Bye Bye Birdie (1963)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

George Sidney

Writers:

Michael Stewart (book)
Irving Brecher (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 April 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Family | Comedy

Plot:

A rock singer travels to a small Ohio town to make his "farewell" television performance and kiss his biggest fan before he is drafted.

Plot Keywords:

Song | Kiss | Ohio | High School | Secretary

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Janet Leigh	...	Rosie DeLeon
Dick Van Dyke	...	Albert F. Peterson
Ann-Margret	...	Kim McAfee
Maureen Stapleton	...	Mama Mae Peterson
Bobby Rydell	...	Hugo Peabody
Jesse Pearson	...	Conrad Birdie
Paul Lynde	...	Harry McAfee
Mary LaRoche	...	Doris McAfee
Michael Evans	...	Claude Paisley
Robert Paige	...	Bob Precht
Gregory Morton	...	Maestro Borov
Bryan Russell	...	Randolph McAfee
Milton Frome	...	Mr. Maude
Ed Sullivan	...	Himself
Ben Astar	...	Ballet manager

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (optical prints) | 4-Track Stereo (magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Singapore:PG | USA:Approved (No. 20408) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:G (1996)

Filming Locations:

Greek Theatre, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Despite portraying the mother of Dick Van Dyke's character in the film, Maureen Stapleton is just six months older than Van Dyke.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When the turtle accelerates up some steps and out of an open door, you can see a clear ramp over the steps that allowed the turtle prop to slide cleanly up and out.

Quotes:

Rose DeLeon: I must be the prized dope of all-time... thinking I could pry you away from your mama's ever-lovin' tentacles.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Perfect Strangers: Bye Bye Biki (#3.18)" (1988)

Soundtrack:

Put On a Happy Face

A time and a place that we thought would not end

This musical, for those of us who were of the age then, represents a time and a place we thought would not end. Entering our early teens in suburbia, begat of young war veterans, the biggest issues in our lives were those reflected in this film; who pinned who and the adulation of our musical icons. The whole world was Sweet Apple and "someday we would find out this was what life was all about" as Kim sings to a befuddled Hugo. Even nerds could fall in love. And an equal force in our weekly lives was the Sunday ritual of The Ed Sullivan Show. This is a beautiful homage to that world that would end seven months later in Dallas and bring with it the counter culture, riots and Viet Nam. Hard to put on a happy face... But you will with this score. More fifties and Bosa Nova then the hip sixties it is toe tapping and gets under your skin. Worth repeat viewings. And as always "I gotta be sincere..if you feel it in here.." and I still do.