From the post war period until the bitter end, MGM was remaking some of its greatest dramatic and comedic films into musicals, and some of them worked and some of them didn't. This was one of the ones that falls in between. By the late 1960's the studio was experiencing great upheaval, both managerially and financially, and the quality of a majority of their films during this time suffered, not coming close to MGM's heyday which lasted from its inception in 1924 until about 1946.
This 1969 version takes a small picture with great charm and heart and makes a big picture with much less charm and heart. The cinematography is beautiful, and the Greece and London locales are lovely, but they really do nothing to enhance the story. Likewise the songs are completely forgettable, and all of this focus on music and scenery just makes for an overly long film that is not that great in the first place.
This would rate a 5/10 for me if not for Peter O'Toole in the title role. Although as great an actor as he is, he really doesn't convince me that he is the dowdy would be old bachelor Chipping the way that Robert Donat fit the role like a glove. Likewise Petula Clark just can't top Greer Garson coming to us out of the fog on a mountain top like in the 1939 version.
I wouldn't lay this all at MGM's feet - lots of studios were making very weak musicals in the late 60s. This one is only redeemed by the acting talents of Peter O'Toole who does indeed give us some good and touching dramatic moments here.
This 1969 version takes a small picture with great charm and heart and makes a big picture with much less charm and heart. The cinematography is beautiful, and the Greece and London locales are lovely, but they really do nothing to enhance the story. Likewise the songs are completely forgettable, and all of this focus on music and scenery just makes for an overly long film that is not that great in the first place.
This would rate a 5/10 for me if not for Peter O'Toole in the title role. Although as great an actor as he is, he really doesn't convince me that he is the dowdy would be old bachelor Chipping the way that Robert Donat fit the role like a glove. Likewise Petula Clark just can't top Greer Garson coming to us out of the fog on a mountain top like in the 1939 version.
I wouldn't lay this all at MGM's feet - lots of studios were making very weak musicals in the late 60s. This one is only redeemed by the acting talents of Peter O'Toole who does indeed give us some good and touching dramatic moments here.