Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Composite Score: 81.33
Starring: Jane Powell, Howard Keel, Jeff Richards, and Russ Tamblyn
Director: Stanley Donen
Writers: Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich, Dorothy Kingsley, and Stephen Vincent Benet
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Musical, Romance, Western
MPAA Rating: Approved
Box Office: $9.4 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is a 1950s musical based on a short story based on a Roman myth (the Kidnap of the Sabine Women). It centers around Adam Pontipee, a woodsman living in the countryside of Oregon with his six brothers who marries Milly, a girl from town, inspiring his brothers to seek marriage as well, ultimately pursuing this goal through kidnapping other girls from the town and convincing them to marry. As a satire (whether it is or not is certainly in question), the film has a relatively entertaining take on gender roles and relationships. With well-written, if dated, songs and dance numbers, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers manages to entertain despite some questionable choices.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
Based on the fact that this film was made in the 1950s, it is safe to assume that the sexual ethic and gender roles presented in the film are not pure satire, making it a majorly problematic watch in the 21st century. The entire romance between Adam and Milly is based on his deception, only visiting her and courting her in town because he doesn’t want her to know about the six younger brothers that he lives with until she has already married him and can’t turn back. Follow this up with the kidnap and subsequent Stockholm-syndrome-ing of the other brother’s women and you get a very questionable look at the relationships between men and women. While there is some remorse on Adam’s part about the deception, he does very little to atone for it and earn his reconciliation with Milly, instilling problematic expectations for deceptive relationships.
Besides the dated gender politics, the musical numbers are also fairly dated. Most of the songs are well-sung and well-choreographed but don’t necessarily hold up for a more modern audience. For one, Adam’s opening “I want” number “Bless Yore Beautiful Hide” literally compares Milly (and the townswomen in general) to farm animals. Even if the content were not dated, the music itself certainly is, presenting Snow White-esque songs from the women – talented, yes, but the pitch is incredibly too piercing for the songs to last as long as they do – and men who only sing songs about work and building things (I guess actually that’s also Snow White-esque).
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
Short answer, watch this film as satire and be incredibly entertained at how problematic men can be when trying to pick up women.
But in all seriousness, the music is well-written, the dances well-choreographed, and the sets well-designed for the 1950s. In terms of pure musical technicality, this film holds up. It has the establishing character songs, dance fights, and romantic comedy that you might expect from a mid-century Hollywood musical. I’ll even go so far as to say that, problematic though it may be, “Bless Yore Beautiful Hide” is an incredibly catchy tune, and it is clear that this film was enjoyable at the time that it was made.
Because it is a film that focuses so heavily on problematic gender roles, it is difficult to recommend watching this as a true “Great Film”. The musical prowess provides some solace if it is on your watch-list, as it is very well-crafted. Viewed through a satirical lens in the modern day, it might be worth a watch, so long as you also consider the serious issue with supporting the incredibly sexist gender norms that it attempts to normalize.
