271. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)

Directed By Stanley Donen

Synopsis

Good choreography puts women's rights back many, many years.

Review

Wow... watching this film is kind of like watching a train wreck. Imagine a cute musical based on the story of the Rape of the Sabine Women. Men are lonely so they decide to kidnap women from the nearest village and take them to their mountain home and make them love them.

I don't understand how this has spawned a TV series in the 80s and a Broadway musical, I wish they made a remade using rohypnol instead of blankets over the head, because really, it would be the same thing.

This being said there is some very good choreography here and the songs aren't that bad... but the message... Oh well we all know that deep down these rape fantasies are cute and women are just begging for a good kidnapping so they can cook and clean men's clothing, aren't they?

Final Grade

6/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

In 1979, an adaptation with a book by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay, and new songs by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn were developed for the stage and enjoyed a lengthy critically and commercially successful national tour.

After fifteen previews, the Broadway production, directed by Kasha and choreographed by Jerry Jackson, opened on July 8, 1982 at the Alvin Theatre, where it ran for only five performances. The cast included Debby Boone, David-James Carroll, Jeff Calhoun, and Lara Teeter.

Its sole Tony Award nomination was for Best Original Score.

A 1985 West End production proved to be more successful, and a London cast recording was released by First Night Records. A 2002 UK tour starred Dave Willetts.

In 2005, a major revival was staged at the prestigious Goodspeed Opera House staring Jacquelyn Piro Donovan and Burke Moses. Directed by Greg Ganakas with choreography by Patti Colombo, the production earned rave reviews from Variety and the New York Times. Songs, Where Were You?,I Married Seven Brothers, and a revised version of Glad That You Were Born were added and the book was heavily rewritten. With a realistic approach, rustic orchestrations and a focus on the Oregon Trail, the show was quite different from its film predecessor.

Plans for a 2005-2006 National Tour of the Goodspeed Opera House production failed. However, in 2007, and this time under the direction of Scott Schwartz, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers became a joint production between Houston Theatre Under the Stars, Paper Mill Playhouse, North Shore Music Theatre, and Atlanta Theatre of the Stars. With set design by Tony Award nominee, Anna Louizos, the current version is a hybrid between the literal approach of the Goodspeed production and the slapstick camp of the original film. While reviews were positive, the real attention was given to Patti Colombo's acrobatic, athletic, and inventive choreography.

The 2007 revival is expected to be the version that will be licensed by Music Theatre International for stock and regional use.

From September 19, 1982 to July 2, 1983, CBS broadcasted a weekly television series of the same name, which was loosely-based on the film. The series featured early appearances of Richard Dean Anderson and River Phoenix.

Well sexism never gets old.

The quite good Barn Dance: