Much has been written about how terrible this film is, how it marked the end of both the Western and Musical genres, but to those of us who like both musicals and westerns this movie is a real treat. Clint's vocal stylings do indeed leave something to be desired, but Lee Marvin's talky singing is reminiscent not only of Robert Preston in the Music Man, but to Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady.
But the reason I recommend this movie is that it is dashed funny. Clever, one might say, and not a bit bawdy, in a chaste-by-today's-standards sort of way. I agree that people who don't like musicals--and it's not unreasonable to assume that many Eastwood fans fall into that category--wouldn't enjoy this movie any more than they would enjoy any other movie in which people wander in and out of songs at random. But I do argue that it shouldn't be avoided on reputation. It's divinely amusing.
But the reason I recommend this movie is that it is dashed funny. Clever, one might say, and not a bit bawdy, in a chaste-by-today's-standards sort of way. I agree that people who don't like musicals--and it's not unreasonable to assume that many Eastwood fans fall into that category--wouldn't enjoy this movie any more than they would enjoy any other movie in which people wander in and out of songs at random. But I do argue that it shouldn't be avoided on reputation. It's divinely amusing.