This film was heavily promoted as being Mary Tyler Moore's big screen debut. In 1967 Moore was regarded as the top TV comic actress, remarkable considering the fact that she had been playing a supporting role in "The Dick Van Dyke Show." She played the supporting part here, too, and I left the theater thinking that the movie was good, but it would have been better had Moore and Andrews switched roles. Julie Andrews has an iron-fist-in-a-velvet-glove persona that grows less sympathetic as a story progresses (yes, the producers of "My Fair Lady" were wise to pass her over in favor of Audrey Hepburn). Moore, on the other hand, is Everywoman; women can empathize with her, men are not intimidated by her. At the end of the picture, the audience would have cared more for "Thoroughly Modern Mary" than "Thoroughly Modern Julie." In an attempt to ensure box-office success, the producers added more star power in the form of Carol Channing. She gave a show-stopping performance, but her role had to be shoehorned into the movie; it had no relation to the main theme.
But the casting was to no avail. The era of the classic Broadway musical had ended a year or two earlier and "Millie" was a relative flop. After one appearance as Elvis's main squeeze (Change of Habit), Mary Tyler Moore returned to the small screen in her eponymous hit comedy of the 1970s.
My overall impression is that the movie is in the style of the British farces that are so popular with amateur and semi-professional theater companies throughout the United States.
And why do I call this film memorable? Because I saw this film only one time--during its initial 1967 release--and I remember enough about it to write a review in 2005!!
But the casting was to no avail. The era of the classic Broadway musical had ended a year or two earlier and "Millie" was a relative flop. After one appearance as Elvis's main squeeze (Change of Habit), Mary Tyler Moore returned to the small screen in her eponymous hit comedy of the 1970s.
My overall impression is that the movie is in the style of the British farces that are so popular with amateur and semi-professional theater companies throughout the United States.
And why do I call this film memorable? Because I saw this film only one time--during its initial 1967 release--and I remember enough about it to write a review in 2005!!