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The Unsinkable Molly Brown
The Unsinkable Molly Brown
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Charles Walters
Screenplay by	Helen Deutsch
Based on	The Unsinkable Molly Brown; by Meredith Willson; Richard Morris
Produced by	Lawrence Weingarten
Starring	Debbie Reynolds; Harve Presnell; Ed Begley
Cinematography	Daniel L. Fapp
Edited by	Frederic Steinkamp
Music by	Meredith Willson
Production; company	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	June 11, 1964;
Running time	128 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$11 million

The Unsinkable Molly Brown is a 1964 American Western musical comedy film directed by Charles Walters and starring Debbie Reynolds, filmed in Panavision. The screenplay by Helen Deutsch is based on the book of the 1960 musical of the same name by Richard Morris. The song score was composed by Meredith Willson. The plot is a fictionalized account of the life of Margaret Brown, who survived the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic. Reynolds was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Brown.

Plot

Rescued from the Colorado River as an infant and raised by Seamus Tobin, tomboy Molly Tobin is determined to find a wealthy man to marry. She journeys to Leadville, Colorado and is hired as a saloon singer by Christmas Morgan. After miner Johnny Brown renovates his cabin, the two wed, and he sells his claim in a silver mine for $300,000.

The Browns and Seamus move into a Denver mansion, and Molly sets out to improve her social status by trying to ingratiate herself with the city's elite, all of whom snub her and her nouveau riche ways. She and Johnny go to Europe, where they are embraced by royalty, and the couple return to Denver with their new friends. Molly's plan to introduce them to the people who formerly rejected her is derailed by Johnny's rough-and-tumble friends, whose unexpected and boisterous arrival ruins the gala party Molly is hosting.

Molly decides to return to Europe, leaving Johnny behind. She falls for the charms of Prince Louis de Lanière, but eventually decides she prefers to live with Johnny in Leadville. For the first time in her life, she realizes that someone else's feelings and priorities need to be considered. Setting sail for home aboard the RMS Titanic, she becomes a heroine when the ship sinks and she helps rescue many of her fellow passengers. When her deed makes international headlines, Molly is welcomed home by Johnny and the people of Denver.

Cast

Debbie Reynolds as Molly Brown
Harve Presnell as 'Leadville' Johnny Brown
Ed Begley as Seamus Tobin
Jack Kruschen as Christmas Morgan
Hermione Baddeley as Buttercup Grogan
Vassili Lambrinos as Prince Louis de Laniere
Fred Essler as Baron Karl Ludwig von Ettenburg
Harvey Lembeck as Polak
Lauren Gilbert as Mr. Fitzgerald
Kathryn Card as Mrs. Wadlington
Hayden Rorke as Malcolm Broderick
Harry Holcombe as Mr. Wadlington
Amy Douglass as Mrs. Fitzgerald
George Mitchell as Monsignor Ryan
Martita Hunt as Grand Duchess Elise Lupavinova
Vaughn Taylor as Mr. Cartwright
Anthony Eustrel as Roberts
Audrey Christie as Gladys McGraw
Grover Dale as Jam
Brendan Dillon as Murphy
Maria Karnilova as Daphne
Gus Trikonis as Joe
Ramsay Hill as Lord Simon Pimdale (uncredited)^[2]^[3]

Production

Harve Presnell was the sole member of the original Broadway cast who was invited to reprise his stage role in the film. Although Tammy Grimes had originated the title role and had won the Tony Award for her performance, MGM executives wanted Shirley MacLaine for the film. After she signed, producer Hal Wallis claimed she was under contract to him, and MacLaine was forced to withdraw from the project. After this, many people wanted Judy Garland. Garland was reported to be the star of the film in 1961. When Debbie Reynolds was cast instead, MacLaine publicly accused her of agreeing to accept a lower salary in order to land the role, and director Charles Walters, who preferred MacLaine, tried to persuade Reynolds to turn down the part.^[4]

Exteriors were filmed in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in western Colorado. Some brief black-and-white footage from the 1953 movie Titanic and 1958 movie A Night to Remember, portraying the ill-fated ocean liner's collision with an iceberg and sinking, was interspersed with scenes of Molly Brown aboard the ship and later in a lifeboat.

