BIG BROADCAST OF 1938, THE (1938) One sheet poster

Vintage original 27 x 41″ (68 x 102 cm.) one sheet poster, USA. W. C. Fields, Martha Raye, Dorothy Lamour, Shirley Ross, Bob Hope, Lynne Overman, Ben Blue, dir: Mitchell Leisen; Paramount. On linen, near fine.

One of the finest and best remembered of the 1930s musicals, if for no other reason than the introduction by Ross and Hope (his first feature role) of the classic song “Thanks for the Memory”. It won the Academy Award. Martha Raye, who did her own stunts in a raucously entertaining number, was ingeniously cast as W. C. Fields’ daughter (in his last film for Paramount). Everyone shone in their musical moments in a story which concerned a race between two ocean liners, from which the new S. S. Gigantic had a big radio broadcast emitting (you see, the turbine engine worked on radio waves is the explanation!).

Amongst the numbers broadcast (and lavishly staged) were Kirsten Flagstad performing Wagner in full opera regalia. The radio audience was not able to see the extravagant finale concerning the history of dance, but the film audience could. Direction by Mitchell Leisen lifted the film above the normal musical faire of the period.