Footlight Parade

Warner Bros, 1933
Starring James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, and Dick Powell
Directed by Lloyd Bacon; Musical Numbers Directed by Busby Berkeley
Music by Harry Warren and others; Lyrics by Al Dubin and others

This is the last of the three backstage movies Warners put out in 1933 that redefined the film musical. By this point, Warners already typecast Cagney as a gangster. Wishing to show off his other talents, he campaigned hard for the role of Chester Kent, the nervy stage producer in their newest extravaganza. In what other ways does this film differ from the earlier 42nd Street and Gold Diggers of 1933? Let's head to a theater in New York...a movie theater...and find out...

The Story: With Broadway on the rocks during the Great Depression, Chester switches to creating "prologues," live musical numbers that played before films in larger houses. He's under pressure from his partners to come up with ideas for dozens of numbers, so they can sell them to major theater chains and skim off the profits. There's a spy in his company who keeps selling off his ideas to a rival, his choreographer (Frank McHugh) does nothing but whine, and the woman he hires to help him (Vivian Rich) is a gold-digger who is only interested in his money. There's also the secretary (Keeler) who switches to dancing and the singer (Powell) who was initially hired because he's the "protege" of the producer's wife but asks to become an assistant.

Chester's partners manage to get him a contract with the Apolinaris theater circuit, just as they reveal their stealing and Chester's ex-wife Cynthia (Renee Whitney) tries to blackmail him. Fed up with the espionage, Chester sequesters all performers and personnel in the studio for three days while they work on a trio of huge numbers to impress Mr. Apolinaris (Paul Porcasi). Chester's secretary Nan (Blondell) looks for the spy...and wishes her boss would see her as more than a helpmate.

The Song and Dance: The unique setting and great cast makes this my personal favorite of the trio of hit Warners musicals from 1933. Cagney and his rapid-fire rhythm assures that this remains fast-paced and zesty, with racy pre-Code zingers flying fast and furious from just about everyone. Blondell in particular gets some choice snark at the pretentious Dodd. Even Keeler and Powell come off well (and a tad more adult) as the tart office girl who decides she'd rather be back onstage and the juvenile who isn't as "kept" as she thinks.

Favorite Number: "Sittin' On a Backyard Fence" has Keeler and the chorus girls in cat suits to prowl around the neighborhood and chase frisky mouse Billy Barty. As strange as it seems to have women doing dance steps in cat suits, it still looks less creepy than last year's Cats. "Shanghai Lil" brings Cagney in in what starts as the dramatic tale of a sailor looking for the Chinese girl he loves and ends as a patriotic tribute, with soldiers making eagle formations.

By far the most famous song from this one is "By a Waterfall." What starts as a slightly syrupy romantic rendezvous with Keeler and Powell turns into a massive cascade of hundreds of women in bathing suits following formations and becoming a human waterfall on a giant cake. It likely inspired much of Berkeley's work on Esther Williams' even bigger vehicles in the 1950's.

What I Don't Like: Other than "By a Waterfall," the music isn't quite as memorable as in the previous films. "Honeymoon Hotel" is an imitation "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" and goes on for way too long, and "Shanghai Lil" is marred by Asian stereotypes and the fact that Keeler is neither Asian, nor the temptress type. While not a bad dancer, she's not at Cagney's level and has a hard time keeping up with him during their duet. 

Not to mention, there's so much going on and so many plot lines that turn up in such a short time, many people may have a hard time just trying to figure out who's who and what's going on.

The Big Finale: If you love Cagney or the lavish backstage musicals of the 1930's, this is one parade you'll absolutely want to join.

Home Media: It was just re-released on DVD via the Warner Archives last month and is easy to find on streaming as well.

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