User Reviews

"India on Parade" is a James A. FitzPatrick Travelog giving glimpses of the wealth and abject poverty of India, its tribal customs and its pageantry.

A beautiful glimpse of the Taj Mahal and the story of its construction as a reflection of the love of a man for his wife when she died, is especially poignant and impressive. If you want to see "elephants on parade" (no, not pink elephants as in DUMBO), you'll enjoy viewing the especially well trained elephants costumed in expensive trappings encrusted with jewels as men on white horses parade them around the grounds. Royal elephants, sacred oxen, and frisky monkeys are all on exhibit in various scenes.

The short closes appropriately with a long, lingering look at the architecture of the Taj Mahal before leaving India.

James A. Fitzpatrick sends Technicolor cameras under Winton Hoch to India, where we start off with a look at a caravan of cloth-of-gold-draped elephants owned by one of the sovereign princes. It was before Indian independence -- that would come after the Second World War. Next comes the Taj Mahal; no travelogue of India would be complete without it. It's a survey of the beauty and wonder that immense wealth can produce. Of the problems of the great poverty that exists outside the well-guarded gates, nothing is said.

James Fitzpatrick's narration is better than usual in this one, although he always sounds like he shouting to a bunch of half-deaf people in a noisy crowd. Maybe he was hard of hearing. The Traveltalks cameras would return to India in 1952.

Raveltalks visit India. Some pronunciations are problematic. They quickly go to a palace in Baroda state where there is a small parade with elephants. The princely wealth is on display. They bring in the monkeys. Finally, they visit the Taj Mahal.

The parade is not the most impressive one around. It's more like a procession. Still, I love the elephants. I do worry about what the elephant is smoking. I certainly hope that it is not anything drug-related. I would hate for an addicted elephant. The monkeys are fun. The Taj Mahal is the Taj Mahal and is always the Taj Mahal. The singing is annoying.

An MGM TRAVELTALK Short Subject.

In this little film, produced years before Indian independence & the dissolution of the princely states, we are given a fascinating look at INDIA ON PARADE. After a quick glimpse of Agra, we are whisked away to view the private army of the Maharajah of Baroda. Unimaginable wealth is on display, as the sacred oxen & mighty elephants lumber by, covered with golden blankets & jewel-encrusted trappings. We are then permitted a peek at the Maharajah's favorite performing elephant & a troop of frisky monkeys. Finally, its back to Agra for a closer look at the wondrous Taj Mahal.

The song heard at the end of the film is 'Pale Hands Beside The Shalimar' - once upon a time reputed to be the favorite of silent screen idol Rudolph Valentino. His recording of it (not heard here) is the only sample of his voice in existence.

This is one of a large series of succinct travelogues turned out by MGM, beginning in the 1930's. They featured Technicolor views of beautiful & unusual sights around the globe, as well as vivid, concise commentary. These films were produced & narrated by James A. FitzPatrick.

India on Parade (1937)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Another entry in MGM's long running TravelTalks series with this one stopping off in India (as the title states). This time out we see some great architectural stuff and some of the wildlife. Early on we see the all-mighty elephant and how the people of India treat them in regards to them being worshiped, painting and used for various other things. We also get to see some wild monkeys and learn that they, like humans, must be taken care of for the first year and the babies share a lot of things in common with human babies. The rest of the short takes a look at the Taj Mahal and tells us the story behind its creation, which took twenty years and three million pounds. If you're a fan of the series then this one here offers up enough entertainment to make it worth viewing. The film moves as the usual nice pace, features the good narration from James A. FitzPatrick and has that great Technicolor showing everything off.