Monday, April 7, 2014

April 7 - Easter Parade

Today’s film is a musical with a scene that happens on April 7. I hope you will enjoy this movie and watch it tonight.

EASTER PARADE                         

Don Hewes, a well-known Broadway star buys presents for his dance partner, Nadine Hale, but is stunned when she announces she is going solo. She is in love with a mutual friend of theirs Jonathan Harrow III “Johnny”. He tries to get Don to talk to Nadine, but Don says he doesn’t need her and can turn any dancer into a new partner. Don selects Hannah Brown, a girl singing at the bar where he is drowning his sorrows. She doesn’t believe him at first, but finally agrees to be his partner. Don creates an exotic persona for her and they perform as ‘Juanita and Hewes’ but their initial performance is a dud.  Hannah meets Johnny, who falls in love with her. Don decides that Hannah should be herself in the act. Performing as “Hannah and Hewes” they are a success and soon earn an audition for the Ziegfeld follies, but Don turns it down since Nadine is the star of the show. Johnny confesses his love for Hannah, but she tells him she has fallen in love with Don. Don works up a new act for them and after Hannah tells him he only sees her as a dance partner, he realizes he loves her too. The go to see Nadine’s new show and when she gets Don to dance one of their old numbers with her, Hannah, thinking Don still loves Nadine, flees.  Don tries to apologize and Johnny tells her she should show Don she loves him.  She goes to see him on April 7, 1912 [1:35:55 to 1:43:09] and acts like the argument never happened. They go walk in the Easter Parade on 5th Avenue where Don proposes to Hannah and they become engaged. 

A big-budget MGM musical. A light and airy piece of fluff. If you’re looking for entertainment, this will fill the bill.

At 57:52 the year is given as 1912. At 1:02-50-52 we are told Easter is on April 7th, which is the date Easter was on in 1912 as per http://www.easterbunny.com/date-of-easter/easter-date-for-1912.html

Producer - Arthur Freed

Director - Charles Walters

Awards – This movie won the Best Original Score Oscar at the 21st Academy Awards

Screenplay - Sidney Sheldon, Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett

Runtime – 1 hour 43 minutes

Released – June 30, 1948

Starring –

Judy Garland as Hannah Brown
Fred Astaire as Don Hewes
Peter Lawford as Jonathan Harrow III
Ann Miller as Nadine Hale
Jules Munshin as François
Clinton Sundberg as Mike the bartender

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.





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