Movies / Footlight Parade (1933)

7/10

Runtime: 104 min

Genres: Comedy Musical Romance

Languages: English French

Countries: USA


The last--and to some aficionados, the best--of choreographer Busby Berkeley's three Warner Bros. efforts of 1933, Footlight Parade stars James Cagney as a Broadway musical comedy producer. Cagney is unceremoniously put out of business when talking pictures arrive. To keep his head above water, Jimmy hits upon a swell idea: he'll stage musical prologues for movie theatres, then ship them out to the various picture palaces in New York. Halfway through the picture, Cagney is obliged to assemble three mammoth prologues and present them back-to-back in three different theatres. There are all sorts of backstage intrigues, not the least of which concerns the predatory hijinks of gold-digger Claire Dodd and the covetous misbehavior of Cagney's ex-wife Renee Whitney. Joan Blondell plays Jimmy's faithful girl-friday, who loves him from afar; Ruby Keeler is the secretary who takes off her glasses and is instantly transformed into a glamorous stage star; Dick Powell is the protege of wealthy Ruth Donnelly, who makes good despite this handicap; Frank McHugh is Cagney's assistant, who spends all his time moaning It'll never work; and Hugh Herbert is a self-righteous censor, who ends up in a censurable position. The last half-hour of Footlight Parade is a nonstop display of Busby Berkeley at his most spectacular: the three big production numbers, all written by Harry Warren and Al Dubin, are By a Waterfall, Honeymoon Hotel, and Shanghai Lil, the latter featuring some delicious pre-code scatology, a tap-dance duet by Cagney and Keeler, and an out-of-left-field climactic salute to FDR and the NRA! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide


Directors (1) Credit
Lloyd Bacon ...
Writers (4) Credit
James Seymour writer
Manuel Seff writer
Peter Milne story (uncredited)
Robert Lord story (uncredited)
Editors (1) Credit
George Amy ...
Cinematographers (1) Credit
George Barnes ...
Actors (70) Credit
Amo Ingraham Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Ann Ingraham Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Ann Sothern Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Arthur Hohl Al Frazer
Avis Adair Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Barbara Rogers Gracie
Billy Barty Mouse / Little Boy (uncredited)
Billy Taft Boy Cat, 'Sittin' on a Backyard Fence' / Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Bobbie La Salle Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Bonnie Bannon Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Busby Berkeley Drugstore Clerk (uncredited)
Charles C. Wilson Policeman (uncredited)
Claire Dodd Vivian Rich
Cliff Saum Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Cynthia Lindsay Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Dave O'Brien Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Dick Powell Scott 'Scotty' Blair
Donna La Barr Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Donna Mae Roberts Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Dorothy Lamour Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Duke York Sailor on Table, 'Shanghai Lil' (uncredited)
Eleanor Bayley Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Frank McHugh Francis, dance director
Fred Kelsey House Detective, 'Honeymoon Hotel' (uncredited)
George Chandler Druggist (uncredited)
Gordon Westcott Harry Thompson
Guy Kibbee Silas 'Si' Gould
Harry Seymour Desk Clerk, 'Honeymoon Hotel' / Joe (uncredited)
Herman Bing Fralick, the Music Director
Hobart Cavanaugh Title-Thinker-Upper (uncredited)
Hugh Herbert Charlie Bowers
James Cagney Chester Kent
Jean Rogers Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Jimmy Conlin Uncle, 'Honeymoon Hotel' (uncredited)
Joan Blondell Nan Prescott
John Hyams Father, 'Honeymoon Hotel' (uncredited)
Juliet Ware Miss Smythe (uncredited)
June Gittelson Fat Girl (uncredited)
June Glory Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Lee Moran Mac, the Dance Director (uncredited)
Leila McIntyre Mother, 'Honeymoon Hotel' (uncredited)
Lillian Lawrence Aunt Matilda, 'Honeymoon Hotel' (uncredited)
Lois Lacy Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Lois Lindsay Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Lorena Layson Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Loretta Andrews Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Lynn Browning Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Mae Madison Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Marlo Dwyer Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Mary Dees Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Maxine Doyle Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Mildred Dixon Maid, 'Honeymoon Hotel' (uncredited)
Pat Fara Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Patsy Farnum Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Pat Wing Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Paul Porcasi George Apolinaris
Peggy Grove Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Philip Faversham Joe Barrington
Renee Whitney Cynthia Kent
Roger Gray Sailor Pal, 'Shanghai Lil' (uncredited)
Rosalie Roy Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Ruby Keeler Bea Thorn
Ruth Donnelly Harriet Bowers Gould
Sam McDaniel Porter, 'Honeymoon Hotel' (uncredited)
Shirley Dunstead Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Sue Rainey Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Victoria Vinton Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Virginia Dabney Chorus Girl (uncredited)
William Irving Doorman, 'Honeymoon Hotel' (uncredited)
William V. Mong Auditor (uncredited)