I agree with you completely, mit800. The point most seem to be missing is that Camelot as a musical had its main strength in its music and the book (for the musical) was always a mess. Vanessa is indisputably a fine actress, but a singer she's most assuredly not. I always thought Vanessa should have done Hawaii instead, and if Julie had done Camelot, Richard Burton, a far more charismatic actor and bigger draw than Harris, would have done it too and it would have been a lighter, brighter movie with the emphasis on the score where it belonged. Vanessa could have done a fine dramatic version of the story and that would been far more satisfying. Jack Warner always blamed the film's failure on Logan's choice of leads. At least we can give Jack the credit he learned something when he passed up Julie for My Fair Lady. Someday perhaps they can try this one again. I've also hoped that someday someone will do good adaptions of other musicals which were given short shrifts for various reasons -- Carousel and Brigadoon in particular.
As for South Pacific, I always hated it. What a shame they didn't cast Doris Day. It was a perfect role for her. The filters are stupid, but that wouldn't have made any difference if there had been a stronger leading lady.
I always kind of liked Paint Your Wagon, though. The singing of the leads leaves a lot to be desired, true, though Jean Seberg is an example of someone who was well dubbed, and the Andre Previn arrangements do as much with the score as one could hope. I saw it in 70mm on a Cinerama screen and it was really quite spectacular to behold.
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TANSD76
11 years ago
I've never seen the stage production but after watching the movie, I'd have to agree that the score makes the show.
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