tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post574769467288432803..comments2024-03-29T03:05:28.466-07:00Comments on DREAMS ARE WHAT LE CINEMA IS FOR...: THE BOY FRIEND 1971Ken Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-82889218640301601172020-12-17T20:04:27.817-08:002020-12-17T20:04:27.817-08:00Hi David
What a delight your comments are. I laugh...Hi David<br />What a delight your comments are. I laughed to myself imaging what a teenage musical theater maven would make of what Ken Russell "did" to THE BOY FRIEND. There's nothing quite like being young, very much into a particular show (especially via its OBCR) and coming across the various changes that occur with a film adaptation. Speaking from experience, it's a kid's first experience of fandom disappointment.<br />I'm glad you gave the film another try, and I agree with you; Something about Russell's lunacy matches very well with Berkeley's. He's the perfect director for this kind of thing.<br />Your clear awareness of what does and doesn't work for you reflects your familiarity with and affection for the genre. I actually laughed out loud with your description of the Greek mythology sequence! <br />I don't know if you remember how brief that sequence was in the original release, but I have to say when I saw the current cut (which is the only one that seems to exist now) I was a bit taken aback by its length and departure from studio/stage bound fantasy. <br />And it was with that awareness that I've come to look at it: that it's so unlike the show biz fantasies of DeThrill, Max, and the others because Polly has no show biz ambitions and is hopelessly old-fashioned in her romantic fantasies. That's the only way it works for me...a conscious deviation from the others to signify Polly being unconcerned with fame and going to Hollywood.<br /><br />By the way, I also love the Original Broadway Cast LP of THE BOY FRIEND. For the longest time after the film came out it was the only one available to me. I played it endlessly.<br />And what news that is about potentially doing this film in the 1950s with Powell & Reynolds. I'm glad it didn't happen. Like you, I think they would have pulled something like they did with GOOD NEWS...a movie set in the 1920s that has 1950s arrangements. <br />I love that Russell used every song and featured so much dancing. Watching it makes me long for the days when people knew how to film dance.<br />As I said, I got a big kick out of reading your comments, it was very much like a conversation. Thank you for sharing with us!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-50843929489648494342020-12-14T11:28:48.417-08:002020-12-14T11:28:48.417-08:00Dear Ken: Hi! I recently re-watched this one and w...Dear Ken: Hi! I recently re-watched this one and wanted to share my thoughts/relevant(?) trivia with you.<br /><br />I first saw "The Boyfriend" back in high school in the 1980s. My best friend, Meg, and I were both big musical theatre/movie nuts, and we both especially loved anything with Julie Andrews. So we were crazy about the original Broadway cast album of "The Boyfriend" (which remains a favorite, including for its wonderfully witty faux 1920s orchestrations). When we watched the movie (late at night on public TV), we were aghast, to say the least. The whole thing seemed looney and overblown. Our ultimate reaction was that director Russell "must have been on drugs" (said the two sheltered, squeaky-clean kids who had never even tried pot!).<br /><br />Flash forward several decades, and I saw "The Boyfriend" again on TCM around 2004. This time, I got what Russell was doing, and I truly enjoyed the movie. As you note, Russell gets the Busby Berkeley imitation thing correct in a way no other director really has. One moment in particular sticks out for me: in the title number, the camera cuts from a close-up of a wig or fur hat (I can't remember which) to a tracking shot of the female performers lounging in lingerie in a huge fur rug. That kind of imagery, which has a peculiar twisted logic and flow, is exactly the kind of thing Berkeley did so well.<br /><br />Russell also comes up with charming sequences that are all his own. The whole cast frolicking around as elves among giant trees and mushrooms in the "Room in Bloomsbury" number is just delightful!<br /><br />Not all of the film works for me, though. The back-and-forth contrast between the tacky stage show (which seems to grow more lavish as the film goes on) and DeThrill's elaborate minds-eye visions could be clearer at times. And that extended sequence where Polly (Twiggy) imagines all the actors in a Classical Greek mythological fantasy strikes me as WTF?<br /><br />But the movie still is loads of fun. And there's a real sweetness to it, too. I loved that moment at the end, after Maisie (Antonia Ellis) realizes DeThrill is NOT interested in discovering her, and she trudges back to the theatre. She looks up and catches sight of Fay (Georgiana Hale) in a window, who, after a moment of blank face, suddenly gives Maisie a smile. And Maisie smiles, too, letting us know that she'll be OK.