User reviews

This is one of Fred Astaire's best works, and probably Eleanor Powell's most memorable. For whatever reason she has not reached the iconic status Fred Astaire's other parter Ginger Rogers. I am not sure why, i personally think Eleanor Powell is a better dancer than Ginger Rogers. Maybe she got sick of show business, and that is the reason why she did not make more movies. But for whatever reason i think she definitely deserves more recognition than she gets. I would recommend this film to anyone. Even for people who don't typically like musicals i believe will be memorized by the talents of these two legends. When Astaire and Powell, dance both these great talents leave the viewer in aw.

I wish that Fred and Eleanor had made more movies together. Fred had many good partners over his career, but Eleanor was the best tap dancing partner. Ginger Rogers was probably the most popular but I feel that was because she was more photogenic and not because she was the best dancer. I myself prefer the tap dancing to the ballroom dancing. Eleanor had no competition in the arena of tap dancing. The story in this movie is no better than any of Fred's other movies. I am only commenting on the dancing. The Broadway Melody of 1940 will never be excelled in what it had to offer. Even Murphy added no small contribution to this movie. I never realized he could tap dance.

Jerry Berry Salida, Co 81201

When ELEANOR POWELL and FRED ASTAIRE do their glittering "Begin the Beguine" number on a polished black-mirror floor wearing white outfits and tapping their way through a jazzed up version of the song, they can do no wrong. It's clearly the highlight of the whole musical and well worth waiting for. In fact, it's more than that--it's an iconic musical moment.

The story involves a slight case of mistaken identity that has to be straightened out before Powell can see that FRED ASTAIRE is the man she loves, not GEORGE MURPHY. Poor George always had the secondary role in these things--even with all that talent. It's reminiscent of the treatment he got in FOR ME AND MY GAL with Judy Garland being won by Gene Kelly instead of Murphy.

The reason for the high rating is simply this--FRED ASTAIRE and ELEANOR POWELL are without a doubt two of the greatest talents in the musical genre and their "Begin the Beguine" is the show stopper of show stoppers. Unforgettable.

Nothing else really matters, except to mention that their "Juke Box Dance" is also a treat to watch. Powell really excelled as a solo performer but when she and Astaire do manage to do a duo together it's well worth watching.

The genial supporting cast includes FRANK MORGAN at his blustery best and the lovely FLORENCE RICE, who appeared in quite a few of MGM's "A" films before disappearing from the screen.

The only movie that starred Eleanor Powell and Fred Astaire, with both at their absolute best. The lines, the ryhythm, the syncopation, the extremely complex dance routines - in complete accord with the phrases of the music and all its variations - and with their making it look all so easy - especially in the Begin the Beguine finale! you would be hard pressed to find either of them in a better performance.

And let's not forget the exceptional talents of George Murphy - he did an excellent job holding up to the talents of first Fred Astaire (their Broadway song in the nightclub) and then Eleanor Powell (in their waltz number).

My all-time favorite movie.

Great MGM musical starring Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell. Astaire plays Johnny Brett, who's part of a dancing team with King Shaw (future U.S. Senator George Murphy). A producer (a very funny Frank Morgan) discovers Johnny and wants to make him the new partner of Clare Bennett (Powell). But Johnny thinks he's a creditor and gives him the name of his partner instead. So, off of this mix-up, King Shaw gets the job as Clare's partner. From there, a series of somewhat predictable things happen, as the movie is a bit formulaic. The movie's strength is not in its plot, however, it's in the musical numbers. Cole Porter songs, Astaire & Powell dancing, and that MGM gloss they seemed to have a patent on make this a must-see film for fans of classic movies.

Even though the story was corny, I loved this movie. It was dancing at its greatest. I have always known that Fred Astaire was the best but only recently did I discover Eleanor Powell, even though she was a star when I was a kid but kids don't enjoy musicals. Powell is the greatest and the best partner Astaire ever had. It is too bad they didn't make more movies together.

This is a movie I would recommend to anyone. It is one I can watch over and over again because the dancing is so fantastic. Even my grandchildren enjoyed this one. I would have given it a 10 but for the story but then every Astaire movie is a fantasy in dance but Powell makes this one a super fantasy.

"Broadway Melody of 1940 (MGM, 1940) directed by Norman Taurog, with choreography by Bobby Connolly, is the fourth and final musical to bear the "Broadway Melody" name. While the final chapter to any film series usually turns out to be the least successful and appreciated, the last "Broadway Melody" concludes on a very high note. To me it ranks the best of all the "Broadway Melody" musicals mainly because of the fine Cole Porter score and the dancing chemistry between Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell. Let's not forget the third member of the dancing trio, George Murphy.

The plot is simple: Johnny Brett (Fred Astaire) and King Shaw (George Murphy) are a dance team in New York's Dawnland Ballroom. When Bob Casey (Frank Morgan), a well-known musical show author, present at one of their performances, sees the men doing a dance number, he decides he wants to feature one of them, Johnny, in an upcoming show starring professional dancer, Clare Bennett (Eleanor Powell), however, Johnny mistakes Casey as a process server on the trail of King's dress suit, so he identifies himself as his partner, causing King Shaw to get the job instead. Johnny, who is is secretly in love with Clare, regrets his missed opportunity in dancing opposite her when he realizes what he has done, but being a true person looking out for his friend, Johnny is glad for King's show biz break. However, when success goes to Shaw's head instead of his feet, it's up to Johnny to set him straight.

Aside from Frank Morgan's bumbling confusion and female troubles which add to the comedy, there are other amusing scenes in the story, mostly involving acrobat(s), one in particular doing her juggling with plates and balls which involves Astaire. Also in the cast are Ian Hunter as Bert Matthews, the show's producer; Florence Rice, Lynne Carver and Ann Morriss in smaller roles. The well composed Cole Porter score includes: "Don't Monkey With Broadway" (sung and danced by Fred Astaire and George Murphy); "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep" (Sung and danced by Eleanor Powell with sailors); "Between You and Me" (sung by Murphy, danced by Murphy and Powell); "I've Got My Eyes on You" (sung and danced by Astaire); "Juke Box Dance" (performed by Astaire and Powell); "I Concentrate on You" (sung by Douglas MacPhail, danced by Astaire and Powell); "Begin the Beguine" (sung by Carmen D'Antonio; danced by Astaire and Powell; reprise by The Music Maids); and "I Got My Eyes on You" (sung by chorus; danced by Astaire, Powell and Murphy).

Broadway MELODY OF 1940 became Fred Astaire's first MGM musical since his minor debut in DANCING LADY (1933). After ten musicals at RKO Radio, nine with Ginger Rogers during the 1933-39 period, Astaire was now ready for the big time at MGM, starting off here with lavish sets, glittering black and white photography and shining dance floors, adding to the Astaire style of movie making. Had this Broadway MELODY edition been choreographed by Busby Berkeley, who had recently recruited to MGM from Warner Brothers, the "Begin the Beguine" number would have found Astaire and Powell sharing the grand finale spotlight with close to 100 dancers. Fortunately it wasn't, leaving Astaire and Powell to have the grand finale, lasting about ten minutes, practically all to themselves. Who else but Astaire could have the focus on him and his dancing partner for that length of time and make it so watchable and memorable. The number that precedes that, "I Concentrate on You" in which Astaire and Powell play masked dancers, is also well staged but underrated.

Even for those not familiar with musicals involving creative dancing and a fine score, this movie is sure one to see. As Frank Sinatra once said while narrating over one of the musical numbers of THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT (1974), "You'll never see the likes of this again." It's a shame to say that musicals such as this are now extinct, but fortunately, this, along with the other Broadway Melodies, can be seen and appreciated on cable's Turner Classic Movies or as a video rental or purchase. "Who do you love?" (***1/2)

Fred Astaire and George Murphy play a dancing/singing act trying to make the big time. Frank Morgan (putting on a Broadway show) spots them and wants Astaire in the show to dance opposite his star played by Eleanor Powell. By mistake Murphy gets the part, Astaire falls in love with Powell....and you can probably guess the rest.

Big MGM musical full of great dancing and songs by Cole Porter. The movie is a bit too long for what is, essentially, a big fluffy musical but it doesn't matter when Astaire, Powell or Murphy are dancing--all three are just GREAT! The plot is light, the characters predictable and all the "twists" can be seen coming from a mile away--but I still liked it. The dancing and music are all great except for one dreadful number ("Please Don't Monkey with Broadway") but that's done early on. As for the acting--Astaire is his usual breezy self; Powell is OK and Murphy is pretty good too--but you're not seeing this movie for the acting.

This movie seems to be forgotten--I can't figure out why! It's no worse than any other MGM musical. I think it's well worth catching. Recommended.

While George Murphy was a fine dancer, he always seemed to lose the girl. There is no spoiler involved in revealing that Murphy lost Judy Garland to Gene Kelly in "For Me and My Gal" and Eleanor Powell to Fred Astaire in "Broadway Melody of 1940." Murphy just had the secondary role in both films, and second leads do not win in romantic triangles, especially in dance musicals against the likes of Astaire and Kelly. The plots of the two Murphy films are somewhat similar. Both films are set against show business backgrounds, dance teams trying to make it big, and two men vying for the affections of the same girl. However, unlike "For Me and My Gal," with a singer, who was only a serviceable dancer, Judy Garland, in the female lead, "Broadway Melody" stars Eleanor Powell. With Powell, Fred Astaire, and George Murphy, "Broadway Melody" has three strong dancing leads and boasts some of the best dance sequences to come out of the MGM lot.

Books could be written about the talents and charms of Eleanor Powell. She could tap, she could do ballet, she could do acrobatics, she could match Astaire step for step on the dance floor, and she had a smile that could light up Broadway during a blackout. The fluidity of her body movements, whether dancing alone or with a partner, made her among the finest dancers of her generation. She was in the top tier with Astaire, Kelly, Charisse, and Miller. If only she had made more films or had starred with Astaire in the RKO series in place of another famous partner, what a legacy she would have left.

However, we still have much evidence of Powell's gifts and beauty, and her skill reached its peak in her extended and exuberant dancing to Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine" with Fred Astaire in this film. Few other dance numbers on film equal this sequence. Perhaps Gene Kelly's "Singin' in the Rain," Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse's "Dancing in the Dark" from "The Band Wagon," and the opening ballet from "West Side Story" remain in memory as vividly as Astaire and Powell energetically tapping and spinning across the floor to Porter's great song. "Broadway Melody of 1940," if for no other reason, is a classic for this dance routine, which never fails to excite even after dozens of repeat viewings.

A mildly entertaining story, charismatic leads, superb black and white cinematography, enormous sets, and one of the greatest dance routines ever committed to celluloid make "Broadway Melody of 1940" a must-see movie for lovers of screen musicals.

When I "discovered" classic movies and watched literally several thousand of them in the mid to late 1990s, this was one I really liked. Then, about a year ago I got hold of the DVD of this, watched it again and was so bored by it, I never finished it and wound up trading the disc for something else. I don't know what happened in the interim, but I'll concentrate my remarks on what I had written after the first viewing:

"It's tough to beat the duo of Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell if you like dancing, particularly tap dancing. The story is not bad, either, although it didn't have the humor of 'Broadway Melody Of 1936.' However, it does have a few strange comedic moments with other acts like a juggler and comic-lady singer. The only annoying person was "Bob Casey" (Frank Morgan). I didn't think Morgan's bumbling act was funny at all.

"Astaire plays a very likable fellow, a very good-hearted guy, 'Johnny Brett,' and gives some nice examples about how to act gracefully under tough conditions. He's also a treat, as always, to watch dancing, either by himself or with someone. George Murphy also did well and his character, "King Shaw," made a wonderful gesture near the end of the film. That ending is terrific with Astaire and Powell tap dancing and then Murphy joining them.

The sets and costumes for the musical numbers were very good, making this a pretty good visual film. It's nice to see that it's out on DVD. Where are the other Broadway Melody films, regarding DVD? Overall, this offers nice characters and solid entertainment."

Whenever you see Eleanor Powell tap dance, you're watching the very best there was. She is in complete, effortless-seeming control. She's one of filmdom's better ballroom dancers too. And what more can you say about Fred Astaire, the task master who makes his dancing look so natural. George Murphy, who would become a U.S. Senator, hangs in there with the best of them too. Then, to cap it off, you have Cole Porter's music. And don't forget the speciality acts--a little bit of vaudeville thrown in. And another thing about Eleanor Powell. If everyone smiled like she does, the world would be a happy place indeed.

So many of the reviews imply that Fred's most famous partner, Ginger Rogers, was overrated when compared to Eleanor Powell. I strongly disagree with this contention, at least in regard to this movie. There is no doubt Powell could tap dance circles around Rogers, and as this movie shows, she could certainly do the splits (in the one fairly ridiculous number with the sailors), but I found her character development herein sadly lacking when compared to most of Rogers' characters in her movies with Fred. Much of the movie revolved around Fred's interactions with George Murphy, with only occasional glimpses of the Powell character. With the Astaire/Rogers movies there is much more banter/interaction between the two leads. The one exception is the scene quite late in the movie where, unbeknown to Fred, Powell watches him carry out a whimsical solo dance while toting around a picture of her, this followed by a scene where there's finally some substantial interaction during a luncheon date. The highly touted Begin the Beguine dance number may have been spectacular, but I actually found this solo dance by Fred more enjoyable because of the feeling/emotion involved. This all being said, Powell is certainly a spectacular dancer, and I agree that it would have been nice to see what results further collaboration with Astaire produced. I also agree that she had an amazing smile--she may have exerted as much energy in maintaining that as she did the hoofing.

And I would be remiss if I didn't ask why the film-makers found it necessary from time-to-time to put an imbecile in Astaire movies (think Edward Everett Horton, who was often an annoying distraction in the Rogers movies). Frank Morgan's antics may have been mildly amusing initially, but after awhile it became embarrassingly obnoxious, including the lame running gag with the fur cape.

This film has excellent dancing, a few good songs and little else in my opinion that is of much cinematic worth. Fred Astaire gives a colourless performance, but then the poor script was not in his favour. The opening number with George Murphy was excellent, but as George Murphy was gone from the screen and Eleanor Powell took over I wondered why I was watching this trivial scenario. In short George Murphy falls for Eleanor Powell and dancing together the screen lit up. Astaire gets sort of jealous of Murphy and it is downhill all the way. Eleanor Powell falls for Astaire and I felt sad for Murphy as I thought he was better in this film than Astaire and had a more rounded character than the leads. I give it four as it has its moments, but in my opinion it is no classic. The song ' Begin the Beguine ' is lack lustre and I waited for the film to end.

The fabulous Begin the Begiuine number deserves all the raves and superlatives it receives and is worth the price of the movie. Interest in it was revived by its appearance in That's Entertainment. However, seldom mentioned, and I forgot about it myself until I watched the dvd is the dazzling tap they do called the juke box number. Smaller in scale but as remarkable in its own way as the Beguine. Thanks the powers that be for DVDs...as one can watch and listen to these great song and dances over and over....their equal will never be seen again.

Well somebody's got to stand up against the euphoria of (all?) the other comments here ! OK it's a passable movie with some outstanding moments but having just watched all the Fred & Ginger musicals it seems to me what the dances in this film lack is rapport between Eleanor and Fred - as someone said they're like two soloists dancing together.

I would except Begin the Beguine which rates with the best, helped by a super set and with Eleanor at last in an stylish costume.

Eleanor Powell was no ballet dancer - the number where she tries it is painful. She's pretty and has nice legs but elegant - no. All that high kicking in the ship number ohhh. I agree she's an excellent tap dancer but there's a lot of pretentious posing in the masked number.

Frank Morgan and the cape joke is tedious, and the whole plot makes you want to shout "somebody sort this out so we can watch them dance !" And do the other people who commented really like the variety acts we have to watch !

Oh and I know the Murphy/Astaire number at the beginning is corny (surely it's meant to be) but it's slick and amusing and I like it

The film is worth viewing but better than "The Gay Divorce", "Top Hat" or "Shall We Dance" or any of the Fred and Ginger musicals ? - oh please !

After watching this film you can't help but wish Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell had made more together. It is truly a treat to watch the two masters in action!

Alas, "Broadway Melody of 1940" is the only film that Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell made together. Their dancing ignites "Begin the Beguine," and one only wishes there had been another teaming of the lady with the dimpled smile and fast feet and that master of grace.

You can see the entire story coming a mile away, but it doesn't matter. Besides the cast, which includes the always charming George Murphy, Frank Morgan, and Ian Hunter, the film is full of Cole Porter music, including the beautiful "I Concentrate on You." Powell's and Astaire's finale makes the entire film worth seeing. They make such a relaxed couple - though they lack the intensity of the Astaire-Rogers teaming, they have a chemistry and a natural symmetry that makes up for it.

Highly recommended.

....and I mainly mean the dance numbers, not the plot. The plot is rather thin.

Professional dance partners Johnny Brett (Fred Astaire) and King Shaw (George Murphy) are working as taxi dancers in a low rent dance hall. King likes the ladies, has gotten into debt wining and dining them, and so Johnny pretends to be King when he thinks a debt collector has come for King. That way any summons served would not be legal. Instead what happens is a big case of mistaken identity and an actual talent agent (Frank Morgan) thinks Johnny is King, and thus King gets wrongly picked for the lead in "Swing Girl" starring Clare Bennett (Eleanor Powell). Complicating matters is that King winds up sweet on Clare, and Johnny has been carrying a torch for her for some time, going to all of her performances. From here it is basically a story of the ant (Johnny) and the grasshopper (King).

Dore Schary co-wrote the screenplay here and his straight forward realistic approach rather shows. It lacks a lot of the silliness of other MGM musicals, and the story is just the framework for some of the best dancing of the century. Powell has a fresh-faced girl-next-door quality while still being sexy and powerful, and she is not sickeningly sweet like some other MGM musical female stars of the 40s and 50s. Powell brought her extensive ballet training into her tap dancing, and the result was poetry in motion. She seems to be - just barely - out-dancing Astaire at some points. George Murphy could dance, and acquitted himself pretty well considering the two pairs of feet he was up against. The dancing on a mirrored floor with simple individual bulbs as the only set adornment and the stark black and white cinematography are just wonderful.

What made me wince? For one, Frank Morgan as a Lothario is hard to swallow. However he plays the part of the less grounded half of a talent agency partnership well and to pretty good comic effect overall. I rather wonder why Ian Hunter, the brains of the operation, puts up with him. Hunter is good in this part as the guy with a level head.. I'm used to seeing him partnered with Kay Francis as her love interest over at WB, and as a romantic lead he just seems like a prison sentence. The other wincing? The novelty acts that are thrown into the mix for no reason. There is a world class juggler - and she is talented - but why are we throwing plates at Astaire in the first place? There is a just hideous opera singer that is supposed to be funny but just had me fumbling for the mute button.

What is unintentionally funny? The title of the show Clare and King are in is entitled "Swing Girl", and it is supposed to have some kind of narrative. I wonder what kind of story involves masked harlequins, a sultan's harem, and then the stars just in modern dress? I'd like to critique THAT screenplay!

Too late to make a long story short, come for the dancing and the three main characters, just tolerate the thin plot and some of the improbable humor that gets you there.

George Murphy and Fred Astaire are a dance team that has struggled for five years. Now, one of them is about to be offered the lead in a big Broadway extravaganza--the only problem is that through a mix-up, the wrong guy has been signed for the part. And, that guy is unreliable, a bit selfish and getting a swollen head.

While the plot of this film has quite a few clichés and a few of the dance numbers have flat moments, this is a definite must-see for lovers of dance. The film pairs the best male and female tappers in Hollywood (Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell) and has some very able assistance from George Murphy--one of the few men who could keep up with Fred on the dance floor. The dance numbers are amazing--with tons of energy, grace and athleticism. The two best numbers are the opening on with Fred and George as well as the first number with Fred and Eleanor. In between, Fred actually dances alone on several occasions and these scenes are delights as well. The flat moments I mention included PARTS of the final big number, 'Begin the Begine'--as the operatic warblings and showiness really detracted from the fact that Fred and Eleanor were amazing together. But the wonderful dancing in the rest of the film make it easy to overlook the overly produced parts and it's a joy to watch.

Forget about topnotch tap-dancer, Fred Astaire being teamed up with Ginger Rogers - It's Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell (here in "Broadway Melody of 1940") who were the real, true dancin' dynamic duo of the dance floor. There's no question about it.

And forget about this movie having much of a story to back it up - (Who cares?) - It's the musical numbers and its dancers (who really kick up their heels) that are the real stars of the show in this lavish production.

Yep. If you enjoy movie-musicals from Hollywood's golden era - Then - This is the one for you. Believe me - The dancing doesn't get any better than this, with songs written by Cole Porter, including the sensational "Begin the Beguine".

Leaving aside the fact that the leads can hardly act they sure can dance. When the awful designs allow. Eleanor Powell wears some of the worst and most garish clothes I remember from a movie of this period. Even poor Fred Astaire is dressed in spangles for the start of the dreadful Begin the Beguine. That is the supposed highlight of the movie but is so overproduced and designed that the viewer gets worn out before the leads appear in simpler clothes and actually manage to dance with each other. Much more interesting is the opening Don't Monkey with Broadway, wittily danced by Astaire and George Murphy, the juke box number for Astaire and Powell, Astaire's charming solo, and the brief but amusing trio for the three leads right at the end. Oh, and lets not forget the dreadful Harlequin number which makes Powell look extraordinarily clumsy and which seems to exist to show off some fancy lighting cues.

The plot is not worth bothering about beyond noting that it's even more preposterous than usual for this kind of movie. The whole endeavor has a witless, leaden feel. I'm not surprised that Astaire didn't make another movie with Powell. She can't act a lick and has no sex-appeal. When they do get a chance to dance together they are both magic, but she challenges him as an equal, athletic and dynamic, an equal, not a decorative partner there to set off his easy elegance.