The Boy Friend (1971 film)

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
The Boy Friend
"The Boyfriend" (1971).jpg
Directed by Ken Russell
Produced by Ken Russell
Harry Benn
Written by Ken Russell
Based on the musical by Sandy Wilson
Starring Twiggy
Christopher Gable
Max Adrian
Tommy Tune
Brian Murphy (actor)
Barbara Windsor
Vladek Sheybal
Music by Peter Maxwell Davies
Cinematography David Watkin
Edited by Michael Bradsell
Production
company
Russflix
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates
 December 16, 1971
Running time
 137 minutes (original)
109 mins (US)
Language English
Budget $3 million[1]

The Boy Friend is a 1971 British-American musical comedy film directed by Ken Russell and starring Twiggy, Christopher Gable, Tommy Tune, and Max Adrian with an uncredited appearance by Glenda Jackson.[2] It is an adaptation of the musical The Boy Friend by Sandy Wilson. It was released on DVD on April 12, 2011.

Plot

The plot exists on three levels.

First there is the frame story where in the south of England in the 1920s a struggling theatrical troupe is performing a musical about romantic intrigues at a finishing school for young women in the south of France. To ongoing backstage dramas and audiences smaller in number than the cast, two extra ingredients arrive: a famous Hollywood film producer turns up to see the show, and Polly, the mousy assistant stage manager, is forced to go on when the leading lady breaks a leg. As Polly struggles to keep her cool while acting opposite the male lead she secretly loves, the rest of the company backstab each other trying to impress the impresario.

Next there is the musical itself. Four of the girls at the school are very forward and acquire boy friends but Polly is shy and has nobody to take her to the carnival masked ball that night. Tony, a messenger boy from a dress shop brings her a costume and the two young people are struck with each other. They meet again in the afternoon and reach an understanding, she pretending she is only a secretary so as not to seem above him. He comes to the ball and, when unmasked, is recognised as a peer's son. So Tony and Polly are both rich and can marry openly.

Thirdly, there are extensive fantasy sequences during which the characters' dreams are enacted in music and dance without words.

Cast

Production

MGM bought the rights to the musical in 1957.[3]

Dan Ireland thought Russell was motivated to make the film in response to the controversy of The Devils (1971).[1]

Release

Head of MGM James Aubrey ordered 25 minutes be removed from the movie for its US release.[1]

Critical reception

  • Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "Even when he’s not deliberately doing Berkeley takeoffs, (Ken Russell's) camera is so joyless that it undermines every scene."[4]
  • The New York Times' Roger Greenspun wrote, "I am surprised to find that it is rather greatly to my taste; partly because it is often as witty as it is elaborate, partly because it works its variations on the fully recognizable and still quite wonderful Sandy Wilson words and music, and partly because it is supported by a charming and energetic cast."[5]

Recognition

The National Board of Review voted Ken Russell best director, and Twiggy won two Golden Globe awards as best newcomer and best actress (musical/comedy). The film was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Music, Adaptation and Original Song Score, losing to Fiddler on the Roof.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Dan Ireland on The Boyfriend at Trailers From Hell accessed 2 August 2012
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 'Boy Friend' Musical Will Have Star Cast Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 26 Feb 1957: 22.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links


<templatestyles src="Asbox/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Stub icon

This article related to a British film of the 1970s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

<templatestyles src="Asbox/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Stub icon

This article about a musical comedy film is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=The_Boy_Friend_(1971_film)&oldid=702867702"