The Music Man (BD)

Director Morton DaCosta spent most of his career acting and directing on the New York stage, doing only two other movies. This one – his version of the Broadway hit – is as charming a screen musical as you are likely to see. It’s great fun and a treat for all ages. Robert Preston stars as Professor Harold Hill, an alias the character uses as a traveling salesman and small-time hustler of band uniforms and instruments. Hill’s trade brings him to the little town of River City, Iowa, where he meets his comeuppance but also finds love and happiness. And as Hill, Preston reprises to perfection the Tony Award-winning role he played for several years on Broadway. But the real stars are composer Meredith Willson’s songs. They’re wonderful, including the sweet ballad “Goodnight, My Someone,” the gorgeous “Till There Was You,” and the grand finale “76 Trombones,” which gives the cast a rousing curtain call. Some of the songs are among the most unusual ever written, including “Rock Island,” in which traveling salesmen aboard a train mimic its rhythm en route from one town to the next; “Piano Lesson,” where the sung lyrics follow the notes of a keyboard exercise; the rapid-fire “Trouble;” the charming “Pick a Little, Talk a Little,” sung by a chorus of the town’s dowagers who flock together like barnyard hens; and the crisply choreographed “Marian the Librarian,” as subtle a portrayal of romance and sexual awakening as ever presented on the screen. In a sense, The Music Man might be the most musical musical ever, because even the dialogue, or much of it, is spoken with a rhythmic cadence – and delightfully so. There’s also the happiest of happy endings, one that is sure to leave you smiling and humming the theme song for days. Shirley Jones co-stars as “lovely Marian,” the aforementioned librarian, and the great supporting cast includes Buddy Hackett as a pixie-ish fellow huckster, Paul Ford as the dotty mayor of River City, and eight-year-old Ron (Ronny in the credits) Howard at the beginning of his acting career as Marian’s brother, Winthrop.

There aren't many DVDs that I want to own, i.e., not many movies I'd care to watch more than once, but this is definitely one of them. I first saw this wonderful Meredith Willson musical as a child, and have loved it ever since. It's one of America's answers to a Puccini opera (which I also find sublime). (Another might be "Guys and Dolls".) The DVD has a lovely extra, about the making of the musical, hosted by Shirley Jones (who, one learns, was pregnant during the filming of the movie). One disappointment is that they morphed my favorite song from the Broadway show - the great "My White Knight" - into the mediocre "Being In Love." I have no idea why they did that, other than possibly they felt it fit better with the dialog, though if the latter played on Broadway for 1375 performances, I don't know why they couldn't have fit it into the movie. I can't imagine that it was out of Shirley Jones' range. (And, I doubt there was any racial political correctness involved, back in 1962.) Just a bad choice, I guess. Also somewhat disappointing is that the movie version of my other favorite song from this show - "Till There Was You" (covered famously by the Beatles) - is inferior to the Broadway version, which has it as a lovely duet with Robert Preston, while the movie has Shirley Jones singing it alone. On the plus side, the Barbershop quartet songs, and especially the Buffalo Bills' duet with Shirley Jones ("Lida Rose" and "Will I Ever Tell You?"), are top notch. I LOVE it when two melodies are woven together richly and seamlessly (another prime example being "Moonglow" and "Theme from Picnic"), and Willson does it in this musical several times. It's a subtle but genuine tour de force. A bit of trivia: one of my favorite bands from the late 1960s, Spanky and Our Gang, recorded their own, delightful version of "Ya Got Trouble". So, between them and The Beatles, you know that Meredith Willson came up with some memorable tunes and lyrics here. I can't end this review without also mentioning the stellar performance by Pert Kelton in the role of the widow Paroo. Her acting, voice, and intonations are perfect, which makes it understandable why she played the role both on stage and in the film. The way she sighs and looks off into the distance after one of her encounters with the spell-binding Professor Harold Hill is unforgettable. If you're a music-lover, you can't regret owning this DVD. But for the CD, don't buy the movie soundtrack, but get the Broadway version. It also stars the incomparable Robert Preston, but features a flawless performance by Barbara Cook, singing the role of Marian (Madam Librarian) Paroo.

Spectacular classic! This is a fantastic family movie, filled with laughter, catchy songs, and comedic phrases. The plot in this movie great as well.

A wonderful movie, one of the best from the last days of the great movie musicals. It is a pleasure to have this now on Blue-Ray, with much improved sound and better video than my old VHS tape (almost worn out by now). Thanks to the producers for making it available in this format. If you don't know the story of this show, here is a brief resumé: A slick travelling salesman descends upon a small town in Iowa in the early 1900s, selling a line of band instruments and uniforms. His method is simple: create fear among the townsfolk that their youngsters are headed for perdition, and can only be saved from the pool-hall by getting them involved in a 'boys band' in the town. The complication arises when he learns there is a REAL music teacher in the town--who is also the local librarian--and, in classic style, he falls in love with her, and she with him. The plot is simple and even hackneyed--it is the wonderful songs and beautifully-staged dance numbers which make this show the great film that it is. Shirley Jones (yes, THAT Shirley Jones, unfairly typecast later in her career as the mother in moronic television series, 'The Partridge Family') has one of the loveliest and purest Broadway ingenue soprano voices you will ever hear, and is as pretty as the proverbial picture. The brainless and talentless sexpot 'stars' of today could take a lesson from her, if only they would. Robert Preston has that 'edge' so necessary to performing this extremely difficult rôle (it is murderously hard; I know from having tried it myself in a college production), and if his voice is not that of a great lyric tenor, it matters not--much as nobody cared when watching 'My Fair Lady' that Rex Harrison was not a singer either. He nails the part perfectly--I simply cannot imagine anyone else playing Professor Harold Hill. Much as I like Matthew Broderick and Kristin Chenowith (his 'The Producers' and her 'Candide' are the ultimate productions of those shows), the 2003 remake of this film just isn't 'The Real Thing.' Hermione Gingold and Paul Ford (as the mayor's wife and the mayor himself) are perfect, and The Buffalo Bills (the pre-eminent American Barbershop Quartet of that era) bring life and laughs to the film as the members of the School Board. The weak link in the cast would have to be Buddy Hackett--I never did like the man's 'schtick' so take that as you wish--but even he does a creditable job as the saleman's sidekick and lookout man. A very young Ronnie Howard (he of Mayberry RFD and American Graffiti) plays the librarian's young, troubled brother, and shows the skill and professionalism that would carry him on to a notable career in film. If you love great musical comedy, you must see this film. Buy it: it's a keeper that will please you for years and years to come.

Musicals kann ich nur in ihrer Orginalsprache anschauen, dies hat hiermit wunderbar funktioniert. Hat ein wenig gedauert, bis die DVD aus den USA angereist ist, hat sich aber voll gelohnt! War ein tolles Erlebnis, diesen Film von dem ich schon so vieles gehört habe in seiner ganzen Glorie zu sehen.

The Music Man Repackaged is an excellent purchase well worth buying

c'est vraiment le produit qu'e j'attendais.parfais.

Me llegó muy rápido y en perfectas condiciones Magnifica Pelicula