Evengyny Thanks for the memories!

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Rexanne It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

TheLittleSongbird Broadway Melody of 1940 is outstanding and one of the best musicals of its decade, while Broadway Melody of 1936 is very good as well. The Broadway Melody that won Best Picture was not a great film really but had some decent merits and is of good historical value. Broadway Melody of 1938 is also a very good film, if not as good as 1940 and 1936. The story is rather tiresome and sometimes strange and while mostly witty and charming the script does have some shoddiness too. The film is beautifully shot and has lavish costumes and sets. The songs are lovely and catchy too, Judy Garland's sweetly poignant You Made Me Love You is the standout, while the choreography is energetic and charismatic. Especially the huge final number, a touch over-produced perhaps but an absolute knockout in all areas. Broadway Melody of 1938 is slickly paced and smartly directed, with some great performances to carry it out. Eleanor Powell demonstrates how amazing a dancer it was, and Robert Taylor is a handsome and dashing leading man(but he was better in 1936). Buddy Ebsen is a lively presence and George Murphy's graceful dancing doesn't disappoint either. Sophie Tucker and Judy Garland are the performers that came off best. Tucker is a hoot and oozes with comic timing and charisma, singing the heck out of her numbers. Garland is very charming and natural, showing her distinctive big voice even at just 15, You Made Me Love You is very touching and is justifiably famous. Overall, very entertaining but not the best of the Broadway Melody series. 8/10 Bethany Cox

JohnHowardReid What we have here is one of those none-too-inspired screenplays which the players are forced to pep up by shouting their lines at the top of their voices! Alas! Only Billy Gilbert can get away with this sort of stratagem. The others just seem ridiculous. However, never mind the silly story (this is one of the very few musicals with a horse-racing background), the movie's chief assets are its song and dance numbers, including a box-car dance with Eleanor Powell, George Murphy and Buddy Ebsen, two songs by Judy Garland (including the justly famous, "You Made Me Love You"), and. topping them all, a very lively and vastly amusing romp in the rain by Powell and Murphy. The movie was choreographed by the vastly under-rated Dave Gould and attractively photographed in black-and-white by William Daniels (although I understand Ray June worked on the film too).

MartinHafer In the 1930s, there were many, many musicals that followed pretty much the same pattern. In fact, Hollywood did little to disguise this and followed the same formula again and again. In the case of Broadway MELODY OF 1938 (oddly, made in 1937) and a dozen other films it was as follows: A nice but poor girl (Eleanor Powell) wants to be discovered as a new singing/dancing sensation. Through grit and the power of niceness, she is able to ultimately be discovered by a big-name producer (Robert Taylor) who promises to build an entire multi-million dollar show for a no-name (I'm sure this happens all the time). But, in a case of "not-niceness", the evil diva or rich lady puts a stop to this dream and it looks like our little sweetheart will have to give up her dreams. However, in the end, as if out of nowhere, the show MUST have this little trooper and she pulls off the performance of a lifetime and she instantly rises to international stardom! Unfortunately, because of this formula, Broadway MELODY OF 1938 suffers greatly. After all, if you've already seen several similar films, you know exactly what you're in for with the film. Heck, I think most writers could have written this film even after a severe head injury--it was that "by the numbers" so to speak.So at the outset the film has a poor and recycled plot. However, when it comes to singing and dancing the film does a lot better--though it is NOT a particular standout either.Eleanor Powell, as always, was an absolutely amazing tap dancer--possibly the best there ever was (and definitely the best female tapper on film). While her singing voice was only adequate, her dancing was tops. George Murphy (sort of like a poor man's Fred Astaire) was also fine in the role as the male singing/dancing lead. However, for comic relief, Buddy Edsen was included as well and while he could dance, his ungraceful and gangly style was very odd when they had him dancing with Powell and Murphy.They also had some interesting support from Sophie Tucker and Judy Garland. Ms. Tucker, sadly, was well past her prime when she made this and only a few other Hollywood films. She had been a huge star on stage, but unfortunately, here she is given a rather obnoxious role and you can't tell just how great she was in her heyday. However, in great contrast, Judy Garland is only 15 here and on top of her game. Of all the performers in the film, her singing talent easily outshines the others. Unfortunately, while given some good songs in the film, her most famous song from the film was the rather saccharine and annoying ode to Clark Gable. It made me cringe and just seemed like a cheap ploy by MGM to plug one of its stars (Gable).So, what you've got overall is a very formulaic film with some decent but not particularly memorable songs. Fortunately, Robert Taylor does NOT sing or dance, so at least this is a plus. While the total package is adequate, unless you are a huge musicals fan, I'd just recommend you see a better example of the genre.By the way, now that I think about it, wouldn't have been neat to have seen Buddy Ebsen dancing in a film with Jimmy Cagney? Both could definitely tap, but both had little grace and made up for it by intensity. Seeing these two completely non-subtle dancers on the same stage might have been interesting.

iandcooper Us that were born post-war tend to forget that some of our 50's heroes had prior talents, and that is just the case with Buddy Ebsen. He was so much a part of my childhood and since, yet hear he is hoofing it with Judy Garland back in 1938 - wow! This film is one of the all-time greats, so if you like a foot-tappin' memorable sequence - just watch Buddy and Judy. You will never forget it!