The Broadway Melody (1929)

Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

A pair of sisters from the vaudeville circuit try to make it big time on Broadway, but matters of the heart complicate the attempt.This was the first sound film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. Now, maybe it got that award because sound was new and you have people singing and dancing... but wow, this film has not held up over the last 80 years. The plot is weak, the actors not notable and the songs just not very good at all.Is this the worst Best Picture winner ever? Probably not, but it has to be in the running, probably in the top five (or bottom five). For what it's worth, though, no films in 1929 are all that memorable today... maybe Ernst Lubitsch's "Patriot", but even that's a stretch and far from his best work.

Interesting drama.Two sisters, Queenie and Hank Mahoney (played by Anita Page and Bessie Love respectively), arrive on Broadway. A friend, Eddie Kerns (played by Charles King), needs them for a number in a musical show. What follows is their struggles to be noticed and make it on Broadway, plus the intrigues, often romantic, that threaten to tear them apart.Quite engaging. Page and Love are great, and every watchable, as the sisters. Has some funny moments too. The banter between the cast and crew during rehearsals, especially the band leader and singers, was great.Don't be put off by the "musical" tag. Most of the music occurs naturally, as part of the shows. There is at least one random singing-instead-of-talking scene though, but at least it's not as bad or prevalent as most musicals.On the negative side, the romantic aspect can be a bit overly and unnecessarily melodramatic though. It often feels like what is represented as intrigue is really not that intriguing. Some parts are just dull, and the ending is bit lacklustre.The Broadway Melody won the 1930 Best Picture Oscar and was thus the third winner of Best Picture. Was the first talking picture to win Best Picture. Is also regarded as the first musical to win Best Picture, though, as mentioned, it is not really a musical, thankfully.

The first sound/talking film to win the award, known this year as "Outstanding Picture". As of 2013, it is also one of only ten musicals to achieve this distinction. Also of pioneering significance, one of the first film to feature a Technicolor sequence. The film follows a mostly unoriginal love-triangle between sisters Queenie & Hank Mahoney (Anita Page and Bessie Love) & Hank's (short for Henrietta, apparently) fiancé Eddie Kerns (Charles King), whom has agreed to assist with the sister's vaudeville act, transforming it for Broadway. Initially in love with the older sister and "stage manager" Hank, he "inevitably" falls in love with the younger, more beautiful Queenie, who avoids the situation by dating a notorious playboy, Jacques Warriner (Kenneth Thomson). Of course, she also ends up falling in love with Eddie, despite her desire to not take away something she knows her sister loves. Eventually everybody finds out everyone's true motives and intentions, and in the last scene Queenie and Eddie embrace, free now to live happily-ever-after, as Hank leaves to begin a thirty-week traveling show she was offered earlier. Free, that is, except for Queenie's guilt; she is still remorseful over the situation and expresses her sadness to Eddie. Intertwined through all of this are some acceptable dance and song numbers, some laughing moments, but really not much else. It is an alright film, but nowhere near the caliber of most other Best Picture Winners. I will admit that some of the dialogue, meaning, and even social cues/traditions were lost to me, due to the nearly-a-decade difference. The sound was difficult to listen to; Obviously at this early time, the studios were still far from mastery. In all, an entertaining look at early sound films, but not too much more depth.

Seeing The Broadway Melody for the first time for historical interest and to see whether it really was down there as one of the worst Best Picture winners, it wasn't as bad as I'd heard it cited to be. It is a long way from perfect, the editing is sloppy which hinders the choreography(which sometimes was dull, small-scale and stagy), much of the supporting cast overact(Jed Prouty is especially annoying) and Anita Page's- as charmingly photogenic as she is- acting doesn't seem very natural at all. However, while not Best Picture worthy it is not one of the worst films ever made, not by a long shot. The costumes are just lovely and the sets are good as well. The dialogue is snappy(the orchestra is trying to drown me out line is very funny), the story while slow at times does have a simple nostalgic fun and charm to it and Page is very photogenic as said already. Charles King has a beautiful voice, he isn't the best of actors either but he's charming and not annoying. The choreography wasn't hugely impressive, but it does have some good moments, choreographically the best number by a landslide is Wedding of a Painted Doll. The Broadway Melody is competently directed, but Best Director worthy, not so sure. The best aspects of The Broadway Melody are the songs and the performance of Bessie Love, the only assets that come across as truly outstanding. The songs are marvellous, The Broadway Melody and You Were Meant for Me are classics. And Love is just terrific as Queenie, she does so much with the character and was more than deserving of her Oscar nomination. In conclusion, not a great film but better than it's made out to be. 6.5/10 Bethany Cox