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5.7/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.7/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Stars Over Broadway remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you have a massive soft spot for 1930s musical theater clichés. If you want a movie that feels like it was manufactured in a factory, you’re in luck. If you want something that surprises you, keep walking.
Pat O'Brien does his best to keep the energy up as the desperate promoter, Al. He’s essentially the only reason this thing doesn't just float away into a cloud of schmaltz.
The singing porter angle? It’s cute for about five minutes. Then it just gets weird. You’re supposed to believe this guy is the next big thing, but half the time he just looks like he’s bored out of his mind waiting for his cue to belt out another high note. 🎤
There’s this one scene where they’re working odd jobs to pay for lessons. It’s supposed to be touching, but it just feels like the movie is trying too hard to make me cry. It’s like, we get it, you’re poor and hungry for success. Moving on!
The whole Italy sequence is where the movie just sort of gives up. Sending the guy to Europe to find his voice? It’s a total cliché. I found myself checking my phone, which is never a good sign.
It lacks the punch of something like Sons of the Desert, which actually knew when to stop with the theatrics and just be funny. Here, everything is so earnest it hurts.
The pacing is all over the place. The first half is a sprint to get the guy famous, and the second half is a slow crawl toward an ending we all saw coming from the opening credits. It’s not the worst thing I’ve seen this month, but it’s certainly not something I’ll remember by next Tuesday.
Maybe just stick to the songs and ignore the plot. The plot is mostly just noise anyway. 🎭