The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964) User Reviews

You Can Take Leadville Out Of The Girl, But Not Out Of The Guy

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 18 March 2008]

Debbie Reynolds stars in this boisterous adaption of the Broadway musical, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, based on the life of legendary Denver society woman and heroine of the Titanic disaster. It's a film role perfectly suited to Debbie Reynolds both musically and dramatically.

The Meredith Willson musical ran for 532 performances on Broadway and starred Tammy Grimes there. In the Hollywood tradition though, a movie name was thought to be needed. 1964 was a bad year for Broadway actresses who originated roles and did not get the film role. Julie Andrews also knew exactly how Tammy Grimes felt.

The one big difference is that no one had to dub Debbie Reynolds. Her singing and dancing is all a part of one remarkable role where the character ages and matures and there's a big difference in those two life functions. I'm of the firm belief that MGM cast her in this part because of her musical numbers in How the West Was Won which they also produced. Debbie may also still have been under contract to them from the old days.

Harve Presnell came over from Broadway to play her husband John J. Brown of Leadville, Colorado and who makes them both rich beyond their wildest dreams. But Molly's dreams are larger than John's and it causes their parting. Presnell has a terrific baritone voice and he unfortunately came along at the tail end of movie musicals. His next film was Paint Your Wagon and he got to sing They Call the Wind Maria which requires a real singer to do, not something Lee Marvin or Clint Eastwood could fake. Presnell's developed into a fine character actor though.

Years ago I happened to meet Ed Begley's widow at an event. She mentioned to me that her husband for all the great dramatic parts he played including winning an Oscar for Sweet Bird of Youth was at heart a song and dance man. He loved to get up and perform at parties and such. I said to her that the role of Debbie Reynolds's father in The Unsinkable Molly Brown must have been one he loved and she said it was his favorite. Begley certainly looks like he's having a great old time in the part.

Meredith Willson's score, while not as good as The Music Man still has some fine numbers. Debbie's infectious singing of I Ain't Down Yet is the high point. For Presnell his anthem to Colorado My Home if it isn't, it should be that state's official song.

The only criticism I have of the film is that as good as Molly Brown is here there was so much more to the woman that The Unsinkable Molly Brown doesn't even get into. She was a suffragette, a leader in reform of juvenile offender laws, a noted philanthropist, she wasn't just a party girl who got a chance for heroism on the Titanic. I wish that had been dealt with in the film and the Broadway musical.

For a rollicking good musical experience though, you cannot beat The Unsinkable Molly Brown. No putting this woman or this film down, ever.

At the old Denham Theater, 1964

[B24 · 6/10 · 5 July 2003]

I had the pleasure of accompanying my great aunt and one of her contemporaries to the opening of this movie in Denver in 1964. Because they had known the old girl herself (the real Mrs. Margaret Brown, that is) back in the early years of the century, both in Leadville and Denver, they were keen on seeing what Hollywood and Debbie had done with the story.

I remember vividly watching their reactions turn from initial pleasure with the opening number to puzzlement when Debbie started to chew the scenery and behave like, well, Debbie Reynolds. This was followed by Ed Begley and the boys in the saloon hooting it up, and the two old ladies next to me started to frown a bit and whisper something to the effect that "it was not like that at all." They were becoming quite restless until the Denver bits began, but they seemed to accept the remainder of the story with a good deal of resignation that it was all just good fun and nonsense, and wasn't that what going to the movies was all about?

Afterward, as we strolled over to the Brown Palace for dinner, they regaled me with a complete history of the real Mrs. Brown and the many mutual friends they had enjoyed meeting at that same venue from roughly 1895 to 1915 when they were themselves just being presented into Denver society. I learned, among other things, that Mrs. Brown was considered an eccentric but generally well-liked and articulate woman who, despite never really being accepted at the toniest levels, became a legend in her own time after the Titanic episode. That part of the story was not only true, but actually a larger-than-life experience, the details of which they agreed should have been featured more profoundly in the film version.

The next time I drove down Wadsworth Blvd. and saw Mrs. Brown's "Summer House," a rather grand Victorian edifice like the better known one in the center of Denver, I tried to picture Debbie Reynolds in that setting and could not quite fit the two together. That in spite of the fact that Debbie herself grew up in El Paso at the southern end of the same Rocky Mountains that rise northward through Colorado.

Enjoyable but the film did one weakness....

