The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story unfolds aboard the luxury ocean liner S.S. Gigantic, which departs from New York's Pier 97 and races across the Atlantic Ocean to Cherbourg, France. The ship's deck serves as a floating stage for musical acts and radio broadcasts, blending travel with entertainment.

Foreshadowing: The transatlantic setting is established from the opening as both a competitive race and a theatrical venue.

• ocean liner
• s.s. gigantic
• new york
• cherbourg
• transatlantic voyage
• settings

The film is set in 1938, during the golden age of radio variety shows and large-scale musical productions. The era's fascination with technological progress is reflected in the Gigantic's innovative 'radio-powered' design and the lavish, performance-filled voyage.

• 1938
• era
• time period
• radio age
• 1930s entertainment

The central rivalry is between two massive ocean liners, the Gigantic and its rival the Colossal, competing for speed and prestige across the Atlantic. This high-stakes ship race drives much of the comedy and tension, with sabotage added as a plot device.

Foreshadowing: The competitive spirit between the two ships is established early, setting up the film's central conflict.

• rivalry
• ship race
• gigantic
• colossal
• ocean liner competition
• sabotage

Radio is central to the film, as the entire voyage is organized around a live broadcast that turns every moment into a performance. The ship essentially becomes a floating variety show, with the radio emcee anchoring the entertainment and creating a running commentary on celebrity culture.

Foreshadowing: The radio broadcast is introduced as the primary purpose of the voyage from the start.

• radio
• broadcast
• variety show
• celebrity
• entertainment
• showbiz

Buzz Fielding (played by Bob Hope) is a popular Old Gold radio emcee who juggles three ex-wives, a lukewarm girlfriend, and a bumbling sidekick while keeping the airwaves lively. His fast-talking humor and self-serving wit drive much of the shipboard comedy, representing the showbiz charm of the era.

• buzz fielding
• bob hope
• radio host
• emcee
• ex-wives
• comedian

S.B. Bellows (played by W.C. Fields) is the owner of the Bellows Line and the mastermind behind sabotage attempts against the rival ship. He embodies the film's satirical take on business magnates, using corporate cunning and comic mischief to create external pressure that fuels the race's tension.

• s.b. bellows
• w.c. fields
• owner
• sabotage
• business magnate
• corporate plot

The film explores three primary themes: rivalry between the two massive ships competing for prestige, the intersection of showbiz and radio culture turning the voyage into a live performance, and romance threading through the voyage with Dorothy Wyndham's relationship with First Officer Robert Hayes adding personal stakes.

• themes
• rivalry
• showbiz
• romance
• radio
• entertainment

The Big Broadcast of 1938 is a comedy musical featuring music, romance, and song-and-dance numbers, with elements of crude humor and satire. The tone is light and whimsical, driven by farcical plots involving mistaken identity, sibling sabotage, and romantic mix-ups.

• comedy
• musical
• romance
• genre
• song and dance
• satire

Dorothy Wyndham (played by Dorothy Lamour) is the leading woman aboard the Gigantic who becomes romantically involved with First Officer Robert Hayes. She embodies grace and romantic allure, catalyzing the interwoven relationships aboard the liner and providing warmth amid the shipboard chaos.

• dorothy wyndham
• dorothy lamour
• romance
• first officer robert hayes

Robert Hayes (played by Leif Erickson) is the First Officer of the Gigantic and inventor of the ship's massive radio power plant. He represents technical prowess and steadiness amid the ship's chaotic social dynamics, with his evolving relationship with Dorothy adding a romantic thread to the voyage.

• robert hayes
• leif erickson
• first officer
• inventor
• radio power plant
• technical