Starring Carroll O'Connor, Cloris Leachman, Jack Gilford, and Michelle Lee
Directed by Roger Beatty, Dave Powers, and Dick Hall
Music by George Gershwin; Lyrics by Ira Gershwin
While we wait for the election results to come in, here's a rare bit of TV history. George and Ira Gershwin collaborated with playwrights Morrie Ryskind and George S. Kaufman on the original Broadway show in 1931, casting a jaundiced eye on the American political scene of the time, throwing musical darts at everything from vague political promises to the uselessness of the vice-presidency. Do those darts still hit the mark in the even darker climate of the early 70's, or should this candidate be sent packing? Let's start with a soundstage Washington DC with a campaign parade in honor of candidate John P. Wintergreen (O'Connor) and find out...
The Story: Wintergreen's handlers need to give him a platform, a hook that the country can care about that will propel him into the White House. When they ask a maid what she cares about, she first says "money," but then admits that it's "love." They agree to run on a platform of "love" and hold a beauty pageant to find a bride for Wintergreen. He's perfectly capable of finding his own bride in his secretary Mary Turner (Leachman).
The winner, southern belle Diana Deveraux (Lee) is so crushed, she sues Wintergreen for breach of promise. Her daddy, one of Wintergreen's lackeys (Jim Backus) insists that the south will secede if Wintergreen remains in the White House. Meanwhile, no one can remember the name of vice-presidential candidate Alexander Throttlebottom (Gilford), or even really want him around...until he needs to preside over the Senate in the impeachment trials.
The Song and Dance: Now this is musical satire done right. It's what It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman tried and failed to do three years later. In fact, the productions are very similar - cartoony sets, updated script, cast largely culled from sitcom stars of the time. Here, though, the Gershwin songs are pretty much left alone, and another from the stage sequel Let Them Eat Cake, "Mine," is added. Leachman in particular is a revelation as sensible Mary, Lee's a riot as the jilted southern belle who tries to lie her way into Wintergreen's arms (and the White House), and Gilford's adorable as the political candidate who is so colorless, he can't even get into the White House without taking the tour.
Favorite Number: We kick off with that campaign parade as the chorus and their picket signs introduce us to "Wintergreen for President." "Who Is the Lucky Girl to Be?" takes us to the pageant in Atlantic City, as photographers are more interested in "The Dimple On My Knee" than anything political. Wintergreen's secretary Sam Jenkins (Garrett Lewis) and Mary's secretary Miss Benson (Shirley Kirkes) dance with the chorus in front of Madison Square Garden as they announce that "Love is Sweeping the Country" along with Wintergreen's feelings for Mary.
Wintergreen proposes to Mary at the Garden (for the 47th time) with his campaign song, "Of Thee I Sing, Baby." They're so in love that their response to Diana's breach of promise suit is "Who Cares?" Gilford gets to have fun with the rhyming names of "The Senatorial Roll Call," while Diana wails she was "Jilted" (while capering in a skimpy polka-dot bathing suit) at the impeachment trial.
Trivia: The original production was a huge success, running two years at the height of the Great Depression and becoming the first musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama. It would be the Gershwins' longest-running stage success in George's lifetime. It was revived briefly on Broadway in 1933, just before Let Them Eat Cake debuted. That was a surprise flop, maybe because it involved the US being invaded and turned into a dictatorship. Of Thee I Sing saw a brief and unsuccessful revival in 1952. Neither show's been on Broadway since, but Of Thee has turned up on regional stages and as an Encores! concert in 2006.
What I Don't Like: First of all, the cardboard sets and stagey production makes it more than obvious that this was made for 70's TV. Second, O'Connor does look like a political candidate and sings decently, but he otherwise seems out of place in a romantic leading man role or as a rube mayor thrown into big-time politics. I also wish the script hadn't cut out some of the cuter gags, like Mary winning John over with her corn muffins or the French ambassador throwing a fit because Diana is a very, very, very distant relative of Napoleon.
The Big Finale: This was so cute, I have no idea why this is the only filmed production of this show to date. Highly recommended viewing on Election Day evening if you're a fan of the Gershwins or any of the comedians involved, or are just looking for a different political satire to check out.
Home Media: At press time, this rarity can only be found on YouTube.
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