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The Broadway Melody

The Broadway Melody
Broadway Melody poster.jpg
theatrical release poster
Directed by Harry Beaumont
Produced by Irving Thalberg
Lawrence Weingarten
Written by Sarah Y. Mason (continuity)
Norman Houston (dialogue)
James Gleason (dialogue)
Uncredited:
Earl Baldwin (titles)
Story by Edmund Goulding
Starring Charles King
Anita Page
Bessie Love
Jed Prouty
Music by (see article)
Cinematography John Arnold
Edited by Sam S. Zimbalist
Uncredited:
William LeVanway (silent version)
Production
company
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • February 1, 1929 (1929-02-01) (Grauman's Chinese Theatre)
  • February 8, 1929 (1929-02-08) (NYC)
  • June 12, 1929 (1929-06-12) (US)
  •  ()
Running time
100 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office $3 million

The Broadway Melody, also known as The Broadway Melody of 1929, is an American pre-Code musical film and the first sound film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. It was one of the first musicals to feature a Technicolor sequence, which sparked the trend of color being used in a flurry of musicals that would hit the screens in 1929–1930. Today the Technicolor sequence is lost; only a black and white copy survives in available versions. The film was the first musical released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and was Hollywood's first all-talking musical.

The Broadway Melody was written by Norman Houston and James Gleason from a story by Edmund Goulding, and directed by Harry Beaumont. Original music was written by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown, including the popular hit "You Were Meant For Me". The George M. Cohan classic "Give My Regards To Broadway" is used under the opening establishing shots of New York City, its film debut. Bessie Love was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance.

Eddie Kearns (Charles King) sings "The Broadway Melody", and tells some chorus girls that he brought the Mahoney Sisters vaudeville act to New York to perform it with him in the latest revue being produced by Francis Zanfield (Eddie Kane). Harriet "Hank" Mahoney (Bessie Love) and her sister Queenie Mahoney (Anita Page) are awaiting Eddie's arrival at their apartment. Hank, the older sister, prides herself on her business sense and talent, while Queenie is lauded for her beauty. Hank is confident they will make it big while Queenie is less eager to put everything on the line to become a star. Hank declines the offer of their Uncle Jed (Jed Prouty) to join a 30-week traveling show, but consents to think it over.


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