<br /><br />I read somewhere that MGM purchased the rights to "The Boyfriend" right after the 1954 Broadway engagement. Their plan was to film it with Jane Powell as Polly and Debbie Reynolds as Maisie. I'm sure that film would have been fun. But somehow I'll bet back in the 1950s, MGM would have fudged on the 1920s atmosphere and also would have tampered with the score. Whereas Russell uses every song from the original production except for one instrumental dance number.<br />Dave Kucharskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10780946474352916520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-13309590967111874522015-07-26T03:17:51.334-07:002015-07-26T03:17:51.334-07:00Also, a surviving reel of Colleen Moore's 1923...Also, a surviving reel of Colleen Moore's 1923 film Flaming Youth can be viewed for free on-line. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-82048159737751232532015-07-26T03:07:03.836-07:002015-07-26T03:07:03.836-07:00Piccadilly is another great 1929 film.Piccadilly is another great 1929 film.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-39752451800816466492015-03-31T00:32:06.020-07:002015-03-31T00:32:06.020-07:00Hello Pearl!
I'm so late in responding to this...Hello Pearl!<br />I'm so late in responding to this...I sometimes miss comments to older posts.<br />I agree that this is a wonderful recreation of the look of a 20s film. the costumes and sets and somewhat shabby, backstage feel is terrific.<br />I also love your noting that somewhat terrifying, fish-eye lens close-up of that chorine with the big, BIG eyes! Oh my god! Seeing that on a big screen was positively surreal. I have a screencap of that very shot that I was going to use in this post. Taken out of context, it's rather hilarious.<br />The film was anything but a hit here in the US, which made me so grateful for a fully restored (with intermission) version when it came out on DVD. This movie is so much fun that it always surprises me that in books about Ken Russell and this films, he always cites this as one of the more problem plagued productions he was involved in. Twiggy was a dream, apparently, but egos and temperament seemed to guide everyone else.<br />Thanks, Pearl, for sharing your personal thoughts and impressions of this favorite. And I'm going to keep a lookout for the 1929 film you recommend. I never heard of it! Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-18063834652841558772015-03-20T02:26:08.482-07:002015-03-20T02:26:08.482-07:00Correction : the pre-May 1986 films were sold to ...Correction : the pre-May 1986 films were sold to Turner.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-18995675411002061642015-03-15T01:40:43.098-07:002015-03-15T01:40:43.098-07:00PS : anyone interested in seeing an example of tr...PS : anyone interested in seeing an example of true Golden 20s/Roaring 20s films should check out the recently-rediscovered classic of 1929 titled ' Why Be Good ' , starring the original flapper, & best Charleston dancer, Colleen Moore. The 1st-National/Vitaphone film was lovingly restored by Warner Bros & released last October.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-9764445705711142512015-03-15T01:28:49.919-07:002015-03-15T01:28:49.919-07:00This is my favourite musical & 1 of my faves o...This is my favourite musical & 1 of my faves of all films. It's divine, it's gear, the cat's whiskers, the cat's pyjamas. The script is clever ( with lots of examples of double-entendre, eg, after a reference to the other girls' boyfriends, they chant ' We'll all be happy when Polly gets hers ! ' ) The music is fab. The musical sequence in DeThrill's ( a send-up of DeMille's ) mind atop the giant gramophone record upon the giant turntable is easily my all-time-favourite musical number ( I could be happy with you, if you could be happy with me ... ) : the slow drifting glide of the camera through the chorus-girls' legs till we reach the divine Twigs & her film beau -- perfection ! Barbara Windsor was the maid in the play's intro : she is famous for Carry on film performances in the UK, especially & particularly Carry On Camping of circa AD 1968 ( also the last Carry On which I liked -- they really collapsed in quality during the 1970s & one even put me to sleep literally ) . The chorus girls in this film have the biggest eyes which I have ever seen in my life. I was sitting only a few metres from the screen in 1971 or 1972 & they were gigantic. In one scene, the girl which is the 3d in Your Perfect Young Ladies' photo faces us directly whilst enthusing about DeThrill : her eyes must have been 4 metres long & 2 metres high on the screen : her eyes have recurred in nightmares of mine through the decades ( seriously, several nightmares ! I can't purge them from my memory ! ) : they're like alien spirit-stealing eyes : they should have separate billings of their own.