Music Man (1962)

Music Man: Directed by Morton DaCosta. With Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett, Hermione Gingold. Harold Hill poses as a boys’ band leader to con naïve Iowa townsfolk.

“The Music Man is a musical film that was done right and which, if anything, improves on its well regarded source material. It ranks up there with the all-time great musicals of Hollywoodu0026#39;s golden age (and such British marvels such as u0026quot;Evergreen,u0026quot; which starred the incomparable Jessie Matthews.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis movie has it all – wonderful music, a fine script, good production values and a top cast. What makes it really special is Robert Prestonu0026#39;s tour-de-force performance. His performance is, quite simply, one of the most memorably great performances in the history of film.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eItu0026#39;s one of those benchmark performances that must make any other actor who takes the role shake in their boots, for as long as the memory of Robert Preston as Prof. Hill exists all others will be compared against him and, likely, found lacking.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe rest of the cast is superior. I especially love Pert Kelton as Marian the Librarianu0026#39;s mother. Kelton was the original Alice on the classic u0026quot;The Honeymoonersu0026quot; (she played Aliceu0026#39;s mother later on in the series) and she had incredible comic timing. She reminds me of a combination of Ethel Merman, with her brassy voice and larger-than-life presence, and the comic genius of the great Patsy Kelly. Itu0026#39;s a shame Kelton was not put to better use in the movies. She was a natural.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAnd then there is Shirley Jones. Lovely to look at and wonderful to hear and a good enough actor to keep up with Preston.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBuddy Hackett usually annoyed me but heu0026#39;s perfect as Prof. Hillu0026#39;s sidekick and his u0026quot;Shafoofieu0026quot; (sp?) number is a blast.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFunniest scene – Grecian Urns.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eA splendid movie and one of the last great musicals. They truly donu0026#39;t make u0026#39;em like that anymore.”