The Love Parade

The Love Parade
Paramount, 1929, B/W, 109 minutes, ***½
Released November, 1929

Queen Louise (Jeanette MacDonald) of Sylvania (a mythical country, not a light-bulb factory) is desperately in need of male companionship. Her French emissary Alfred Renard (Maurice Chevalier) has people talking about his flirtatious actions in France, so the queen recalls him. She invites him to her bedroom in an attempt to discover the secrets of his charms. In no time flat, the two are married. But Alfred is soon unhappy to find himself in the position of consort, and begins a battle for control of the throne. Quite risque and lots of fun. Amazing production for 1929!


Presented by Adolph Zukor and Jessel Lasky
Produced and Directed by: Ernst Lubitsch
By: Ernest Vajda and Guy Bolton
From the play "The Prince Consort" by Leon Xanrof and Jules Chancel
Music by: Victor Schertzinger
Lyrics by: Clifford Grey
Art Direction: Hans Dreier
Costume Design: Travis Banton
Sound: Franklin Hansen
Photographed by: Victor Milner
Film Editing: Merrill G. White

Awards: Academy Award nominations for Outstanding Production, Best Actor (Maurice Chevalier), Best Director (Ernst Lubitsch), Best Cinematography, Best Interior Decoration and Best Sound Recording.

Cast: Maurice Chevalier [Count Alfred Renard], Jeanette MacDonald [Queen Louise], Lupino Lane [Jacques], Lillian Roth [Lulu], Eugene Pallette [War Minister], E. H. Calvert [Ambassador], Edgar Norton [Master of Ceremonies], Lionel Belmore [Prime Minister], Additional Cast: Albert Roccardi [Foreign Minister], Carl Stockdale [Admiral], Russell Powell [Afghan Ambassador], Margaret Fealy [First Lady in Waiting], Virginia Bruce, Josephine Hall, Rosaline Charles, Helen Friend [Ladies in Waiting], Yola D'Avril [Paulette], Andre Cheron [Paulette's Husband], Winter Hall [Priest], Ben Turpin [Cross-Eyed Lackey], Anton Vaverka, Albert De Winton, William von Hardenburg [Cabinet Ministers], Jean Harlow [Extra in Theater Audience]

Musical Program: [0:01] Champagne (sung by Lupino Lane); [0:09] Paris, Stay the Same (sung by Maurice Chevalier, joined by Lupino Lane and Jiggs the Dog); [0:15] Dream Lover (sung by Jeanette MacDonald, joined by Girls Chorus); [0:32] Anything to Please the Queen (sung by Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier); [0:42] My Love Parade (sung by Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald, reprised by Jeanette MacDonald and Chorus); [0:53] Sylvania's Queen (sung by Chorus); [1:03] Let's Be Common (sung and danced by Lupino Lane and Lillian Roth); [1:08] March of the Grenadiers (marched and sung by Jeanette MacDonald and Chorus); [1:18] Nobody's Using It Now (sung by Maurice Chevalier); [1:26] The Queen Is Always Right (performed by Lillian Roth, Lupino Lane and Chorus); [1:30] Dream Lover (reprised by Jeanette MacDonald); [1:31] March of the Grenadiers (reprised by Chorus)