Review of The Music Man (1962) by Jacob M — 30 Aug 2013

The musical genre was at it's highest peak in the 1960's, with some of the most successful and highly acclaimed films in that genre released in that decade before it's eventual collapse in the 70's, classics such as The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, and West Side Story. Besides The Sound of Music, one of my absolute favorite musicals from the 60's is The Music Man, based on a famous Broadway play by Meredith Wilson, and starring greats as Robert Preston and Shirley Jones. It was released in a tight year at the Academy Awards, with other films released and nominated for Best Picture being To Kill a Mockingbird, The Longest Day, and eventual winner Lawrence of Arabia. While these films are obviously better films, on its own, The Music Man is an incredibly entertaining musical that's worth watching as well.

Harold Hill (Robert Preston), a smooth, fast-talking con-man, ends up in the town of River City, Iowa. He schemes to rip off the town by convincing the town, who's very moral in things, to save their youth from corruption (or in this case, a new pool table) by creating a boys band, with money spent on instruments and uniforms. When the stuff shows up, Hill intends to leave immediately before the town demands their money back. He also makes the town feel happier by developing a Ladies Dance Committee appealing to many young boys. But his plan might backfire when he develops a crush on Marian Paroo (Shirley Jones), the town librarian who is the only one who believes he's a fraud.

The film also stars Buddy Hackett as Hill's comic sidekick, Marcellus, Paul Ford as the dim-witted Mayor Shinn, Hermione Gingold as the mayor's wife, with a very funny name, Harry Hickox as a snoopy anvil salesman, barbershop quartet The Buffalo Bills as the town school board, and a young Ron Howard as Winthrop, Marion's younger brother with a speech impediment.

Upon my first viewing, I was impressed, and even after many viewings, I'm still hooked by the atmosphere of River City, even if it's a fictional city and was filmed on the Warner Brothers backlot. Due to the fantastic direction by Morton Dacosta, River City sounds like a great place to live.

The casting in The Music Man is some of Hollywood's best in a musical. Robert Preston was born to play the part of Harold Hill. We know he's a sneaky, conniving crook, yet you still root for the guy cause of Preston's heart and personality on the screen. Shirley Jones is also fantastic as the librarian Marian. She's attractive, and has a fantastic singing voice. Buddy Hackett is a hoot as Hill's sidekick, Paul Ford is memorable as the Mayor, but it's Hermione Gingold who cracks me up every time as the Mayor's wife, especially when she goes, "One Grecian Urn." Ron Howard, long before he became an acclaimed film director, plays the kid Winthrop, and delights heavily. Howard was an incredible actor back in the day, especially when he's hanging out with Andy Griffith, and as the kid with the speech impediment, he's not only funny, but delivers strong for a young boy.

I love the story, I really love the comedy, I love the heart the film has, and I truly love the musical numbers in the film. First, we have a catchy little song dominated by talking on a train, and it's pretty hilarious to hear. Then the cast delights in the catchy "Give Iowa a Try.". Preston then impresses with is charisma in "You Got Trouble." Shirley Jones then stuns with her operatic voice with "Goodnight, My Someone." Preston and the cast then get us all on our feet with the film's signature tune, and my favorite number, "76 Trombones", with fantastic choreography and music score. Barbershop quartet Buffalo Bills then amaze with the song "Ice Cream". Some of the best harmonizing you'll ever hear, period. The female cast, led by Hermione Gingold, go funny in the chicken-sounding "Pick a Little, Talk a Little", along with The Buffalo Bills, and the combination is stunning. Preston, along with Hackett, perform "The Sadder But Wiser Girl", which is very catchy. Then Preston delights heavily in the show-stopper "Madame Librarian", filled with stunning choreography. Preston wows again with the catchy "Gary, Indiana", which is sung later by Ron Howard, in a cute manner. The cast then delights in the very fun "The Wells Fargo Wagon". Jones delights in the ballad "Being in Love." The Buffalo Bills and Jones do a mashup of "Lida Rose" and "Will I Ever Tell You", which is a phenomenal combination. Buddy Hackett leads the cast in the hilarious and fun "Shpoopie", which has the best choreography in the entire film. And last, Jones wows in her best ballad, "Till There was You.".

While it didn't win Best Picture (it's hard to beat a film as epic as Lawrence of Arabia), The Music Man is one of my absolute favorites, #3 in the musical category, featuring an impressive cast, especially the chemistry between Robert Preston and Shirley Jones, incredible musical numbers and choreography, hilarious comedic moments, and a story filled with heart. You'll have a lot of fun with this film.