6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
One of the most famous tap numbers in film history distinguishes Broadway Melody of 1940, the fourth and final installment in MGM's Broadway Melody series. When Clare Bennett needs a new partner for her hit Broadway show, small-time hoofers Johnny Brett and King Shaw get their big chance. But due to a case of mistaken identity, King, rather than the more talented Johnny, gets the job, and the girl.
Starring: Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell, George Murphy, Frank Morgan (I), Ian Hunter (I)Musical | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The fourth and final entry in MGM's popular Broadway Melody series (and the first to reach Blu-ray), Norman Taurog's Broadway Melody of 1940 follows earlier installments released in or around 1929, 1936, and 1938. Connected in name only -- aside for a few cast members and songs, of course -- these four films follow skilled young singers and dancers moving from small-time shows to the lights of New York City, often also adding in a bit of romance for good measure. Spawning a handful of popular songs and Academy Award wins in the process, the Broadway Melody franchise stayed popular even during cinema's transition into the Hays Code years. Although viewed now as a pure product of the era, they're still comfortably familiar with strong musical performances that stand the test of time.
All four entries in the Broadway Melody series achieved some kind of popular or historically important landmark. The original 1929 film was not only MGM's first musical (as well as the first of the "talkie" era) but the first to feature a Technicolor sequence, and it won Best Picture at the 2nd Annual Academy Awards... despite not being a great film in hindsight. The 1936 revival was the first "sequel" to earn a Best Picture nomination and featured the first lead role for Eleanor Powell. The 1938 film turned young Judy Garland into an overnight sensation -- mainly for her performance of "You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)" -- and even lead to her casting in the next year's enduring classic The Wizard of Oz. While this 1940 film was no launchpad for a future megastar, its reliably good performances included the long-awaited team-up of Astaire and Powell, considered two of the finest musical dancers of their generation; during each shared routine, their enthusiasm is infectious. It's also notable for a few memorable Cole Porter songs including the timeless "Begin the Beguine", dramatically performed in two parts as part of the film's finale.
Although certainly not bulletproof from a dramatic perspective, Broadway Melody of 1940 still plays well enough on the small screen thanks
in large part to Warner Archive's outstanding Blu-ray presentation: combining another rock-solid restoration with lossless audio and a mixture of
era-specific and retrospective bonus features, it's certainly worth a purchase -- even as a potential blind buy -- for genre enthusiasts. Although it's
unknown if Warner Archive will follow suit by releasing all three earlier installments, continued support of the boutique label couldn't hurt.
Another day, another brilliant Blu-ray restoration from Warner Archive. This new 1080p transfer is reportedly taken from a recent 4K scan of original nitrate preservation elements (usually indicating two or more sources), with a full range of silvery grays and a fantastic amount of image detail that looks remarkably consistent from start to finish. Even the slightly less impressive stretches don't look to be one or two generations away from the original negative and, as a whole, it's just a wonderfully resolved and film-like picture with no obvious signs of excessive digital noise reduction, edge enhancement, compression artifacts, posterization, or even dirt and debris; in short, more solid work from Warner Bros.' most reliable arm for purist-grade presentation quality. Although I have not compared it to Warner Archive's own 2014 DVD, it wouldn't surprise me if this transfer was a head-and-shoulders improvement over that disc as it offers a clear visual upgrade from WB's standard-def "snapper case" DVD released all the way back in 2003.
Last year, Warner Archive's now-quiet YouTube channel uploaded several clips showing off this new restoration including a full three-minute opening clip, Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell dancing, and the film's theatrical trailer.
Although I'm likewise unsure of the source material used for Warner Archive's DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix, this split mono track is at least serviceable despite the presence of a few baked-in problems. A lightly gauzy distortion lingers with sporadic background hiss that hinders a few conversations, although most interactions are clean and problem-free. Likewise, the original score and songs by Cole Porter, Roger Edens, and Walter Ruick enjoys a solid dynamic range with only a few instances of strain on the high end, while background effects are balanced nicely. But there's very little room for improvement on what is essentially an 80+ year-old recording and, for the most part, it's a solid effort.
Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature, but not the extras. This is pretty annoying since the DVD edition that most of them were sourced from did in fact have optional subtitles available. It's perhaps my only ongoing hang-up regarding Warner Archive releases, and one that I hope is addressed at some point.
This one-disc release ships in a standard keepcase with yellowish poster-themed cover artwork and no inserts of any kind. A handful of vintage bonus features are on board, including era-specific pre-show entertainment and even a retrospective piece; all are ported over from earlier discs like Warner Bros.' own 2003 DVD.
MGM's fourth and final entry in a popular musical series, Broadway Melody of 1940 is a likable film with great visuals, memorable songs, and a landmark once-and-done pairing for top talents Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell. Fans of the cast and crew will certainly enjoy revisiting this one, and it's even a pretty safe blind buy for genre enthusiasts too. Part of this hearty recommendation is owed to Warner Archive's predictably solid Blu-ray package, which offers yet another top-notch restoration and a few light but enjoyable extras to boot. It's a bargain at the current price point.
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