Universal Producer DeLuxe Ross Hunter set his eyes on Broadway, first producing 'Flower Drum Song' then determined to film 'The Boyfriend' the musical that had introduced Julie Andrews to American audiences in the early 1950's. The rights were unavailable. So Hunter decided to do an original musical set in the American 1920's.

Andrews was interested, she was available, and suddenly because of an Oscar for 'My Fair Lady' - oops for not being in 'My Fair Lady' but making 'Mary Poppins' instead - and the blockbuster 'The Sound of Music' she was HOT! Musicals were making a big comeback and who else in 1967 to lead the way than Hunter?

Well audiences avoided 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' like the plague and reviewers were less than kind. Instead of a smallish personal musical, Universal had pumped and puffed up 'Millie' into a roadshow presentation. What this meant is more running time, an intermission, and hard ticket prices - about double what was typically charged at the time.

'Millie' languished for years. Then she became a hit Broadway musical winning the Tony for Best Musical and the Tony for her titled star Sutton Foster in 2002! And it's time to take another look at TMM - The Movie.

What do we have? A small musical that collapses under its own weight. But it is not without its charms. And it is a very unique animal - an original motion picture musical. The 1960's saw a few of these - most of them 'Beach Party' type films. The more ambitious of the crew 'Dr. Doolittle' and 'Goodbye, Mr Chips' were failures.

I bought the soundtrack album for 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' in 1969 for fifty cents. And I fell in love with the score. It was orchestrated like a Broadway musical with an Overture and Intermission music and a terrific title tune. Elmer Bernstein, a composer so often nominated and overlooked by the Academy had won the Oscar for Best Original Score. He has scoffed, "I did '10 Commandments', 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and all that other stuff and I win for 'Millie.'"

I looked forward to seeing the film on television, and when it was shown - I was bored to death. Something wasn't quite right. So when I saw the VHS available on Ebay, I bid and won. So now I am the proud owner of 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' The Movie!

First of all, if you have only seen this film on broadcast television - you haven't seen the movie. Lots of dancing and music was cut!

Andrews as Millie Dillmount is a country girl who comes to the big city to marry the boss. It doesn't matter what boss...THE BOSS. Andrews won the Golden Laurel Award for best performance in a musical for her work here and was nominated as well for a Golden Globe. She becomes enamored of Trevor Greydon (John Gavin) who is in turn entranced by Miss Dorothy (Mary Tyler Moore) a girl who lives in the same rooming house as Millie.

The rooming house is run by Mrs. Mears (Beatrice Lillie) and is a front for a white slavery operation.

Andrews eventually falls for Jimmy (James Fox) who seems to also be carrying on with Miss Dorothy and perhaps even society dame Muzzy (Carol Channing).

The plot eventually collapses under its own weight in the second half, but the musical numbers are gloriously staged by Joe Layton and danced by an energetic cast. Outstanding in presentation are 'The Tapioca' and the elevator dance by Andrews and Moore to the standard 'Stumbling.' The Jewish Wedding Song seems to have been inspired by then-on-Broadway 'Fiddler on the Roof.' Other fun songs include 'Poor Butterfly' and 'Jimmy.' The title tune is catchy and terrif! Jean Louis was Oscar nominated for his terrific costumes.

Channing is an acquired taste. She irritates me more than she entertains me and here she is given full reign to annoy. Astonishingly, she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar here and WON the Golden Globe for BSA! Her opening song 'Jazz Baby' is familiar to some because the tune of it became the Wheaties cereal theme for awhile. She is also later involved in some kind of acrobatic routine that figures in the plot with all the stars - or rather stunt people dressed in the same clothes of the stars.

The film is a tribute to and spoof of silent films and silent film conventions. There are title cards and iris in and iris out effects. (Millie's bra breaks spoiling the line of her beads and her card says "Gee - I wish my fronts weren't so full." Andrews' facial expressions are priceless). That such a film was actually produced in 1967 boggles the mind. Who did they think was the audience? There was none. We were all out watching 'The Graduate', 'Bonnie and Clyde', and 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?' among others, oh yes 'Easy Rider.'

Poor Millie. Give her a chance, though. As an evening of television entertainment she will do just fine. Just don't watch alone, you will need someone to talk to during the slow parts.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for Groups