Ken Russell is probably the only director whose genius lay in that he found something joyfully perverse in our Romantic attraction to the 1920s (especially when the fascination reached its zenith in the early 70s). The original stage show of 'The Boyfriend' is a nostalgic puff piece, a pastiche of 'Irene' and 'No, No, Nanette', et. al. cannily flung on stage when the 'cerebral' musicals of the 50s ('My Fair Lady' a notable example) had staked out a claim that was to rule the stage for the next two decades; and that's about as far as its self-reflection goes. But Russell, seeing the camp quotient in 1967's 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' and having just come off his very Russell-esque vision of the 20s with Lawrence's 'Women in Love', saw that the only way to make 'The Boyfriend' work as a movie musical was to make it a musical about a musical - and not just any musical - but '42nd Street' - ie: the quintessential Hollywood musical about a musical about a no name becoming a star, and in this he achieved an extended meditation on artifice well before Peter Bogdonavich ('At Long Last Love'), Martin Scorsese ('New York, New York'), Francis Ford Coppola ('One From the Heart') and Dennis Potter/Herbert Ross ('Pennies From Heaven'), or even Alan Parker ('Bugsy Malone'). Indeed the film's only proximate rival is Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's 'Follies'. I'm not saying the film is perfect or even profound, but its sense of the paradoxical ridiculousness versus the erotic sensuality of the artificial, the exaggerated, the illusory - that life itself in this last half century (the late 60s to now) is nothing but performance and one's ability to deal oneself into spectacle, into 'events' is the marker of being - puts it in the vanguard of a series of popular documents to make these claims. And the production and costume designs alone are worth the 2+ hours of attention that must be paid. Case in point: this scene - a deft mix of Erté, Maxfield Parish, and just a kiss of 'Stemboat Willie'...
Excellent assessment! Thanks a lot! Just bought this on DvD after reading this. I'm a fan of Ken Russell, and its fun to hunt down his work. It seems kind of hard to find in the usual places, curious if you know if Ken Russell was ever banned in the US?
I remember this song from a cd collection in uk called The Musicals. I collected 39 of the cds but it continued beyond that! Had a great cast singing on each cd, mainly theatre performers. Different cast to this film but this song reminds me of my early 20s, so nostalgic!
A Ken Russel triumph, under-rated and largely forgotten. An ode to Busby Berkeley and a perfect vehicle for Tommy Tune (he of the loooonnng legs) and Twiggy (no doubt unknown to the Millennials and Get X'ers of the world). Much more depth than what it seems on the surface. Some of the characters are reminiscent of the cast of "Women in Love"- also a visual and emotional tour de force. Watch the whole movie and be transported!
Dyann Espinosa *Saw both several times in a row some fifty years ago and still consider ´Women in Love´ and ´The Boy Friend´ Ken Russell’s most perfect achievements, mauve the only two works where he succeeded to keep the right ´balance´ from A to Z. In other words, true classics.
What's fun about millennials is that in the early 2000s there was a throwback to the 60s/70s, and a lot of us are actually pretty well versed on the characters and stars of the past, particularly a fashion icon like Twiggy!
![[#SHORTS CLIP] ใช้ของของตัวเองไปเลยสิคะ l ซานิเบาได้เบา l One Playground](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ea_mTywx2p4/mqdefault.jpg)
Ken Russell is probably the only director whose genius lay in that he found something joyfully perverse in our Romantic attraction to the 1920s (especially when the fascination reached its zenith in the early 70s). The original stage show of 'The Boyfriend' is a nostalgic puff piece, a pastiche of 'Irene' and 'No, No, Nanette', et. al. cannily flung on stage when the 'cerebral' musicals of the 50s ('My Fair Lady' a notable example) had staked out a claim that was to rule the stage for the next two decades; and that's about as far as its self-reflection goes.
