Die große Metro-Lachparade

This picture is the prime example of how MGM ruined some of the greatest comedians in film. It had the best writers, best directors, best cinematographers, and they mistakenly thought dropping comedians like the Marx Brothers and, most lamentably, Keaton, into their studio films and expected superior results. They forgot, or refused to acknowlegde, that there was such a a thing as a Keaton comedy, or Laurel and Hardy routines. Look at the cast list here; how many real comedians are there? Very few. We get comic bits from mostly straight actors who had the chance to say or do something funny in an MGM movie. Are there laughs? Sure, and if you're looking for comedy you can find it here. If you're looking for a Big Parade of Comedians, you'd better go elsewhere.

Wow. This collection of clips was disjointed, not funny at all and edited extremely poorly.

Carole Lombard was only shown in one brief clip. She was an extremely talented comedienne and this film did not do her justice at all.

The Jean Harlow clips shown were adequate and they did show one of her funniest scenes (with Marie Dressler in Dinner At Eight).

Cary Grant was shown only briefly. The man was much funnier than the clips led us to believe.

I could go on and on, but my point would remain the same: don't waste your time on this movie. Not only is it poorly made, it is also insanely boring.

This is MGM pulling comedy clips from their vault. It starts from the silent era up to 1948. A narrator describes the silent films. I recognize some of the clips. The big names are Buster Keaton and one non-Tramp Charlie Chaplin scene. It's nice to see some names that I don't know. After twenty minutes, it's on to the talkies. I still don't recognize a few of these comedic actors, but at least, they get to talk. Throughout the compilation show, the jokes aren't hitting as hard with the clips being all cut up. It can feel like the narrator is explaining the jokes. This may interesting introductory show for newbies, but that's about it.

This is a film you can't go wrong with. MGM compiled a salute to the comedy that MGM brought to the big screen over a 40 year period. You'll see its biggest stars performing and they did boast they had more stars than there are in heaven.

Some were admittedly shoehorned in. Case in point Charlie Chaplin who had his own United Artists at the time. He makes a guest appearance in a Marion Davies film.

Or WC Fields who toiled for Paramount and Universal. He did one memorable Mr. Micawber in David Copperfield.

The comedians share equally with MGM stars of drama in some of their comedies. Case in point Clark Gable in Too Hot To Handle and Spencer Tracy in Libeled Lady. And of course William Powell and Myrna Loy.

You can't go wrong with The Big Parade Of Comedy.

Many clips from the silent era through MGM's heyday. The editing could have been tighter--some sequences went on too long and others way too short--but I suspect the filmmakers wanted to make sure they didn't leave out any of the stars. Nevertheless, this is overall a funny stroll down memory lane.