Review: Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Rating

Director

George Roy Hill

Screenplay

Richard Morris

Length

2h 18m

Starring

Julie Andrews, James Fox, Mary Tyler Moore, Carol Channing, John Gavin, Jack Soo, Pat Morita, Philip Ahn, Anthony Dexter, Cavada Humphrey

MPAA Rating

Review

Hollywood was keen to adapt as many successful Broadway musicals as it could but Universal was trying something different. Thoroughly Modern Millie may not have found its origins as easily but it was certainly as enjoyable.

The foundation for Richard Morris’ script was a little seen British stage musical called Chrysanthemum. From it, the film tells the story of young Millie (Julie Andrews) who wants to have a thoroughly modern experience in New York City in the 1920s. She embraces the fashion (with unexpected results) and hairstyles of the era before taking up residence in an all-female boarding house. There, Millie meets naïve Dorothy (Mary Tyler Moore) and forms a fast friendship. Lurking beneath it all, however, is a nefarious plot to abduct the women in the boarding house and export them as sex slaves.

After meeting the paper clip salesman Jimmy (James Fox), she must turn aside her affection for him to focus on her main goal: obtaining a rich husband. She sets her sights on her boss Trevor Grayson (John Gavin). Throw in the delightfully outrageous Muzzie (Carol Channing) and the ineptly villainous Mrs. Meers (Beatrice Lillie) and you have a wonderful array of zany characters whose over the top personalities help sell the sensational premise.

For Andrews, the film marks a departure from her Sound of Music and Mary Poppins personas. Millie certainly has the same self-serious belief in her abilities but she takes the world-weary elements of Mary Poppins and blends them with the lighthearted nature of Maria and then throws in a casual sly wink and self-deprecating mien. Unlike the aforementioned roles, Millie is a character that Andrews can just let loose in. It is this personality that made her the perfect fit for future husband Blake Edwards’ style of filmmaking.

Andrews isn’t alone in her adept handling of the material. The rest of the cast is up to the merriment with Channing’s boisterous personality the fitting diversion leading the way and Lillie never taking herself seriously as the film’s villain. It’s a hilarious cast doing great work with off-the-wall material.

Although the film has its origins on the stage, none of the musical material from Chrysanthemum is carried over with Elmer Bernstein providing a raucous score and André Previn arranging a perfect blend of pre-existing standards from the 1910s and 1920s with a pair of original songs from noted songwriters Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn. While the title tune is a far better creation than the dance number “Tapioca,” neither song feels out of place. That said, the showstopper was Channing’s performance of “Jazz Baby,” showcasing her immense range and dazzling screen presence.

Thoroughly Modern Millie is one of those daring musical extravaganzas that seldom get made anymore. It was an entertaining romp that might have lacked some of the seriousness of its contemporaries but made up for that with pure frivolity.