Fools' Parade

I grew up in Moundsville W.Va. where the movie was filmed and got to watch many of the areas they filmed, i was able to get several signatures from the actors, Jimmy Stewart, Struther Martin and George Kennedy. I never got to meet Kurt Russell. It was a really good movie, not Oscar material, but very enjoyable. The last comment about why the movie never made it to copy, is because (this is what I've heard) Anne Bancroft did not like her portrayal and would never authorized a release in copy. She is now deceased, so i can only hope this will allow copies to be made and distributed. I for one would be the first in line to get it!.

I haven't seen this movie for at least fifteen years, but have never forgotten it...if it were released on video I'd probably buy several copies for friends, because it is such a good story to start with, and so well-done as a movie. James Stewart, George Kennedy, and Kurt Russell give memorable performances, and there is never that sense that you sometimes get with movies that it doesn't matter whether you watch it or not, you know how it will turn out...not with this one! George Kennedy is excellent as the villain, and the whole reversal of roles (the ex-con as the good guy, and the Sunday School teacher/prison official as the bad guy) make the movie one to remember. I highly recommend it!

I've seen some references state that Anne Baxter didn't like her own performance and had the ability to block distribution. Her vanity pretty much assured that the city of Moundsville would lose a rare lifeline to drag itself out of poverty oblivion. It must have been a terrible let-down at the time because you can bet that the townsfolk were tickled pink.

I do not think it is possible to come up with a better version in a remake, but perhaps someone should try that out. I see no chatter to indicate that the distribution will ever be approved.

A new version with current actors might attract a following and create the stimulus to release the original. Want to make a movie? You can rent this town for cheap - it's not changed a lot since the movie except for Walmart and other eyesores on the highway.

I consider this a must-see movie and if you look hard enough around the Internet, you will find copies.

Fools' Parade (also known as Dynamite Man from Glory Jail) is directed by Andrew McLaglen and stars James Stewart, George Kennedy, Kurt Russell, and Strother Martin. It's based on the novel of the same name by Davis Grubb with a screenplay by James Lee Barrett. Harry Stradling Jr. photographs on location in Marshall County, West Virginia and Henry Vars scores the music.

Three men released from prison, one with a cheque for $25,452.32 in his pocket. One crooked bank manager and one vindictive prison captain, both men determined not to let the prisoners cash in that cheque.

Something of an under seen picture due to no home format release as yet, Fools' Parade is a well acted story set around the depression era. It's got a mixture of violence, comedy, adventure and whimsy, while its themes of corruption, new beginnings and moral quandaries are neatly put together as a melodramatic whole. The characterisations are most interesting, not least the three criminals, who having served time for some terrible crimes, are actually the most stand up guys in a town that's full of desperation; where the residents are teetering on the brink of badness.

The cast speaks for itself as regards quality, and they deliver on the promise of their names. While an unrecognisable Anne Baxter also enters the fray late on with a heartfelt and dramatic performance. Special mention for Stradling's photography, which captures the hazy atmosphere of the troubled 30s especially well. A more than involving film that prospective new viewers should try and catch if they get the chance. 7/10

When James Stewart, Strother Martin, and Kurt Russell are released from prison, they decide to go straight. Jimmy has been in prison for forty years, and for his time, he's received $25,000. He and his two friends are planning on opening up a grocery store and enjoying a legitimate life. But George Kennedy, the crooked prison guard who never liked Jimmy, wants that money for himself. He and his cronies follow the three ex-cons as they travel by train to cash the check in the bank that issued it.

Fool's Parade features a really fun role for James Stewart. He wore a prosthetic glass eye during the production (which was so uncomfortable he could only wear it for twenty minutes at a time) and got to play a bit of a villain. In my favorite scene, he straps himself with dozens of dynamite sticks and threatens to blow up the bank if they don't cash the check. He's a scoundrel, but for the right reasons. He really does want to open up a grocery store. George Kennedy is the real villain in the film, even though he's usually such a likable fellow. I'd recommend this oddball comedy if you want to see Jimmy in a different type of role. Keep an eye out for an unrecognizable Anne Baxter. I didn't know it was her until the end credits!