But Russell, seeing the camp quotient in 1967's 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' and having just come off his very Russell-esque vision of the 20s with Lawrence's 'Women in Love', saw that the only way to make 'The Boyfriend' work as a movie musical was to make it a musical about a musical - and not just any musical - but '42nd Street' - ie: the quintessential Hollywood musical about a musical about a no name becoming a star, and in this he achieved an extended meditation on artifice well before Peter Bogdonavich ('At Long Last Love'), Martin Scorsese ('New York, New York'), Francis Ford Coppola ('One From the Heart') and Dennis Potter/Herbert Ross ('Pennies From Heaven'), or even Alan Parker ('Bugsy Malone').
Indeed the film's only proximate rival is Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's 'Follies'. I'm not saying the film is perfect or even profound, but its sense of the paradoxical ridiculousness versus the erotic sensuality of the artificial, the exaggerated, the illusory - that life itself in this last half century (the late 60s to now) is nothing but performance and one's ability to deal oneself into spectacle, into 'events' is the marker of being - puts it in the vanguard of a series of popular documents to make these claims. And the production and costume designs alone are worth the 2+ hours of attention that must be paid. Case in point: this scene - a deft mix of Erté, Maxfield Parish, and just a kiss of 'Stemboat Willie'...
your a writer?
What a perfect analysis! Thank you.
Excellent assessment! Thanks a lot! Just bought this on DvD after reading this. I'm a fan of Ken Russell, and its fun to hunt down his work. It seems kind of hard to find in the usual places, curious if you know if Ken Russell was ever banned in the US?
Twiggy's physical movements are perfect for her voice and the character - just a touch of fragility
Wonderful ART DECO settings!!!!!
It's a stunning film throughout. What an eye Ken Russell had!
Love the color palette 🎨
they really made tommy tune a skyscraper 100/10 best movie
And this scene has the shadow-play, 2D animationish vibe. So nice.
Absolutely loved this film. Was once at a screening at the Ken Cinema in San Diego which became a sing a long. Brilliant
A very rare treat , can't find the clip with Max Adrian and Georgina Hale performing you'r never too old,quite special moment.
Ooh, yes, my favourite too, Iwish they'd put it up.
That scene was hilarious!!
I LOVE that routine !!!
total beauty
I would like to see the whole movie, someday.
Perfection.
I remember this song from a cd collection in uk called The Musicals. I collected 39 of the cds but it continued beyond that! Had a great cast singing on each cd, mainly theatre performers. Different cast to this film but this song reminds me of my early 20s, so nostalgic!
Is that Twiggy singing? What an amazing voice. 🥰
A Ken Russel triumph, under-rated and largely forgotten. An ode to Busby Berkeley and a perfect vehicle for Tommy Tune (he of the loooonnng legs) and Twiggy (no doubt unknown to the Millennials and Get X'ers of the world). Much more depth than what it seems on the surface. Some of the characters are reminiscent of the cast of "Women in Love"- also a visual and emotional tour de force. Watch the whole movie and be transported!
Dyann Espinosa I’m 100% sure millennial and gen x know all about twiggy lol
Spot on! It's a wonderful film.
Dyann Espinosa *Saw both several times in a row some fifty years ago and still consider ´Women in Love´ and ´The Boy Friend´ Ken Russell’s most perfect achievements, mauve the only two works where he succeeded to keep the right ´balance´ from A to Z. In other words, true classics.
What's fun about millennials is that in the early 2000s there was a throwback to the 60s/70s, and a lot of us are actually pretty well versed on the characters and stars of the past, particularly a fashion icon like Twiggy!
As a 17 year-old, much younger than both generations, can confirm Twiggy is still well-known and loved! I look to her for makeup inspiration :)
Just saw the movie in chimff. it was brilliant.
Didnt julie andrews do it on Broadway and then again in STAR? Strange!
I thought Tommy Tune, and Twiggy, made this movie?
Was this just from the Boyfriend? I thought is came from No No Nanette?
Creepy as hell
don't be so hard on yourself!