Easter Parade (1948)

A nightclub performer hires a naive chorus girl to become his new dance partner to make his former partner jealous and to prove he can make any partner a star.

Director:

Charles Walters

Writers:

Frances Goodrich (story), Albert Hackett (story),

Stars:

Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Peter Lawford

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Judy Garland	...	Hannah Brown
Fred Astaire	...	Don Hewes
Peter Lawford	...	Jonathan Harrow III
Ann Miller	...	Nadine Hale
Jules Munshin	...	Headwaiter François
Clinton Sundberg	...	Mike the Bartender
Richard Beavers	...	Singer ("The Girl on the Magazine Cover")

Storyline

Don Hewes and Nadine Hale are a dancing team, but she decides to start a career on her own. So he takes the next dancer he meets, Hannah Brown, as a new partner. After a while this new team is so successful, that Florenz Ziegfeld is interested in them, but due to the fact, that Nadine Hale dances also in the Ziegfeld Follies Don says no. In spite of the fact, that he is in love with Hannah, he keeps the relation to her strictly business. So Hannah is of the opinion, that he is still in love with Nadine, and her suspicion grows, when he dances with Nadine in a Night Club Floor Show.

---

Plot Keywords:

dancing | easter | dance | dancer | contract | 

---

Taglines:

The Happiest Musical Ever Made is Irving Berlin's Easter Parade

---

Genres:

Musical | Romance

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Italian

Release Date:

8 July 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

Irving Berlin's Easter Parade

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,503,654 (estimated)

Gross:

$6,803,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Loew's

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ann Miller danced with pinched nerves in her back. She was also taller than Fred Astaire, so she had to wear flats in her scenes with him. This can be seen towards the end of the movie. When she finishes the number "The Girl I Love" she goes behind the curtain wearing red high heels; when she comes back out in front of the audience to entice Astaire to dance with her to their old song "It Only Happens When I Dance With You", she's wearing red flats.

---

Goofs

Marty is obviously not really playing the piano as is hand movements do not match the notes being played.

---

Quotes

Jonathan Harrow III: I hope I'm intruding.

---

Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: The Best of Molly Shannon (2001)

---

Soundtracks

"When the Midnight Choo Choo Leaves for Alabam'"
(uncredited)
Written by Irving Berlin
Sung and Danced by Fred Astaire and Judy Garland

User Reviews

One Of The Best Musicals Of The Classic Era

I don't know why I haven't checked this out on DVD yet. I imagine it looks spectacular, because even the VHS looked super. I'm talking about the Technicolor. Man, those Technicolor films in the '40s were beautiful, as this certainly is.

For entertainment, you get Fred Astaire dancing, Judy Garland singing, Ann Miller dancing, and Peter Lawford singing. I didn't think Lawford could sing, but he's not bad here. The other talent must have elevated his.

Astaire consistently amazed audiences with his innovative dance routines and smooth style. He does a number here in a toy store that is really something! Miller also gives us a good tap number and Garland's songs are all winners.

This movie is more vehicle for those above-mentioned stars than it is in telling some profound the story. The story is not much, but who cares? It's the dancing, singing, the incredible costumes, overall color, nice people and just plain feel-good musical atmosphere that makes this a popular film, even to this day.