Wednesday, July 23, 2014

July 23 - The Music Man (1962)

Today’s movie is a musical romance with a scene that happens on July 23. I hope you will watch this film tonight and enjoy it.

THE MUSIC MAN                       

On a train to River City, Iowa a group of traveling salesmen both condemn and are in awe of Harold Hill, a con man who thrives by selling a town band instruments,  but after collecting the money, skips town, leaving them with instruments they can’t play. When they reach the town, it is revealed that Hill was on the train as he exits. In River City he meets a former associate of his Marcellus Washburn, who now lives there. Hill convinces the citizens that the arrival of a pool table in town will cause an increase in juvenile delinquency, but that a boy’s band will avoid this problem.  He dodges a request to produce his credentials by the school board by convincing the four men they are a fantastic singing quartet.   Hill starts signing up townspeople to buy instruments and uniforms. He tries to worm his way into the affections of Marian, the town’s librarian, her mother and her lisping brother Winthrop. She discovers evidence that he is fraud, but just then the instruments  arrive and the usually withdrawn Winthrop becomes very effusive. Marian hides the evidence as Hill tells his pupils that if they think about the music they want to play they will be able to do so. Hill also encourages romance between the mayor’s daughter and Tommy Djilas, who’s from the wrong side of the tracks. On July 23, 1912 [1:28:23 to 1:39:52] Prof. Harold Hill gets his overdue hotel bill and deflects another request for his credentials. Marian realizes she’s falling in love with Harold. Charlie Cowell, an anvil salesman shows up and convinces the citizens that Hill is a fraud. Marian and Marcellus beg him to leave, but Harold realizes he’s in love with Marian and won’t run out on her. The townspeople want to tar and feather him but at a town meeting were Marian speaks in his defense minds are changed. The boys band has learned to play Beethoven’s Minuet in G (very badly) on their instruments, but their parents are ecstatic. Harold stays in town and with Marian’s help the band becomes first rate.  
                 
A piece of pure musical fluff. The songs are all right, but the long dance numbers seem somewhat dated today. Still if you’re looking for pure escapist entertainment, this film will certainly fill the bill.

Date given in film on bill at 1:37:40

Awards – The film won the Best Musical Score Oscar. It was also nominated for the Best Picture, the Best Color Costume, the Best Color Art Direction, Best Sound and Best Film Editing Oscars at the 35th Academy Awards.   

Producer - Morton DaCosta                   

Director - Morton DaCosta                                    

Screenplay - Marion Hargrove            
                  
Runtime - 2 hours 31 minutes   
     
Released - June 19, 1962                                                                

Starring –

Robert Preston as Harold Hill
Shirley Jones as Marian Paroo
Buddy Hackett as Marcellus Washburn
Paul Ford as Mayor George Shinn
Hermione Gingold as Eulalie Shinn
Pert Kelton as Mrs. Paroo
Vern Reed as Jacey Squires
Al Shea as Ewart Dunlop
Ron Howard as Winthrop Paroo


Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.



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