Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

This is clearly a film that divides people straight down the line - love/hate.For me two things stand out. The superb orchestrations which probably had something to do with Roger Eden's producing credit. And the two brilliantly staged big musical numbers "Belly up to the bar boys" and "He's my friend". Unlike some of the reviewers here, I think Peter Gennaro was one of the greatest film choreographers and his work here is fantastic. Look how the two dances absolutely suit the characters and situations and how sheer exuberant energy combines with precise footwork so it looks as if the dancers are making it up. And can anyone tell me if a couple of the dancing girls in the bar-room number are actually men in drag? Very witty and clever.

Today is the 100 year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and here I am reading the reviews of "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" and listening to the CD of the Broadway musical, which I saw 14 years ago tonight in NYC. "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" is a movie that I've loved ever since my Mom dragged the whole family to see in 1964 when it came out. My reaction after reading a lot of these reviews is that most of the naysayers should lighten up. It is a musical COMEDY film made right at the end of the studio era in Hollywood. In comedy performers are quite broad. This wasn't a film that was supposed to be sophisticated...remember that one of the biggest TV hits of the time was "The Beverly Hillbillies." In my opinion Debbie Reynolds should have taken home the Oscar for Best Actress as she nails the part in all 3 aspects--singing, dancing, and acting. If you disagree with me about the acting, just re-watch the scene in Europe when she encounters Gladys MacGraw in the fancy restaurant while she's missing Johnny. Julie was wonderful too, but her character of Mary Poppins was rather a one-note one. She won simply because she was denied the role of Eliza Dolittle by Jack Warner, and she was much, much better that year in "The Americanization of Emily" and in 1965 in "The Sound of Music." "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" is one of the last of the old-style Hollywood musicals and rates as the 7th best film of 1964 on my 10 Best List for that year. (Yes, "My Fair Lady," "Dr. Strangelove," and "Mary Poppins" are 1, 2, and 3) And in 1989 I got to see Debbie and Harve repeat their roles from this film LIVE on stage and they were just as wonderful!

Apparently the survivor of some boating mishap, "Molly" appears in a wooden crib on a rocky patch of the Colorado River. The talkative baby girl crawls ashore and is taken in by Irish alcoholic Ed Begley (as Shamus Tobin). After growing up to be dirty tomboy Debbie Reynolds (as Molly) in a vibrant red wig, she is advised, "Learn to serve God and a hot breakfast." After skinny dipping one day, Ms. Reynolds meets blond baritone Harve Presnell (as John "Johnny" Brown) and is invited to spend the night in his cabin. But Reynolds is interested in money, not men. Finally, Mr. Presnell is able to woo Reynolds with riches, but her backwoods vulgarity is shunned by their Pennsylvania Avenue mansion neighbors..."The Unsinkable Molly Brown" was Meredith Willson's follow-up to "The Music Man" which guaranteed it much attention. It was a Broadway hit for Tammy Grimes and Presnell, who recreates his role nicely for the film. The leading role was passed from Shirley MacLaine to Debbie Reynolds, who were box office stars in 1964 (positioned at #7 and #12 in the "Quigley Publications" annual poll that year). Grimes won a "Tony" for her performance, and Reynolds was considered for a "Best Actress" award. She is certainly energetic, but this performance is overrated. Reynolds yells rather than sings her songs, and Mr. Willson's soundtrack is strikingly inferior to "The Music Man". And the story is superficial...Don't expect much from the "Titanic" connection. This film's recommended for other reasons. "He's My Friend" is the highlight - choreographed by Peter Gennaro, it can be seen after about 1:45 of running time. Especially noteworthy are two "West Side Story" dancers, stage "Jet" Grover Dale and film "Shark" Gus Trikonis. Also in some opening scenes, the men are probably more remembered today (by "insiders") for their personal relationships with Tony Perkins and Goldie Hawn; they are spectacular here, and get a good amount of screen, if not speaking, time. Also noteworthy is the coupling of Mr. Begley with Hermione Baddeley, and a delightfully snooty characterization by Audrey Christie.****** The Unsinkable Molly Brown (6/11/64) Charles Walters ~ Debbie Reynolds, Harve Presnell, Grover Dale, Gus Trikonis

Almost everything about Margaret Tobin Brown's life story is fiction in the film – except for her heroics in the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. But this is a movie musical. It's loosely based on the life and fortunes (pun intended) of a real person. But the details of that life are turned to fiction to fit the romance, comedy and music and dance of a musical. And what a great piece of entertainment it is. "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" is a first-rate film with great music and dance numbers, and with a good plot to boot. It has a good serving of comedy, a tender love story, and lessons about life. The sets and costumes are spectacular and the film has some great Rocky Mountain scenery. The movie was a box office success, and the fact that it received six Academy Award nominations says something about its quality – including the best actress nomination for Reynolds. Just consider the competition it was up against. Film historians say that musicals were waning in appeal by the mid-1960s. Yet, 1964 was one of the most competitive years in the history of Hollywood for musicals. Besides Molly Brown, "Mary Poppins" scored a best actress for Julie Andrews, and "My Fair Lady" took the best picture prize. Indeed, 1964 was a great year for movies period, so the Academy Awards for that year was a showcase of great movies that have endured with time. Other great films were "Becket," "Zorba the Greek," "Dr Strangelove," "The Night of the Iguana," "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte," "The Pink Panther," "Seven Days in May," "What a Way to Go," "The Best Man," and "The Fall of the Roman Empire." As one who greatly enjoys musicals for the many song and dance talents of show biz, including group songs and dance routines, I find it hard to rate one top performance over another. Especially in a year when three great musicals came out. Mary Poppins surely had the most popular tunes, including the incomparable Julie Andrews singing "Chim Chim Cher-ee." My Fair Lady had the unique "Rain in Spain" series with Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn, and two good choreographed scenes. But I liked the boisterous numbers Debbie Reynolds had in Molly Brown, the very good songs that baritone Harve Presnell sang, and the two large-scale group song and dance episodes. Then, I like the story line of Molly Brown best – even fictionalized – because it's about a real person, who lived a most unusual life, with times and places I knew about and could recognize as a viewer. So, I give "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" a rating of 9 out of 10 stars – the same as for "Mary Poppins;" and just one-notch away from the 10 rating I give to "My Fair Lady." (My only other 10 ratings for the year were "Becket" and "Dr. Strangelove," and the only other 9 ratings I gave were for "Zorba the Greek" and "The Pink Panther." And, very few years dating since the 1920s do I have six films that I rate 9 or 10.)