The Love Parade
Encyclopedia
The Love Parade is a 1929 musical comedy film about the marital difficulties of Queen Louise of Sylvania (Jeanette MacDonald
) and her consort, Count Alfred Renard (Maurice Chevalier
). Despite his love for Louise and his promise to be an obedient husband, Count Alfred finds his role as a figurehead unbearable.
The film was written by Guy Bolton
and Ernest Vajda
, from the play The Prince Consort, written by Jules Chancel and Leon Xanrof
. The film was directed by Ernst Lubitsch
. This film is notable for being both the film debut of Jeanette MacDonald and the first "talkie" film by Ernst Lubitsch.
Intrigued rather than offended by Count Alfred's dossier, Queen Louise invites him to dinner. Their romance progresses to the point of marriage when, despite his qualms, for love of Louise Alfred agrees to obey the Queen.
Jeanette MacDonald
Jeanette MacDonald was an American singer and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier and Nelson Eddy...
) and her consort, Count Alfred Renard (Maurice Chevalier
Maurice Chevalier
Maurice Auguste Chevalier was a French actor, singer, entertainer and a noted Sprechgesang performer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including Louise, Mimi, Valentine, and Thank Heaven for Little Girls and for his films including The Love Parade and The Big Pond...
). Despite his love for Louise and his promise to be an obedient husband, Count Alfred finds his role as a figurehead unbearable.
The film was written by Guy Bolton
Guy Bolton
Guy Reginald Bolton was a British-American playwright and writer of musical comedies. Born in England and educated in France and the U.S., he trained as an architect but turned to writing. Bolton preferred working in collaboration with others, principally the English writers P. G...
and Ernest Vajda
Ernest Vajda
Ernest Vajda was a Hungarian actor, playwright and novelist, but is more famous today for his screenplays. He co-wrote the screenplay for the film Smilin' Through , based on the hit play by Jane Cowl and Jane Murfin...
, from the play The Prince Consort, written by Jules Chancel and Leon Xanrof
Leon Xanrof
Leon Xanrof was a French playwright and songwriter, noted for writing the play The Prince Consort, which was used to create the 1929 film Parade d'amour ....
. The film was directed by Ernst Lubitsch
Ernst Lubitsch
Ernst Lubitsch was a German-born film director. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; as his prestige grew, his films were promoted as having "the Lubitsch touch."In 1947 he received an Honorary Academy Award for his...
. This film is notable for being both the film debut of Jeanette MacDonald and the first "talkie" film by Ernst Lubitsch.
Plot
Count Alfred, military attaché to the Sylvanian Embassy in Paris, is ordered back to Sylvania to report to Queen Louise for a reprimand following a string of scandals, including an affair with the ambassador's wife. In the meantime Queen Louise, ruler of Sylvania in her own right, is royally fed-up with her subjects' preoccupation with whom she will marry.Intrigued rather than offended by Count Alfred's dossier, Queen Louise invites him to dinner. Their romance progresses to the point of marriage when, despite his qualms, for love of Louise Alfred agrees to obey the Queen.
Cast
- Maurice ChevalierMaurice ChevalierMaurice Auguste Chevalier was a French actor, singer, entertainer and a noted Sprechgesang performer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including Louise, Mimi, Valentine, and Thank Heaven for Little Girls and for his films including The Love Parade and The Big Pond...
as Count Alfred Renard - Jeanette MacDonaldJeanette MacDonaldJeanette MacDonald was an American singer and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier and Nelson Eddy...
as Queen Louise - Lupino LaneLupino LaneLupino Lane was an English actor and theatre manager, and a member of the famous Lupino family. Lane started out as a child performer, known as 'Little Nipper', and went on to appear in a wide range of theatrical, music hall and film performances...
as Jacques - Lillian RothLillian RothLillian Roth was an American singer and actress.-Early life:Roth was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She was only 6 years old when her mother took her to Educational Pictures, where she became the company's trademark, symbolized by a living statue holding a lamp of knowledge...
as Lulu - Eugene PalletteEugene PalletteEugene William Pallette was an American actor. He appeared in over 240 silent era and sound era motion pictures between 1913 and 1946....
as Minister of War - E. H. CalvertE. H. CalvertE. H. Calvert was an American film actor and director. He appeared in over 170 films, as well as directing a further 60 titles...
as Sylvanian ambassador - Edgar Norton as Master of Ceremonies
- Lionel BelmoreLionel BelmoreLionel Belmore . When he was born, Wimbledon was in Surrey. He was an English character actor and director on stage for more than a quarter of a century, appearing with Wilson Barrett, Sir Henry Irving, William Faversham, Lily Langtry and other famous actors. He entered in films from 1911...
as Prime Minister
Awards and honors
The Love Parade was nominated for six Academy Awards:- Best PictureAcademy Award for Best PictureThe Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to artists working in the motion picture industry. The Best Picture category is the only category in which every member of the Academy is eligible not only...
- Best ActorAcademy Award for Best ActorPerformance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
- Maurice ChevalierMaurice ChevalierMaurice Auguste Chevalier was a French actor, singer, entertainer and a noted Sprechgesang performer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including Louise, Mimi, Valentine, and Thank Heaven for Little Girls and for his films including The Love Parade and The Big Pond... - Best Director - Ernst LubitschErnst LubitschErnst Lubitsch was a German-born film director. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; as his prestige grew, his films were promoted as having "the Lubitsch touch."In 1947 he received an Honorary Academy Award for his...
- Best CinematographyAcademy Award for Best CinematographyThe Academy Award for Best Cinematography is an Academy Award awarded each year to a cinematographer for work in one particular motion picture.-History:...
- Victor MilnerVictor MilnerVictor Milner, A.S.C. was an American cinematographer. He was nominated for ten cinematography Academy Awards, winning once for 1934's Cleopatra... - Art DirectionAcademy Award for Best Art DirectionThe Academy Awards are the oldest awards ceremony for achievements in motion pictures. The Academy Award for Best Art Direction recognizes achievement in art direction on a film. The films below are listed with their production year, so the Oscar 2000 for best art direction went to a film from 1999...
- Hans DreierHans DreierHans Dreier was a film art director.Born in Bremen, Germany, Dreier began his career in German film in 1919 and by the end of the 1920s had relocated to Hollywood.... - Sound Recording - Franklin HansenFranklin HansenFranklin Hansen was an American sound engineer. He won an Academy Award in the category Sound Recording for the film A Farewell to Arms and was nominated for four more in the same category.-Selected filmography:...
External links
- Criterion Collection essay by Michael Koresky
- The Love Parade at Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy: A Tribute