MAJESTIC THEATRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 123, 27 May 1938, Page 9

MAJESTIC THEATRE

“BROADWAY MELODY OF 1938" The latest of a long and remarkable series of annual musical films, “Broadway Melody of 1938," commences to-day at the Majestic Theatre. Ever since the first "Broadway Melody,” which was one of the first pictures to demonstrate what the talking film could do in broadcasting Broadway, these annual celluloid revues have maintained a high standard. This one reaches a standard hard to surpass in the number of stars It presents. It is also reminiscent to a great extent of previous successes. Through it are cleverly woven song sequences recalling other bright shows, memories of the golden days of Broadway, and dances which bring back memories of other film successes. In the role of a young composer-pro-ducer trying to put his first show on Broadway Robert Taylor Is convincing, but he is not allowed in any way to dominate the cast. The Broadway artists are the ones who do that. Eleanor Powell is as charming as ever and is neat and efficient in her tapping repertoire. She is strongly supported in many tap and song sequences by Budy Ebsen, the eccentric dancer, and George Murphy, whose singing and dancing is well up to standard. Sophie Tucker, the Broadway star ot yesterday, appears again, and does much to recall the atmosphere of the Ziegfeld days. She plays the part of the mother of the precocious Judy Garland, 14-year-old blues singer, who is easily among the outstanding characters in the film. The supports include newsreels, a historical mystery on the death of Abraham Lincoln, and a fine colour cartoon.