tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post34224829575721702..comments2024-03-23T21:46:50.843-04:00Comments on the passionate moviegoer: cinema obscura: Gene Saks' "Bye Bye Birdie" (1995)joe baltakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467420961490314339noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-77587685840634749152009-11-03T10:59:10.941-05:002009-11-03T10:59:10.941-05:00I never saw the 1962 version, but I really liked t...I never saw the 1962 version, but I really liked the 1995 TV movie. I thought Jason Alexander was great, but what I remember most was Vanessa Williams. I thought she was great. I need to see that again.Sylkonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-3330088546455088522009-10-26T06:27:45.790-04:002009-10-26T06:27:45.790-04:00I'd like to know the full story, too, Jay. Fas...I'd like to know the full story, too, Jay. Fascinating stuff about Brecher.joe baltakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11467420961490314339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-85620348897127641392009-10-26T00:31:58.151-04:002009-10-26T00:31:58.151-04:00As near as I've been able to find out, Brecher...As near as I've been able to find out, Brecher wrote only one episode of Dobie Gillis, in the first season. BYE BYE BIRDIE was his last credit, so who knows? Maybe his draft was great, and he couldn't bear to stay in the biz after it was botched. He was only about 50 at the time, which is pretty early for retirement. I'd like to know the story.<br /><br />He just died less than a year ago at the age of 94!jbryantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-30112487885648562612009-10-25T19:44:17.040-04:002009-10-25T19:44:17.040-04:00Mary-
I'm glad that I wasn't imaging it!
...Mary-<br /><br />I'm glad that I wasn't imaging it!<br /><br />Mike-<br /><br />Excellent job at comparing "Dobie Gillis" to "Birdie." As you said, the TV series should have made his a promising writer for the movie.<br /><br />-Jjoe baltakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11467420961490314339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-23839761550949875832009-10-25T15:19:45.324-04:002009-10-25T15:19:45.324-04:00I remember reading about that Janet Leigh incident...I remember reading about that Janet Leigh incident, too. We're dating ourselves here, Joe!Marynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-8133065547508350252009-10-25T12:59:21.246-04:002009-10-25T12:59:21.246-04:00Joe & Mike: Wow, I had no idea Brecher worked...Joe & Mike: Wow, I had no idea Brecher worked on Dobie Gillis, which just happens to be my favorite TV show ever (I caught it when some cable network was running it weeknights in the 80s). I even went to one of those celebrity collectors' shows just so I could meet Dwayne Hickman, get his autograph and have my picture taken with him. The only geeky fanboy thing I've ever done. :)<br /><br />So yeah, as Mike suggests, Brecher must have picked up those bad habits on some other show!jbryantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-36331078161596301402009-10-25T09:44:21.747-04:002009-10-25T09:44:21.747-04:00Brecher worked on the "Dobie Gillis" TV ...Brecher worked on the "Dobie Gillis" TV series right before he did "Birdie," an assignment which should have eminently prepared him for that film. It's odd that the "Gillis" show is much more sophisticated, savvy and witty than "Birdie," a show that was dumbed down considerably for the screen.Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-22937551964687416452009-10-25T08:56:18.401-04:002009-10-25T08:56:18.401-04:00Jay-
Irving Brecher worked on about a dozen or so...Jay-<br /><br />Irving Brecher worked on about a dozen or so screenplays in the 1940s before moving into television for just about all of the 1960s. By the time he wrote the adaptation of "Bye Bye Birdie" (his last credited work, by the way), he clearly picked up a lot of bad habits. There's a reason that the film feels like a glorified TV sitcom with music.<br /><br />Yes, he did write "Meet Me in St. Louis," a film of which I am quite fond despite my irrational dislike of Garland. It is inarguably the best thing that Brecher ever wrote.joe baltakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11467420961490314339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-22429342639478162662009-10-24T09:42:06.213-04:002009-10-24T09:42:06.213-04:00iTunes has two albums that say Original Broadway C...iTunes has two albums that say Original Broadway Cast. One with Dick Van Dyke, the other with Peter Marshall, both with Chita Rivera headlining.John Kaisernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-4696671515749563302009-10-24T00:41:42.629-04:002009-10-24T00:41:42.629-04:00Though I love film musicals, I've somehow neve...Though I love film musicals, I've somehow never caught Bye Bye Birdie. I'll know now to look out for Saks' version first. Sounds great.<br /><br />I've liked other George Sidney films though -- especially Kiss Me Kate and Scaramouche. And Irving Brecher wrote Meet Me in St. Louis, didn't he? That forgives a lot. :)jbryantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-21217279118089170512009-10-22T17:51:52.600-04:002009-10-22T17:51:52.600-04:00As one whose first memory is of singing Beatles so...As one whose first memory is of singing Beatles songs with his fellow five-year-olds in 1964, I was shocked the first time I saw "Birdie" and heard the teenage girls singing, "We love you Conrad, oh yes we do." I'd always assumed the teenage Beatles fans had made up their "We love you, Beatles" song, heard at airports and outside hotels the world over. Oh - another "Birdie" sighting: Ann-Margaret's number was used in a recent episode of "Mad Men," with the clear belief by the show's makers that it (or she) was a significant cultural marker of its era.wwolfenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-65208638825651309632009-10-22T13:50:06.290-04:002009-10-22T13:50:06.290-04:00I've seen that featurette on Turner. Very inte...I've seen that featurette on Turner. Very interesting, but not surprising. Ann-Margret had that affect on directors. The same complaints have been made about those associated with "Bus Riley's Back in Town." She's magnetic, talented and, reportedly, a hard worker. So, directors loved her. I can think of few other actresses who tried so hard to be her best and improve. My only problem with her is that she was all wrong for "Birdie." But, hey, it made her a star - so what do I know?joe baltakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11467420961490314339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-63814976996875906582009-10-22T13:24:14.053-04:002009-10-22T13:24:14.053-04:00Turner Classics often shows this feature on Elvis ...Turner Classics often shows this feature on Elvis and one of his close associates reminisces about the making of "Viva La Vegas!" and how Presley's handlers complained to the director, George Sidney, about how he was favoring Ann-Margret, picking the shots that showcased her but really didn't do anything for Elvis. Sidney apparently had a crush on her which was obvious to a lot of people.Debbie Tysonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-50929526670387483372009-10-22T13:16:20.303-04:002009-10-22T13:16:20.303-04:00Loved the TV version.Loved the TV version.John Kaisernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-74806447319443594442009-10-22T10:17:10.999-04:002009-10-22T10:17:10.999-04:00I believe Janet Leigh wasn't a fan either. I i...I believe Janet Leigh wasn't a fan either. I interviewed her about one of her books several years ago and brought up "Birdie." All she said was that, in terms of her musicals, she preferred Richard Quine's "My Sister Eileen." Very diplomatic. She then went on to speak at length about "Eileen." (I had wanted to ask her about an old gossip-column item that reported that, when "Birdie" was first previewed, a disappointed Leigh slapped George Sidney after the screening. She felt betrayed. I wanted to confirm, but didn't have the guts to ask her about it.)joe baltakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11467420961490314339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-28103106686703868842009-10-22T09:48:07.268-04:002009-10-22T09:48:07.268-04:00According to IMDb, neither Dick Van Dyke nor Paul ...According to IMDb, neither Dick Van Dyke nor Paul Lynde liked the film version. Both thought too much attention was paid to the Ann-Margaret character.martin m.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-6823062136473131102009-10-22T08:32:23.005-04:002009-10-22T08:32:23.005-04:00I agree with you about Leigh, an actress I always ...I agree with you about Leigh, an actress I always liked but clearly wrong for this role. I also question Reynolds in it. Moreno was the obvious choice. Lemmon would have been great - no disrespect to Van Dyke intended - and was, in fact, Champion's choice for the stage version. But Jack was committed to a play that same year - "Face of a Hero." Still, it would have been a kick to see him in the role.joe baltakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11467420961490314339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-84580072957575452302009-10-22T08:24:54.654-04:002009-10-22T08:24:54.654-04:00I never understood why they would cast Janet Leigh...I never understood why they would cast Janet Leigh, put her in a black wig, say her character is Spanish and then drop all comments to the character's ethnicity, including the song "Spanish Rose." I was always surprised they didn't go with Rita Moreno, as she had just won an Oscar. They obviously didn't think Chita was big enough a star to carry the film. I like the idea of Lemmon, though, in the role of Albert.Margaretnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-87638352444116342102009-10-22T07:14:48.752-04:002009-10-22T07:14:48.752-04:00Cliff-
You're dead-right about the song's...Cliff-<br /><br />You're dead-right about the song's too-close association with A-M. If you think about it, she actually steps out of the film (the plot) to sing it. And, yes, it is used in the new production - to close the show.<br /><br />-Joejoe baltakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11467420961490314339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-59622023632531526522009-10-22T07:04:00.827-04:002009-10-22T07:04:00.827-04:00Although the song was a nice addition to the '...Although the song was a nice addition to the '63 version of "Birdie," I wish Saks had continued his restraint and left it out of his '95 TV version. It's too closely identified with Ann-Margret who, as you say, over-dominated the original film and threw it off. The movie helped her career but she certainly didn't help the movie. (I hear, however, that it's used in the new Broadway production.)Cliffnoreply@blogger.com