Brigadoon

As I watched the film in class, I mentally went over my top 100 list and wondered why Brigadoon isn’t on it. 

There are no songs that I don’t like. In fact, I really like every one of them—a lot. 

I’m a big fan of the three leads and they are well cast here. 

Is it the pastoral setting and the unfolding of a day that keeps it from standing out? It’s as if the mists had obscured my memory and when I rediscover how wonderful it is, the mists will roll in again after I leave. 

The movie is so low key and of another time, that the beginning narration sounds like a reading of an old book. The action happening onscreen might as well have happened long ago. 

We’ve been talking in class about how an audience walks away from reality to sit in a theatre and how a musical takes that a step further by having the characters walk away from their reality to a higher realm. It can happen through dream, memory or wish and is wrapped up in song. 

Brigadoon itself is that dream and does a fine job of taking the audience there. It’s time to reassess my list before the wonder of it all dissipates.

The Film I Can Quote Best: Singin’ in the Rain

My niece is a genius when it comes to quoting movies. It’s uncanny really. 

Me? Not so much. 

There is one big exception though and that is Singin’ in the Rain! It was the first movie I ever owned; a gift of a beautiful, shiny, VHS tape. Hey, it was a big deal at the time. I thoroughly wore it out, all the while wishing I could dance like Gene Kelly so I could dance with GeneKelly. 

One side effect of this obsession was that phrases started creeping into my vocabulary: 

“What dope’d wear a thing like this?”, 

“You and who else, you big lummox?”, 

“Well, at least you’re taking it lying down.” and 

“How did you come, by way of Australia?”


 It’s embarrassing really, but there you have it.