Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Footlight Parade Blu-ray Movie Review

If this doesn't get 'em, nothing will.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III July 8, 2019

A genuine career highlight for all involved, Lloyd Bacon's Footlight Parade is a top-tier production that expertly combines screwball comedy and extravagant musical theater -- two of my least favorite genres, and I still love it to pieces. This endlessly entertaining production still plays amazingly well, due to its fundamental strengths and even a few variables that just happened to work in its favor. Our story follows the combustible Chester Kent (James Cagney), whose knack for creating short live stage productions (known as "prologues") is threatened by the growing popularity of movies with sound. Unwilling to completely embrace new trends, Chester is tasked with creating three brand-new prologues to impress theater owner George Apolinaris (Paul Porcasi), but there's a catch: they'll be performed live at three different theaters...on the same night. Together with his put-upon secretary Nan Prescott (Joan Blondell), newly "discovered" dancer Bea Thorn (Ruby Keeler), talented young tenor Scotty Blair (Dick Powell), and tireless dance director Francis (Frank McHugh), Chester works feverishly to keep the dream alive for at least one more night.

Mercifully, Footlight Parade came about before the already-written Hays Code was rigidly enforced the following year, and I daresay that this small factor is a big reason why it holds up so well today. It's a film that rightfully feels a little rough around the edges despite its extremely polished final performances, bolstered by razor-sharp dialogue and outfits that aren't afraid to reveal a little skin. Footlight Parade goes so far as to make restrictive "decency" laws part of the story and, appropriately enough, rebuffs them completely. Most importantly, it presents these elements in an organic way and, as a result, strikes (and maintains) a fluid balance between reckless abandon and perfect control.

Still, any film with this many fundamental strengths would likely survive any moral interference. Chief among them are the brilliant performances of key players and supporting stars alike, most notably James Cagney in the best non-gangster role of his career. Cast firmly against type, he's largely responsible for some of the film's most quotable rapid-fire retorts and consistently high energy level...not that Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, and Frank McHugh are far behind. All four, in addition to the more straight-laced character played by Dick Powell, are essential in their respective roles which, in some cases, also required some pretty impressive footwork. The outstanding cinematography and editing (respectively by George Barnes and George Amy) work in tandem to maintain Footlight Parade's crisp rhythm, showcasing the care of professionals who obviously worked in -- or were influenced by -- films produced during the silent era. Somewhere in the middle lie Footlight Parade's show-stealing musical performances, choreographed and directed by Busby Berkeley in the first decade of a prolific career that would last almost 30 more years. The famous synchronized swimming routine during "By A Waterfall", which took nearly a week to film after extensive rehearsals, is worth the price of admission alone. In fact, I wouldn't have blamed Footlight Parade for ending right there.

But it didn't and, in some ways, it still hasn't. Footlight Parade still aims for the back seats in a way that few films do: it's completely sure of itself, but also wants to take us along for the ride. It's effortlessly accessible almost 90 years later and, for that alone, should be considered an enduring classic worthy of preserving for as a long as possible. Luckily, Warner Archive Collection's brand-new Blu-ray edition is more than up to the challenge -- it serves up a top-tier A/V restoration and ports over a handful of decent bonus features from Warner Bros.' terrific 2006 Busby Berkeley Collection DVD boxed set. Die-hard fans and newcomers alike should snap this up as soon as possible, and maybe pick up 42nd Street just for good measure. If we're lucky, Dames and Gold Diggers of 1933 won't be far behind.

Footlight Parade Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in a close approximation of its original aspect ratio (1.33:1, rather than the Academy-standard 1.37:1), Footlight Parade looks exceedingly impressive on Warner Archive Collection's new Blu-ray. This 1080p transfer's source is their recent 2K scan of a fine-grain master positive - - itself struck from the original nitrate camera negative -- with predictably near-perfect results. I've given it every single benefit of the doubt in my overall rating, even with the appearance of occasional dirt, debris, very mild judder, and shaky dissolves; considering the original film's age and extremely fragile format, to have it in such respectable shape is incredibly fortunate. Film grain is very strong and stable, allowing for occasional depth and texture on costumes and props, with suitably strong black levels and bright whites that aren't prone to excessive crush or bleeding. More than 95% of Footlight Parade was shot on well-lit indoor sets; only a few scenes venture outside, and there aren't even that many establishing shots. I only mention this because such limited environments don't always lend themselves to consistently interesting visuals, but the lack of scenic variety is never really an issue here. (Of course, all that goes out the window during the film's stunningly rich and beautiful third-act performances, which absolutely burst with visual creativity and precise compositions.)

