MovieChat Forums > Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) Discussion > Energetic but dated

Energetic but dated

posted 17 years ago by schappe1
6 replies | jump to latest

An awful lot of talent went into this film and everyone gave their all in the remarkable dance nubmers. But I think it's got two problems that keep it from being as well remembered as other musical of the time.

1) There's no one song that transcended the film, as there is with Rogers and Hammerstein or Lerner and Lowe. There's no "Some Enchanted Evening" or "On the Street Where You Live".

2) The attitude towards women- that they all want nothing more than to find a man and get married- while not necessarily historically in accurate, (women had little choise in those days, especially in the west), is no longer acceptable. Their comic abduction and subsequent captiulation to the men is now unwatchable. At least in Oklahoma, the guy who wants to force himself on the heroine is the bad guy.

[–] hobbesnblue 17 years ago

#1.) I agree that there's no number that is transcendent for its superior music and lyrics, but I think the barn dance sequence fills the role of "memorable song", for its groundbreaking choreography alone.

#2.) It bothers me, too, but I don't find it unwatchable because of that. Just like when I overlook the cousin-cousin marriages in my favorite English period pieces, so too I overlook the old fashioned gender relations here... but you're perfectly entitled to be bothered by it, of course.

[–] RustyPontipee 17 years ago

Dated or not it's one of my favorite musicals. The barn dance can stand on its own.

I've always wanted to be a June Bride...

[–] carchero 16 years ago

"....The barn dance can stand on its own...."
and so can Milly's stew!!!LOL!

I think this is a wonderful musical, flaws and all because it's so funny!

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] n_rosesteele22 16 years ago

Carchero, that was HILARIOUS! Very witty! LOL

I couldn't agree more with every one of you, really. Like one of you said, the cousin/cousin marriages in the Regency-era movies/books don't bother me (even though it's unacceptable, with VERY good reason, today) while I'm watching/reading them, the belittling attitude of the brothers towards women can be watched without it being overwhelmingly annoying because of the overall high spirits of the whole movie. (Sorry, run-on sentence.)

Also, though it didn't, in fact, have any majorly stand-out song I think every SBFSB fan has their personal favorite and that alone makes the music and choreography immortal. alpinebixby, I know SO many people (me included) who adore the Lonesome Polecat number! I was just at the 5th Avenue Theatre's production (Seattle, WA) two nights ago and because it's a bit re-written for the stage a lot of different songs and dance numbers were changed or added/taken away from. Anyway, I think we were all a little frightened that they wouldn't do Lonesome Polecat so when they did I noticed A LOT of people cheered and breathed collective sighs of relief!

Just had to add my two cents! I love, love, love this movie!

~ Natalia

"Why was Tevye bookin' it across the room anyway?" - Mary

[–] mojo2004 16 years ago

Dated?? This film is as talked about as West Side Story!!!