Seven Brides for Seven Brothers ***** (1954, Jane Powell, Howard Keel, Russ Tamblyn, Jeff Richards, Tommy Rall, Matt Mattox, Marc Platt, Jacques d’Ambroise, Howard Petrie, Julie Newmar) – Classic Movie Review 4533

Director Stanley Donen’s wonderfully exuberant and high-spirited 1954 MGM dance musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers stars Jane Powell and Howard Keel, and tells the story about the seven Pontipee brothers on a backwoods farm in Oregon in the 1850s who are looking for wives.

Howard Keel stars as Adam Pontipee, who brings his new wife Milly (Jane Powell) to his family home, where she has to look after his six unruly younger brothers! They are Gideon Pontipee (Russ Tamblyn), Benjamin Pontipee (Jeff Richards), Frank Pontipee (Tommy Rall), Daniel Pontipee (Marc Platt), Matt Mattox (Caleb Pontipee) and Jacques d’Ambroise (Ephraim Pontipee).

The songs and dancing are flawless, and Keel’s energy lights up the sky in a thrilling performance as the oldest brother Adam. The highlight is the beautifully choreographed, acrobatically performed house-raising dance sequence. But also memorable are Powell singing ‘Goin’ Courtin’ and Virginia Gibson singing ‘June Bride’ and Keel’s classic hit ‘Bless Your Beautiful Hide’. Also sweet are Wonderful, Wonderful Day, When You’re in Love and Sobbin’ Women, and arguably Lonesome Polecat.

It is easy to forgive MGM’s obtrusive studio sets, at odds with a story supposedly filled with fresh country air, and enjoy one of the all-time great MGM song-and-dance musicals and surely the best musical Western ever.

It also stars Howard Petrie, Julie Newmar [Newmeyer], Virginia Gibson, Ruta Lee [Kilmonis], Nancy Kilgas, Betty Carr, Norma Doggett, Ian Wolfe and Sheb Wooley.

The songs are by Gene de Paul (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics). Adolph Deutsch and Saul Chaplin won an Oscar for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture and it was nominated for Best Picture, Best Writing, Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Color and Best Film Editing. Jeff Richards won a Golden Globe as Most Promising Newcomer – Male.

It is based on Stephen Vincent Benet’s story The Sobbin’ Women.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was beautifully restored in 1996, with the Anso Color back to its former glories and once again enhancing the film’s visual pleasures.

Jane Powell (born Suzanne Lorraine Burce).

Jane Powell (born Suzanne Lorraine Burce; April 1, 1929 – September 16, 2021) was notable for her performances in A Date with Judy (1948), Royal Wedding (1951), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), and Hit the Deck (1955).

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4533

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com