The Ultimate Movie Musicals Bracket - Round Four, Day Two
Dirty books?
![FILM MARATHON: Movie Musicals #4: The Music Man [1962] | www.jaredmobarak.com](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0c16752a-c435-4a95-b08c-ce19aee0c62f_700x344.jpeg "FILM MARATHON: Movie Musicals #4: The Music Man [1962] | www.jaredmobarak.com")
Hey, folks! It’s another hump day, and one more day closer to the end of the fourth round of the Ultimate Movie Musicals Bracket. (And as a reminder, the bracket will take a weeklong vacation break after this round wraps up on Friday.)
Let’s not dilly-dally — time to dive into the votes!
(2) Mary Poppins vs. (10) West Side Story (1961): When it comes down to it, I just like Mary Poppins more. (And I also think that the 2021 remake of West Side Story improves upon the original, even acknowledging the exemplary choreography in the 1961 film by Jerome Robbins.) I appreciate that both of these are considered stone-cold classics, but it’s not a tough vote for me. I vote for Mary.
How about you?
Mary Poppins
West Side Story (1961)
(3) The Music Man vs. (6) Cabaret: This is also not a tough vote for me. I vote for The Music Man. I admire Cabaret (though I kind of like Bob Fosse’s other intense 70s-era musical psychodrama more), but I love The Music Man. Both of these are deserving films, and if Cabaret wins, I will understand. But the heart wants what it wants.
What does your heart want?
The Music Man
Cabaret
WSS isn't just one of the best movie musicals ever made (maybe THE best?), it's one of the best films ever made. I love Mary Poppins but she ain't it (though, considering the audience for this substack, she's bound to win).
I must confess that I'm not voting for Cabaret solely on the film version. I read the book on which it was based, and watching Alan Cumming as the emcee in the Broadway musical was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life. Of course, I was also smitten with Joel Grey when I first watched the film as a much younger person. So...it had to be Cabaret. It's the perfect combination of charm and misery.