BYE BYE, BIRDIE
US, 1963, 116 minutes, Colour.
Janet Leigh, Dick Van Dyke, Ann- Margret, Jesse Pearson, Maureen Stapleton, Paul Lynde.
Directed by George Sidney.
A satirical musical. A dark-haired Janet Leigh is the attractive star and she works with Dick Van Dyke at the beginning of his film career. However the main focus of attention is on Ann- Margret. She had made her debut in A Pocketful of Miracles and then moved to State Pair but this film gave her career a great boost.
She appeared in many mediocre films during the 1960s but then appeared in Carnal Knowledge. She has become quite an effective actress.
Bye Bye Birdie is a satirical look at the response of teenagers to such singers as Elvis Presley. Jesse Pearson does a reasonable takeoff of Presley and a lot of fun is poked at middle America. It may seem somewhat dated now although director George Sidney (who made so many MGM musicals, including Showboat) tries to give the rather vulgar proceedings some panache.
1. The impact of this musical in the sixties, now? How well does it stand up in theme and treatment?
2. The film was based on a play. Was this evident? The music, the songs? The realism of the screen play, its artificiality and parody?
3. Techniques of colour, wide screen, split screen techniques. The animation within the songs, the atmosphere of television?
4. The contribution of the stars, the focus on Ann-Margret? and the film being an Ann-Margret? vehicle?
5. The validity and effectiveness of the parody on the Elvis Presley style singer in the sixties? The scenes of him singing, the effect especially on the woman, the Mayor's wife etc.? The parallels to Elvis Presley in appearance, singing style and background of his being drafted?
6. The world of the song writers: song writing as a goal, way of life, big business? Albert and his scientific talents, his desire to write songs? Rosie and her background, support of Albert? The continual intrusion of his mother (and her feet appearing first?), the world of deals, manipulation?
7. The portrait of the TV world and people getting breaks, Ed Sullivan and the atmosphere of his show, contracts, build-up? The humour and the parody of the fast ballet?
8. The portrait of small town Americana: the club for the singer, the boys' reaction, TV parents and their worries, the double values about work, prominence? The Mayor? Their all wanting to be on television?
9. The satire on American family values especially in the person of the father and his change of attitudes, wanting to get on television?
10. How attractive a heroine was Ann Margret as Kim? A credible small town girl, her relationship with Hugo, on the phone, fainting, romantic attitudes, dancing, performance on the show and rehearsing for it? Her songs?
11. The parody in the swooning sequences, the group conforming etc.?
12. The use of mothers and their pressure on their daughters?
13. The contribution of the songs, the Birdie songs, romantic? The parallels of men and women? The importance of the parallel of Kim and Rosie?
14. The happy ending with Albert and Rosie? Their songs and dances, fantasies for example Rosie and looking at herself during the song, the song at the night club and the provocation of Albert? The song with Kim?
15. How humorous was the film? The point being made?
