Review of Footlight Parade (1933) by Corey H — 07 May 2009
Footlight Parade is the defining pinnacle of mastery by the great Busby Berkeley. With uncanny performances by James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell and hundreds of beautiful showgirls, Footlight Parade is a showcase musical highlighting the ingenuity of Berkeley.
Complete with his synonymous aerial and diagonal camera shots, lavish numbers and the great music of Tin Pan Alley writers Harry Warren and Al Dubin, Footlight Parade reaches its stunning conclusion with the final three "stacked" musical numbers whose music is still very familiar today with "Honeymoon Hotel," "By a Waterfall," and Shanghai Lil'.
" Berkeley's classic water ballet, "By a Waterfall," not only arguably remains his greatest achievement, but also may have opened the door 10 years later to an entire genre of water ballet musicals starring the legendary Esther Williams.
This review of Footlight Parade (1933) was written by Corey H on 07 May 2009.
Footlight Parade has generally received very positive reviews.
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