- Categories: Fantasy, Musical, Romance
- Tags: Time Travel – Love Conquers all – Power of prayer (this one is subtle in scene with Fiona)-People in different realities of time living in the same space at the same time.
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) – mgm.com
- Released: 1954; Re-released: 1962, it has been released in many countries; sold on VHS, DVD, Laser Disc and now you can find offered as Video on Demand.
- Total Run Time: 108 Minutes
The short description: Two Americans on a trip in Scotland become lost. They find a small village, not on the map called Brigadoon, in which people harbor a mysterious secret and behave as if they were living two hundred years in the past. (This description and the pictures of Cyd Charisse in her beautiful dresses, which I so wanted as a child even now, hooked me into wanting to watch the movie. I mean come on, a village with a mysterious secret who doesn’t want to hear the story.) M-G-M promoted this as their Beautiful, Bountiful, Sensation.
I would give this movie FIVE POPS because it was very magical with people waking up one day every 100 years and sleeping otherwise. The concept that they occupied the same space as current time for the rest of the 100 days is a great parallel universe concept. Then a couple found love in a day. It roped me in. Plus, the idea of traditions and elders guiding others.
Below are my thoughts about the movie and why I liked it so much.
I remember the first time I watched Brigadoon, I was with my mom who loved the classic movies and would always find out which ones were playing so we could watch them. (Thanks mom.)
When you watch a movie that moves you, you tend to remember where you were and with whom when you watched it. I remember watching this movie in our family room, sitting on our red, blue and green plaid couch in front of the fireplace, with a bucket of nuts to crack open and eat. This is one of my all-time favorite movies. I remember wanting to find Brigadoon, because it felt so magical, with a community of people that looked after each other and woke up every 100 years. At an early age I had a desire to see the future. This place sounded like a perfect place to live to do that.
However, I did not catch the first time I watched it that no one could leave the boundaries of the village or all would be gone forever. So I will need to find another place to live that materializes every 100 years and maybe gives me a month to explore the current culture. This movie gave a feeling that there was magic out there, romance of words and actions, love that conquers all and happy dancing.
It seemed when people were in love or happy that it was expressed in song and dance. Of course, doesn’t this happen for everyone? This is a story about a guy (Tommy Albright-Gene Kelly) living a fast passed life in New York City, wanting a break from it all (I have felt this pressure and need for a break many times in my life. ), so he get’s his pal (Jeff Douglas-Van Johnson) to take a trip with him to Scotland. The two of them are lost in picturesque Scotland and stumble across the village of Brigadoon while hiking.
In the village outskirts they meet (Fiona Campbell-Cyd Charisse), Fiona sings a song about holding her hat till the right man comes along, and knowing he is out there and that she will not settle for anything less (Bit of female intuition but she was a bit of a rebel and did not want to marry who the village told her to marry).
Tommy is smitten right away. But the romance between Tommy and Fiona is chemistry. It makes you want to be in a romance like they have. Falling in love at first sight. Set in a lovely scene of heather and laurels. Take me back in time to the simple life…without the concrete jungle towns where nobody knows your name and it is really hard to hear a babbling brook over the footsteps, bikes, motorcycles, cars, planes and trains.
I must mention the music, for me music sets my mood. The music in this film pulls you into the emotions of the characters. Songs like Go Home to Bonnie Jean and It’s Almost Like Being in Love. We cannot mention the music without mentioning the dancing. Gene Kelly not only acted in this he choreographed the musical numbers. WOW—each number is an award-winning production in my book. Some are fun and get you wanting to join in, and some help you feel the love, or the pain. I wish I would have had a chance to have a conversation with him about where he goes for his inspiration and creativity. If I had a board of directors that I could put anyone on I would ask him to be on it and then I could talk to him about his creativity and what inspired him.
I started collecting Movie Posters and stills when I was 16, the first poster I asked for at Eddie Brandt’s in California was Brigadoon. I felt like I had found treasure when I saw the poster, and my mom framed it for me for my birthday. It was a half sheet and I also bought the re-release insert poster. I have the complete lobby card set and several stills now too. When my cousin took me to this store, and I found out you could buy original poster art from movies, I wanted something from all my favorites. This started years of me connecting with the stories that moved me by collecting the artwork made to promote them.
So, if you are looking for a story to take you away from it all, open your hearts and imagination and listen to the story of Brigadoon. The love affair that brings two people from different times and realities together against all odds.
Odd trivia – Websters dictionary says the word Brigadoon is a noun meaning: Brig·a·doon | \ ˌbri-gə-ˈdün \Definition of Brigadoon: a place that is idyllic, unaffected by time, or remote from reality.
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