Millie

Roaring '20s musical is a fun, eager-to-please live-action cartoon with satire and slapstick. Julie Andrews plays a small town lass who has moved to New York City to land a steno job with an unmarried boss for her to conquer; Mary Tyler Moore is her timid new friend at the all-girl boarding house; Beatrice Lillie is their shady housemother; and Carol Channing (in an outrageous performance that must be seen to be believed) is a wealthy, swinging do-gooder. Tongue-in-cheek production from Ross Hunter and director George Roy Hill, inspired by the Broadway show "The Boy Friend", offers Julie Andrews one of her best film roles; whether dancing like a trouper to keep her elevator in motion or addressing the camera à la the silent movie era, Andrews is so loose and charming she even gets laughs crossing the street. There are a few slip-ups: the Jewish wedding sequence sticks out as an artifice, Moore's listlessly girlish performance is all on one note, and the Harold Lloyd-inspired comic ballet (with Julie falling out of a high-rise window) is too broad and silly. Nominated for seven Academy Awards, "Millie" picked up one Oscar for Elmer Bernstein's score (the smashing costume designs by Jean Louis probably should have won also). Overlong, and with a drab Universal backlot appearance, the film is nevertheless "delish!" Engaging, high-spirited fluff. *** from ****

Julie Andrews really shines in this twisted-up romance. She stars as the young, pretty Millie Dillmount, who came to New York, intent on becoming a "modern" and marrying her boss, as was the 'cool' thing to do. She at last finds the 'perfect' boss, a handsome young man named Trevor Graydon. Despite her attempts to suggest her love to him subtly, he doesn't seem to be taking the hint. Along comes Jimmy, too, an irrepressible, lovable paper-clip salesman, who's got his heart set on Millie. Millie tries to stay away from Jimmy and get Mr. Graydon to notice her, going to drastic measures to do so, and all the time while Millie is chasing Mr. Graydon, Jimmy is chasing Millie, and on top of that, Miss Dorothy, Millie's best friend, appears to be chasing both men. In the end, wild and crazy "jazz baby" Muzzy is needed to clear the air and match up lovers once and for all. With an upbeat air and a peppery score, along with Millie's realistic problems and the strange behavior of the housemother, this is definitely a ten on my list.

Sad to learn that this was Beatrice Lillie's final movie. But her henchman assistants had better things ahead. Oriental #1 would go on to the 12th Precinct (Jack Soo-Barney Miller) while Oriental #2 would go on to own Arnold's in Milwaukee and help Daniel LaRusso become a karate kid (Pat Morita).

One of my favorite running gags of the movie is the elevator where you have to dance to get it going. Julie Andrews, Mary Tyler Moore and Beatrice Lillie had to dance. Even Pat Morita and Jack Soo danced to the tune of "Japanese Sandman". The last time I ever heard "Japanese Sandman" was the theme to an old local TV farm report show in Houston, Texas (Dewey Compton).

"Thoroughly Modern Millie" is a thoroughly wonderful movie! With stars like Julie Andrews, Carol Channing and Beatrice Lillie, how can you lose?. The answer: You can't! Splendid songs, dances and a sometimes hilarious script blend into top entertainment. Julie Andrews stated she took the role because she didn't have much longer to play ingénue parts. And she couldn't have chosen better. She is perfect as Mllie, the Kansas innocent (with a forgivably British accent) who comes to the Big City (circa 1922) to land a rich husband. At the same time, she meets "Miss" Dorothy Brown (an appealing Mary Tyler Moore), a self-described "rich orphan" out to experience life among the working girls. A chance meeting with Jimmy Smith (James Fox, currently in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory") leads to a meeting with fabulously wealthy playgirl Muzzy Van Hossmere (Carol Channing) and a series of delightful mishaps. Along the way, Millie becomes enamored of her handsome boss, Trevor Graydon (John Gavin) and learns the REAL occupation of her mysterious landlady, Mrs. Meers (Beatrice Lillie). All of the performers are "just swell", but inevitably, Lillie and Channing (who got an Oscar nomination) stand out, and there is a terrific turn by Cavada Humphrey as a formidable office manager. A typically polished Ross Hunter production, original songs by Sammy Cahn And James Van Heusen, and a musical background of standards by Oscar-winner Elmer Bernstein make this "Thoroughly Irresistible!"

I do like this film, it is good fun, the type that only Dame Julie can bring. It doesn't wow me and it doesn't stand out as such, because films like 'Mary Poppins', 'Snow White & The Seven Dwarves' and others of that time just have that one more X Factor.

Julie is superb in her role of course and so effortless in her timing and performance. I was surprised to realise though that Jimmy was played by James Fox. I'd never have thought that at all until I read it on IMDB this time around. He does a good job too and I can see what she meant about his eyes, but I'm definitely more of a John Gavin kind of guy. What a man.

Also, I've always thought that Carol Channing's character was a young man in drag. She's great fun, but very boy-ish.

The story is a bit long winded and I did find myself reaching for the games apps on my phone at times, but there are also some moments of pure genius in this film.

I love the cutaways to the silent movie placards and the lift scenes were brilliant. It's not a bad tale, just a bit timely.

Full of enjoyable moments and jokes and John Gavin's beautiful smile. It's definitely worth a watch every now and then.