Spring Parade

Summary

Spring Parade is a 1940 American musical comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Deanna Durbin.[3] It is a remake of the 1934 film.[4]

Spring Parade
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHenry Koster
Screenplay by
Story byErnst Marischka
Produced byJoe Pasternak
StarringDeanna Durbin
CinematographyJoseph A. Valentine
Edited byBernard W. Burton
Music byHans J. Salter (uncredited)
Production
company
Universal Studios
Distributed byUniversal Studios
Release date
  • September 27, 1940 (1940-09-27)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budgetover $950,000[1]
Box officeover $2 million[2]

Plot edit

Based on a story by Ernst Marischka, the film is about a Hungarian woman who attends a Viennese fair and buys a card from a gypsy fortune teller which says she will meet someone important and is destined for a happy marriage. Soon after the woman gets a job as a baker's assistant and meets a handsome army drummer who dreams of becoming a famous composer and conductor, but is held back by the military which discourages original music. Wanting to help the army drummer, the woman sends one of his waltzes to the Austrian Emperor with his weekly order of pastries, which leads to the tuneful and joyous fulfillment of the gypsy's prediction.

Cast edit

Production edit

In January 1940 Universal announced Durbin's next film would be Spring Parade.[6] Joe Pasternak called it "a musical of Old Vienna" that was similar to Blossom Time.[7] It was a remake of a film Pasternak had made in 1934.[8]

Cummings was cast in March 1940.[9] Filming took place from 27 May to August 1940.[10]

Koster called it "a lovely picture" although he said Durbin "was getting a little more demanding" during filming. On one occasion they were filming after midnight and Durbin went home because she did not want to work that late. Koster threatened to quit the movie but the two made up.[11]

Awards edit

The film was nominated for four Academy Awards.[12]

Spring Parade received four Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Original Song, Best Musical Score, and Best Sound Recording.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ "United States Court of Appeals For the Ninth Circuit - Universal vs Cummings 1944". Internet Archive. p. 94.
  2. ^ Three smart guys: How a few penniless German émigrés saved Universal Studios Asper, Helmut; Horak, Jan-Christopher. Film History; New York Vol. 11, Iss. 2, (Jan 1, 1999): 134.
  3. ^ "Spring Parade (1940)". Turner Classic Movies. tcm.com. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  4. ^ Spring Parade Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 7, Iss. 73, (Jan 1, 1940): 189.
  5. ^ a b "Spring Parade (1940)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  6. ^ 'Spring Parade' Named as Next Durbin Film Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times 27 Jan 1940: A9.
  7. ^ BRONX SPRING-CLEANING AND OTHER FILM NEWS:. New York Times (31 Mar 1940: 127.
  8. ^ A COMIC'S COMEBACK: New York Times 24 Mar 1940: 111.
  9. ^ BRONX SPRING-CLEANING AND OTHER FILM NEWS: Biograph Studios Prepare for Action-- Mr. Chaplin's 'No. 6'--Addenda By THOMAS M. PRYOR. New York Times 31 Mar 1940: 127.
  10. ^ "United States Court of Appeals For the Ninth Circuit - Cummings vs Universal 1944". Internet Archive. p. 565.
  11. ^ Davis, Ronald L. (2005). Just making movies. University Press of Mississippi. p. 8. ISBN 9781578066902.
  12. ^ "The 13th Academy Awards (1941) Nominees and Winners". Oscars. Retrieved August 13, 2011.

External links edit