Threaded Order Chronological Order
| re: UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN IS SINKABLE AFTER ALL | |
| Posted by: JohnDunlop 11:05 am EST 02/17/20 | |
| In reply to: re: UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN IS SINKABLE AFTER ALL - CCentero 11:01 am EST 02/17/20 | |
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| And the "one thing" that Tammy Grimes played to make the musical a hit? | |
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| re: UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN IS SINKABLE AFTER ALL | |
| Posted by: NewtonUK 11:32 am EST 02/17/20 | |
| In reply to: re: UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN IS SINKABLE AFTER ALL - JohnDunlop 11:05 am EST 02/17/20 | |
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| As above - spunky optimism - exactly what America was looking for in 1960. America was the beacon of the free world, and 5 days after UMB opened, JFK was elected. Optimism. Camelot. It was the perfect show for the spirit of the times. I would argue that our times are different, and that more shading, especially with the myriad of social and political issues that have been layered on the story, would be helpful. Here, spunky Molly gets a customs official to tear up the rule book, and let indigent immigrants into the country. A good idea - but 45 seconds of spunky talk is all it takes? That's a n1960 musical talking, not one in 2020. | |
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| When in doubt, let your story make your thematic points. | |
| Last Edit: Delvino 12:03 pm EST 02/17/20 | |
| Posted by: Delvino 12:00 pm EST 02/17/20 | |
| In reply to: re: UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN IS SINKABLE AFTER ALL - NewtonUK 11:32 am EST 02/17/20 | |
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| Haven't seen it, but I'd argue that a percentage of the sociopolitical points are takeaways from the original narrative, simply by following the storytelling, without placards and agitprop lite. Admittedly, the second act was a thin, drama-free (will she get Johnny back? Gee, I wonder) digression -- all of those Europeans who school her. But the show had those songs. I still listen to "Are You Sure" (Is it intact?) The songs were gold, and they compensated. Reconfiguring them to score in 2020 terms feels contrary to the whole point: a specific grand American myth. By the way: I've met one of her descendants, who saw the show in Denver. She's a rabid Republican. One wonders how this will go over. To paraphrase someone in the public eye: I don't really care, do you? But I do care about Willson's songs. Probably a pass for me. |
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| re: When in doubt, let your story make your thematic points. (spoilers) | |
| Posted by: NewtonUK 02:30 pm EST 02/17/20 | |
| In reply to: When in doubt, let your story make your thematic points. - Delvino 12:00 pm EST 02/17/20 | |
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| Are You There is still there I havent listened to the OBC lately to see if its intact or rewritten. Molly's father and brothers are gone. SHe visits the Leadville silver mine for a reason I cant recall. The men want her to leave because women are unlucky at mines - actually they are only considered unlucky working IN mines. In any event, there is a mine fire, and a man is killed, and so she meets cute the widow and forms a lifelong bond. As you do. Then America goes iff the silver standard to the gold standard, and the mine is worthless. But Jonny figures out how to dig a gold mine, and makes himself (and Horace Tabor) richer still. Now much is made of the production going back to more true details off Molly's life. But Horace Tabor never owned a goldmine. And the loss of the gold standard did nothing to the value of silver. Horace Tabor and Baby Doe became even richer with their second silver mine, 'The Matchless'. The show talks about the Gold Standard being established in 1892, when Grover Cleveland beat William Weaver for President. They fail to mention that Weaver was not a serious candidate. Grover Cleveland 46% and Benjamin Harrison 43% were the real candidates. Weaver giot 8.5% of the vote. While Horace Tabor (he's not in the original UMB) became rich with two silver mines - Johnny Brown never worked for him, and Tabor never switched to gold mining. Johnny worked for a mining conglomerate, and DID invent the safe straw based way of constructing gold mine shafts. Not quite sure why the new version added characters who weren't really involved in Molly and JJ's story. And on and on .... |
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