The Music Man

More fun and entertaining than most musicals of its time. It helps that the main character is a sly bastard of a con man (at least until he inevitably finds True Love and recognizes The Error of His Ways). Super-catchy tunes that even Family Guy couldn't help ripping off.

Such a dirty movie... Doesn't quite take advantage of the formal elements of film (it's more of a filmed play), but the unique style of songs is enough to make me forgive that.

The music's great. Preston's great. I...I don't know why I'm only giving this a 48 actually.

It would get a better score IF I COULD GET THE DAMN SONGS OUT OF MY HEAD

Bright, bouncy but uninspiring musical. One big number (76 trombones) otherwise forgettable numbers. Ok story, good acting but it's certainly not Hello Dolly

My cynicism and pompousness completely disappears when Buddy starts singing "Shipoopi". Then I'm 5 years old.

Wonderful music and one of the best con men ever.

One of the few musicals I enjoy...and if you're a fan of the monorail episode of The Simpson's, you'll get a kick out of it.

I have fond memories of this musical.

It's breathtaking how every song is somehow even more absurdly terrible than the last. The whole thing is an amazing trainwreck, but I certainly got a good number of laughs and some stunning moments so I have to admit I enjoyed it on some level.

Troubling, with a capital T.

"The Music Man" is one of the greatest American musicals ever written. Even though it may look like a traditional musical. It really isn't. It broke many grounds in musical theater such as the use of darker themes, non rhythmic score, and a lead who is both a good guy and a bad guy.

Robert Preston gave the best all-time male film peformance in a musical and was, sadly ignored for the Oscar...wonderful direction and pacing for the paper-thin plot common to musicals of the era...perfectly cast ("Balzac!!!").

Uninspired direction, and an earnest and obvious performance by Robert Preston. I think this has fewer good tunes than any other major musical.

Preston is a marvel, but while there are a few good tunes (Ya Got Trouble, for example) there are pacing problems. Did we really need to hear Buddy Hackett sing in an two hour and thirty minute film? Nor does Marian the Librarian's sudden change of heart from dislike and mistrust to complete besottedness before the Music Man's charms ever seem convincingly motivated.

Well-written, good songs, very good lead performance, probably a little long.

I am surprised at how much I *didn't* like this one. I often enjoy musicals, but some of them just have too high a corn quotient even for me

Rather more imaginative than your average, cornball musical. Memorable: Buddy Hackett's "Shipoopi" number. Unforgettable: Hermione Gingold as Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn. "Gr-r-r-r-recian Urns" and "BALZAC!" (Miss Gingold was herself an unforgettable personality and great wit...she uttered one of my all-time favorite quotes from an actress: "It would appear that I have tried everything except incest and folk-dancing.")

I might be overrating this for sentimental reasons, but it's still one of the only classic musicals that never makes me feel it's length.

You know, despite myself, despite what I WANT to say, I enjoy this movie. The barbershop quartet is brilliant, Robert Preston is ridiculously charming, there are some classic songs, and the dancing is excellent. And it all kind of annoys me. But it's still good.

"The sadder but wiser girl for me..." haha - wait, what?! Tsundere goes soft and all but sings Olivia Newton John's "I Love You, I Honestly Love You" at the end? Am I reading the Fountainhead? What happened? I don't know. I don't care. I love it. Jesus, what a ridiculous movie. Not feminist, necessarily (doesn't need to be, just hints that it might be at times), but thumbs its nose at 1950s Comstockery left and right.

When I was a kid I tried out for the role of the kid. The musical director chose her son over me. I'm kind of glad I didn't do it, but that's still a jerk move on her behalf

Not my favorite musical story but I really like the songs. It's quite a dilemma to be in. I'll give it the nod into the "like" category since it helped inspire a great Simpsons episode.

When I watched this as a kid, I was horrified to think someday I might be in a library and suddenly the place would break out into a giant song and dance number. Never happened; I don't know whether to say "Ye gods" or "Balzac!" The songs are peculiar but catchy, although I actually liked the dance numbers the best. As with most musicals, there's a bit of corniness that might have been more manageable if this were a little shorter.

just as much rating the musical as the movie

So many musicals during the '60's...weird. Anywho, I first saw this in school and I was hooked. I do enjoy a good musical, every now and again.

Not big on musicals, but this was obviously a good film.

For me most of the songs are pretty irritating and dull, though there are some unique presentations that I applaud. Worth hearing some songs for reference, but overall not a very good movie.

Has an infectious energy though a somewhat muddled message. I kept thinking that you could read it as a commentary on organized religion, though I don't at all think this is what they were going for by any means. It's fun, though, which is what you really want in a musical, but you can't think about it too much.

The Music Man is one of the best on-screen adaptations of a musical that I have seen. It doesn't try to overdo or outdo the musical format, it simply uses the strengths of both film and stage. The end result is a fine Golden Age Hollywood film that is probably the favorite of more than a handful of grandmas.