Rating: 
Summary: 76 Trombones Blazed the Way
Review: Out of all the musicals I've seen, the Music Man is by far my most favorite of them all. After seeing this DVD version, I'll have to say that this is one of my favorite movies of all time as well. The very good chemistry between Robert Preston [Prof. Harold Hill] and Shirley Jones [Marian Paroo] was great. The addition of Buddy Hacket as the Professor's old partner Marcellus Washburn added to the friendliness of the movie. The Buffalo Bills also really spark up the music with their barber shop quartet ensambles.The Music Man is a musical about this traveling salesman named Professor Harold Hill[Preston], who promises to give every town he visits a "boys' band," yet he just takes the money and runs. He is so hated by the other traveling salesmen. After arriving in Rivercity Iowa, he is reaquainted with his old partner Marcellus Washburn [Hacket] and begins to work his magic and deception. He soon finds himself traped in a world full of adventure, deciet, and love as he begins to fall for the town librarian Marian Paroo [Jones]. A lot of the music [written by Meredith Wilson] are very memorable such as the famous "Till There Was You" made famous by the Beatles a few years after this was written, and "76 Trombones" and "Lida Rose", with some special old-time salesmen rap such as "Rock Island" and "Ya Got Trouble." I give this movie 5 stars and would recomend this movie to any families and musical lovers out there
Rating:
Summary: Marian, Madame Librarian
Review: Shirley Jones plays Marion, a spinster librarian in a small Iowa town in this charming musical. The town is turned upside down with the arrival of Professor Harold Hill (Robert Preston), who claims to sell band instruments and uniforms. All the people are excited about the coming band, and despite her best intentions, Marion falls in love with the wily salesman. He falls for her, too, and the whole town celebrates in song, and what great songs - 76 Trombones, Til There was You,...this is a wonderful movie to sing along with! Shirley Jones was never lovelier and sings like an angel. Robert Preston is perfect as the fast-talking con man with a heart of gold. The movie is beautifully filmed, and hey, you have to love a musical that can find a rhyme for "librarian."
Rating:
Summary: As Good As It Gets
Review: I am a child (total misnomer) of the 60's. Growing up and being devoted to the rock music of the late '50 and beyond. Having said that, I am still trying to figure out why "The Music Man" is my all time favorite movie. I remember when the movie came out and my parents and grandparents tried to get me to go see it. Of course I refused. I discovered this movie on VHS in the mid '80s and have become totally enthralled. Hollywood musicals have never been my cup of tea, but this....oh my this movie is WONDERFUL. The incomparable Robert Preston is totally enthralling as Professor Harold Hill, a con man par excellance. A young and very beautiful Shirley Jones is Marion the Librarian. Add in Buddy Hacket, Hermione Gingold, Paul Ford, and a 7 year old red headed kid named Ron Howard and you get a cast from heaven. The sets and costumes recreate a circa 1910 Iowa perfectly, the story moves along seamlessly, and the score is superb. Movie magick at its best. The chemistry between Robert Preston and Shirley Jones is perfect, the inter-action of the other characters is very well done. The score by Meredith Wilson is pure musical heaven. Buy it, watch it, watch it again. You will love it. Guaranteed.
Rating:
Summary: Great Honk! It's the Music Man!
Review: You ever hear about a fellah named Hill? He's a music man... At least that's what he'd have you believe. He's also the subject of this charming movie musical from 1962. And when THE MUSIC MAN trumpets onto your screen, you are taken back to when musicals where the rage. Robert Preston reprises his Broadway role as Henry Hill, a salesman with very questionable intentions. And when the town of River City is taken in by his charms, the levelheaded librarian Marian (played by a pregnant Shirley Jones) calls his bluff. But, when his bluff puts smiles on everyone's face, even she questions herself... the River City-zians are a pleasure to watch. Leading the town is Mayor Shinn and his wife, played by the comic geniuses, Paul Ford and Hermione Gingold. We can't forget their daughter Zaneeta (Susan Luckey). Eee-gawds! Marian Paroo's mother is the scene stealing Pert Kelton and Marian's little brother Winthrop is the Oscar Winning director of A BEAUTIFUL MIND, Ronny Howard... err... with a lot more hair. Just to keep the comedy flowing, Buddy Hackett plays Hill's shill, Marcellus. The show is filled with unique musical composition: From the syncopated opening with only a train for underscoring to an argument where the underscoring is provided by a young girl's piano lessons. Other great numbers include the whisper filled dance number in the library and the rabble-rousing talk song, Trouble. The film is often choreographed as if it was on stage and even the lighting design supports that. Occasionally, the background will fade to black leaving the singer alone in a spotlight. The DVD is nicely presented. The Technicolor video transfer is sharp and pleasant. The audio sounds great, but the 5.1 at times can be taxing to your sound system. There is also a brief making of documentary called "Right Here in River City" that offers some cute tidbits and is introduced by a still beautiful Shirley Jones. Watch for Ron Howard's Dad, Rance in a small role!
Rating:
Summary: The Wells Fargo Wagon and Little Ronnie Howard!
