Blu-Ray Review: ‘The Music Man’ Looks Sharper, Thunders Louder Than Before

CHICAGO – “The Music Man” is alive in a way few Hollywood musicals ever are. Its big numbers often grow organically, allowing melodies to emerge from the rhythm of speech, overlapping action or the seemingly mundane movement of characters across the frame. In the exuberant world of this ageless classic, music is less of a self-conscious construct than an irresistible life force infiltrating the cadence of everyday life.

Much of the film’s success must be attributed to the work of director Morton DaCosta and star Robert Preston. DaCosta directed Preston in the musical’s 1957 Tony-winning Broadway production, and insisted that his lead actor be cast in the 1962 cinematic adaptation, rather than the studio’s preferred star, Frank Sinatra. It’s impossible to imagine anyone but Preston in the role of “Prof. Harold Hill,” a charismatic con artist who seduces the simple citizens of River City, Iowa into financially supporting his phony plans to form a local boys band.

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0

River City is a quintessential portrait of quirky Midwestern Americana envisioned by musical author Meredith Wilson, who based the fictional community on his own hometown of Mason City, Iowa. DaCosta handles the cornball humor and broad characters with a deft touch, mining the warmth and jubilant spirit in Wilson’s nostalgia. His technique of in-camera fade-outs, which he also utilized in “Auntie Mame,” gives the action an inherently theatrical quality. The cast, which includes several members of the original stage production, is utter perfection. It’s great to see Shirley Jones have more to do than simply swoon over Gordon MacRae, and her performance as skeptical librarian and reluctant love interest Marian Paroo is the best of her career. Equally memorable are Paul Ford and Hermione Gingold in side-splitting comic form as the bumbling Mayor and his wife, Pert Kelton as Marian’s concerned mother and a lisping Ron Howard as Marian’s little brother (whose very presence brings River City a dash of Mayberry).

The Music Man was released on Blu-Ray on February 2nd, 2010.
Photo credit: Warner Home Video

Of course, the two main reasons to see “The Music Man” are Wilson’s endlessly inventive songs and Preston’s powerhouse portrayal. His character’s profitable fear mongering may be detestable (and evocative of our current media climate), but Preston has a twinkle in his eye and a swagger in his step that is impossible to resist. Hill’s show-stopper “Trouble,” along with the opening number set to the chugging of a train, both possess the vigor and complex verbal structure of modern rap. The love ballad “Goodnight My Someone” and the signature march “Seventy Six Trombones” brilliantly use the same tune at different tempos, while another romantic number “Will I Ever Tell You?” is wonderfully blended with a barbershop quartet’s rendition of “Lida Rose.” And the show’s best number, “Marian the Librarian,” is a masterpiece of timing, rhythm and choreography (the worst is “Shipoopi,” an overblown oddity that should’ve been deleted).

“The Music Man” is presented in 1080p High Definition (with a 2.4:1 aspect ratio), and accompanied by English and Spanish audio tracks. Even for fans who own the DVD, this disc is worth purchasing solely to experience the film in high definition. With the exception of a few dated special effects (such as the opening scene’s distracting use of rear projection), the film has never looked more spectacular. The music soars, the colors pop (particularly the reds), and Onna White’s intricate choreography can be savored in its entirety. It’s the kind of picture that was meant to be seen on the biggest and widest screen possible.

Unfortunately, the film is only accompanied by special features recycled from its decade-old DVD release. DaCosta’s masterwork certainly deserves a better documentary than the sugar-coated 22-minute featurette “Right Here in River City,” hosted by Jones, who’s instructed to say things like, “See why we had so much fun?” The other paltry extras are a brief introduction from Jones and a re-release trailer.

By MATT FAGERHOLM Staff Writer HollywoodChicago.com matt@hollywoodchicago.com