Customer Reviews

Pigskin Parade (Fox Marquee Musicals)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This college comedy is notable as the onscreen debut of the teenage diva-to-be, Judy Garland, but it also stands on its own as a fine, fluffy '30s comedy. A small-town college in Texas is accidentally invited to meet Yale in a nationally-watched football match. It's the biggest thing that's ever happened at good old TSU, and the student body is understandably all worked up about it -- moved to stage musical shows and pep rallies galore, as a matter of fact. Garland, who was constantly miscast in her early career, enters the picture as the snub-nosed hayseed little sister of TSU's new star quarterback, an Arkansas [kid] who can pitch a long pass with devastating accuracy. The real stars of the show, though, are the team's coach, played by comedian Jack Haley (later to work with Garland as the Tin Woodman) and the brassy, wisecracking Patsy Haley, as the coach's sports-savvy, shrewish wife. The plot isn't too flimsy and pleasantly zips along, bouyed by some choice performances by all concerned. Yeah, Betty Grable's in there, too, but only in a bit part; half the musical numbers are provided by vocal quartet from the Catskills circuit known as the Yacht Club Boys... Their middleaged appearances are deftly explained by a goofy number called "Sophmores 'Til The Day We Die"; even more hilarious is a political numer called "Down With Everything!" which is sung in honor of a young Bolshie agitator who appears in order to rile up the locals, but winds up instead ont he wrong side of Texas justice. Sports fans will be gratified by the finale, which edits in some tantalizing archival footage of a 1930s Yale game, played in a howling blizzard. Fun film all around... and you can certainly see why the studio heads went ga-ga over Garland!

Garland fans I'm sure were happy when this movie was finally made available on home video. An otherwise forgettable outing about college football is made great by a young Garland who steals the show from the likes of Betty Grable and Jack Haley (aka "The Tin Man"). When Garland sings, the film soars. Buyer beware: Garland is really more supporting player than star in this one. For fans only.

PIGSKIN PARADE is a 1936 Fox football musical comedy with location filming at USC and the nearby Coliseum. It stars Oscar nominee Stuart Erwin, Patsy Kelly, Jack Haley, Betty Grable, Dixie Dunbar, Tony Martin, and a scene-stealing young Judy Garland in her film debut. She was on loan-out from MGM and three years later would be reunited there with Haley for THE WIZARD OF OZ. Kelly is a delight. Garland's one musical number, "It's Love I'm After", brought down the house when it was filmed; applause ruined the first take. And Grable would become a huge star in the 1940's at Fox with Technicolor musical delights, some with Haley also. What a cast this has!

The plot is nonsensical. Yale is playing a big football game with the Texas State University hayseeds, and the latter's musical numbers are what really matters. The Yacht Club Boys are also featured in a couple of numbers. Of course, there is a last minute winning touchdown, and the movie patrons exit the theater happily.

There are tons of bonuses on a $14.95 DVD--Meet the Cast featurette, meet producer Darryl F. Zanuck, Lorna Luft talks about mother Judy Garland, there is a theatrical trailer, and there is an envelope of lobby cards. And incidentally the DVD box is wrong; the movie is in original B&W, not color. Have a great time with PIGSKIN PARADE, on home video for the first time.

Well, the public library shelves lead me to another obscure but fun film. Randomness can be so fulfilling sometimes!

Pigskin Parade--the story of a small Texas university football team accidentally invited to play against Yale--is a predecessor of all the "underdog makes good" sports movies that would come out, and continue to, in the decades that follow. But, with one difference: This one has a legendary cast, or at least a cast that would become legendary years later.

The shining star is, of course, Judy Garland, in her musical debut. You marvel watching her perform, realizing that she is but 15 and already has a mature style and expressiveness that will lead her to things both great and tragic in later life. Betty Grable is barely paid attention to in this film, but just wait a few years and everyone will know her name. Jack Haley, the bumbling football coach with a good-hearted harpy of a wife (also a terrific comedic performance), already portrays many of the character quirks that will make him such a loveable tinman just three years down the road.

Anyway, the movie is fun, as are most of the songs, esp. those sung by the Texas university quartet. Their pieces could be performed today to great advantage. Talented high school kids could have great fun with "Woo-Hoo," for instance.

Predictable, yes, but who cares. It moves along at a rapid clip and, though the climactic football game's results can be guessed way in advance, that doesn't stop this film from being enjoyable.

Yale invites the University of Texas to compete in a charity football game--but a secretary fumbles the communication and extends the invitation to tiny Texas State University instead. New coach Slug Winters (Jack Haley) and his harridan wife Bessie (Patsy Kelly) manage to whip the team into shape, but when an accident sidelines the star player they find an unexpected replacement in barefoot yokel Amos Dodd (Stuart Erwin)... and before you can say Sis Boom Bah every one is off to the big game!

