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The Music Man Review

Oh, the modern American musical. Such a rich and glorious tapestried history of songs that can make you laugh, get you to sing in the rain against your better judgement, go to Scotland looking for love, listening to sounds in music, or wonder how on earth that person got that part. Clearly they can't sing, but hey, when it's popular, you gotta get on board. Right Mr. Crowe?

I was once in this musical way back in high school, and now seeing it many years later, I've learned to appreciate the absolute insane amount of work to create a musical of this production value. The dance numbers, the music, the singing, the acting, it's an undertaking that is quite remarkable. The hundreds of extras, the size of the sets, there's just something wholly unique, something so beautiful about having real life in front of the camera.

Considered one of the most iconic musicals Hollywood has produced over the years, The Music Man is a tale of a con man who ends up singing and dancing his way into the hearts of the folks in River City Iowa.

Henry Hill, the main character and con man, comes to Iowa to dupe the people of River City thinking he's a band leader, but Marian the librarian, the main female lead, will have none of it. Hill goes through a whole hoopla of shenanigans(No Spoilers Here, even though this movie is 54 years old), to convince them his band is real, and they need it! They got a lot of trouble in River City!

It's a journey of a man who's lived to run from all his problems and get out of life the easy way, but he soon realizes you can't throw all your problems away forever. Well you can, if you fall in love, get the kids to play your instruments while looking adorable, and BOOM you get off scott free. It's just that simple.

Is the movie a little long? I would say, ah, yes it is, but then again, aren't all musicals a little long? I mean this one was 2 and a half hours long. It gave Chitty Chitty Bang Bang a run for it's money, but most of the songs I feel are much more necessary in this musical than that(Dick Van Dyke is awesome, but come on now).

This movie is a love story between a con man and a librarian. Two people who just don't fit where they are, but excel at what they do. Loneliness drives you to such things as being a con man, and even, a librarian. Gasp!

The film, if you are a fan of Hollywood musicals is a must see.  Even just for the visual and orchestral pomp and circumstance, it deserves at least one viewing. It's playful, fun, enjoyable, and gets you to sing some of the most memorable musical tunes ever produced, no matter the calibre of your singing ability.

I would recommend it if you have the time. There is nothing quite like a classic Hollywood musical. By the way, has anyone heard 76 trombones in a big parade? No? Well then, I must be crazy.



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