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Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett, Pert Kelton, Ron Howard ... see more see more... , Hermione Gingold , Paul Ford , Susan Luckey , Harry Hickox , Charles Lane , Mary Wickes , Oliver Hix , Natalie Core , Ronnie Dapo , Roy Dean , Timmy Everett , William Fawcett , Jesslyn Fax , Percy Helton , Rance Howard , Anne Loos , Therese Lyon , Natalie Masters , Peggy Mondo , Milton Parsons , Barbara Pepper , Max Showalter , Monique Vermont , Hank Worden , Peggy Wynne , Delos Jewkes , Ray Kellogg , The Buffalo Bills , Hermoine Gingold

Meredith Wilson's hit 1957 Broadway musical was transferred to the screen in larger-than-life fashion in 1962. Robert Preston repeats his legendary stage performance as fast-talking con man Harold Hil... read more read more...l, who goes from town to town selling citizens on starting a "boy's band," then extracts money from them by ordering instruments and uniforms, with the promise that he'll teach the kids how to be musicians. Once he's collected his bankroll, Hill skips town, leaving the kids in the lurch. Looking for new suckers in Iowa, Hill arrives in River City, where he declares that the only way to save the youth of River City from the lure of the poolroom is to organize a boy's band. He charms the mayor's wife Eulalie (Hermione Gingold) into forming a "ladies' dance committee" and sets his sights on winning over local music teacher Marian Paroo (Shirley Jones). Marian rightly considers Hill a fraud, especially when he espouses the "Think System" of learning music: if you think a tune, he claims, you can play it. But Marian becomes Hill's staunchest ally when her young brother Winthrop (Ronny Howard), sullen and withdrawn since the death of his father, exuberantly comes out of his shell at the prospect of joining Hill's band; and Marian's budding romance with the charming but unreliable Hill ultimately brings her out of her own shell as well. Marion Hargrove's script uses most of the original play, with a handful of amusing expansions, especially in the roles played by Gingold and by Buddy Hackett as Hill's comic sidekick. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

81% liked it

29,752 ratings

Critics

94% liked it

16 critics

G, 2 hr. 32 min.

Directed by: Morton DaCosta

Release Date: June 19, 1962

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DVD Release Date: February 23, 1999

Stats: 1,142 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,142)

  • spielberg00
    September 27, 2011
    spielberg00
    THE MUSIC MAN is a silly, humorous, hunky-dory "con artist" tale (on a treble and bass clef, of course), but it can also be boring to endure, and truly, the only memorable number is "76 Trombones".
  • erika250
    May 30, 2010
    erika250
    One of a kind film. It really showed what music can do to people.
  • hobster1
    December 28, 2009
    hobster1
    Meredith Wilson's sparkling filmization of the landmark Broadway musical about a traveling con artist salesman and the small town he dupes. Rousing Americana's best asset is Robert Preston's memorable performance as Professor Harold Hill. His sunny portrayal brightens every sce... read morene he's in. Virtually one musical number after another, there are moments of the sublime ("Seventy-Six Trombones", "Till There Was You") and the expendable ("Gary, Indiana"). The latter contributes to film's almost unbearable 151 minute running time. A bit of editing and perhaps a less stagebound production would have made this a near-perfect adaptation. Nevertheless those minor infractions are far outweighed by the joyous singing and dancing that is on display in this most appealing musical.
  • sanjurosamurai
    October 21, 2009
    sanjurosamurai
    while i love the story, some of the music was a bit bland and i didnt believe the love story between preston and jones much. preston did almost too well playing the slimey traveling salesman to believe his redemption would come so quickly, even with the very beautiful shirley jo... read morenes at the root of it. over all this is a wonderful classic that is expertly acted and fun to watch.
  • jennifxu
    April 5, 2009
    jennifxu
    Ummm, it's basically really boring, and long. It's not much of an artistic achievement, and the songs are very okay. It's not a terrible musical, but it IS hard to sit through.
  • puffchunk
    April 23, 2007
    puffchunk
    The librarian song is cool. And trouble with a capital t rhymes with p, and that stands for POOL!
  • purplemegan
    February 21, 2007
    purplemegan
    This is my favorite musical ever. The songs are just so fun. They did an awesome version of it at my high school.
  • mjgildea
    November 28, 2006
    mjgildea
    Loved it when I was a kid but I haven't seen it since the 80s.
  • dreamfaeries
    November 3, 2006
    dreamfaeries
    Not that interesting.
  • binky013
    March 14, 2006
    binky013
    I actually played one of the members of the barbershop quartet in a stage version of this. The movie . . . is better :)