Best known for his later performance of The Tin Man in THE WIZARD OF OZ, Jack Haley was a memorable light comic of stage and screen, and his pairing with Patsy Kelly is truly inspired. In addition to the then-popular quartet The Yachtclub Boys, the film also offers early glimpses of future big names like Betty Grable, Alan Ladd, Tony Martin, and Elisha Cook Jr., not to mention B movie queens Arline Judge and Lynn Bari.

But then as now, the real noise in the film was teenage Judy Garland, who made her feature film debut on loan from home studio MGM with the small role of Amos Dodd's hillbilly sister "Sairy." Slight though the role was, Garland's handful of cornpone-humor scenes and her three songs served as a wake-up call to her MGM handlers, and for the rest of her MGM contract she would never work off-studio again.

Although PIGSKIN PARADE is hardly in the same league with the Paramount, Warner Brothers, or MGM musicals of the same era, the lightweight story, memorable cast, silly dialogue ("Well, Call My Hawgs!") and pleasant if not greatly memorable songs has a great deal of period charm. I do not think it will greatly appeal to any one who isn't already a fan of 1930s musicals, but those who are will enjoy it--and Garland fans will consider it a minor classic.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

An intentionally silly story of a small-university coach who is accidentally invited to play against a big-time team, this odd little film features winning performances by Jack Haley and Patsy Kelly and a small but intriguing turn by a pre-Oz Judy Garland. Completely mindless but entertaining nonetheless; don't expect too much and you'll have a good time with it.

This movie is hard to categorize because although it boasts an all-star cast, at the time, the big stars were just starting out and hadn't made big names for themselves. One will immediately recognize Betty Grable, already radiantly platinum blonde and pretty as a picture, but this is prior to becoming the world-famous pin-up girl. Judy Garland is here too, but in her very early days before she was groomed to be glamorous. Of course, the powerful singing voice is intact; the studio didn't have to mess with that to make her a star. The cast also includes Johnny Downs (post-Little Rascals fame), Patsy Kelly, and Jack Haley.

This film is about a small Texas college whose football team accidentally gets chosen to face off against Yale. With a new coach and a lot of motivation to show the world what they've got the team tries its hardest to get into shape, but they really need a star athlete. They find one in a hick farmer who spends his time hurling melons across the field.

The film is peppered with lots of music from a variety of players, all of the youthful college-age variety. From dance crazes, jazzy numbers, and novelty songs, you'll find yourself tapping your toes but completely forgetting the music after the movie's done.

MGM loaned the 14-years-old Judy Garland to the 20 Fox Studio where she made her filmdebut (except the musical short "Every Sunday"). You can hear that Judy Garland already had a amazing voice.

Of course, this musical isn't the best musical but very entertaining with any funny scenes. Sure, its now old fashioned.

Also great are The Yacht Club Boys with their songs "Woo!Woo!", "Down With Everything" with amazing tunes and word games. So i think its 1A entertaining.

You may know Jack Haley who became famous 3 years later as the Tin Man in "The Wizard of Oz". His Co-Star Patsy Kelly is funny.

And yes... also Tony Martin (born 1912 and still living!!!!) starring and singing in this movie.

DVD:

The picture quality is pretty good (of course not quite perfect). The soundtrack is in his original in MONO.

BONUS-FEAUTRES:

Very good and interesting are the 3 short documentaries: Making a Team, Lorna Luft talking about her Mother Judy Garland and a documentation about Darryl F. Zanuck.

Also a short clip about the restoration is on the Disc

Plus a Gallery with Photos.

Fazit: the movie is maybe not the best but I give this product 5 stars because it contains bonus features. And when you never have seen this movie and love Judy Garland : its a must have it.

I couldnt be more pleased with this dvd... did you know that it includes 4 lobby collectors cards??? well it does and i really dont care about the other 3 only about the one that has Judy Garland in it which is fantastic.
This movie is funny but the reason I bought it is because is one of the first movies Judy Garland did and she was great in it. SHE IS SOOOOO FUNNY and well she also sings which about that we all know how amazing she sung.
A must have for every Judy Garland fan and if you are just looking for a good old comedy you should get it too because it has really great stars in it.
by the way it also has great extra features!!!!!!!

This is one of those films with a few scenes vividly remembered from bygone days. Generally speaking, the movie was pure corn. Patsy Kelly was about as funny as a violent head cold and the phony musical numbers smelled. Even Judy Garland bombed.
Nevertheless, it's worth watching now and then for nostalgic reasons.