A delightful 'That's Entertainment' for the theater, offering priceless interviews with a who's who of entertainers and behind-the-scenes talent, as well as tantalizing snippets of long-ago performances.
Broadway: The Golden Age (2004)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:44
Fresh:36
Rotten:8
Average Rating:7/10
Consensus: Broadway: The Golden Age is a breezy, affectionate tribute to a sparkling array of the era's best and brightest.
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
Genre: Education/General Interest
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... 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]
Starring: Beatrice Arthur, Elizabeth Ashley, Ben Gazzara, Uta Hagen
Starring: Beatrice Arthur, Elizabeth Ashley, Ben Gazzara, Uta Hagen, Julie Harris, Angela Lansbury, Harold Prince, Stephen Sondheim, Chita Rivera, Elaine Stritch, Shirley MacLaine
Director: Rick McKay
Director: Rick McKay
Screenwriter: Rick McKay
Producer: Rick McKay
Reviews for Broadway: The Golden Age
The strength of McKay's film is not in identifying a cultural period, but in giving voice to so many great theater people.
The best way to approach Broadway -- The Golden Age (and the movie is fun, despite its messiness) is to enjoy it as a fan's worshipful notes.
More archival footage and fewer talking heads would have made it more watchable, and most viewers under 60 will be mightily confused as to who many of these people are.
The autograph-hound sensibility that colors [McKay's] interviews ... provokes mostly unmemorable nostalgia from his roster of geriatric luminaries.
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 67% 67% | Public Enemies |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 95% 95% | The Cove |
| 85% 85% | World's Greatest Dad |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Broadway: The Golden Age at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

