has just had his ego crushed. That's pretty subtle stuff.
Most of all, I love the telephone scene, where Johnny tells Clare he loves her when she thinks she's on the phone with King. As soon as he realizes it, he nearly jumps away from the phone, looks dazed as he processes what he has just done, and then gets angry at himself in a way that I bet Fred Astaire often did in real life. The way he kicks the floor and calls himself stupid looks totally spontaneous. Then he throws his head back with disbelief, turns to whip his hand about as if to strike some imaginary foe, and then puts his hands deep in his pockets and gives a kind of despairing shrug. If you play this all at fast speed, it looks like a dance sequence. He may think he's a stupid guy, but he sure is a graceful one!
I agree about the vaudeville act sections--not, not not entertaining. I mean Seal Girl;? And that goofy singer on roller skates? Yikes. I ffwd through them when I watch this movie and get to the dancing parts.
But if you look at it in a sort of historical sense--those vaudeville acts were what people watched for entertainment for years, before movies put them out of business. And if you remember the variety shows of the early (and later) TV years, I remember seeing guys spinning plates and people juggling and all sorts of silliness, not to mention Senor Wences!
But if you look at it in a sort of historical sense--those vaudeville acts were what people watched for entertainment for years, before movies put them out of business. And if you remember the variety shows of the early (and later) TV years, I remember seeing guys spinning plates and people juggling and all sorts of silliness, not to mention Senor Wences!
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. "~~Wilde
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EleanorPowellFan
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Broadway Melody of 1940
BM of 1940 is just another classic film with a bad taste to it. When you look at it there are many dissapointments when it comes to musicals and classic films but it is something you just have to tolerate. The reason why I like this film is'nt just because of the dance numbers but because it's just another classic musical that people have put their back into. I tolerate it because it is black and white and I know that people enjoyed the film very much at the time so I try to give myself of the persepective of the audiences during those times to my personal viewing of the film. This way any black and white musical or film I watch always has a good side to it. Seeing two stars like Eleanor and Fred together is wonderful, even though not a brilliant match for romance but it is still has a classic feel to it that must be appreciated.