<br /><br />This is probably the best re-creation of the Golden 20s/Roaring 20s which I have seen. ( The 1990s Jeeves & Wooster show is also excellent : the Brits have an intuitive knack or ability to re-create different eras, an ability which Hollywood normally lacks. ) They even have the rouged knees & vo-vo-de-oh-doe. I love the restored DVD intermission : when did they disappear ? I always use the DVD ones to brew some tea & walk round for several minutes : the whole point is to take a break. 1971 &1972 were not kind years for sweet films like this & Willy Wonka. More's the pity ...<br /><br />In the event, let's salute the slowly-collapsing MGM ( a decade later, they had to sell this & all of their pre-1984 films to Ted Turner & Warner Bros in order to survive as a company, ) for this beautiful swan song which evokes their glory days. Thank you for your site.<br /><br />Ciao ! --PearlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-12763148938475706912014-08-07T17:37:46.262-07:002014-08-07T17:37:46.262-07:00Thank you for this great article. I first came ac...Thank you for this great article. I first came across The Boy Friend on Turner channel, looking for my usual dose of old MGM musicals, and the first time I was totally confused. Do they still make big tap musicals in the 70s? Without watching the first act of the movie, I didn't know how to string together all the scenes --- where is the audience, why doesn't Polly know her lines, where is the line between acting and regular dialog... But I could not change the channel, the movie was just charming enough to suck me in. It had a mad vibe of familiarity and crazed logic at the same time, like Alice in Wonderland and the over-the-top of the movie Brazil. Catching the movie again for the second time, I was able to finally understand the plot and characters -- this is a movie that you need to jump around the POV point of view of each character rapidly, as every lavish dance number happens entirely in that POV moment. So I guess the main reason why this fail to catch the mainstream is that it relied too much on a focused, intelligent audience with long attention span, the kind that are probably extinct. Anyway I enjoyed it very much, I am searching for more musicals done post MGM in the same homage style, and love to find more.Kacenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-33746479020306086122014-07-08T09:42:37.380-07:002014-07-08T09:42:37.380-07:00Well, if you ever get a chance to see the film it&...Well, if you ever get a chance to see the film it's titled (at least her in the US) "There Goes the Bride" and was released in 1980. Twiggy is the best thing in it, but she's hardly used at all. A real waste!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-20064264970484815382014-07-08T05:46:39.285-07:002014-07-08T05:46:39.285-07:00Yes, you are right about the musical numbers being...Yes, you are right about the musical numbers being "full-on spectacles". That's why I love them! <br /><br />It's a shame that this isn't universally loved but most of Ken Russels films are an aquired taste. It's better sometimes not to show films like these to people who can't appreciate them...<br /><br />I had never heard of that Smothers film and I thought it couldn't be that bad -Twiggy's in it! But I suppose some films are impossible to watch for even the most open minded people!<br />WilleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-19401834112589999162014-07-07T19:47:56.300-07:002014-07-07T19:47:56.300-07:00Hi Wille
That description of Antonia Ellis is PERF...Hi Wille<br />That description of Antonia Ellis is PERFECT! I really enjoy this film a great deal as well, but some I have shown it to have expressed a feeling of being overwhelmed and worn down. So many musical numbers, so many of them full-on spectacles...I guess a little of Ken Russell can be a bit much, but a LOT can be hard to take.<br />The version of "The Boy Friend" first released theatrically in the US was about 20 minutes shorter than the version released in the UK. When it aired on TV, they cut so much out of the already shortened film, i couldn't watch it. The version available on DVD today is so much different (and better) that the one I saw in 1971. More is not too much in this case.<br /><br />I've always considered Twiggy such an underappreciated screen talent. She certainly had a good run of theater projects, but I wonder, too, why she didn't take off after this. Some years later she appeared in an absolutely dreadful Tommy Smothers movie in which which she played a 20s flapper named Polly (as she is here), and she danced in that as well...but as I said, it was dreadful. it was shelved and eventually showed up on bargain bin DVDs.<br />Happy that we have this wonderful record of her singing and dancing debut! Thanks, Wille!