# "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" (SDMB Musicals Group) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 15, 2008, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288 "2008-12-15T20:45:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/21 "2008-12-16T15:25:23Z")
> [@jali](#): > > (I’m not in theSDMB musical group) You are now – all you have to do is post. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/22 "2008-12-16T15:46:40Z")
The plotline is creepy, but more so, really freakin amazingly BORING. Nothing happens in this film. I rewatched it recently, and I was just bored out of my mind. Contrast it with a musical like The King and I or even Phantom of the Opera which has a much better story and things happening constantly. I’ll take a slow movie, and I don’t need constant action, but really, nothing happens in SBfSB…and I can’t tell any of the brothers apart, either, other than Adam, they all look pretty much the same to me. That is an amazing voice, though, when he sings “Bless your beautiful hide”… I like my musicals to be a bit darker in tone anyway. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/23 "2008-12-16T15:50:21Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I like my musicals to be a bit darker in tone anyway. Tell it to **jsgoddess**. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/24 "2008-12-16T15:58:37Z")
I saw 95% of this movie for the first time in junior high. We watched it in Choir to fill time. Unfortunately, class didn’t last as long as the movie did, and I didn’t see the ending until years later–not that we’d missed much. I enjoyed it. I’ve not seen it lately, but I enjoyed it when I did. Yes, the plotline is cringeworthy, but it all works out ok for me. And while I don’t recall the songs offhand, I think I enjoyed them in their places. ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/25 "2008-12-16T16:02:21Z")
I love this movie! When my brother and I were kids, my aunt would let us have sleepovers at her house. This was a big treat that always involved popcorn, root beer, and an old musical. My brother’s favorite was “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” Growing up in a big extended family of that was all aunts and female cousins, he _loved_ seeing a musical that was all about the menfolk. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/26 "2008-12-16T16:02:23Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > No–sorry if I was coming across that way–I was trying to be tongue in cheek/kidding around. S’okay, I think I was being more cantankerous than I had to be! ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/27 "2008-12-16T23:38:38Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Also, keep in mind that “rape” in a literary context doesn’t have the same moral weight that it does in today’s legal usage. Helen’s abduction to Troy is referred to as a “rape,” for instance. And [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabine) on the rape of the Sabine women: This is true. The word “rape” comes from the Latin _rapere_, which means to snatch something away, and the archaic definition of the word ([cite](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rape%5B2%5D)) is to carry a person off by force – sex is not necessarily implied. Thus, a raptor is something that swoops in and carries things away, and rapture is the state of being drawn out of one’s senses by ecstasy or overwhelming passion. Because the meaning of the word “rape” changed over time, the title of Plutarch’s tale has often been bowdlerized as “The _Abduction_ of the Sabine Women”. Certainly I understand that our contemporary viewpoint leaves many viewers skeeved out. Personally, I can’t get past the blatant stalking that passes for romantic pursuit in _An American in Paris_. But IMHO, _Seven Brides for Seven Brothers_ is just too charming and innocent to be tainted by the creepy factor. I think of it as a rather tamed down version of Machiavelli’s _Mandragora_ – itself a satirical take on the rape (in the modern sense of the word) of Lucretia. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2008, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/28 "2008-12-16T23:54:05Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > …and I can’t tell any of the brothers apart, either, other than Adam, they all look pretty much the same to me. I agree with this, pretty much, though Russ Tamblyn always stood out for me. Years later, when **Twin Peaks** started, I thought I recognized the crazy psychiatrist but couldn’t place him. It finally came to me and I yelped “oh wow, that’s Gideon!!” The women all blended too, except that I already knew Julie Newmar from playing Catwoman in the Batman series, so she stood out for me. > [@Anaamika](#): > > I like my musicals to be a bit darker in tone anyway. Same here, which is one of the million reasons I love **Moulin Rouge!** so much. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/29 "2008-12-17T00:02:42Z")
[Hijack] Speaking of Julie Newmar, here she is [as Catwoman](http://us.imdb.com/media/rm2540541952/nm0628325). Here she is [a few years ago](http://us.imdb.com/media/rm2657393408/nm0628325). Holy body-to-still-die-for! [/Hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/30 "2008-12-17T00:03:51Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > [ul] > > [li]You can’t listen in to other people’s solos (unless you’re going to reprise them later) unless they’re singing the solo to YOU. So if I sing you a song in the middle of a crowded room, no-one else can use that information (See “How To Succeed”, the “Gotta Get That Man”/“I Believe In You” scene)[/li] > [li]Unless it’s for ironic, comedic or dramatic purposes, no-one can interrupt a song..and even then, the interrupter usually gets swept into the song (“Everybody Ought To Have A Maid” from **Forum** )[/li][/ul] > 😃 In “The Incredible Umbrella” by Marvin Kaye (a screwball fantasy novel) the hero, a Gilbert and Sullivan fan, ends up in the G&S universe, where these two rules (and others) are followed (a brief review here [SS \> SF \> reviews \> Dani Zweig's Belated Reviews \> archive](http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~susan/sf/dani/PS_024.htm)) Andy (goes off singing) ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/31 "2008-12-17T22:24:30Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > In “The Incredible Umbrella” by Marvin Kaye (a screwball fantasy novel) the hero, a Gilbert and Sullivan fan, ends up in the G&S universe, where these two rules (and others) are followed (a brief review here [SS \> SF \> reviews \> Dani Zweig's Belated Reviews \> archive](http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~susan/sf/dani/PS_024.htm)) > > Andy (goes off singing) I thought I was the only one who’d ever heard of that book! 🙂 You did know there was a sequel (not nearly as good) right? **The Amorous Umbrella** ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/32 "2008-12-17T23:27:15Z")
