Brigadoon
I just finished rewatching Brigadoon, and I don't know if I just don't remember it well, but that movie is incredible. I have never seen Schmigadoon, but I have definately seen it parodied in other ways and I don't understand why. Genuinely, I think it's one of the best stories out there. The songs aren't amazing, except for it's almost like being in love. The dancing is people from the NYC Ballet and it's Choreographed by Gene Kelly so all the numbers are stunning and I liked that Vincente had a lot of shots where they showed the dancers feet. It was a visual joy to watch.
The aesthics alone are very much up my alley, as it takes place in a very americanized, romanticized view of early 18th century Scotland complete with highland cows and sheep. It also stars three of my old hollywood favorites: Gene Kelly, Van Johnson and Cyd Charise. There's kilts, bag pipes and heather, a very romantic setting. But none of that would matter without a good story.
I haven't written anything like this in a while but I will try to explain why I feel it is so special. Also, definately warning for spoilers on this 71 year old film.
Two friends from NYC get lost on a hunting trip to Scotland. They happen upon a town that is only visible to regular folks once every hundred years. I did not enjoy the way they made this magical space, it was a man keeping the town safe from witches. One hundred years pass in real time, but in Brigadoon, only one day passes. The two men are trying to figure out what is going on with the town and, in exploring, Gene Kellys character, Tommy, happens upon Cyd Charise's character, Fiona. Her younger sister is getting married and there is a jealous man called Harry. We will get to him in a moment.
Jerry, Van Johnsons character provides cynical comic relief. The delivery, writing and timing of the jokes are immicalute, though some of the material is a bit mysoginistic. He is getting chased by a highland girl, has a drinking problem and also has both feet on the ground in a way that Tommy does not. He serves as a good companion, though not very interested in what Brigadoon has to offer. He also goes to prove that sometimes, even if you don't want to believe in the magic it'll get to you anyway.
Tommy and Fiona quickly fall in love, but Tommy only has til the end of the day to chose whether he wants to stay. The leader of town the tells the lore of Brigadoon, which is that, if anyone leaves from the original people there, the village will cease to exist. However, if you are from outside the town, you may stay if you love a person in the town enough to do so. It cannot be because you love the town, or want a simpler life etc it has to be because you love a person. Although I usually take umbridge with people falling in love in one day, I think the idea is that one day is all they have, is enough to make Tommy and Fionas love feel real to me. Plus, I'm a huge sucker for romance.
Fiona's little sister is getting married, but Harry is terribly jealous. He is meant to be the villian, eventually throwing a fit at their wedding and attempting to escape Brigadoon. But, I really felt for him. Earlier in the film, Harry mentions about not being able to study at Edinburgh. For regular life, it has been two hundred years, for them it has been two days. That would be crushing, to plan a future, to earn a degree, to travel, all lost to you. Your world becomes so tiny and if you don't fit in that town, that would be a suffocating feeling.
Harry tries to escape, intending to destroy Brigadoon for everyone. This felt a little like "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," if one person is in misery, is that alright if everyone else is happy? It's not as severe a circumstance, but still. I think Harry is a very interesting character because he isn't really a villian, just struggling to accept a fate he very much did not want for the good of everyone else. Anyway, Jerry shoots him, which kills that plot line, but maybe it almost turned out well for Harry, which is dark. I don't know what a good solution would have been had he lived. Maybe to figure out a good system of education by using the poeple who had been to university in that town or something. I'm not really sure.
Tommy and Fiona discuss Tommy staying and they are running out of time. Fiona runs to get the guy who runs the town to let him know they are in love and he wants to stay. In the meantime Tommy runs in to Jerry and Jerry delivers a great speech about how there is a real world with friends, family and Tommy's fiance, Jane, waiting for him back in NYC. It hits Tommy very hard. It's difficult to leave your old life behind, especially when there is no way to get back to it, and Brigadoon has a lot of unknowns. Then, Fiona shows back up with the guy who runs the town. Tommy says he can't go, the guy completely understands, Fiona has mixed feelings. It is heartbreaking to watch the fog form around Brigadoon as Fiona receeds in to the distance and Tommy barely wills himself to take a small step forward back into his reality.
There is a jarring, top down view of NYC. Then a zoom in of lights and buildings as we join just Jerry in a crowded, loud and large bar. Extras upon extras are crammed in there. Each descision made by Minnelli in this scene is so smart and in such stark contrast to Brigadoon. We get the feeling it is some months later. The camera stays on Jerry alone in the crowded bar just long enough for the audience to believe that maybe Tommy stayed. The first time we see him, I was admittedly, a bit gutted. Tommy mentions to Jerry that he can't stop thinking about Fiona and all these little things in his everyday life trigger it. Even for those of us who aren't in fantastical situations, that is so deeply relatable.
Tommy meets up with his fiance and she is discussing real estate. There is nothing wrong with her, she seems perfectly nice, but there is no spark. Sentences she says trigger songs from earlier in the musical. Tommy is lost in a memory. He calls the wedding off and phones Jerry and they agree to go back to Scotland.
In Scotland, they are sitting where they sat at the beginning of the film. Tommy says he wanted to go there, even though he knew it was impossible to see Brigadoon again. He said he had to see how impossible it was, to just get it out of his system. But the village appears. The guy who runs the town greets them at the same bridge and tells them that being in love can bring miracles. Tommy finds Fiona and I guess Jerry is also there, cause what did he have going on back at home?
I just think the story is really romantic, and about taking risks, trusting your gut and believing in miracles. I know that's cheesy, and after all it is an old hollywood musical, but its so well crafted and just so much deeper than an average love story. It's about getting a second opportunity to live your fate, to do something you should have done the first time around and its told in such a beautiful way.
