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The day they arrive is the wedding day of Harry Beaton (Hugh
Laing) and Jean Campbell (Virginia Bosier).
The festivity overshadowed by the jealousy of the bridegroom's
brother Archie (Tudor Owen) who threatens to leave the village,
thereby ensuring its destruction.
Tommy falls in love with the bride's sister Fiona Campbell
(Cyd Charisse) and they consult the schoolmaster Mr. Lundie
(Barry Jones) who tells Tommy that he can stay, if his love
is true.
Jeff passes the day in an alcoholic fog that ends in the
shooting of fleeing Archie. Tommy can't make the commitment
of everlasting love to Fiona so he returns with Jeff to the
highlife of New York and fiancée Jane Ashton (Elaine Stewart).
Her shallowness and the narrow materialism of his business
colleagues are repugnant to him so he returns to Scotland
and the site of the vanished Brigadoon, to grieve for what
he has lost.
Love, of course, wins out in the end.
The Lerner and Loewe score is one of the best of the 1950's
musicals including hits like 'Heather on the Hill', 'Almost
Like Being in Love', and the enchanting, 'Waiting For My Dearie'.
Gene Kelly's romantic ballet sequences with the lovely Cyd
Charisse are charming, but I prefer his choreography and routines
of the production numbers, especially the vibrant 'Ill Go
Home With Bonnie Jean', in which he and Van Johnson do an
entertaining tap.
Vincente Minnelli's direction is curiously flaccid; as if
with the talent of the players, the great music and good story,
his contribution is to compose pretty pictures and let it
all happen.
For a large part of the film it works except for getting
Cyd Charisse's performance up from good to great and allowing
grotesque overacting from the villain.
The stand out actor is Van Johnson as the boozy, cynical,
loyal friend who, for a big man is remarkably light on his
feet, a good singer and provides the acidity required to stop
the story being too sweet.
Conclusion: 85% Extras: 40%.
Continued:
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