Easter Parade (1948) **** (out of 4)Dancing star Don Hewes (Fred Astaire) has his partner Nadine (Ann Miller) leave his side so he makes a bet that he can pick any woman and turn her into a dancing sensation. Hannah Brown (Judy Garland) is the young lady selected and soon her and Don are working their way up the ladder as they try to reach the top and fall in love. I'll admit right up front that EASTER PARADE has very little to no actual story, which for a lot of films would be a kiss of death but the lack of a story really doesn't hurt this because everything else is just so wonderful that you can put up with the predictable nature of what happens. There are so many great things about this picture but I'd say one reason for the lack of a story is that there's over a dozen songs on display here and it's rather shocking to think that all of them work. Standouts include the opening sequence with Astaire picking out gifts, an amazing dance scene with Miller tapping away and of course nearly every moment that Astaire and Garland are working together. Both Astaire and Garland are at the top of their game in terms of both acting, singing and dancing. It's always amazing to watch these two whenever they're on because it's just hard to imagine being able to be so talented at so many different things. Just watching the two float together from one scene to the next is reason enough to watch this film. Miller also deserves a lot of credit for her amazing dance scenes and it's interesting to learn that she wasn't the original choice for the part and had it not been for another actress having an accident, Miller wouldn't have had the part. The Technicolor is another major plus as the beautiful look just leaps off the screen. I always love seeing these older Technicolor films because the colors are just so rich and something that the real world doesn't offer. EASTER PARADE has just about everything going for it and it remains one of the better musicals from a period that produced countless classics.

In both comedies and dramas, Judy Garland always had a tendency to rely on her girlish indignation (audiences must have enjoyed watching her rigid-side thaw and soften under the tutelage of a persistent male). In Charles Walters' "Easter Parade", she's a bit more flexible than usual after initially getting her feathers ruffled by hoofer Fred Astaire, who needs a replacement for sassy Ann Miller after Miller moves onto Broadway. Pairing Garland with Astaire was an inspired idea, however the teaming never quite catches fire (the plot mechanisms surrounding them being far too trite). Impertinent Ann Miller easily steals the show, however Astaire's jazzy opening number is one of his best. Peter Lawford, that perennial hole in the screen, rounds out the romantic foursome, though it's almost impossible to care who ends up with who. ** from ****

The story sees Don (Fred Astaire) make Hannah (Judy Garland) his new stage partner after he has been dumped by Nadine (Ann Miller) so that she can pursue a solo career. Don bets womanizing pal Jonathan (Peter Lawford) that he can make any chorus girl into the next star and picks Hannah at random. They sing some songs, do some routines and fall in love and the finale is the singing of the title song as they promenade along 5th Avenue with all the other posers who undertake this ritual every Easter.The cast are good in this film with Judy Garland winning the honours as she provides many humorous moments (watch how she scene steals from Fred Astaire in the rather hammy and drab routine that is "A Couple Of Swells"). Most of the musical numbers are good if forgettable. My favourite routines include Judy Garland singing "I Want To Go Back To Michigan", her duet with Peter Lawford "A Fella With An Umbrella", Ann Miller singing and dancing "Shakin' The Blues Away", the sequence of song and dance duets that Judy Garland and Fred Astaire have together including "When The Midnight Choo Choo Leaves For Alabam", and Fred Astaire's number "Steppin' Out With My Baby" despite the unnecessary gimmick of having him dance in slow motion which cheapens the routine.Unfortunately, the film crams in too many songs and the viewer may lose interest in the musical offerings, especially towards the end, as none of them are particularly good or memorable unless there is dancing involved. The film is also a little unbelievable in the way Judy Garland falls in love with Fred Astaire. Peter Lawford is the obvious romance for her, but the film seems to be driven by the following love formula - Judy Garland loves Fred Astaire (unbelievable) who loves Ann Miller (but she's a complete bitch so it's unlikely) who loves Peter Lawford who loves Judy Garland. It doesn't work.A final criticism must be made of the ending. At the beginning of the film, Don tells Hannah that come the next Easter Parade, photographers will be lining up to take her picture instead of Nadine's and we have an amusing sequence of Nadine promenading with a dog in a completely ghastly and posey manner as photographers take her picture. At the end of the film, the audience does not get the satisfaction of seeing this come true. We are left with Don and Hannah (wearing long pink rubber kitchen gloves) walking along the parade together but that's it. I assume we are meant to deduce that Hannah has arrived and is now on an equal billing with Nadine. Incidentally, we are not shown what happens with Nadine and Jonathan. I assume that they get together as they are both comfortable with having a showy lifestyle. Nothing is clearly resolved.The cast are good, the colour is great, the costumes are great particularly one green velvet dress that Judy Garland wears, and some of the routines are good but there are better musicals than this.

Since some old films have begun to be broadcast on HD channels I feel I have been spoilt. It's true that some look no better but others, particularly old Technicolor films look terrific. I started to watch this on TV and very nearly switched off because it wasn't on an HD channel. I was disappointed by the quality of the print. However, the sheer joy of seeing Fred Astaire move kept me viewing. As another reviewer has noted - just to see the way he walks is a lesson in elegance.I was also struck watching this by how good Judy Garland is as an actress. We all know about her difficulties off screen but when she commits to her scenes she is always impossible to take you eyes off.It's true that he story is slight and the whole things is held together by string and sealing wax but who cares with singing and dancing of this calibre? I still look forward to seeing an even better print though.By the way did anyone else see a foreshadowing of James Stewart and Kim Novak in Vertigo in the early part of the film or is just me?