Broadway Hostess (1935): A charming, if forgettable, old Hollywood musical.

Okay, so Broadway Hostess. It’s one of those pre-code-ish 1935 musical dramas, right? If you’re a fan of old Hollywood, especially the ones where folks just burst into song mid-scene, you might find something here. For anyone expecting big surprises or a deep dive into character, you’ll likely find it a bit… thin.

The story is pretty simple: our gal, Winnie Spangler (that’s Wini Shaw, mostly), wants to make it big. And she does! She becomes a singer, a real hit. But, of course, the love life part is a whole different mess.

What struck me first was the energy in some of the musical numbers. Wini Shaw really gives it her all. There's this one scene, I think it's fairly early on, where she’s singing in a club. The camera just kinda stays on her, letting her belt it out. It feels genuine, like you’re actually there, not just watching a playback.

Then the movie gets bogged down in the romance. Or, well, the lack of good romance. Phil Regan plays the main love interest, and he’s... fine. But the whole "misunderstanding" plot gets tired fast. You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you this couple *should* matter.

There's a lot of talking in dressing rooms and offices. It's like everyone’s trying to figure out if Winnie should follow her heart or her career. Always the career, honey. Though, to be fair, the dialogue isn't always terrible. Sometimes it’s snappy, sometimes it’s just filler to get to the next song.

Ward Bond pops up in a small role, and you almost miss him. He’s just there, a face in the crowd, before he became *the* Ward Bond everyone knows. It’s a fun little blink-and-you-miss-it detail for classic film buffs. And Jane Wyman gets an even smaller bit part. Her presence is a reminder of how many future stars cut their teeth in these quick little features.

The movie gets noticeably better when it focuses on the music. There’s a number with a bunch of dancers and a surprisingly intricate stage set. For a B-picture, they really put some effort into that. It’s a stark contrast to some of the static, almost stage-play-like dramatic scenes.

One reaction shot, I can’t remember exactly who, lingered so long on a character looking worried that it became funny. Like, really long. You just start wondering what they were waiting for, maybe the actor forgot their next line? 🤷‍♀️

The pacing is a bit all over the place. We rush through Winnie's rise to fame, then slow way down for the romantic woes. It feels like two different movies stitched together. One is a peppy musical revue, the other a melodramatic short subject.

Honestly, the ending feels a little abrupt. Like they just ran out of film, or ideas. It doesn't quite resolve everything in a satisfying way. You're left with a sense of "oh, that's it?"

A few stray thoughts:

• The dresses are wild sometimes. Very 1930s glam, but with a certain boldness that feels very pre-code.
• One minor character, a sort of gossipy friend, had a line that made me chuckle, something about "all the men being dogs" that felt very modern for the time.
• The crowd scenes have this oddly empty feeling, like half the extras wandered off for a coffee break. Or maybe they just couldn't afford more.
• It's not a patch on something like Love Me Forever for its musical punch, but it tries.

Overall, Broadway Hostess is an interesting peek into a specific kind of old Hollywood filmmaking. It’s got its moments, especially the musical bits. But it’s not something you’ll remember a week later. Good for background noise or a casual afternoon watch if you’re already deep into the era. Just don't expect it to change your life.