Brigadoon
(1954)
108 mins | Musical, Romance | 22 October 1954
Cast:
Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, Cyd Charisse [ More ]Director:
Vincente MinnelliWriter:
Alan Jay LernerProducer:
Arthur FreedCinematographer:
Joseph RuttenbergEditor:
Adrienne FazanProduction Designers:
Cedric Gibbons, Preston AmesProduction Company:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.The order of the onscreen crew credits differs from that of the cutting continuity deposited with the Copyright Office. Also, the onscreen credits identify Adrienne Fazan as the film editor, but the cutting continuity and reviews list Albert Akst as editor. According to a 26 Feb 1951 DV news item, British producer J. Arthur Rank had sought the rights to the stage musical. Kathryn Grayson and Alec Guinness were originally to co-star with Gene Kelly, according to a 12 May 1952 HR news item, and a 19 Mar 1952 item in HR's "Rambling Reporter" column noted that David Wayne was under consideration for a role. A 23 Mar 1952 LAT article mentioned Moira Shearer and Donald O'Connor as casting possibilities, and a modern biography of director Vincente Minnelli states that they were considered for the roles of "Fiona Campbell" and "Jeff Douglas," respectively. Minnelli's biography adds that Steve Allen and Bill Hayes were also considered for the role of Jeff. HR news items add that Michael Maule was originally cast in the role of "Charlie Chisholm Dalrymple," and include Jane Fischer, Keith Hitchcock, May McAvoy and Cosmo Sardo in the cast. The appearance of these actors in the final film has not been confirmed, however. Virginia Bosler, who portrayed "Jean Campbell," was the only member of the original Broadway cast of Brigadoon to repeat her role in the film.
According to pre-production news items and modern sources, M-G-M originally considered shooting the film on location, but Scotland's unpredictable climate and the high cost of overseas production made this unfeasible. In a modern interview, Kelly recalled that he ...
The order of the onscreen crew credits differs from that of the cutting continuity deposited with the Copyright Office. Also, the onscreen credits identify Adrienne Fazan as the film editor, but the cutting continuity and reviews list Albert Akst as editor. According to a 26 Feb 1951 DV news item, British producer J. Arthur Rank had sought the rights to the stage musical. Kathryn Grayson and Alec Guinness were originally to co-star with Gene Kelly, according to a 12 May 1952 HR news item, and a 19 Mar 1952 item in HR's "Rambling Reporter" column noted that David Wayne was under consideration for a role. A 23 Mar 1952 LAT article mentioned Moira Shearer and Donald O'Connor as casting possibilities, and a modern biography of director Vincente Minnelli states that they were considered for the roles of "Fiona Campbell" and "Jeff Douglas," respectively. Minnelli's biography adds that Steve Allen and Bill Hayes were also considered for the role of Jeff. HR news items add that Michael Maule was originally cast in the role of "Charlie Chisholm Dalrymple," and include Jane Fischer, Keith Hitchcock, May McAvoy and Cosmo Sardo in the cast. The appearance of these actors in the final film has not been confirmed, however. Virginia Bosler, who portrayed "Jean Campbell," was the only member of the original Broadway cast of Brigadoon to repeat her role in the film.
According to pre-production news items and modern sources, M-G-M originally considered shooting the film on location, but Scotland's unpredictable climate and the high cost of overseas production made this unfeasible. In a modern interview, Kelly recalled that he and producer Arthur Freed traveled to Scotland to scout locations, "but the weather was so bad that we had to agree with the studio. So we came back to the United States and started looking for locations here. We found some highlands above Monterey [in Big Sur] that looked like Scotland. But then the studio had an economy wave, and they clamped the lid on that idea." Brigadoon was filmed entirely on M-G-M's lot in Culver City, using painted backgrounds to represent the hills of Scotland. The picture was Minnelli's first CinemaScope production.
Brigadoon opened to mixed reviews. Several critics commented on the omission of various songs from the Broadway musical, most notably "Come to Me, Bend to Me" and the "Sword Dance" number performed by "Harry Beaton." The SatRev review praised the director's special technique for enhancing the frenetic atmosphere of the New York bar sequence: "Minnelli has recorded the babble of voices a few frames out of synchronization, making everything sound even madder and more irritating." Brigadoon received Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction (Color), Best Costume Design (Color) and Best Sound Recording. A modern source credits Carol Haney and Jeanne Coyne as assistant choreographers.
In the misty Highlands of Scotland, New Yorkers Tommy Albright and Jeff Douglas get lost on the first day of their grouse hunting trip, just as the inhabitants of the tiny village of Brigadoon awaken with the dawn and gather in the square for a lively fair. When the mist clears, the friends notice the village, which is not on their map, and head toward it in search of food. Tommy and Jeff approach Brigadoon and encounter Fiona Campbell, who is preparing for her younger sister Jean's wedding to Charlie Chisholm Dalrymple. Tommy is instantly spellbound by the lovely Fiona, who directs them to the village square. The villagers freeze in apprehension at the sight of the strangers, and when Tommy attempts to buy some milk, the vendor rejects his shilling after marveling at the date on it. However, Charlie is in a bountiful mood and buys them breakfast, and Tommy and Jeff join the villagers as they toast the end of Charlie's bachelor days. Fiona comes to the fair, and Tommy tags along as she completes her errands. Meanwhile, Harry Beaton, Jean's rejected suitor, bitterly tells her father Andrew that his life means less than nothing to him now, adding that he hates everything and everybody in the "cursed town." Tommy and Fiona go to the far hills to pick heather for the wedding, but when they approach a bridge at the edge of Brigadoon's boundaries, Fiona panics and runs away. Tommy, now giddy with love, encounters Jeff on the road and insists that they stay around for the wedding. On the window ledge outside the Campbell home, they find the family Bible that Charlie had signed earlier, ...
