Michael_Elliott Paris on Parade (1938) *** (out of 4) One of the better entries in James A. FitzPatrick's TravelTalks series visits Paris during the 1937 Paris International Exposition. According to this short there were forty-four different nations displaying various forms of their country here and being able to see just a few are a real treat. I'd be lying if I said I had previously heard about this event but that's what makes some of these shorts so much fun. The entire short didn't really show off the city, like so many in the series, but instead just looked at this event, which had some great displays including works from Africa, Sudan, France and many others. Just seeing how different these places were, side by side, is what makes this short such a winner.

Neil Doyle Ironically, the theme for the Paris Exposition was "The Spirit of Peace", just as World War II was looming across many European countries, including France and the city of light.This is a rather by-the-numbers dry view of various pavilions, all of which are glanced from outside only with no indication of what the buildings held inside. The usual commentary is spoken by James FitzPatrick in a dull monotone.At least we're told that the flags of 44 nations are displayed along the banks of the Seine where the Eiffel Tower is part of the exhibition; countries included Great Britain and its Empire, Sweden (simplicity), Czechoslovakia (impressive architecture), U.S. (American Indian displays), France (replica of Statue of Liberty and French colonies, a pavilion of French-IndoChina and colonies of French West Africa), a shot of a water skier on the Seine, and a Russian statue of heroic figures situated atop a monument 100 ft. high.At the Spanish pavilion we see dancers from Segovia; and toward the closing we see The Fountain of Peace, an aquatic display of the kind France is noted for. The final shot are the illuminated fountains at night in brilliant color (thanks to electricity) and the short documentary ends with a pyrotechnical display of fireworks, the very same kind that would light up New York's World Fair a few years later.Interesting but none of the pavilions looked that impressive to me. Might have been more interesting to show some of the interior displays, but I suppose time would not allow that.Sad to realize that the theme of peace was an ironic one, considering all that was soon to follow.

jtyroler This is one of MGM's "Traveltalks" with James A. FitzPatrick - just a couple of years before Nazis were trying to make themselves feel at home there. This is a brief look at the Paris Exhibition of 1937, which included pavilions of other European nations that would be invaded by the Nazis even sooner than France.According to Mr. FitzPatrick there were 44 nations with their exhibits on the banks of the Seine, showing the "faith in the ideals of man's humanity to man" on the eve of the world witnessing man's inhumanity to man - some of which was already taking place (Japan's invasion of parts of China, Germany already having concentration camps, annexing Austria, Italy invading Ethiopia, etc.).It is very difficult for a modern viewer to watch things like the "modern" architecture of the Czechoslovakian pavilion with the knowledge that a lot of the architecture of that former nation will most likely be destroyed over the next 6 or 7 years.There were also interesting exhibits from former French colonies: Indochina and French West Africa, which included Senegal, Dahomey (now Benin), the Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire), Mauritania, French Sudan, and other colonies. There was also the Soviet Union's exhibit which included a Stalinist statue of a man and woman worker that was, according to Mr. FitzPatrick, about 100 feet tall.The illuminated fountains were quite beautiful as were the fireworks displays.This appears occasionally on TCM - it's definitely worth checking out.

Ron Oliver An MGM TRAVELTALK Short Subject.PARIS ON PARADE takes us on a dazzling exterior tour of the pavilions built for the 1937 Paris Exposition. The film ends with the wonderful waterworks & pyrotechnic display on and over the River Seine.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.