The Broadway Melody** (1929)

This is the second film and first ‘talkie’ to win Best Picture at the Oscars. Though skepticism and scandal surrounds its Oscar win, no one can deny that The Broadway Melody is a charming film that’s a feast for the eyes and ears.

Harriet “Hank” Mahoney and her sister Queenie are a vaudeville act in the Mid-West. Hank’s boyfriend Eddie writes a snappy number that gets the attention of a big-wig Broadway producer. Eddie convinces the girls to head to New York, assuring them that he’ll find a way to get them into the production. Hank and Queenie discover what it’s like to audition for the big time and what it takes to keep your spot once you’ve got it.

Eddie slowly grows cold for Hank and sweet for Queenie but the younger sister refuses to break her sister’s heart and begins dating a New York playboy. It doesn’t hurt that the show is a hit and Queenie is a rising star either. Rather than giving into the vices of the big city, Hank fights against them in an effort to keep Queenie and Eddie from making mistakes they’ll all regret.

Film snobs like to thumb their noses at this film. They believe the reasons it won Best Picture are because the 1929 crop of nominees were nothing but weak films as a result from studios scrambling to embrace the incorporation of sound and because the film’s producer Louis B. Mayer (the third ‘M’ in MGM) was the vote supervisor for the Oscars.

To be fair, this is the first film from 1929 that I’ve ever seen, so I have no true basis for comparison. And it’s true that The Broadway Melody pales in comparison to the scope of the inaugural winner Wings, but that doesn’t change the fact that this honestly looks like an Oscar-winning movie. Where Wings was an example of what location shooting and technical daring can do, The Broadway Melody triumphs in showcasing the virtues of the studio system.

Lavish costumes, dazzling sets and oozing with charm, this film really makes the most of its budget. The musical numbers are very clearly overdubbed but there’s no harm in that (what movie-musical doesn’t feature overdubbing anymore?). The concept of the ‘backstage’ musical and movie were probably nothing new with this film but it’s the first to do so in full sound. If you take the proper context into consideration, The Broadway Melody elevates this now-clichéd concept to new heights with the sound, music and very detailed sets.

The story, though tame by today’s standards, is appreciable. Hank is willing to make sacrifices to ensure her sister’s happiness and Queenie shows that even a star-eyed newcomer to the big city can maintain some semblance of morality. You can say all you want about ‘old-fashioned morals,’ but common sense never goes out of style.

The Broadway Melody may be almost pure confection but it sure tastes sweet. It may not rank among the best films to win Best Picture but, for what it was at the time, the honor makes complete sense. It’s not a crying shame that this film has largely been forgotten about (though fans of Singin’ in the Rain will find this is the source for several of that film’s numbers) but if you should have the opportunity to watch this little gem, please do so.

RATING: 3.75 out of 5

Bowfinger (1999)

Who doesn’t love taking a few shots at Hollywood every now and then? The film industry is full of frauds, egomaniacs and naïve fools. Comedic legend Steve Martin manages to wrap all of these industry archetypes into an amusing tale about a bunch of wannabes desperate fulfill their misguided dreams of breaking into the big time.

Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) is trying to launch a career as a film producer. He’s been working at achieving his dream for years but has only managed to save a paltry $2,184 to pay for production. A studio executive gets Bowfinger’s hopes up by saying that he’ll distribute the film if Bowfinger can get Hollywood mega-star Kit Ramsey as the lead. When Ramsey refuses to work on such a low-budget production, Bowfinger is crushed but he doesn’t give up.

Taking the half-baked script, written by an accountant, and a team of overzealous and under-skilled actors, Bowfinger plots to make the film guerilla style- his actors and camera crew will ambush Kit Ramsey in and around Hollywood to get the shots they need while also having him as the unknowing star of their production. Bowfinger has the rest of the cast thinking that Ramsey knows what is going on and is merely ‘method acting’ to portray his confusion. Unfortunately, Ramsey is a seriously paranoid member of the MindHead cult- a connection that seriously jeopardizes the production.

As amusing as Bowfinger is, there is a problem. Viewers who aren’t keen on the intricacies of Hollywood will miss about half of the comedy in this film. That’s not a huge problem but what most people will see is just the zany antics of a bunch of pathetic wannabes. Just under the surface of what appears to be a screwball comedy lays a foundation of satire, black comedy and a slew of Martin’s own observations after years in the business.

It’s a shame that most people will miss out on some of the details. I’m willing to bet that (aside from the guerilla filmmaking) there is an awful lot of truth about Hollywood in this film. Bowfinger tackles a number of ideas: cult of celebrity status, ageism in Hollywood, tired cliché-ridden genre films, the manipulation of young actors, financing and more. The lampooning of celebrity cult-like groups such as Scientology are the most obvious targets but Martin is a sly writer and knows how to avoid the one-trick pony trap.

This film may just mark the last legitimately funny live-action role Eddie Murphy has played (which is sad considering it’s been 11 years since Bowfinger was released) but he rightfully steals the show. First, his manic paranoia as Kit Ramsey is delightful. His other performance as Kit’s awkward brother Jiff, who the crew uses to film some close-ups, is amusing because it’s the first time we get to see Murphy play a nerdy character without the aid of a fat suit. These two polar opposites are fun to watch.

At times it’s hard to cheer for Bowfinger and his band of misfits because they resort to stalker behavior and Bowfinger himself gives in to some of the evils of Hollywood that have frustrated him in the past. Thank goodness no one has attempted to make a real movie by the same tactics on display here. In the end, just about everyone appreciates a good underdog story, which is what this is.

Funny but sadly forgettable, Bowfinger is one of those gems that are worth dusting off every now and again for a few hearty chuckles. Martin may fill his script with winks and nods to those in the know but there’s a little something for everyone here.

RATING: 3.25 out of 5