Broadway Rhythm (1944)

Director:

Roy Del Ruth

Writers:

Harry Clork (screenplay)
Oscar Hammerstein II (play)

Release Date:

19 January 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Music

Plot:

Broadway producer Johnny Demming (George Murphy) courts big-name talent for his upcoming musical show...

Plot Keywords:

Actress | Backstage | Barn | Based On Musical | Broadway New York City

Cast

George Murphy	...	Johnny Demming
Ginny Simms	...	Helen Hoyt
Charles Winninger	...	Sam Demming
Gloria DeHaven	...	Patsy Demming (as Gloria de Haven)
Nancy Walker	...	Trixie Simpson
Ben Blue	...	Felix Gross
Lena Horne	...	Fernway de la Fer
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson	...	Eddie
Hazel Scott	...	Herself
Kenny Bowers	...	Ray Kent
Aggie Ross	...	Dance Specialty (as The Ross Sisters)
Elmira Ross	...	Dance Specialty (as The Ross Sisters)
Maggie Ross	...	Dance Specialty (as The Ross Sisters)
Dean Murphy	...	Hired man on Farm
Louis Mason	...	Farmer

Also Known As:

The Broadway Melody of 1944 (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

This movie was going to be called The Broadway Melody of 1944 and it was originally going to star Eleanor Powell and Gene Kelly.

Quotes:

Johnny Demming: Here we are - three weeks before the opening and we haven't got a leading lady.

Movie Connections:

References Uncle Tom's Cabin (1927)

Soundtrack:

Who's Who?

Variety fest enjoyable, though be aware the corn grows high

A pleasing enough entertainment, working primarily as a pageant of various MGM specialty acts - impressionists, contortionists, nightclub acts, tap-dancers, as well as the standard musical theatrical numbers. The film isn't a musical in the traditional sense, as all the musical numbers are in the contest of an actual performance (some done toward the camera). It's much more in the tradition of a 1960s-70s variety TV show.

There is a connecting plot, though only the slimmest possible. For me, the movie dragged whenever it stopped the music for a little story updating. George Murphy doesn't really dance much here - just briefly toward the beginning and end - and he does an OK piano medley in the middle. Ginny Simms isn't much of a screen presence, but has a great voice used to advantage. Close your eyes while she's singing and you won't miss much onscreen, other than the costumes.

The highlights are in the supporting cast; great numbers from Lena Horne, Tommy Dorsey, Hazel Scott, and Nancy Walker (though you really have to wait for hers; she's a bit underused here). Really nice work from Gloria DeHaven and Kenny Bowers in their couple of tunes, as well as Walter Long's tap-dancing. The singing-contortionist Ross Sisters are something to see, but the impressionist got on my nerves after a while. (Some of his subjects will not register with viewers unfamiliar with the era; there's a couple of topical jokes elsewhere in the film also.)

And Charles Winninger is a pleasure to watch in a diversion for him; I've rarely seen him in musical roles.

In short, worth seeing for most of the musical segments; the rest is unremarkable.

7 of 10