Thursday, April 17, 2014

"In the Easter Parade"

"In your Easter bonnet, with all the thrills upon it..."


One of my favorite Easter traditions is the annual showing of Easter Parade on Turner Classic Movies (TCM). It's a lighthearted musical inspired by Irving Berlin's catchy tune of the same name. Filmed in 1948, it features two of Hollywood's biggest stars at the time: Fred Astaire and Judy Garland. 

Via.
Astaire plays Broadway hoofer, Don Hewes, whose long-time dance partner breaks the news on Easter day that she is leaving him to pursue a solo career. His partner, Nadine (Ann Miller) leaves Don broken hearted and partnerless. Don however decides he won't let Nadine's leaving finish him; he immediately starts a (drunken) search for a replacement dance partner.

Garland and Astaire rehearsing for Easter Parade. Via.
He ends up finding Hannah Brown (Garland), a show-girl at a local bar who is more than eager to dance with a Broadway star. The morning after he hires her however, when Don has sobered up, he finds that Hannah is more inexperienced than he thought. Hannah seems unable to mimic the smooth ballroom dancing Don and Nadine were known for. Even worse, Hannah has a small habit of forgetting her left foot from her right foot.

Don (Astaire) "discovering" Hannah (Garland). Via.


Don remains determined however to turn Hannah into a sophisticated and elegant performer, just like Nadine. He selects feathered and bejeweled gowns for her to wear for their performances, in hopes of making her a carbon copy of Nadine. Don then decides that Hannah's stage name will be 'Juanita,' trying to give her a more exotic and mysterious personae.

Don and "Juanita's" first performance in Easter Parade. Via.
As expected, Don's plan is not a success. Their premiere performance is mediocre at best. Don begins to realize that Hannah isn't Nadine- or Juanita! She's a down-to-earth and talented girl who doesn't need feathers or frills to be an entertaining performer. Together they reboot the act to be a more fun and approachable show that highlights both of their talents. In little time, they are a Broadway smash, giving Nadine's solo show a run for its money.

Don and Hannah's new routines. Via.

Hands down, my favorite number in Easter Parade.

It's your average show biz musical with lots of laughs, a little heartache, and a satisfying happily-ever-after. The real strength of the film is unquestionably the phenomenal talent. Garland and Astaire are simply a marvel as they sing and dance their way through the movie. Astaire obviously exceeds in the dancing, but Garland, as a triple threat, more than holds her own. It's her incomparable voice though, that never fails to bring a smile to my face- or (depending on the song) a tear to my eye. While Astaire might surpass Garland's dancing, Garland downright saves Fred in the singing department.

Hannah and Don in the Easter Parade. Via.
Astaire and Garland were both major Hollywood stars by the time Easter Parade was released. Surprisingly though, this film was not only the first time the two worked together, but also the first time they met one another. As legend has it, Garland was very nervous about meeting and working with Astaire. The two got along quite well though and had a great time filming Easter Parade together. It was before filming started that all the problems occurred.

Irving Berlin, Judy, and Fred. Via.
Gene Kelly was actually set to star as the leading man, Don Hewes, before Astaire. The studio wanted to put Kelly and Garland together again after the great success of their most recent collaboration, The Pirate (which to me was nothing special- it definitely hasn't stood the test of time the way Easter Parade has). Before filming started however, Kelly broke his ankle. Kelly told the studio that he broke it during rehearsals; years later in an interview however, he admitted that he had actually broke it playing touch football.

Fred Astaire
The amazing Fred Astaire. Via.
The studio couldn't afford to delay filming for the weeks Kelly needed to recover. That's when they decided to bring Fred in as a replacement. Astaire, ever the gentleman, called Kelly before accepting the role. He asked Kelly three things: Would this hurt Kelly's career? Would he be able to learn all the dances? And, was there any way Kelly would still be able to do the film? Kelly put Astaire at ease, verifying that the only way Easter Parade would be made was if Astaire joined the cast. And with that reassurance, Astaire joined the film.

Ann Miller as Nadine in Easter ParadeVia.
Shortly after Fred signed on, another casting issue surfaced. Cyd Charisse, who was cast to play Nadine announced she was pregnant. The studio found itself scrambling to find another replacement, which is when the relatively unknown Ann Miller was brought in. Although Miller was thrilled to have the part, she also was not at 100% health during filming. She was recovering from a fairly serious back break. She danced her big solo, "Shakin' the Blues Away," in a full back brace. Looking back in interviews, she confessed she was in excruciating pain the entire time.

And to think she was in a back brace through this entire dance routine.

Judy Garland was the only original cast member to actually make the film, but of course even Judy had her troubles. Her husband, Vincente Minnelli, was supposed to direct the movie. However, it was right before Easter Parade that Garland's nervous breakdown began; this was a persisting breakdown that, just a few years later, would be the end of her MGM career. Her psychiatrist thought that her husband was associated with some of her troubles, and recommended that they not work on the film together. With Garland being their headlining star, the studio agreed and found another replacement- Charles Waters as director.

Judy on the set of Easter ParadeVia.
Easter Parade a perfect example of an old Hollywood musical movie. Gorgeous, over-the-top costumes and sets, Irving Berlin music, and, of course, show-stopping talent. If you're looking for a new Easter tradition or if you're just looking for something to do this Sunday, tune into TCM and you will be able to experience the magic of Easter Parade. 

Lisa Helene.

I love this Italian poster for Easter Parade! Via.

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