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Easter Parade | 
| Director: Charles Walters
Actors: Lola Albright, Shirley Ballard, Jimmy Bates, Richard Beavers, Margaret Bert
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: CDN$ 32.82
Buy New: CDN$ 26.25
You Save: CDN$ 6.57 (20%)
New (12) Used (2) from CDN$ 23.99
Rating:  20 reviews
Format: Import, Ntsc, Special Edition, Subtitled
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: WARD67072D
ISBN: 0790798972
UPC: 012569707221
EAN: 9780790798974
ASIN: B0007939MU
Theatrical Release Date: July 8, 1948
Release Date: March 15, 2005
Availability: Usually ships within 1 - 2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Ships from US -ships in 24 hours- Avg delivery time 7-14 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
From Amazon.com essential video
Don Hewes (Fred Astaire) is devastated when his longtime dancing partner, Nadine Hale (Ann Miller), breaks up the team to set out on her own. Determined to prove that he can succeed without her, Astaire vows that he can pick any random chorus girl and make her a star. Fortunately for him, the chorus girl he picks happens to be one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century, Judy Garland (playing Hannah Brown). IEaster Parade/I turned out to be the first and only collaboration between the two screen legends. Garland made the 1948 film despite ongoing health problems then had to pull out of a planned follow-up, IThe Barkleys of Broadway/I (Ginger Rogers replaced her); Astaire had retired following IBlue Skies/I in 1946 but was brought in for this film as an emergency replacement after Gene Kelly broke his ankle playing touch football. Fortunately, IEaster Parade/I always feels like an Astaire film rather than a Kelly film, from its IPygmalion/I-esque plot (which helps explain the principals' 23-year age disparity) to its score of Irving Berlin standards (some new, some recycled from earlier films). The film capitalizes on the strengths of both stars, Astaire in dance solos, including "Drum Crazy" and "Steppin' Out with My Baby" (MGM's take on Astaire's earlier, persona-defining "Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails"), and Garland in vocal solos, including the torchy "Better Luck Next Time." The stars especially shine, however, when they perform together in their vaudeville numbers, most notably the persona-defying hobo routine "We're a Couple of Swells." Watch this classic every Easter. I--David Horiuchi/I
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
 Garland! Astaire! MIller! Lawford! Berlin! -- and more! July 19, 2004
Matthew G. Sherwin
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
It goes without saying that Easter Parade is one of the greatest MGM musicals ever made. Fred Astaire and Judy Garland make a wonderful dancing, singing and acting team! As you may know from all the reviewers before me, Astaire plays the part of Don Hewes, a very famous dancer, who is very upset after his love interest and dance partner Nadine (played by Ann Miller) leaves him to pursue an even more lucrative career on the stage. In anger and disgust he impulsively vows that he could turn any woman into a better dancer than his partner had been-and he makes a great pick! Hannah Brown, played by Judy Garland, is (of course) not too good at dancing at first, but with much coaching and hard work Hewes (Astaire) builds her into a dancing star as his new partner! (As the Amazon review points out, while watching this film I was reminded more than once of the musical My Fair Lady. There is that theme of the older, more experienced and educated man coaching, teaching and molding a younger woman.) pThis film offers a love triangle with Peter Lawford also being attracted to Garland but he doesn't get far as she is very much in love with Hewes (Astaire). The musical numbers are outstanding thanks to the incomparable Irving Berlin, Garland, and Astaire. Ann Miller (playing Nadine, Astaire's former partner) also does a fantastic job with her dance number while singing "Shakin' The Blues Away." Indeed, it's hard to decide which numbers are the best; they're all so well done and beautifully filmed! "Steppin' Out With My Baby" and the title song are particularly strong numbers; so is "We're A Couple Of Swells," a vaudeville-type number that Garland liked very much. pThe choreography is excellent. The dancing is superlative and they must have really put a lot of effort into a dance routine with Garland and Astaire early on in the film where she dances almost every step wrong!pI recommend this movie for lovers of classic musicals, Garland fans, Astaire fans, Miller fans as well as aficionados of great quality films. Get this movie for your collection today and you'll never regret it! A BUY! GRIN
Musical June 20, 2004
Young Oldies lover (Laramie, Wy)
A fantastic musical. A sure-fine collectable that they couldn't ever make a remake of. This has many classic songs I once sung in choir; unforgettables such as Stepping Out with My Baby and more. The plot is one about a dancer who just lost his partner to another. He decides to show her how he really did turn her into a star by taking any girl--and doing just that. He picks Judy Garland, a nightclub singer, and turns her into a dancer, sure enough. She falls in love with him, but he still wants to get his old partner back. In the end, though, he realizes how in love he is with her and takes her out for the Easter parade, singing the title song. You should see it if you love Judy's singing and Fred Astair's wonderful 5 star tap dancing! Enjoy!
