Seven Brides For Seven Brothers Parent Guide
Parent Movie Review
When I was a teen, I befriended a family of seven brothers. As I came from a clan of almost as many sisters, my gentler, quieter upbringing just didn’t prepare me for the boys’ jovial jousting and rambunctious roughhousing. Regardless of popular opinion, I decided the two sexes were definitely not created equal!
In Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Milly (Jane Powell) is about to reach a similar conclusion. Full of romantic notions, the hardworking domestic help at a frontier inn agrees to marry a dashing backwoodsman, even though the only conversation they’ve shared is his brisk proposal. A few minutes later, the newlyweds head up into the hills towards the isolated farmstead they will call home. In the haste of the arrangements, Adam (Howard Keel) fails to explain his definition of marital bliss, which amounts to having a little woman to do the cooking, cleaning and laundry. Nor does he mention his six dependant bachelor brothers who’ll need some tending too.
“Bless her beautiful hide” (their words not mine), rather than regretting falling in love at first sight, the plucky Milly determines to fix up the pigpen of a house, and to mother her messy brothers-in law. Her effort to make a silk purse out of a sows ear begins with teaching basic grooming and essential etiquette. Then she expands to proper courting rituals and formal ballroom dancing, with the goal of helping the young men find brides of their own.
The boys prove to be quick learners (in the dancing department as least), and take the opportunity of showing off their fancy footwork at the next community event, a barn raising. Although the few single females present are much impressed, the local competition is not! In short order a jealous brawl erupts, leveling everything including Millys good name.
Yet, an appeal to her husband merely convinces the recent wife that she has indeed cast her pearls before swine. Instead of smoothing out the situation, Adam persuades his lovesick siblings to kidnap the girls of their dreams. When an avalanche blocks the possibility of any of the townsfolk coming to rescue their daughters, Milly is forced to act as chaperone until spring can melt the snowy mountain pass. Sheltering the fearful victims in the house while banishing the disgraced brothers to the barn, the indignant woman gives her man the cold shoulder. However, as the winter drags on, there appears to be a thawing of the frosty feelings held by the other trapped females.
Never intended to be a thought provoking piece, the plot of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is teased along by some mild sexual innuendo and pauses regularly to break into song. The fistfights are as well choreographed as its dance routines. And with the exception of a pipe-smoking main character, parents will find the bad manners of the good intentioned brothers to be as amusing now as they were in 1954, when this musical was recorded.
As I watched I couldn’t help but remember the antics of my teenaged friends, who incidentally, claimed Seven Brides for Seven Brothers to be their family’s favorite film.
Directed by Stanley Donen, Scott Benson. Starring Jane Powell, Howard Keel, Stanley Donen, Saul Chaplin, Michael Kidd. Running time: 102 minutes. Theatrical release July 21, 1954. Updated July 17, 2017Seven Brides For Seven Brothers Parents' Guide
If you were as uninformed as Milly, would you feel obligated to assume the responsibilities she did? Do you think she shows eternal optimism or just romantic blind faith? What are your expectations of marriage? What qualities would you look for in a spouse, and how would you find out if you were compatible?
Home Video
The most recent home video release of Seven Brides For Seven Brothers movie is October 11, 2004. Here are some details…
DVD Notes: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Release Date: 12 October 2004
For those of you who have grown up watching the pan-and-scan version of this movie on TV or VHS tape, its a good bet youve only seen Three Brides for Three Brothers! Thanks to the DVD release in a wide screen format, you can now see them all. This new two-disc set offers commentary by Stanley Donen (the film’s director), and a documentary hosted by Howard Keel (featuring new interviews with Jane Powell) and more.
Related home video titles:
Mothering unkempt boys is a theme that appears in other classics, such as Peter Pan and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.