Simply A Masterpiece

Crappy film

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Not without imperfections, but seeing 'The Unsinkable Molly Brown' in tribute to the now late Debbie Reynolds still filled me with a lot of happiness.Reynolds attacks her part with delicious gusto and energy, she sings like an angel and she dances with poise and brio. Subtle it isn't, but infectious? Yes, yes and a million times yes. Harve Presnell is a similarly splendid leading man, and the supporting cast sparkle, with the likes of Jack Kruschen, Ed Begley, Hermione Baddeley and Martita Hunt, Kruschen and Hunt especially revel in their characters with aplomb.Production values are similarly top-notch, especially the exquisite Colorado scenery and the handsome cinematography and lavish colour do it no disservices. The script sparkles with wit, the musical numbers are staged with brio and pathos, the story has fun, charm and poignancy and Charles Walters makes the most of the material.'The Unsinkable Molly Brown' is a little overlong however, with some of the second half dragging when the story gets thinner. Apart from Reynolds' exuberant rendition of "I Ain't Down Yet" the songs are not particularly memorable despite everyone's noble efforts in making them come alive.In conclusion, doesn't completely float but in way does it sink without a trace. 7/10 (mainly for the cast and the production values) Bethany Cox

Reynolds' character is too obnoxious "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" is a generally enjoyable film, though you need to understand that like most Hollywood films of yesterday, great liberties were taken with the facts. In other words, if you want a true account of the life of Molly Brown, you might want to look elsewhere.The film begins with Molly as a child. She is washed away by a flood, but being unsinkable, she manages to pull herself to safety. The story is set in Colorado, where she grew up a rough and tumble tom-boy. However, despite being VERY unladylike, she had a dream of one day living in a fine house, with a brass bed, a warm fireplace and all the niceties money can buy. When Mr. Brown falls for her, the rather mercenary Molly insists she won't marry any man who can't provide her with all these things....and he does. Soon (and only in a Hollywood film can it be THIS soon), Mr. Brown is very, very, very rich and his wife has many, many things....but she is still unhappy because she doesn't fit in with society. So, she sets off very determined to go off to Europe to refine herself and make friends with royalty. Well, she does....but somehow in the process she ends up losing what is really important--though in real life, no such realization and reconciliation ever actually occurred.The film is VERY bouncy and, at times, quite fun. Debbie Reynolds throws herself into the role and it's one of her best. As for poor Mr. Brown, Harve Presnell was GREAT. He really, really sang beautifully and it's sad he never really became a household name. And, the film is pretty good. However, there was one weakness that prevented the movie from being any better--the leading character was unbelievably selfish and hard to like--especially as the film progressed. Maybe this was just me--but that detracted a bit from the overall production. Still, it's worth seeing despite this.

Today is the 100 year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and here I am reading the reviews of "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" and listening to the CD of the Broadway musical, which I saw 14 years ago tonight in NYC. "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" is a movie that I've loved ever since my Mom dragged the whole family to see in 1964 when it came out. My reaction after reading a lot of these reviews is that most of the naysayers should lighten up. It is a musical COMEDY film made right at the end of the studio era in Hollywood. In comedy performers are quite broad. This wasn't a film that was supposed to be sophisticated...remember that one of the biggest TV hits of the time was "The Beverly Hillbillies." In my opinion Debbie Reynolds should have taken home the Oscar for Best Actress as she nails the part in all 3 aspects--singing, dancing, and acting. If you disagree with me about the acting, just re-watch the scene in Europe when she encounters Gladys MacGraw in the fancy restaurant while she's missing Johnny. Julie was wonderful too, but her character of Mary Poppins was rather a one-note one. She won simply because she was denied the role of Eliza Dolittle by Jack Warner, and she was much, much better that year in "The Americanization of Emily" and in 1965 in "The Sound of Music." "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" is one of the last of the old-style Hollywood musicals and rates as the 7th best film of 1964 on my 10 Best List for that year. (Yes, "My Fair Lady," "Dr. Strangelove," and "Mary Poppins" are 1, 2, and 3) And in 1989 I got to see Debbie and Harve repeat their roles from this film LIVE on stage and they were just as wonderful!

Almost everything about Margaret Tobin Brown's life story is fiction in the film – except for her heroics in the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. But this is a movie musical. It's loosely based on the life and fortunes (pun intended) of a real person. But the details of that life are turned to fiction to fit the romance, comedy and music and dance of a musical. And what a great piece of entertainment it is. "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" is a first-rate film with great music and dance numbers, and with a good plot to boot. It has a good serving of comedy, a tender love story, and lessons about life. The sets and costumes are spectacular and the film has some great Rocky Mountain scenery. The movie was a box office success, and the fact that it received six Academy Award nominations says something about its quality – including the best actress nomination for Reynolds. Just consider the competition it was up against. Film historians say that musicals were waning in appeal by the mid-1960s. Yet, 1964 was one of the most competitive years in the history of Hollywood for musicals. Besides Molly Brown, "Mary Poppins" scored a best actress for Julie Andrews, and "My Fair Lady" took the best picture prize. Indeed, 1964 was a great year for movies period, so the Academy Awards for that year was a showcase of great movies that have endured with time. Other great films were "Becket," "Zorba the Greek," "Dr Strangelove," "The Night of the Iguana," "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte," "The Pink Panther," "Seven Days in May," "What a Way to Go," "The Best Man," and "The Fall of the Roman Empire." As one who greatly enjoys musicals for the many song and dance talents of show biz, including group songs and dance routines, I find it hard to rate one top performance over another. Especially in a year when three great musicals came out. Mary Poppins surely had the most popular tunes, including the incomparable Julie Andrews singing "Chim Chim Cher-ee." My Fair Lady had the unique "Rain in Spain" series with Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn, and two good choreographed scenes. But I liked the boisterous numbers Debbie Reynolds had in Molly Brown, the very good songs that baritone Harve Presnell sang, and the two large-scale group song and dance episodes. Then, I like the story line of Molly Brown best – even fictionalized – because it's about a real person, who lived a most unusual life, with times and places I knew about and could recognize as a viewer. So, I give "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" a rating of 9 out of 10 stars – the same as for "Mary Poppins;" and just one-notch away from the 10 rating I give to "My Fair Lady." (My only other 10 ratings for the year were "Becket" and "Dr. Strangelove," and the only other 9 ratings I gave were for "Zorba the Greek" and "The Pink Panther." And, very few years dating since the 1920s do I have six films that I rate 9 or 10.)