Broadway Melody Of 1940 (1940)

BROADWAY MELODY OF 1940 (1940)

By Ralph Santini - ***½

                After Fred Astaire terminated his contract with RKO in 1939 with “The Story of Irene and Vernon Castle”, he decided to freelance by first appearing in MGM’s fourth entry in the Broadway Melody series of musicals this one titled “Broadway Melody of 1940” which, I think, is not only the most underrated, but also the best in the series. I’m really not a fan of the previous films, but I like this one because it’s more stylish and also more glamorous. While I find the others to be rather routine with ho-hum musical numbers, wretched songwriting once in a while, and disinteresting dialogue this one is the most devoid of those moments.  While this film does have some flaws, it still the one that contains the most fascinating elements ever done than in any Broadway Melody film.

                 Now this Broadway Melody opens with, yes I know, a muddled sequence where Fred Astaire is giving away another bride, for the third time. I’m not kidding, this is the third time poor Fred has to give away a bride because of partner George Murphy’s recklessness with his career. So Fred bickers for a little while with George until they are called for an okay musical number known as “Don’t Monkey with Broadway”. Mind you, this sequence is nothing special, but wait till I explain how this movie gets better and better and how it supersedes the previous films wonderfully. But let’s get back the story first; Fred is given a card by some mysterious (and thankfully) off-screen bill collector and he mistakes a musical producer (played wonderfully by the lovable Wizard of Oz himself, Frank Morgan) for that same bureaucrat and lies to him that he is George Murphy.

                What mistake Fred Astaire’s character made. It leads to Morgan calling Murphy fresh from a hangover he had after Fred left to watch a musical number performed by Eleanor Powell in the film’s first good scene where she sings “All Ashore”. It is wonderfully choreographed and she looks very lovely in a feminine style uniform of a boat captain where she is danced among an amazing group of male partners dressed as sailors. This however doesn’t convince Frank Morgan’s rigid partner Ian Hunter who didn’t like the number one bit and is in love with Eleanor Powell in the film herself. 

                So Fred comes one day to see Ms. Powell, while he waits he witnesses a (childish but cute) juggling number by Trixie Frischke, until Mr. Hunter comes arriving to his office scolding Fred to stop playing Trixie because he likes the comedy numbers a lot less than Frank Morgan does.  Since the assignment is turned over only to Murphy, Astaire keeps coaching him little by little but as Murphy gets a lot more selfish he ignores Fred’s advices only to be merely in love with Eleanor Powell. This would lead us to a fun romantic story about Fred Astaire’s love rivalry with George Murphy.

                What makes “Broadway Melody of 1940” work, unlike the previous films, is the music composed by Cole Porter including his legendary hit performed here by Astaire and Powell’s dance routine known as “Beguine the Beguine”. It is one of the most incredible and underrated choreographic scenes ever filmed. More delightful highlights include Frank Morgan’s likeable presence on the screen as the loveable agent whom aside from his interest in Fred Astaire’s dancing has arguments with the ladies he is beside with on account of a mink cape he can’t hand over to them. On top of what I’m describing, Eleanor Powell gives one of her most memorable dance routines she ever had in her film career with MGM. Her dance numbers here, with Porter’s stylish music, are absolutely terrific. All of that is what makes this film a memorable musical from after the beginning to its incredible end.