Thoroughly Modern Millie

I thought Mary Tyler Moore did a fine job as Miss Dorothy. The trouble with the movie comes with Carol Channing. She played this role so annoyingly I almost wanted Mrs. Meers to knock her over the head when they were fighting, I mean how did this girl make it? She can't sing, can't dance and can't act...a triple blow.

Also James Fox was a mess. There was absolutely no chemistry between him and Julie. (Don't watch Sound of Music before this movie because after watching Julie and Chris Plummer you won't be able to believe that Millie and Jimmy are in love.)

Another thing that bothered me was there was a lot of mind singing, so the thoughts were sung in the background while things happened. The opening number was great, yet it would have been even better if it was a big number sung by everyone.

I guess the reason I am hard on this movie is because the new stage production is a million times better. The Muzzy we saw was African American and totally right for the role...inspiring not obnoxtious. Millie and Jimmy were convincing and the new and improved songs were not my favorite, but pretty good. There were showstopping numbers and it was never boring. So see the new TMM!


Perfect, just terrif!   April 10, 2004
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Thoroughly a treasure; really, it's swell, just swell. Julie Andrews, Mary Tyler Moore, and Carol channing are terrific in this fun spoof of the 1920's. Julie Andrews is Millie, and is as enduring and talented as ever. Mary Tyler Moore is so sweet in this film, and has a chance to show off her amazing dancing talent. Adding to the supreme talent of these actress is the insanely brillant Beatrice Lilly as Mrs. Meers, the villianess, who quips us with great lines such as "Shoe Show," or "Sad to be all alone in this world." Balancing off the female talents in this film are the delightful and funny James Fox, and the oh so swell John Gavin.
The film is fabulous, fun and delightful, holding many highlight musical scenes such as dancing in the elevator, Jazz Baby, or the tapioca, or even other, non musical scenes such as scenes with the cab driver. It is a film to be enjoyed simply because of how much fun it is. And it'll have you quoting it, or singing the songs from it for months afterward.
Don't miss this film by jingo- no raspberries!


One of my favorite films   March 19, 2004
When I was very young, I saw this movie on television when it was aired very late at night. It was way past my bedtime and had missed the beginning, but I was drawn in by the campiness of this movie and had to watch the whole thing. The next morning I had to go to school (college) and I was remarking to a classmate of mine about this really funny film that was so sixties about the twenties. He made an audible gasp, this was before the phrase "Drama Queen," which he was and still is, and asked me about certain parts of the film. He hadn't seen it in years and told me the title. Well, at that point I had to find this movie on tape, I'm embarrased to say laser disc hadn't been invented yet. I found a used vhs copy and played the thing to death. I recieved the laser disc copy as a birthday gift, the transfer isn't much to brag about but the introduction and intermission had been restored as it is still. I bought the dvd version not too long ago and the picture is cleaner but like a reviwer stated before me, the picture seems a bit grainy, this is due to the dvd's higher resolution. I think this print is as good as it's gonna get, this movie is 35 plus years old now and for it's age, it's not bad. The slapstick, the silent-movie cards placed at Julie Andrews thoughts, my favorite is her complaining about her full fronts ruining the line of her beads, and the overall sixties interpreting the twenties. Look at the makeup and hairstyles of the extras. Mary Tyler Moore as an airhead and virgin is a delightful step out of character and Carol Channing looking like she had a ball. The great Beatrice Lilly and her henchmen Jack Soo and Pat Morita spewing fake Chinese "Oh, Pook!" Opium Dens and fireworks, it's all here beautifully choreographed and scored, fun!!!


Good Transfer, Bare Bones...   December 12, 2003
I'm happy to finally see TMM on DVD, but was disappointed at the lack of extras. It would have been nice to include anecdotes from Julie Andrews, Mary Tyler Moore, et. al. Also, a 5.1 remix would have been preferable over the Dolby Digital (2 channel surround) one. Otherwise, no real complaints here; the remastering job is superb. Recommended.


I promise you won't bore me!!!   November 13, 2003
This is one of Julie's cutest movies, and it's also very funny. Oh! I looooovvvvve John Gavin as Trevor Graydon, he's so positively dreamy. The movie is interesting throughout, and has a handful of delightful songs including "Baby Face", "Trinkt Le Chaim", "The Tapioca" and more. The only reason I gave the DVD 4 stars instead of 5 is because I think that it is just an attempt by Universal to cash in on the Broadway hit, although there is nothing wrong with that. Yet as a Julie fan, I feel that Universal did not put any effort into putting extras on the DVD--- and they were available! (There is behind-the-scenes footage on the Hollywood Musicals of the 1960s DVD). Oh well, I guess they didn't go searching, searching, searching.