Editing Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

{{Short description|1954 film by Stanley Donen}}
{{About}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
| image          = Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954 poster).jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Stanley Donen]]
| screenplay     = {{plainlist|
* [[Albert Hackett]]
* [[Frances Goodrich]]
* [[Dorothy Kingsley]]
}}
| based_on       = {{Based on|"The Sobbin' Women"<br />1938 story in ''[[Argosy (magazine)|Argosy]]''|[[Stephen Vincent Benét]]}}
| producer       = [[Jack Cummings (director)|Jack Cummings]]
| starring       = {{plainlist|
* [[Jane Powell]]
* [[Howard Keel]]
* [[Jeff Richards (actor, born 1924)|Jeff Richards]]
* [[Russ Tamblyn]]
* [[Tommy Rall]]
}}
| music          = [[Gene de Paul]]<br />[[Johnny Mercer]] (lyrics)<br />[[Adolph Deutsch]]<br />(musical direction)<br />[[Saul Chaplin]]<br />(musical supervision)
| cinematography = [[George Folsey (cinematographer)|George Folsey]]
| editing        = [[Ralph E. Winters]]
| color_process  = [[Agfacolor|Anscocolor]]
| studio         = [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]
| distributor    = [[Loews Cineplex Entertainment|Loew's, Inc.]]
| released       = {{Film date|1954|07|15|Houston, Texas|ref1=<ref>{{cite web |url=http://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/51346#3 |title=Seven Brides for Seven Brothers – Details |website=[[AFI Catalog of Feature Films]] |access-date=July 30, 2018}}</ref>|1954|07|22|New York|1954|12|20|United States}}
| runtime        = 102 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $2,540,000<ref name="Mannix">{{Citation | title = The Eddie Mannix Ledger | publisher = Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study | place = Los Angeles}}.</ref>
| gross          = $9,403,000<ref name="Mannix"/><ref>For domestic figures see "All Time Domestic Champs", ''Variety'', 6 January 1960 p 34</ref>
}}
'''''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers''''' is a 1954 American [[musical film]], directed by [[Stanley Donen]], with music by [[Gene de Paul]], lyrics by [[Johnny Mercer]], and choreography by [[Michael Kidd]]. The screenplay, by [[Albert Hackett]], [[Frances Goodrich]], and [[Dorothy Kingsley]], is based on the short story "The Sobbin' Women" by [[Stephen Vincent Benét]], which was based in turn on the [[ancient Roman]] legend of the [[Rape of the Sabine women]]. ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'', which is set in [[Oregon]] in 1850, is particularly known for Kidd's unusual choreography, which makes dance numbers out of such mundane [[frontier]] pursuits as chopping wood and [[barn raising|raising a barn]]. Film critic Stephanie Zacharek has called the barn-raising sequence in ''Seven Brides'' "one of the most rousing dance numbers ever put on screen."<ref name="Dance Magazine">{{cite journal|title=DEATHS: Michael Kidd (1915–2007)|author=Gold, Sylviane|journal=Dance Magazine|date=March 2008 |volume=82|issue=3|pages=88–89}}</ref> The film was photographed in [[Ansco Color]] in the [[CinemaScope]] format.<ref>{{Citation |title=Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) - IMDb |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047472/technical |access-date=2022-03-09}}</ref>

''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' won the [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] for [[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Scoring of a Musical Picture]] and was nominated for four additional awards, including [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]. In 2006, [[American Film Institute]] named ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' as [[AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals|one of the best American musical films ever made]]. In late 2004, the same year [[Howard Keel]] died, ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' was selected for preservation in the U.S. [[National Film Registry]] of the [[Library of Congress]] as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

==Plot==
In 1850 [[Oregon Territory]], backwoodsman Adam Pontipee goes to town for supplies and to find a bride. He meets Milly, the pretty young cook at the town bar. Seeing her strength, hardworking attitude, and culinary skills, he proposes. She accepts and they immediately marry, but upon arriving at the Pontipee mountain homestead, Milly discovers that Adam has six younger brothers – Benjamin, Caleb, Daniel, Ephraim, Frank, and Gideon – who are uncouth and expect Milly to clean and cook for them.  Milly angrily ruins dinner and retreats to the bedroom, where she bans Adam from their bed. Adam, at first, crawls out the window to sleep in a nearby tree; eventually, Milly and Adam reconcile, with Milly regretting her high hopes concerning marriage.

