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:

Sidney Sheldon (screenplay), Frances Goodrich (screenplay)

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.

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Plot Keywords:

dance | dancing | easter | performer | dancer | 

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Taglines:

Full of melody! Full of young love!

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Genres:

Musical | Romance

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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 USA:

$9,033,920

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,650,540

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the title song, the term "rotogravure" does not refer to the photographic process. In the days that this movie took place, newspapers would have a special insert - on holidays and Sundays - of photographs of local people and events. This special insert was called the Rotogravure.

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Goofs

Most or all of the musical arrangements, costumes, and hairstyles date from a much later time period than the setting of the film (1912-1913). This is especially notable since many scenes are stage performances. Although a haphazard attempt is made to made the women's street clothing and hats vaguely appear at least near or approximate to the 1912 time frame, from the knees down, the light colored stockings, and most definitely all the shoe styles, are strictly 1948.

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Quotes

Hannah Brown: Was I too terrible?
Don Hewes: No. No.
Hannah Brown: I've never really danced before.
Don Hewes: You're going to be fine.
Hannah Brown: Mr. Hewes, Mr. Hewes... You know you don't have to go on with this.
Don Hewes: Now look...
Hannah Brown: No, I mean it. You're the most wonderful dancer I've ever seen. You could get anyone to dance with you. You could get the very best.
Don Hewes: I don't want the very best. I want you.

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Alternate Versions

Judy Garland sings "Mr. Monotony" in a sequence cut from the film. An excerpt from the number was included in That's Entertainment Part III (1994). The 2004 DVD box set release of all three That's Entertainment films includes a bonus DVD that includes the complete performance of this number.

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Connections

Spoofed in The Long Day Closes (1992)

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Soundtracks

Easter Parade
(uncredited)
Written by Irving Berlin
Sung by Judy Garland and Fred Astaire

User Reviews

"Oh look, it's the Easter Parade!"

Yes, this movie, arguably one of Garland's best at M-G-M, is certainly something to look at. Cute story, excellent cast, gorgeous costumes (Ann's breathtaking white and red gown from the Magazine Cover number and Judy's marvelous emerald-coloured dress at the Ziegfeld Follies after opening night), and have I mentiond the SWELL songs? Drum Crazy is awfully entertaining, Shakin' the Blues Away is classic Miller (in other words fast and superb), Better Luck Next Time is heartbreaking, and so many others are just plain GOOD. A must see for any fans of Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Ann Miller, Peter Lawford, Jules Munshin (in a funny bit as a waiter), or just great fun.