Amazon.com video review:
Well, bless my beautiful hide! Director Stanley Donen invests this
rollicking musical with a hearty exuberance. Howard Keel, with his
big-as-all-outdoors baritone, stars as a bold "mountain man" living in the
Oregon woods who brings home a bride (plucky songbird soprano Jane Powell)
to his six slovenly brothers. Taming the rambunctious brood, Jane proceeds
to make gentlemen of them so they can woo sweethearts of their own. But old
habits die hard: their flirting gives way to fighting in the film's celebrated
barn-raising scene, a lively acrobatic dance number exuberantly
choreographed by Michael Kidd. Big brother chimes in with his own brand of
advice--an old-fashioned kidnapping! Donen manages to get away with such a
politically incorrect plot by investing the boys with a innocent
sweetness, most notably the youngest brother played with genial earnestness
by Rusty (Russ) Tamblyn (pre-West Side Story). This modest production
became a huge hit and
remains one of MGM's best-loved musical comedies, an energetic,
high-kicking classic. --Sean Axmaker
Amazon.com video review:
Well, bless my beautiful hide! Director Stanley Donen invests
this
rollicking musical with a hearty exuberance. Howard Keel, with his
big-as-all-outdoors baritone, stars as a bold "mountain man" living in
the
Oregon woods who brings home a bride (plucky songbird soprano Jane
Powell)
to his six slovenly brothers. Taming the rambunctious brood, Jane
proceeds
to make gentlemen of them so they can woo sweethearts of their own. But
old
habits die hard: their flirting gives way to fighting in the film's
celebrated
barn-raising scene, a lively acrobatic dance number exuberantly
choreographed by Michael Kidd. Big brother chimes in with his own brand
of
advice--an old-fashioned kidnapping! Donen manages to get away with
such a
politically incorrect plot by investing the boys with a innocent
sweetness, most notably the youngest brother played with genial
earnestness
by Rusty (Russ) Tamblyn (pre-West Side Story). This modest
production
became a huge hit and
remains one of MGM's best-loved musical comedies, an energetic,
high-kicking classic. --Sean Axmaker
