For those of you puzzled by my inclusion of such an obvious musical classic as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in a book about overlooked movies, I have news: the reputation of Seven Brides isn’t what it was back in 1954, when it was an unexpected box-office smash and nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. Though even its detractors recognize the dynamism of its choreography and dancing, Seven Brides has been unfairly victimized by political correctness. Unlike the other masterful MGM musicals of its day—Singin’ in the Rain (1952) and The Band Wagon (1953)—Seven Brides doesn’t have the satiric bite of a Betty Comden-Adolph Green screenplay, nor does it tell a glamorous showbiz tale; it’s a celebration of homespun values set in the Oregon Territory of 1850. Anyone who’s seen it undoubtedly remembers its magnificent barn-raising dance, one of the screen’s all-time greatest dance sequences, yet Seven Brides is every bit as winning for its story and characters as it is for its songs and dances. People fell in love with this movie because of its emotional pull, its character transitions, and the strength of the relationships forged. The smile on your face at the end of it comes primarily from the satisfaction of having seen its undomesticated “brothers” mature into good men. Those who find Seven Brides dated, and its sexual politics offensive, aren’t looking very closely; they’re dwelling on the bad behavior and missing the life lessons learned.

excerpted from John DiLeo’s
Screen Savers: 40 Remarkable Movies Awaiting Rediscovery
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