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 28 November 2012]

Reynolds' character is too obnoxious "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" is a generally enjoyable film, though you need to understand that like most Hollywood films of yesterday, great liberties were taken with the facts. In other words, if you want a true account of the life of Molly Brown, you might want to look elsewhere.

The film begins with Molly as a child. She is washed away by a flood, but being unsinkable, she manages to pull herself to safety. The story is set in Colorado, where she grew up a rough and tumble tom-boy. However, despite being VERY unladylike, she had a dream of one day living in a fine house, with a brass bed, a warm fireplace and all the niceties money can buy. When Mr. Brown falls for her, the rather mercenary Molly insists she won't marry any man who can't provide her with all these things....and he does. Soon (and only in a Hollywood film can it be THIS soon), Mr. Brown is very, very, very rich and his wife has many, many things....but she is still unhappy because she doesn't fit in with society. So, she sets off very determined to go off to Europe to refine herself and make friends with royalty. Well, she does....but somehow in the process she ends up losing what is really important--though in real life, no such realization and reconciliation ever actually occurred.

The film is VERY bouncy and, at times, quite fun. Debbie Reynolds throws herself into the role and it's one of her best. As for poor Mr. Brown, Harve Presnell was GREAT. He really, really sang beautifully and it's sad he never really became a household name. And, the film is pretty good. However, there was one weakness that prevented the movie from being any better--the leading character was unbelievably selfish and hard to like--especially as the film progressed. Maybe this was just me--but that detracted a bit from the overall production. Still, it's worth seeing despite this.

Molly's a Wonder

[gregorybnyc · 4 August 2004]

I was a young teenager when I first saw THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN. I

never put Debbie Reynolds in the same class as her bigger contemporaries-- Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Doris Day, etc. Reynolds always managed

to charm me, even in tough roles like THE RAT RACE. She's wonderful in

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, but that's more supporting. In the 50s, she appeared in lots of fluffy movies such as TAMMY AND THE BACHELOR and as the decade

ended, she was a popular leading lady entering a decade that wouldn't be kind to the well-established studio stars. Molly Brown was a role to show that she could do it all--act, sing, dance, and demonstrate her remarkable energy. I fell in love the movie from the first frame and it's been one of my very favorites ever since. I own the DVD (after replacing my VHS edition). The choreography by

Peter Gennaro won't set any new standards, but it's athletic and exciting,

nowhere better than in the big party scene where Molly is showing off the

European royalty to Denver society. You can't help but get caught up in the

sheer joyousness of what's happening on screen.

Harve Presnell is a handsome presence as Molly's husband, Johnny Brown.

His handsome baritone is a pleasure to hear. The rest of the cast is excellent, and would be one of the last and one of the most lavish of MGM's big studio

musicals.

I've seen the film innumerable times. If you don't like musicals, MOLLY BROWN won't change your mind. But if you do, this lively story of a dirt-poor country girl who marries a miner and gets filthy rich and becomes famous for her heroics

helping survivors of the TITANIC, is pure delight. Gene Kelly and Donald

O'Connor were the center of attention in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. Debbie

deserved one film to be remembered for herself and this is it.

Certainly does not sink

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 5 February 2017]

Not without imperfections, but seeing 'The Unsinkable Molly Brown' in tribute to the now late Debbie Reynolds still filled me with a lot of happiness.

Reynolds attacks her part with delicious gusto and energy, she sings like an angel and she dances with poise and brio. Subtle it isn't, but infectious? Yes, yes and a million times yes. Harve Presnell is a similarly splendid leading man, and the supporting cast sparkle, with the likes of Jack Kruschen, Ed Begley, Hermione Baddeley and Martita Hunt, Kruschen and Hunt especially revel in their characters with aplomb.

Production values are similarly top-notch, especially the exquisite Colorado scenery and the handsome cinematography and lavish colour do it no disservices. The script sparkles with wit, the musical numbers are staged with brio and pathos, the story has fun, charm and poignancy and Charles Walters makes the most of the material.

'The Unsinkable Molly Brown' is a little overlong however, with some of the second half dragging when the story gets thinner. Apart from Reynolds' exuberant rendition of "I Ain't Down Yet" the songs are not particularly memorable despite everyone's noble efforts in making them come alive.

In conclusion, doesn't completely float but in way does it sink without a trace. 7/10 (mainly for the cast and the production values) Bethany Cox

Rags to riches

[jotix100 · 7/10 · 8 May 2007]

"The Unsinkable Molly Brown" made its debut on Broadway in 1960. Tammy Grimes, as the Molly Brown of the title, received, perhaps, the best reviews of her acting career. When it was made into an MGM musical, Miss Grimes, lost her creation to Debbie Reynolds, who had a bigger name and was a favorite of the movie going public.

