Amazon.com: When New York theatrical producer Joseph Papp decided to bring Gilbert and Sullivan to Broadway, he added typically broad, bold strokes to make their singular operetta format meaningful to 1980s audiences. In The Pirates of Penzance, Papp had a story that offered a mixture of potential action and comedy that was less arcane than other G&S chestnuts, which Papp's production underlined by playing up its antic conflict between its hapless, titular pirates and the citizens of Penzance, the Cornish town targeted for plunder. Adding to the new production's mainstream allure was the theatrical debut for erstwhile country-rock siren Linda Ronstadt as the virginal Mabel, along with a plum role for another putative pop heartthrob, Rex Smith, as the "good" pirate, Frederic.
Naturally, such amendments piqued complaints from self-appointed G&S purists, for whom the duo's original satirical edge and theatrical innovation were obscured (if not ossified) by their canon's patina of respectability. Happily, for the rest of us, Papp's cheeky revisions are generally on the money, and this 1983 film version preserves them with unusual fidelity. Instead of opening up his production with location shooting or intricate editing, director Wilford Leach savors the artifice of its stage sets and hokey, colorful costuming, celebrating the genre's proud theatrical legacy.
The cast, meanwhile, tears into the farcical plot with elan, led by Kevin Kline as the Pirate King, a role perfect for his skill at lampooning masculine bravado (not to mention his underexposed, generally strong singing). Broadway veteran George Rose proves the very model of the modern Major-General Stanley, and Angela Lansbury, added to the film's cast for marquee value, again shows her mettle as the ditzy maid, Ruth. Ronstadt justifies Papp's gamble, having trained rigorously to meet Sullivan's acrobatic melodies--indeed, this project marked her commitment to grow beyond rock, confirmed with her subsequent exploration of classic pop with arranger-conductor Nelson Riddle. --Sam Sutherland
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - BE WARNED: NOT THE DVD ADVERTISED
Potential buyers should be warned that this is not a DVD version of the made-for-film production that includes Angela Landsbury in the cast, though her name certainly appears on the box cover in the advertisement, ... Read More
Rating: - Avoid confusion with this title
There is a lot of confusion in the reviews of this movie, and the reason is simple, there are 2 films with he same name and almost the same cast. There is a version which is the film of the broadway stage show, which ... Read More
Rating: - WARNING: DVD is NOT Lansbury
WARNING
The DVD version of this title (ASIN B000260R6E) stars Patricia Routledge as Ruth and NOT Angela Lansbury, despite the cover. It is identical to the version recorded live and sold under a different ... Read More
Rating: - WARNING: Inconsistent info on box. Which version is this?
The cast list on the cover mentions Angela Lansbury, which suggests that this is the film version. I suspect that's a mistake.
The photo on the box shows Patricia Routledge, not Lansbury, and the label at the ... Read More
Rating: - The Pirates of Penzance
I saw this version when it first came out on video in 1983. It created a love for Gilbert and Sullivan as well as operas. Angela Lansbury and Kevin Kline make this version the very best there is. They are funny and witty ... Read More
- BE WARNED: NOT THE DVD ADVERTISED
- Avoid confusion with this title
- WARNING: DVD is NOT Lansbury
- WARNING: Inconsistent info on box. Which version is this?