Gene Kelly and Van Johnson star as best buddies Tommy Albright and Jeff Douglas in this mystical, romantic tale set in Scotland. Tommy is engaged to marry Jane, and yet feels hesitant about tying the knot. Tired of hectic city life in America, Tommy and Jeff decide to go hunting in Scotland for a week and stumble upon a quaint old village called Brigadoon, which is not on the map. To the men’s surprise, the village seems to be functioning about two hundred years behind the times, complete with a fair being held in the town square.
Tommy (Kelly) is immediately entranced with a beautiful local girl named Fiona (played by Cyd Charisse) and she with him, which they of course act out in dance. (It’s Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse – dancing is just a given.) They do this in a beautiful setting of heather – Fiona is gathering the flowers for the wedding of her sister, which is taking place later that day. When they arrive back at Fiona’s house, Tommy catches a peek at the family Bible. Strangely enough, it says Fiona was born two hundred years ago. Curious, he asks Fiona for an explanation, and she takes him to see the schoolmaster, Mr. Lundie, who tells him the story, which is incredible to believe.
Two hundred years ago, the parish pastor became concerned with the influence that the outside world was beginning to have on their beautiful village, and he prayed to God that every day, the village might be moved forward one hundred years in time. Nothing inside the village would be disturbed; to the people who live there, it would just be one night’s sleep. But no one from the village could ever leave, or the spell would be broken, and Brigadoon would disappear forever. Tommy wants to make a life with Fiona and asks if it’s possible for an outsider to live in Brigadoon, to be told that it’s possible, if he really loves her. Anything’s possible when there’s true love.
The wedding commences with some beautiful Highland dancing, and then mayhem breaks loose as one young man announces that he’s leaving Brigadoon. Everyone dashes to catch him – if he leaves, they’ll all disappear. He is accidentally killed in the chase, and Brigadoon is safe. But Tommy wants to stay. He knows now that his love for Jane wasn’t the real thing, and he’s willing to give it all up to stay with Fiona, but Jeff convinces him that he needs to return to New York.
Four months later, both men are heartsick over the decision they made, and Tommy is absolutely miserable. They decide to return to Scotland, just to visit the spot where Brigadoon once stood. And yet, when they get there, the village appears and Fiona runs to greet him, as the schoolmaster arrives on the scene to remind them that anything is possible when you’re truly in love.
The plot of this movie is really hard to believe, from a logical point of view. Why did the village have to disappear for a hundred years? Why not ten, or twenty? And why the weird curse that no one could leave? But if you’re willing to suspend reality for a little while and just enjoy a fantasy, you’ll find yourself enchanted with the film. Such music as “Almost Like Being in Love” and “The Heather on the Hill” was featured prominently, as was the theme “Brigadoon.” The dancing is impeccable, and the romance – well, it’s pretty dang romantic, how about that! Any Gene Kelly fan will fall head over heels in love with “Brigadoon.”
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