Customer Reviews

June Moon (Broadway Theatre Archive)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There's a good reason that this is one of the lesser known entries in the Broadway Theater Archives. It is so dated that even with a stellar cast, including Jack Cassidy, Estelle Parsons, Susan Sarandon, and Stephen Sondheim, it fails to engage the viewer except as a period piece, a curiosity which illustrates what constituted "humor" and "theatrical excitement" in 1929, when it was first produced. Showcasing the frantic drive for a hit by Tin Pan Alley composers and lyricists, this show might have been considered amusing and even creative in 1929, but by 1974, when this production was filmed (and certainly by the present day), styles had changed, and audiences had become more sophisticated.

Despite its cast and well-filmed scenes, the show features characters who are so stereotyped, and a plot that is so trite, that the production fails to connect with the audience--every aspect of plot and character is obvious from the beginning. A sweet, naive young man (Tom Fitzsimmons), who wants to be a lyricist, takes the train from Schenectady to New York City, befriending a wide-eyed and innocent young woman (Barbara Dana) on the train. He meets a composer (Jack Cassidy) whose career is on a downslope, the composer's bored wife (Estelle Parsons), and her voracious and flamboyant sister (Susan Sarandon). As the young man begins to become successful, he, not surprisingly, finds Eileen (Sarandon) far more exciting than his sweet girlfriend from the train, though Eileen, not surprisingly, is taking him for every penny she can get her hands on.

Though it would be possible to play this show broadly as a spoof or as a satire, this production, directed by Burt Shevelove and Kirk Browning, plays it straight. Written by George S. Kaufman and Ring Lardner, for whom this show was his only Broadway success, the production's brightest spot is the appearance of a very young Stephen Sondheim in a minor role as a wise-cracking pianist. The Broadway Theater Archives has preserved for posterity a spectacular assortment of important plays from the sixties and seventies, all starring well known actors. This production is not one of its best selections. Mary Whipple

When I saw that JUNE MOON was a George Kaufman play written soon after ANIMAL CRACKERS I had reasonable expectation that this PBS "Theater in America" presentation would provide several laughs. What a disappointment it turned out to be. Is it possible that Kaufman's partner, Morrie Ryskind penned all of Groucho Marx's best lines? For certain there's no sparklers here; comedically, the best moment is ordinary. (Spoiler ahead!)

In Act 2's closing sequence, a window washer (Efron) who's been poking around the music publishing office, sits at a piano and pecks out a tune. Songplugger Maxie Schwartz (wonderfuly played by Sondheim) listens for a bit, picks up the man's wash rag and cleans a window behind the piano. Boffo sight gag? Not.

(More spoilers!)
"June Moon" is a too-predictible story peopled by threadbare stereotypes. There's Fred Stevens (Fitzsimmons), the small town rube who's dazzled by NYC, Paul Sears (Cassidy), the down-on-his-luck songwriting partner who taps into Fred's bankroll, also Paul's conniving wife Lucille (Brennan) and mercenary sister-in-law Eileen (Sarandon). Both help deplete our unfortunate hero's small cash reserves. Most important is Edna Baker (Dana), the sweet girl Fred falls in love with on a train ride down from Schenectady. Edna gets shunted aside for her beau's glamorous new friends and lifestyle, but only until he wises up in the third act.

Pendleton's Benny is designated comedy relief; he tries but can do little with a stale script. Benny enthuses over his compositions (which smell more like compost) and never tires of importuning anyone within earshot to listen to energetic performances of them.

What Fred doesn't know is that publisher Sam Hart (McCarthy) recently dumped Eileen, thus all her phony displays of affection toward him are a desperate attempt to make Sam jealous. There's little chance however that Eileen will succeed because Sam has taken up with Miss Rixley, played here by the hormonally-overabundant Meredith, who, minus the Swedish accent, is simply reprising her sexy plaything schtick from Mel Brooks' THE PRODUCERS (1968).

In the end, greedy Paul discovers his wife is having an affair, Eileen gets dumped by Fred (who's tipped off to her scheme by the concerned songplugger), the lovers reunite and presumably Sam and his hot babe continue their September/May thing. Maxie has the satisfaction of knowing he's done a mitzvah, and Bennie undoubtedly writes more crummy tunes destined for the circular file.

THE END. Curtain call. Lights up and good night. (Sorry, no box office refunds!)


Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 imdb viewer poll rating.

(6.7) June Moon (TV-1974) - Tom Fitzsimmons/Barbara Dana/Jack Cassidy/Eileen Brennan/Susan Sarandon/Stephen Sondheim/Austin Pendleton/Kevin McCarthy/Lee Meredith/Marshal Efron

"June Moon" is not much of a play. Accually, I can hardly understand why would somebody want it in his archive. It's not among Susan Sarandon's best moment (no fault of her) nor Kassidy has something special to say. It's actually a not bad performance of an easy to forget play. Well, why then do I rate it with 3 stars instead of proper 1? The answer is simple: Stephen Sondheim. The only reason somebody would pay any attention to this play, is just to see Mr. Broadway Musical to act (not bad at all!) and play the piano. I thing that only Sondheim maniacs should care about this dvd.
But be careful: "June Moon" is no musical and there are no Sondheim songs. That's why I've written that this dvd would interest Sondheim's maniacs instead of Sondheims funs. There 's a diffrence between admiration and psychosis.
I've seen the play in TV, but I wouldn't bother purchasing it. As a matter of fact I hardly would go to the theatre to watch it. But if someday it would be transmitten again, I surely would watch it again gladly. Just for the unusual actor who plays the part of the pianist. Just to see Stephen Sondheim acting.

Too long but a wonderful production. Lovely performances.
Stephen Sondheim steals the show but Austin Pendleton gives him a run for his money.
Once you've heard "Hello, Tokyo" and "June Moon" you won't be able to get them out of our head.

There are so many better things to do with your time than watch this movie. But how often do you get the opportunity to see Stephen Sondheim act? Rarely, so it's worth it just for that.