One of the greatest musicals ever made April 11, 2004
Daniel Jolley (Shelby, North Carolina USA)
If I could design my own musical, it would come out looking and sounding a lot like Easter Parade. After all, my perfect musical would absolutely have to star Judy Garland, I would want the two best dancers of the world in it - Fred Astaire and Ann Miller, Irving Berlin would supply all of the music, I would pack as much singing and dancing as possible into it, and there would have to be a significant degree of comedy alongside a wonderful romantic plot. I would not, however, include Peter Lawford in my cast, although Lawford isn't too terribly irritating in Easter Parade (and even seems to stay sober throughout the whole film). Gene Kelly was supposed to star opposite Judy Garland here, but an injury prevented him from making the movie. I do not mean to slight Gene Kelly at all, but I just can't imagine anyone other than Fred Astaire, who came out of retirement to take Kelly's place, in the role of Don Hewes. There are only a handful of stars talented enough to share the spotlight equally with Judy Garland, and Astaire is definitely in that select group. His presence is felt immediately, as he sings, dances, and drums his way through the opening scenes, and never fades throughout the entire 104 minutes of the film. pHewes is in love with his dance partner Nadine Hale (Ann Miller), so he is distraught when she tells him that she has signed a contract to star in her own show. Hewes seeks comfort at a local club, where he drowns his sorrows and swears that he can take any young lady and turn her into a magnificent dancer, even someone like Hannah Brown (Judy Garland), one of the club's chorus girls. The following morning, he regrets asking Hannah to be his new partner, but when she shows up saying she quit her job to accept his offer, he has little choice but to fulfill his promise to her. Things don't go smoothly at first, as Hannah sometimes struggles to remember her left from her right, and Hewes tries to make a ballroom dancer out of her. Eventually, he figures out that he is trying to turn Hannah into another Nadine, and once he lets Hannah be Hannah the duo quickly becomes quite successful. Hannah, of course, falls in love with Hewes, and she is greatly troubled when Hannah Hewes cross paths with the celebrated Nadine Hale. When Hannah learns that Nadine was Hewes' former partner as well as a woman he loved, she fears for her happiness as well as her career. Hewes did indeed start out hoping he could use Hannah to make Nadine jealous and thus win her back, but Hannah becomes more than his partner as the months go by. This romance doesn't come easy for either party, for a number of reasons, but their story is really quite wonderful. pEaster Parade is a joyous and uplifting film that showcases Garland's incredible acting ability and talent. The story is great, but the songs and dances are the most memorable aspects of the film. Astaire makes everything look easy, and the man can do more with a cane than I would ever have thought possible. Aside from his numerous routines with Garland, Astaire knocks the viewer dead with his solo Steppin' Out With My Baby number - famous for its slow motion dance which is still mighty cool no matter how unreal it looks in this day and age. Judy Garland is delightful through and through and lends her voice to many a beautiful song over the course of the film. She was not born to be a dancer, but she more than holds her own beside Fred Astaire, and one can only admire the level of commitment she brought with her to this film. A Couple of Swells is a particularly unforgettable number featuring the tandem of Astaire and Garland. Lest we forget Ann Miller, I have to say her two big dance numbers are amazing, especially the highly energetic Shakin' the Blues Away. I wish I could describe all of the amazing performances in this movie, but I would need much more time and space to do so. pEaster Parade is, quite simply, one of the most impressive and entertaining movie musicals ever made. Garland and Astaire are magical in this, the only movie they made together, and the age difference between the two stars completely disappears when they are together, thus making the romantic aspect of this film work very well indeed. I've seen Easter Parade a number of times, and I think my level of enjoyment actually increases with each and every viewing.
The Best Movie Ever! March 19, 2004
Hermione (Chicago)
I absolutly LOVE this movie! I watched it daily for about 2 weeks straight and still love it. I love the chemistry between Garland and Astaire, the upbeat songs and dance numbers. It had me humming the tunes all day especially Steppin Out with my Baby and Easter Parade. Maybe it was because it was the first movie I had seen with Fred Astaire, but I think that this is my all time favorite movie with him in it, and I absolutly love Judy Garland. A magnificent team and it shows in the quality of the film. It is a must see for people of all ages and not just at Easter Time!
Judy and Fred at their best November 26, 2003
MarianaP (Lisbon, Portugal)
I watched this film weekly, sometimes daily, when I was a kid. This is the Judy Garland I remember. I love her comic timing, I think she's genuinely funny and doesn't take herself too seriously.pMy favorite, most dashing Fred Astaire is in Top Hat, but I kinda like this friendly, more asexual rapport he establishes with Judy. They look very comfortable together, like they really like each other and are having fun with their scenes. Everything runs so smoothly they make it look easy.pI always liked Ann Miller's in your face attitude, but I learned to admire her even more when I heard that while doing the "Shaking the Blues Away" number she was recovering from an accident that had resulted in a miscarriage and an injury to her back. Such courage and resilience!pIt's a bit dated, but still great fun and all the musical numbers are unforgettable.
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