Easter Parade (1948)

Our last episode focused on The Broadway Melody, the film that established MGM as the foremost producer of movie musicals. This episode centers upon Easter Parade, a film created in the midst of numerous box-office juggernauts from MGM's song-and-dance crew. At this point, the shaky, uncertain structure of The Broadway Melody had long since been polished into a slick, consistent, and crowd-pleasing formula. Sylvan and Ryan delve into this popular icon of The Golden Age of Hollywood and discuss the pitfalls of crafting blockbusters through a safe, conservative assembly line (there are comparisons to the Marvel Studios productions of the modern day). Also touched upon is Judy Garland's screen persona, how Fred Astaire's approach contrasts with Gene Kelly's, the artistic legacy of Irving Berlin, the strangeness of online fandom, the merits of examining the media we consume, and how the plot of Easter Parade reinforces a sense of male entitlement in pop culture. Sylvan and Ryan then take a few moments to comment upon how The Easter Parade has influenced their family in a personal way.