Milly begins teaching Adam's brothers hygiene and manners; eventually, this extends to advice on romance and courtship. At a town barn-raising event, the Pontipees display their newly acquired social graces as they meet Dorcas, Ruth, Martha, Liza, Sarah, and Alice, who are immediately attracted to the brothers. The girls' initial suitors, overcome with jealousy, attack the Pontipees during the barn-raising. In the ensuing brawl, the barn is destroyed.

Winter sets in. The brothers pine for their loves back in town. To console them, Adam reads from Milly's copy of [[Plutarch]]'s ''[[Parallel Lives]]'' about the [[Rape of the Sabine Women|Sabine women]], whom the ancient Romans kidnapped to be their wives. Adam then claims his brothers should do the same to get their prospective brides.
[[File:Encina Drive-in Ad - 22 September 1954, Santa Cruz, CA.jpg|150px|thumb|left|[[Drive-in theater|Drive-in]] advertisement from 1954]]
The Pontipees sneak into town at night and kidnap the girls. As they race back to the homestead, the men trigger an avalanche that blocks the mountain pass, stopping their pursuers. However, the Pontipees realize they neglected to procure a [[parson]] to conduct the wedding ceremonies and are snowed in until spring. Milly is furious with Adam and the brothers and exiles them to the barn while the girls stay in the house. Humiliated and angry by Milly's rebuke, Adam leaves for the Pontipees' trapping cabin to spend the winter alone.

Over the winter, the girls vent their anger by pranking the brothers, but their feelings gradually soften towards them. Meanwhile, Milly reveals she is expecting a baby. By springtime, the girls and the Pontipees have happily paired off. When Milly has a baby girl, Gideon goes to tell Adam. He refuses to return. Gideon chastises Adam over his selfishness and behavior toward Milly. Adam returns after the snow melts and meets his daughter. He and Milly reconcile. Adam admits that being a father, he now understands how families feel about their daughters and tells his brothers they must return the girls. The heartbroken brothers agree to take them home. However, the girls hide and refuse to go back. As the brothers search, the girls' angry families reach the Pontipees' homestead.

As the townsmen sneak up to the farm, Alice's father, Reverend Elcott, hears a baby crying. Fearing the worst, he asks the girls whose baby it is. They immediately conspire together and simultaneously answer "mine!" The fathers begrudgingly allow their daughters to marry the brothers in a [[collective wedding|collective]] [[shotgun wedding]].

==Cast==
The Brothers and their Brides:
* [[Howard Keel]] as Adam and [[Jane Powell]] as Milly
* [[Jeff Richards (actor, born 1924)|Jeff Richards]] as Benjamin and [[Julie Newmar]] as Dorcas (credited as Julie Newmeyer)
* [[Matt Mattox]] as Caleb and [[Ruta Kilmonis|Ruta Lee]] as Ruth (credited as Ruta Kilmonis)
* [[Marc Platt (dancer)|Marc Platt]] as Daniel and [[Norma Doggett]] as Martha
* [[Jacques d'Amboise (dancer)|Jacques d'Amboise]] as Ephraim and [[Virginia Gibson]] as Liza
* [[Tommy Rall]] as Frank and Betty Carr as Sarah
* [[Russ Tamblyn]] as Gideon and Nancy Kilgas as Alice

===Brothers===
<!-- Please do not change the colors of the shirts which Daniel and Ephraim wore.  Daniel (Marc Platt) wore a mauve shirt – while Ephraim (Jacques d'Amboise) wore a dark green shirt.  There are clues in the movie to confirm this (please check the talk page for this film). -->

To perform the dance numbers and action sequences, choreographer [[Michael Kidd]] wanted dancers to portray all six of Adam Pontipee's brothers. Kidd said that he "had to find a way to have these [[Rural poverty|backwoods]] men dance without looking ridiculous. I had to base it all around activities you would accept from such people&nbsp;– it couldn't look like [[ballet]]. And it could only have been done by superbly trained dancers." However, he was able to integrate into the cast two non-dancer MGM contract players who were assigned to the film, Jeff Richards, who performed just the simpler dance numbers, and [[Russ Tamblyn]], using him in the dance numbers by exploiting his talents as a gymnast and tumbler.<ref name="Variety 1997">{{cite news | title=Kidd embraced by the Academy | work=Variety | date=March 3–9, 1997 | author=Gilbert, Tom | pages=54}}</ref><ref>[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/16147/seven-brides-for-seven-brothers#articles-reviews ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers''] TCM.com</ref>

The other four brothers were portrayed by professional dancers&nbsp;– Matt Mattox, Marc Platt, Tommy Rall, and Jacques d'Amboise.  All four balanced on a beam together during their barn-raising dance.

