38K views · 390 reactions | Footlight Parade is a classic 1933...

James Cagney Footlight Parade 1933 Shanghai Lil Full Scene Motion pictures may have put Broadway director Chester Kent (James Cagney) out of a job, but he quickly finds a second career producing musical sequences for the movies. Unfortunately, a cutthroat competitor keeps stealing his ideas. That cannot happen on his next commission, a rush job for a big-time theater chain. If his work impresses, it'll lead to an exclusive contract. Chester has only three days, but with the help of his smitten s

The set for the 15-minute "By a Waterfall" number in FOOTLIGHT PARADE ('33) featured an 80-by-40-foot swimming pool that took up an entire soundstage. Busby Berkeley had the pool lined with glass walls and a glass floor so he could shoot the swimmers from every possible angle. | Turner Classic Movies: TCM

Busby Berkeley's style of kaleidoscopic choreography and geometric set pieces have enthralled generations of audiences. From Beyoncé to Harry Styles, artists continue to be inspired by Berkeley's unforgettable aesthetic. | Turner Classic Movies: TCM