Footlight Parade

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Jan 26, 2019 The best musical movie ever made!

Abraham S Feb 13, 2018 James Cagney stars as a producer of stage musicals who finds the demand for his product diminished by the growth of the movie business. He figures out that there's a market for staging musical numbers between the showing of films, and creates a business that tours these numbers around the country. A wonderfully frenetic showbiz comedy musical that has an amazing cast. Joan Blondell plays Cagney's secretary who loves Cagney despite him never noticing. Dick Powell plays a young man who gets a job due to family connections with the company management and starts a love/hate relationship with Ruby Keeler as an office girl turned musical star. Frank McHugh, Guy Kibbee and Hugh Herbert all have strong supporting comic performances. The plot builds up to the staging of 3 incredible musical numbers staged by Busby Berkeley ,,, each quite different and showing off different aspects of his talent. A very young Billy Barty appears in the first of these. See more

Harry S Jan 31, 2018 What a gem! Saw it in the TCM's on demand line-up, started it and just was transfixed. Dated, but in a timeless way that goes back not just to the 1930's but to what it must have been like in vaudeville. Cagney is in top form and terrifically supported by Blondell, Keeler and a all round great cast. Powell is ok, being not nearly as annoying as he usually is. Great music/dance numbers with pussy cats, a honeymoon hotel, a waterfall and - the topper - Shanghai Lil. All of it wrapped up in snappy, risqué dialogue. See more

Anakin W May 13, 2017 9 out of 10: Imperfect but still funny and well acted. Plus the dance scenes at the end are so worth it.

Leia G Feb 22, 2013 One of the last Busby Berkeley Musicals he did for Warner Brothers & was in many regards well made but dragged quite a bit. The story of entertainer nearly kicked out of Show business due to talking pictures so he forms a new trade. Occasionally humorous largely pedestrian except the final pool number which was that elaborate & overwhelming it made up for the film's shortcomings throughout. See more

Leia W Mar 24, 2010 The music is nice, but nothing is quite memorable. I was visually impressed by the water musical sequence with the swimmers, which is the best thing about the film. Aside from that it's not something I would watch again. (First and only viewing - 6/30/2010) See more

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Footlight Parade

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