The Boyfriend

source: The Boyfriend

Filmmaker and British madman Ken Russell takes the popular Sandy Wilson stage musical--about a backstage nobody with a theater troupe in the 1920s becoming a star when the leading lady breaks her leg--and turns it into a head-trip (without much of a heart and very little soul). This ode to Hollywood showman Busby Berkeley (whose era was the 1930s, not the 1920s) goes giddily over-the-top, yet does so in a way that alienates the material (never mind the audience). Twiggy is appealing in the lead, Christopher Gable also fine as her on-stage suitor, but it's Glenda Jackson as the former star who really shines (too bad her role only amounts to a cameo). The nearly non-stop production numbers become wearisome, turning the picture into grotesque camp. After a solid, likable start, the editing flags, leaving sequences to go on and on (the movie runs a less-than-grand 2 hours and 20 minutes). Russell, a sort of uncelebrated undergraduate of the Stanley Kubrick school of excess, does have a twisted visual style which is unlike anyone else's; he gets some moments right, and when a scene of his comes up a winner it can be a startling winner. But Russell just doesn't know when to quit. The results here are curious, but also frequently tedious. ** from ****

Let me start by saying I love the sets and costumes for this show. I don't know how many backdrops they created but they are works of art. And Twiggy looks darling and perfectly turned out as a 1920's musical heroine. The music is poor. It all sounds the same, it goes on and on and it's dreary. Here's how I confirmed this to myself. I was just wandering through my living room with the TV on listening. All of a sudden my ears were pleased by the sounds of some real music. The band had just started "You Are My Lucky Star" which is a real 20's tune written by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed. By comparison to other 20's tunes "You Are My Lucky Star" may just be average but compared to anything in "The Boyfriend" it is a radiant hit. My advice to anyone wanting to stage this in an amateur production: study the sets and costumes. Throw out the story and music.

This brilliant interpretation of the stage play can best be described as Busby Berkeley on psychedelics. The concept of turning over this material to the visual madman, Ken Russell, was inspired, as was casting supermodel Twiggy in the lead role (who would have ever guessed she could embody the "sweet song and dance ingenue" so magnificently!). Mr. Russell has delivered an outrageous homage to English song-and-dance theatre, as well as American movie musicals of the 30's and 40's, all bundled up snugly in one gem of a fall-down funny flick. Everything is right on the money in this film, from the directing, to the brilliant cinematography, to the musical presentation of those beloved "old standards", to the eye-popping candy costumes and sets. What impresses me the most, however, is the supporting cast. Each actor turns in a such a flawless performance, it results in every subplot becoming just as integral, and interesting, as the main plot. Thus you become a willing captive for 2 hours and 17 minutes for this dizzying magic carpet ride. And, as a bonus, it's "feel good" without being schmaltzy! Wonderful!

Russell's homage to the twenties has aged better than most of his films because the tone is so right. The orchestration is period-perfect, and the costumes (by Russell's then-wife, Shirley) are astounding. Likewise the amazing sets echo the designs of Clarice Cliff, Lucy Atwell and a host of others. Twiggy is that rare star, a model who made a great transition to film, and she's supported by a Who's Who cast of English performers, especially bad girl Antonia Ellis, who went on to star in the British stage version of 'Chicago'. To cap it all, the film works on three distinct levels, the backstage musical, the onstage drama and the fantasy version. Some lines have even become catchphrases. Sandy Wilson, the original show's author, wrote a sequel called 'Divorce Me, Darling', which parodied the thirties. Some prints are shown without the 'Woodland Pastoral' dance sequence.

Sandy Wilson's stage musical is a total charmer. There's really not much to it, but the music is delightful and the story quite sweet. It would have lent itself to film quite well, as something of a throwback to early movie musicals. Unfortuneatly, this is where Ken Russel failed in transferring it from stage to screen, by trying to make it one. Russel also unwisely chose to make the film a show within a show, so the original stage show is the play that is being performed by a struggling regional theater company in England, with Russell adding unnecessary backstage drama, and having the heroine (Twiggy), be the last minute understudy going on in the main role. This decision drowned all the charm out of the musical, making it something of a labored affair to watch. It is also frustrating to know that an earlier film was to be made of "The Boy Friend" by Universal with original Broadway stage star, Julie Andrews, starring. However they were unable to get rights, so instead we got "Thoroughly Modern Millie". Still, This film is somewhat fascinating t to watch, if only because the score is delightful, and it's so bizarre, that it's worth seeing.

In late 1920s London, unsteady "A.S.M." (that's "assistant stage manager") Twiggy (as Polly Browne) takes over the leading role in a sparsely attended stage musical called "The Boyfriend" after star Glenda Jackson (as Rita) breaks a leg. Literally. Twiggy performs badly on stage and fantasizes the production is more elaborate. She has a crush on handsome leading dancer Christopher Gable (as Tony Brockhurst), who notices Twiggy is beautiful when she removes her glasses. An observer named like filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille (Mr. De Thrill) watches the play, apparently looking for Hollywood talent... There are four or more movies here - the original stage musical, which is drowned out by producer/director Ken Russell, and replaced by your amateur musical, where some appealing people and songs test some sit-through-it endurance, then we have the backstage character stories, headed by the love story between Twiggy and Mr. Gable, all mixed like oil and vinegar into extravagant "Busby Berkeley" production numbers, of which the latter "I Could Be Happy with You" is a highlight, but in the version just before the intermission; like much of the film, it reappears until finally wearing out the welcome... **** The Boy Friend (12/16/71) Ken Russell ~ Twiggy, Christopher Gable, Tommy Tune, Antonia Ellis

Ken Russell's spoof on Hollywood musicals (and probably his only G rated film). In the 1920s an assistant director (Twiggy) for a tacky theatre company, falls for the leading man--handsome Tony (Christopher Gable)...but he doesn't seem to know she exists. Also she has to take the lead in the musical they're putting on because the lead actress (Glenda Jackson) has broken her leg. I love musicals and Russell is one of my favorite directors--but I really didn't like this. It has beautiful, elaborate production numbers (obviously inspired by Busby Berkeley)--most of them are just jaw-dropping and the songs aren't bad but this movie has numerous problems. For one thing it's way too long (138 minutes). I can see why 25 minutes were originally cut when this premiered in the US in 1971. And the main stars are all wrong for the roles--Twiggy is no actress and even her SINGING was off! She hit a few sour notes that were just painful. Gable was even worse--tall, handsome and utterly blank. Even Tommy Tune registered nothing. Only Jackson comes through in a truly funny cameo. And good luck with the English accents. As I said, the musical numbers were dazzling with incredible dancing and there were a lot of them--TOO much! They're practically nonstop and I was exhausted by the time the movie was over. You're constantly being hammered by the music and sets--there's never any time to just stop and take a break. And the constant over head shots during the numbers just got annoying. Also there's a LONG, pointless musical sequence in a forest which come off as (unintentionally) hysterically bad. Perhaps Russell was the wrong director for this--this excess worked for "Tommy" but that was a whole different type of movie. I REALLY wished I liked this---but I can only give it a 7.

I know that I am quite late adding my comments here, but, for those who are truly interested: I was performing this musical on stage at a time when the film project was announced, and I saw the film as soon as it was released. I was completely shocked that Ken Russell had the nerve to use the title as he has hacked the plot into unrecognizable pieces. I will never understand people (like Mr. Russell) who think that they have the talent to rewrite a piece that has been so loved by millions of theater buffs. If you truly want to see the musical "The Boy Friend", then steer clear of this film!!! That being said, I will add that the failure of this project is not the fault of the cast, they perform brilliantly with what they were given. If Hollywood had bothered to film Sandy Wilson's musical that would have been truly memorable; this was just a waste of talent.

Glenda Jackson was wise to have her name removed from this film - it re-defines the word dreadful. But maybe if you've taken enough hallucinogens... Ken Russell apparently hates the musical he based this film on - which was always a trifle and meant to be a giddy spoof of 20's musicals - it was never really meant to be taken seriously. What Russell had in mind is anyone's guess - the result is a "musical-whithin-a-film" in which both parts - musical and film - are amateurish and embarrassing. Twiggy is lackluster as the understudy who saves the day, Tommy Tune is on a different planet as the amnesiac dancer, and Glenda Jackson - though brave and game - is wasted as the star who suffers injury and has to bow out of the disastrous musical before it opens.