On the Avenue: A musical that forgets to be funny, but at least there is singing

Is this thing worth a watch?

If you have a soft spot for 1930s musical numbers that seem to stop the plot dead in its tracks, you might find something to like here. It is perfect for people who love watching old-timey slapstick and people in top hats singing about their feelings. If you hate movies where the romance feels like it was stapled on in the last five minutes, you will probably roll your eyes until they hurt.

The whole premise is about this producer, Dick Powell, who decides to put on a show poking fun at the wealthy. It is the kind of 'satire' that feels very light and airy, like cotton candy that disappears before you finish it. The family being mocked is so over-the-top that they feel like cartoons. I kept waiting for someone to actually get mad in a real way, but it just stays in this weird, performative space.

Then there are The Ritz Brothers. Man, those guys. They show up and the energy in the movie just shifts entirely. It is not necessarily a good shift, either. They have this frantic, manic energy that feels like they are performing in a different movie entirely, maybe something like The Big Revue, but with more shouting. One of them does this weird bit with his eyes that honestly made me pause the screen just to check if I was seeing it right.

The musical numbers are the only reason to really stick around. They are big, bright, and they don't pretend to be anything other than a showcase for the talent. Alice Faye has a voice that just cuts through all the noise. When she sings, the movie actually feels like it has a pulse, which is a nice break from the stiff banter between the leads.

Speaking of the leads, the romance between Powell and Madeleine Carroll is... well, it is there. They stand near each other and look at each other with that classic 'I am definitely going to fall for you by the third act' stare. It is not deep, but it gets the job done. It reminded me a bit of the chemistry in Their Own Desire, though maybe a little less intense and a lot more polite.

There is this one scene where they are just walking down the street, and the background extras are moving so strangely. It looks like they were told to walk in circles until someone yelled cut. It is a tiny, stupid detail, but I could not stop looking at this one guy in a bowler hat who clearly had no idea where he was supposed to go. 🎩

The movie gets noticeably better once it stops trying to be a biting commentary on New York society and just settles into being a showcase for song and dance. The plot is just a flimsy excuse to get from one number to the next. That is fine, really. I do not think anyone was expecting a heavy drama here.

It is not going to change your life. It is not even going to change how you feel about musicals. But if you want to see people tap dancing on top of things while wearing very expensive clothes, you could do a lot worse on a rainy afternoon.

• Alice Faye saves every single scene she is in.
• The Ritz Brothers are a lot to handle before lunch.
• The satire is as sharp as a butter knife.
• Watch the extras in the background—they are having their own little secret movie.