Natalie Kohnert
There’s nothing more rugged than a backwoodsman who wears clothes made of deer hide and hasn’t shaved or taken a bath in months. There’s also nothing more amusing than watching that backwoodsman try to win the hand of the most beautiful and popular girl in town and following their story as she turns him and his six brothers into perfect gentlemen.
The delightful 1954 musical comedy Seven Brides for Seven Brothers showcases the talents of Howard Keel and Jane Powell, who star as Adam and Milly Pontipee. Set a hundred years before the movie’s debut, this heartwarming love story is set in the beautiful mountains of what was then the Oregon territory.
The movie begins with a touch of male chauvinism. Adam goes to town to look for a wife, but the viewer soon finds out that all he wanted was a maid who could cook and do chores around the house he shares with his six brothers. When his new wife, Milly, discovers that she has been deceived, she is heartbroken; thus begins the saga of discovering what true love really is. Milly soon has every single one of Adam’s “scroungy backwoodsman” brothers cleaned up and whipped into shape, and she teaches them the ways of courting and dancing. After she introduces them to six of her girlfriends from town, the brothers decide they want to get married too.
However, Adam is against Milly’s plan to make gentlemen out of country boys, and he devises a plan to kidnap his wife’s friends and force them to marry his brothers. When Adam receives a stern lecture from Milly for his actions, he starts to realize that he really loves her. But because he can’t deal with the pain of her disappointment, he deserts the family to live on his own in a deserted cabin. It takes the birth of his daughter to bring Adam back, and he and Milly share their first on-screen kiss, symbolizing their newly discovered love for each other.
The inspiration for the movie came from the famous story of the Sabine Women from Plutarch’s Lives. The narrative is told multiple times during the film, and the brothers turn it into a humorous story in their own musical rendition called the “Sobbin’ Women,” which was actually the original name of the film. When producers agreed that a movie with that title would not sell, it was decided that “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” was a more appealing name for a lighthearted love story.
The movie was ingeniously cast. MGM hired professionals like Jacques d’Amboise, a dancer with the New York ballet, and Russ Tamblyn, a gymnast (also famous for his role in West Side Story), to play the supporting roles of the brothers in this movie. Tamblyn plays the character of the youngest brother, Gideon, and his ruddy look and compassionate heart give the film an added tenderness. Gideon is the first brother to understand true love, and though he plays a subordinate role to Howard Keel, his part in the story is no less important.
Even 50 plus years after its debut, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers has not lost its appeal. In the 1980s, a Broadway version of the musical was created, and a TV series based on the film was produced. Popular dinner theatres around the country, including Chanhassen Dinner Theatre in Minnesota, are still performing the show. There have also been many facebook groups created for fans of Seven Brides. Questions like “Which brother would you marry?” have become a favorite topic for teenage girls to discuss with fellow fans.
Like all musicals, the movie has its cheesy parts, such as Milly’s outburst of song in a meadow and the entire “I’m a Lonesome Polecat” song performed by the brothers while they’re chopping wood. Brother Daniel’s ballet moves while swinging a fake ax in accordance with Frank and Gideon’s sawing motion make for a good laugh among modern audiences not as familiar with the musical genre. The set was also a tacky element to the movie. The backdrops are severely lacking a realistic touch—even for a ‘50s movie—and one can easily tell where nature ends and the fake set begins.
But if you’re a sucker for a great love story (or seven), and want a movie that’s safe for your entire family to watch, you’ll love Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. The movie is pure energy from start to finish, and it’s truly a must-see classic.
