Easter Parade is a 1948 American color musical film directed by Charles Walters. It was written by Sidney Sheldon, Frances Goodrich, and Albert Hackett, based on a story by Goodrich and Hackett. The film stars Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Peter Lawford, and Ann Miller. It includes well-known songs by Irving Berlin, such as "Easter Parade," "Steppin' Out with My Baby," and "A Couple of Swells."

Gene Kelly was originally chosen to act with Garland, but he broke his ankle. The role was then given to Fred Astaire, who had stopped working two years earlier. Astaire was excited to return to acting and asked Gene Kelly for advice. Kelly supported Astaire’s decision. Garland and Astaire worked well together, and Astaire became a top star at MGM again.

The film was both critically and commercially successful. It was the most profitable musical film of 1948 and the second most successful MGM musical of the 1940s, after Meet Me in St. Louis.

Plot

In 1912, Broadway actor Don Hewes buys Easter gifts for his girlfriend and dance partner, Nadine Hale ("Happy Easter"). He persuades a boy to give him a plush rabbit by playing drums in a toy store ("Drum Crazy"). He brings the gifts to Nadine, who has been offered a chance to star in a solo show. He tries to convince her to stay with him ("It Only Happens When I Dance with You"), but she has already signed a contract. Don's friend, Johnny, arrives. Nadine shows interest in Johnny, but he refuses to pursue her out of respect for Don.

Don feels sad and goes to a bar at Pastini's restaurant, where he tells Johnny and the bartender, Mike, that he can replace Nadine with any girl from the floor show. He randomly chooses Hannah Brown. The next day, Don learns that Hannah has trouble distinguishing left from right. Determined to help her, Don buys her new clothes and gives her the stage name "Juanita." She makes mistakes during their first performance ("Beautiful Faces Need Beautiful Clothes"), and the show fails.

Johnny tries to help Don reconcile with Nadine, who confronts Don about trying to make Hannah resemble her. Later, Johnny meets Hannah and walks her to rehearsal during a rainstorm ("A Fella with an Umbrella"). Realizing his approach with Hannah was wrong, Don creates routines that fit her better. Now called "Hannah & Hewes," they become successful ("I Love a Piano," "Snookie-Ookums," "The Ragtime Violin," and "When That Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves for Alabam'").

While auditioning for the Ziegfeld Follies, Don and Hannah meet Nadine, the show's star. Hannah asks Don if he loved Nadine. At her hotel room, Don admits he turned down the Ziegfeld offer because he believes Hannah is too talented to share a stage with Nadine. They almost kiss, but Johnny arrives to take Hannah to dinner. Johnny confesses he fell in love with Hannah during the rainstorm, but Hannah admits she loves Don.

After watching Nadine's performance ("Shakin' the Blues Away"), Don tells Hannah he has signed them to star in their own show and invites her to celebrate. At his apartment, he has arranged a private dinner. When Don talks about their act, Hannah accuses him of treating their meeting like a rehearsal. She tries to leave, but he kisses her. She plays the piano and sings "It Only Happens When I Dance with You." She asks, "Why didn't you tell me I was in love with you?" and they embrace.

Their show includes Don and a large group of dancers ("Steppin' Out with My Baby") and a scene where they play tramps ("A Couple of Swells"). Later, Don takes Hannah to a rooftop garden where Nadine is performing in the Ziegfeld Follies. After dancing to "The Girl on the Magazine Cover," Nadine insists Don perform an old number with her: "It Only Happens When I Dance with You (Reprise)." Don agrees reluctantly, and Hannah leaves.

At Pastini's, where Don and Hannah first met, Hannah talks to Mike about her problems ("Better Luck Next Time"). She finds Don waiting outside her hotel room, accusing him of using her to make Nadine jealous. Don promises to wait for her forgiveness, but a hotel detective removes him. The next morning, Johnny visits Hannah and says Don is already auditioning a new partner, making her admit she loves Don. Johnny says if he loved someone, he would find a way to show them.

Flowers, a chocolate egg, and a live bunny in a top hat are anonymously sent to Don's apartment. Soon after, Hannah arrives and reminds him of their date ("Easter Parade"). Don puts a diamond ring on her left hand as they walk in the Easter parade along Fifth Avenue.

