The Ultimate Movie Musicals Bracket - Round One, Day Eleven

I'm easy.

I’m going to commit a mortal sin of cinephilia today, my friends. I’m warning you as much as I’m warning myself to be prepared for some potential ire in the comments. It’s another day of matchups in the first round of the Ultimate Movie Musical Bracket, folks, so no more delays — let’s get into it.

(4) The Sound of Music vs. (61) Jersey Boys: We may one day in this bracket have to decide which Julie Andrews musical is better, between films like this and Mary Poppins. But today is not that day. Today, I think we all know that you cannot deny a problem like Maria. Vote for the Von Trapps.

The Sound of Music

Jersey Boys

(29) Swing Time vs. (36) Help!: Two very different eras of musical filmmaking are represented in this vote, and I’m curious to see how it shakes out. Me? Well, I would vote for the old-fashioned film, by which I mean Swing Time. If this was the same film against A Hard Day’s Night…well, that would be more difficult, which is why it’s not a first-round debate. So I say stick with Fred and Ginger.

How do you vote?

Swing Time

Help!

(13) Nashville vs. (52) 42nd Street: OK. I am not a fan of the movie Nashville. If you did not already consider me a film heretic, I am sure you do now! I know many, many, many people admire and love the work of Robert Altman, and he’s certainly inspired many brilliant filmmakers (among them Paul Thomas Anderson). I get that he is important, I understand why people feel that way, and I just…have never gotten it myself.

I am telling you this now not because I would vote against Nashville in today’s matchup. (I at least acknowledge its ambition as compared to the very old-fashioned 42nd Street.) But the day is coming soon when I’m going to tell you my preference is for whatever it opposes in a second-round matchup. It’s not today. But it’s coming.

Anyway. Share your anger with me in the comments, but how do you vote?

Nashville

42nd Street

(20) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers vs. (45) Bye Bye Birdie: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is a solid enough musical, and while Ann-Margret is charming in Bye Bye Birdie (as is Dick Van Dyke), the septet of married couples ought to take this one. Vote!

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Bye Bye Birdie