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The Boy Friend
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Synopsis
The Boy Friend began life as Sandy Wilson's small-scale pastiche of British musical comedies of the 1920s. When the play was brought to America in 1954, its star was the teenage Julie Andrews. Because The Boy Friend requires a minimum of sets, props, and costumes, it has become a favorite of amateur theater groups throughout the world. But director Ken Russell, notorious for his onscreen excesses, abandoned the film's simplicity. He fashioned a humongous parody of the Busby Berkeley film musicals of the 1930s, staged on a scale that made Berkeley seem stylistically modest. Fashion model Twiggy plays Polly Browne, an aspiring musical comedy star, working as stage manager of a production of The Boy Friend. She is transformed into a star when she replaces leading lady Rita Monroe (Glenda Jackson, unbilled), who twists her ankle seconds before the curtain goes up. Before the evening is over, Polly is scampering over outsized sets, and ducking around seemingly thousands of chorus girls and boys. Christopher Gable, who plays Polly's on-stage leading man, also choreographed the lavish musical numbers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

Max Adrian Max
Christopher Gable Tony Brockhurst
Glenda Jackson Rita Monroe
Murray Melvin Alphonse
Bryan Pringle Percy Parkhill
Twiggy Polly Browne

Production Crew

Simon Holland Art Director
Christopher Gable Choreography
Gillian Gregory Choreography
Terry Gilbert Choreography
David Watkin Cinematographer
Peter Greenwell Composer (Music Score)
Peter Maxwell Davies Conductor
Shirley Russell Costume Designer
Ken Russell Director
Michael Bradsell Editor
Graham Ford First Assistant Director
Peter Maxwell Davies Musical Arrangement
Sandy Wilson Play Author
Harry Benn Producer
Ken Russell Producer
Ken Russell Screenwriter
Tony Walton Set Designer
Brian Simmons Sound/Sound Designer
Maurice Askew Sound/Sound Designer
Year: 1971
Runtime: 108
Country: UK
MPAA Rating: G
Category: Feature

Genre
Comedy
Musical

Color type
Metrocolor

Produced by
MGM

Awards
1971 - Best Picture - National Board of Review
1971 - Best Picture - Musical or Comedy - Golden Globe
1971 - Best Picture - Musical or Comedy - Golden Globe
1971 - Best Picture - National Board of Review
1971 - Best Picture - Musical or Comedy - Hollywood Foreign Press Association