Cast

• Judy Garland played the role of Hannah Brown.
• Fred Astaire portrayed Don Hewes. Gene Kelly was first chosen for this role, but he broke his ankle shortly before filming began. Astaire had said he would no longer act in films two years earlier, but Kelly persuaded him to return. Astaire announced his retirement multiple times over the next ten years, but continued to appear in many famous musical films between those retirements.
• Peter Lawford played Jonathan Harrow III. Frank Sinatra, who later became part of the Rat Pack, was once considered for this role.
• Ann Miller played Nadine Hale. This film was her first major role at MGM. She had previously signed contracts with RKO in the 1930s and with Columbia Pictures in the early to mid-1940s. Cyd Charisse, who was originally cast in this role, had to leave the production because of an injury to her knee.
• Jules Munshin played François, the hotel manager.
• Clinton Sundberg played Mike, the bartender.
• Richard Beavers sang the song "The Girl on the Magazine Cover."
• Jeni Le Gon played Essie, Nadine's maid (not credited).
• Jimmy Bates played the boy in the toy shop (not credited).
• Norman Barker played the trombonist who performed a duet with Garland (not credited).
• Jimmie Dodd, who later led The Mickey Mouse Club, played the cab driver after Hannah leaves the Ziegfeld audition (not credited).

Musical numbers

• "Happy Easter" (Fred Astaire)
• "Drum Crazy" (Fred Astaire)
• "It Only Happens When I Dance with You" (Fred Astaire sings and dances with Ann Miller)
• "I Want to Go Back to Michigan" (Judy Garland)
• "Beautiful Faces Need Beautiful Clothes" (Fred Astaire and Judy Garland dance together)
• "A Fella with an Umbrella" (Peter Lawford and Judy Garland)
• Vaudeville Montage: "I Love a Piano" (Judy Garland sings and dances with Fred Astaire), "Snookey Ookums" (Fred Astaire and Judy Garland), "The Ragtime Violin" (Fred Astaire sings and dances with Judy Garland), and "When the Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves for Alabam'" (Judy Garland and Fred Astaire)
• "Shakin' the Blues Away" (Ann Miller)
• "It Only Happens When I Dance with You (reprise)" (Judy Garland sings)
• "Steppin' Out with My Baby" (Fred Astaire, chorus, and dancers Patricia Jackson, Bobbie Priest, Dee Turnell)
• "A Couple of Swells" (Fred Astaire and Judy Garland)
• "The Girl on the Magazine Cover" (Richard Beavers sings, Ann Miller dances)
• "It Only Happens When I Dance with You (instrumental)" (Fred Astaire and Ann Miller dance)
• "Better Luck Next Time" (Judy Garland sings)
• "Easter Parade" (Judy Garland and Fred Astaire)
• "Everybody's Doin' It Now" (Instrumental)

One musical number, a performance of "Mr. Monotony" by Judy Garland wearing a tuxedo jacket, black fedora, and black nylons (a style she later wore in other films), was removed from the film because it was considered too bold for a story set in 1912. Audiences saw an edited version of it in the 1994 film That's Entertainment! III. It was also included in the special edition VHS and Laser Disc versions released the following year. When the film was released on DVD, additional footage from this performance, including outtakes and alternative takes, was added.

Like the film White Christmas six years later, it is not possible to remix the musical numbers into stereo or surround sound. The original audio recordings were destroyed in a fire, leaving only a monaural recording that includes dialogue, music, and sound effects, and a separate music-only track made for international release.

Release

Easter Parade had its first showing in New York City on July 8, 1948. The film was very successful in making money, earning over $6.8 million from theaters. Reviewers said the acting by Garland and Astaire was excellent, as well as the dance moves and songs by Berlin. The movie won the Academy Award for Best Original Music Score and is considered a well-known example of MGM's musical films during Hollywood's Golden Age.

Easter Parade first appeared on American television in the mid-1950s as part of MGM's plan to use its large collection of films for TV broadcasts. Its friendly, family-focused style and famous songs, such as "A Couple of Swells" and "Easter Parade," made it a popular choice for holiday programming. The film has often been shown on channels like Turner Classic Movies, especially around Easter, to keep it well-known to viewers.

Turner Classic Movies usually shows this movie on Easter Sunday and has always been the first film to air during prime time hours.

Easter Parade was first released on CED Videodisc in 1981. It was later released on VHS in 1986 and again on VHS in 1989 and 1992–1993 by MGM/UA Home Video. The film also had several DVD releases, including a special edition in 2005 that included behind-the-scenes documentaries and interviews. In 2013, Warner Bros. released Easter Parade on Blu-ray, which had improved video and audio quality. This version also included extra features like audio commentary by film historians and people who worked on the movie. The film is also available to watch on streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.

Reception

Easter Parade earned $4,144,000 in the United States and Canada and $1,659,000 in other countries. The film got mostly good reviews. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 91% from 22 reviews.