Seven Brides for Seven Brothers – courtesy of IMDB
“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” was on TCM yesterday, and I had to watch it.
It’s been one of my favorite musicals since I was introduced to the genre as a fresh-faced two-year-old.
Everything about it is fantastic. The music is remarkable catchy, clever and singable. The sets, produced on a B-movie budget, make you feel like you’re in backcountry Oregon in the 1800s. Ironically, the movie ended up being a smash hit and now enjoys A-movie standing. Stanley Donen, quite possibly the greatest musical director in the history of MGM, directed an incredible cast and made “Seven Brides…” one of the most endearing films I have ever seen.
The story centers backwoodsman Adam Pontipee. One day, he heads into town to find himself a wife. (Cue Howard Keel’s beautiful baritone singing “Bless Your Beautiful Hide”). He sees fiesty Millie, played by a charming Jane Powell, and decides that “she’s the gal for me.” After some gentle persuasion, Millie agrees and the couple is married. Unaware that Adam has six uncouth brothers waiting back home, Millie is overjoyed with the thought of keeping her own house and starting a family.
She is welcomed to the Pontipee residence by Adam, Benjamin, Caleb, Daniel, Ephram, Frankincense and Gideon (named for Biblical characters), immediately upset that Adam didn’t inform her of the size of his household, and punishes him justly. Eventually, Millie warms to the brothers and vice versa. She teaches them all about “Goin’ Co’tin'” and inadvertently inspires the brothers to kidnap some local girls to be their wives.
The seven brothers are perfectly cast, consisting mostly of professional dancers, a former MLB baseball player and my favorite gymnast, Russ Tamblyn. Tommy Rall is another stand-out as Frank, the brother mortified by his Christian name and committed to avenging himself against anyone who makes fun of his Frankincense moniker. Their brides are sweet and cute but don’t distract from the incredibly adorable band of brothers.
Howard Keel is at his most excellent. I have always and will always think that his star ascended at the wrong time. He was rugged, handsome and had a singing voice that would make a grown man cry, yet he arrived in Hollywood at the tail end of the musical craze. “Kiss Me, Kate,” (also starring Tommy Rall) “Showboat” and “Annie Get Your Gun” all star Howard Keel and are worth your time.
Michael Kidd’s choreography is excellent and beautifully executed. The barn raisin’ dance is epic. Russ Tamblyn jumps over an axe, Tommy Rall spars with the city boys. He took full use of CinemaScope and created dances that were sprawling and intricate. Knowing full well that he had trained ballerinas in his company, Kidd used them to his advantage. This ain’t no sissy dancin’, either. This is a cast of manly man who just happen to pirouette beautifully and know how to properly point their toes.
Roz Writes 