On the Avenue
by Roy Del Ruth
List Price:
Our Price: $13.49
You Save: $1.49 (10%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $7.24 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: Al Ritz, Alice Faye, Dick Powell, Harry Ritz, Madeleine CarrollDirector: Roy Del Ruth
Brand: Twentieth Century Fox
Producer: Darryl F. Zanuck
Producer: Gene Markey
Writer: Gene Markey
Writer: Eddie Cherkose
Writer: Irving Berlin
Writer: Samuel Pokrass
Writer: William M. Conselman
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 89 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-10-07
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Movie Reviews of On the Avenue
Movie Review: + 1/2 star-----you're kidding me, right ???
Summary: 3 Stars
(3.5 stars)
On The Avenue is one of those Fox musicals that could have been great but was somehow inexplicably doomed to become little more than a "B" movie--and that's on a good day! Oh yes, the acting is quite good and the musical numbers are well done. In addition, the cinematography and the choreography also work well; and the plot moves along at a good pace. Unfortunately, however, that's where the plusses leave off and the minuses begin to add up. The Ritz Brothers do nothing for me. The Ritz Brothers can't even begin to compare to The Marx Brothers; and I am left wondering why the purest looking girl on the screen, Alice Faye in the role of Mona Merrick, DOESN'T get the man at the end of the picture. Worse yet, when Stepin Fetchit goes through his routine onscreen I do nothing but cringe and wince; it offends me even if his "act" was considered a funny way to portray African-Americans at that time.
When the action starts, we quickly see that a hot new Broadway show is opening--much to the chagrin of Commodore Caraway (George Barbier), his daughter Mimi (Madeleine Carroll) and their explorer friend Frederick Sims (Alan Mowbray) who is well known for his trips to the artic. The show, which stars Gary Blake (Dick Powell), has a comedy sketch spoofs the Caraway family to such an extent that there can be no misunderstanding that the joke's on them; and the Caraways and Sims leave the theater in a huff feeling angry and very embarrassed. Commodore Caraway wants to sue; but his lawyer Mr. Trivet (Douglas Wood) says they don't have enough grounds to sue. Meanwhile, we also meet Mimi's nutty Aunt Fritz (Cora Witherspoon) who can laugh much more easily at life as she drifts from a fixation on all things Russian to all things German and more.
Mimi bribes a stage door guard to let her into the theater; and she has a nasty first meeting with Gary Blake. She makes it clear that she and her family are furious. Somehow (and this is not well done), Gary and Mimi make amends and spend the night on the town pretending they don't know each other. That way they can get a fresh start and maybe romance will bloom. Mimi eventually gets Gary's promise that the sketch in the show about them will be changed for the better.
Of course, there are complications. Romance between Gary and Mimi doesn't sit well with Mona Merrick (Alice Faye), who works as Gary's sidekick in the show. Despite the fact that Mona is clearly the sweet, pure and rather charming girl next door type, she is ignored by Gary who becomes ever more interested in dating Mimi.
From here the plot can go anywhere. What happens between Mimi and Gary in the long run? Will Gary and Mimi keep seeing each other after Mona makes surprise changes in the show to foul up Gary's plans to please Mimi and her family? Will the Caraways sue the manager J.J. 'Jake' Dibble (Walter Catlett)? What might happen if Mimi tries to take over the show? No plot spoilers here, folks--watch and find out!
The DVD comes with a few extra features; I especially liked the featurette on Alice Faye.
On The Avenue has several plusses in its favor; but the minuses drag it down and leave it behind the better musicals from the golden age of Hollywood. I recommend this for fans of the actors in this movie; but in general please make sure you're going to be comfortable with the minuses or else, like me, you'll be somewhat disappointed.
Summary of On the Avenue
Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 10/07/2008 Run time: 128 minutes Rating: NrComedy DVD Video
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Movies most talked about in Twentieth Century Fox's Singing Songbird: Miss Alice Faye
State Fair (60th Anniversary Edition)Twentieth Century Fox; Release date: 2005-11-15; DVD
Best price: $12.40
Price in other shops:
Fallen Angel (Fox Film Noir)TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2006-03-07; DVD
Best price: $6.96
Price in other shops:
The Gang's All HereTWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2008-06-17; DVD
Best price: $7.62
Price in other shops:
Hello Frisco HelloTwentieth Century Fox; Release date: 2008-10-07; DVD
Best price: $8.44
Price in other shops:
Week-End in HavanaTWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2006-02-21; DVD
Best price: $7.35
Price in other shops:
The Great American BroadcastTwentieth Century Fox; Release date: 2008-10-07; DVD
Best price: $6.92
Price in other shops:
That Night in Rio (Fox Marquee Musicals)Twentieth Century Fox; Release date: 2007-02-20; DVD
Best price: $7.80
Price in other shops:
![Tin Pan Alley [VHS] Image](/images/Tin-Pan-Alley-VHS-6303128815-X.jpg){kind=small}
Tin Pan Alley [VHS]Fox Home Entertainment; Release date: 1994-07-19; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $33.00
Lillian Russell (Fox Marquee Musicals)TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2007-02-20; DVD
Best price: $4.94
Price in other shops:
Hollywood CavalcadeTWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2008-10-07; DVD
Best price: $7.55
Price in other shops:
Similar DVD Movies
The Goldwyn FolliesRelease date: 2009-04-07; DVD
Best price: $7.80
Price in other shops:
The Busby Berkeley Collection, Vol. 2 (Gold Diggers of 1937 / Gold Diggers in Paris / Hollywood Hotel / Varsity Show)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2008-09-16; DVD
Best price: $26.99
Price in other shops:
Alice Faye Collection 2 (Rose of Washington Square/ Hollywood Cavalcade/ The Great American Broadcast/ Hello, Frisco, Hello/ Four Jills in a Jeep) (Full Chk Gift)Twentieth Century Fox; Release date: 2008-10-07; DVD
Best price: $31.62
Price in other shops:
Week-End in HavanaTWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2006-02-21; DVD
Best price: $7.34
Price in other shops:
A Song Is BornRelease date: 2009-04-07; DVD
Best price: $7.98
Price in other shops:
Alexander's Ragtime BandRelease date: 2004-09-07; DVD
Best price: $5.98
Price in other shops:
Hollywood CavalcadeTWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2008-10-07; DVD
Best price: $7.61
Price in other shops:
The Great American BroadcastTCFHE; Release date: 2008-10-07; DVD
Best price: $7.61
Price in other shops:
Hello Frisco HelloTwentieth Century Fox; Release date: 2008-10-07; DVD
Best price: $8.01
Price in other shops:
Rose of Washington SquareTwentieth Century Fox; Release date: 2008-10-07; DVD
Best price: $7.88
Price in other shops: