Review of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967) by Cj N — 30 Dec 2008

If you don't like musicals, don't watch a musical... simple enough. But it's just not believable that this movie would be better off without being a musical... in fact, it'd likely be a pretty hard flop because of it--I'd argue that this movie could only have been salient as a musical. It's too kitchy and over the top (even within it's own day) to have taken itself too seriously. Perhaps more people would have seen it, but they likely wouldn't have held it in higher regard, as the musical helps suspend disbelief and allows the forum for melodramatic moments. Besides how do you take something off broadway and make a non-musical movie about it without ensuing scandal? It would have hemmoraged money...

Anyway, this is very tongue-in cheek satirical and lighthearted... I don't think it gets enough credit for what it is because I don't think people really appreciate musicals enough to give it a fair shake. I think it seems to be a pretty fair stage to screen interpretation... Costuming, background, and acting are over the top but in a good way. It's a fun movie, with laughs and some cute songs... And there are sooo many quotables (if you're of that sort like I) but even the eyeroll moments can make you laugh a little in spite of yourself... My mama who swore to hate it and b****ed thru it was laughing and smiling thru it too until she gave up on it and walked out (but she couldn't stand how short Morse was, it was a huge distracting factor for her even three beers down).