I saw this originally in 1969 when it was released. It was the Paramount sanctioned cut and it was good - just nobody in the theatre. I bought the directors cut on dvd some years ago and watched and watched again today as I'm going thru my dvd's.
I still-to this day- feel this picture got a bum rap. It's not a perfect film, but definitely NOT the bomb the critics made it out to be. Musicals in 1969 were box office poison. But there's comedy in the film that is humorous. The film cost $25MM to make and the money is all there on the screen: from the sets and costumes to the stunts. The music left is vintage WWI songs that everyone knows plus a couple of original unremarkable but unoffensive numbers from the music hall sequences and truth be told, it's nice to hear Andrews voice before she quit singing. The sets and costumes and cinematography are first rate. Edwards directions is a bit prejudiced as he makes sure he shows his star/wife with the best possible light and in the best possible direction sometimes, maybe, at the expense of the costars - but who cares? Andrews looks AWESOME!!!! The only bad thing? Editing and continuity: very easy to spot reshoots and inconsistencies. But who gives a damn, this is a fun flick. More people need to enjoy.
I still-to this day- feel this picture got a bum rap. It's not a perfect film, but definitely NOT the bomb the critics made it out to be. Musicals in 1969 were box office poison. But there's comedy in the film that is humorous. The film cost $25MM to make and the money is all there on the screen: from the sets and costumes to the stunts. The music left is vintage WWI songs that everyone knows plus a couple of original unremarkable but unoffensive numbers from the music hall sequences and truth be told, it's nice to hear Andrews voice before she quit singing. The sets and costumes and cinematography are first rate. Edwards directions is a bit prejudiced as he makes sure he shows his star/wife with the best possible light and in the best possible direction sometimes, maybe, at the expense of the costars - but who cares? Andrews looks AWESOME!!!! The only bad thing? Editing and continuity: very easy to spot reshoots and inconsistencies. But who gives a damn, this is a fun flick. More people need to enjoy.
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