Meredith Wilson, the man behind another hit, "The Music Man", created a musical comedy that showcased a fictionalized account of the larger than life character of Molly, a woman who went from humble beginnings to bigger, and better things. As a matter of fact, she was truly "unsinkable" as proved by having survived the Titanic disaster.

Not having seen this film for quite some time, didn't quite make it for this viewer, on a second viewing, in spite of glowing comments from other IMDb contributors. However, it must be noted, our memory of having seen it before was more positive than the impression we got in watching it again. Part of the problem is the plot, which is silly, in the way the material is presented. Then again, this film has a dated feeling.

Debbie Reynolds threw herself into the role of Molly with gusto. It's one of her best achievements in the movies, and it should be recognized. Herve Presnell, who played Johnny Brown on Broadway, seemed destined for bigger and better things, as he shows here with his handsome looks and powerful singing voice. The cast includes several character actors that enhance the movie, notably, Ed Begley, Hermione Baddeley, Jack Krushen and Martita Hunt, among others.

The film could be seen as a curiosity, although it shows its age. The songs, with only a few exceptions don't have the quality of other Meredith Wilson's work. Only a couple of songs stay with the viewer after all is said and done. Charles Walters' direction was not too inspired and perhaps that seems to be the basic flaw with this "Molly".

Brassy Debbie floats down the Colorado River into your heart.

[mark.waltz · 10/10 · 1 December 2012]

On "Will and Grace", Debbie Reynolds' Bobbi Adler starred in a community theater production of "The Music Person" as "Professor Carol Hill". Flashback some 30 years to the mid 1960's when Reynolds got the chance to play another leading role in a Meredith Willson show, and a real-life woman of legend. It has been 100 years since the Titanic sank and the real life Molly Brown assisted panicky passengers on the lifeboats. While the stories vary to her involvement, the legend has not died. The 1960 Broadway show was a critically mixed musical that had a respectful run. After "The Music Man" was a smash movie, MGM set their sights on "Molly Brown", and cast their peppiest star of the 1950's in the role for which she is now most famous for. The result: An Oscar Nominated performance that many viewers claim the prize should have been hers.

Baby Molly is first seen floating down the Colorado River, having survived a flood, and when next seen, she is a rambunctious teenager boasting "I Ain't Down Yet!" to her bullying cousins who tease her about her desire to leave their mountain home for the beautiful people of Denver. Leaving her loving grandfather (Ed Begley Sr.), Reynolds briefly works in a saloon, but her efforts to get to Denver are delayed when she falls in love with and marries Johnny Brown (Harve Presnell), a miner searching for gold. When they strike it rich, Molly and Johnny end up in Denver, but find that society, lead by the snooty Mrs. McGraw (stage veteran Audrey Christie) isn't going to cater to riffraff like her, no matter how many millions they are worth. So to show the stuffy society up, they go off to Europe and bag themselves a royal flush, come back, throw an outrageous party, then fight, separate, and long for each other in spite of their problems. It is when Molly returns home that she finds herself aboard the Titanic, grabbing herself a piece of history and proving herself truly unsinkable.

This is a movie musical that works better on screen than on stage with its colorful Colorado mountain setting. I saw Reynolds and Presnell in a touring production of the show in 1988 and noticed a difference between the two, mostly based upon a book that while entertaining needed much tweaking. Reynolds and Presnell are supported by a wonderful supporting cast which also includes Hermoine Baddley as Mrs. McGraw's brassy mother who puts her daughter down a peg or two, and the delightfully imperious Martita Hunt ("Great Expectation's" Miss Haversham) as the Duchess who also adds her two cents to Mrs. McGraw for previously snubbing Molly. "Do you play, Mrs. McGraw?", she asks her after Molly promises to entertain them on the piano, obviously having set this up. "No, sorry." "Pity", she replies dryly as if dismissing a naughty servant.

