The Great American Broadcast (1941)

43% of users liked it
(47 ratings)

On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of commercial radio, 20th Century-Fox cooked up the pageantlike entertainment The Great American Broadcast. Opening with clips of such airwaves favorites as Dick Powell and Fred Allen (courtesy of earlier Fox films like Thanks a Million), the picture gets… More On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of commercial radio, 20th Century-Fox cooked up the pageantlike entertainment The Great American Broadcast. Opening with clips of such airwaves favorites as Dick Powell and Fred Allen (courtesy of earlier Fox films like Thanks a Million), the picture gets under way in 1918, as ambitious army buddies Bix Martin (John Payne) and Chuck Hadley (Jack Oakie) try and fail to establish themselves in the business world. At long last, our heroes enter the new field of radio broadcasting, where after several technical and tactical mishaps they achieve success. But Bix and Chuck are strictly small-timers, and soon they're left behind by the big-city stations. The partners break up, while Bix's songstress wife Vicki Adams (Alice Faye) seeks out a loan to get her husband back on his financial feet. When she approaches her wealthy ex-boyfriend Bruce Chadwick (Cesar Romero), Bix burns up and walks out on her. But old pal Chuck comes to the rescue, staging a reunion between Bix and Vicki during the first-ever coast to coast network broadcast. Rather shaky as history, The Great American Broadcast works best on a nostalgia level, offering guest appearances by such specialty performers as The Ink Spots, The Nicholas Brothers, and The Wiere Brothers (of Road to Rio fame). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 32 min.
Directed By: Archie Mayo
Written By: Edwin Blum, Robert Ellis
Genres: Drama, Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: May 9, 1941 Wide
On DVD: Oct 7, 2008
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Film Cor

Critic Reviews

David Cornelius, DVDTalk.com
It barely works, plot-wise, although the chemistry of the three leads is so sharp that we grant the story much forgiveness.

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Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Some fine singing by Alice and some quality performances by specialty acts plus a good contribution from Jack Oakie make this pleasant enough but it remans a minor musical.

Cast

            Alice Faye as Vicki Adams

            Jack Oakie as Chuck Hadley

            John Payne as Rix Martin

            Cesar Romero as Bruce Chadwick

            Four Ink Spots as Specialty

            James Newill as Jimmy

            Wiere Brothers as Specialty

            Mary Beth Hughes as Secretary

            Eula Morgan as Mrs. Rinaldi

            William Pawley as Foreman

            Lucien Littlefield as Justice of Peace

            Gary Breckner as Announcer

            Mike J. Frankovich as Announcer

            John Hiestand as Announcer

            Eddie Acuff as Jimmy

            Mildred Gover as Jennie

            Sid Saylor as Brakeman

            Eddie Kane as Headwaiter

            Frank Orth as Counterman

            Herbert Heywood as Doorman

            Eddie Conrad as Conductor

            Dorothy Dearing as Bruce's Girl Friend

            Arno Frey as Waiter

            William Halligan as Mr. Porter

            Sam McDaniel as Porter

            The Nicholas Brothers as Specialty

            Fayard Nicholas
            
            Charles Tannen as Usher

            Fred 'Snowflake' Toones as Porter

            John Sinclair as Lineman

            Bill Kenny
            
            Charles Fuqua
            
            Deek Watson
            
            Hoppy Jones
            
See full cast