Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Rating:
Summary: Singin' & dancin' & sobbin'
Review: 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:
Summary: One of the Most Energetic Musicals of all Time
Review: 1954's "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is rough around the edges and that's just what the doctor ordered. Stanley Donen directed this rough and tumble highly acclaimed musical, set in Oregon in 1850. It was adapted from Stephen Vincent Benét's story "The Sobbin' Women" (based on Plutarch's The Rape of the Sabine Women) and perfectly integrates song, dance, and storytelling. Russ Tamblyn as one of Howard Keel's brothers and Julie Newmar as one of the potential brides are very memorable. Besides Michael Kidd's brilliant choreography (which almost goes without saying) is Cinematographer George Folsey's CinemaScope photography that captured both the grandeur of the land (shot on MGM's back lot!) and the brilliant and bawdy dance numbers. Unfortunately it was shot in Ansco Color and not Technicolor which makes the images less vivid. Yet it does not hinder the film. I saw a recent interview with Jane Powell and she believed that MGM thought they had a real dud on their hands. Boy, were they wrong. Of the DVD versions I prefer the original MGM issue which had a 2.55 to 1 aspect ratio. The Warner Studios version is 2.35 to 1. Both DVD versions remastered the original 4-track magnetic soundtrack to 5.1 Dolby Digital discrete channels. I find this sound remastering very annoying especially to stereophonic films made in the 50s and 60s. The sound on the hi-fi VHS tape is actually truer to the original film.

Rating:
Summary: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Review: This is a great film, two wonderful singers. Good story line as well. My kids, my husband and myself all like this one! It is a good family film everyone will enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: Top MGM musical which outlasted many of its contemporaries.
Review: Howard Keel is in his usual manly, slightly misogynist character as Adam and Jane Powell is both strong and vulnerable as his bride, which makes things more interesting. Watch out for a young Julie Newmar stealing the show as Dorcas, the tallest of the brides, and Russ Tamblyn as an athletic youngest brother Gideon. There are three solo love songs (as you often get in these musicals) which are nowhere near the standard of the chorus numbers. By contrast, Bless Her Beautiful Hide, Going Courting, and Spring Spring Spring show Johnny Mercer's skill in crafting memorable lyrics for great tunes by Gene De Paul

The dancing is a delight. The accompanying 'making-of' documentary shows how Michael Kidd cleverly made is so that the macho brothers didn't actually dance much unless it was appropriate, instead he had them jumping and moving to time. Interviews with most of the main cast members and director Stanley Donen make this an interesting extra, even if short at 35 minutes. There's also a trailer and subtitles (ideal if you plan to sing-along!).

The techniocolor works very well in this restored version, particularly with the brightly coloured shirts the brothers wear and the pastel shade dresses worn by the brides. There is stereo sound too, not bad for 1954. All in all, you have such a good time watching this you forget the back-projection and rather obvious backdrop paintings which might otherwise detract from this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Singin' & dancin' & sobbin'
Review: 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:
Summary: I LOVE THIS FILM SO MUCH
Review: I mean who wouldnt love, not like, but love this incredible film. This was the first film that I watched when I was growing up. It is similar to pretty woman but reverse because here are 7 rough western thugs that in need of brides to tame them, after their oldest brother got married. Not only did the film have good actors and actresses that were too funny to ignore, but the music and dancing were just as good. I love it and can you believe all but one brother are still alive today? Wow!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Remastered version due in 2004
Review: According to a chat at the Home Theatre Forum with WB execs Seven Brides is undergoing a remastering for release this year. Good new is that it will be anamorphic and include both versions-flat and Cinemascope, both redone.

Rating:
Summary: Lonesome polecats.
Review: One of the great MGM screen musicals, "7 Brides" is most famous for its athletic dance sequences, most notably the barn raising scene. Howard Keel and Jane Powell are near-perfect in their roles, while Tommy Rall and his brothers revel in their dancing, even while wearing bright pastel shirts that were certainly never seen in the real Oregon wilderness. Viewers would benefit from a remastered anamorphic reissue, since the film was shot very wide and the current transfer is quite grainy at times.

Rating:
Summary: Going Courting
Review: I have seen this movie numerous times, and will still watch it every chance I get. I have even played this movie for my daughters boyfriends to teach them how to go a courting.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!
Review: SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS is the archetypical "musical-western movie". It's Hollywood's answer to OKLAHOMA! Made on half the budget of most 1950s MGM musicals, the rough, "country" look of the film may very well be an asset in disguise. What a fantastic score! The magnificent choreography! The screenplay manages to be historically accurate and politically correct! This is easily Stanley Donen's masterpiece as sole director. It stands up so well. The DVD is fine quality (considering the film's age and circumstances). The documentary is a great bonus, as well! This is one of my all-time favorites!