Iconic Dance From "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" Has Interesting Back Story

Jan 07, 2020 by apost team

In the history of the silver screen, a few movies stand out for their magnificence despite their ultra-low budgets. We know about Robert Rodriguez and the $7,000 he spent on "El Mariachi." We also know about "Primer," the cerebral sci-fi hit from 2004 that was produced for about the same amount.

In 1954, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" was released with a $2.5 million budget, but it looked as if it was filmed for a lot more than that, particularly when we look back at some of the amazingly choreographed dance scenes.

The plot of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is outrageous, but that's just fine because this is a musical. By today's standards, the story could even be seen as a bit misogynistic, but it is also silly enough to set up the various song and dance scenes. The American Film Institute had no qualms naming this movie one of the best musical productions in history, and the extravagant barn dance scene justifies this decision.

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You need to watch this scene to understand what the buzz is all about after all these years. Just search on YouTube for "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" barn dance and be amazed, but the story behind the scene is even more interesting. According to Classic Movie Hub, only four of the seven brothers were trained dancers; one was a circus performer, and the rest do not even dance in the film, but they certainly knew their places in the scene.

Something else about this film that we cannot see is just how creative the set designers had to be with limited resources. Studio execs at MGM did not expect to see this movie becoming a hit, and they did not wish to increase the budget, thus requiring the painting of backdrops for many scenes, reports Films of the Fifties.

The costume director went shopping at thrift stores to create the dresses of the seven brides. There's a slightly surreal look to the film during some scenes, but you can't tell that the sets are cheaply made; however, it feels a bit out of place for a 19th century farm in Oregon.

You can't deny that the musical scoring plus the choreography are top-notch. If you have friends who are into film production, be sure to pass this barn dance scene on to them. The whole movie is available on various streaming platforms, and it is worth checking out if you enjoy musicals.