Customer Reviews

Swing Parade of 1946 [VHS]

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

 

 

Low-budget Monogram Pictures usually made a couple of higher-bracket "specials" every year with the studio's leading star, Gale Storm. SWING PARADE (originally released as SWING PARADE OF 1946} is Monogram's biggie for '46, with The Three Stooges in featured roles. It's an above-average Monogram production with good direction by Phil Karlson, and fans of '40s movies should enjoy it.

Gale Storm is an aspiring singer mistaken for a process server at Phil Regan's new nightclub. Regan and the Stooges are determined to open the club successfully, while the stern Russell Hicks is just as determined to close it. The Stooges are in fine form, with the reliable Ed Brophy as their foil in extended versions of their "plumbers" and "waiters" routines. (Moe didn't dye his hair for this one, so you'll notice the salt-and-pepper in the haircut.) Considering that Curly was in failing health at the time, his work here is especially good. The other guest artists are Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, who do two jump numbers ("Don't Worry 'Bout that Mule" is the standout), singer Connee Boswell, and sound-effects mimic Windy Cook.

Former video releases have left something to be desired: the Allied Artists edition uses a beautiful print but an inferior video transfer so the image is sometimes unsteady; the Goodtimes version (under the title "Swing Parade") has a better transfer but a slightly lesser print and a superimposed watermark in the lower-right corner.

This new Legend Films edition is a definite improvement over past video versions. The source print is identical to the Goodtimes version but there is no watermark, and the colorization is very well done (some of the Gale Storm close-ups are particularly pretty). This picture is almost never shown on television, so most Stooge fans probably haven't seen it. Confirmed Stooge fans will enjoy the team's antics, but may be impatient with the stretches of story between the trio's appearances.

Most people today aren't even aware there was once was a phenomenon called "B films." Low-budget, they were intended as the second-half of a two-picture bill. A whole group of actors had totally B film careers and were stars of the genre. Monogram's biggest star was Gale Storm, way before she became "My Litttle Margie" on T.V. and even way-er before she began making hit records. She is darling here--gorgeous, funny, a great singer and dancer (the voice is quite different from what she did on records, by the way--here it's more direct, brassier and stagier). The sets and costumes here are quite impressive for a B film. The storyline is nearly nonexistent. You get to see Connee Boswell, today almost forgotten, sing; you get some big production numbers; and you get the Three Stooges, who--yes--are funny. You also get to see character actors such as Mary Treen get more screen time than they'd ever land in any A movie. Well worth getting and can be enjoyed over and over.

My main comaplaint is what the reviewer was saying below about the color inconsistances,there are some odd places where you see the color of the clothing change ,for example the three stooges will be wearing pure white clothing (almost like they forgot to color in the black and white) then a minute later they are wearing grey,then back to white again,also sometimes the skin tones in some places look odd kind of like green or maby even an orange color,it's almost like they gave it to different people to color different sections,now as the movie goes on the color get's better,in fact the whole restaurant scene with the dancers and the "Caldonia" songs was beautifuly done,I give it 4 stars because I think the movie is an underated gem,where else can you get the three stooges with curly in a full lengnth film in print,also the song "Caldonia" is the best thing on the whole thing,it shows the change between swing,jazz and what later became rock n roll,it's obvious these guys influenced Little Richard,also this is one of the few three stooges movies where they worked outside of the studio and the major censors of the time so keep you eyes out for some mild sexual innuindo in a couple parts,nothing to overt though,but it's there...

Most of you out there might not know that this film was released on video way way back in 1977, under Allied Artists video (Cabaret was also released then.) which went out of business promptly. THIS WAS THE VIDEO TAPE THEY USED FOR THIS RELEASE. The funny thing is, that the transfer I made ( I happen to have the original video tape - in Beta, which was a better format picture quality-wise) looks better- which is sad. I fully expected (at least) a new transfer if not in 35mm (which, I'm sure is quite unobtainable- might not even exist any more in 35mm anyway) but an old 1977 video tape???? I have to quetion this. 5 had to give at least 1 star for people who might say "well, it's better than nothing." Precisely. The film itself is a cute fluff with several good musical numbers. Highlight being Connee Boswell singing STORMY WEATHER.

The enduring popularity of The Three Stooges is directly attributable to the 190 comedy shorts the team made for Columbia Pictures (1934-1959), particularly the 97 entries featuring Curly Howard as the third Stooge. While several of these classic comedies are available on DVD, a few non-Columbia Stooge curios have turned up, including this title.

SWING PARADE OF 1946 is a low-budget musical produced by the lowly Monogram Pictures, starring Gale Storm and Phil Regan, with Moe, Larry and Curly providing comedy relief. Away from their home studio, the boys seem to be a little disoriented; worse yet, Curly is clearly in declining health (later that year he suffered a stroke that forced him to drop out of the act). Rabid Stooge fans may want to check this one out, although it's nowhere near the level of their best work. Casual viewers in search of the usual boisterous antics are advised to look elsewhere.

If this was filmed in color it would be one of the most awesomest experiences available. A beautiful girl, struggling to pay the rent, stumbles into a 1940s nightclub singing position, after a botching a summons delivery. the musical sequences don't stop, they are amazing "caldonia!, caldonia! what makes your big head so hot! now my momma use to say..." they play with neon instruments. the dance numbers are so energetic, awesome fred-estare-esque tap, with a bounce, up and down the stairs. Not like the struggling aerobic dance you see now a days. The girls are actually beatiful,(...) not dying of starvation, and not hopelessely depressed with black eye shadow, beautiful!!!! I'm an artist and if this hasn't been colorized already I'd jump at the chance to do it myself, it would be hours of fun. and the three stooges pop in and out with some suprisingly good writing.

The plotless B musical is amusing, however the main reason to get this is to see jazz singer Connee Boswell sing, since there isn't much video footage of her performing elsewhere, this is as close as it's going to get to seeing her live.

"Swing Parade of 1946" is a low-budget Monogram hodgepodge with some intriguing talent on display. Behind the cameras are cult filmmaker Phil Karlson and future writer-director Nicholas Ray (credited with "additional dialogue"). In front of the cameras are Louis Jordan, Connee Boswell, Gale Storm, Edward Brophy and comic relief from the Three Stooges (their last feature with Curly Howard). Standout numbers include Jordan's "Caldonia" and Boswell's "Stormy Weather." The Stooges help enliven the dead spots. Hardly classic cinema, but a historic curio nonetheless.

Nice to hear Gale Storm sing in this movie!

Acting is poor and most of the music is nearly unbearably dull. I bought this movie for Louis Jordan's two appearances, and was not disappointed. Louis' performances of "Don't Worry 'bout That Mule" and "Caldonia" shine. The 3 Stooges are the only other enjoyable part of the film, especially Curley's performance as a dumb waiter. If you're not a Stooges or Swing fan, forget it.