Gene Kelly’s Brigadoon
Gene Kelly was a Pittsburgh boy. The “Song and Dance Man” was born in East Liberty and attended the University of Pittsburgh, graduating in 1933 with a degree in economics. Kelly enrolled in law school but gave it up after two months to pursue a dance career. After having minor roles on Broadway, his big break was the lead in the 1940 production of Rodgers and Hart’s Pal Joey. Kelly went on to star in numerous movie musicals such as For Me and My Gal, Anchors Aweigh, On the Town, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, An American in Paris, The Pirate, It’s Always Fair Weather, Cover Girl, Summer Stock and, most famously, Singin’ in the Rain. Kelly was one of the most famous director-choreographer-stars of the 1940s and 50s, known for his athletic dancing style and strict work ethic.
Kelly starred as Tommy Albright in MGM’s 1954 film adaptation of Brigadoon. The film was produced and directed by the same An American In Paris team, Arthur Freed and Vincente Minelli. Kelly, the first to shoot “on location” with MGM’s On The Town, had pushed for the film to be shot in Scotland. After scouting locations in Scotland, MGM determined that the weather was too unpredictable and thus filming would cost too much. Kelly and Freed then went to Scotland to see for themselves and agreed with the studio. Kelly then found some locations in Big Sur above Monterey that could pass for the highlands, but ultimately Brigadoon was filmed in MGM’s sound studios.
Throughout all of his films, Kelly danced for the everyday man. While he admired the high class of Fred Astaire and the ease with which he pulled off a top hat, white tie and tails, Kelly wanted to make movie musicals and dancing more relevant to the lower classes. To that end, he usually wore a t-shirt, khakis and loafers or donned uniforms such as a sailor’s suit or a baseball shortstop. Brigadoon was no exception. Kelly danced in the Scottish highlands in a simple button up shirt and slacks.
Brigadoon, the film, followed almost the same plot as the pre-existing musical. Two Americans, Tommy and Jeff, stumble into the magical town of Brigadoon while on a hunting trip in Scotland. Brigadoon only appears for one day every hundred years to protect it from being changed or damaged by the outside world. In the town, Charlie and Jean are preparing for their wedding day. Tommy falls in love with Jean’s older sister, Fiona. Brigadoon is threatened, however, when a villager decides to leave, which will cause the entire town and the people in it to disappear forever.
The film stuck to the original musical’s plot but six of the songs from the musical were cut, including: Charlie’s serenade to Jean “Come to Me, Bend to Me,” “There But for You Go I,” “My Mother’s Wedding Day,” “The Love of my Life,” “From This Day On” and “The Sword Dance.” The two songs sung by supporting character Meg Brockie, “The Love of my Life” and “My Mother’s Wedding Day” were considered too raunchy for the movie-going crowd. Come and see the magic at Pittsburgh CLO’s Brigadoon, July 17 – 22!