Weekend Cinema Spotlight: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" (1954)

When I think of a movie that's joyful and romantic and has great dancing, I think of this film. It has Julie Newmar who you might recall was Cat woman in the Batman series in the 60's as well as Russ Tamblyn who played the leader of the Jets from "West Side Story." It also has a whopping barn dance scene that leaves your toes tapping instantly!

I first saw this movie when I was a teenager (yeah what teens today watch "old" movies as they call it-my plans are the change that!) and I remember my eyes being glued to the screen not only because of the music and dancing but also because of these bright, cheerful colors! Everyone is dressed in yellows, reds, bright blues---you cant help but keep looking. Its kind of how they say young children respond well to primary colors, well I think girls respond well to bright, pretty colors---at least this girl did!

It all starts out when the elder brother of seven meets and marries a woman by the name of Milly played by Jane Powell. Milly moves into Adam's home, played by Howard Keel and finds that he has seven unkempt brothers living in the same roof with him! Oh my---can you imagine that? What would you do if you were Milly? I'd probably tell everyone to move into the barn and leave me the house with my husband!

Milly being a clever woman begins to tell the boys that they should keep themselves tidy, have some manners, and learn to dance. Does that solve any problems for poor Milly? Not really. But when they all come to realize that if they every want to meet any nice girls and get married (remember people didn't really date til the 20th Century---well do people really date now?) they will have to learn the things that Milly is teaching them.

Each brother was named after someone from the Old Testament starting with the letter "A". I found that to be so cute--don't you think? So there's Adam, Benjamin, Caleb, Daniel, Ephraim, Frank (short for Frankincense, the Old Testament having no names beginning with F), and Gideon. All of the brothers are Gingers except for Gideon. Ironically I found him to be the cutest because of course he was the different one out of the bunch. LOL

Taking the advice of Adam the boys go into town and grab all the girls they liked from the barn dance. As they were kidnapping them an avalanche occurred and well how convenient--the girls are now stuck with the boys for at least six months or longer til the spring clears the snow.

Suffice it to say that as time progressed the girls forgave the boys and love blossomed, as did Milly's belly. Milly asked Adam to leave for giving his brothers such poor advice on how to get women and therefore were on bad terms, but she was expecting a bundle of joy!

I find the beauty of the story is watching the characters open up like petals on a spring morning. Its really beautiful to watch everyone comes into their own. And of course there is a happy ending! I must confess I really do prefer happy endings!!

This film is filled with charm and will most certainly entertain you. It will leave you feeling light-hearted and gay (meaning happy).

xox