I thought I’d seen everything made before 1935. Brother, was
I wrong.
Turner Classic Movies threw “Footlight Parade” at me a few
weeks ago. It’s a minor classic. Here’s the plot in brief: movie theaters are
putting on live musical shows between their presentations, in order to bring in
bigger audiences. Producer Jimmy Cagney is
mass-producing these musical shows and sending them all over the country, but
someone (???) is stealing his ideas. His secretary (Joan Blondell) is
in love with him, though he’s too business-minded to notice.
Etc., etc., etc. Lots of musical numbers (by Busby Berkeley!), and
lots of wisecracking dialogue.
But the revelation here is an actor named Frank McHugh.
McHugh is doing gay. And, for once, not flamboyant Franklin Pangborn gay, but subtle gay.
McHugh’s a dance director. He’s a miserable hypochondriac, and
he threatens to quit every few minutes, and he always looks as if he’s ready to
burst into tears. He leads the chorus girls in dance numbers, dancing almost as
smoothly as they do, smoking a cigar the whole time.
Best of all: he sings a love duet with Dick Powell (all
the while puffing on his cigar), in order to show the girls how it’s done. He’s
perfectly oblivious, and he’s perfectly sweet. (And, I have to add, Dick Powell
never once chokes on the cigar smoke that McHugh is blowing into his face.)
This is a charming movie, with some lovely dance numbers,
and some interesting performances. And it’s a valuable study in 1930s Beliefs
and Standards.
Take a moment out of your busy schedule and see it, if you
have the chance.
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