But this is Reynolds' show, and I personally feel that she deserved the Oscar this year. No other performer (maybe Judy Garland) could make you laugh and cry, yet sing, dance, be funny and serious, like Debbie Reynolds. She is outrageous in the dancing sequences, whether bellying up to the bar, or doing the high kicks of "He's My Friend", a wonderful new production added for the movie. Fortunately, she got to do this as well in the touring production, as well as sing the songs cut from the movie. ("My Own Brass Bed" is particularly memorable, but didn't make it into the film.) Presnell is a handsome leading man with a wonderful singing voice, but when I saw this on the big screen, I found his tendency to cross his eyes a bit distracting. This probably cut his leading man career down, but as a character actor (most memorably the father-in-law in "Fargo") he would find roles more suitable. Reynolds and Presnell have a wonderful duet, "I'll Never Say No", and Presnell has several fine solos as well, showing off his manly physique while building a home for Molly.

Rumors have had "Molly Brown" as a possible contender for a Broadway revival with a tweaked book. I hope this is true, because Willson's songs, the magnificent choreography and the tale of a feisty heroine are the stuff that legends are made of.

Debbie Reynolds is Molly Brown

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 22 February 2018]

A baby in a cradle floats down the roaring Colorado River. She is found and raised to be the unsinkable Molly Brown (Debbie Reynolds). She's an illiterate tomboy in the rural mountains and pa is concerned about getting her married. She insists on going to Denver to find herself a rich husband. Money is paramount to her. She marries miner Johnny Brown who strikes it rich. She climbs in popularity but the couple separates. She decides to return home to Johnny taking the Titanic but even there, she refuses to sink.

This is big, colorful, and really big. Debbie Reynolds is perfect in portraying the big personality. She is all gumption and enthusiasm. As for the Titanic, it's missing her claim to fame and I'm not sure why. Maybe, dealing with dying people is not quite the musical way. I wouldn't call any of the music catchy. It's big Broadway but none of it is memorable. The story can be extended but Debbie Reynolds always holds the screen without fail. Making her money obsessed is not the most appealing way to play her. My biggest complement is that Debbie Reynolds is undeniably Molly Brown.

An Absolute Delight

[sddavis63 · 8/10 · 30 December 2000]

What a fun movie! Debbie Reynolds does a wonderful job portraying Molly Brown, a poor, uncultured country girl who "makes good," but then finds herself having to fight (none too successfully) for acceptance among the rich crowd she finds herself suddenly thrown into. Always rising when she's down (unsinkable in other words) there's also a sense of discovery involved for Molly, as she finally comes to understand in a wonderfully dramatic moment in an otherwise hilarious film that even among her wealthy and regal European friends she is accepted because they find her amusing, and not because she's really accepted as one of them. The title of the movie, of course, comes specifically from the real-life Molly Brown's experience in surviving the Titanic disaster, as she returns home after making this discovery.

Yes, the movie is undoubtedly full of tall tales. But it's full of wonderful songs (Harve Presnell as Johnny Brown has a marvellous singing voice), pretty good acting and just a general sense of fun. Well worth the watching.

Story so-so...musical numbers are fun

[Mitch-38 · 7/10 · 13 April 2001]

I guess most anyone can hope (and relate) that the underdog will triumph over strong adversity, to become what they want or get whatever. Yes, even if they're as overbearing, obnoxious and deadset on gold-digging and social climbing their way out, as Molly's character unpretentiously sets out. I frankly found that aspect of her personality bothersome, yet she did grow in maturity, as the picture wore on.

Debbie Reynolds does a good job with the lead, although I personally would have preferred Tammy Grimes, from the Broadway debut of this musical. Harve Presnell is great as Johnny, and that voice is awesome. Ed Begley absolutely steals the show, as Shamus Tobin.

The spirited musical numbers are quite fun to watch, with "He's My Friend" being a standout. The film does seem to go on too long somewhat, as towards the end it was starting to drag. It won't exactly leave you too enthralled to move from your seat, but the film is entertaining. Nevermind some of the predictable storyline and dialogue, enjoy the musical numbers, and your time will be rewarded. Recommended.

Unbearable "Unsinkable" Stinks.

[crispy_comments · 2/10 · 18 January 2007]

Nothing against Debbie Reynolds...I found her charming in films like "Singin' In The Rain" and "Two Weeks With Love", but I've gotta say I thought she was just awful in this film. Her acting is too broad, loud and abrasive. It boggles the mind that she was nominated for an Oscar here. I understand that Debbie's a very energetic performer, but unfortunately she went waaaay over-the-top in "The Unsinkable Molly Brown", playing a screeching hillbilly whose vocal and physical contortions had me cringing in disbelief. Maybe her acting is extreme so that we'll be more impressed by Debbie's transformation into a refined lady later - but I found the characterization cartoonish.

