The Love Parade (1929)

Precode Musical. - The Love Parade review by Steve

This is Ernst Lubitsch's debut sound film and the first of four musical comedies co-starring Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald before the implementation of the Production Code in 1934. It's a farce which is tumescent with innuendo, and Maurice was a sort of genius in the craft of salacious insinuation. And his song Paris, Stay the Same is the standout number.

Jeanette's operetta style vocals have dated, and maybe by the end of the extended running time, it's possible to feel she sings too much... And her Philadelphia accent is a bit of a stretch for middle European royalty. She marries a commoner (Chevalier) who is stifled by his role as the Queen's consort and has to assert his masculinity before the fade out.

And aside from some falling over by Lupino Lane, who is pretty good at it, that's the whole plot. After about half an hour the narrative stalls and thereafter only fitfully advances. The comic songs are mostly engaging and there are plenty of laughs. It's sexy and sophisticated. But even the legendary charisma of Chevalier can't keep the fizz from going flat.

There's a support role for 19 year old Lillian Roth, whose boozy life story was turned into I'll Cry Tomorrow in '55, a warts-and-all biopic with Susan Hayward. Though Roth isn't all that good! The Lubitsch touch gave class to Hollywood in the early sound period, and he overcomes all the technical limitations. But the director and his stars all did so much better with One Hour With You in '32.