Product description

Seven Brides For Seven Brothers [1954]

Price: £11.00
RRP: £13.99
Average customer rating: 4.0

Binding : DVD
EAN : 7321900650656
Label : Warner Home Video
Manufacturer : Warner Home Video
Publisher : Warner Home Video
Release date : 2001-04-09
Title : Seven Brides For Seven Brothers [1954]
Actor : Array
Audience rating : Universal, suitable for all
Format : Array
Languages : Array
Number of items : 1
Original release date : 1954-01-01
Region code : 2
Running time : 98
Studio : Warner Home Video
Theatrical releaseDate : 1954-07-22
Number of discs : 1

Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, starring MGM soprano Jane Powell and handsome baritone Howard Keel, has retained a remarkably loyal following among fans of the musical film ever since its release in 1954. Although it was filmed in state-of-the-art CinemaScope, Stanley Donen was obliged to direct much of the film on Metro's sound stages, where the artificial sets and painted backdrops don't inevitably live up to the scenes shot on location in Oregon. Viewers coming fresh to the picture may find this visual discrepancy jarring and some too may find Miss Powell's singing a shade plummy. The screenplay, by husband and wife team Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich with Dorothy Kingsley, tells the story of seven brothers living in the Oregon hills and their adventures to find themselves wives. The casting of each brother with his rugged, masculine looks and ability to dance with grace and athleticism, presided over by an authoritative Howard Keel, gives the film a dynamic impetus second to none in an MGM musical. The lengthy barn-raising episode under choreographer Michael Kidd's intrepid direction, where the music and the incredibly agile and energetic male and female dance ensemble unite as one, produces a square dance without parallel. The music and lyrics by Gene De Paul and Johnny Mercer--including the mating chorus, "Spring, Spring, Spring", the rollicking "Bless You're Beautiful Hide", the rousing "Sobbin' Women" and the visually enchanting "June Bride"--are both tuneful and mindful of the plot's exposition. Adolph Deutsch and Saul Chaplin won the Academy Award in 1954 for their arrangements and conducting.

On the DVD: The digital remastering has created a clearer picture of what had been a faintly muddy Ansco colour system on the original print while the polish and attack with which the MGM Studio Orchestra play the music on this full-bodied stereophonic soundtrack remains a thing of wonder. Howard Keel, standing tall and erect in his 80s, hosts the "making of" documentary. Director Donen, choreographer Kidd, Jane Powell and several of the dancers recall how the film was considered a "sleeper" during production and wasn't expected to do as well as Brigadoon, in production at the same time. The documentary also highlights the care taken over the casting of the brothers, two of whom including Keel were not dancers and their often brave and brilliant feats of acrobatic dancing executed on precarious planks and other props. When Howard Keel takes his farewell walk down the main street lot at MGM, breaking into a few brief dance steps, it's impossible not to feel a moment of regret that the curtain had to come down on MGM's most treasured possession. --Adrian Edwards

DVD Description
DVD Special Features:

Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Trailer
"Making of Seven Brides"
Languages in Dolby Digital 5.1: English. In Mono: French, Italian
Subtitles: English, French, Italian, Dutch, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Romanian, Bulgarian, English for the hearing impaired, Italian for the hearing impaired

Synopsis
In the Oregon Territory, mountain man Adam Pontipee (Howard Keel, acting and singing with gusto) comes to town to sell his crops and woo a woman to be his wife, succeeding with spirited Milly (Jane Powell), who is tired of feeding and waiting on so many men at the local inn. Her dreams of keeping house for just one man are shattered when she discovers that Adam shares his pigsty cabin with six brawling brothers. Milly's good cooking and stubborn nature whip the young men into shape and inspire them to seek women of their own. But after a disastrous barn raising during which the brothers snare the attention of the town girls only to be taunted into fighting with the town men, Adam suggests his brothers forget gentle methods of love and follow the actions of the Roman with the Sabine (Sobbin') women. The kidnapping of their six sweethearts spurs Milly to throw the men out of the house, but enforced proximity caused by winter and the brothers' good intentions just might help love bloom again.

From the Back Cover
Things are different for the Pontipee men now that big brother Adam's fetched a bride and brought her to their cabin. Indeed, the unwed brothers are so inspired they raid the town and carry off brides of their own!

Like a favourite flannel shirt, everything fits right in this rugged whoop-for-joy directed by Stanley Donen, choreographed by Michael Kidd and featuring an exhilerating Gene dePaul/Johnny Mercer score that won an Academy Award. Jane Powell and Howard Keel star, supported by a cast of buckskinned dancers and petticoated danseuses. And what steppin'! The barn-raising sequence alone - back-flipping, plank-leaping athleticism - leaves a daylong smile. "Bless Your Beautiful Hide", all you brides and brothers!

Customer reviews

review by: date: 2007-12-30 rating:

Disappointed
Like Simono I too was disappointed by the Cinemascope. In fact we did not bother watching it as it only took up the centre third of the television screen.

Same with DVD of Guys and Dolls, like looking through a letter box. Did not watch that either.

Amazon should point out the significance of Cinemascope. We cannot be the only people to suffer with this.

review by: date: 2007-05-22 rating:

Disappointed at Cinemascope aspect !
Being a novice at buying DVD's, I didn't realise there were so many different aspect ratios. I love this musical and the songs are great, but the viewing was spoilt by only filling up about half my TV screen. My auto aspect showed this film on 14:9 Zoom and I could only stretch this slightly with my 16:9 Zoom aspect. I wanted this film so much so I tried to see what the difference was with the version released in 2006. Disappointingly, it doesn't give the details on Amazon's or any other websites descriptions. I have now ordered the Special 2 disc DVD as this offers both 2.55:1 and 1.85:1 versions, so should solve my problem. However, I'm annoyed that if there is a single disc of 1.85:1 it is not described as such and I will now have a spare 2.55:1 disc to give away. Very enjoyable film - remembered from my youth!

review by: date: 2006-02-09 rating:

Favourite Musical Ever!
I Don't think the other person who wrote a review actually listened to the film.....Its Milly not Molly and the Brothers are Adam, Benjamin, Calib, Daniel, Ephraim, Frank(insesce) and Gideon.
Howard Keel and Co. are as spectacular as ever- The dancing, acrobatics and athleticism all contribute to an overall fun-filled exhibition and a fantastic story.
I must have watched this film about 30 times and it still doesn't get boring- there is always something new to see in the background or you notice a new dancing step from another brother. It is not very often that you find such a multi-talented cast all in one place!

review by: date: 2004-01-14 rating:

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
I can't remember the first time I saw this wonderful musical, but I will never forget the incredible talent of the actors, the extremely impressive choreography and the classic songs that stick in your mind for weeks. It is definately one of the best musicals I have ever seen and I believe it will live on in our minds and hearts for many years to come. Definately a musical not to be missed!

review by: date: 2004-01-09 rating:

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
I recently purchased a used copy of this film from Amazon. I had seen it many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed watching it again. The singing is delightful and the dancing is matchless. Some of the scenery looks rather false and not up to present day standards but, if you can ignore that, the film is well worth watching for the talents of the stars.

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