Apart from that...I have a problem with pretty much everything else about the movie! Debbie's leading man is unappealing, the songs are unmemorable, the humour is unsubtle (and unfunny), the plot is unfaithful to the true story of the *real* Molly Brown, and the apparent moral is hard to swallow. I'm supposed to root for Molly and her ambitions for wealth and social status? I'm supposed to be angry at her husband for not supporting her shallow aim in life? For loving her the way she was when they met (miraculously!) and not wanting her, or their life, to change?

I guess a lot of people wouldn't have a problem with this film's message, because they too are pursuing the "American Dream" and envying the idle rich. But I don't care to watch folks with superficial values and greedy goals in life, desperately try to climb social ladders. Those who see movies such as "My Fair Lady" primarily as Cinderella stories, where the main objective is to ooh and aah over rags-to-riches transformations and gaze at the heroine's fancy clothes/rich lifestyle... might enjoy "The Unsinkable Molly Brown". But I'd kinda like to see her sink like a stone.

What a girl!...and what a musical!

[helpless_dancer · 8/10 · 28 June 2001]

One of my favorite shows with plenty of singin' and dancin' all the way from the simple countryside, to the big city, and over to the even bigger city life of Europe. Debbie plays a tomboy country girl who can't wait to leave the outback and live the high life in Denver. On the way to this better life she crosses paths with a prospector who changes her life and not always for her betterment as far as she is concerned. She finds that her dreams of wealth and a place in high society are not necessarily what will make her happy in the real world. This is a very delightful film with lots of beautiful scenery, props, and great performances by the entire cast.

Doesn't stay afloat

[brefane · 6/10 · 19 August 2011]

As a musical-comedy, The Unsinkable Molly Brown is easy on the eyes thanks to location filming and Daniel Flapp's Oscar nominated cinematography, but it's hard on the ears; not because of the score, but rather Reynolds' non-stop bellowing. The scene of Reynolds barking out orders at the other women on the Titanic lifeboat feels like an SNL skit. The film is a corny piece of Americana that's more busy than entertaining. Harve Persnell has a powerful voice, but is largely wooden and adrift, and he and Reynolds are not well-matched. The scenes depicting the sinking of the Titanic and its aftermath are rushed, and the ending is anti-climatic. Like many movie musicals, it has a few decent musical numbers, I particularly liked He's My Friend, but little else is memorable. Molly Brown's story is so much more interesting than what is presented here.

Overrated

[djensen1 · 4/10 · 4 August 2004]

Quaint, but overrated, musical comedy. I have a weakness for old musicals, but this one has a dumb story and decided lack of catchy tunes. Debbie Reynolds is a peach, and Harve Presnell is a suitably handsome lunk, but their lack of chemistry makes their romance a dud. Worse, it's the kind of story where conflict is created only by the sheer stupidity of the characters, who then frequently say, "Y'ain't mad at me, are ya?"

Reynolds is mountain girl Molly, off to marry a rich man. Presnell is Johnny, who comes into money just as he decides to woo her. Together, they become the Beverly Hillbillies of 1800s Denver and are appropriately scorned by their snooty neighbors. Why do they want to become part of high society? What does that say about them? Should be titled "The Unlikeable Molly Brown."

Love it, love it, love it

[maddog1228 · 22 October 2002]

I used to watch this movie when I was little, and I just recently rediscovered it. It's amazing how much better movies can get once you grow up. Debbie Reynolds portrays Molly Brown wonderfully. Her singing and dancing alone make this movie worth watching. My favorite scene is the "He's my friend, and he'll stay my friend...." scene. If you haven't seen this movie, you should definitely watch it. It's so great!

Debbie is no Tammy Grimes!

[MalloryandMcCall · 7/10 · 24 December 2004]

I was lucky enough to see the Broadway production of this charming musical. As is not unusual, the movie did not nearly live up to it. First of all, some of the great Meredith Wilson songs were cut. And Molly is the female Harold Hill role: wonderful patter songs that have to be done with a certain magical flair and punch. I certainly can't blame Debbie for wanting the part (many a musical actress of the time, including me, who hadn't a chance, lusted for it). Tammy, I suppose, was not well enough known. Pity. Harve Presnell was kept, but dieted (no doubt at the direction of the studio) from a hefty hunky miner to a boyish way-too-slender and soft leading man. With his loss of weight, the power of his Baritone voice diminished. Left as he was, he might have become a big movie star. Again, it's a pity. For those of you who have not seen it on stage with all the songs intact, by all means see the film; there is a lot in there that is worthy. Then go out and buy the Original Broadway Cast album.

