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Event
The Unsinkable Molly Brown
Sunday, February 5 at 2 pm, join us as we celebrate the life of Debbie Reynolds with the screening of what some say was Debbie at her best in The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Filmed in 1964 and directed by Charles Walters, The Unsinkable Molly Brown is a fictionalized account of the life of Margaret Brown, who survived the 1912 sinking of the Titanic and garnered Debbie Reynolds an Academy Award and Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress.
Based on the hit Broadway Musical of the same name, The Unsinkable Molly Brown represented not only the pinnacle of Debbie Reynold's movie career, it also marked the end of an era at MGM. It was the studio's last big musical production and it came at the tail end of the golden age of the Hollywood movie musical.
After her husband strikes it rich with a gold mine, Molly insists they move to Denver where she attempts to break into high society, only to be rebuffed at every turn. On the advice of a friendly monsignor, Molly and Johnny take an extended trip to Europe where she charms the jewels off of the crowned heads. Whereas her uncouth behavior and general tackiness only served to remind the social elite in Denver of their humble beginnings from a generation or two earlier, her earthy sense of humor and genuine personality are fully appreciated by the Europeans and she becomes a celebrity. She gains some culture, acquires a fashion sense, learns to speak several different languages and returns triumphantly to Denver with her new royal friends in tow.
Reynolds gives her all from beginning to end. Her energy and enthusiasm never waver. She sings, dances, acts, fights and yells her way across the screen. Some have criticized her performance for being more athletic and vigorous than artful but she does what the part requires and that is to be larger than life every single second.
Only a handful of songs from the Broadway score made it into the film. The most famous being Belly Up to the Bar, Boys sung with gusto by Reynolds and company when she gets her first job at a saloon, and done as a reprise later in the film. The tall, handsome Harve Presnell was the sole member of the Broadway show to repeat his role for the screen, making his movie debut as Johnny Brown, a man so smitten with Molly that he'll do anything to win her heart. Presnell's wonderful singing voice perfectly suits the film's setting. The panoramic outdoor scenes were shot on location at a national park in Colorado and Harve's booming voice fills the canyons as he sings the lion's share of the songs.
It's no wonder that Debbie Reynolds called this her favorite role. It's the part of a lifetime and she knew it. The one thing you can't say about it is that she didn't give her all. The Unsinkable Molly Brown was a big hit with audiences and critics alike in 1964. All things considered it's not a bad way for the era of the classic MGM musical to come to an end.
Tickets are $7.00 general admission and may be purchased online or at the theater box office a half hour prior to screentime.
This film is not rated and has a run time of 2 hours.
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LocationPlaza Playhouse Theater (View)
4916 Carpinteria Avenue
Carpinteria, CA 93013
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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