Let's be realistic.

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Great concept, great cast, great songs and music. The theme, plot, and story all boils down to one thing. That would be the "Music Man Syndrome". What that is, is the way a parent perceives their childs level of talent. When it comes to demonstrating any kind of talent, the parent thinks their child is best. I know I do.

This review contains spoilers. The ending is brilliant. It is an intelligent, yet subtle statement on American consumerism. At the end, we see that the Town has bought the lie, they allowed themselves to be grifted and were so delusional and desperate to believe that their children weren't horrible musicians that we the viewer are witnessing a unified mass hysteria taking place. During this surreal moment, the uniforms that once were filthy rags, change to beautiful band outfits, and the band begins to play like John Sousa himself. The reason I reached this conclusion is that through out the film, we see no signs of magic, or fantasy, thus the ending is either done because they couldn't come up with an ending and whipped out a "magical anomaly", or this was a deftly crafted representation of the American citizen so willing to be lied to , and an examination at the happiness they feel when they buy a product and the weird yet fantastical reality that they then delve into after acquiring that product, believing their lives are better and now they are better than others. I gave this film a ten, because it is a classic, yet on a much deeper level than is comfortable for us to view openly.

Robert Preston, the vivacious actor, did outdo himself in this heart-warming musical classic about a typical film-flam man who, in the first score of years in the twentieth century, claimed to be a music professor when the truth of the matter was he didn't know the first thing about music. He steps off the train in this Iowa town where too many people were very naive, and their naivete was something upon which this "music professor" (known by the pseudonym Harold Hill) preyed. Little did people know, however, that he would bring the community much good. Shirley Jones, (who even at the age of seventy-eight is still a very pretty lady,) does a fine turn as the librarian Marian Peru (sp.) (?), a lady who definitely distrusts and dislikes the music man. (Her thoughts about him do later change.) Ron Howard, who even here is like Opie, does a superb acting job as Marian's little brother Winthrop. (Who would have thought then that many years later he would be producing such movies as "Backdraft" and "A Beautiful Mind"?) Paul Ford is nutty as Mayor Schinn, a cantankerous man who is, to some extent, someone no one fears. The mayor's wife, played by the veteran actress Hermione Gingold, is equally as amusing. Buddy Hackett, there in the movie mainly for decorative purposes as well, is convincing in his role as "Harold Hill"'s conniving friend. The costumes are colorful, there is much good humor, good acting by a great cast, excellent directing by Morton DaCosta, and, again, it is a wonderful story. Truly, it is Meredith Willson's "signature work".

By the early 1960s, musicals were, for the most part, passé in Hollywood. While a few really exceptional musicals would be made in this era (such as "My Fair Lady", "Oliver!" and "The Sound of Music"), the output of musicals was a tiny fraction of Hollywood during the 1930s, 40s and 50s. It was the final gasps of the genre--albeit some very strong and enjoyable gasps. One of the better ones of this time clearly is "The Music Man". While the ending really was very poor (more about that later), the sets and costumes are very lovely and nostalgic. And, most importantly, the songs are simply great! Robert Preston reprises his Tony Award-winning role as Professor Henry Hill--a shyster traveling salesman who is about to bilk yet another small town out of their money. His m.o. is this--he pretends to be a musical professor and convinces everyone to buy his overpriced musical instruments. He convinces them that it's easy for the town to create a band and become great--even though he apparently can't read music or play anything...except a con-game! Amazingly, the folks in this Iowa town are all complete idiots--and quickly fall for his routine. The only exception is the LOVELY town librarian, Marian (Shirley Jones). Soon she learns the truth--and at this point the film is simply terrific. However, what she does with this information makes no sense at all and the film loses a couple points in the final portion because of this as well as the town's reaction (though a hanging might have been more realistic, it would have been a bit dark!). In addition, while the songs are WONDERFUL, "Shipoopi" isn't. It, like the title, is pretty dumb--though the dance number is quite nice...but...SHIPOOPI?!?! Uggh! It has to rank as one of the dumber songs in film history. But, looking past the film's faults, it is a delight in so many other ways that it's still well worth seeing. Full of high energy and fun---it's still a lovely little film.