good, not great

[Hayes595 · 6/10 · 17 April 2006]

"The Unsinkable Molly Brown" is a well written, well acted movie. But for some reason, every time I watch this movie, it reminds me of another brilliant movie before this: Gone With the Wind. "TUMB" is, to sum it up, a movie about a women that doesn't want to live without money...much like Scarlett O'Hara. Molly ends up changing her views and personality because of the money, and who she wants to impress. But of course, "TUMB" is unique it its own way, and should be more recognized. Molly is a likable character, and has a very funny personality, while what she says is hilarious. JJ Brown, her husband is as likable as well, but we should have seen much more of him. In the end it turns into a likable romance classic, that you will easily remember for a long time to come.

Molly Brown-A True Survivor Never Sinks ****

[edwagreen · 10/10 · 17 January 2006]

Debbie Reynolds gives us everything in her rousing Oscar nominated performance for best actress in 1964's "The Unsinkable Molly Brown."

Raised in poverty, found after she was abandoned, Molly (Debbie) wants more out of life. We see the same desire for upward mobility as a George Eastman in "A Place in the Sun." Naturally, for Reynolds, this desire is framed around this excellent musical.

As she grows up, she meets her husband-to-be, an engaging Harve Presnell, whose great voice, as in his rendition I'll Never Say No Again is great. After they marry, Molly's accidental burning of the money she was hiding for safe-keeping is hilarious. In his anger, Johnny (Presnell) strikes gold purely by accident. This supposedly will lift the newlyweds to a new life filled with wealth.

Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Uneducated and lacking polish, they are immediately rejected by Denver's socialite families. When they throw their own party, no one shows up with the exception of the faithful, kindly pastor.

Her inability to move up socially will ultimately cause a separation from Johnny. Molly and her husband head off to Europe to become a cultured. They achieve this as she mingles with the elite of European society. Johnny wants to go home and when Molly refuses, the two part.

Regarded well by her new friends, Molly decides to come home as her heart longs for John. History was apparently on Molly's side. She was on the Titanic and was credited for calming the hysterical women survivors during this disaster. Coming home, she is heralded by Denver's elite-including neighbor and arch enemy, Audrey Christie. (Remember her as Natalie Wood's mother in "Splendor in the Grass?") Naturally, Mrs. McGraw's (Christie) mother is Buttercup, a wonderful common Hermione Baddeley, who has become a good friend to the man who reared Molly- Ed Begley, in a gem of a performance with his full Irish brogue.

The singing and dancing are great. The musical scene where the elite of Europe dance with the people of Denver is hilarious.

A great film with a marvelous ensemble cast. A wonderful realization of social mobility in America. Did it really have to take the heroic efforts of Molly to establish herself among the elite of Denver?

Returning

Going Up with the Ship

[wes-connors · 6/10 · 2 September 2011]

Apparently the survivor of some boating mishap, "Molly" appears in a wooden crib on a rocky patch of the Colorado River. The talkative baby girl crawls ashore and is taken in by Irish alcoholic Ed Begley (as Shamus Tobin). After growing up to be dirty tomboy Debbie Reynolds (as Molly) in a vibrant red wig, she is advised, "Learn to serve God and a hot breakfast." After skinny dipping one day, Ms. Reynolds meets blond baritone Harve Presnell (as John "Johnny" Brown) and is invited to spend the night in his cabin. But Reynolds is interested in money, not men. Finally, Mr. Presnell is able to woo Reynolds with riches, but her backwoods vulgarity is shunned by their Pennsylvania Avenue mansion neighbors...

"The Unsinkable Molly Brown" was Meredith Willson's follow-up to "The Music Man" which guaranteed it much attention. It was a Broadway hit for Tammy Grimes and Presnell, who recreates his role nicely for the film. The leading role was passed from Shirley MacLaine to Debbie Reynolds, who were box office stars in 1964 (positioned at #7 and #12 in the "Quigley Publications" annual poll that year). Grimes won a "Tony" for her performance, and Reynolds was considered for a "Best Actress" award. She is certainly energetic, but this performance is overrated. Reynolds yells rather than sings her songs, and Mr. Willson's soundtrack is strikingly inferior to "The Music Man". And the story is superficial...

Don't expect much from the "Titanic" connection. This film's recommended for other reasons. "He's My Friend" is the highlight - choreographed by Peter Gennaro, it can be seen after about 1:45 of running time. Especially noteworthy are two "West Side Story" dancers, stage "Jet" Grover Dale and film "Shark" Gus Trikonis. Also in some opening scenes, the men are probably more remembered today (by "insiders") for their personal relationships with Tony Perkins and Goldie Hawn; they are spectacular here, and get a good amount of screen, if not speaking, time. Also noteworthy is the coupling of Mr. Begley with Hermione Baddeley, and a delightfully snooty characterization by Audrey Christie.

****** The Unsinkable Molly Brown (6/11/64) Charles Walters ~ Debbie Reynolds, Harve Presnell, Grover Dale, Gus Trikonis

Oh Yeah !!

[gkd-1 · 10/10 · 2 January 2005]

When I go to many websites to register they ask for your favorite movie. THIS IS MINE !! Debbie is fantastic and versatile. She goes from dirty urchin to Diamond studded Matron in this movie. Her performance should be added to the greatest movies in the history of film... The world would be sadder for not having this movie in the archives of film. Debbie if you happen to read this... We love ya !!! Martitia Hunt as the Duchess is funny and gives a little shot to the Royals in Europe. It has always been my feeling that Debbie should have been tapped to play Molly Brown in the 1999 Epic "Titanic". I have always considered Harve Presnell's part as only a secondary role to allow Debbie to play off him.

Watch it for Debbie Reynolds's energetic portrayal of this famous woman

[jacobs-greenwood · 6/10 · 7 December 2016]

Directed by Charles Walters with a screenplay by Helen Deutsch, who had earlier collaborated on Lili (1953), this Richard Morris play was made into a slightly above average Musical comedy starring Debbie Reynolds, who earned her only Oscar nomination (Best Actress) for playing the title role.

It's a biographical account of a backwoods tomboy (who survived a flood as an infant!) whose woodsman husband, played by Harve Presnell, strikes it rich only to find, per her crude ways, she isn't accepted in Denver's snobbish old money high society. So, she and her husband venture to Europe where she becomes educated in food and fashion while becoming the toast of Paris, charming many with her uniquely boisterous Americanism.

The Browns then return to Denver with several of the titled Royalty they'd met in tow. They host an hilarious, outlandish high society party of their own which, instead of prompting their acceptance, turns into a brawl! Molly later becomes famous for her spirit and feistiness when she survives the sinking of the Titanic!

The film's Color Art Direction-Set Decoration, Cinematography, and Costume Design, as well as its Sound and Music Score, also received Oscar nominations. Unfortunately for producer Lawrence Weingarten, all of these categories were won by the Best Picture that year, My Fair Lady (1964).

Ed Begley plays Molly's father, Audrey Christie the stuck-up neighbor; Jack Kruschen, Hermione Baddeley, and Hayden Rorke, among others, also appear. Most of the rest of the story revolves around the "on again, off again" relationship between Molly and her husband. Reynolds and Presnell sing all of the songs, the most memorable of which is Reynolds's "Belly Up to the Bar Boys" number, or the frequently reprised "I'll Never Say No".

well...

[kittensymphony · 1/10 · 10 December 2005]

Debbie Reynold's performance as Molly Brown can be summed up in two words: physically painful. My family and I were watching this movie, and there were some moments we all cringed in unison it was so hard to bar. Reynolds, especially at the beginning, has the habit of screeching her songs and using awkward movements as her dancing steps. She also seems to enjoy screaming out randomly; I guess she thinks this is how people raised in the mountains act. I have fun remembering every scene and laughing at how awful it is (e.g. John's crying scene: "is he supposed to be crying or is he contorting his face?"). While Molly grows more refined, John becomes more unbearable, and also more and more resembles a fish. This movie is over the top, and not in a good way. I don't understand how Meredith, the songwriter from The Music Man, could have made the songs in The Unsinkable Molly Brown and have thought, "I really like that!"

A classic like no other

[cla126 · 10/10 · 11 December 2005]

Never had I heard such beautiful singing by a man, then when Mr. Harve Presnel sings I'll never say No and when he's on the mountain after he comes back from Europe and he's singing about never saying goodbye again, my God, what a voice and I cry every time. this movie has it all. I'm a sap for these movies. There is no one on this earth who can sing, act, dance, perform like these actors and actresses of yesterday. Today they all suck and make 20 million. The end of the movie moves me when he's behind the door. that kissing just makes me melt. ILOVE THIS MOVIE FROM BEGINNING TO END. They just don't make movies like this anymore. They tried, but it didn't work. I hated Chicago the movie.

