SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS June 19, 2015 1:00 PM - Encore Theater English Subtitles This 1954 Hollywood film was made by the greatest of its musical studios, Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer. Saul Chaplin and Jean Depaul wrote the music; the lyrics are by Johnny Mercer. Michael Kidd originally declined to do the choreography but later agreed once he heard the music which won an Academy Award in 1955; the film was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing. It was honored by a number of other industry associations and in 2004, was registered by the National Film Preservation Board, USA. The version we are showing today is on the album, TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Broadway Musicals. The story certainly portrays women and adult relationships in ways that are archaic, we hope, and certainly sexist. These perspectives were part of the 1950’s and of this film. While we enjoy what this film offers, we can note how far our awareness of these matters has increased, how much needed change there has been, and what remains still to be accomplished. Our hero is a backwoodsman named Adam who marries Millie after she has only known him for a few hours. When she goes with him to his cabin in the mountains, she is surprised to learn that he is one of seven brothers, all living in the same cabin. The seven brothers have been named alphabetically from the Old Testament: Adam, Benjamin, Caleb, Daniel, Ephraim, Frank, and Gideon. Frank is short for frankincense since the Old Testament had no names beginning with F! Two disk album of four films • This film runtime: ~100 minutes • Filmed 1954 by MGM Album released 2009 by Turner Classic Movies • MPAA not rated • ASIN: B001PO550A Page of 1 3
Transcript
SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS
June 19, 2015 1:00 PM - Encore Theater
English Subtitles
This 1954 Hollywood film was made by the greatest of its musical studios, Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer. Saul Chaplin and Jean Depaul wrote the music; the lyrics are by Johnny Mercer. Michael Kidd originally declined to do the choreography but later agreed once he heard the music which won an Academy Award in 1955; the film was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing. It was honored by a number of
other industry associations and in 2004, was registered by the National Film Preservation Board, USA. The version we are showing today is on the album, TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Broadway Musicals.
The story certainly portrays women and adult relationships in ways that are archaic, we hope, and certainly sexist. These perspectives were part of the 1950’s and of this film. While we enjoy what this film offers, we can note how far our awareness of these matters has increased, how much needed change there has been, and what remains still to be accomplished.
Our hero is a backwoodsman named Adam who marries Millie after she has only known him for a few hours. When she goes with him to his cabin in the mountains, she is surprised to learn that he is one of seven brothers, all living in the same cabin. The seven brothers have been named alphabetically from the Old Testament: Adam, Benjamin, Caleb, Daniel, Ephraim, Frank, and Gideon. Frank is short for frankincense since the Old Testament had no names beginning with F!
Two disk album of four films • This film runtime: ~100 minutes • Filmed 1954 by MGM Album released 2009 by Turner Classic Movies • MPAA not rated • ASIN: B001PO550A
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Millie sets out to teach Adam’s rowdy, ill behaved younger brothers manners and social mores, including how to dance. At first, the brothers have a hard time changing from their rough mountain ways, but eventually they see that the only way they will get a “girl” of their own is if they do things Millie’s way.
The brothers are able to test their new manners at a barn raising, where they meet six girls they like: Dorcas, Ruth, Martha, Liza, Sarah, and Dallas. Fortunately, the girls take a fancy to the brothers as well, although the girls already have suitors from the town, who jealously taunt the brothers into fighting during the barn-raising.
A battle-royal ensues with some of the greatest dances routines in all of filmdom displaying Michael Kidd’s brilliant work. During this dance or battle, the barn is destroyed, so the brothers are banished from town. They return alone to their mountain cabin.
Winter sets in, leaving the six younger brothers moping around and pining for their girlfriends. Adam reads his brothers the story of “The Sobbin’ Women,” taken from Plutarch’s story of the Sabine women and and tells them to stop moping and go get their girls. Led by Adam, the brothers kidnap the six girls and bring them back to their cabin, causing an avalanche behind them so they cannot be followed by the townspeople. However, the boys forgot to kidnap a preacher. Whoops, big mistake!
Millie is furious at Adam and the girls are upset at being kidnapped. So, more marriages are unlikely. Since they’re all trapped for the winter, Milly sends the boys off to live in the barn, “…with the rest of the animals,” while the girls live in the house. Adam is surprised and offended by Millie’s reaction. So, he goes up to their trapping cabin further up the mountain to spend the winter alone.
Months pass and spring approaches. Of course, this being Hollywood, Holly allowed the boys to court the girls in a proper manner and all the girls have forgiven and fallen in love with their boyfriends. Remarkable!
When Millie gives birth to a daughter, Hannah, Gideon rides to tell Adam that he is a father and asks Adam to come home. Adam refuses, saying that he will return home only when the snow melts enough to open the pass. Now that he is the father of a baby girl, he is aware of how worried the townspeople will be about what happened to their girls. So, he tells his brothers that they must return the girls to their homes in town.
His brothers refuse. The girls don’t want to return to their homes, either. They all want to stay on the mountain with their new suitors. So, the girls all leave the cabin and hide to prevent their being taken back to their homes.
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When Millie discovers the girls are not in the house, she presses Adam to get his brothers to bring the girls back. Meanwhile, the townspeople arrive to take vengeance for the kidnappings. Finding the brothers trying to force the girls to return, their fathers get the wrong impression and rush to rescue their girls.
After much fighting, the fathers round up the brothers intending to hang them. Alice’s father who is a preacher, hears baby Hannah crying in the distance and worries the baby belongs to one of the girls. When he asks whose baby he hears, the girls all claim her as their own. Shrewd move! As a result, the townspeople feel they have no choice but to insist that all six couples marry immediately in a mass shotgun wedding.
Talk about happy endings! Gilbert and Sullivan couldn’t have done better; you’ll exit the Encore theater smiling at this lyrical and fun filled film.
CAST (Principals) The Brothers Howard Keel...Adam Pontipee Jeff Richards...Benjamin Pontipee Russ Tamblyn...Gideon Pontipee Tommy Rall...Frank Pontipee Marc Platt...Daniel Pontipee Matt Mattox...Caleb Pontipee Jacques d'Amboise...Ephraim Pontipee The Brides Jane Powell...Milly Julie Newmar...Dorcas (as Julie Newmeyer) Nancy Kilgas...Alice Betty Carr...Sarah Virginia Gibson...Liza Ruta Lee...Ruth (as Ruta Kilmonis) Norma Doggett... A Father! Ian Wolfe...Rev. Elcott
NEXT WEEK A week from now, August 25, we take a turn away from the lightness of summer and step toward seriousness, albeit leavened with warmth. A “Fiddler on the Roof,” with Mr. Mostel recreating his Broadway role, will remind us that seemingly isolated acts of hatred can coalesce with extreme consequences.
