Over the years, I have seen a lot of early sound films. And so I understand that there were MANY limitations of these movies. The camera was rather stationary because the sound equipment was so primitive--so actors were stuck in one location in most shots. The sound itself was also very tinny and often VERY difficult to understand. The best example of this is the Oscar-winning "Coquette". While it's a famous film with a big budget, the sound is just awful. And, because it was a new medium, a LOT of different stage acts were experimented with to find new sound stars. Because of all these factors, I am more charitable towards "Howdy, Broadway" than most folks would be. I honestly feel that the average person would turn off this film after about 30 seconds at the most. But, because of my love of this era, I kept watching--even though, at times, it was painful.

The story is about a bunch of fun-loving college students--you know, the ones in films who you NEVER see going to classes. In this case, they are busy with sports (which you never actually get to see), hanging out in speakeasies and the opposite sex. It's all a very trivial sort of existence in this film--all fun and games. There are subplots involving two ladies in love with Tommy (why?) and ultimately ends, inexplicably, in a review on Broadway (though I suspect it was more likely in a sound stage).

So why, aside from the sound quality, is this a picture that would bore most people? Well, the biggest reason is the god-awful singing of Ellalee Ruby. She sings a few times and the songs were so high-pitched that I worried that my windows or glasses would crack! I honestly can say that I have NEVER heard such high-pitched singing in my life--it was THAT painful to listen to. And, I can completely understand why she never went on to become a star!! There's also quite a bit of dancing in the film and, for the most part, this was actually pretty impressive. I particularly liked watching the guy in the speakeasy--he was great. There was a bizarre dance (if you can call it that) that looked more like a contortionist act and it was so jerky and amateurish in its execution you marvel that it wasn't edited out of the picture. Overall, the film has a fluff-like plot that is pretty dull, HORRIBLE, GOD-AWFUL singing and some nice dancing---and certainly not enough to make this a film to seek out unless you are nuts (like me). Don't say I didn't warn you.

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

The musical genre features stories that combine music, singing, dancing, acting, and often spoken dialogue to tell a story or convey a narrative. Musicals incorporate various elements of drama, music, and choreography to create a cohesive theatrical experience that engages audiences on multiple levels.

Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music (1965)

A college band performs in a speakeasy, where a raid results in the expulsion of the bandleader, but later he manages to land a Broadway gig.

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

See which big screen releases you can watch from the comfort of your couch.

Theatrical Releases Coming to Streaming

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Metropolitan Studios, Fort Lee, New Jersey, USA

Howdy Broadway

Photos

Top Cast12

User reviews6

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed