Easter Parade

Rating:
Summary: ONE OF MGM's BEST!
Review: I absolutely love "Irving Berlin's Easter Parade". This 1948 release has everything you could want in a musical: memorable songs by Irving Berlin, fabulous and innovative dancing by Fred Astaire and Ann Miller, sensational singing and acting by the legendary Judy Garland, a wonderful story by Sidney Sheldon (yes, THAT one), glorious art direction and sets by Cedric Gibbons, and the list could go on and on. This film is truly one of the best ever cranked out by the prolific Arthur Freed Unit at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. "Irving Berlin's Easter Parade" certainly measures up to the MGM production motto: "Do it BIG, do it RIGHT and give it CLASS."

Rating:
Summary: The Best Movie Ever!
Review: I absolutly LOVE this movie! I watched it daily for about 2 weeks straight and still love it. I love the chemistry between Garland and Astaire, the upbeat songs and dance numbers. It had me humming the tunes all day especially "Steppin Out with my Baby" and "Easter Parade". Maybe it was because it was the first movie I had seen with Fred Astaire, but I think that this is my all time favorite movie with him in it, and I absolutly love Judy Garland. A magnificent team and it shows in the quality of the film. It is a must see for people of all ages and not just at Easter Time!

Rating:
Summary: I love this movie!
Review: I am a Judy Garland and Fred Astaire fan. The first time I saw this film was on Easter sunday on TCM. I only saw the last half I was not too impressed. I have to admit I bought the movie only for Garland. When I got home my whole family gathered round the TV to watch it. I was amazed. The musical numbers are all superb, Irving Berlin's score is perfect, Ann Miller and Peter Lawford are equally super, Garland (like usual) is vocally and comically outstanding, and Astaire's dancing is as good as ever! I think Astaire is a better mach for Garland than Mickey Rooney (sorry Mickey) and Garland is even more suitable for Astaire than Ginger Rogers! Even my dad who claims to hate musicals fell in love with this charmer. I've seen it at least 5 times and it has never bored me. I was lucky enough to buy the MGM version; not the one patterned with Warner Bros. I mean MGM made the movie give them alittle credit! Any way this movie will entertain everyone I highly recomend it!

Rating:
Summary: This musical is great to watch!
Review: I like this movie because some parts are funny and it is a musical. In this movie, Don Hewes, (Fred Astaire) and Nadine Hale, (Ann Miller) are partners in dancing. Nadine one day, has bad news for Don when she says that she is going to act in a show alone and was going to stop dancing with Don. Don does not like this idea and is angry. Nadine also does not like Don anymore but likes another man, but the other man does not actually like Nadine. (I forgot his name) The other man told Don that Don can't go without Nadine. Don says that he can, and says that he can make anyone a star. Don chooses Hannah Brown, (Judy Garland) to be his new dance partner for the coming Easter Parade. Don teaches Hannah how to dance, until one day Hannah has an appointment with Don, and it was raining hard. . What might happen later? I can't tell anymore... you have to watch this movie to find out!

Rating:
Summary: I could never get enough of that song.
Review: I played this at my theatre every Easter Holiday along with a stage Show. During the last number, Easter Parade, which was never long enough was when my stage show would start with a dozen girls and guys all dressed in their turn of the century outfits would stroll down the isles while the Grand Organ played along with the movie. By the time they reached the stage, the screen started to roll-up and the Stage Show would start. Very campy yes, but it looked beautiful.Speaking of beauty, i've always felt that this was one of Judy's best next to "Meet me in St. Louis". She was a stunning beauty in both. This is a must for everyones collection who loves the old MGM musicals. Why 'ol why can't we have actors and films like this anymore. I'm just hoping that the transfer to DVD is a good one and that they channel in the stereo sound like it was originally filmed.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best!
Review: I thought that "Easter Parade" was very funny. It includes several must-see dance numbers including "Shakin' the Blues Away" (by Ann Miller), "Steppin' Out With My Baby"(by Fred Astaire), "Drum Crazy" (by Fred Astaire), and 'A Couple of Swells" (by Judy Garland and Fred Astaire). A must-see!

Rating:
Summary: Judy and Fred at their best
Review: I watched this film weekly, sometimes daily, when I was a kid. This is the Judy Garland I remember. I love her comic timing, I think she's genuinely funny and doesn't take herself too seriously.

My favorite, most dashing Fred Astaire is in Top Hat, but I kinda like this friendly, more asexual rapport he establishes with Judy. They look very comfortable together, like they really like each other and are having fun with their scenes. Everything runs so smoothly they make it look easy.

I always liked Ann Miller's in your face attitude, but I learned to admire her even more when I heard that while doing the "Shaking the Blues Away" number she was recovering from an accident that had resulted in a miscarriage and an injury to her back. Such courage and resilience!

It's a bit dated, but still great fun and all the musical numbers are unforgettable.

Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest musicals ever made
Review: If I could design my own musical, it would come out looking and sounding a lot like Easter Parade. After all, my perfect musical would absolutely have to star Judy Garland, I would want the two best dancers of the world in it - Fred Astaire and Ann Miller, Irving Berlin would supply all of the music, I would pack as much singing and dancing as possible into it, and there would have to be a significant degree of comedy alongside a wonderful romantic plot. I would not, however, include Peter Lawford in my cast, although Lawford isn't too terribly irritating in Easter Parade (and even seems to stay sober throughout the whole film). Gene Kelly was supposed to star opposite Judy Garland here, but an injury prevented him from making the movie. I do not mean to slight Gene Kelly at all, but I just can't imagine anyone other than Fred Astaire, who came out of retirement to take Kelly's place, in the role of Don Hewes. There are only a handful of stars talented enough to share the spotlight equally with Judy Garland, and Astaire is definitely in that select group. His presence is felt immediately, as he sings, dances, and drums his way through the opening scenes, and never fades throughout the entire 104 minutes of the film.

Hewes is in love with his dance partner Nadine Hale (Ann Miller), so he is distraught when she tells him that she has signed a contract to star in her own show. Hewes seeks comfort at a local club, where he drowns his sorrows and swears that he can take any young lady and turn her into a magnificent dancer, even someone like Hannah Brown (Judy Garland), one of the club's chorus girls. The following morning, he regrets asking Hannah to be his new partner, but when she shows up saying she quit her job to accept his offer, he has little choice but to fulfill his promise to her. Things don't go smoothly at first, as Hannah sometimes struggles to remember her left from her right, and Hewes tries to make a ballroom dancer out of her. Eventually, he figures out that he is trying to turn Hannah into another Nadine, and once he lets Hannah be Hannah the duo quickly becomes quite successful. Hannah, of course, falls in love with Hewes, and she is greatly troubled when Hannah & Hewes cross paths with the celebrated Nadine Hale. When Hannah learns that Nadine was Hewes' former partner as well as a woman he loved, she fears for her happiness as well as her career. Hewes did indeed start out hoping he could use Hannah to make Nadine jealous and thus win her back, but Hannah becomes more than his partner as the months go by. This romance doesn't come easy for either party, for a number of reasons, but their story is really quite wonderful.

Easter Parade is a joyous and uplifting film that showcases Garland's incredible acting ability and talent. The story is great, but the songs and dances are the most memorable aspects of the film. Astaire makes everything look easy, and the man can do more with a cane than I would ever have thought possible. Aside from his numerous routines with Garland, Astaire knocks the viewer dead with his solo "Steppin' Out With My Baby" number - famous for its "slow motion" dance which is still mighty cool no matter how unreal it looks in this day and age. Judy Garland is delightful through and through and lends her voice to many a beautiful song over the course of the film. She was not born to be a dancer, but she more than holds her own beside Fred Astaire, and one can only admire the level of commitment she brought with her to this film. "A Couple of Swells" is a particularly unforgettable number featuring the tandem of Astaire and Garland. Lest we forget Ann Miller, I have to say her two big dance numbers are amazing, especially the highly energetic "Shakin' the Blues Away." I wish I could describe all of the amazing performances in this movie, but I would need much more time and space to do so.

Easter Parade is, quite simply, one of the most impressive and entertaining movie musicals ever made. Garland and Astaire are magical in this, the only movie they made together, and the age difference between the two stars completely disappears when they are together, thus making the romantic aspect of this film work very well indeed. I've seen Easter Parade a number of times, and I think my level of enjoyment actually increases with each and every viewing.

Rating:
Summary: Essential
Review: If you like movie musicals, you have to have this one. The story is just a framework for the songs, but who's complaining?

Rating:
Summary: ONE CLASSY MUSICAL!
Review: In this film we have talents galore at their very best. The Fred Astaire we meet is perhaps more mellow, but warmer, than the films he made when he was younger. The Judy Garland we meet has a natural vivaciousness which life hasn't yet at times lessened. I have always thought of her as more of a singer/entertainer than an actress, but in this movie she excels at both. She is a wonder, even though she smiles through sad and haunted eyes. And Peter Lawford really acts and sings in superior fashion; he is not just a handsome, English poseur. And three cheers for beautiful Ann Miller, smooth as silk when dancing with Astaire or solo.

The plot: Dancer loses his partner (who he is also in love with) as she goes it alone. When tipsy, he pulls Garland out of a line and claims he will make her a great star. Come to find out that for psychological reasons she doesn't even know her left foot from her right. In the end, she's great, and also in love with you know who. She has to throw a few tantrums before Astaire wakes up to his unacknowledged feelings for her as well.

The best here are the wonderful and bountiful musical numbers: "We're a Couple of Swells" perhaps being the heighth of musical artistry for Astaire and Garland.

One aside: When Jimmy Bates (the boy who follows Astaire around a toy store while Fred performs "Drum Crazy," finished the filming of his segment and was about to leave the studio, Fred was a sweetheart enough to present him with the gift of a bicycle. Jimmy grew up to be one of this country's greatest dancers (modern, ballet and tap) and became the head of a dance department at a Northern California university.

Another element of this perfect film is the stunning fashions. Too bad women don't wear those gorgeous hats anymore which so adorned their faces and garnished the style of an era. An era captured beautifully in this what-more-can-you-say-about-it movie.