Whether through close-ups, focused mid-range shots, or crowded wide angles (all represented in the accompanying 30 screenshots), Footlight Parade has been granted such a beautifully rich and film-like transfer that it's a shame more productions from this era haven't gotten the same treatment. Needless to say, die-hard fans will be thrilled.

Footlight Parade Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Though substantially more limited by its age, the DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio wrings a respectable amount of sonic detail from its restored source material with almost no discernible defects along the way. Conversations and monologues alike sound clean and bright, perfectly intelligible and largely free from hiss, clicks, pops, and other time-related problems. Depth is occasionally achieved in more expansive settings (stages, auditoriums, etc.), but the bulk of Footlight Parade takes place in smallish offices and apartment interiors, so adjust your expectations accordingly. The musical numbers sound great with a solid dynamic range and very little clipping at the high end. No audio sync issues were detected. Without question, Footlight Parade sounds about as good as possible for a film older than magnetic recording.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only. Unfortunately, they're bright yellow and formatted in ALL CAPS...but if you really need them, I guess they're better than nothing.

Footlight Parade Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Warner Archive Collection's Blu-ray edition of Footlight Parade is packaged in a standard keepcase with no inserts. All of the on-disc bonus features have been ported over from WB's excellent 2006 Busby Berkeley Collection DVD boxed set, and we even get two new-to-disc Merrie Melodies cartoons to boot.

• Footlight Parade: Music For The Decades (15:03) is a short but sweet overview of the film's production and legacy with comments from industry professionals including archivist Larry Billman, author Martin Rubin, film historian John Kenrick, film professor Rick Jewell, director John Landis, choreographer Mary Ann Kellogg, and more. It's a great little piece that discusses, among other things, Footlight Parade's musical development, its unique place in film history, and the bold casting of tough-guy James Cagney as a song-and-dance man.

• Vintage Vitaphone Shorts (2 clips, 20:54 total) - These black-and-white 1934 programs are inconsequential but nice to see from a historical perspective. "Rambling 'Round Radio Row #8" (9:51) catches up with gossip columnist Eddie Bruce as he introduces musical acts including guitarist Tito Guizar ("Zuni, Zuni"), singer Shirley Howard ("Don't Blame Me"), and The Men About Town ("Annie Doesn't Live Here Anymore"), as well as a short comedy sketch. Meanwhile, the like-minded "Vaudeville Reel #1" (1934, 11:03) shines a spotlight on the acrobatic Honey Family, singing duo Reis & Dunn, and master showman Sid Grauman's Stepping Stars.

• Vintage Cartoons (4 shorts, 28:24 total) - These include "Honeymoon Hotel" and "Young and Healthy", as well as the new-to-disc "One Step Ahead of My Shadow" and "Sittin' on a Backyard Fence". Produced in 1933 and 1934, they're notable in that "Honeymoon Hotel" was the first Merrie Melodies short to be processed in full color. Although these four shorts are presented in unrestored standard definition (unlike most recent WAC-produced cartoon extras), they're in decent enough shape and at least given a bump to lossless audio.

• Theatrical Trailer (3:18) - Strike up the band! This classic trailer captures lots of excitement while highlighting Footlight Parade's great cast. It's also available on WB's official YouTube channel if you haven't seen it yet.

Footlight Parade Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Lloyd Bacon's Footlight Parade is a highly entertaining and accessible pre-Code musical that still plays amazingly well more than 85 years after its theatrical release. Featuring top-notch performances, razor-sharp dialogue, and show-stealing musical numbers choreographed and directed by Busby Berkeley, it's the kind of film that starts great, stays strong, and truly sticks the landing. Die-hard fans will enjoy revisiting this one, and even complete genre newcomers will find Footlight Parade to be a perfect entry point. Warner Archive Collection's equally impressive new Blu-ray offers plenty of support, including an outstanding 1080p transfer and a respectable amount of extras ported over from WB's Busby Berkeley Collection DVD boxed set. Overall, Footlight Parade is one of WAC's best Blu-rays to date and earns a very high recommendation. Pick it up immediately to ensure we get even more 1930s films on Blu-ray!