Tuesday
Aug162011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 at 7:39AM
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Reader Comments (9)
what we think is chic, unique and quite adorable
they think is odd and sodom and gomorrah-bul.
There are more important things to worry about, Millie!
Like finding a man!
Avoiding white slavery!
And that pesky (lovely) Sutton Foster!
Why on earth hasn't this been green-lit for a new film adaptation as yet?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Julie Andrews become a really big star while this was filming? I sort of remember that they ended up using all the film they shot just to pad it out for the Julie fans. But that doesn't seem correct to me, the timeline is off.
Anyway, when I was 12 years old, TMM was playing with The Sound of Music in a double bill at the local theater near my house. I went to see it at the bargain matinee and was so impressed that I stayed, and stayed, and stayed. I think I saw Sound of Music four times that day and TMM three times.
Oh, and I went back the next Saturday and saw them all again! Now, don't get me wrong, this was long before videos or HBO or anything. I think Sound of Music was in a rerelease, probably in 1973 or so.
dave -- i dont know about filming but that chronology sounds off. she became famous on television and broadway through the early 60s --- the blockbusters arrived in 64 &65 ... so by the time MILLIE arrived in 67. well that seems a long time to hold it in the can. i think it was thoroughly after?
Okay, I went and researched it and it turns out the battle was between George Roy Hill, the director also famous for The Sting, and the producer Ross Hunter, famous for, er, Lost Horizon? GRH wanted it to be a light frothy movie, and made his movie that way, but then Ross Hunter wanted it to be a "more is more" giant extravaganza. Ross Hunter took the film from GRH and threw everything in it, whether it belonged in there or not.
That must be the reason why I had it in my head that they took a small movie, and put in every take and scene no matter whether it made sense or helped the film. Phew.
Anyway, if only Julie could have continued to make these light enjoyable movies. But along came Star! and Darling Lili and...
One of my favorite moments in one of my favorite films (even though I know it's far from perfect...)
Evidence of the more'is'more approach to padding this movie out: the completely incongruous Jewish wedding scene where Julie sings in mock-Hebrew... It pops up out of nowhere and never figures in the plot at all!
The casting is phenomenal: especially Beatrice Lillie as Mrs Meers. The odd-ball jokes are insanely quotable: RAAAAAAASP-BERRIES! SOY SAUCE!?!?!?!
I must say that I was thoroughly disappointed in the stage version because it completely 'regularized' and sanitized what is a messy, strange, camp classic that just doesn't quite hold together but which I love all the same. That's appeal, to me, of TMM as well as a handful of perfect numbers (the opening, Baby Face, Jazz Baby w Carol Channing dancing on a xylophone for goodnesssake!!)
Ah, to have have lived in the says 1964-1968 or so when Julie Andrews was America's #1 box office draw! What a wonderful time it must have been. :)
Brian -- i know. it seems impossible right? Julie had the biggest film of all time, the biggest stage show of all time and the biggest television event of all time (at the time for all three) people were insane for her. as well they should be.
In my fantasy world they bring her in to host the Oscars. Wouldn't that be lovely? She's about the classiest presenter whenever they let her do it
And come to think of it, she and Anne Hathway would be a brilliant co-hosts, no?? Much better than Franco ;)