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.
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 also dances (and stars) in the Ziegfeld Follies, Don says no. Despite the fact that he is in love with Hannah, he keeps the relation with 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.Written by
Stephan Eichenberg <eichenbe@fak-cbg.tu-muenchen.de>
Most (or all) of the musical arrangements, costumes, and hairstyles date from a much later time period than the setting of the film (1911-1912). This is especially notable as many scenes are stage performances. Although a haphazard attempt is made to make the women's street clothing and hats appear to approximate the 1912 time frame, from the knees down, the light-colored stockings and shoe styles are strictly 1948. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Don Hewes:
[as he enters the apartment]
Hat please.
Essie, Nadine's Maid:
Oh, Mr. Hewes.
Don Hewes:
[to Nadine]
Hello darling! Where are you?
Nadine Hale:
Oh Don, I've been trying to call you.
Don Hewes:
Uh, Essie, will you help me with these things please?
[laughs while struggling with several stacked boxes]
Don Hewes:
Thank you. Well, I got all tied up with an Easter rabbit. Hello sweetheart.
[kisses Nadine]
Don Hewes:
Here.
[...] See more »
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! III. The 2004 DVD box set release of all three That's Entertainment films contains a bonus DVD that includes the complete performance of this number. See more »
Don't you just love those old 40's musicals? Easter Parade is certainly one of the best, with Fred Astaire doing his amazing flashy but precise dancing, Judy Garland using her legendary voice to sing right from her heart into yours, and Ann Miller doing her own unique style of dancing and tapping while belting out great songs. And of course, everybody in the film uses any excuse to sing yet another song, usually dancing to it as well.
One of the special sequences has Fred Astaire dancing in slow motion while the rest of the cast dance at normal speed behind him! Sure, we can do that these days with computers, but remember this film was made in 1948!!
Of course there's the usual plot - Boy meets girl, they fall in love, have a misunderstanding, but get together again just in time for the big finishing number. That used to really get the audiences in, in those days, and they repeated that theme in every musical that ever was.
Any weak spots? Several of the film's routines seem a little amateurish by today's standards. For example, the waiter tossing his invisible salad just to do a bit of clowning seems a little contrived. Also, the film is supposedly set in 1912, so all the 1948 fashions and hairstyles are completely anachronistic - but what does that matter, after all, it's just an enjoyable romp.
I've given this film eight out of ten, but if I could just vote on Judy Garland's singing and Fred Astaire's dancing, I'd certainly give them ten out of ten. This is definitely a "must-see" film, just for those two incredible talents!
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Don't you just love those old 40's musicals? Easter Parade is certainly one of the best, with Fred Astaire doing his amazing flashy but precise dancing, Judy Garland using her legendary voice to sing right from her heart into yours, and Ann Miller doing her own unique style of dancing and tapping while belting out great songs. And of course, everybody in the film uses any excuse to sing yet another song, usually dancing to it as well.
One of the special sequences has Fred Astaire dancing in slow motion while the rest of the cast dance at normal speed behind him! Sure, we can do that these days with computers, but remember this film was made in 1948!!
Of course there's the usual plot - Boy meets girl, they fall in love, have a misunderstanding, but get together again just in time for the big finishing number. That used to really get the audiences in, in those days, and they repeated that theme in every musical that ever was.
Any weak spots? Several of the film's routines seem a little amateurish by today's standards. For example, the waiter tossing his invisible salad just to do a bit of clowning seems a little contrived. Also, the film is supposedly set in 1912, so all the 1948 fashions and hairstyles are completely anachronistic - but what does that matter, after all, it's just an enjoyable romp.
I've given this film eight out of ten, but if I could just vote on Judy Garland's singing and Fred Astaire's dancing, I'd certainly give them ten out of ten. This is definitely a "must-see" film, just for those two incredible talents!