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Even though he had spent years as a Hollywood movie villain, Robert Preston did not become an official star until he accepted the role of "Professor" Harold Hill in Meredith Wilson's Broadway classic, The Music Man. Preston brilliantly recreates his Tony-award winning role in this dazzling film version, though he actually had to screen test for the role.
Hollywood legend claims that several other actors were offered the role in the film version. Frank Sinatra and Cary Grant were both rumored to have been offered the role prior to Preston and both had the sense to turn it down, thank God, because I can't imagine anyone else having done this role at the time. Preston commands the screen as Harold Hill, a con man who arrives in turn of the century River City Iowa to con its citizens out of their money by promising to organize a boys' marching band for the town. Hill mesmerizes most of the citizens of River City with the exception of Marion Paroo, the local librarian who initially gets the goods on Hill, but also eventually falls under his spell.
Preston lights up the screen as the charismatic con man and Shirley Jones makes a lovely Marian the Librarian. Paul Ford is wonderful as the blustery Mayor of River City as is the divine Hermione Gingold as his wife. Buddy Hackett provides laughs as an old pal from Hill's past who now lives in River City and Pert Kelton is wonderful as Marion's mother and let's not forget an adorable six-year old Ronny Howard as Marian's lisping little brother Winthrop. Who would have imagined that little six year old would end up being an Oscar-winning director?
Musical highlights include "Trouble", "Goodnight My Someone", "76 Trombones", "Marian the Librarian", and "Til There was You". My only quibble with the score is the substitution of the lovely "My White Knight" with the rather bland "Being in Love". Morton DeCosta's spirited direction and Onna White's imaginative choreography ("Marian the Librarian" is brilliant)are the icing on the cake for this classic that just seems to get better with age and was not diminished in the least by the recent TV-remake with Matthew Broderick. Sorry, Matthew, but the role of Harold Hill belongs to one actor.
Even though he had spent years as a Hollywood movie villain, Robert Preston did not become an official star until he accepted the role of "Professor" Harold Hill in Meredith Wilson's Broadway classic, The Music Man. Preston brilliantly recreates his Tony-award winning role in this dazzling film version, though he actually had to screen test for the role.
Hollywood legend claims that several other actors were offered the role in the film version. Frank Sinatra and Cary Grant were both rumored to have been offered the role prior to Preston and both had the sense to turn it down, thank God, because I can't imagine anyone else having done this role at the time. Preston commands the screen as Harold Hill, a con man who arrives in turn of the century River City Iowa to con its citizens out of their money by promising to organize a boys' marching band for the town. Hill mesmerizes most of the citizens of River City with the exception of Marion Paroo, the local librarian who initially gets the goods on Hill, but also eventually falls under his spell.
Preston lights up the screen as the charismatic con man and Shirley Jones makes a lovely Marian the Librarian. Paul Ford is wonderful as the blustery Mayor of River City as is the divine Hermione Gingold as his wife. Buddy Hackett provides laughs as an old pal from Hill's past who now lives in River City and Pert Kelton is wonderful as Marion's mother and let's not forget an adorable six-year old Ronny Howard as Marian's lisping little brother Winthrop. Who would have imagined that little six year old would end up being an Oscar-winning director?
Musical highlights include "Trouble", "Goodnight My Someone", "76 Trombones", "Marian the Librarian", and "Til There was You". My only quibble with the score is the substitution of the lovely "My White Knight" with the rather bland "Being in Love". Morton DeCosta's spirited direction and Onna White's imaginative choreography ("Marian the Librarian" is brilliant)are the icing on the cake for this classic that just seems to get better with age and was not diminished in the least by the recent TV-remake with Matthew Broderick. Sorry, Matthew, but the role of Harold Hill belongs to one actor.