Delicious UK - (03)March 2020

104 deliciousmagazine.co.uk

movie + meal + wine

FRIDAY NIGHT

EASTERPARADE

(1948)

WHAT’SIT ABOUT?

It’sthespring

of1911,and

successfulBroadwayperformer

DonHewes(FredAstaire)is

dumpedbyhisglamorous

dancingpartnerNadine(Ann

Miller),who’sbeenoffereda

starringroleinherownshow.

Whiledrowninghis

sorrows,Dontellsa random

dancerhecouldmakeher

a starashisnewpartner.

Ofcoursetheuprooted

country-turned-chorusgirl,

HannahBrown,justhappens

tobeJudyGarland...

WillDon’sgambitwork?Will

hestoppiningoverNadine?Willhisbest

friendJohnny(BritishactorPeterLawford)

nabHannahfromunderDon’swork-

obsessednose?Youcanprobablyalready

guess, but the fun is in the telling.

WHYTHISMOVIE?

ThoughEasteris onlya bit-partplayerin

themovie,thisall-singing,all-dancing,

TechnicolorMGMmusical(completewith

a reconstruction of New York on its vast

THE MOVIE

setanda castof 700 extras)is perfect

holidayweekendfare.Therearetop-notch

IrvingBerlinsongsincludingSteppin’Out

WithMyBaby,A CoupleOfSwellsand

Shakin’TheBluesAway. Plusit hassome

genuinelyfunnymoments,suchaswhen

HannahprovestoDonthatshecanturn

men’sheadswhilewalkingdownthe

street(littledoesheknow,walking

behindher,thatshe’spullingfaces).

Food lovers will enjoy the scenes at a

fancyrestaurantwhere,ina runninggag,

noonegetsaroundtoeatinganything.

VariousdishesareofferedbyFrançois the

waiter,including,ina memorable

sequence,thewaiter’shallowed

familyrecipefor“salade

François”.AfterFrançoishas

elaboratelymimedmaking

thesalad,emphasisingallthe

loveandcarethatgoesintoit

(heevencrieswhenheslices

theonion),Johnny’sabrupt

response is “I don’t think so.”

TRIVIANIBBLES

• FredAstaire,whowas 49
  whenthemoviewasmade,
  wascoaxedoutofa premature
  retirementtoplayDon.The
  rolewasoriginallyintended
  forGeneKelly,buthebroke his
  ankleplayingAmericanfootball.


• In1990,theelderlyAnnMillerpublished
  anaccountofherexperiencesinthe
  psychic world calledTap ping Into the Forc e.

THEQUOTETOQUOTE

DON:Whatidiot ever told you you were

a dancer?

HANNAH: You did!

Buy/rent it on Google Play and YouTube WORDS: LES DUNN

Here’soneforEasterFriday(oranyFridaynightyoufancy):a feelgoodmusicalfrom

Hollywood’s golden age. Fred Astaire and Judy Garland, with a swell (but easy) menu