The Music Man (DVD)

The Music Man (1962) starring Robert Preston, Shirley Jones. Flimflam man Harold Hill (Preston) arrives in the town of River City, Iowa, intent on picking the pockets of the local residents. His plan is to convince them that they need a boys' band, but his scheme is derailed when he falls in love with the town librarian (Jones), who knows he's a phony and loves him anyway. Many musical numbers, most of which are uninspired, punctuate the film. Made in 1962, and set in 1912, this movie has a musty, old-fashioned feel -- not always a disadvantage, but in this case it works against the film. Excessive length, at two and a half hours, doesn't help. The subtitles are pretty good. Grade: B-