MovieChat Forums > Camelot (1967) Discussion > Play vs. Movie

Play vs. Movie

posted 14 years ago by LaurieMann
5 replies | jump to latest

I grew up listening to the original Broadway cast albums, and found what I'd remembered from over the years was the title song, Julie Andrew's performances and "If Ever I Would Leave You" (though that was Goulet's signature song for over 40 years, so I heard it quite a bit).

I know I saw the movie, but I only remember the beginning, the end and when Lancelot shows up in Guenevere's bedroom. I don't remember the rest of the movie at all.

Last night, I finally saw the play, as staged by the Pittsburgh Playhouse Theater, and I have very mixed feelings about it. Australian actor Hayden Tee was a very charismatic Arthur, so he sort of blew the younger actor who played Lancelot off the stage, which meant the main drama made little sense. The singers were all wonderful though.

Also, the song Guenevere, even though I failed to remember it from the Broadway album, was a very powerful, interesting song.

I might Netflix the movie ths weekend just to compare/contrast, but I really regret that there isn't an old videotape of the original Broadway cast.

Laurie Mann
Pittsburgh Flicks - Movie-making in the 'Burgh
http://www.pghflicks.com/

[–] defucter 14 years ago

I saw it in Pittsburgh last night. I agree with your assessment of the Arthur vs Lancelot performances. Lancelot's French accent was really annoying and distracting. Although the original cast may have given better performances, I wasn't really attached to any of the characters. I love the tale of King Arthur, but I can tell this version was from the 60s era of Broadway musicals.

[–] LaurieMann 14 years ago

Last week, Lancelot's accent was very strong in Act I and non-existent in Act II. His song, C'Est Moi, was great - the best part of his whole performance.

Laurie Mann
Pittsburgh Flicks - Movie-making in the 'Burgh
http://www.pghflicks.com/

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] DryToast 14 years ago

Thanks, this is from a 1962 NBC special, "The Broadway of Lerner and Loewe".

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0836637/

Why are you eying my lemon drink?

[–] Mandyjam 14 years ago

We had the Broadway cast recording almost as soon as it came out, and then went to see the show in Sydney, with Michael Muray as Arthur, Robert McPhee as Lancelot, Jon Ewing as Mordred and John Gregg as Sir Sagramore.... I haven't got the names of Sir Lionel and Sir Dinadin. Roslyn Dunbar was playing Guenevere, but at that matinee the part was played by her understudy, and I cannot recall who it was.

Usually J.C.Williamson's would make up their own sets and costumes based directly on the Broadway sets, but on this occassion John Truscott was hired to design a completely new show. I recall that the sets were absolutely brilliant. I found some photos of the broadway production in a magazine and compared them to the drawings and colour-notes I had made after seeing the show. I was sure that the Australian sets were better. ...and I was obviously not the only person who thought so, because Truscott was employed to design the movie, and won an Oscar for it. The movie sets, as I have commented elsewhere, were the absolute ultimate in 1967 Medievalism. Nothing hat I can think of reveals the tastes of the period better than this movie. It's stunning.

"great minds think differently"