'' is a
Musical Film released in
1954 . It was directed by
Stanley Donen , with music by
Saul Chaplin and
Gene De Paul , and lyrics by
Johnny Mercer . The script (by
Albert Hackett ,
Frances Goodrich , and
Dorothy Kingsley ) is based on the short story ''The Sobbin' Women'', by
Stephen Vincent Benét , which was based in turn on the
Ancient Roman legend of
The Rape Of The Sabine Women . The film was a 1954
Oscar nominee for
Best Picture .
The film is particularly known for the unusual choreography by
Michael Kidd , which makes dance numbers out of such mundane
Frontier pursuits as chopping wood and (most famously)
Raising A Barn .
The film's story is about a backwoodsman named Adam and his new bride Milly, who marries him after knowing him for only a few hours. On returning with him to his cabin in the mountains, Milly is surprised to learn that Adam is one of seven
Lumberjack brothers living in the same cabin. The brothers have been named alphabetically from the Bible: Adam, Benjamin, Caleb, Daniel, Ephraim, Frank (short for Frankincense, the Bible supposedly having no names beginning with F), and Gideon.
Milly teaches Adam's rowdy, ill-behaved younger brothers manners and social
Mores , including how to dance. At first, the brothers have a hard time changing from their "mountain man" ways, but eventually they come to see that the only way they will get a girl of their own is if they do things Milly's way. They are able to test their new manners at a
Barn-raising , where they meet six girls they like -- Dorcas, Ruth, Martha, Liza, Sarah and Alice -- and, fortunately, the girls like the brothers too. However, the girls already have suitors who jealously taunt the brothers into fighting during the barn-raising, and, although the brothers do not start the fight, they are banished from the town by the townspeople because of it.
Winter arrives, and the six younger brothers mope for their girls. Adam reads his brothers the story of "Sobbin' Women" (a
Pun on the
Sabine Women ) and tells them that they should stop moping around and go get their girls (see
Bride Kidnapping ). The brothers do so, and then cause an avalanche so that they can't be followed by the townspeople. The girls are upset at being kidnapped, and Milly is furious at Adam. She consigns the brothers to the barn while the girls are living in the house. Adam is humbled, and leaves for the family's cabin to live out the winter by himself.
Months pass, and eventually it is spring. The girls have now fallen in love with the brothers, who are now allowed to court the girls. Milly gives birth to a daughter, Hannah (picking up the Biblical-alphabetical pattern). Gideon rides to the cabin to inform Adam about his daughter's arrival and asks Adam to come home, but Adam refuses to do so, saying that he would return home when the pass was open once more to traffic.
Adam, who has had time to think about his baby daughter, returns home in the spring. As a newly responsible father, he has become aware of how worried the townspeople would be about what has happened to the girls. Adam intends that the girls be taken back to their homes in the town by his brothers, but his brothers don't want to do so. The girls don't want to return to their homes, either — they all want to stay at the farm with their boyfriends. When Milly discovers that the girls are not in the house, she mentions this to Adam, and he tells his brothers to go after the girls and bring them back.
Meanwhile, the townspeople arrive, with the intention of taking vengeance against the brothers for the kidnappings. Then Alice's father, who is a preacher, hears a baby cry in the distance, and worries that the baby might belong to one of the girls. When he asks the girls whose baby it is, they all decide, simultaneously, to claim the baby as their own, with this misinformation giving the girls and the brothers their greatest wish — the townspeople insisting that all six couples marry immediately in a
Shotgun Wedding .
''' technique shown as 1.33:1 aspect crop over ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'',
MGM , 1954.]]
On the 2004 DVD commentary, Stanley Donen states that the film was originally shot in two versions, one widescreen and another in normal ratio, due to the fact that MGM were concerned not all theatres had the capability to screen it. Despite the fact that it cost more than the widescreen version to make, he says, the other version was never used. However both versions are available on the 2004 DVD release.
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Four of the actors who played the younger brothers were
Dancers , while another of the younger brothers was played by a champion
Gymnast and the remaining younger brother was played by a former professional
Baseball player.