I agree that the choreography and cinematography are Capital-G Great, but overall–largely because of the gleeful misogyny–this is one of my very least favorites. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Dublin11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Dublin11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dublin11)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/33 "2008-12-17T23:42:26Z")
In most films made at the time and especially those depicting events in history, women were subjugated by men. That’s a fact, whether we like it or not today. Still doesn’t stop me wanting to go back in time and snag the actor who played Benjamin and do naughty things to him, mind you. And thinking that the dancing is utterly stupendous and that Howard Keele and Jane Powell were amazingly gifted singers. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/34 "2008-12-18T00:25:14Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > I thought I was the only one who’d ever heard of that book! 🙂 > > You did know there was a sequel (not nearly as good) right? > **The Amorous Umbrella** I did not know that - if it’s available through ABEbooks at a reasonable price, I’m picking it it. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/35 "2008-12-18T01:03:20Z")
> [@Dublin11](#): > > Still doesn’t stop me wanting to go back in time and snag the actor who played Benjamin and do naughty things to him, mind you. This, actually, is the single and only reason I ever watch this movie. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/36 "2008-12-18T01:39:32Z")
> [@Dublin11](#): > > Still doesn’t stop me wanting to go back in time and snag the actor who played Benjamin and do naughty things to him, mind you. That would be Jeff Richards, the non-dancing AND non-singing Brother – guess we know why they picked him. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/37 "2008-12-29T16:43:25Z")
I had little but time over Christmas so I went to the library hoping to catch up on the Musicals that had been watched by this group, and only found 7 Brides–well, and Moulin Rouge which I disliked enough the first time to not tempt me. I also picked up Connie Willis’s short novel “Remake” which was featured in some thread on musicals I saw not that long ago here (I think) but which I don’t remember enough about the thread to go digging for it. At any rate, it doesn’t have much to do with this musical, but it is mentioned–and spends most of the novel in litigation because someone was using Russ Tamblyn in snuffporn and the copyright holder objected. It’s an interesting novel from the perspective that it discusses a lot of musicals in passing–“Meet me in St. Louis” gets dinged by Alys because it’s a Judy Garland movie, and Garland can’t dance (Alys dreams of dancing in the movies–she likes Fred Astaire better than Gene Kelly because Kelly makes his dancing look hard, Astaire makes it look effortless). “Pennies from Heaven” gets mentioned in passing, as do too many other movies to count. Busby Berkley gets dinged hard for having musicals which don’t have dancing so much as camera tricks and spectacle. On the other hand, I dislike science fiction or fantasy which gets too much of its atmosphere from made up slang–even if I can translate it easily into some approximation of it’s intent, the plot seems kind of unfinished and insubstantial, and there is way too much discussion of AS–addictive substances (not just discussion, use and pursuit really). So it’s fascinating without being really enjoyable if you know what I mean. . . But the commentary on the musicals i ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/38 "2008-12-29T17:54:38Z")
> [@Eureka](#): > > (Alys dreams of dancing in the movies–she likes Fred Astaire better than Gene Kelly because Kelly makes his dancing look hard, Astaire makes it look effortless). Astaire had _sprezzatura_. Kelly had athleticism. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/39 "2008-12-29T18:01:36Z")
> [@Mesquite-oh](#): > > When I was a 10 year old boy, I made the mistake of asking my parents, in front of my 3 brothers, if it was OK if I stayed up late so I could watch “SBFSB” on late night TV. The laughter started with my parents and ended with my youngest brother about 5 minutes later. A few months back they told my wife about it and wondered if I was going to pass on my love for SBFSB to my son. Is it gay to like musicals or something? Screw 'em all, it is a damn good movie. God, that’s an awful story! Good thing for you you didn’t turn out to be gay, because god knows how your family might have reacted to it. Sorry to criticize your family, but it’s probably not healthy to be so locked into traditional gender roles that the mere idea of a boy wanting to watch a musical (and a comparatively macho musical, at that) would provoke laughter and commentary so many years after the event. ☹ And you’re right – it’s a damn good movie, so screw 'em. Anyways, yes, the plot is uncomfortable, but who cares – there’s some seriously great music in this thing. Even greater than the music is the lyrics – this is the movie that really made me appreciate Johnny Mercer. Take the lyrics for “Sobbin’ Women” for example: they’re witty, natural, and conversational in the best kind of way. Just for fun, take a look at this [recreation](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jn40bjpPjA) of the number. ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288/40 "2008-12-29T21:10:14Z")
> [@Eureka](#): > > But the commentary on the musicals i Did your post get cut off? (That was me that mentioned _Remake_, in post #4 above. It’s not my favorite Connie Willis story. Her stuff is either hilarious or depressing, and seem to remember that this is one of the depressing ones.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers-sdmb-musicals-group/477288.md?page=3)