Damn Yankees!

This came up on a discussion board of Sondheim which then digressed into discussion of Lee Remick. She's one of my favourite actresses, but couldn't save this. I remember I was so in love with all musicals back in the 60s that I even watched the TV ones, which are mostly bad. There was a second 'Cinderella' with Lesley Anne Warren' which was pretty good, and Sondheim's 'Evening Primrose' is nice twilight zone work, but there was an 'Alice in Wonderland' with Judy Rolin that was pretty bad, but nothing came close to this, one of the most awful things I ever saw. All that animation is what I remember, it was visually just hideous. and I was even a child at the time, and couldn't stand it.

This was (sadly) my very first exposure to this classic musical and one of the cheapest productions of any show I have ever seen. Even the baseball players and the fans were cardboard! Though not a major fan of Phil Silvers, he was delicious as Mr. Applegate and Lee Remick's Lola melted the TV screen. The musical numbers were mostly shot as colorful still life (remember this was the psychedelic 60s!). Linda Lavin, pre-"Alice" , is Gloria the tough female reporter. Fran Allison (of Kukla, Fran & Ollie fame) is mediocre as Joe's suffering wife. I have never seen a soundtrack for this production most likely because it wasn't in the budget! I sincerely doubt it's even available on DVD or VHS but almost 30 years later it would really be fun to watch if only for old-times sake!

I have wanted to see this since its broadcast in 1967. It was shown on Christmas Eve and I was at a family gathering so I didn't get to see it. The production is very cartoonish and the camera work isn't the best, but this is a sensational cast and their having fun with it. Ray Middleton is Joe, and Fran Allyson (without Kulka and Ollie) is his wife. Phil Silvers is slick and funny as Applegate, with a young Linda Lavin as Rocky, Jim Backus as the team's coach and Bob Dishy as one of the players. Lee Remick is smashing as Lola, and she gives it her all. Fresh from Mame, Jerry Lanning plays young Joe and there are moments of pure joy. As far as the television musicals of the 1960s go, this is a treat! I've recently discovered that YouTube has a number of them, such as Cole Porter's Aladdin, featuring Cyril Ritchard and Sal Mineo; the Armstrong Circle productions of Brigadoon with Robert Goulet and Kismet with Jose Ferrer and Anna Maria Alberghetti, as well as the Merrill-Styne Dangerous Christmas of Red Riding Hood starring Liza Minnelli. These are shows that should be rediscovered to understand how television benefitted Broadway back then!

The production values of this TV musical are just too strange for words. If you've seen it, you know what I mean.

But Lee Remick is fun and sexy as Lola, and she sings quite well (if you've heard her in FOLLIES or ANYONE CAN WHISTLE, I'm sure you'll agree). Jerry Lanning, likewise (and he has a nice sexy bare chest, esp. for a 1960s leading man). Phil Silvers, though, bores me as the Devil, while Jim Backus makes the most of his role as the coach. And Linda Lavin shines as Gloria. Fran Allison (of Kukla, Fran and... ) unfortunately misses the mark as Joe's wife.

This is a 60's rarity that has to be seen to be believed--but don't look for it on DVD anytime soon...

Saw this movie back in '67. Would love to have a copy on VHS. Phil Silvers was a great devil. This was as close to the original as you can imagine. Lee Remick was a great Lola. They should bring this back to TV and allow today's generation to see them at their best. Joe Garragiola had a cameo in this. He introduces the movie and remarks how the Yankees fans weren't being heard of lately. Back in '67 the Yankees were a struggling ball club and weren't the power house that they are today.