NR | 1 hr 54 min | Musical, Drama | 1939
In 1939, the Chicago Tribune News Syndicate ran polls in 52 newspapers across the United States to determine the public’s favorite movie stars. Tyrone Power was named King of the Movies, and Jeanette MacDonald was named queen. To celebrate the honor, MGM produced a movie to feature MacDonald: “Broadway Serenade.”
MacDonald achieved this largely from the five movie musicals the previous four years that she had made with baritone Nelson Eddy, her “singing sweetheart.” However, “Broadway Serenade” featured a different leading man, Lew Ayres. Although he wasn’t a singer, he played the piano and a few other instruments, having played in a band before becoming a movie star. This story is a musical extravaganza and an amazing spectacle, as well as a dramatic love story.
A Story of Stardom
Mary Hale (MacDonald) and Jimmy Seymour (Ayres) perform at an 1890s-themed nightclub, but Jimmy’s habit of getting into fistfights with the customers to protect Mary’s honor loses them the job. The singer and pianist-songwriter duo are newlyweds, but they keep their marriage secret to be more employable. Although they are discouraged because of losing their jobs right before Christmas, they are cheered up by their friends at the boarding house where they live, especially cellist Herman (Al Shean). They soon receive the happy news that Jimmy has won a scholarship to develop his music in Italy for a year.
They need to earn some extra cash first, so Jimmy decides to sell one of his songs. They try to get an appointment with a big theatrical producer, Cornelius Collier Jr. (Frank Morgan), who is about to take a new show on the road. One of his financiers, Larry Bryant (Ian Hunter), recognizes Mary from seeing her at the nightclub the night before, where he admired her greatly. He brings them in for an audition with Collier, and she sings one of Jimmy’s songs. Unfortunately, they aren’t interested in the song, just Mary’s singing.
A Magnificent Musical
“Broadway Serenade” is a musical, but it’s not the kind where people suddenly burst into song. It’s about musical performers, so all the songs fit the story’s context. The theme which runs throughout the movie is “For Every Lonely Heart,” which is Jimmy’s take on “None But the Lonely Heart,” a beautiful song by Piotr Ilych Tchaikovsky. This emotional song is sung or played several times during the film, making an impact on the story.
Most of MacDonald’s movies were based on operettas or stage musicals, but “Broadway Serenade” featured a limited number of original songs as well as a few classical selections. For instance, one of her big solos is a famous aria from Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly,” which she performs in a full Geisha costume.
The two unforgettable musical moments in this film are showstopping stage numbers, which are so amazingly elaborate that they couldn’t actually be performed on a stage. The first is “High Flyin’” from the first Collier play with which Mary tours. Set in a luxurious ski resort, it features a medley of catchy tunes as Mary and her singing partner (Kenny Stevens) greet local Alpine guides, dodge drunken jugglers in the bar, and even try out a slope.
The second number is the grand finale, a dramatic tone poem of “For Every Lonely Heart,” which depicts the melody’s fruition across the centuries. Directed by Busby Berkeley, it features instrumentalists and choral singers in waxy masks, boisterous jitterbugs, and, in the center of it all, Mary, as the spirit of pure melody.
A Final Hurrah
“Broadway Serenade” could be considered the final hurrah of the 1930s musical. There was a very definite style for movie musicals regarding stage productions, many of which featured Broadway in their titles. Warner Bros. had its three pre-Code extravaganzas, “Gold Diggers of 1933,” “Footlight Parade,” and “42nd Street,” which Berkeley choreographed.MGM made multiple “Broadway Melody” movies. These films often climaxed with over-the-top musical numbers featuring huge sets, special effects, and trick photography.
This movie allows MacDonald to shine in a unique way, and it’s a perfect introduction to Ayres if you aren’t familiar with this talented actor already. It’s also full of eclectic, funny, and delightful moments, which you have to see over and over again to appreciate.
