Easter Parade (1948)

When his dancing partner (Ann Miller) deserts him to strike out on her own, a dancer (Fred Astaire) vows he can make any girl as good a dancer as she was. To this end, he plucks a girl (Judy Garland) out of the chorus line and builds her up. With songs by the great Irving Berlin and directed by Charles Walters (GOOD NEWS). The story line is pretty creaky so it's a good thing it's set in 1912. But this is one of those glossy Technicolor MGM musicals where the narrative is merely a hook to cram in some melodic Irving Berlin tunes and some marvelous dance numbers. Dressed as hobos, Astaire and Garland perform the charming A Couple Of Swells, Ann Miller taps out the torrid Shakin' The Blues Away and Astaire kills it with Steppin' Out With My Baby. The film was a huge hit for MGM and one can see why. It may be an Easter perennial but you don't have to wait until Easter to enjoy its allure. With Peter Lawford, Jules Munshin (who has an amusing scene making an invisible salad), Clinton Sundberg, Jeni Le Gon and making early career appearances as models, Lola Albright and Joi Lansing.