Howard Keel and Jane Powell star in the rousing musical “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” It tells the story of a marriage of a pretty young cook (Powell) and a rugged woodsman (Keel). After they move home to his farm, she is shocked to meet his six ill-mannered brothers, all looking for wives. The comedy-drama-music proceeds from there, well orchestrated by Stanley Donen (“Royal Wedding” 1951).
Gene de Paul, Johnny Mercer, Adolph Deutsch, and Saul Chapin teamed up to compose the musical numbers. The choreography by Michael Kidd is probably unparalleled in film history, especially the stirring barn-raising sequence. Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich, and Dorothy Kingsley wrote the screenplay, based on Stephen Vincent Benet’s short story “The Sobbin’ Women.”
Co-stars with Keel and Powell are Russ Tamblyn, Jeff Richards, Tommy Rall, Matt Mattox, Marc Platt, Jacques d’Amboise, Julie Newmar, Ruta Lee, Norma Doggett, Virginia Gibson, Betty Carr, Nancy Kilgas, Howard Petrie, Marjorie Wood, Russell Simpson, Dante DiPaolo, and Ian Wolfe as the Reverend Elcott.
The very watchable “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” was a big hit at the box office for producer Jack Cummings and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was awarded one Academy Award for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture, and nominated for four others: Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Cinematography (George Folsey).
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
cinema
My Review
Howard Keel and Jane Powell star in the rousing musical “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” It tells the story of a marriage of a pretty young cook (Powell) and a rugged woodsman (Keel). After they move home to his farm, she is shocked to meet his six ill-mannered brothers, all looking for wives. The comedy-drama-music proceeds from there, well orchestrated by Stanley Donen (“Royal Wedding” 1951).
Gene de Paul, Johnny Mercer, Adolph Deutsch, and Saul Chapin teamed up to compose the musical numbers. The choreography by Michael Kidd is probably unparalleled in film history, especially the stirring barn-raising sequence. Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich, and Dorothy Kingsley wrote the screenplay, based on Stephen Vincent Benet’s short story “The Sobbin’ Women.”
Co-stars with Keel and Powell are Russ Tamblyn, Jeff Richards, Tommy Rall, Matt Mattox, Marc Platt, Jacques d’Amboise, Julie Newmar, Ruta Lee, Norma Doggett, Virginia Gibson, Betty Carr, Nancy Kilgas, Howard Petrie, Marjorie Wood, Russell Simpson, Dante DiPaolo, and Ian Wolfe as the Reverend Elcott.
The very watchable “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” was a big hit at the box office for producer Jack Cummings and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was awarded one Academy Award for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture, and nominated for four others: Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Cinematography (George Folsey).