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Critic Reviews

Nell Minow
December 28, 2010
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media

Glorious production, with gorgeous music, dancing. Full Review

John J. Puccio
January 22, 2010
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

...a quintessential slice of Americana, featuring wonderful music, engaging characters, and an uplifting story. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
January 31, 2007
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

The music is glorious, but as a movie, this is a photographed play, a nostalgic evocation of small-town American that was congruent with Kennedy's New Frontier; within a year, though, Kennedy would be... Full Review

Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
September 29, 2006
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies

One of the most obnoxious musicals ever to be staged for movie cameras. Full Review

Nick Davis
August 16, 2003
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks

Robert Preston is note-perfect in a bright musical even non-fans of the genre will enjoy.

Ken Hanke
July 30, 2002
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Too stagey and too gooey, but it preserves Preston's classic performance

Scott Weinberg
July 25, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

Robert Preston shines in one of the sunniest ol' musical classics under the sun.

John A. Nesbit
April 17, 2001
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews

reminds of that good old down-home attitude of the Midwest Full Review

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Bosley Crowther
May 9, 2005
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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    • Zaneeta Shinn: It's indecent to meet boys at the footbridge!
    • Tommy Djilas: he answers Zaneeta: First thing after supper?
    • Winthrop Paroo: she answers Tommy: All right! Ye Gods!
    • Harold Hill: Mothers of River City, heed that warning before it's too late! Watch for the telltale signs of corruption! The minute your son leaves the house, does he rebuckle his knickerbockers below the knee? Is there a nicotine stain on his index finger? A dime-novel hidden in the corncrib? Is he starting to memorize jokes from Captain Billy's Whiz-Bang? Are certain words creeping into his conversation? Words like 'swell' and "so's your old man"? If so my friends, ya got trouble!
    • Winthrop Paroo: No, thank you, AMARYLLITH! [Winthrop had an embarressing lisp]
    • Harold Hill: Ladies and gentlemen, either you are closing your eyes to a situation you do not wish to acknowledge, or you are not aware of the caliber of disaster indicated by the presence of a pool table in your community!
    • Marcellus Washburn: Well, ain't no call for a boys' band in this town. Anything these Iowa people don't have already, they do without.
    • Tommy Djilas: Mayor Shinn, your honor, your daughter and I have been going steady behind your back.
    • Harold Hill: Oh, my dear little librarian. You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering.
    • Mrs. Paroo: It's a well-known principle that if you keep the flint in one drawer and the steel in the other, you'll never strike much of a fire.
    • Marcellus Washburn: I heard you was in steam automobiles. (to Harold Hill)
    • Harold Hill: answers: I was... till someone actually 'invented' one!
    • Harold Hill: 'Brooklyn'? Marce, this isn't even *Dubuque*!
    • Harold Hill: A man can't turn tail and run just because a little personal risk is involved. What did Shakespeare say? 'Cowards die a thousand deaths, the brave man... only 500'?
    • Mayor Shinn: It's as clear as a buttonhook in the well water!
    • Mayor Shinn: You watch your phraseology!
    • Mrs. Paroo: When a woman's got a husband, and you've got none, why should she take advice from you? Even if you can quote Balzac and Shakespeare and all them other high-falutin' Greeks.
    • Mrs. Paroo: I know all about your standards and if you don't mind my sayin' so there's not a man alive who could hope to measure up to that blend of Paul Bunyan, Saint Pat, and Noah Webster you've concocted for yourself out of your Irish imagination, your Iowa stubbornness, and your li'berry full of books!
    • Harold Hill: The sadder but wiser girl for me.
    • Harold Hill: Think, boys. THINK! [Harold uses the Think System to teach music]
    • Mayor Shinn: Its fine if you want to go around in your drawers all day. [the horrid heat]
    • Harold Hill: I always think there's a band kid.
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The Music Man Trivia

  • In what movie did Matthew Brodrick play a con man pretending to be a music proffesor?  Answer »
  • According to the constable, what was the first mistake that professor hill make in the music man?  Answer »
  • Shirley Jones was pregnant during the filming of which film?  Answer »
  • Hermione Gingold played the part of the Mayor's wife in which film?  Answer »
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