With the silent version untraceable, I can compare the two available versions, the 1932 (Make Me a Star) and this one of 15 years later. And in the fifteen years the standard has fallen so much that, in my opinion, this one is to be avoided as poison Ivy.
The only character who could almost match was the pretty Virginia O'Brien. In fact because of her I got the disk, since probably this is the only movie where she got a sizable role, and she didn't disappoint much, even when the Lamp was Joan Blondel in the 1932 Version (Phyllis/ Flips Montague). Except her all other faded completely - whether in role definition or the execution - compared to the earlier one. Two other major roles - Skelton Vs Erwin (Merton Gills) or Sam Hardy Vs Charles Brown (Jeff Baird) - are simply not worth comparing.
And as a foot note - neither was direction - the master piece was the Gate landing bang on Skelton's head, and the result was he having a hand in sling and even a stick-plast on chin, but nothing on the head (and no, it didn't slide down on his shoulder, scraping his chin) where he was struck !
Even the sympathetic role (and the guilty complex) of the two - Montague and Baird were far better defined/ executed in the 1932 version - or the seriousness - to comic proportion (and he hated comedies) - of Merton, was convincing and still comic.
Avoid it like plague, and go with the 1932.
Avoid it like plague, and go with the 1932.