The Boy Friend (1971 film)

The Boy Friend
Directed by Ken Russell
Produced by Ken Russell
Harry Benn
Written by Ken Russell
Based on the musical by Sandy Wilson
Starring Twiggy
Christopher Gable
Max Adrian
Tommy Tune
Brian Murphy
Barbara Windsor
Vladek Sheybal
Music by Peter Maxwell Davies
Cinematography David Watkin
Edited by Michael Bradsell
Production
company
Russflix
Distributed by MGM-EMI (UK),
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (US)
Release date
  • 16 December 1971 (1971-12-16) (New York, US)
(Premiere)
Running time
 137 minutes (original)
109 mins (US)
Country United Kingdom
United States
Language English
Budget $3 million[1] or $2.3 million[2]

The Boy Friend is a 1971 British-American musical comedy film directed by Ken Russell and starring Twiggy, Christopher Gable, Tommy Tune, and Max Adrian with an uncredited appearance by Glenda Jackson.[3] It is an adaptation of the musical The Boy Friend by Sandy Wilson. It was released on DVD on April 12, 2011.

Plot

The plot exists on three levels.

First there is the frame story, where, in the south of England in the 1920s, a struggling theatrical troupe is performing a musical about romantic intrigues at a finishing school for young women in the south of France. As well as weathering ongoing backstage dramas, and audiences that are smaller in number than the cast, two extra stressors arrive: a famous Hollywood film producer turns up to see the show, and Polly, the mousy assistant stage manager, is forced to go on when the leading lady breaks a leg. As Polly struggles to keep her cool while acting opposite the male lead who she secretly loves, the rest of the company backstab each other as they try to impress the impresario.

Next there is the musical itself. Four of the girls at the school are very forward and acquire boy friends, but Polly is shy and has nobody to take her to the carnival masked ball that night. Tony, a messenger boy from a dress shop, brings her a costume and the two young people are struck with each other. They meet again in the afternoon and reach an understanding, she pretending to be only a secretary, so as not to seem above him socially. He comes to the ball and, when unmasked, is recognised as a peer's son. So Tony and Polly are both rich and can marry openly.

Thirdly, there are extensive fantasy sequences in the film, during which the characters' dreams and hopes are enacted in music and dance without words.

Cast

Production

The musical made its debut in 1954 and had been a notable success, helping make a star of Julie Andrews. MGM bought the film rights in 1957.[4] However a film was not made for many years.

Ken Russell was friends with the model Twiggy, who wanted to get into films. She had seen a revival of The Boyfriend and suggested that Russell direct her in a film version. Russell says he told a journalist as a joke that he was doing it, and MGM contacted him saying they had the rights. They decided to actually do the film. "Honestly that's how it all came about," said Russell.[5]

Dan Ireland thought Russell was motivated to make the film in response to the controversy of The Devils (1971).[1] Russell admitted he did it "to prove to people I'm not totally deranged. I love the innocence and charm of musicals."[5]

Twiggy had been the most famous model in the world but had retired from that for 18 months before the film.[6]

Her boyfriend and manager, Justin de Villeneuve, acted as producer. "Justin swears she can do anything," said Sandy Wilson before filming began, "and I would think he's probably right."[7]

"I know The Boyfriend will be one of the greatest musicals of all time," said Russell. "I only have 24 girls instead of 300 but the Busby Berkely musical numbers and dream sequences will knock you out. I'm directing it like a tacky stage play in the provinces that is being visited by a big Hollywood director. You see the big fantasies as he visualises them in his head. It will be fantastic!"[5]

The male lead was Christopher Gable, who later recalled. "Twiggy was just great; she may be skinny but she's tough. The musical itself was not enjoyable. By a musical's very nature, one has to be relentlessly cheery, the kind of person who always smiles, and, therefore, always dances. After four months, you don't feel like it."[8]

De Villeneuve wanted to star Twiggy and Tommy Tune in a follow up, Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance, but the film was never made.[6]

Release

Head of MGM James Aubrey ordered 25 minutes be removed from the movie for its US release.[1]

Critical reception

  • Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "Even when he’s not deliberately doing Berkeley takeoffs, (Ken Russell's) camera is so joyless that it undermines every scene".[9]
  • Roger Greenspun wrote in The New York Times: "I am surprised to find that it is rather greatly to my taste; partly because it is often as witty as it is elaborate, partly because it works its variations on the fully recognizable and still quite wonderful Sandy Wilson words and music, and partly because it is supported by a charming and energetic cast".[10]

Awards and nominations

The National Board of Review voted Ken Russell best director, and Twiggy won 2 Golden Globe Awards as best newcomer and best actress (musical/comedy). The film was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Music, Adaptation and Original Song Score, losing to Fiddler on the Roof.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Dan Ireland on The Boyfriend at Trailers From Hell accessed 2 August 2012
  2. ↑ Twiggy--an Elegant Cockney Elf Haber, Joyce. Los Angeles Times 13 Feb 1972: v15.
  3. ↑ "BFI | Film & TV Database | The BOY FRIEND (1971)". Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. 2009-04-16. Retrieved 2014-03-08.
  4. ↑ 'Boy Friend' Musical Will Have Star Cast Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 26 Feb 1957: 22.
  5. 1 2 3 Russell--England's resident mad genius Reed, Rex. Chicago Tribune 12 Dec 1971: k7.
  6. 1 2 Twiggy: 'interviewing a daffodil': Hard to get an answer By Louise Sweeney. The Christian Science Monitor 4 Dec 1971: 18.
  7. ↑ It takes a worried man Woodward, Ian. The Guardian 14 Sep 1970: 8.
  8. ↑ A dancer escapes Godfrey, Stephen. The Globe and Mail 16 Nov 1977: P.18.
  9. ↑ Jordan, Scott (8 February 1972). "The Boy Friend Movie Review & Film Summary (1972)". Roger Ebert. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  10. ↑ Greenspun, Roger (17 December 1971). "Movie Review - The Boy Friend - Film: 'The Boy Friend':Twiggy Plays Polly in Russell Screenplay". NYTimes.com. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
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