#HONEYMOON HOTEL FOOTLIGHT PARADE MOVIE#

It could be compared to “42nd Street” or the “Gold Diggers” films, which Berkeley also worked on, but “Footlight Parade” has something those didn’t: James Cagney. “Footlight Parade” is one of my favorite pre-code 1930s musicals, and I think it is some of Busby Berkeley’s best work. “Honeymoon Hotel” performed by Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler “Sittin’ on a Back Yard Fence” performed by Ruby Keeler and Billy Taft “Shanghai Lil” performed by James Cagney and chorus “By a Waterfall” performed by Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler

#HONEYMOON HOTEL FOOTLIGHT PARADE MOVIE#

The “By a Water Fall” number was featured on The Great Movie Ride at MGM Studios in Walt Disney World from 1989 until the attraction closed in 2017. Preserved by the Library of Congress in 1992 Cagney’s character Chester Kent is said to be based on choreographer Chester Hale, who was in Hollywood during this time, according to Neibaur’s book. James Cagney campaigned for the lead in this film because he wanted to get away from the tough guy roles, according to the book James Cagney Films of the 1930s by James L. For the “By a Waterfall” number, there was a camera underneath the swimming tank, according to Spivak’s book to 7:45 a.m., according to the book Buzz: The Life and Art of Busby Berkeley by Jeffrey Spivak One daily call production report showed they shot from 9 a.m. It took a week to film the “By a Waterfall” number and much of the time all the girls were in the water and there would be six hours between takes. To get a movie theater contract, Chester makes a dormitory out of the theater so that no one can leak the ideas.

His secretary Nan (Blondell) is in love with him and helps him with ideas, but they learn that some of his ideas are leaking out to other similar agencies. James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Frank McHugh, Guy Kibbee, Ruth Donnelly, Hugh Herbert, Claire Dodd, Gordon Westcott, Arthur Hohl, Billy Barty (uncredited)Ĭhester Kent’s (Cagney) Broadway musicals are failing, because of talking films, so he reinvents himself and begins producing the musical numbers shown before the movie begins. I’m not sure why the girls aren’t wearing clothes.

Honeymoon hotel footlight parade