Film Critique: Bullets Over Broadway and Theatre Production Analysis

This report presents a critique of the film 'Bullets Over Broadway,' focusing on its portrayal of theatre production. The analysis delves into the characters, including the struggling playwright, the mobster, and the talentless actress, and their roles in the play's development. The critique explores the financial pressures, artistic compromises, and creative conflicts that arise during the production process, highlighting the interplay between art and commerce. The report also examines the technical aspects of the film, such as set design, lighting, and costumes, and how these elements contribute to the overall theatrical experience. Furthermore, it discusses the impact of various characters on the production, including the gangster's bodyguard, and the resulting satire and humor. Ultimately, the critique underscores the challenges of balancing artistic ideals with the realities of collaborative theatre production.

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Film critique -Bullets Over Broadway
The paper makes a critique of the film- “Bullets Over Broadway” with a focus on how
theatre is produced within the film. It comments on the people involved in the fictional theatre
production going on within the film and makes an analytical observation.
David Shayne, in the movie, is a struggling dramatist in 1920s New York and looks for a
rich backer who can put his play on Broadway. Nick Valenti, the backer of the play, is a rich
mobster who wants to cast his girlfriend, a talentless dancer in the play. David considers himself
an artist and wants to create art for himself and not for the masses. However, as he is financially
weak, he is forced to give some control to people who have little clue about theater. The film is
full of humor but at the same time resonates with deeper ideas.
Although David has no experience in directing a play, he is sure of what he wants. As he
is desperate for a Broadway hit, he is forced to shape his theatrical showcase with others. He
goes through a tough time during the rehearsal period as he has to please his mobster producer
for the financing of his play. This goes on to show that theater productions cost money, and
without funds, not even the best ideas can metamorphize into a play.
The set design is impressive, and the scenes and dance performances are presented
through the actions of the characters on stage. There are confusions and chaos regarding the
choice of costumes during the rehearsal period. As the mobster, who is the financial backer of

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the play, has no clue about the art and creativity that goes in theater work, there are some funny
moments that develop during the production as the singing and comedic talents blended artfully
and resulted in a unified characterization.
The lighting and sound are impressive. The direction of the light emphasizes on the faces
of the actors and their costumes. The backdrops are done professionally and realistically. The
play carries a flamboyant display when it comes to dances. The costumes are elaborate and make
a nice contrast against the background and in the lighting. The dancing is synchronized and
perfect, and when the gangsters do the tap numbers, their movements are more like as if they are
going to a rack you. The performers cover almost the wholes stage and manage to hold the
attention of the views. Olive Neal, who is the girlfriend of a gangster, is talentless and
demanding and draws attention because of her short height and a nasal accent.
While there were no significant cuts made in the script, but the director had to take
suggestions from the mobster’s bodyguard, Cheech. He is no playwright but carries a natural
intelligence but attending all the rehearsals of the play. He gives his comments as he watches the
cast struggling with lines on the stage and comes up with excellent ideas for the play. There is a
satire kind of unpredictability in the play and some funny moments in the making of the play.
The actors in the play have their own views, and as different perspectives clash during the
creative processes, the theatre production is nothing like what the director would want to be. He
lets go of his ideals and ideas that everything should be done his way. After all, there are so
many people involved in theatre production and each with their unique experience. The director
has little choice but to accommodate those different views and compromise on the ideal of his
art.