Only five of the 17 musical numbers from the stage musical were used in the film, and Meredith Willson wrote "He's My Friend" to extend the song score.^[5] Peter Gennaro, who had choreographed the original Broadway production, staged the musical sequences.

During production, MGM was putting all its resources into its forthcoming Doctor Zhivago (1965), and at least $1 million was cut from the budget of Molly Brown. Running out of money to complete the film, director Charles Walters proposed cutting the rousing dance number "He's My Friend". To save the number, cast and crew ultimately decided to film it in one rigorous day using multiple cameras to reduce shooting time.^[6]

The film grossed $11,070,559 at the domestic box office.^[1] It earned $7.5 million in U.S. theatrical rentals.^[7]^[8]

Musical numbers

"Belly Up to the Bar, Boys" ... Shamus Tobin, Christmas Morgan, Molly Brown, and Ensemble
"I Ain't Down Yet" ... Molly Brown
"Colorado, My Home" ... Johnny Brown
"I'll Never Say No" ... Johnny Brown and Molly Brown
"He's My Friend" ... Molly Brown, Johnny Brown, Mrs. Grogan, Grand Duchess Elise Lupovinova, Shamus Tobin, Christmas Morgan, and Ensemble
"Johnny's Soliloquy" ... Johnny Brown

Reception

Critical reception

A.H. Weiler of The New York Times called the film "big, brassy, bold and freewheeling" but added, "The tones are ringing, but often hollow. Molly is a colorful character all right, and the screen, which is as wide as can be, is filled with vivid colors that help project the fact that this is merely a satisfying musical comedy and not an inspired subject." He continued, "This is not to say that Meredith Willson's score is not tuneful and lilting but to this listener it is good, sweet corn that is more palatable than memorable. Mr. Gennaro, on the other hand, has devised dances that more than complement Mr. Willson's music. They may seem to be improvised but they have the true marks of professionalism in their carefully plotted verve, bounce and exuberance." He concluded, "The Unsinkable Molly Brown, in the person of Miss Reynolds, and the other principals, often mistakes vigor for art. But Metro's lavish and attractive production numbers make up for this basic superficiality. For all of its shallowness, Molly is a cheerful and entertaining addition to the local screen scene."^[9]

Variety observed, "In essence, it's a pretty shallow story since the title character, when you get right down to it, is obsessed with a very superficial, egotistical problem beneath her generous, razzmatazz facade. On top of that, Willson's score is rather undistinguished. Debbie Reynolds thrusts herself into the role with an enormous amount of verve and vigor. At times her approach to the character seems more athletic than artful. Harve Presnell ... makes a generally auspicious screen debut as the patient Johnny. His fine, booming voice and physical stature make him a valuable commodity for Hollywood."^[10]

Channel 4 called it an "amiable comedy with a handful of good tunes" that "lacks the satirical bite which its story may suggest. Sometimes the director seems to feel more at ease with the melodramatic moments than the comedy ones."^[11]

Time Out London noted, "As ebulliently energetic as ever, Reynolds makes the brash social climbing both funny and touching, but the film itself gets trapped in two minds between satire and sentimentality. The score ... though pleasant, is rather thinly spread; but the sets are a delight in the best traditions of the MGM musical, and Walters does a wonderfully graceful job of direction".^[12]

TV Guide rated the film three out of four stars and commented, "A rambunctious and spirited effort from Reynolds ... saves this otherwise weakly scripted, familiar musical from the long list of forgotten pictures."^[8]

Box office

The film set an opening week record at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, grossing $222,000 and became the number one film in the US that week.^[13]^[14] It went on to be the highest grossing film at the theater, with a 10-week gross of $2 million.^[15]

Awards and honors

Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result
Academy Awards^[16]	Best Actress	Debbie Reynolds	Nominated
	Best Art Direction – Color	George Davis, E. Preston Ames, Henry Grace and Hugh Hunt	Nominated
	Best Cinematography – Color	Daniel L. Fapp	Nominated
	Best Costume Design – Color	Morton Haack	Nominated
	Best Scoring of Music – Adaptation or Treatment	Robert Armbruster, Leo Arnaud, Jack Elliott, Jack Hayes, Calvin Jackson and Leo Shuken	Nominated
	Best Sound	Franklin Milton	Nominated
American Cinema Editors Awards	Best Edited Feature Film	Fredric Steinkamp	Nominated
American Film Institute^[17]	AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals		Nominated
Boxoffice Magazine Awards	Best Picture of the Month for the Whole Family (July)	Charles Walters	Won
Golden Globe Awards	Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy		Nominated
	Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical	Debbie Reynolds	Nominated
	New Star of the Year – Actor	Harve Presnell	Won
Golden Reel Awards	Best Sound Editing – Dialogue		Won^[a]
Laurel Awards	Top Musical		Won
	Top Male Musical Performance	Harve Presnell	Nominated
	Top Female Musical Performance	Debbie Reynolds	Nominated
	Top Male Supporting Performance	Ed Begley	Nominated
Photoplay Awards	Gold Medal		Won
Writers Guild of America Awards	Best Written American Musical	Helen Deutsch	Nominated

Home media

Warner Home Video released the Region 1 DVD on September 19, 2000. The film is in anamorphic widescreen format with an audio track in English and subtitles in English and French. In 2016, Warner Archive released the film on Blu Ray.

Notes

^ Tied with Fate Is the Hunter.

References

^ ^a ^b Box Office Information for The Unsinkable Molly Brown The Numbers. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
^ "Personal Data: Deaths". The Hollywood Reporter. September 5, 1976. p. 27. ProQuest 3031330935. C.S. Ramsay-Hill, 85, former British actor, died Feb. 3 at Valley Presbyterian Hospital after a long illness. He started in radio and later became a technical director for films. He played in 'On a Clear Day You Can See Forever' and 'The Unsinkable Molly Brown.' As a young man, he served in the 11th Hussars in the British Army. Services will be Thursday at 11 A.M. at Praiswater Funeral Home in Van Nuys followed by interment at Valhalla Memorial Park, No. Hollywood. He is survived by his wife Polly.
^ Ragan, David (1992). Who's Who in Hollywood : The Largest Cast of International Film Personalities Ever Assembled. New York: Facts On File. p. 1385. ISBN 0-8160-2011-6.
^ The Unsinkable Molly Brown at Turner Classic Movies
^ Green, Stanley, and Schmidt, Elaine, Hollywood Musicals Year By Year. Hal Leonard Corporation 1999. ISBN 0-634-00765-3, p. 229
^ Reynolds, Debbie (2013). Unsinkable: A Memoir. HarperCollins Publishers. p. 256. ISBN 978-0-06-221365-5.
^ "All-Time Top Grossers", Variety, 6 January 1963 p 39.
^ ^a ^b TV Guide review
^ Weiler, A.H. (July 17, 1964). "Screen: Exploits of 'The Unsinkable Molly Brown':Debbie Reynolds Stars in M-G-M Musical". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 7, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
^ "Film reviews: The Unsinkable Molly Brown". Variety. May 27, 1964. p. 6.
^ Channel 4 review
^ Time Out London review
^ "National Boxoffice Survey". Variety. July 22, 1964. p. 3.
^ "How Weather Bops B'way But 'Molly' Record 1st Week's $222,000, 'Seduced' New High 25G; 'Shot' Boffo $38,000". Variety. July 22, 1964. p. 37.
^ "New Pix Boost B'way;'Topkapi' Giant 77G; 'Molly' New Music Hall Record of $2,000,000; 'Invasion' Fast 35G". Variety. September 23, 1964. p. 18.
^ "The 37th Academy Awards (1965) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 2011-08-24.
^ "AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-13.