Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) - film review

New York, 1922.  Millie Dillmount is a thoroughly modern Miss who intends to find wealth by marrying a filthily rich employer.   Before she sets about this task in earnest, she befriends Miss Dorothy Brown, a socialite who intends to start a career as an actress.  The two girls become neighbours at a women only hotel run by Mrs Meers who, unbeknown to them, has a habit of abducting her guests and selling them into white slavery.  At a friendship dance, Millie meets paper clip salesman Jimmy Smith, who is instantly besotted with her.  She, however, is made of sterner stuff and perseveres with her plan to find a rich and single employer.  Eventually, she finds a suitable victim, Mr Trevor Graydon.  He seems to be the ideal catch, but unfortunately he is more interested in Dorothy than her...

Delightfully frothy, nauseatingly cute, Thoroughly Modern Millie is one of those films that you have to love and loathe in equal measure, since for every plus point there is a resounding minus.  On the plus side, the film evokes the vitality and fun of the 1920s, the decade in which it is supposed to be set (although the numerous anachronisms seem to belie this).  If nothing else, it is an effective pastiche of the flapper-era films and stage shows, lifted by some sprightly tunes, the best of which is the memorable title number.

Julie Andrews must have been the obvious choice for the lead role.  Whilst she isn’t perhaps everyone’s idea of a gauche flapper girl, she clearly has great fun in the role and fortunately doesn’t take it too seriously.  If only her co-stars were as charismatic and talented...  On the minus side, the film is hampered with a rambling storyline which, for no reason whatever, frequently breaks off into song and dance numbers and comedy digressions (including a misguided homage to Harold Lloyd) that have nothing whatever to do with the plot. 

The energy and focus have dissipated well and truly before the mid point, after which the film resembles an ungainly beast shuddering its way through a slow and painful death.  You can’t help thinking that had thirty or forty minutes been shaved off the runtime, a far better result would have been obtained.  As it is, Thoroughly Modern Millie is a cheery romp that outstays its welcome by several minutes of dreary comedy.

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