Música Atômica

Swing Parade plays almost like one of those early talkie musical revues, that is, it has an acorn of a plot concerning an ambitious singer (Gale Storm) trying for a job in a nightclub. There are many musical numbers in the film's relatively short 74 minute running time, and just about everybody except The Three Stooges (quite funny here) gets a chance to sing. Gale Storm, one of my favorites, really gets a chance to show off her singing (and dancing) abilities here. Connee Boswell does a swell job on "Stormy Weather" and Louis Jordan tears up the stage doing "Caledonia". There is a big finale which looks like it cost little Monogram more of a chunk of money than they usually had to pay which again hearkens back to those early talkie revues. The version of the film I got can be viewed in it's original black-and-white or in a colorized version. A good example of an upscale Monogram film.

"Swing Parade of 1946" is a most unusual film for two reasons. First, because it was made by tiny Monogram Studios, I was surprised to see them take a stab at a traditional 1940s sort of musical extravaganza....the sort of movie usually made by the more prestigious studiots with more talent. Second, the Three Stooges were apparently slumming it and instead of being with their usual studio (Columbia), they were loaned out to Monogram. I wonder if perhaps Columbia was punishing them...though I must admit they did help the movie quite a bit.

The plot involves the son of a rich man trying to build a nightclub while process servers sent by his father are trying to stop him. Mostly, however, the plot is ultra-thin and the movie actually is a giant musical showcase with one song after another after another--occasionally punctuated by funny bits by the Stooges or some plot...but mostly just singing. As far as the singing and dancing go, it's all quite competent but none of it is memorable and the songs (aside from those done by the African-American band) were poor. I think a lot of it was because unlike the major studios, Monogram simply couldn't afford to pay for the rights for popular tunes.

Overall, a dullish sort of musical extravaganza made tolerable by some Stooges. While I am not a big fan of the trio, here they definitely helped.

the stooges take a small departure from their usual high powered rough house antics and the change will not detract 99% of Stooges fans...I looked that up!

good screenplay, smoothly directed...with great musical spots, talking about Louis Jordan and Gail Storm.

something about a struggling club run by a rich man's kid...Dad wants the whole enterprise to fail to teach his Son a lesson. but the very cute Gail swings in (she's the recently hired bearer of bad news) and the kid is gaga.

the stooges are the enforcers > they will cause as many impediments as possible to block the foreclosure, as they can...with an emphasis on keeping Gail (six years shy of "My Little Margie") in the "spotlight".

In honor of Black History Month, I've been making comments on films that featured African-Americans. We're now in 1946 with Swing Parade of 1946. In this one, Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five perform "Don't Worry About the Mule" and "Caldonia" in segments that could easily be edited out by Southern theatres of the time without ruining the plot-what there is of one (which easily explains why he and his group are nowhere near the musical finale). Both performances bring a rollicking attitude that lifts the movie above the norm. The main reason I, and I'm sure many, would want to watch this movie today is because of The Three Stooges with Curly, especially, in fine form months before his stroke forced him to retire. The singing leads here are Phil Regan and Gale Storm. Ms. Storm displays some comic talents that served her well in her later TV shows, "My Little Margie" and "The Gale Storm Show". She also sings a wonderful rendition of "The Sunny Side of the Street" and "Oh, Brother". There's also Connee Boswell singing the third version of "Stormy Weather" I've heard this month (following Ivie Anderson and Lena Horne) that again takes my breath away. Ed Brophy provides perfect blustery segue from the plot to the Stooges as their boss "Moose". And Windy Cook provides some amusing impressions of boat motors and plane engines though the movie becomes a bit long by that point. And there's another player from my favorite movie, It's a Wonderful Life, here-Mary Treen who plays Marie Finch and does a nice duet with band leader Will Osborne on "A Tender Word Will Mend It All". No great shakes, but with the presence of the Stooges and Louis Jordan, Swing Parade of 1946 is definitely worth a look.

And a few other co-stars, obviously. I'm not that well versed in "Poverty Row" entertainment, like some of the major studios. When it comes to Monogram or PRC, or a few of those other outfits, it's either hit or miss. The presence of the "Stooges" may be the obvious draw for this one--they definitely provide most of the humor; although Ed Brophy in a Healy type role is great himself. A lot of attractive women running around too--if you're into that sort of thing.

The story--what there is of it--is easy enough to understand. Process servers, a father who doesn't want his son in the entertainment business, some jilted landlords, and a pretty good looking movie in spite of it's budget limitations. Usually these B or C grade turkeys look just like that--but, if you didn't know any better--this would look like the same sort of movie Columbia or Universal could have cranked out.