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Broadway: The Golden Age (2004)
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
Synopsis: BROADWAY: THE GOLDEN AGE is a labor of love from filmmaker Rick McKay to a bygone era stemming from his own experience of arriving in New York City in the early 1980s and discovering that the Great White Way of his dreams no longer existed. Almost 20 years later, McKay began interviewing the... BROADWAY: THE GOLDEN AGE is a labor of love from filmmaker Rick McKay to a bygone era stemming from his own experience of arriving in New York City in the early 1980s and discovering that the Great White Way of his dreams no longer existed. Almost 20 years later, McKay began interviewing the legends of Broadway in order to investigate whether or not the 1930s through the '60s actually constituted a "golden age." McKay interviewed more than 100 performers, composers, and writers over the course of five years with no crew and no budget, just moxie and his digital camera. The result is a compelling walk down memory lane, with anecdotes from the stars and creators of the finest musical and dramatic productions of yesteryear. Among those interviewed are Angela Lansbury, Chita Rivera, Ben Gazzara, Shirley MacLaine, Stephen Sondheim, Hal Prince, Gwen Verdon, Uta Hagen, Bea Arthur, Jerry Orbach, Julie Harris, Robert Goulet, and Elizabeth Ashley. His interviews also result in the rediscovery of some long-forgotten stars. Peppered with clips of original Broadway performances, McKay's film preserves a period in the history of American theater that will likely never be repeated, and that should be celebrated. [More]
Genre: Education/General Interest
Starring: Beatrice Arthur, Elizabeth Ashley, Ben Gazzara, Uta Hagen, Julie Harris
DVD Info
Release:
Sep 11, 2004
DVD Features:
- Region (unknown)
- Keep Case
- Full Frame - 1.33
Audio:
- Surround Sound 5.1 English
Additional Release Material:
- Director's Commentary
- Featurette
Reviews
Whether it's Julie Harris weeping as she recalls an Ethel Waters performance she saw 60 years ago or Marian Seldes lamenting the cruelty of show biz or Ann Miller blithely carving a decade off her age, there's no arguing that these years were golden.
Its appeal isn't likely to cross over to those who don't already have the Broadway bug, or share the recollections themselves.
Old-timers, showbiz buffs and big-stage wanna-bes will not be disappointed.
Rather than listen to these old-timers reminisce about the good old days ... my advice is to get out and support your local thespians instead.
McKay's straightforward cinematic valentine, which also includes rare archival stage footage, is a treat for those bedazzled by the idea of Broadway in its prime.
[The subjects] eagerly unwind before McKay's one-man camera, reminiscing about everything from their finest hours to the days when ticket prices still ran in single digits.
It takes more than a fan to analyze the legacy of a period. But a fan is just what it takes to indulge in that legacy, which is exactly what Broadway: The Golden Age is all about.
I can think of no higher compliment than to report that after seeing it, I wanted to rush out and see a play.
What makes Golden Age compelling cinema is the archival material that McKay has assembled to bind his loose and often casually unfocused interviews.
The demise of the New York theater is, of course, too complex a subject to be contained in a study of less than two hours, but this free-flowing film certainly hits the high points as it flips around its talking-head celebrity sound bites at warp speed.
An enthralling, timeless documentary. It's the closest you'll ever get to actually being there.
The stories they tell in this warm, evocative documentary crackle with humor and glow with reverence. By listening to those stories, you'll glow too.
If you love the theater, you've got to see the film and simply enjoy as everyone from A (Edie Adams) to Z (Karen Ziemba) holds forth.
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