The best musical of all time?

I watched "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" last night. It was just as funny and charming as it was 40 years ago. However there were certain issues I paid closer attention to, like kidnapping, subjugation of women, and desertion. I'm betting the PC police wouldn't let this get through nowadays. I simply veiwed it as the absurdity of comedy.

Lightwiz I take it that you are
referring to the old version
of The King and I.
I haven't ever seen the
more recent version, is
it a musical?

The really old version is "Anna and the King of Siam" with Irene Dunne and Rex Harrison, the basis for the musical version by Rodgers and Hammerstein on stage and then in a film. The newer "Anna and the King" with Jodie Foster was a handsome film but somehow one yearns for the music and it was still not as good as the original black-and-white version of the story.

Lightwizard- Was "The King and I" based on the film "Anna and the King of Siam" or on the novel of the same name. I did a little google searching but couldn't find the answer.

To be accurate, they were all based on the book.

Not precisely on topic, but a fascinating website nonetheless (if you're interested in Anna Leon Owens, and a Thai perspective on her and her books) This website is brought to you by ThaiStudents.com and is produced by students and teachers at Sriwittayapaknam School in Samut Prakan, Thailand. The purpose of this web site is to show the world that "The King and I" and "Anna and the King" are fictionalised stories and that there is little truth within these movies.

"Anna and the King" was supposedly more faithful to the real story but both are obviously heavily romanticized. The original "Anna and the King of Siam," although I don't remember it that well is perhaps more faithful?

ehBeth- Thanks for the really fascinating link. I don't like to duplicate your adjective, but it is too fitting to replace.

Good grief! And to think that I thought
that the TV version with Yul Brynner was
the "old" one. OOPS!
The music in that was quite handsomely
done though. Irene Dunne - I fear is before
my time, although I distinctly remember Rex
Harrison in My Fair Lady, wasn't it? With the
ever graceful, long necked swan of a woman,
Audrey Hepburn. I once was an ardent watcher
of old movies. (probably because no one had
invented the VCR, rental movies were yet to
come, it was go downtown to the big movie theatre
or watch old movies on the tv at home.) The recent
Anna and the King - was stilted, stuffy & boring
and just not at all right. Poor Jodie, she IS
talented, but seems to have great difficulty
deciding which vehicle will show her off to her
best advantage. You know if I hang around you
folks long enough - I might actually learn something
new.

Hi Flyboy, don't believe we have met before.
You are a newbie, one step up from being
"hatched" WELCOME! Is great to meet you
& I am sure we will see one another around.
Are films, movies, broadway etc one of your
utmost interests? Or, in which area of A2K do
you think you will "sort of settle in to"? I AM
being nosy, just tell me to quit if I bother you.
I just do so much like to meet new people here.
I enjoy this Able2Know site so immensely,
so far at least.

I don't remember if I mentioned that "Singin' in the Rain" made the Sight and Sound survey of world critics as the number ten best film off all time.

Babs- Yes, your list pretty well shows my favorites. Opera and all forms of dance would be included in your "etc.". Actually I am fond of almost all of the performing arts, a noted exception being "rap".

Flyboy,
...I I too call myself a music lover, and at one time considered the phrase, "rap music", an oxymoron. However on further investigation, I realize since I have enjoyed poetry, and even doggeral, with a beat, or musical background, surely there must be something in the Rap field , that is acceptable. If you have a mind to , first try the precoursors..."Lou Rawls Live"...."The last Poets"....and from there with guidance, I believe you could enjoy the rare gems, available in the world of rap. I say this only if you are a person that doesn't want to miss anything good if you can help it. .....Other suggestions, "Arrested Developement', Lauren Hill", Wyclef Jean. Of course if you have that mind locked already, disregard. LOL

Hebba
I just noticed where you said "seasick"
is more like it ... so, what do we have
here. An artist with no romance in
the soul? Or was it just the song that
made you seasick?

Flyboy - we have a few things in common
then don't we?
Lightwiz - I DID love Singin In The Rain,
it deserved every award it ever won

Just the song Babs,but I could look at Grace Kelly all day.One of the many reasons I´ve seen "High Society" countless times.

Betty Comden and Adolph Green won for the screenplay for "Singin' " at the Golden Globe and Donald O'Conner for best actor, the National Film Registrym in '89. It's Oscar nominations were for Hagen and scoring of a musical and did not win. It's like "Vertigo" which has shown up as number two on the list for the past two years, or "Citizen Kane" for that matter. The films on the critics and directors list save for "The Godfather" didn't fare well at the Oscars and yet films like "Gone With the Wind" which swept up Oscars never make the list.

Moulin Rouge Is pretty good

Did anyone mention Grease in this thread? Not my favorite, but certainly deserving of an honorable mention.

I rather liked, Little "Shop Of Horrors".