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Reviews69
IdaSlapter's rating
If you love Robert Preston, you'll LOVE this film.
He consumes every scene he's in, and he's in probably 80% of them. That equates to about 125 minutes of the overlong 151 minute production.
Nothing wrong with Preston as an actor, he had a long, well-deserved career. The problem with this film is it was directed by Morton (who?) DeCosta, the man who directed and produced the play, and it shows.
Preston's just exhausting. He literally shouts most of his lines to the back row, chews up every bit of scenery possible, and jumps around like he just had a dozen triple-lattes. (He doesn't dance, unless you call basic tap steps for five year olds, dancing.)
The other problem is that DeCosta, being the producer, insisted that the play be translated to the film exactly as it was on stage. That means including musical numbers that were forgotten 10 minutes after people left the theater back in '62.
Come on. How many of you remember, "Iowa Stubborn", "Sincere", "Piano Lesson", "Being in Love", or "The Sadder but Wiser Girl"? None of these songs are/were memorable, and should've been cut. The film is overlong as it is.
It's nice seeing some of the classic character actors in this, but some are horribly wasted, like the great Mary Wickes. She should've been given a bit of business that was uniquely hers.
If you have it on DVD, it's worth it for 'Till There was You"*, both versions of "Lyda Rose" and "Goodnight My Someone", and little Ronnie Howard's clumsy but cute reprise of "Gary Indiana".
Either that or take a half-dozen valium, and enjoy the show!
*Although, if you want to hear a better version, check out Kristen Chenoweth's on youtube. She hits the HIGH note Jones was perhaps told not to? I don't know why, but anyway, Kristen's version is far superior.
He consumes every scene he's in, and he's in probably 80% of them. That equates to about 125 minutes of the overlong 151 minute production.
Nothing wrong with Preston as an actor, he had a long, well-deserved career. The problem with this film is it was directed by Morton (who?) DeCosta, the man who directed and produced the play, and it shows.
Preston's just exhausting. He literally shouts most of his lines to the back row, chews up every bit of scenery possible, and jumps around like he just had a dozen triple-lattes. (He doesn't dance, unless you call basic tap steps for five year olds, dancing.)
The other problem is that DeCosta, being the producer, insisted that the play be translated to the film exactly as it was on stage. That means including musical numbers that were forgotten 10 minutes after people left the theater back in '62.
Come on. How many of you remember, "Iowa Stubborn", "Sincere", "Piano Lesson", "Being in Love", or "The Sadder but Wiser Girl"? None of these songs are/were memorable, and should've been cut. The film is overlong as it is.
It's nice seeing some of the classic character actors in this, but some are horribly wasted, like the great Mary Wickes. She should've been given a bit of business that was uniquely hers.
If you have it on DVD, it's worth it for 'Till There was You"*, both versions of "Lyda Rose" and "Goodnight My Someone", and little Ronnie Howard's clumsy but cute reprise of "Gary Indiana".
Either that or take a half-dozen valium, and enjoy the show!
*Although, if you want to hear a better version, check out Kristen Chenoweth's on youtube. She hits the HIGH note Jones was perhaps told not to? I don't know why, but anyway, Kristen's version is far superior.
