Directed by: George Sidney
Written by: Michael Stewart (play), Irving Brecher (screenplay)
Starring: Dick Van Dyke as Albert F. Peterson, Janet Leigh as Rosie DeLeon, Ann-Margaret as Kim McAfee, Maureen Stapleton as Mamma Mae Peterson, Bobby Rydell as Hugo Peabody, Jesse Pearson as Conrad Birdie, and Paul Lynde as Harry McAfee
Music by: Lee Adams (Lyrics) and Charles Strouse (music)
This film is an adaptation of the Tony Award winning musical of the same name. There are significant changes from the play to the film, although Dick Van Dyke and Paul Lynde both were a part of the original stage cast.
The premise is as follows: down and out songwriter Albert F Peterson is in a tough spot. His star singer, Conrad Birdie, has just been drafted into the military, his mother runs his life, and he's too afraid of Mamma to tell her about his fiancee - Rose. In an attempt to save Albert, Rosie sets up a deal for Birdie to give out a kiss on the Ed Sullivan show to one lucky member of the Conrad Birdie Fan Club. The kiss will represent a last symbolic kiss to all his fans. Then, he can sing Albert's new song "One Last Kiss." The song will become an instant smash and Albert will be financially secure enough to break off from his mother. A name is drawn and the group sets off for Sweet Apple, Ohio to meet up with the winner - Kim McAfee. Kim, obviously, is overjoyed, but things get out of hand when rock star meets small town. Kim's boyfriend is disastrously jealous, her father is obsessed with appearing on the Ed Sullivan show alongside her, and Albert's mother shows up to break up Albert and Rosie.
One thing I can say about this movie is the majority of the musical numbers are wonderful. They're creative and humorous - my favorite is "Put On a Happy Face" - which is the only thing I had ever heard from the musical or movie before watching it. Van Dyke and Leigh have wonderful chemistry, but Van Dyke can capture that with almost anyone. Yet, I do think the filmmakers could have utilized dance choreography more than just camera tricks for a few of the songs. They did such a great job in "Happy Face" and "Honestly Sincere" but kind of fell apart in "The Telephone Hour."
Maureen Stapleton does a superb job as Mrs. Peterson - she's excellently nosy and overdramatic, overbearing and ridiculous. Janet Leigh does a wonderful job opposite Van Dyke, and although she seems to overact a little at times - she more than makes up for it with her screen presence. Paul Lynde is simply hilarious as Harry McAfee, even painfully hilarious - so awkward and well-meaning but at the same time self-serving and confused.
However, I did not enjoy Ann-Margaret in the role of Kim. She grated on me. I disliked her singing voice, speaking voice, and her acting abilities. It's beyond me to see how this role propelled her into stardom (if that's what you call acting with Elvis Presley). I also didn't particularly like Birdie or Pearson's portrayal of him. He was hardly developed at all and I think the screenwriters could have utilized his character a lot more. Granted - I don't think you were supposed to enjoy Birdie...
Overall, I didn't enjoy watching this movie; too many of the actors or characters were annoying. I think if I saw the stage production which inspired this film, I probably would have loved it. But the film was too kitschy, too campy, too...teeny bopper for me to really enjoy it. I'd give it two speedy turtles out of a possible five (2/5).
No comments:
Post a Comment