Millie

Hard for me to be objective, here, since I've been madly in love with Julie Andrews since being first exposed to her crystalline voice when I was three.

But I'll try: "Millie's" first half is, to quote the screenplay, "Delish," with Andrews vamping and camping throughout. I am unable to take my eyes off her as she clowns, flirts, cavorts, and also sings and dances (getting her hotel elevator to work results in a showstopper). The vehicle--a pastiche of 1920s conventions (including "moderns") and filmgoing techniques (including iris-outs and title cards)--is the frothy light story of a British import who comes to America and finds true love.

The second half gets bogged down in the overwrought script, with all the machinations of a white slavery plot and a pair of "inscrutible" Orientals who, in this day and age of racial sensitivity, get far worse than they deserve.

Some history: Ross Hunter, the producer, wanted to film "The Boy Friend," the Broadway musical that had introduced Andrews to the U.S. stage. When the rights were unavailable, he devised his own script, using the same setting--the 1920s. A "small" musical evolved.

Then Julie's star went through the stratosphere. And the Universal "suits," smelling another payday, insisted that the movie be a road-show presentation--with a road-show running time(and at which road-show prices could be charged). Little "Millie" had an intermission added, and her running time was increased considerably.

The movie's still a lot of fun and definitely recommendable (especially to Andrews fans), but let's just say that, at times, it more than shows its stretchmarks!

"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!"

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).

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 ****

I like this movie because it makes fun of itself. It knows it's silly, irreverant, and totally over the top. That's the point of the movie, and it works. It's completely void of substance-my friend claims to loose brain cells every time she sees it, yet she wants to watch it all the time. It's just plain fun and Julie Andrews (my personal fav) is at her most adorable. Even though in real life she was 31 and the mother of a 4-year-old, she's totally convincing as Millie. It does drag sometimes, but it's still a darling musical that's just full of fun-exactly how it's intended to be.