Review: Meredith Willson's "The Music Man" was a phenomenal success on Broadway (1957) before it came to Hollywood. At this point in time, in Hollywood musical history, studios wanted to be certain that they had a "sure thing" before they expended any amount of money on the musical. Consequently, most of the musicals being made in Hollywood had previously been successful on Broadway. The same principle applied to "The Music Man." Director Morton DaCosta and choreographer Onna White also handled the Broadway production and several of the original Broadway cast members were featured in the movie including Pert Kelton, The Buffalo Bills singing quartet and last but not least Robert Preston. Even though Preston portrayed the dynamic Professor Hill on Broadway, he was awarded the starring role in the movie only after Cary Grant turned down the studio. Preston's enthusiastic character in the movie, his style, his charm and his personality reflected in Professor Hill are the qualities that went on to make the movie as successful as the Broadway play. According to Ted Sennett in his book 'Hollywood Musicals,' "His performance is a miracle of energy and drive, perfectly in key to the style and intention of the film." "The Music Man" centers on down home America, Iowa style, circa 1912. The crux of the plot involves a fast-talking, good looking, and smooth kind of guy called Professor Harold Hill. In actuality, he's a con man who goes from small town to small town, making a fast buck. However, when he arrives in River City, he doesn't realize that he has met his Waterloo. He proceeds in trying to convince these small town folks that there's 'trouble right here in River City,' referring to the young people who are hanging around with nothing to do. He puts himself across as a music teacher and tries to get all of the parents to buy band instruments and uniforms in order to form a band that he can instruct. Wanting to do the best for their children, parents go along with his suggestion, not realizing that he knows nothing about music, bands or band instruments. Marian (Shirley Jones), the town's librarian sees through his façade but also at the same time, falls in love with him. The movie ends with the famous song '76 trombones.' The songs in this movie flowed smoothly with the storyline and there was something for everyone. The production number "The Wells Fargo Wagon" involved members of the whole town, looking and waiting for the Wells Fargo Wagon to deliver all the things that were ordered from the catalogue. Children and adults alike were all excited about the arrival, which was a big happening in this little town. Robert Preston's rendition of 'Trouble' set the tone for the movie and showed, in music, how he could incite the townspeople and get just what he wanted. Shirley Jones and Robert Preston vocalizing on 'Till There Was You' made it very clear that they cared deeply for one another and the audience knew, at that point, that he wasn't going to leave River City. The grand finale, with the marching band playing '76 Trombones' was really the high point of the movie and "...the musical's biggest hit song...which Preston makes virtually his own with every confident stride and strut" (Ted Sennett, "Hollywood Musicals"). It's a song in the movie where you just had to join in with the music. "The Music Man" is two and a half hours of sheer pleasure. Yes, it was corny, but so were a lot of other musicals. Maybe that's what made it so appealing. If it didn't have the staying power it wouldn't be around today, being shown repeatedly on television and being sold on videocassette and DVD. Robert Preston and Shirley Jones will always be fondly remembered for their excellent portrayals in this movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Never again for me!
Review: I had to watch this all week in my college Theatre class, and I wanted to blow my brains out. Yes it's THAT annoying. Don't get me wrong, Robert Preston's role was incredibly challenging and I don't see how he didn't constantly get tongue-tied....Maybe it's not fair that we previously watched such greats as "Summer and Smoke" and "To Kill a Mockingbird", after those this movie is just a time waster.
Rating:
Summary: Must-Have for the DVD Library
Review: When I buy a DVD, I am usually looking for two things. IF it is a musical, then I am looking for a WIDESCREEN presentation. Nothing is more annoying than watching a full screen version of a musical and seeing arms and legs (but not the whole body) coming into the picture a few times. Second, I look for the extras. The Music Man DVD version does not disappoint. THe making of documentary is much better and longer than some "featurettes" found on DVDs. If you are wondering whether to upgrade to DVD, have no fear. It's a great one.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Broadway Movie Masterpiece
Review: The Music Man is one of my fav. musicals of all time...and I have to say that the movie version of this musical is very well made...The DVD itself is also helpful in learning about some of the big actors and actresses in the movie...I would really like to see if there's another production of The Music Man which can top this one... This is a story about a thimble-riggin', cheatin' salesman Professor Harold Hill (Preston) who comes into Rivercity Iowa to try to sell the idea of startin' up a band in this small town and take their money and leave. What he doesn't expect is that he bumps into Marian Paroo, the librarian (Jones) who stops at nothing to prove that he's a fake...They eventually fall in love, but with crazy Mayor Shinn trying to find out about the Professor, the School Board singing as a barber shop quartet, and a jealous salesman who has the proof that the Professor's a fake, this rollercoaster ride of a musical brings a lot of fun and excitement to it's audiences with such songs as "Till There Was You" [made famous by the Beetles], "Seventy Six Trombones", "Rock Island", and "Lida Rose"...
Rating:
Summary: The Music Man - makes you want to sing and dance.
Review: This is a classic, old favorite. Why don't they make movies like this anymore? Have our senses dulled so much that we have to be run over before we like something? I don't think so, and that is why I bought this for my husband for Christmas. I know he'll like it. Everyone does. I wonder if Philomath City could have a boy's band.
Rating:
Summary: The Music Man
Review: I recently watched this movie for the first time in about 20 years and was blown away by how good it was. I'd forgotten pretty much everything about it save a couple songs. Seeing it has gotten me hooked on old movies and I'm looking for different ones I can rent or buy. This is definently a first class, five star movie.
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