Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935)

Broadway Melody of 1936 is a musical film released by MGM in 1935. In New York, the film opened at the Capitol Theatre, the site of many prestigious MGM premieres. It was a follow-up of sorts to the successful The Broadway Melody, which had been released in 1929, although, there is no story connection with the earlier film beyond the title and some music.

The film was written by Harry W. Conn, Moss Hart, Jack McGowan and Sid Silvers. It was directed by Roy Del Ruth and starred Jack Benny, Eleanor Powell, Robert Taylor, Frances Langford, Sid Silvers, Buddy Ebsen and Vilma Ebsen (in their first film debut). It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.

In an interview promoting That's Entertainment! III, Ann Miller stated that MGM was on the verge of bankruptcy at the time Broadway Melody of 1936 was made, and it, along with subsequent films starring Eleanor Powell, were so successful the company was rescued.

Synopsis

Irene Foster (Eleanor Powell) tries to convince her high school sweetheart, Broadway producer Robert Gordon (Robert Taylor), to give her a chance to star in his new musical, but he's too busy with the rich widow (June Knight) backing his show. Irene tries to show Gordon that she has the talent to succeed, but he won't hire her. Things become complicated when she begins impersonating a French dancer, who was actually the invention of a gossip columnist (Jack Benny).

Actors