A camp classic but also so much more. The critics came down like a ton
of bricks on Ken Russell's musical comedy which was, on the one hand, a
screen version of Sandy Wilson's show and, on the other, a comment on
the 'putting-on-a-show' kind of musical popular in the early thirties.
Russell's idea of opening up most of the numbers, as in a big Busby
Berkeley production, worked brilliantly but didn't please either the
critics or the public; still it made a movie star (of sorts) out of the
model Twiggy who is charm personified while the former ballet dancer
Christopher Gable is a delightful leading man. It's also got a great
supporting cast of some of the best British character players of the
time, including an unbilled Glenda Jackson - Go out there and be so
great you'll make me hate you - and whatever happened to Antonia Ellis
and Georgina Hale, both brilliant here, as well as Broadway's Tommy Tune
whose dancing comes close to stopping the show. Unfortunately it wasn't
really a commercial success and is seldom seen now but if, like me, you
have any interest in the musical, catch it; it's absolutely fabulous!
Monday, 8 April 2019
THE BOY FRIEND
A camp classic but also so much more. The critics came down like a ton
of bricks on Ken Russell's musical comedy which was, on the one hand, a
screen version of Sandy Wilson's show and, on the other, a comment on
the 'putting-on-a-show' kind of musical popular in the early thirties.
Russell's idea of opening up most of the numbers, as in a big Busby
Berkeley production, worked brilliantly but didn't please either the
critics or the public; still it made a movie star (of sorts) out of the
model Twiggy who is charm personified while the former ballet dancer
Christopher Gable is a delightful leading man. It's also got a great
supporting cast of some of the best British character players of the
time, including an unbilled Glenda Jackson - Go out there and be so
great you'll make me hate you - and whatever happened to Antonia Ellis
and Georgina Hale, both brilliant here, as well as Broadway's Tommy Tune
whose dancing comes close to stopping the show. Unfortunately it wasn't
really a commercial success and is seldom seen now but if, like me, you
have any interest in the musical, catch it; it's absolutely fabulous!
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