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The Music Man
The Music Man
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The Music Man

The Music Man

1962
Romance, Comedy
2h 31m
A con man comes to a Midwestern town with a scam using a boy's marching band program, but things don't go according to plan. (imdb)

The Music Man

1962
Romance, Comedy
2h 31m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 57.92% from 414 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(418)
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Rated 12 Jun 2023
92
84th
More fun and entertaining than most musicals of its time. It helps that the main character is a sly bastard of a con man (at least until he inevitably finds True Love and recognizes The Error of His Ways). Super-catchy tunes that even Family Guy couldn't help ripping off.
Rated 28 Aug 2012
85
73rd
Wonderful music and one of the best con men ever.
Rated 09 Aug 2011
80
49th
One of the few musicals I enjoy...and if you're a fan of the monorail episode of The Simpson's, you'll get a kick out of it.
Rated 18 May 2010
44
33rd
It would get a better score IF I COULD GET THE DAMN SONGS OUT OF MY HEAD
Rated 18 Feb 2009
76
64th
My cynicism and pompousness completely disappears when Buddy starts singing "Shipoopi". Then I'm 5 years old.
Rated 22 Jan 2009
79
46th
Such a dirty movie... Doesn't quite take advantage of the formal elements of film (it's more of a filmed play), but the unique style of songs is enough to make me forgive that.
Rated 12 Jan 2008
76
44th
Bright, bouncy but uninspiring musical. One big number (76 trombones) otherwise forgettable numbers. Ok story, good acting but it's certainly not Hello Dolly
Rated 14 Aug 2007
48
28th
The music's great. Preston's great. I...I don't know why I'm only giving this a 48 actually.
Rated 02 Mar 2024
75
56th
Has an infectious energy though a somewhat muddled message. I kept thinking that you could read it as a commentary on organized religion, though I don't at all think this is what they were going for by any means. It's fun, though, which is what you really want in a musical, but you can't think about it too much.
Rated 28 Jan 2023
60
36th
When I watched this as a kid, I was horrified to think someday I might be in a library and suddenly the place would break out into a giant song and dance number. Never happened; I don't know whether to say "Ye gods" or "Balzac!" The songs are peculiar but catchy, although I actually liked the dance numbers the best. As with most musicals, there's a bit of corniness that might have been more manageable if this were a little shorter.
Rated 15 Nov 2021
89
90th
"The sadder but wiser girl for me..." haha - wait, what?! Tsundere goes soft and all but sings Olivia Newton John's "I Love You, I Honestly Love You" at the end? Am I reading the Fountainhead? What happened? I don't know. I don't care. I love it. Jesus, what a ridiculous movie. Not feminist, necessarily (doesn't need to be, just hints that it might be at times), but thumbs its nose at 1950s Comstockery left and right.
Rated 04 Jun 2021
65
34th
For me most of the songs are pretty irritating and dull, though there are some unique presentations that I applaud. Worth hearing some songs for reference, but overall not a very good movie.
Rated 05 Jul 2020
65
68th
The Music Man is one of the best on-screen adaptations of a musical that I have seen. It doesn't try to overdo or outdo the musical format, it simply uses the strengths of both film and stage. The end result is a fine Golden Age Hollywood film that is probably the favorite of more than a handful of grandmas.
Rated 21 Nov 2016
83
72nd
just as much rating the musical as the movie
Rated 05 Jul 2016
60
39th
Preston is a marvel, but while there are a few good tunes (Ya Got Trouble, for example) there are pacing problems. Did we really need to hear Buddy Hackett sing in an two hour and thirty minute film? Nor does Marian the Librarian's sudden change of heart from dislike and mistrust to complete besottedness before the Music Man's charms ever seem convincingly motivated.
Rated 25 Feb 2015
75
63rd
You know, despite myself, despite what I WANT to say, I enjoy this movie. The barbershop quartet is brilliant, Robert Preston is ridiculously charming, there are some classic songs, and the dancing is excellent. And it all kind of annoys me. But it's still good.
Rated 04 Oct 2014
45
39th
Rather more imaginative than your average, cornball musical. Memorable: Buddy Hackett's "Shipoopi" number. Unforgettable: Hermione Gingold as Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn. "Gr-r-r-r-recian Urns" and "BALZAC!" (Miss Gingold was herself an unforgettable personality and great wit...she uttered one of my all-time favorite quotes from an actress: "It would appear that I have tried everything except incest and folk-dancing.")
Rated 02 Jun 2013
60
47th
Troubling, with a capital T.
Rated 27 Mar 2013
66
18th
It's breathtaking how every song is somehow even more absurdly terrible than the last. The whole thing is an amazing trainwreck, but I certainly got a good number of laughs and some stunning moments so I have to admit I enjoyed it on some level.
Rated 04 Jan 2013
85
96th
Robert Preston gave the best all-time male film peformance in a musical and was, sadly ignored for the Oscar...wonderful direction and pacing for the paper-thin plot common to musicals of the era...perfectly cast ("Balzac!!!").
Rated 01 Mar 2012
55
28th
Not my favorite musical story but I really like the songs. It's quite a dilemma to be in. I'll give it the nod into the "like" category since it helped inspire a great Simpsons episode.
Rated 03 Nov 2010
3
21st
When I was a kid I tried out for the role of the kid. The musical director chose her son over me. I'm kind of glad I didn't do it, but that's still a jerk move on her behalf
Rated 08 Jul 2010
80
60th
I might be overrating this for sentimental reasons, but it's still one of the only classic musicals that never makes me feel it's length.
Rated 08 Mar 2010
76
31st
Uninspired direction, and an earnest and obvious performance by Robert Preston. I think this has fewer good tunes than any other major musical.
Rated 18 Sep 2009
40
23rd
I am surprised at how much I *didn't* like this one. I often enjoy musicals, but some of them just have too high a corn quotient even for me
Rated 10 Aug 2009
96
93rd
"The Music Man" is one of the greatest American musicals ever written. Even though it may look like a traditional musical. It really isn't. It broke many grounds in musical theater such as the use of darker themes, non rhythmic score, and a lead who is both a good guy and a bad guy.
Rated 28 Jan 2009
80
64th
Not big on musicals, but this was obviously a good film.
Rated 15 Jan 2009
69
66th
So many musicals during the '60's...weird. Anywho, I first saw this in school and I was hooked. I do enjoy a good musical, every now and again.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
64
52nd
I have fond memories of this musical.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
92nd
Well-written, good songs, very good lead performance, probably a little long.

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