Rambunctious Musical Proves To Be No Debbie Downer

[EUyeshima · 5/10 · 22 May 2008]

You have to love Debbie Reynolds. Whether it's her youthful zeal in "Singin' in the Rain", her over-the-top turn as Grace's ditzy diva mother Bobbi on "Will & Grace", or her daughter Carrie's vituperative portrayal of her (and Shirley MacLaine's tough-minded interpretation) in the roman-à-clef, "Postcards from the Edge", Reynolds keeps on ticking with her enduring, all-American brand of foot-stomping peppiness. Based on the 1960 Broadway hit, this overlong 1964 musical is arguably her career highpoint since it's a true star vehicle and one of the last of MGM's big musicals that yielded a profit. The 2000 DVD does the film justice with a nice print that captures the vibrancy of the colors and the bombast of the musical arrangements. However, despite a musical score from Meredith Wilson ("The Music Man"), the problem remains that it's just not a very memorable entertainment. It certainly isn't for lack of Reynolds' all-cylinders-on approach.

Directed by Charles Walters and written by Helen Deutsch, the story is a fictionalized biopic of the legendary Molly Brown, an ill-mannered, illiterate backwoods girl intent on leaving her small town of Leadville to marry rich. She meets John Brown, who for no obvious reason is smitten with her, as he teaches her to read and she entertains the miners at the local tavern. They marry, strike it rich in silver and gold mines, and move to fashionable Pennsylvania Avenue in Denver. Shunned by the social register, they go to Europe where Molly is so embraced by royalty that she brings them back to Denver. The Browns hold a big society party which turns into a brawl, and they separate. Coming back from another European trip, Molly becomes a survivor of the Titanic as she keeps the spirits of her fellow passengers up as they await rescue. Yes, this is the same Molly Brown that Kathy Bates portrays in the 1997 mega-hit.

Fresh off "The Music Man", Wilson has written a score that doesn't feature anything close to the gems of his previous hit with "Belly Up the Bar, Boys!" the only one with enough rowdy energy to be considered rousing. In a role ironically slated for MacLaine, Reynolds is rambunctious and performs with exhausting brio, but there's no getting around the fact that Molly is a superficially driven character. I also find it amusing how contemporary she looks in her final scenes. Translating his Broadway role, Harve Presnell evokes Howard Keel's baritone and barrel-chested virility as her husband. With the decline of musicals, he didn't really find success in movies until he played the doomed father-in-law in "Fargo" over three decades later. Titanic aficionados will be disappointed that this part of the story is given short shrift toward the end with recycled footage from 1958's "A Night to Remember". The DVD has the original theatrical trailer and a silly vintage short about the making of one of Reynolds' gowns. Only for fans of movie musicals.

Doesn't really work.

[Tommy-92 · 3 March 2000]

I don't know what it was, but I couldn't really get into this movie, be affected by it or enjoy it very much. Well, yeah, the society party scenes were a hoot, the scenery was pretty, the chereography of the "Friend" song was good, but that was about it. The rest was just... there, not horrible, but definitly not above average, either.

Debbie Reynolds should have been very well suited to the role of Molly Brown, but for all her teeth-gritting, yelling, and wailing, she just doesn't rise to the occasion. Why this is often considered her best role, and why she was nominated for an Oscar for it, I really couldn't tell you. Harve Presnell has a soaring voice, but again, just is average. The Merideth Willson score is rather pedestrian. (Apparently several songs were cut from the Broadway show; maybe they were better.) But really, this guy did The Music Man? And the Titanic sinking is done and dispensed with in maybe two minutes, if that. Come on! The one reason this musical was made was because of Mrs. Brown's legendary courage after that sinking. Not much evidence of that here. Oh, and yes, the musical is pretty accurate in terms of the many legends surrouding Margaret Brown, but not so faithful to the real person. (Many minute things: she was never rescued from a flood as a baby, she was actually born and raised in Hannibal, Missouri, her husband was always called J.J., never Johnny, they never really did reconcile, she actually had two children with him that were not mentioned, she never really was accepted by the Sacred Thirty-Six, her many contributions to the juvenile and suffrage movements were ignored as always, etc. and so forth. She was never even called Molly, always Margaret.) You get the point...

It simply wasn't anything special.