Gold Diggers of Broadway
"Gold Diggers of Broadway" is a landmark musical film released by Warner Bros. in 1929, notable for being the second all-color, all-talking film after "On with the Show." Set against the backdrop of the carefree 1920s and the impending Great Depression, it tells the story of three Broadway showgirls—Ann, Jerry, and Mabel—as they navigate their romantic aspirations amidst a night of revelry with a group of men. The film features memorable musical numbers, including "Painting the Clouds with Sunshine" and "Tiptoe Through the Tulips," performed by the likes of Nick Lucas.
As a significant cultural artifact, "Gold Diggers of Broadway" illustrates the complexities of gender dynamics during its time, highlighting themes of love, ambition, and economic desperation. Technically, it showcases advancements in sound and color film, positioning it as a groundbreaking creation of its era. Despite its influence, much of the film has been lost to time, with only a few fragments remaining, making it a subject of historical interest for film scholars and enthusiasts alike.
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Subject Terms
Gold Diggers of Broadway
Identification: A musical comedy film about the lives of Broadway showgirls
Director: Roy Del Ruth
Date: 1929
Gold Diggers of Broadway was the second all-color, all-talking film ever released after On with the Show, another Warner Bros. film from earlier that same year. Embodying the carefree spirit of the 1920s on the eve of the Great Depression, it remained America’s highest-grossing film until 1939.
Gold Diggers of Broadway is Warner Bros.’ second film adaptation of Avery Hopwood’s play The Gold Diggers (1919), the first being a 1923 silent film with the same name as the play. Robert Lord adapted the story, De Leon Anthony is credited with the titles, and Joseph Burke and Al Dubin wrote the music and lyrics, respectively.
The plot revolves around Broadway showgirls Ann (Ann Pennington), Jerry (Nancy Welford), and Mabel (Winnie Lightner) and their gold-digging pursuit of the men of their dreams. The film opens with musical numbers from the Broadway production in which the showgirls appear, including one of the film’s two most memorable songs, “Painting the Clouds with Sunshine,” performed by guitarist and singer Nick Lucas.
After the evening’s performance, Ann, Jerry, Mabel, and Nick embark on an evening of drinking and carousing, now joined by Blake (Albert Gran), a lawyer; Stephen (Conway Tearle), a businessman; and Stephen’s nephew, Wally (William Bakewell). Mabel pursues Blake for most of the evening, while Jerry turns her attentions to Stephen, initially in an attempt to convince him to let Wally marry one of the other showgirls. During their night out, Nick performs the other well-known song of the film, “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.” After a rapid series of dramatic events, each woman ultimately lands the man she covets, and the story concludes with the following evening’s performance, which includes another rendition of “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” and the extravagant closing number “Song of the Gold Diggers.”
Impact
Gold Diggers of Broadway was highly influential, both technically and culturally. Its use of sound and Technicolor represents the culmination of the technological advancements that had been made throughout the 1920s, making the film a groundbreaking product for its time. It also demonstrates the complexities of gender relations in the late 1920s, showcasing the balancing act of enjoyment and desperation in the pursuit of love and money. Unfortunately, while the soundtrackhas survived, the film itself is now mostly lost, with only the last two reels and some earlier fragments known to still exist.
Bibliography
Barrios, Richard. A Song in the Dark: The Birth of the Musical Film. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.
Bradley, Edwin M. The First Hollywood Musicals: A Critical Filmography of 171 Features, 1927 Through 1932. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2004.