Yes,great and famous MGM musicals, but then again, this was 1935 (the year the film was made). But make no mistake, this is a great musical! It kept me entertained from beginning to end and had a number of great songs -- including "Broadway Melody" and "You Are My Lucky Star" Unlike another reviewer (who wrote a darned good review), I actually think the plot here was substantial enough -- though perhaps not totally logical in the details -- to make sense.
Jack Benny is excellent here as a newspaper man who writes a gossip column about Broadway. His column isn't exactly knocking them dead, so his editor orders him to get gritty, or else. And he does, focusing his wrath on Broadway producer Robert Taylor. Benny is very good here, though he plays a cynical role, unlike what we were used to in the later Benny of television. But, if you watch Benny movies like "George Washington Slept Here", you learn that Benny -- in some of his films -- could be sarcastic and a bit edgy. So for me, this was not a surprising character.
Sid Silvers, an actor with whom I am not familiar, played a good second banana as Benny's assistant. It's not always funny when a male actor plays a female bit, but this one is.
I wish I had read about this film before watching it, because I didn't realize that Buddy Ebsen's partner is this film was his real-life sister! They are hardly the greatest of hoofers. I always thought that Buddy Ebsen was a decent dancer with little discipline, and that came across in this film, too. But he lends a character to his films that usually makes sense, and that overshadows a less than great dancing talent.
Una Merkel was a greatly underrated actress, and as with most of her film roles, she turns in a really enjoyable performance here.
Robert Taylor seems cast out of character here, but of course, this was very early in his career. Though it was his 10th film, it was only his second year in the business. But, he handles himself well here, playing the part of the Broadway producer in a reasonable way.
I kept wondering who that one female singer was. She was so good. Quite to my surprise, it was Frances Langford, with whom I was only familiar due to performances in Bob Hope's USO shows.
And, while Eleanor Powell has turned in greater dance performances in later films, she is still great here. For me, the great female hoofer of all time.
Production values in this film were extremely high for the time. It's not easy to find anything to really criticize.
I place this film above a good half of the MGM musicals the next two decades. For many it will belong on their DVD shelf!
Jack Benny is excellent here as a newspaper man who writes a gossip column about Broadway. His column isn't exactly knocking them dead, so his editor orders him to get gritty, or else. And he does, focusing his wrath on Broadway producer Robert Taylor. Benny is very good here, though he plays a cynical role, unlike what we were used to in the later Benny of television. But, if you watch Benny movies like "George Washington Slept Here", you learn that Benny -- in some of his films -- could be sarcastic and a bit edgy. So for me, this was not a surprising character.
Sid Silvers, an actor with whom I am not familiar, played a good second banana as Benny's assistant. It's not always funny when a male actor plays a female bit, but this one is.
I wish I had read about this film before watching it, because I didn't realize that Buddy Ebsen's partner is this film was his real-life sister! They are hardly the greatest of hoofers. I always thought that Buddy Ebsen was a decent dancer with little discipline, and that came across in this film, too. But he lends a character to his films that usually makes sense, and that overshadows a less than great dancing talent.
Una Merkel was a greatly underrated actress, and as with most of her film roles, she turns in a really enjoyable performance here.
Robert Taylor seems cast out of character here, but of course, this was very early in his career. Though it was his 10th film, it was only his second year in the business. But, he handles himself well here, playing the part of the Broadway producer in a reasonable way.
I kept wondering who that one female singer was. She was so good. Quite to my surprise, it was Frances Langford, with whom I was only familiar due to performances in Bob Hope's USO shows.
And, while Eleanor Powell has turned in greater dance performances in later films, she is still great here. For me, the great female hoofer of all time.
Production values in this film were extremely high for the time. It's not easy to find anything to really criticize.
I place this film above a good half of the MGM musicals the next two decades. For many it will belong on their DVD shelf!