Footlight Parade News

COWBOY FROM BROOKLYN is an exceedingly silly comedy about an animal-phobic singing cowboy , made worthwhile by some pleasant musical numbers and the fun of watching a number of up-and-coming actors in small roles.

The Great Depression has rolled off many a pundit's tongue of late as we strain to make sense of the current economic meltdown.

We're in the money Gold Diggers of 1933 A snappy line of chorus girls frolic in front of the camera: wearing skimpy outfits adorned with giant gold coins, they sing "We're in the money!" But this denial of Depression reality only lasts so long.

Busby Berkeley's GOLD DIGGERS OF 1935 takes the "Let's put on a show!" concept to a high-end summer resort, where Dick Powell, Gloria Stuart, and a cast of thousands -- or at least hundreds -- appear in a charity fundraising production.

August's free movies on Mount Pony wrap up this weekend with a John Wayne western, an R-rated drama with big, small-town characters and a 76-year-old musical comedy starring tough guy James Cagney.

"You're aces," says Edward G. Robinson to Joan Blondell in the course of "Bullets or Ballots," a 1936 crime melodrama from Warner Bros.

"You're aces," says Edward G. Robinson to Joan Blondell in the course of "Bullets or Ballots," a 1936 crime melodrama from Warner Bros.

Writes SpaceCowboy: "Hah! IGHGrampa's 'crazy college kids' story reminded me of one, several years ago.

Angelina Jolie's reputation as a fascinating celebrity didn't start with "Girl, Interrupted" or even Billy Bob Thornton.

The Oak Park Public Library, main building is at 834 Lake St., 383-8200; Maze Branch is at 845 S. Gunderson, 386-4751; Dole Branch is at 255 Augusta, 386-9032. Registration is required unless otherwise noted; www.oppl.org . All events free and open to public.

Celebrate Independence Day with America's greatest invention: the cinema! I'm looking forward to having a day off to catch up on some movies that have snuck past me, starting with Michael Mann's new gangster picture, Public Enemies.

C.R.E.A.M. Opera Bedrich Smetana's Bartered Bride calls for a dude cavorting in a bear costume, the most tuneful stuttering you'll ever hear, and the consumption of gallons of imaginary beer.