Brigadoon (1954) Review

Title: Brigadoon
Year: 1954
Director: Vincente Minnelli 
Country: US
Language: English

I recently watched Brigadoon (1954) on the Criterion Channel under the Classic MGM Musicals Collection. I've loved Gene Kelly ever since I first saw him in Singin in the Rain (1952) and I was ecstatic that I could watch more of his work. Vincente Minnelli is one of my favourite directors as well; I love Meet Me in St. Louis (1944). 

Two Americans (Gene Kelly & Van Johnson) on a hunting trip in Scotland become lost. They encounter a small village, not on the map, called Brigadoon, in which people harbor a mysterious secret, and behave as if they were still living two hundred years in the past.

Brigadoon is a musical/fantasy that feels - and looks like- a fairytale come to life. It's sweeping in its romance & epic in terms of music. The score is lively; bouncing with feverish energy. The set design is remarkable, as Minelli gives us an 18th Century Scotland that is teeming with life. 

This colourful, vibrant picture made full use of the Cinemascope lens, filling the frame with Gene Kelly's memorable choreography. The other performances are fair, but aren't in the same league as the star of the show. Written for the screen by Allen Lerner, Brigadoon doesn't always maintain its rapid pace, but the overall picture does prevail in entertainment. 

While it isn't An American in Paris (1951), Brigadoon still gives modern audiences a slice of nostalgia for the Golden Age of Hollywood. Musicals this spectacular don't come around very often, so I'm glad I was able to see one of the greats.