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I am talking about these ones:

* The Broadway Melody (1929)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0019729/

* Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0026144/

* Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0028665/

* Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0032284/

* Broadway Rhythm (1944) aka The Broadway Melody of 1944
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0036673/


I hope I'm not getting tiresome but damn those That's Entertainment movies indeed! Anyway, once again: any info on this lot is very much appreciated...!

So, I take it that noone's seen them? Well, here are some reviews to get yourselves acquainted with them then:

http://www.dvd-basen.dk/uk/home.php3?se ... =%25&ok=go

I might just take the plunge on the first one but I think it's a safer bet to wait until next week and see what the Warner chat brings us. A boxset collecting them would be nice. And gay. As they used to say (Annie TM).

I've seen the original, Annie. And I honestly don't think I'll ever be able to muster up enough interest/enthusiasm to watch it again. Some of those early Best Picture winners (such as this one, Cavalcade, and Cimmaron) are incredibly creaky dramatically and, to me at least, downright boring. Sorry if I sound like I'm trying to rain on your enthusiasm, which is apparent all over this forum. I don't mean to. I'm just giving you my honest opinion of the first Broadway Melody.

That's ok, I was expecting it to be very old-fashioned anyway. Sometimes I look at those kind of films with an almost anthropological curiosity and it seems to work just fine by me. Besides, all the other 4 seem to be far more interesting so I guess there's still room for improvement out there!

Thanks for the kind words, BTW!

I'll chime in and say '40 is sublime entertainment with the Begin the Beguine number with Fred and Eleanor just about the perfect 10 minutes of film I've seen. If only my floors could be that polished.

I'm sure you are right David. I remember seeing a production photo years ago where all cast and crew were in special slippers so as not to scuff the polish.
Bakelite floors - sadly, I don't think Floorworld in Doncaster would be able to help me here.

I've watched the original and it's not that bad. Yes, it's a little clunky and it has a sense of "we've seen it all before" although this film probably was the one that serve as blueprint for all the others we've seen.

But the thing that surprised me the most was all the kissing and hugging that was going on. Must have looked pretty risque for the time!

Broadway Melody of 1940 was Adolph Hitler's favorite movie. He used to screen it over and over again. Not as much as Howard Hughes screened Ice Station Zebra, but close.