“The Unsinkable Molly Brown” is a delightful musical loosely based on the real Molly Brown, a down-to-earth woman of great wealth who survived the sinking of the Titanic. Do keep in mind, I said loosely.
Debbie Reynolds has our starring role, and we go with her back to Molly’s humble roots. Molly was taken in as an orphan by a family of rough and rowdy boys, and she thinks she’s one of them. She hardly knows how to act like a girl. When Johnny Brown (Harve Presnell) comes along, he falls for her, hard, but she’s determined not to marry him unless he can give her more than what she’s got. He comes into some money and they get married. When a freak accident (hysterical accident, I should say) makes them poor again, Johnny leaves with a pick axe over his shoulder, bound and determined to make the money back. Another freak accident brings them riches far greater than they ever dreamed, and they move to the snobby district in Denver, ready to take their place among the wealthy.
The wealthy, however, can’t stand them. They are too friendly, they’re too uncouth. They don’t know how to stick their noses up in the air properly. Molly thinks she’s done everything right – she bought a huge house and all kinds of fancy clothes, but she just doesn’t fit in. Finally the Browns decide to go to Europe and get themselves some culture.
Molly eats up the language and etiquette lessons, but Johnny is bored. What’s really bothering him is the fact that Molly is becoming someone else, and she’s not his anymore. He finally sails back for America, leaving Molly to finish her tour in Europe.
On Molly’s return voyage, she has the misfortune of sailing on the Titanic. However, her spunk and her vitality keep the other passengers going during their time of greatest crisis. When she returns, she finds Johnny there waiting, and the cream of Denver society is ready to accept her.
In reality, though, that never happened. She was considered gauche even then, even as a hero from the Titanic. Just goes to show, you can’t win some people over.
This movie is a great deal of fun, filled with music and dancing. It was not rated.
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