The Music Man – Film 1962
The Music Man is a 1962 American musical film starring Robert Preston as Harold Hill and Shirley Jones as Marian Paroo. The film is based on the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name by Meredith Willson. The film was one of the biggest hits of the year and highly acclaimed critically.
In July 1912, traveling salesman “Professor” Harold Hill arrives in River City, Iowa, ready to swindle the famously stubborn citizens (“Iowa Stubborn”). Masquerading as a band instructor, Hill plans to con the townspeople into paying him to create a boys’ marching band. Once he has collected their payment and the instruments and uniforms have arrived, he will hop the next train out of town, leaving them without their money or a band.
With his associate Marcellus Washburn, Hill incites concern among River City’s parents that their boys are being seduced into sin and vice by the town’s new pool table (“Ya Got Trouble”). He convinces them that a marching band is the only way to keep the boys out of trouble, and begins collecting their money (“76 Trombones”). Anticipating that Marian, the town’s librarian and piano instructor, will attempt to discredit him, Hill sets out to seduce her into silence. Also in opposition to Hill is the town’s Mayor Shinn, owner of the billiard parlor, who orders the school board to obtain Hill’s credentials. When they attempt to do so, Hill avoids their questions by teaching them to sing as a barbershop quartet via “sustained talking.” Thereafter, Hill easily tricks them into breaking into song whenever they ask for his credentials (“Sincere”, “Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little/Goodnight Ladies”, and “Lida Rose”).
Cast
Many members of the original Broadway cast appear in the film, including Robert Preston, Pert Kelton, and The Buffalo Bills.
Although Preston scored a great success in the original stage version of the show, he was not the first choice for the film version, mostly because he was not a major box office star.
Bing Crosby was offered the part, but turned it down. Jack L. Warner, who was notorious for wanting to film stage musicals with bigger stars than the ones who played the roles onstage, wanted Frank Sinatra for the role of Professor Hill, but Meredith Willson insisted upon Preston. Warner also offered the role of Hill to Cary Grant, but Grant declined, saying “nobody could do that role as well as Bob Preston”. Grant also reportedly told Warner that he (Grant) would not bother to see the film unless Preston was in it.
Robert Preston as Harold Hill
Shirley Jones as Marian Paroo
Buddy Hackett as Marcellus Washburn
Paul Ford as Mayor George Shinn
Hermione Gingold as Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn
Pert Kelton as Mrs. Paroo
Ronny Howard as Winthrop Paroo
Susan Luckey as Zaneeta Shinn
Timmy Everett as Tommy Djilas
Harry Hickox as Charlie Cowell (anvil salesman)
The Buffalo Bills (Vern Reed, Al Shea, Wayne “Scotty” Ward, Bill Spangenberg) as The School Board
Charles Lane as Constable Locke
Mary Wickes as Mrs. Squires (Pick-a-little Ladies)
Peggy Mondo as Ethel Toffelmier (Pick-a-little Ladies)
Sara Seegar as Mrs. Maud Dunlop (Pick-a-little Ladies)
Adnia Rice as Alma Hix (Pick-a-little Ladies)
Jesslyn Fax as Avis Grubb
Monique Vermont as Amaryllis
Ronnie Dapo as Norbert Smith
Percy Helton as Train Conductor (uncredited)
Max Showalter as Salesman on the Train
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia