Coming hot on the heels of "42nd Street" and "Gold Diggers of 1933", "Footlight Parade" further solidified Busby Berkeley's reputation as a star in the world of Hollywood musicals. This particular film features a trio of musical numbers that rank among his best.
The story here is a fairly slight one, existing mainly to pave the way for three Berkeley musical numbers late in the film. James Cagney plays a Broadway producer reduced to making live prologues for movie houses as sound films gain popularity. When a lucrative contract calls for three new prologues at short notice the feat seems impossible, especially with a myriad of personal & professional problems to deal with.
The cast is a pretty good one which includes some of the stars from earlier Berkeley musicals. These include Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell & Guy Kibbee. Meanwhile, James Cagney delivers a spirited performance in the lead role.
Lloyd Bacon, the director of "42nd Street", occupied the director's chair once again here and put in a solid effort. However, it's the Busby Berkeley musical numbers that steal the show. "Honeymoon Hotel", "Shanghai Lil" and especially "By a Waterfall" feature top notch choreography along with catchy tunes from Warren & Dubin.
In conclusion, three stellar Busby Berkeley musical numbers make this film a must-see. You'll have to make it through a somewhat uninvolving story in order to get to them but they are more than worth it.
The story here is a fairly slight one, existing mainly to pave the way for three Berkeley musical numbers late in the film. James Cagney plays a Broadway producer reduced to making live prologues for movie houses as sound films gain popularity. When a lucrative contract calls for three new prologues at short notice the feat seems impossible, especially with a myriad of personal & professional problems to deal with.
The cast is a pretty good one which includes some of the stars from earlier Berkeley musicals. These include Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell & Guy Kibbee. Meanwhile, James Cagney delivers a spirited performance in the lead role.
Lloyd Bacon, the director of "42nd Street", occupied the director's chair once again here and put in a solid effort. However, it's the Busby Berkeley musical numbers that steal the show. "Honeymoon Hotel", "Shanghai Lil" and especially "By a Waterfall" feature top notch choreography along with catchy tunes from Warren & Dubin.
In conclusion, three stellar Busby Berkeley musical numbers make this film a must-see. You'll have to make it through a somewhat uninvolving story in order to get to them but they are more than worth it.