Footlight Parade (1933)
-
100% of critics liked it
(9 reviews) -
85% of users liked it
(1,075 ratings)
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,… More 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, Rovi
- Directed By
- Lloyd Bacon, Llyod Bacon
- Written By
- Manuel Seff, James Seymour
- Genres
- Romance, Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Sep 30, 1933 Wide
- Studio
- WARNER BROTHERS PICTURES
Critic Reviews
-
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's the third successful teaming of choreographer Busby Berkeley with stars Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler.
-
Chris Cabin, Filmcritic.com
generates laughs at a criminal rate
-
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Not the best of the Berkeley Warner musicals, but close.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Featured Audience Ratings
Currently unavailable on Flixster
Also available on
UltraViolet Retailers
Other Retailers
Subscription Services
Not Available
Not Available
Not Available
Cast
-
James Cagney
as Chester Kent
-
Joan Blondell
as Nan Prescott
-
Ruby Keeler
as Bea Thorn
-
Dick Powell
as Scotty Blair
-
Guy Kibbee
as Silas Gould
-
Ruth Donnelly
as Harriet Bowers Gould
-
Claire Dodd
as Vivian Rich
-
Hugh Herbert
as Charlie Bowers
-
Frank McHugh
as Francis
-
Arthur Hohl
as Al Frazer
-
Gordon Westcott
as Harry Thompson
-
Paul Porcasi
as George Appolinaris
-
Billy Barty
as Mouse/Little Boy
-
Herman Bing
as Fralick the music director
-
Hobart Cavanaugh
as Title-Thinkerupper
-
George Chandler
as Drugstore attendant
-
Jimmy Conlin
as Uncle
-
Marlo Dwyer
as Chorus girl
-
Philip Faversham
as Joe Farmington
-
William Granger
as Doorman
-
Roger Gray
as Sailor-Pal in "Shanghai Lil" Number
-
Fred Kelsey
as House detective
-
Donna La Barr
as Chorus Girl
-
Dorothy Lamour
as Chorus
-
Sam McDaniel
as Porter
-
William V. Mong
as Auditor
-
Lee Moran
as Mac the Dance Director
-
Donna Mae Roberts
as Chorus girl
-
Barbara Rogers
as Gracie
-
Marjean Rogers
as Chorus girl
-
Harry Seymour
as Desk Clerk in "Honeymoon"
-
Billy Taft
as Specialty dancer
-
Juliet Ware
as Miss Smythe
-
Renee Whitney
as Cynthia Kent
-
Charles C. Wilson
as Cop
-
Pat Wing
as Chorus girl
-
Duke York
as Sailor on Table in "Shanghai Lil" Number
-
Charles Lane
as Hotel detective in the "Honeymoon Hotel"...
-
Dave O'Brien
as Chorus boy
-
John Garfield
as Sailor Behind Table
- Busby Berkeley
- Lloyd Bacon