The wood-chopping scene in ''Lonesome Polecat'' was filmed in a single take.<ref>Silverman, 1996, p.194</ref>

* '''Adam''' (''light green shirt''): Howard Keel, a professional singer, appeared as the eldest of the seven brothers. He also appeared as ''Petruchio'' in [[Kiss Me Kate (film)|the film version of ''Kiss Me Kate'']], and appeared in leading roles in other musical films including ''[[Calamity Jane (1953 film)|Calamity Jane]]'', ''[[Rose Marie (1954 film)|Rose Marie]]'' and ''[[Show Boat (1951 film)|Show Boat]]''.<ref name="Howard Keel Calamity Jane">{{IMDb title |0045591 |Calamity Jane}}</ref>
* '''Benjamin''' (''orange shirt''): Jeff Richards was a former professional [[baseball]] player who topped out at [[Minor League Baseball|the AAA level of the minor leagues]]. Although obviously athletic, he is noticeably in the background, seated, or standing during the dance numbers so as to not expose his lesser dancing skills. This often relegated his partner, the classically trained ballet dancer [[Julie Newmar]], to the background as well.<ref>Filming notes in the DVD anniversary edition</ref>
* '''Caleb''' (''yellow shirt''): Matt Mattox, a professional dancer, appeared on stage on Broadway and also danced in many Hollywood musical films. His singing voice for the film was dubbed by [[Bill Lee (singer)|Bill Lee]].
* '''Daniel''' (''mauve shirt''): Marc Platt, a professional dancer, danced the role of ''Chalmers / Dream Curly'' in the original 1943 Broadway production of ''[[Oklahoma!]]''. He also had a dancing/speaking role in [[Oklahoma! (film)|the 1955 film version of ''Oklahoma!'']], as Curly's friend who buys his saddle at the auction and complains about Ado Annie's pie.<ref>{{cite news|author=Moira Macdonald|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/dancer-reflects-on-legendary-career/|title=Dancer reflects on legendary career|work=The Seattle Times|date=20 November 2005}}</ref>
* '''Ephraim''' (''dark green shirt''): Jacques d'Amboise, a principal dancer with [[New York City Ballet]], was given special leave for the filming of ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' (although he was recalled before filming was completed).<ref>[http://www.the-ballet.com/damboise.php Jacques d'Amboise] ''Ballet Encyclopedia''</ref>  He also danced in other musical films, including the ballet role of the ''Starlight Carnival'' "[[barker (occupation)|barker]]" in the film ''[[Carousel (film)|Carousel]]'' (in which he partnered [[Susan Luckey]] in ''Louise's ballet''). D'Amboise's work as a dance teacher for children was featured in the documentary film ''[[He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin']]'', which won an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] and [[Tony Award]].
* '''Frank''' (''red shirt''): Tommy Rall, a professional dancer and singer, appeared on stage on Broadway and in many musical films. His roles included Bill Calhoun (Lucentio) in  [[Kiss Me Kate (film)|the film version of ''Kiss Me Kate'']], and one of the Gallini brothers in the film ''[[Merry Andrew (film)|Merry Andrew]]'' (in which he was one of the three featured [[Acro dance|acrobatic dancers]] in the circus engagement scene&nbsp;– Rall is the dancer in the center wearing the red shirt). He appeared in the film ''[[Funny Girl (film)|Funny Girl]]'', as the Prince who partnered [[Barbra Streisand]] in a [[parody]] of the ballet ''[[Swan Lake]]''.
* '''Gideon''' (''blue shirt''): Russ Tamblyn was cast in the role of youngest brother Gideon. Tamblyn showcased his gymnastics training throughout the action sequences. He also had a starring role in the musical ''[[West Side Story]]'' as Riff. As of 2021, following d'Amboise's death, Tamblyn is the last surviving actor who played a brother.

===Brides===
Professional dancers played all seven of the brides.

The four girls whom Adam sees in the Bixby store when he first goes into town are Dorcas, Ruth, Liza and Sarah.

