Songs: "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" (Powell, Faye ); "Slumming on Park Avenue" (Faye, Ritz Brothers, chorus); "He Ain't Got Rhythm" (Faye, Ritz Brothers, chorus); "You're Laughing At Me" (Powell); "The Girl on the Police Gazette" (Powell, Faye, chorus); "This Year's Kisses" (Faye); - all music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. "O Chi Chornia" (Ritz Brothers). Deleted songs: "On the Avenue", "Swing Sister", "On the Steps of Grant's Tomb". Western Electric Sound System. Associate producer: Gene Markey.Copyright 4 February 1937 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Radio City Music Hall: 4 February 1937. U.S. release: 12 February 1937. U.K. release: 29 July 1937. Australian release: December 1937. 7,950 feet. 88 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Famed as the movie that deleted its title song, what's left is the story of a beautiful heiress and her pompous father, who senselessly object to a satirical sketch of themselves in a Broadway show (thus giving the annoying show reams of free publicity).COMMENT: "On the Avenue" has a large number of good things going for it: Alice Faye, Madeleine Carroll, Dick Powell, George Barbier, Alan Mowbray, Sig Rumann, Billy Gilbert; Irving Berlin songs; a reasonably amusing story; 20th Century-Fox production values.On the other hand, it manages a number of big disappointments as well: Alice Faye, the Ritz Brothers, Stepin Fetchit; not enough Irving Berlin songs; a story that gets in the way; mediocre direction and (aside from the beautiful photography) lackluster technical credits.To take these problems one by one. I was disappointed that Alice Faye has so little to do in the story. In fact she disappears from the action completely for a long stretch. Even in her musical numbers she tends to play second fiddle to either Dick Powell or the Ritz Brothers. She's treated as a second cousin by the photographer and the director as well. It is Powell and Carroll who share the romantic limelight, whilst Powell has the best of the songs, including most of the budget and the most imaginative examples of the staging. It's clear that he was treated as number one by the studio (which is what we might expect, as he was loaned by Warners) with Miss Carroll coming in second, and Alice a distant third. What's more, she just isn't believable in an "other woman" role. No man in his right senses would pass up a genuine Faye for a synthetic Carroll. Not me, that's for sure! The Ritz Brothers are another of my pet hates. Yes, I know there are three of them: Al, Jim and Harry. But they're impossible to tell apart. That's one of the things I don't like about them, though my main objection is just the plain fact that they're just not funny. Hammy, yes. Funny, no. Stepin Fetchit. Although his character name is supposed to be Herman, Powell actually calls him "Step" on camera. A mistake typical of Roy Del Ruth's sloppy direction. Anyway I never was able to stand Mr. Fetchit, not even in the days before it became fashionable to object to his gross racism. Not enough songs. Too much story. Fortunately the songs we do have are pretty good. Or at least Powell's are. Though there is a neat fade- out reprise of "Slumming on Park Avenue" with all the leads (except for Barbier who is present but doesn't actually sing) joining in, including delightfully Sig Rumann. Still, for all the movie's disappointments, "The Girl on the Police Gazette" production number is such a wow, its stylish, no-expense- spared vivacity makes up for a lot. The hit song, "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm", is entertaining too. OTHER VIEWS: Saddled with those obnoxiously raucous, hammily amorphous "comedians", the Ritz Brothers, who dare to lampoon Alice Faye of all people, "On the Avenue" is something less than the first-class Faye vehicle the credits promise. Alice is often pushed aside not only by the demands of the straight story in which plays little part but even by her singing co-star Dick Powell. All told, Miss Faye has a thankless role in which she of is given only a few opportunities to shine. Billy Gilbert makes more of an impression. So does Dewey Robinson. While we don't wish to take any glory away from these talented character players, we do wish the writers, the director and the producers had made more openings for Alice.

Songs include : He Ain't Got Rhythm - This Year's Kisses - You're Laughing At Me - The Girl on the Police Gazette Slumming On Park Avenue - I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"On The Avenue" has been sitting on my video shelf for more than a dozen years - unwatched and overlooked. An oversight.In spite of one of the other reviews above, the film is hardly the cinema tragedy painted by that reviewer.Dick Powell, on loan out from Warner Brothers to Fox, Madeline Carroll and Alice Faye and The Ritz Brothers head an all star cast of Hollywood favorites - Joan Davis, Billy Gilbert, Alan Mowbray, Walter Catlett, George Barbier, Cora Witherspoon, Sig Ruman, Stepin Fetchit and others.The production values are quite high, though the story in uninspired. Beautiful crisp blacks and whites fill the screen. Half a dozen hit tunes - some still performed 70 years later - written by Irving Berlin. Both Powell and Faye are in top voice and each get their share of tunes to introduce.Alice Faye receives third billing under Powell and Carroll. This was likely one of the last times she would be billed as such - top stardom was right around the corner for her.The dance routines are very 1930s and staged, somewhat generically, by Seymour Felix - lots of chorus girls and big stages. Sadly, "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm", the most enduring song of the film, is kind of tossed away in a production number of modest proportions.The Ritz Brothers are an acquired taste, perhaps. They do have some better moments in the film, especially so in the opening number where they are less zany than in the rest of the film. Dance skills? Absolutely!Madeline Carroll is an attractive woman, but Alice Faye sings, dances and quietly radiant through-out the entire film.There are some amusing similarities between this film and "Hollywood Hotel" another Dick Powell from 1937 - both are show business stories, Powell gets slapped in the face in both films by a stuck up girl and uses the same facial expression both times, Powell escorts his female star around the circumference of an outdoor fountain at night in both films, Alan Mowbray also appears in both filmsIt's not a great film or a great musical, but it is as entertaining as many musicals of the era with it's greatest strengths being its score and its 2 top performers, Powell and Faye.

ON THE AVENUE (20th Century-Fox, 1937), directed by Roy Del Ruth, is a lively musical film capitalizing on the current trend of screwball comedies that never seems to go out of style: spoofing high society. For instance, art imitating life with a theatrical company poking fun of a rich family with a well-to-do family recognizing themselves as the subject matter, and taking action.Gary Blake (Dick Powell), star of the latest musical show, "On the Avenue," has written a play about "The Richest Girl in Town," starring himself as the rich father with Mona Merrick (Alice Faye) in the title role. Mimi Carraway (Madeleine Carroll), the richest girl in town, along with her father, the Commodore (George Barbier), Aunt Fritz (Cora Witherspoon) and fiancé, Frederick Sims (Alan Mowbray), an Arctic explorer, attend the opening and immediately recognize themselves as the topic of society fun. At the conclusion of the play, Mimi storms over to Blake's dressing room where she greets him with anger and a slap on the face. Because she refuses to listen to reason, Blake hasher forcibly ejected from the theater for not being a "good sport." Thinking back of what was said, Mimi agrees on becoming a "good sport" by inviting Gary for a night on of town, posing as Mr. and Mrs.Hossenpfeiffer, to discuss matters and have fun at the same time. Returning home at dawn, Gary and Mimi, who have fallen in love, come to a compromise. Mimi agrees to let Gary carry on with his show as written while Gary goes one step further by tastefully changing the material so it won't be offensive. Jealous over Gary's infatuation towards Mimi, Mona takes it upon herself on sketching the musical play to be even worse than before. Mimi and family attend to witness the shock of their lives with the play's revision. Believing Gary is at fault, Mimi gets even by buying the rights to the show and hiring patrons to walkout during Gary's performance and using the Ritz Brothers to make him look ridiculous for every newspaper critic in town to see. Once Gary discovers what Mimi has done, it becomes his turn to have the last laugh.With music and lyrics composed by the legendary Irving Berlin, the motion picture soundtrack is as follows: "He Ain't Got Rhythm" (sung by Alice Faye, and The Ritz Brothers); "The Girl On the Police Gazette"(sung by Dick Powell in 1890s attire, bowler and mustache); "You're Laughing at Me" (sung by Powell to Madeleine Carroll); "This Year's Kisses" (sung by Faye); "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" (sung by Powell and Faye); "Slumming on Park Avenue" (Sung by Alice Faye and The Ritz Brothers); "You're Laughing at Me" (Powell); "Ochye Tchonia"(Russian Folk Song sung and performed by The Ritz Brothers); "This Year's Kisses'" (sung by Alice Faye); and "Slumming in Park Avenue"(sung by cast).In spite the fact that the Berlin songs, as good as they are, never became as legendary as "Blue Skies" or "White Christmas," he did acquire fine singers to promote his distinguished tunes: Dick Powell, on loan out from Warner Brothers, having the film's best song, "You're Laughing at Me," while Alice Faye, in a secondary role, contributes some of her best vocals, namely "This Year's Kisses." In between songs,the Ritz Brothers collaborate their version of bizarre comedy, ranging from facial expressions, crossed-eyes, and dressing in drag. Others in the cast include: Joan Davis (Miss Katz, a secretary); Douglas Fowley(Eddie Eads); Stepin Fetchit as "Step," billed as Herman; Sig Rumann(Herr Hanestange); Billy Gilbert (Joe Papaloupas, the lunch wagon proprietor); Walter Catlett (Jake Dibble); and E.E. Clive (Ben, the Central Park Horse Cabby), Dewey Robinson (Lunch Wagon Patron), among others.The sequence where Powell (in tuxedo and top hat) and Carroll (in glittering white evening gown) are strolling through Central Park, in medium camera range the couple resemble that of current song and dance team of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. In fact, watching Powell and Carroll together in this scene alone, anyone would expect them to go into their dance to "You're Laughing at Me," which doesn't happen. With Seymour Felix credited as choreographer, much of the dancing takes place on stage.Regardless of listenable tunes, agreeable cast and above-average story, ON THE AVENUE is a forgotten item from the 1930s. Its 1994 video cassette distribution consisted of an added bonus with a surviving comedy outtake featuring Alice Faye and the Ritz Brothers. Seldom revived these days, ON THE AVENUE was formerly presented on American Movie Classics cable channel in 1996 as part of its tribute to the movie musical during the station's annual film preservation festival. ON THE AVENUE is old-fashioned entertainment that should still please its viewers whenever aired on the Fox Movie Channel. (***1/2)

Nice example of musicals of the Thirties. Just boy meets girl,but the score by Irving Berlin lifts this one above most of the others.Two of his gems "This years kisses" and "Your laughing at me" show why his songs are timeless.One of Alice Faye's early roles,and the one that made her a star.