The Big Broadcast of 1938 (Blu-ray Review) | Classic Comedy Musical featuring W. C. Feilds Revisited

Paramount Pictures produced The Big Broadcast of 1936 and 1937, featuring all-star casts. So popular were these films that there was no doubt that the next year would bring yet another 'big broadcast'. Who better to stand in the forefront than one of the funniest comedians of the 30s W.C. Fields. 

The Big Broadcast of 1938 would see all kinds of entertainers, but one of the best treats was the hilarious Bob Hope in his feature film debut. Now, Universal Home Entertainment has taken this musical comedy and given it the Blu-ray it so richly deserves.

Synopsis: Make way for The Big Broadcast of 1938 with a plethora of Hollywood's brightest stars, including W.C. Fields, Martha Raye, Dorothy Lamour and Bob Hope in his feature film debut. T. Frothingill Bellows (Fields) and S.B. Bellows (Fields again!) take sibling rivalry to new extremes of hilarity when they embark on a transatlantic race across the Atlantic in their giant steamships. 

The Big Broadcast of 1938 features a wonderful story and all the great performances is like experiencing vaudeville from the comfort of your couch. The film is filled with great songs like, "Thanks for the Memory," "That Moon Is Here Again" and "You Took the Words Right Out of My Heart". The standouts for me in this film is the hilarious antics of W.C. Fields and the performance of Thanks for the Memories by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross.

The Big Broadcast of 1938 has been transferred to Blu-ray in 1080p and is presented in 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The audio track is an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Finally, there is the option for English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. 

This transfer looks to be the same as the previous DVD release. Universal didn't seem to do any restoration work for this Blu-ray. There is some visible signs of scratches and dirt, but to me, it still didn't take away from the enjoyment of this release. 

Now, for me, one of the coolest parts of a Blu-ray release is the bonus features. Universal's Blu-ray of The Big Broadcast of 1938 has no bonus features to be found. There is not even a trailer. For me, that was really disappointing.

As disappointing as it is that Universal made no efforts to restore the picture or add any bonus features, there is no denying how entertaining this film is. If you would like to add the big broadcast of 1938 to your home video library, head over to MovieZyng or Amazon and order your copy today. 


Out of 4 film reels (4 being the best) the Blu-ray of The Big Broadcast of 1938 receives.....