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Two discs for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers! Fans of Stanley Donen's rowdy, lusty MGM musical will kick up their boots for this truly special edition. It contains not only a close approximation of the original CinemaScope version but also the rarely seen full-screen version that MGM insisted Donen make simultaneously, so it could be shown in theaters that lacked the then-revolutionary widescreen equipment. Howard Keel stars as Adam, an Oregon mountain man in the market for a bride. Jane Powell is Milly, who accepts the proposal, only to find herself playing cook and maid to Adam and his six boisterous, brawling brothers. She attempts to civilize her new husband and her lovelorn brothers-in-law, all of whom want wives of their own. Adam proposes a more direct approach than "goin' co'tin" -- kidnap the prospective brides! According to Donen's commentary and an entertaining documentary about the making of the film, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was budgeted as a B-movie by MGM, forcing Donen to film on sound stages rather than on location. But it endures as one of the last great MGM musicals, and one of the most beloved. The high-spirited performances are infectious, especially during the classic barn-raising extravaganza, and the Saul Chapin-Gene de Paul score, while it did not produce any hits, remains a delight, with such tunes as "Bless Your Beautiful Hide" and the haunting "Lonesome Polecat." A decided improvement over previous pan-and-scan versions, this features-laden set is the one to have and to hold, from this day forward. Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

Based extremely loosely on the Stephen Vincent Benet story Sobbin' Women, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is one of the best MGM musicals of the 1950s. Most of the story takes place on an Oregon ranch, maintained by Adam Pontabee (Howard Keel) and his six brothers, played by Jeff Richards, Russ Tamblyn, Tommy Rall, Mark Platt, Matt Mattox, and Jacques d'Amboise (it is no coincidence that five of those six boys are played by professional dancers). When Adam brings home his new bride Milly (Jane Powell), she is appalled at the brothers' slovenliness and sets about turning these unwashed louts into immaculate gentlemen. During the boisterous barn-raising scene, the brothers get into a scuffle with a group of townsmen over the affection of six comely lasses: Virginia Gibson, Julie Newmeyer (later Newmar), Ruth Kilmonis (later Ruth Lee), Nancy Kilgas, Betty Carr, and Norma Doggett (yep, most of the girls are dancers, too). Yearning to become husbands like their big brother, they ask Adam for advice. Alas, he has been reading a book about the abduction of the Sabine Women (or, as he puts it, the Sobbin' Women); and, in order to claim their gals, Adam explains, the boys must kidnap them--which they do, after blocking off all avenues of escape. Vowing to remain on their best behavior, the boys make no untoward advances towards their reluctant female guests--not even during one of the coldest winters on record. Comes the spring thaw, the angry townsfolk come charging up the mountain, demanding the return of the stolen girls (who, by this time, have "tamed" their men). A happy ending is ultimately had by all in this delightful if politically incorrect concoction. Hal Erickson

Product Details

• UPC: 012569506527
• Source: WARNER HOME VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Theatre Wide-Screen (1.85.1)
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, Français
• Time: 1:42:00
• Sales Rank: 2,541

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Broadway Musicals - TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection

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