Underplayed Gems

The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)

The Big Broadcast of 1936 poster
Directed by
Norman Taurog
Genre
musical film
Country
United States
Runtime
1h 37m
Rated
NR
Rating
5.8 of 10 from 12 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More films like this

How it feels

A radio station goes all out with a big variety show. Many famous singers, dancers, and comedians perform in comedy sketches and musical numbers.

lightheartedplayfulbouncynostalgiccelebratoryfast-pacedentertainingwhimsical

What happens

The Big Broadcast of 1936 is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Norman Taurog, and is the second in the series of Big Broadcast movies. The musical comedy starred Jack Oakie, Bing Crosby, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Ethel Merman, The Nicholas Brothers, Lyda Roberti, Wendy Barrie, Mary Boland, Charlie Ruggles, Akim Tamiroff, Amos 'n' Andy (Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll), Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, and Argentinian tango singer Carlos Gardel. Glenn Miller appears as part of the Ray Noble Orchestra. Their performance was filmed at the Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York. In Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (1974), George Thomas Simon noted that Glenn Miller was paid extra by Ray Noble "for working on The Big Broadcast of 1936, so that Glenn's total weekly pay" was $356. The screen appearance of the Ray Noble orchestra was edited down to a very brief scene on the "televisor". The screenplay was by Walter DeLeon, Francis Martin, Ralph Spence, and Julius J. Epstein, who was uncredited. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Dance Direction by LeRoy Prinz for "It's the Animal in Me". Although the film has not been released on DVD or VHS, it is available on various video sharing websites. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

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