Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Singin' & dancin' & sobbin'
A "sleeper" when it was released in 1954, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is still one of the freshest musicals ever made. With a pretty, spirited score by Gene de Paul and Johnny Mercer and rambunctious but carefully-controlled choreography by Michael Kidd, this modestly-budgeted movie surprised everyone by becoming an enormous hit, even being nominated for Best Picture. Based on a short story by Stephen Vncent Benet called "Sobbin' Women" (which was the film's working title), it tells the story of a frontier woman Millie (Jane Powell) courted by a backwoodsman Adam (Howard Keel). He takes her off to his rustic home, neglecting to tell her he has six untamed brothers to care for. Undaunted, Millie sets about domesticating the household, complete with readings from classical history, including the story of the Sabine women, which the boys take to heart. The musical was filmed in AnscoColor and CinemaScope, and the wide screen is utilized to great effect, especially in the barn-raising sequence. Letter-box is mandatory. DePaul and Mercer wrote some effective songs ("Wonderful Day", "When You're in Love", "Sobbin' Women") and the numbers blend into the story perfectly under Stanley Donen's smooth direction. Dresden-doll coloratura Powell and strapping baritone Keel make such an attractive couple it's odd M~G~M never co-starred them again. (Evidently a musical version of "Robin Hood" never got past the drawing board.) The brothers include New York City Ballet star Jacques d'Amboise and a non-dancer, the mysterious Jeff Richards, who may have been the handsomest man ever to appear on the screen, Rock Hudson notwithstanding. Among the brides is Julie Newmar, who a couple of seasons later would stupefy Broadway in "Li'l Abner".Bright and pleasantly aggressive, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is right up there with Metro's best musicals.
Rating: - Great musical Fun, albeit Corny Musical Fun
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is a film that surprised MGM. It was released the same year as Brigadoon, and since Gene Kelly and Cid Charisse were better known stars than Howard Keel and Jane Powell, it was assumed that Brigadoon would be the bigger hit. Director Stanley Donen had to make many compromises on the film that he believed sacrificed the quality of the overall picture. Yet the movie was a great success and is one of MGM's most beloved musicals. (All this information can be found in the additional track section of the DVD Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.) The story is rather implausible. Adam, and his six brothers Ben, Caleb, Dan, Ephraim, Frankincense, and Gideon, live alone in the Oregon back country. Adam decided to get a wife and Millie, a local girl agrees to take a chance with Adam. She gets more than she bargained for when she is expected to cook and clean for the seven barbaric men, but eventually she tames them. The six bachelor brothers deicide they too want wives and kidnap six other young ladies. Eventually the women fall in love with the men and all are married. Somehow the magic of the movie makes the viewer forget the complete political incorrectness of the film, and in reality the brothers should be facing criminal charges rather than marital bliss. Highlights of the film include the barn raising scene where one of Hollywood's greatest dance scenes takes place-the brothers compete fore the attention of the ladies with one of the most acrobatic square dances ever conceived. The lonely feel of "I'm a Lonesome Polecat" is very convincing. DVD viewers can get the benefit of the story behind the movie which gives the viewer an appreciation of the great musical films. All in all, this is a feel good film and definitely worth the price.
Rating: - The Beginning of the Feminist Movement
Okay, okay. So Millie agrees to marry Adam after only knowing him for a few minutes. So he casually appraises every woman he sees while looking for a wife. So they kidnap six girls from their homes. SO WHAT?I didn't realize there was such a feminist backlash to this utterly charming musical. For all you feminists out there (by the way, did I mention I really don't care for Gloria Steinem?), let's set a few things straight. For a movie made in the 1950's (the decade that gave us high heel and pearl wearing Harriet Nelson, June Cleaver, and Donna Reed) I'd say this movie was ahead of it's time. Note that Millie is perfectly happy until she realizes that she's been deceived and must, in fact, care for SEVEN men instead of just one. Sure, she rolls up her sleeves and begins to clean without complaint, but that's what women in that period DID. Don't think the men just sat around on their bums. They had plenty of work to do as well. But I digress. They make such pigs of themselves at dinner and don't even wait for grace. When Adam doesn't come to her aid, as a husband in that time should have, Millie makes her position known clearly by yelling and then turning the huge table of food over on some of the brothers. Did June Cleaver ever do this? I don't think so. Later, she lets Adam know she's hurt and angry by not 'sleeping alongside' him. Yeah, she forgives him kind of quick, but that's important to the plot. If she hadn't forgiven him, there would be no baby later. Millie is the one who, much to their horror, sneaks in her new brothers' bedroom and takes their clothes to be washed, then demands they all take a bath and shave. Millie is the one who teaches them about courting. Millie is the one who prevents the first fight at the barn raising. It's because of Millie that the brothers feel guilty about the fight they did get in. Millie prevents them from entering the house after they kidnap the girls. Millie, Millie, Millie. She's the driving force behind a picture loaded with testosterone. I'd say that's pretty liberal for the cookie-cutter '50's. Check out this movie. The choreography is outstanding, the singing is out of this world, and the comedy flows freely throughout. A great musical, but also a great movie. Oh, and, about the line dealing with the coon hunt. That is not a racial slur, as some people might think. Coon hunting is an actual sport and does take place at night. You have my word.
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