Main Cast: Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette MacDonald, Lupino Lane, Lillian Roth, Eugene Pallette
Release Year: 1929
Country: US
Run Time: 107 minutes
Plot
Director Ernst Lubitsch's first talking picture, The Love Parade was a witty souffle about a royal "marriage of state." Jeanette MacDonald, the queen of Sylvania, is required to take a husband. Maurice Chevalier is a highborn Sylvanian diplomat called back to his country due to his amorous escapades. It is arranged for Chevalier to marry MacDonald, but though he is ostensibly the "king" of the boudoir, he is not allowed to participate in any affairs of state. Gradually the royal protocol erodes the marriage, as the formerly footloose Chevalier bristles at being a mere consort. After numerous complications and misunderstandings, Chevalier asserts his authority over the secretly willing MacDonald. Counterpointing the main plot is the backstairs romance of servants Lupino Lane and Lillian Roth, who, like the stars, get to cut loose in the occasional musical number. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Although they may seem an unlikely pair to modern observers, Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier proved a sensation when first teamed for The Love Parade. Their styles would not on the surface seem to be a great match, but there's an undeniable (and unidentifiable) chemistry between them which fairly lights up the screen. Granted, they have a lot of help from director Ernst Lubitsch, whose legendary "touch" is on every frame of Parade. That touch is blessed with irony, and is essential to the film's success; without that irony, Parade's bubbling champagne of a story would turn seriously flat, and the whole confection would fall in upon itself. Lubitsch also made sure the film was imbued with a distinctive look, in terms of both the art direction and the cinematography, and kept the camera much more active than most musicals of the period. Victor Scherzinger and Clifford Grey provided a very attractive score, providing Chevalier with the suggestive and amusing "Nobody's Using It Now" and the tailored-to-fit "Paris, Stay the Same." MacDonald does just as well, scoring the film's musical highlight, "Dream Lover," and doing it full justice. MacDonald is also at her loosest and most appealing here; the forthright quality that would come in her films with Nelson Eddy is nowhere to be found, and she has a playful sensuality about her. Parade is a delicate, delightful little bonbon of a movie. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Edgar Norton - Master of Ceremonies; Yola D'Avril - Paulette; Lionel Belmore - Prime Minister; Albert Roccardi - Foreign Minister; Carl Stockdale - Admiral; Russell Powell - Afghan Ambassador; Ben Turpin - Cross-eyed Lackey; Winter Hall - Priest; Virginia Bruce - Second Lady-in-Waiting; E.H. Calvert - Sylvanian Ambassador; Andre Cheron - Paulette's Husband; Margaret Fealy - First Lady-in-Waiting; Jean Harlow - Audience Member; Jiggs the Dog - Himself; Anton Vaverka
The Love Parade is a 1929musical comedy film. The plot concerns the romantic difficulties of Queen Louise of Sylvania (Jeanette MacDonald) and her new husband, Count Alfred (Maurice Chevalier). Though Count Alfred promises to be a docile husband at the wedding during their vows, he quickly regrets his decision when unable to make orders that will be obeyed and becomes bored. Threatening to leave for Paris, he is only deterred by Queen Louise when she gives him the equivalent of a king's power. At this point, the film ends.
The film was written by Guy Bolton and Ernest Vajda, from the play The Prince Consort, written by Jules Chancel and Leon Xanrof. The film was directed by Ernst Lubitsch. This film is notable for being both the film debut of Jeanette MacDonald and the first "talkie" film by Ernst Lubitsch.
Fräulein Seifenschaum ·Aufs Eis Geführt ·Blindekuh ·Zucker Und Zimmt ·Der Erste Patient ·Der Letzte Anzug ·Der Kraftmeier ·Wo Ist Mein Schatz? ·Schuhpalast Pinkus ·Der Gemischte Frauenchor ·Das Schönste Geschenk ·Der G.m.b.H. Tenor ·Leutnant auf Befehl ·Seine Neue Nase ·Ossis Tagebuch ·Der Blusenkönig ·Wenn Vier Dasselbe Tun ·Das Fidele Gefängnis ·Prinz Sami ·Der Rodelkavalier ·Der Fall Rosentopf ·Ich Möchte Kein Mann Sein ·Das Mädel Vom Ballet ·Meyer Aus Berlin ·Das Schwabenmädel ·Kohlhiesels Töchter ·Romeo Und Julia Im Schnee ·If I Had A Million(segment "The Clerk")
