Pigskin Parade (1936)

1895-1999
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Mister Tee
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Post by Mister Tee »

I saw this a few years ago. Minor but enjoyable fluff. The two most notable aspects:

1) How did Erwin get nominated for this? For openers, it's pretty much a lead role; it's also utterly undistinguished. (His performance two years earlier in Viva Villa would have been much more deserving. Was there some compensation involved?)

2) It's only in hindsight, but the fact that Garland keeps saying "I can sing; let me sing" becomes a glorious joke -- you feel like saying "Of course she can sing; why won't you idiots let her?"
flipp525
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Post by flipp525 »

PIGSKIN PARADE (1936)

cast: Jack Haley, Patsy Kelly, Betty Grable, Stuart Erwin, Judy Garland, Johnny Downs; dir. David Butler

On a variation of the classic underdog 'David versus Goliath' type story, set in the world of college football, Pigskin Parade offers some delightful performances, nostalgic musical vignettes, and a round of sight gags innocent enough to still eek out a laugh from even the most stalwartly modernist film connoisseurs on this board. When Yale mistakenly invites Texas State University to an exhibition football game in New Haven (they meant to ask the University of Texas), the kids at TSU are flattered, nervous, and excited about the prospect of playing a member of the Ivy League. They're also convinced that the arrival of their new head coach, Winston "Slug" Winters, and his wife Bessie (played respectively by future 'Tin Man' Jack Haley and the delightful Patsy Kelly) must have had something to do with their invitation. When the coach's wife injures their star player in an accident, the race to find a replacement QB leads them to the discovery of a barefoot hick in a melon patch who can throw a melon with a flawless trajectory and target record. Barefoot, of course. They sign him up as a student (and along his kid sister, played by Judy Garland, who...hey there, now!...just happens to SING!!!) the two of them take TSU by storm.

This film is fun little romp of a time capsule looking back through New England frosted-spectacles at the halcyon days of Depression-era collegiate football games when the entertainment was wholesome and enjoyable, the girls who let guys cut in always came back to you, and there's a Biff and a Judy for every Hank and Susie. Peppered with random musical numbers (Garland seems to think breaking out into song will urge their Little-Team-That-Could to victory) as well as an extensive play-by-play football game at the end (fast-forward, boys, if ya don't like football!), I kind of got sucked into this world and optimistically started rooting my little heart out for the underdog.

Featuring an Academy Award nominated performance by Stuart Erwin for Best Supporting Actor (the first year of that category's existence), the incomparable vocal talents of Judy Garland, and a scene-stealing turn by Patsy Kelly as the coach's wife (and superior coach), this movie was kitschy and full of down-home Americana. Watch out for several performances by the real Yacht Club Boys, a famous barbershop quartet as well as two of Garland's showstoppers "The Texas Tornado" and "It's Love I'm After" There's also the obvious pre-Wizard of Oz match-up of Dorothy and the Tin Man to look out for.

** 1/2 out of 5.




Edited By flipp525 on 1168894144
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