The problem with this movie is that Alice Faye should have had a bigger part and got her man at the end. In 1937 James Montgomery Flagg called Madeline Carroll the most beautiful woman in the world and in her American movies that was all that was required of her. Her beauty was of the icy kind and in "On The Avenue", as an aloof society beauty it was a role she could have played in her sleep. And, of course, you just knew that Gary Blake (Dick Powell) would found longer, lasting happiness with warm hearted Mona (Alice Faye) than wilful, spoilt Mimi (Madeline Carroll). Alice Faye was a fantastic singer with a beautiful smoky sounding voice. She was first heard on Rudy Vallee's radio show and it was through his recommendations that Fox Films put her under contract. At first she looked like a cheap copy of Jean Harlow with frizzy platinum hair, penciled eyebrows and gooey mascara. But over the years the studio softened her - until she was even nice enough to play opposite Shirley Temple!! "On The Avenue" was her first prestigious film but top billed Madeline Carroll was always going to end up with the guy - in this case Dick Powell, who was still in his musical period.
Gary Blake's musical "On The Avenue", a satirical revue that pokes fun at a prominent society family, is the hit of the season. It is not amusing to the particular "prominent society family" and daughter, Mimi, who is singled out for ridicule meets with Gary to give him a piece of her mind. Of course being a "golden years" musical they fall in love - leaving sweet Mona, who is carrying a big torch for insensitive Gary, by the wayside. The course of true love doesn't run smooth and after witnessing a particularly barbed skit, Mimi secretly buys the show in order to embarrass Gary with a few surprises of her own thrown in.
The most memorable thing about the film is Faye's singing of a couple of the most beautiful songs of the late thirties. "This Year's Crop of Kisses" and "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" as well as the bouncey title song. Dick Powell gets to sing "The Girl on the Police Gazette" and the melodic "You're Laughing At Me". The cast is rounded out by the always good Alan Mowbray (who didn't have much to do), the Ritz Brothers, who seemed like an earlier version of Danny Kaye and Cora Witherspoon as a dizzy aunt, who was definitely no threat to Alice Brady.
Recommended.
Gary Blake's musical "On The Avenue", a satirical revue that pokes fun at a prominent society family, is the hit of the season. It is not amusing to the particular "prominent society family" and daughter, Mimi, who is singled out for ridicule meets with Gary to give him a piece of her mind. Of course being a "golden years" musical they fall in love - leaving sweet Mona, who is carrying a big torch for insensitive Gary, by the wayside. The course of true love doesn't run smooth and after witnessing a particularly barbed skit, Mimi secretly buys the show in order to embarrass Gary with a few surprises of her own thrown in.
The most memorable thing about the film is Faye's singing of a couple of the most beautiful songs of the late thirties. "This Year's Crop of Kisses" and "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" as well as the bouncey title song. Dick Powell gets to sing "The Girl on the Police Gazette" and the melodic "You're Laughing At Me". The cast is rounded out by the always good Alan Mowbray (who didn't have much to do), the Ritz Brothers, who seemed like an earlier version of Danny Kaye and Cora Witherspoon as a dizzy aunt, who was definitely no threat to Alice Brady.
Recommended.