~~ Seven Brides for Seven Brothers ~~

This has to be one of my favourite musicals and is most definitely one of the classics of the 1950's. I love the Baritone voice of Howard Keel and the innocent charm of Jane Powell who also happens to have a wonderful voice.

The film was based on a short story by Stephen Vincent Benet called 'The Sobbin' Women' and was adapted by the husband and wife team Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich alongside Dorothy Kingsley. At first the film was going to be called Sobbin' Women, but MGM hated this so the title A Bride for Seven Brothers was put forward, it was felt that this title was a little bit suggestive and so they came up with the title Seven Brides for Seven Brothers were chosen.

The producer Jack Cummings got Stanley Donan to direct the movie, Stanley previous hits with Singin' in the Rain and On The Town both successful movies. Cummings really wanted to do the movie completely on location, but MGM had other ideas, they only thought of the film as a B movie, they were not impressed by the initial story, so they halved the budget which meant that they would have to film the whole movie in the studio.

~~ The Movie ~~

Our movie starts with Adam Pontipee the eldest of the seven brothers riding into town to pick up supplies and this includes a wife that will be able to look after him and his brothers. Whilst looking through the town and singing our first song of the show the he spots Millie, who is chopping wood and cooking for the towns men in the local Inn where she works and after sampling her cooking he asks her to marry him. Millie being quite taken by him and not being aware of his family waiting for her at home accepts his proposal.

So Adam has got what he came to town for including a wife, they make their way back through the pass Millie happily dreaming and singing about what is ahead of her, little does she know!

The story goes on and we meet all the brothers and watch them grow under Millie's guidance. You can't help feel for Millie and the challenges she has ahead of her, but remember this was filmed in the era where men respected women and women allowed them to, where men had their roles and women had theirs. Millie teaches the brothers how to treat a lady and how to dance, ready for when they go to the local Barn Building Competition. The barn building competition is where we get to see some spectacular dance sequences and where the brothers discover the meaning of love at first sight,

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