Howard Keel appeared as "Adam", ex-baseball player
Jeff Richards as "Benjamin",
Matt Mattox as "Caleb",
Marc Platt as "Daniel",
Jacques D'Amboise as "Ephraim" (on loan from the
New York City Ballet ),
Tommy Rall as "Frank", and former gymnast
Russ Tamblyn as "Gideon". (
Morton Downey Jr. almost had Tamblyn's part as "Gideon" in this musical.)
All of the brides were played by dancers.
Jane Powell appeared as "Milly",
Julie Newmar (Newmeyer) as "Dorcas",
Ruta Lee as "Ruth",
Norma Doggett as "Martha",
Virginia Gibson as "Liza",
Betty Carr as "Sarah", and
Nancy Kilgas as "Alice".
''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' came third in a
BBC Radio 2 listener
Poll of the UK's "Number One Essential Musicals".
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''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' came eighth in the top 10 MGM musicals in the book ''Top 10 of Film'' by Russell Ash.
In 2004, this film was selected for preservation in the
United States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
In 2006 ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' ranked #21 on the
American Film Institute 's
List Of Best Musicals .
In 1979, an adaptation with a book by
Lawrence Kasha and David Landay and new songs by
Al Kasha and
Joel Hirschhorn was developed for the stage and enjoyed a lengthy critically and commercially successful national tour.
After fifteen previews, the
Broadway production, directed by Kasha and choreographed by Jerry Jackson, opened on
July 8 1982 at the
Alvin Theatre , where it ran for only five performances. The cast included
Debby Boone ,
David-James Carroll ,
Jeff Calhoun , and
Lara Teeter .
Its sole
Tony Award nomination was for Best Original Score.
A 1985
West End production proved to be more successful, and a
London Cast Recording was released by First Night Records. A 2002
UK tour starred
Dave Willetts .
In 2005, a major revival was staged at the prestigious
Goodspeed Opera House staring
Jacquelyn Piro Donovan and
Burke Moses . Directed by Greg Ganakas with choreography by Patti Colombo, the production earned rave reviews from
Variety and the
New York Times . Songs, ''Where Were You?'',''I Married Seven Brothers'', and a revised version of ''Glad That You Were Born'' were added and the book was heavily rewritten. With a realistic approach, rustic orchestrations and a focus on the
Oregon Trail , the show was quite different from its film predecessor.
Plans for a 2005-2006 National Tour of the
Goodspeed Opera House production failed. However, in 2007, and this time under the direction of
Scott Schwartz , ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' became a joint production between Houston Theatre Under the Stars,
Paper Mill Playhouse , North Shore Music Theatre, and Atlanta Theatre of the Stars. With set design by Tony Award nominee, Anna Louizos, the current version is a hybrid between the literal approach of the Goodspeed production and the slapstick camp of the original film. While reviews were positive, the real attention was given to Patti Colombo's acrobatic, athletic, and inventive choreography.
The 2007 revival is expected to be the version that will be licensed by
Music Theatre International for stock and regional use.
A
Television series based very loosely on the film ran on
CBS from
September 19 1982 to
July 2 1983 . The series told the adventures of a parentless family of rowdy brothers trying to run the family ranch in northern
California . Into the chaos came feisty Hannah, who married Adam and took on the task of bringing order to the household. The series contained about one musical number per episode. Despite a small but dedicated fan following, the series was cancelled after one season.
Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earl, ''The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946 - Present'', Balantine, New York, 2003.
- Finnish: "''" ''(Translation: Brides for Seven Brothers)''
- French: "''" ''(Translation: The Seven Women of Barbe-Rousse)''
- German: "''" ''(Translation: A Bride for Seven Brothers)''
- Hebrew: "''"
- Hungarian: "''"
- Italian: "''"
- Polish: "''"
- Portuguese: ""
- Romanian: "''"
- Scots Gaelic: "''"
- Spanish: "''"
- Turkish: ''
- Sabine
- Satte Pe Satta , an India n Bollywood remake. This film's plotline also has seven brothers, the elder brother is married long before the others and his wife teaches the six brothers how to socialise and clean themselves up. However, apart from those similarities, the movie deviated significantly from the original Hollywood version.
