Manhattan Parade (film)
Encyclopedia
Manhattan Parade is a 1931 musical comedy film photographed entirely in Technicolor
. It was originally intended to be released, in the United States, early in 1931, but was shelved due to public apathy towards musicals. Despite waiting a number of months, the public proved obstinate and the Warner Bros. reluctantly released the film in December 1931 after removing all the music. The film was released outside the United States (since there was no backlash against musicals outside the United States) as a full musical comedy in 1931.
process which removed grain and improved both the color and clarity of the film. This improved process had first been used on The Runaround
(1931) and resulted in an attempt at a color revival by the studios late in 1931. Variety praised the color work in this film, stating that "the coloring is easy on the eye and never harsh or confusing as the early color pictures were."
Technicolor
Technicolor is a color motion picture process invented in 1916 and improved over several decades.It was the second major process, after Britain's Kinemacolor, and the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952...
. It was originally intended to be released, in the United States, early in 1931, but was shelved due to public apathy towards musicals. Despite waiting a number of months, the public proved obstinate and the Warner Bros. reluctantly released the film in December 1931 after removing all the music. The film was released outside the United States (since there was no backlash against musicals outside the United States) as a full musical comedy in 1931.
Production
The film was the first Warner Bros. film to be filmed in the improved TechnicolorTechnicolor
Technicolor is a color motion picture process invented in 1916 and improved over several decades.It was the second major process, after Britain's Kinemacolor, and the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952...
process which removed grain and improved both the color and clarity of the film. This improved process had first been used on The Runaround
The Runaround (1931 film)
The Runaround is a comedy-drama film that was photographed entirely in Technicolor. The film is important as the first to be filmed in a new Technicolor process which removed grain and resulted in a much improved color....
(1931) and resulted in an attempt at a color revival by the studios late in 1931. Variety praised the color work in this film, stating that "the coloring is easy on the eye and never harsh or confusing as the early color pictures were."
Pre-Code Sequences
- Bobby Watson plays the part of a gay fashion designer named Paisley.
- In one sequence, Paisley protests that "I can cheapen myself and prostitute my art for just so long" when his boss Doris Roberts (Winnie LightnerWinnie LightnerWinnie Lightner was an American motion picture actress. Perhaps her most famous role was as a gold-digger named Mabel, in Gold Diggers of Broadway...
) insists that he follow a customer's directions. - Herbert (Charles ButterworthCharles ButterworthCharles Butterworth, Ph.D. is a noted philosopher of the Straussian school and currently a professor of political philosophy at the University of Maryland, College Park....
) says to Paisley: "What were we talking about, Madam?" - John Roberts (Walter Miller), who is married to Doris, has an affair with a seventeen year old named Charlotte Evans (Greta GranstedtGreta GranstedtGreta Granstedt was a Swedish- American Movie and Television Actress.-Background:Irene "Greta" Granstedt was the second child of Theodore and Emma Granstedt born in Scandia, Kansas....
). - Doris orders a large quantity of tin pie pans over the phone, explaining to the seller "We use them for brassieres..........what do we use the brassieres for?????.......to bake pies in!!!"
Music
Three songs were written for the film by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler:- "I Love a Parade" (Production Number sung by Chorus)
- "Temporarily Blue" (Sung by Winnie Lightner)
- "I'm Happy When You're Jealous" (Sung by Winnie Lightner)
Trivia
- It will seem odd, to modern audiences, that when Charlotte Evans (the seventeen year old girl) finds out that John Roberts is cheating on her, that she threatens him with a "breach of contract" suit and not with the fact that she is seventeen. Relationships such as these were common in those days and apparently not viewed with the disdain that they are today. For example, the 26 year old movie star Grant WithersGrant WithersGrant Withers was an American film actor. With early beginnings in the silent era, Withers moved into talkies establishing himself with a list of headlined features as a young and handsome male lead...
married the 17 year old Loretta YoungLoretta YoungLoretta Young was an American actress. Starting as a child actress, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1953...
in 1930. - I'm Happy When You're Jealous was recorded by Isham Jones and his Orchestra for Brunswick Records (Record Number 6204).http://redhotjazz.com/Songs/ishamjones/imhappywhenyoure.ram
- This was the first of two films which the comedy team of "Smith and Dale" starred in for Warner Bros. (the second being The Heart of New York). The team failed to be the success which Warner Bros. had hoped for and their contract was not renewed.
- The film pokes fun at Al JolsonAl JolsonAl Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
, who had reached a downturn in his career due to the public aversion to musical pictures. He had been released from his contract to Warner Bros. late in 1930.