The Movie Musical: Direction

Comparing A Little Night Music (1977) and Sweeney Todd (2007).

This is the first week in this course that I've had to write about something "bad" to show what not to do in a certain aspect of crafting a movie musical. In response, I've tried to choose artists who have had lengthy, acclaimed careers and point out their misfires, so it doesn't seem like I'm picking on anyone. That way, I can say, "This person is really great, so what happened here?"

That's why, for this week about directing movies, I've chosen Hal Prince. 

Harold Prince is probably the greatest director for the Broadway stage that we have ever seen. The recipient of 21 Tony Awards, from Best Direction to Best Musical to a Lifetime Achievement, Hal either produced or directed the original productions of Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Company, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, The Phantom of the Opera, Parade, and countless other classics. With a career spanning over 60 years, Hal worked with anyone and everyone.

Hell, he's the only director I can think of who earned an entire revue of his work on Broadway. Sondheim got a few, but that's a given considering the number of songs in his catalogue. Fosse got Fosse, but that was probably more for his work as a dancer and choreographer than a director. In 2015, Manhattan Theatre Club produced Prince of Broadway, directed by none other than Hal himself, a retrospective and recreation of his entire career, showcasing songs and scenes from Damn Yankees, Fiddler, Evita, Phantom, and so many more. 

So then what happened with the 1977 film adaptation of A Little Night Music? The only time Hal directed a film version of a musical he directed, it's not hard to see why it never happened again with reviews like this: