The Broadway Melody Trivia Quiz

Answer: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

MGM, as it is usually called for convenience, was formed in 1924 when Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Pictures were all united under the control of Marcus Loew (a man who deserves a quiz of his own). The first film released by MGM was 'Mademoiselle Midnight' (April, 1924), but the first one they actually produced was 'Revelation' (June, 1924). 'The Broadway Melody' was the first of many blockbuster musicals the company was to produce, as well as being their first "talkie".

Answer: The Broadway Melody of 1929

The other three films (whose names should not include the word "The" at their start) were also released by MGM. They were not sequels, since they did not involve the same characters, but all used a similar premise, the production of a Broadway show. Eleanor Powell, who appeared in all three "sequels", was also scheduled to star with Gene Kelly in a proposed 'Broadway Melody of 1942'.

The 1944 film 'Broadway Rhythm' was at one point going to be called 'Broadway Melody of 1944'. Hollywood certainly knows how to milk a winning idea!

Answer: First sound film to win Best Picture

The Academy Awards began in 1929, honoring films released in 1927/1928, and the first winner was the silent movie 'Wings'. 'The Broadway Melody' won the award at the second ceremony, in 1930. As well as being the first sound film to win the award, it was (obviously) the first musical to do so.

Interestingly, there was also a silent version of the film, which showed in the many theatres around the country where sound equipment had not yet been installed. It's hard to feel that the cinema's organist could really provide a satisfactory substitute for listening to the songs! The proliferation of musicals in the next few years helped spur the conversion of cinemas to offer sound reproduction.

Answer: No

The musical number 'The Wedding of the Painted Doll' used red-green Technicolor, a process invented in 1916, and developed to be used extensively during the period 1922 to 1952, when it was largely replaced by less awkward processes. The use of color to give big musical production numbers more impact became widespread in musicals of the 1930s.

Unfortunately, no prints of the film which include the color sequence have survived, although a re-colorised version has been released on DVD.

Answer: George M. Cohan

The movie opens with Eddie Kearns (played by Charles King) singing this classic, while we see shots of New York City, to make sure we all know where the action is going to be taking place. One might have thought the title itself would suffice, but Hollywood likes to make its audience sure! This was the film debut of the song originally written for, and performed by Cohan in, the 1904 play 'Little Johnny Jones'. It may well be more familiar to most from James Cagney's performance of it in the 1942 film about the life of George M. Cohan, 'Yankee Doodle Dandy'. It was also included in the 1968 Broadway play 'George M!', where it was performed by Joel Grey.

The other numbers in the film include 'You Were Meant for Me', also sung by Charles King, which was a popular hit, and recycled in a number of later films, including 'The Hollywood Revue of 1929' (1929), 'Penny Serenade' (1941) and Singin' in the Rain' (1952).

Answer: Francis Zanfield

Queenie and Harriet (usually called Hank) are the two sisters, played respectively by Anita Page and Bessie Love. Eddie is engaged to Hank, but falls in love with Queenie when they meet for the first time since she was a young girl, setting up most of the movie's plot, such as it is. Jacques Warriner (whose name is intended to suggest that of Jack Warner, head of an opposition studio) is the playboy who also pursues Queenie. Francis Zanfield, the producer, is clearly meant to call to mind the famous Florenz "Flo" Ziegfeld, whose 'Ziegfeld Follies' were revues staged annually from 1907 through 1931.

He was married from 1914 until his death in 1932 to Billie Burke, whom you may recall for her role as Glinda in 'The Wizard of Oz' (1939).

Answer: Its pace is too slow.

Of course, they are all brilliant singers and dancers, as well as being stunningly attractive - they're the stars of the movie! (Actually, most critics considered Charles King to be the only one of the three with a good singing voice, and weren't impressed by the acting ability of any of them. That is not how the audience is supposed to view them.) Zanfield feels that the entire number is too slow for his revue, and it is cut. All is not lost, however - an accident to another cast member leaves an opening, and he chooses Queenie as her replacement.

Answer: Jock

Jacques "Jock" Warriner starts to pursue Queenie, upsetting both Hank and Eddie, who are sure that he is up to no good. Queenie spends more and more time with Jock, trying to get over her feelings for Eddie, whom she regards as her sister's love. Eddie and Queenie confess their love for each other, but she doesn't want to hurt her sister, and runs off to be with Jock. Hank, however, is aware of the situation, and tells Eddie to go get the woman he loves, and marry her.

Answer: She is retiring from show business.

When Queenie and Eddie come back to New York, she announces that she wants to go be a housewife on Long Island, and is finished with show business. Still worried about her sister's happiness, she tells Hank that there will always be a place for her at their house.

Answer: Hank going to the train station to go off on a lengthy tour

Still distraught over the loss of Eddie, Hank agrees to go on a tour organised by her Uncle Jed, with a new partner to replace Queenie. Queenie is still sad that her sister hasn't found the same happiness as she has, and hopes that it will come to her in time. (In the earlier physical confrontation between Jock and Eddie over Jock's treatment of Queenie, it was Eddie who definitely came off second best, not Jock.)

A 2009 review of the film on 'Reelviews' by James Berardinelli suggested that the first musical to win a Best Picture Oscar has not stood the test of time, primarily because the producers didn't bother much with script or production, and just made sure that the audience got plenty of the novelty on offer, the singing and dancing. The film is indeed light, but a pleasant enough way to spend 100 minutes if it comes your way, and it has quite a lot of historical interest for movie buffs!