In the misty Highlands of Scotland, New Yorkers Tommy Albright and Jeff Douglas get lost on the first day of their grouse hunting trip, just as the inhabitants of the tiny village of Brigadoon awaken with the dawn and gather in the square for a lively fair. When the mist clears, the friends notice the village, which is not on their map, and head toward it in search of food. Tommy and Jeff approach Brigadoon and encounter Fiona Campbell, who is preparing for her younger sister Jean's wedding to Charlie Chisholm Dalrymple. Tommy is instantly spellbound by the lovely Fiona, who directs them to the village square. The villagers freeze in apprehension at the sight of the strangers, and when Tommy attempts to buy some milk, the vendor rejects his shilling after marveling at the date on it. However, Charlie is in a bountiful mood and buys them breakfast, and Tommy and Jeff join the villagers as they toast the end of Charlie's bachelor days. Fiona comes to the fair, and Tommy tags along as she completes her errands. Meanwhile, Harry Beaton, Jean's rejected suitor, bitterly tells her father Andrew that his life means less than nothing to him now, adding that he hates everything and everybody in the "cursed town." Tommy and Fiona go to the far hills to pick heather for the wedding, but when they approach a bridge at the edge of Brigadoon's boundaries, Fiona panics and runs away. Tommy, now giddy with love, encounters Jeff on the road and insists that they stay around for the wedding. On the window ledge outside the Campbell home, they find the family Bible that Charlie had signed earlier, and Tommy is bewildered when he looks at the entries and sees that Fiona was born in 1732, and that Charlie has entered the date of his wedding to Jean as 1754. Jeff is unimpressed, but the perplexed Tommy confronts Fiona and asks for an explanation. Fiona reluctantly agrees to take them to see the schoolmaster, Mr. Lundie, who tells them of the "miracle" that happened in Brigadoon: Two hundred years ago, the Highlands were plagued with sorcerers who were turning people away from God's teaching. To protect the people from outside influences, the village minister asked God to make Brigadoon and its inhabitants vanish into the Highland mist and awaken for one day every one hundred years. Lundie adds that as part of the minister's contract with God, if anyone from the village leaves, the enchantment will be broken for all, and Brigadoon will disappear forever. Tommy asks if it is possible for an outsider to stay, and Lundie replies that it is, provided he loves someone in Brigadoon deeply enough. Later, everyone in Brigadoon gathers for the wedding, but the festivities take an ugly turn when Harry tries to kiss Jean, then pulls a knife on Charlie. Harry is quickly subdued, but announces that he is leaving Brigadoon and flees. The men from the village quickly form search parties to go after him, and Tommy joins in the effort. Harry fights off his pursuers, but while hiding in a tree, is accidentally shot to death by Jeff, who is aiming at a grouse. The men assume that Harry fell and hit his head, and agree to keep his death a secret until morning, to avoid casting a pall on the wedding celebration. Tommy passionately tells Fiona he cannot leave her, then informs the drunken Jeff that he plans to stay in Brigadoon with Fiona. Jeff admits that he killed Harry and angrily tells Tommy he does not really belong in Brigadoon. Fiona arrives with Lundie, and Tommy, shaken by Jeff's words, apologetically changes his mind. With the day almost at an end, Tommy and Fiona say goodbye, and as he walks away in anguish, a cloud of mist envelops Brigadoon. Four months later, in a crowded, noisy New York bar, Tommy tells Jeff, who has been drinking heavily since returning from Scotland, that he is still in love with Fiona and has been avoiding his fiancée, Jane Ashton. At dinner that evening, Tommy, consumed with thoughts of Brigadoon, abruptly breaks the engagement and calls Jeff, instructing him to make plane reservations for Scotland right away. In Scotland, Tommy and Jeff return to the place where Brigadoon once stood. As Tommy mourns his lost love, the village suddenly emerges from the mist. Lundie beckons Tommy, reminding him that if you love someone deeply enough, anything is possible--even miracles.
TOP SEARCHES
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
According to HR news items, "The Gentleman from Montana" (an unpublished story by Lewis R. Foster, alternately called "The Gentleman from Wyoming" by both contemporary and modern ... >>
The Grapes of Wrath
According to materials contained in the Twentieth Century-Fox Records of the Legal Department at the UCLA Theater Arts Library, Fox paid John Steinbeck $70,000 for the rights to his ... >>
Casablanca
In the onscreen credits, actor S. Z. Sakall's name is incorrectly spelled "S. K. Sakall." HR news items add the following information about the production: ... >>
Yankee Doodle Dandy
George M. Cohan wrote and produced more than thirty-five plays, many of them with his partner Sam H. Harris, and composed more than 500 songs. Modern critics have attributed ... >>
Gone with the Wind
[Note from the Editors : the following information is based on contemporary news items, feature articles, reviews, interviews, memoranda and corporate records. Information obtained from modern sources is ... >>