Footlight Parade (1933) stars James Cagney, Dick Powell, Joan Blondell & Ruby Keeler. Cagney plays a musical producer who starts making musical prologues for movie theaters. The film is about him dealing with his 2 business partners who are ripping him off, a mole leaking ideas to another competing company, 3 love interests & meeting crazy deadlines. In all it just seemed like too much. The movie felt busy, yet almost bored me to sleep. There was only 1 musical number I enjoyed in the film, and it didn't even involve Cagney. I think Cagney's highlight for this film would have to be the very short dance he did with Ruby Keeler in the number "Shanghai Lil".
You can watch the movie trailer below & you can go watch "By A Waterfall" on YouTube. It's the highlight of the film for me, and shows the influence of Busby Berkeley in Hollywood.
More Info: (Source)
- Not only was this Dorothy Lamour's first film appearance, but Ann Sothern also made an appearance. Both were uncredited chorus girls.
- John Garfield may or may not have made an appearance in this film. If it wasn't him, apparently the guy looked so much like him that people still aren't sure.
- The film that Guy Kibbee and Arthur Hohl takes James Cagney to see is "The Telegraph Trail" starring John Wayne.
John Wayne
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