Review of The Music Man (1962) by Ben L — 31 Jul 2012

I miss the days when musicals were a much beloved genre of film. I wish it was still OK for a character to be walking down the street and break into song unexpectedly. There's an added intensity to a romantic scene when they are singing about their love for one another and the music crescendos just as their emotions do the same. Sadly I must cling to the classics to get my musical fix, and the Music Man is one of those classics. It is a double-whammy because it offers both a musical format that I find delightful and a historic backdrop that allows the viewer to drift back into yesteryear. The innocence of River City is refreshing, and you can see why the characters are so defensive when someone comes in and takes advantage of that innocence.

Robert Preston is perfect as the fast-talking slippery salesman who tries bamboozling this tiny little town in Iowa. He does seem a bit old to be wooing Shirley Jones, but somehow the age difference never enters my mind when I'm watching the story unfold. They do a great job of slowly building from a contentious relationship to a romantic one. Almost every one of the other actors are likewise delightful in their roles. Even the primary antagonist, played by Paul Ford, ends up being more comical than he is menacing. This suits the story since the conflict isn't really caused by the people of River City, it is created by Harold Hill's deception. That's what makes the climax so emotionally intense, because it is the reformed Harold Hill facing the consequences of his crooked actions.

My one complaint with this film is the length. Back in the day films like this could work because, much like a stage play, they could hold an intermission allowing people a break before the second act. However when you watch it now, without any intermission, it feels overly long. I start to notice all the extra music numbers they slip in that are just fine, but do nothing to advance the plot. However, I don't want to complain at all about the music in this film, because I find it so delightful. The multiple barbershop quartet numbers are superb, the intensity of Robert Preston's "Trouble in River City" is almost enough all on its own to convince you that he could hoodwink an entire town, and Shirley Jones' voice is simply lovely. The dance numbers are perhaps a little lackluster, and the child/teen actors aren't exactly great, but still there is plenty of great things in The Music Man to make it a classic. Everyone who enjoys musicals should definitely see this one at least once.