<br />Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-2041338444168004122014-07-07T04:40:13.088-07:002014-07-07T04:40:13.088-07:00Hello Ken, The Boyfriend is also a big favourite o...Hello Ken, The Boyfriend is also a big favourite of mine. It always makes me smile. It's wonderful to see the actors really enjoying themselves performing the characters of the theatre troupe, especially the most selfish ones. I love Antonia Ellis in this. She's like a mad dancing Chechire cat. <br /><br />I love how Ken Russell created a small world of nutty characters in the environment of that run down seaside theatre. I never get tired of the silly flapper dances, the costumes, the camp scenery and the very arch delivery of the lines. <br /><br />I've seen the film in its various lengths. First in a long version and then, to my horror, in a much abreviated cut that also seemed to be the most available. The long version was impossible to track down for ages but I finally got my hands on the Warner Brothers edition which is complete with two of my favourite numbers: "Nicer in Nice" and "I got the you don't want to play with me blues"!<br /><br />I am always amazed and bewildered that there are people who don't love this film. I try to understand why this can be. The film might be a bit too much but it can never be enough for me. <br /><br />Why wasn't it a hit?? Why didn't Twiggy's career take off after it? She is so sweet in and dances rather well in it, don't you think?<br />WilleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-40830187721310865012013-09-28T17:12:49.904-07:002013-09-28T17:12:49.904-07:00Hi Rosscompose
Although I saw the film in its init...Hi Rosscompose<br />Although I saw the film in its initial run, I would have gone through the ceiling had the musical numbers shifted to stereo! That sounds amazing! Whenever I recall that happening in movies of the 70s (That's Entertainment comes to mind) I always remember it as making the film feel like an event.<br />I missed the Aero Theater screening of "The Boy Friend" but would have loved to hear Walton talk about his (considerable) contribution to this film. And to have seen the Portsmouth theater...well, that must have been fantastic. I wonder if anyone else HAS seen a Stereo screening of the film? I'd love to find out. When it opened in SF, it was sort of dumped into theaters and not given a proper kickoff.<br />Thanks a heap for sharing your memories of the film.Always great to hear from a fan of this movie. Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-10088001383086514312013-09-28T15:24:24.403-07:002013-09-28T15:24:24.403-07:00I saw this film at an east side theater in New Yor...I saw this film at an east side theater in New York during its initial release (and loved it). <br /><br />I remember that the when the musical numbers came on the soundtrack went to STEREO. I have never again seen a version where this happened. <br /><br />(A year or more ago it was screened at the American Cinematheque / Aero Theater in Santa Monica. It was in honor of art director Tony Walton who attended and talked about his work with Russell).<br /><br />Anyway, does anyone else remember a stereo version?<br /><br />Also, a British friend once took me Portsmouth to see the exterior of the Theater Royal where parts of the film were shot. So I'm a major fan.rosscomposehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10382472630707034384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-18044020921790430802013-08-24T22:33:22.048-07:002013-08-24T22:33:22.048-07:00I'm a bit of a fanatic about all of his films,...I'm a bit of a fanatic about all of his films, so don't get me started! My faves are <i>Salome's Last Dance</i> and <i>The Devils</i>, followed by everything in between! Many years ago, when the internet was fresh and new, I had a website devoted to his work. These days, one of my favorite things to do is to introduce young people to his films. It always blows their minds! <br /><br />Thombeauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14610129742797260253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-22299200352520788912013-08-24T17:11:06.723-07:002013-08-24T17:11:06.723-07:00Hi Thom
I honestly don't think I knew about yo...Hi Thom<br />I honestly don't think I knew about your liking Ken Russell, although, knowing your terrific taste, I would have taken it as a given. :-)<br />I can't say enough good things about "The Boy Friend" and "Tommy"...Ken Russell was among the best!<br />Thanks, as always!