* '''Milly''': [[Jane Powell]] channelled her experiences growing up in Oregon to create Milly. She and [[Howard Keel]] would later reprise their roles in a ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' stage adaptation.<ref name="Jane Powell Autobiography" />  She also appeared in dancing and singing roles in many other musical films, including ''[[Royal Wedding]]'', and ''[[Rich, Young and Pretty]]'' and also ''[[A Date with Judy (film)|A Date with Judy]]''. In the film, she marries Adam.
* '''Dorcas Gaylen''': [[Julie Newmar]] (Newmeyer), wore a purple dress in the barn raising scene. Dorcas is one of the more confident girls, and has stated that she always wanted to be a June bride and have a baby right away. She is also the only girl shown to have a sibling, a younger sister. A classically trained ballerina, she would later rise to fame as [[Catwoman]] in the 1960s TV version of ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]''. She also won a Supporting Actress Tony Award for ''[[The Marriage-Go-Round]]'' (starring [[Claudette Colbert]]). She appeared on her neighbor [[James Belushi]]'s sitcom ''[[According to Jim]]'' after the two settled a highly publicized lawsuit. Her singing voice for the film was dubbed by Betty Allen. She marries Benjamin.
* '''Ruth Jepson''': [[Ruta Lee]] (Kilmonis) enjoyed a long stage and television career, appearing in dozens of films and TV series, working with [[Lucille Ball]], [[Sammy Davis Jr.]], [[Elizabeth Taylor]], [[Natalie Wood]], and [[Frank Sinatra]]. Lee appeared in the sitcom ''[[Roseanne]]'' as the first girlfriend of Roseanne's mother. Her singing parts for the film were dubbed in post-production by [[Betty Noyes]]. She is wearing a blue dress in the barn raising scene, and is shown to like baking pies. She marries Caleb.
* '''Martha''': Norma Doggett performed in the 1940s-50s Broadway shows ''[[Bells Are Ringing (musical)|Bells Are Ringing]]'', ''[[Fanny (musical)|Fanny]]'', ''[[Wish You Were Here (musical)|Wish You Were Here]]'', ''[[Miss Liberty]]'', and ''[[Magdalena: a Musical Adventure|Magdalena]]''. Her singing voice for the film was dubbed by Bobbie Canvin. She wears a green dress during the barn raising scene. She marries Daniel.
* '''Liza''': Virginia Gibson was nominated for a [[Tony Award]] in 1957 and performed regularly, as singer and dancer, on the [[Johnny Carson]] show. She wears a pink checkered dress during the barn raising scene. She marries Ephraim.
* '''Sarah Kine''': Betty Carr was also a Broadway veteran, dancing in ''[[Damn Yankees]]'', ''[[Happy Hunting (musical)|Happy Hunting]]'', ''Mask and Gown'', and ''Fanny'' (alongside Norma Doggett). Her singing voice for the film was dubbed by [[Norma Zimmer]]. She wears a yellow dress during the barn raising. She marries Frank.
* '''Alice Elcott''': Nancy Kilgas made her film debut in ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers''. The youngest of the girls in the story, she is especially close with Milly and wears a peach colored dress in the barn raising scene. Her father is the town reverend. Gideon falls in love with her at first sight. She danced in the film versions of ''[[Oklahoma! (film)|Oklahoma!]]'', ''[[Shake, Rattle & Rock! (1956 film)|Shake, Rattle & Rock!]]'', and [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s ''[[Torn Curtain]]''. Her singing voice for the film was dubbed by Marie Greene. She marries Gideon.

===Townspeople===
* Reverend Elcott ([[Ian Wolfe]]) is the local preacher and father of Alice, one of the brides. He is the officiant in both wedding ceremonies in the movie. A longtime Hollywood character actor, he is perhaps best remembered for his roles as Carter, chief clerk to "Wilfred the Fox" (Sir Wilfred Roberts) in ''[[Witness for the Prosecution (1957 film)|Witness for the Prosecution]]'', Mr. Atoz in the ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' episode "[[All Our Yesterdays (Star Trek: The Original Series)|All Our Yesterdays]]", as Father Joseph the Abbot in ''[[The Frisco Kid]]'', and as "Hirsch", "Mrs. Carlson's" butler on ''[[WKRP in Cincinnati]].''
* Pete Perkins ([[Howard Petrie]]) is a leading citizen of the town where the Pontipees do their trading. Another longtime Hollywood character actor, he is also known for his role as Tom Hendricks in ''[[Bend of the River]]'' and as Mr. Lattimore, the prosecuting attorney in the Randolph Scott movie ''Rage At Dawn''.
* Mrs. Bixby ([[Marjorie Wood]]), co-owner of the general store in the town. Perhaps best known for playing Lady Lucas opposite [[Greer Garson]] and [[Laurence Olivier]] in ''[[Pride and Prejudice (1940 film)|Pride and Prejudice]]'', she was a Hollywood veteran of 34 films going back to the silent movie era. She died a year after shooting wrapped on the movie.
* Mr. Bixby ([[Russell Simpson (actor)|Russell Simpson]]), co-owner of the general store in the town. A longtime Hollywood actor with 244 movie and television credits to his name going well back into the silents in 1914, his best known roles are as Pa Joad in ''[[The Grapes of Wrath (film)|The Grapes of Wrath]]'', and Red Kelly in ''[[San Francisco (1936 film)|San Francisco]]''.
* Harry (Earl Barton)
* Matt ([[Dante DiPaolo]])
* Carl (Kelly Brown)
* Ruth's Uncle ([[Matt Moore (actor)|Matt Moore]])
* Dorcas' Father (Dick Rich)

==Production==
According to Dore Schary, [[Joseph Losey]] recommended the Stephen Vincent Benet story “The Sobbin’ Women” as the basis for a musical film to Schary when the latter was head of production at RKO. Schary tried to get the rights but [[Joshua Logan]] had it under option for a stage production.<ref>{{cite book|page=168| title=Heyday : an autobiography|last=Schary|first= Dore|year=1979 }}</ref> When Logan dropped the option, Schary arranged for MGM to purchase the rights. Schary later said "everything worked" on the film.<ref>Schary p 273</ref>

Dorothy Kingsley was brought on to the film to replace Frances Goodrich, as well as Albert Hackett, who she said: {{quote|"...didn't get along with Stanley Donen. They were lovely people, darling . . . but the script just wasn't coming out right, they were unhappy, and he was unhappy. They wanted to bow out. Stanley Donen called me in and I looked at the script and said, 'The big trouble in the original short story is that the Howard Keel character is the one that tries to get all of these boys married off, and that's not right. The girl has nothing to do, and she's got to be the one to engineer all this stuff.' That was changed around and seemed to please everyone, and we went from there."<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Dorothy Kingsley: The Fixer|first=Pat|last=McGilligan|editor-first=Pat|editor-last=McGilligan|title=Backstory 2: Interviews with Screenwriters of the 1940s and 1950s|publisher= University of California Press|year=1991|url=https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft0z09n7m0&chunk.id=d0e6341&toc.id=&brand=ucpress|page=127}}</ref>}}

Choreographer Michael Kidd originally turned down the film, recalling in 1997: {{quote|"Here are these slobs living off in the woods. They have no schooling, they are uncouth, there's manure on the floor, the cows come in and out&nbsp;– and they're gonna get up and dance? We'd be laughed out of the house."<ref name="Independent obit">{{cite news | title=Michael Kidd | work=The Independent | date=2007-12-29 | pages=44}}</ref>}}

Lyricist Johnny Mercer said that the musical numbers were written at Kidd's behest, as an example "of how a songwriter sometimes has to take his cue from his collaborators."<ref name="Songs of Hollywood">{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/songsofhollywood0000furi | url-access=registration | title=The Songs of Hollywood | publisher=Oxford University Press, USA |last1=Furia |first1=Philip |last2=Patterson |first2=Laurie | year=2010 | page=188 | isbn=978-0195337082}}</ref> For example, Kidd explained to Mercer and dePaul both his conception of the "Lonesome Polecat" number and the lament of the brothers for the women, and the two then worked out the music and lyrics.<ref name="Songs of Hollywood" />

In his introduction to a showing on Turner Classic Movies on January 17, 2009, host [[Robert Osborne]], as well as [[Jane Powell]] in her autobiography, ''The Girl Next Door'', both say MGM was much less interested in ''Seven Brides'' than it was in ''[[Brigadoon (film)|Brigadoon]]'', which was also filming at the time, even cutting its budget and transferring the money to the [[Lerner and Loewe]] vehicle.<ref name="Jane Powell Autobiography">{{cite book |last1=Powell |first1=Jane |title=The Girl Next Door...and How She Grew |edition=1st |year=1988 |publisher=Morrow |isbn=0-688-06757-3 |url=https://archive.org/details/girlnextdoorandh00powe }}</ref>

Most of the movie was shot on the MGM sound stages. One exterior sequence not filmed at the studio was shot on location at Corral Creek Canyon in Sun Valley, Idaho. It was here that the escape following the brothers' kidnapping their future brides and the avalanche that closed the pass was filmed.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047472/trivia?ref_=tt_ql_2 |title=Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) - Trivia |work=IMDb |accessdate=2015-12-28 }}</ref>

On the 2004 DVD commentary, Stanley Donen states that the film was originally shot in two versions, one in [[CinemaScope]] and another in normal ratio, because MGM was concerned that not all theaters had the capability to screen it.  Despite the fact that it cost more than the widescreen version to make, he says, the other version was never used. However, both versions are available on the 1999 LaserDisc and 2004 DVD releases.{{fact|date=May 2025}}

The dresses worn by the female cast were made from old quilts that costume designer [[Walter Plunkett]] found at [[the Salvation Army]].<ref name="Jane Powell Autobiography" />

Howard Keel wrote in his memoirs: "Donen did a good job directing ''Seven Brides'', but the real hero and brains behind it was Jack Cummings."<ref>{{cite book|first=Howard|last=Keel|year=2005|title=Only make believe|page=196}}</ref>

Donen later said making the film was "a nightmare because it was a terrible struggle from the beginning of the picture until the end."<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|date=1974-08-25 |title=Perfect imperfection: that's Donen|page=32}}</ref>

==Songs and music==
The "Main Title" is a medley of the songs "Sobbin' Women", "Bless Your Beautiful Hide" and "Wonderful, Wonderful Day".

In the film, Matt Mattox's voice is dubbed in by Bill Lee on "Lonesome Polecat". Mattox can be heard singing the song on the soundtrack album.

{| style="margin:auto;"  class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Song / Music <br>Title || Characters || Vocalists <br>(Singers and speakers etc.) || Instrumental <br>Music || Year <br>recorded
|-
| Main Title || style="text-align:center;" |[[N/A]] || style="text-align:center;" |N/A || rowspan="16" | M-G-M Studio Orchestra || style="text-align:center;" |1954
|-
| Bless Your Beautiful Hide || rowspan="2" | Adam || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |Howard Keel || style="text-align:center;" |1953
|- 
| Bless Your Beautiful Hide (reprise) || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |1954
|- 
| Wonderful, Wonderful Day || rowspan="2" |  Milly || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |Jane Powell 
|-
| When You're in Love || rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |1953
|-
| Goin' Courtin' || Milly and Brothers || Jane Powell, Tommy Rall, Russ Tamblyn, Marc Platt, <br>Matt Mattox, Jacques d'Amboise, Jeff Richards, <br>Howard Hudson, [[Gene Lanham]] & [[Robert Wacker]] 
|-
| Barn Dance || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |N/A || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |N/A 
|-
| Barn Raising || style="text-align:center;" |1954
|-
| When You're in Love (reprise) || Adam || style="text-align:center;" |Howard Keel || style="text-align:center;" |1953
|-
| Lonesome Polecat || The Brothers || Bill Lee and the M-G-M Studio Chorus || style="text-align:center;" |1954
|-
| Sobbin' Women || Adam & Brothers || Howard Keel, Tommy Rall, Russ Tamblyn, <br>Matt Mattox, Alan Davies, C. Parlato, Marc Platt, <br>[[Robert Wacker]], [[Gene Lanham]] & M. Spergel || style="text-align:center;" |1953
|-
| Kidnapped And Chase || style="text-align:center;" |N/A || style="text-align:center;" |N/A || rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;" |1954
|-
| June Bride || The Brides || Virginia Gibson, Barbara Ames, Betty Allan, <br>Betty Noyes, Marie Vernon & Norma Zimmer
 
|-
| June Bride (reprise) || Brides & Milly || Virginia Gibson, Barbara Ames, Betty Allan, <br>Betty Noyes, Marie Vernon, Norma Zimmer <br>& Jane Powell 
|-
| Spring, Spring, Spring || Brothers & Brides || Howard Keel, Tommy Rall, Russ Tamblyn, <br>Matt Mattox, Alan Davies, C. Parlato, <br>[[Robert Wacker]], [[Gene Lanham]], M. Spergel, Bill Lee, <br>Virginia Gibson, Barbara Ames, Betty Allan, <br>Betty Noyes, Marie Vernon & Norma Zimmer 
|-
| End Title || style="text-align:center;" |N/A || style="text-align:center;" |N/A 
|-
|}

==Reception==
===Critical===
Contemporary reviews from critics were positive. When it premiered at the [[Radio City Music Hall]], [[A. H. Weiler]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' called the film "a wholly engaging, bouncy, tuneful and panchromatic package ... Although the powers at M-G-M are deviating from the normal song-and-dance extravaganza in 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,' it is a gamble that is paying rich rewards."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Weiler |first=A. H. |date=July 23, 1954 |title=The Screen in Review |journal=[[The New York Times]] |page=8 }}</ref>

''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' wrote: "This is a happy, hand-clapping, foot-stomping, country type of musical with all the slickness of a Broadway show. It offers songs, dances and romancing in such a delightful package that word-of-mouth could talk it into solid business at the boxoffice."<ref>{{cite journal |date=June 2, 1954 |title=Seven Brides for Seven Brothers |journal=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |page=6 }}</ref> [[Richard L. Coe]] of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' declared: "Dandy dancing, singable songs and the ozone of originality make 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' the niftiest musical I've seen in months."<ref>{{cite news |last=Coe |first=Richard L. |date=August 21, 1954 |title=Seven Big Cheers For Seven Brides |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |page=6 }}</ref> ''[[Harrison's Reports]]'' called it "A thoroughly delightful blend of songs, dances and romantic comedy" with "exceptionally good musical numbers."<ref>{{cite journal |date=June 5, 1954 |title='Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' with Howard Keel and Jane Powell |journal=[[Harrison's Reports]] |page=90 }}</ref> ''[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]]'' wrote that the dances "give the picture its remarkably spirited and exhilarating quality ... A minor weakness is the playing of Jane Powell, whose Milly is a somewhat colourless figure; Howard Keel, the brides and the brothers, however, are all admirable."<ref>{{cite journal |date=December 1954 |title=Seven Brides for Seven Brothers |journal=[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]] |volume=21 |issue=251 |pages=175–176 }}</ref>

[[John McCarten]] of ''[[The New Yorker]]'' posted a dissenting negative review, writing that the film "got on my nerves" and "struck me as desperately contrived and often witless", though he did concede that there were "some fine dances" in it.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=McCarten |first=John |date=July 31, 1954 |title=The Current Cinema |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |page=53 }}</ref>

===Box office===
''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' was the 5th most popular film at the British box office in 1955.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dirk Bogarde favourite film actor|newspaper=The Irish Times|location=Dublin, Ireland|date=December 29, 1955|page=9}}</ref> According to MGM records it made $5,526,000 in the US and Canada and $3,877,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $3,198,000.<ref name="Mannix" />

===Legacy===
The film came in third in a [[BBC Radio 2]] listener [[Opinion poll|poll]] of the UK's "Number One Essential Musicals"<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/paige/essentialvote.shtml Top ten musicals] – [[BBC Radio 2]]</ref> and was listed as number eight in the "Top 10 MGM musicals" in the book ''Top 10 of Film'' by Russell Ash. In 2004, the film was selected for preservation in the United States [[National Film Registry]] as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." In 2006, it was ranked #21 on the [[American Film Institute]]'s [[AFI's 100 Years of Musicals|list of best musicals]]. In 2008, the film was ranked number 464 in ''[[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]''{{'}}s list of the 500 greatest films of all time.<ref>[http://www.empireonline.com/500/7.asp The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time]</ref>

Review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]] awards ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' an 89% "Fresh" rating based on 28 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The critics' consensus states: "Buoyed by crowd-pleasing tunes and charming performances, ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' makes a successful transition from Broadway to screen that's sure to please the whole family."<ref>[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/seven_brides_for_seven_brothers "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers] Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 16 May 2017.</ref>

===Awards and nominations===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! Award
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
! Ref.
|-
| rowspan="5"| [[27th Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Motion Picture]]
| [[Jack Cummings (director)|Jack Cummings]]
| {{nom}}
| align="center" rowspan="5"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1955 |title=The 27th Academy Awards (1955) Nominees and Winners |access-date=2011-08-20 |publisher=Oscars.org ([[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]])}}</ref>
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
| [[Albert Hackett]], [[Frances Goodrich]], and [[Dorothy Kingsley]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography – Color]]
| [[George Folsey]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]]
| [[Ralph E. Winters]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Scoring of a Musical Picture]]
| [[Adolph Deutsch]] and [[Saul Chaplin]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[8th British Academy Film Awards|British Academy Film Awards]]
| colspan="2"| [[BAFTA Award for Best Film|Best Film from any Source]]
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/1955/film |title=BAFTA Awards: Film in 1955 |website=[[BAFTA]] |year=1955 |access-date=16 September 2016 |ref={{harvid|BAFTA|1955}}}}</ref>
|-
| [[7th Directors Guild of America Awards|Directors Guild of America Awards]]
| [[Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film|Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures]]
| [[Stanley Donen]]
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dga.org/Awards/History/1950s/1954.aspx?value=1954 |title=7th DGA Awards |website=[[Directors Guild of America Awards]] |access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[12th Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Awards]]
| [[Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actor|Most Promising Newcomer – Male]]
| [[Jeff Richards (actor, born 1924)|Jeff Richards]]
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/seven-brides-seven-brothers |title=Seven Brides for Seven Brothers – Golden Globes |website=[[HFPA]] |access-date=July 5, 2021 |ref={{harvid|HFPA|1955}}}}</ref>
|-
| [[Laurel Awards]]
| Top Male Musical Performance
| [[Howard Keel]]
| {{won}}
| align="center"| 
|-
| [[National Board of Review Awards 1954|National Board of Review Awards]]
| colspan="2"| [[National Board of Review: Top Ten Films|Top Ten Films]]
| {{draw|2nd Place}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-years/1954/ |title=1954 Award Winners |website=[[National Board of Review]] |access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[National Film Preservation Board]]
| colspan="2"| [[National Film Registry]]
| {{won|Inducted}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/complete-national-film-registry-listing/ |title=Complete National Film Registry Listing |website=[[Library of Congress]] |access-date=December 16, 2015}}</ref>
|-
| Online Film & Television Association Awards
| colspan="2"| Hall of Fame – Motion Picture
| {{won|Inducted}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oftaawards.com/film-hall-of-fame/film-hall-of-fame-productions/ |title=Film Hall of Fame Inductees: Productions |website=Online Film & Television Association |access-date=August 15, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| [[9th Golden Satellite Awards|Satellite Awards]]
| [[Satellite Award for Outstanding Youth Blu-Ray/DVD|Outstanding Youth DVD]]
| ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' {{small|(for the Warner Bros. Edition)}}
| {{nom}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.pressacademy.com/satawards/awards2005a.shtml |title=Nominees & Winners – Satellite™ Awards 2005 (10th Annual Satellite™ Awards) |publisher=[[International Press Academy]]. [[Satellite Awards]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080202163316/http://www.pressacademy.com/satawards/awards2005a.shtml |archive-date=February 2, 2008 |access-date=April 7, 2019}}</ref>
|-
| [[7th Writers Guild of America Awards|Writers Guild of America Awards]]
| [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written Musical|Best Written American Musical]]
| Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich, and Dorothy Kingsley
| {{won}}
| align="center"| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551 |title=Awards Winners |work=wga.org |publisher=Writers Guild of America |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551 |archive-date=2012-12-05 |access-date=2010-06-06}}</ref>
|}

The film is recognized by [[American Film Institute]] in these lists:
* 2006: [[AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals]] – #21<ref>{{cite web|title=AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals |url=http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/musicals25.pdf |publisher=[[American Film Institute]] |access-date=2016-08-13}}</ref>

==Adaptations and remakes==
* Turkish film ''Beş Fındıkçı Gelin'' 1966 is a remake of ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers''.
* The 1968–1970 TV series ''[[Here Come the Brides]]'' was inspired by the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. 
* The 1978 stage musical ''[[Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (musical)|Seven Brides for Seven Brothers]]'' is an adaptation of the film, with a book by [[Lawrence Kasha]] and David Landay. Four songs from the film ("Bless Your Beautiful Hide", "Wonderful Wonderful Day", "Goin' Courtin'", and "Sobbin' Women") were kept for the stage musical; the rest of the score consisted of new songs written by [[Al Kasha]] and [[Joel Hirschhorn]].
* The TV series ''[[Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (TV series)|Seven Brides for Seven Brothers]]'', loosely based on the film, ran weekly on [[CBS]] from September 19, 1982, to March 23, 1983.
* The 1982 [[Bollywood]] film ''[[Satte Pe Satta]]'' ("Seven on Seven") is an unofficial remake of ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers''.
* Loosely remade by the Brazilian comic group [[Os Trapalhões]] in 1988 as the film ''O Casamento dos Trapalhões'' ("The Bumbling Ones' Wedding or Tramps' Wedding"). Instead of seven, there are four brothers (the members of Os Trapalhões); midway through the movie, they are visited by their four nephews, all members of the Brazilian band ''[[Dominó]]''.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Seven Brides for Seven Brothers}}
* {{IMDb title|0047472}}
* {{TCMDb title|16147}}
* {{AFI film|51346}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|seven_brides_for_seven_brothers}}
* [http://jacketmagazine.com/11/seven-brides-info.html ''Jacket Magazine'': some background information]

{{Stanley Donen}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1954 films]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:1954 musical comedy films]]
[[Category:1954 romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:CinemaScope films]]
[[Category:Films about weddings in the United States]]
[[Category:Films about brothers]]
[[Category:Films adapted into plays]]
[[Category:Films adapted into television shows]]
[[Category:Films based on American short stories]]
[[Category:Films directed by Stanley Donen]]
[[Category:Films scored by Saul Chaplin]]
[[Category:Films scored by Adolph Deutsch]]
[[Category:Films set in Oregon]]
[[Category:Films set in the 1850s]]
[[Category:American musical comedy films]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films]]
[[Category:United States National Film Registry films]]
[[Category:Films that won the Best Original Score Academy Award]]
[[Category:1950s American films]]
[[Category:Adaptations of works by Stephen Vincent Benét]]
[[Category:English-language romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:English-language musical comedy films]]