Broadway Melody of 1936 is a musical film released by MGM in 1935, despite the title. It was a follow up of sorts to the successful The Broadway Melody, which had been released in 1929, although, beyond the title and some music, there is no story connection with the earlier film.

The film was written by Harry W. Conn, Moss Hart, Jack McGowan and Sid Silvers. It was directed by Roy Del Ruth and starred Jack Benny, Eleanor Powell, and Robert Taylor. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.

In an interview promoting That's Entertainment! III (and available on the DVD release), dancer Ann Miller claimed that MGM was on the verge of bankruptcy at the time Broadway Melody of 1936 was made, and it (along with subsequent Powell films) became so popular the company became profitable again.

Plot

Young dancer Irene Foster (Eleanor Powell) tries to convince promoter Robert Gordon (Robert Taylor) that she should be given a chance to star in a new Broadway musical. He was her old childhood sweetheart, but he is too busy living it up with rich young widow Lillian Brent (June Knight), who is backing his show. A love triangle forms. Powell tries to show Taylor that she can dance and survive on Broadway, but he will not hire her. Things become complicated when she begins impersonating a famous French dancer, not realizing the dancer is only a figment of the imagination of a gossip columnist (Jack Benny).

Cast

• Jack Benny as Bert Keeler
• Eleanor Powell as Irene Foster
• Robert Taylor as Robert Gordon
• Una Merkel as Kitty Corbett
• Sid Silvers as Snoop Blue
• Buddy Ebsen as Ted Burke
• June Knight as Lillian Brent
• Vilma Ebsen as Sally Burke
• Nick Long Jr. as Basil Newcombe
• Robert Wildhack as Hornblow
• Paul Harvey as Scully
• Frances Langford as Herself
• Harry Stockwell as Himself

This was Powell's first leading role in a film, and her first movie for MGM. She became a major MGM musical star as a result of this picture, and would appear in the next two entries in the Broadway Melody series: Broadway Melody of 1938 and Broadway Melody of 1940. (Neither of these films were related to each other in terms of storyline.) This also marked Ebsen's film debut.

Musical numbers

The climax of the film is an extensive musical number at the end built around the theme song "Broadway Rhythm". Beginning with Frances Langford (appearing as herself) singing the first few verses, the number moves on to a succession of dance routines, including a manic routine featuring Ebsen and his sister, then a tuneful, jazzy dance with June Knight, before climaxing with a glimmering tuxedo-clad Eleanor Powell giving an athletic tap performance surrounded by men in top hats and tails.

In the number "I've Got A Feelin' You're Foolin", Robert Taylor surprised the audience with his pleasant singing voice.

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