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-33751178274592027122013-08-24T15:36:26.850-07:002013-08-24T15:36:26.850-07:00I think I've already mentioned that Ken Russel...I think I've already mentioned that Ken Russell is my favorite director. I could go on and on about this film, though not as eloquently as you. Great post!Thombeauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14610129742797260253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-20069387111212873802012-12-31T17:37:35.281-08:002012-12-31T17:37:35.281-08:00Wow, Ken, thank you so much! It was honestly more ...Wow, Ken, thank you so much! It was honestly more grueling than I'd expected! I'm so glad the effort proved worthy of a thumbs up from a such a genuine fan and devotee of The Boy Friend like yourself! Happy New Year!Klara Tavakoli Goeschehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15477552306113383773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-30260473527761143382012-12-31T13:03:26.475-08:002012-12-31T13:03:26.475-08:00Bravo! I seriously don't know how you managed ...Bravo! I seriously don't know how you managed to do it, but you captured the essence of the entire film in a very seamless "best of" compilation that is sure to entice the uninitiated into exploring this marvelous film. In our ADD times, this might be the best advertising "The Boy Friend" could ever hope for. Very impressed, and not at all sure how you did it!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-72012737273612285212012-12-31T02:05:39.789-08:002012-12-31T02:05:39.789-08:00It WAS tough, Ken -- it's all so charming, sil...It WAS tough, Ken -- it's all so charming, silly and beautiful! So I hope you'll like what's there. I think the quality looks great, and that's a major plus for such a visual film. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBGffWmnleoKlara Tavakoli Goeschehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15477552306113383773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-19817255490616944152012-12-29T00:55:42.793-08:002012-12-29T00:55:42.793-08:00Hi Klara
When you upload your video, please share ...Hi Klara<br />When you upload your video, please share a link, won't you? I'd love to see it. It must have been hard to settle on just 30 minutes worth of images! Thanks Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-2000915449971342092012-12-28T14:49:01.023-08:002012-12-28T14:49:01.023-08:00Thank you, Ken! It is great to find a kindred spir...Thank you, Ken! It is great to find a kindred spirit when it comes to such a unique and under appreciated film. And I have an update: I just finished the video, I'm just in the process of uploading to my YouTube channel. It came down to just under 30 mins. Couldn't bring myself to cut it down any more, and I managed to keep almost all of the best moments. There are so many :)Klara Tavakoli Goeschehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15477552306113383773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-20690148615217202742012-12-22T04:36:31.429-08:002012-12-22T04:36:31.429-08:00Hi Klara
I just finished reading your wonderful pi...Hi Klara<br />I just finished reading your wonderful piece on "The Boy Friend" and feel I've found a kindred spirit in this case. Our initial exposure to the film couldn't have been more different, but the impression the film made on each of us has been near-obsessive. You even mirror my desire to dedicate your entire blog to "The Boy Friend"!<br />I had always thought I was the only one who thought the film's original 2-hour cut was too short, so I was thrilled with the lengthier director's cut that came out on DVD. But like you, when I try to expose others to "The Boy Friend" nearly everyone finds it an embarrassment of rices: overlong and exhausting in it's spectacle. <br />Thus, I think it's a wonderful idea for you to try to create a Reader's Digest version to share with friends. "The Boy Friend" could be quite dazzling in a "best of" format. <br />Thanks for sharing your personal fondness for this film. I always get a kick out of it whenever I hear of someone surrendering themselves over to a film experience and letting it enter your heart and imagination. It's rare...treasure it!<br />Thanks for leaving a comment and sharing your link.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-1653056313548916272012-12-22T00:58:52.192-08:002012-12-22T00:58:52.192-08:00Wow! So someone else who loves this brilliant film...Wow! So someone else who loves this brilliant film as much as I do!? Amazing write-up, you managed to touch on just about every aspect of genius in this movie, and there are so many!! Here's my very personal one, from a while back: http://retroactivecritique.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-alternate-reality-experience-with.html At the moment, I'm finishing up a 'condensed' edited version of the film, trying to bring it down to 20-30 mins because I've felt rather alone in my adoration of it, anyone I ever tried to share it with just did not have the patience to watch it all the way through for some reason. Since it is long (and I'm the one who can watch it over and over tirelessly) I figured this edit might at least allow more folks to see the sheer brilliance of Ken Russell's vision. Klara Tavakoli Goeschehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15477552306113383773noreply@blogger.com