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 The Broadway Melody (Special Edition) $19.98 Sure, it's dated and schlocky and a real relic... but it's also the prototype for the MGM musical, in that it was a "story musical", with the numbers arising from situations in the narrative. Of course, it helps that the narrative is a backstage musical, where two sisters (Anita Page and Bessie Love), fresh from the country, come to New York City to make it on Broadway. Along the way, they encounter heartache and betrayal and tests on their sisterhood, but that way happens to be paved with numbers like "The Wedding of the Painted Doll", "You Were Meant for Me" and "The Broadway Melody". This was the big one for MGM: the all-singing, all-dancing, all-talkie musical which wowed 'em at the box office, and wound up with the Academy Award as Best Picture. To think this is a good movie by any stretch of the imagination takes more imagination than most people would care to give, but it is entertaining, and paved the way for "The Broadway Melody of 1936", "The Broadway Melody of 1938", "The Broadway Melody of 1940" and, finally, "Two Girls on Broadway" (1940), the remake that cast Lana Turner and Joan Blondell as stand-ins for Anita Page and Bessie Love. Though klunkier than any of the others, "The Broadway Melody" has an authentic show biz atmosphere which is certainly nostalgic. And the klunkiness of the numbers must be seen to be believed: the parodies in "Singin' in the Rain" are far more polished than anything in the original.  1954 Maria Riva Pan Am Airlines President Special 2-Page Print Ad $12.99 An original vintage magazine ad print from the year published. Print ads make unique gift items that can be framed as artwork. Shipped flat un-framed in plastic sleeve with backing board. |
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