Broadway Melody of 1929

It seems that right after the Greeks invented drama in the 5th Century BC, they followed it up by inventing the musical sister act. And one of the first musical sister acts to be put on film must be that of the fictional Mahoney sisters in Broadway Melody of 1929.

While this is billed as an early film musical, I don't know if it has enough music to actually qualify. There are about two songs--fortunately both good, but unfortunately often reprised in the film: "You Belong to Me" and "Broadway Melody".

The plot surrounds scrappy sister Harriet "Hank" (Bessie Love, center), and beautiful sister "Queenie" (Anita Page) and their struggles to make it on Broadway with the help of singer/composer Eddie Kearns (Charles King). Eddie starts out as Hank's long-suffering fiance, but ends up as Queenie's husband. And as shrill as Hank is portrayed, who can blame him for going over the side of the blond.

One of the best things to look at in this film are the clothes the women wear, particularly the cloches hats. There is also a very odd DVD extra with dogs portraying people--straight out of vaudeville.

Broadway Melody of 1929
Music by Nacio Herb Brown
Lyrics by Roger Edens
Directed by Harry Beaumont
Released in 1929 by MGM
Cast: Charles King, Bessie Love, Anita Page, Eddie Kane

Strike Up The Band film on DVD

Well, this 1940 MGM film may share its title with the 1930 Gershwin musical, but that's about all Strike Up The Band has from the original. A follow-up to the box office bonanza Babes in Arms, this vehicle for Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland doesn't deserve the Gershwin name.

I've actually seen the original stage version performed in a Encores-like semi-staging. I can't recall a thing about it, but in comparing the song list of the stage and film versions, only the title song appears in both. This seems to be due to Roger Edens, who is credited with writing most of the music in the film. After butchering Bernstein in On The Town, and now Gershwin in Strike Up The Band, I'm starting to dislike Mr. Edens. Perhaps there is a back story that needs to be uncovered to understand what happened.

I have to say, I do like the fruit orchestra sequence. I wonder if this is one of the earliest examples of stop-action photography, or whatever film technique is used.

Strike Up The Band
One song by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin
The rest of the songs by Roger Edens
MGM film from 1940
Cast: Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, June reisser, Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra, Larry Nunn, Ann Shoemaker