Warner
Home Video
Length : 151 minutes
Region : 1
Rated : G
Format : 2.20:1 Enhanced for Widescreen television
Sound : Dolby 5.1
Subtitles : English and French
Extras : Right here in River City - Making of 'The Music Man'; Introduction by
Shirley Jones; 2 Trailers
Robert
Preston....Harold Hill
Shirley Jones...Marian Paroo
Buddy Hackett....Marcellus Washburn
Hermione Gingold....Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn
Paul Ford....Mayor George Shinn
Ron Howard....Winthrop Paroo (as Ronny Howard)
Pert Kelton....Mrs. Paroo
Monique Vermont....Amaryllis
Vern Reed....Jacey Squires (as The Buffalo Bills)
Al Shea...Ewart Dunlop (as The Buffalo Bills)
Bill Spangenberg....Olin Britt (as The Buffalo Bills)
Wayne Ward....Oliver Hix (as The Buffalo Bills)
Susan Luckey....Zaneeta Shinn
Timmy Everett....Tommy Djilas
Harry Hickox....Charlie Cowell
Mary Wickes....Mrs. Squires
Sara Seegar....Maud Dunlop
Peggy Mondo....Ethel Toffelmier
Adnia Rice....Alma Hix
Jesslyn Fax....Avis Grubb
Directed by...Morton DaCosta
Writing credits...Meredith Willson musical & Franklin Lacey play Marion
Hargrove
Produced by Morton DaCosta
Joel Freeman....associate producer
Non-Original Music by…Meredith Willson (from musical "The Music
Man")
Cinematography by…Robert Burks
Film Editing by…William H.
Ziegler (as William Ziegler)
Casting by…Hoyt Bowers (uncredited)
Art Direction by…Paul Groesse
Set Decoration by…George James Hopkins
Phil A. Ankrom (uncredited)
Costume Design by…Dorothy Jeakins
Makeup Department
Gordon Bau....makeup supervisor
Jean Burt Reilly....hair stylist supervisor
Myrl Stoltz....hair stylist: Shirley Jones
Robert J. Schiffer....makeup artist (uncredited)
Joel Freeman ....production supervisor
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Russell Llewellyn....assistant director
Sound Department
M.A. Merrick....sound
Dolph Thomas....sound
George Groves ....uncredited
Frank Comstock....orchestrator
Robert Fuca....assistant set costumer
Ray Heindorf....conductor
Ray Heindorf....music supervisor
Ray Heindorf....orchestrator
Charles Henderson....music arranger: vocal arrangements
Gus Levene....orchestrator
Tom Panko....assistant choreographer
Onna White....choreographer
Meredith Willson....lyricist
Robert E. Blair....dog trainer (uncredited)
The
Hollywood musical has fallen on hard times of late. The 1960’s saw the end of
the big musical, partly because of the change in audience tastes, but also the
rising cost of production. Musicals
were always expensive films, and as the studio system gave way to independent
production the independents could not afford to make such films, even if they
wanted to.
Today’s
young people have been brought up with MTV and the like; and as such find it
difficult to watch a song without a cut every 10 seconds – camera movements
designed to make you feel sick and lighting that has to flash on and off – not
necessarily matched with the song. There
was a time when a “My Fair Lady”; “Cabaret”; “Oliver!”; or even
“The Sound of Music” could attract audiences and Oscars but at least the
current successes of “Moulin Rouge” and “Chicago” have proved that the
younger generation also like to see films with singing and dancing.
“The Music Man” comes from a time before those I’ve mentioned were made,
1961 was the beginning of the end of the big Hollywood musical.
The story is a quintessential slice of Americana – pure Iowa corn:
sentimental, nostalgic, gentle, and innocent; and its appearance on DVD is the
best thing that could have happened to it.
Robert Preston was destined to play Professor Harold Hill, con man
extraordinaire. (When the Warner Brothers bought the screen rights, they wanted
a bigger star in the lead role; their first choices were Frank Sinatra and Cary
Grant). His characterization of Hill is brash, beguiling, self-assured,
fast-talking, and dauntless. He
enters River City, Iowa, circa 1912 with the intention of selling a musical
instrument and a band uniform to every boy in sight, even though he can’t play
a note of music himself.
Somewhat ironically, when Preston was first approached to do “The Music Man”
on Broadway, he told the producers he had never sung in a musical before. But
like the Professor, Preston forged ahead; after all, as he says in the story,
“Singing is just sustained talking.” Anyway, before long Hill is involved
with the town’s librarian, Marian Paroo (Shirley Jones), her little brother
Winthrop (Ron Howard – yes the now famous director), the Mayor and his wife
(Paul Ford and Hermione Gingold), an old friend (Buddy Hackett), and members of
the local school board (that marvellous barbershop quartet, the Buffalo Bills).
Yet, as appealing as the characters are, it is the songs that carry the show,
and here is where “The Music Man” surpasses its more-recent counterparts.
Meredith Willson’s score has a steady stream of memorable tunes,
two-and-a-half hours worth, without a single disappointment. The highlights
include “Ya Got Trouble,” “Goodnight, My Someone,” “Marian the
Librarian,” “Gary, Indiana,” “Being in Love,” “Wells Fargo Wagon,”
“Till There Was You,” and the show-stopper “Seventy-Six Trombones.”
Producer-director Morton DaCosta had little more to do than point his camera at
the actors and let them sing, which is pretty much what he does in one, long,
joyous romp. At the time critics
complained that the direction was too ‘theatrical’ – today it looks quite
modern.
After
years of suffering pan’n’scan cropping on TV and videotape, at last, the
film is presented in ratio –
about 2.20:1 – enhanced for widescreen televisions. Finally, we can see all
four members of the Buffalo Bills harmonizing on screen at once!
The only quibble I have is that the intermission has been removed – and
if a film had an intermission, then it should be there on the disc.
The film was made in Technirama® one of the better lens and film systems (
apart from the lenses the film went through the camera sideways, which meant
that more of the film had image on it). The
picture quality with its various restored elements is excellent, the colours
glowing in all scenes. Occasionally,
it is true, things seem a little less brilliant than they do at other times, but
flesh tones are always natural and delineation is sharp. There are no noticeable
instances of edge enhancements and even Hill’s
chequered suit stands out clearly, and with good solid blacks, particularly in
the night scenes it goes to show what can be done when DVD producers try.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 track appears to have been taken from the 70mm soundtrack
and it is noticeable in the way that, although most speech is in the centre,
when someone moves to the edge of the picture their voice follows them; a
technique that was used in most big screen productions of the time. Except for
the music the surround is used for off stage noises, which is perfectly ok –
but not as lively as you would expect today.
As for the extras – there is a new, thirty-minute documentary titled “Right
Here in River City: The Making of ‘The Music Man,’” hosted by Shirley
Jones. It includes the reminiscences of many of the surviving filmmakers, like
Shirley Jones herself, Buddy Hackett, choreographer Oona White, and actress
Susan Luckey. Shirley Jones also hosts a brief introduction to the film. There
is also some cast and crew filmographies, production notes, and a pair of
trailers—one for “The Music Man” itself and one for “The Unsinkable
Molly Brown.”
“The Music Man” is, indeed, a special film, and this Warner Brothers’
Special Edition DVD enhances its appeal even further. I love the film and will
recommend it to anyone who loves family entertainment, old fashioned musicals
– or both.
For details of all the various wide
screen film formats you need to visit. widescreenmuseum.com