jeffquis

This was an episode of "Ford Star Jubilee", done in the days of live television. I was lucky enough to view an archival video of this and was thrilled by it. Noel Coward himself stars and directs this adaptation of his celebrated play. The cast is superb. Mildred Natwick steals the whole show as Madame Arcati, the role she played in the Broadway version. She is wonderfully funny, and brings a reality to what is often played as cartoonish. Claudette Colbert brings a light comedic touch to the role of Ruth. Her interpretation of the character is much more sympathetic than some I have seen. Lauren Bacall uses her smoky voice to great advantage as the ghostly Elvira. She moves so beautifully as she slinks and floats around, creating havoc in the household. A very young Marion Ross does fine comedic work(and a Cockney accent) in the role of the maid. Coward has shortened the play for this TV version in a way that actually helps it. A few scenes are dropped, and this makes the whole thing play with a very quick tempo, with few lulls.

In his diaries, Coward details the difficulty in getting this production on, mostly due to his clashes with costar Colbert. (She insisted on being photographed only from her left side, among other details). None of the travails are in evidence in the performance. Only Coward himself seems a little stiff at times, but in his published diary, he explains that he was numb with Novocain during the broadcast, due to trouble with his leg. Despite the age of the kinescope I saw, the entire show was still magical, right down to the effective, if simple, special effects.

As with the 1966 ABC version of BRIGADOON, this version of CAROUSEL is superior to the film version in many ways. Somehow they have included more songs and more script than the film, and yet this has a shorter running time. Thankfully, two original plot points from the stage version are retained: The story is not a flashback, and Billy commits suicide. (Both of these points were changed for the 1956 film). The only real cuts in the score are "Stonecutters", "Geraniums in the Winder", and part of the Louise Ballet.

The entire cast is lovely and understated, especially Mary Grover (never heard of her elsewhere) as Julie. She has a light but controlled soprano, conveying the delicate nature of her character. Her scenes at the waterfront after the robbery attempt, and later scenes as an older woman, are very especially convincing. Marlyn Mason is fun as Carrie, but her voice is really not up to "Mr Snow". Still, she pulls it off with personality. Robert Goulet is real and raw as Billy, dropping his clean cut look from BRIGADOON, looking more appropriately haggard. Charlie Ruggles is warm and charming as the Starkeeper, and Marge Redmond is perfect as the jealous Mrs Mullin.

Bob Mackie's costumes are his usual best. The set design is stunningly detailed, but I did feel that at times it leaned a little toward "Main Street USA", rather than an East Coast harbor town. If I had to lodge any complaint, I feel it had some slow moments at times. Perhaps not quite as successful a TV special as BRIGADOON,but I feel lucky to have seen it at all.

I was recently able to see this, and was thrilled by it. It is far superior to the MGM film version. It was produced on videotape, in color, and is a combination of actual outdoor filming, and interior studio shots, all of which blend together pretty well. The score is arranged by Irwin Kostal and it is gorgeously sung and played. Bob Mackie did some impressive costume designs. Best of all, the cast is perfect in every regard. The original script by Alan Jay Lerner, is adapted by someone else, and I believe they improved it. Most of the additions are comedy lines for Peter Falk's character. For instance, when he meets Meg (Marlyn Mason), she tells him, "Wait till you seem me in me dimity bodice". Jeff (Peter Falk) replies, "Yeah, I bet your bodice will be more dimity than anybody else's". Nothing is drastically changed scene- wise, but they rearranged the order of certain plot events. The choicest moments of the broadcast...Spunky Marlyn Mason singing "My Mother's Wedding Day", the glorious singing voices of Goulet and Sally Ann Howes, and Edward Vilella's fiery sword dance. Most of the score remains intact, including four more numbers than the MGM movie. The only major numbers missing here are Meg's "Love of My Life", the chorus' "Jeannies Packin Up", "Once In the Highlands", and "The Chase is really changed to an instrumental. Altogether a very memorable BRIGADOON. It is sad that this is not commercially available.