Footlight Parade

This is pure Hollywood, not written for, not adapted from, not conceived for the stage. Although it is the world of the stage musical that Footlight Parade explores. Specifically it looks at Prologue productions, which were short live presentations given between movie screenings. I believe they were the way movie theater owners drew audiences to their movie house while their competitors might be showing the same film. "We're Air Conditioned!" "We have more comfy seats!" "We have a waterfall and scores of bathing beauties that swim in a tank that could never really fit in this movie house!"

If I'm wrong on the history lesson, I'm sure someone will correct me, or point me to a good source--Oscar Brockett never covered it in the text book he wrote for my theater history courses in college.

Well, Footlight Parade is a "let's put on a show" variant. They put on three Prologues at three different movie houses in one evening. Different Prologues, same cast. Realistic? No.

While you get a taste of some singing and dancing during the course of the film, you have to wait to the end to see the three ultra-elaborate Prologues presented back-to-back-to-back at the end of the film. The waterfall/pool number is particularly stunning to watch, if you can get past the idea that this is supposed to be seen in a live stage show. Exactly how would an audience experience the overhead and underwater shots as created by Busby Berkeley (see above)?

Jimmy Cagney is rough and tumble as the man who dreams up the Prologue themes and then rallies the team. He also performs one of the Prologues. It's a good preview of the more nuanced and worthy performance Cagney will give as George M. Cohan nearly a decade later in Yankee Doodle Dandy. Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell round out the cast.

I didn't care for any of the music, which is written by Al Dubin and Harry Warren, although "Shang-hai Lil" is somewhat catchy. It is surprising to see a cast of all shades in this one number--Black, Asian, White. Did it cause a sensation?

Oscar Brockett doesn't know.

Footlight Parade
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Film released in 1933 by Warner Bros.
DVD released in 2006
Cast: James Cagney, Ruby Keeler, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell