Brigadoon (1954) starring Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, Cyd Charisse
Brigadoon, like most Gene Kelly movies, is a musical with plenty of singing and dancing. More than that, it is a movie with heart, and a strong message about the values that matter. It begins with Tommy Albright (played well by Gene Kelly) and Jeff Douglas (played to the hilt by Van Johnson). They’re Americans who are caught up in the rat race, and not loving it. Tommy is engaged, but is not eager to marry her. Partly to delay the wedding, he accompanies his best friend, Jeff, on a hunting trip to Scotland. There, they become lost.
Welcome to Brigadoon
While wandering, they stumble across a small village namedBrigadoon, where the people seem stuck in the past (if you haven’t seen the movie, and don’t want to spoil any surprises, I recommend that you go watch it and not ready any further).
There is, indeed, more than meets the eye in Brigadoon. One of the things that meets the eye is Fiona Campbell (played by the very talented Cyd Charisse). Her sister is marrying that evening. Tommy/Gene Kelly misunderstands. He thinks that she’s the one getting married. Although eventually the misunderstanding gets straightened out, there are still obstacles in the way of true love. She will not, or cannot, leave Brigadoon. Another star-crossed romance is that of Charlie Dalrymple. He’s in love with the woman being married … to another man. His broken heart leads to the traumatic climax of the movie, where everybody, apparently, loses.
The secret revealed
The secret of Brigadoon is that it is a magical town that only appears one day every hundred years – but if any one of its’ inhabitants leave, the entire city—and all of its’ citizens—will disappear forever. Which is what the heartbroken Charlie intends to do! Unless he can be stopped before evening is over. In one of the saddest moments in cinema, Jeff/Van Johnson unintentionally does so, and Brigadoon is saved. Tommy/Gene Kelly, however, is unsure of himself and his love for Fiona/Cyd Charisse, and leaves … And Brigadoon disappears.
Back in the USA
Back in America, Tommy/Gene Kelly is miserable, and Jeff/Van Johnson is on the verge of alcoholism, driven by the memory of what he did in Brigadoon. Feeling that they have to resolve their open wounds, the pair travels back to Scotland, where the miracle of Brigadoon, powered by love, opens once more, and they return ‘home’.
Brigadoon is a wonderful musical, with plenty of singing and dancing, but is also a more ‘deep’ movie that you might expect. It’s one of my favorite musicals, and I hope it will be one of yours as well.
Songs from Brigadoon starring Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Van Johnson
- “Once in the Highlands/Brigadoon/Down on MacConnachy Square” –Eddie Quillan, Villagers, and Offscreen M-G-M Chorus
- “Waiting for My Dearie” – Cyd Charisse (dubbed by Carol Richards) and Dee Turnell (dubbed by Bonnie Murray)
- “I’ll Go Home with Bonnie Jean” – Jimmy Thompson (dubbed by John Gustafson), Gene Kelly, Van Johnson and Chorus
- “The Heather on the Hill” – Gene Kelly, Danced by Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse
- “Almost Like Being in Love” – Sung and Danced by Gene Kelly
- “The Wedding Dance” – Danced by Jimmy Thompson and Virginia Bosler
- “The Chase” – Sung by men pursuing Hugh Laing
- “The Heather on the Hill” – Danced by Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse
- “I’ll Go Home with Bonnie Jean” (reprise) – Sung offscreen by Jimmy Thompson, Carol Richards and Chorus
- “The Heather on the Hill” (reprise) – Sung offscreen by Jimmy Thompson, Carol Richards and Chorus
- “Waitin’ for My Dearie” (reprise) – Sung offscreen by Jimmy Thompson, Carol Richards and Chorus
- “Finale: Brigadoon” – M-G-M Chorus
Movie quotes from Brigadoon, starring Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, Cyd Charisse
Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson): Frank, put it on the bill.
Bartender: The bill, sir, is very high.
Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson): So am I!
[In a crowded bar]
Tommy Albright (Gene Kelly): It’s hot in here.
Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson): It’s not the heat, it’s the humanity.
Meg
Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson): …There’s nothing a woman hates more than her fiancee’s best friend. He knows all the secrets she’s going to spend the rest of her life trying to find out.
Meg Brockie: I’m highly attracted to you. Why, when I look at you I feel wee tadpoles jumping in my spine.
Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson): That’s about as repulsive an idea as I’ve heard in years!
Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson): Can you think of one good reason why I, a strange man, should be interested in proposing to you, a mighty strange woman and at this hour of the day?
Meg Brockie: Because you’re a lad and I’m a lass!
Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson): Well, with that philosophy you must have had a provocative career!
Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson): If there’s anything I hate… it’s you!
Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson): Well, most of my friends who have inferiority complexes are absolutely right. They’re not as good as everybody else!
About Brigadoon
Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson): If they want to disregard two hundred years of human bing-bang, that’s their privilege.
Mr. Lundie: They were indeed horrible destructive women. I dinna suppose you have such women in your country?
Tommy Albright (Gene Kelly): Witches?
Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson): Oh we have ‘em. We pronounce it differently.
Mr. Lundie: It’s the hardest thing in the world to give everything. Though it’s usually the only way to get everything.
Charlie
Charlie Chisholm Dalrymple: And may God bless me this evening as much as I would bless Him if I were He and He were Charles Dalrymple.
Andrew Campbell: You’ll never find peace by hating, lad. It only shuts ye off more from the world. And this town is only a cursed place, if ye make it so. To the rest of us, ‘tis a blessed place!
Back in the USA
Tommy Albright (Gene Kelly): [miserable] Why do you have to lose something, to find out what it really means?
[Concerned about Jeff’s drinking]
Tommy Albright (Gene Kelly): You told me you were going to ease up.
Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson): Yeah I know, but I’m a terrible liar.
Mr. Lundie: Anything is possible when you love someone. Even… miracles?