Bye Bye Birdie (1963)

It is a performances centric movie

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Opinions seem to be pretty divisive on this film version of Bye Bye Birdie, and while I can definitely understand why people won't like it it is also easy to see why people do. While it is not perfect, I am one of those who did like the film and always have done. I have yet to re-watch the 1995 version, but I do remember that while it was closer to the original musical/stage show that it didn't have the same levels of energy and sense of fun that we see here, that the cast weren't as strong and that it felt too much like a made for TV movie. The re-watch might make me feel differently though. Bye Bye Birdie(1963) does have foibles in my view, the Ed Sullivan references are dated and have always gone over my head, Jesse Pearsson as Conrad does little with his here very underdeveloped character and Bobby Rydell is rather bland. However, the film is beautifully shot and the costumes and sets are very colourful. The songs are wonderful and really quite catchy, while the choreography is both lively and inventive(loved Conrad's priceless entrance). The story does come across as a little messy as a result of things being omitted, added in and rewritten, but the witty satire and the exuberance of George Sidney's direction make up for things. The performances are very strong generally, Ann-Margaret especially is perfect in the lead even if her singing in the prologue is not that great. But that is not to dispute the rest, Paul Lynde's hilarious and snarky performance- and rendition of Kids- really stood out and Maureen Stapleton is a riot as the overbearing mother figure. I've seen better from Dick Van Dyke but his handsome presence, infectious energy and personal charm still shine here and while the role needed much more of a spitfire personality Janet Leigh was still very charming and really gave her all in every respect. In conclusion, energetic, colourful and fun, not one of my favourites but I can't help liking it very much. 7/10 Bethany Cox

What is most interesting about this film is the cast. Dick Van Dyke is in top form. As for the women, Ann Margaret and Janet Leigh are both in stunning beauty here. Paul Lynde is cast here in the hit Broadway role that helped establish him in the national spot light. Ole stone face Ed Sullivan even mugs a few camera shots in.The story is a bit of a mess but in a way this is the Grease of the 1960's. Some of the sets even look like sets used in the 1970 Disco film. One of the scenes in the apartment bedroom with Leigh and Margaret reminds me very much of a scene in Grease too. The main differences between the 2 musicals are the music and script.While Grease introduced a disco beat to musicals, Bye Bye Birdie introduces very little music that is new to anybody. Grease focus on the love story of the lead characters. Birdie wanders between 2 or three love stories and sometimes wanders totally off into nonsense.Still, I like looking at pretty women and by golly the main ones in this one definitely qualify. Van Dykes physical comedy is a bit stretched here. For some reason this movie tries to take advantage of a public that has gone Elvis crazy and is into going Beatle crazy and tries to make Conrad Birdie into another Elvis. On that count, it falls woefully short which is why the music is so ordinary.

When "Bye Bye Birdie" began, I cringed. The director paid out of his own pocket to add a singing sequence at the beginning and end of the film to showcase the gorgeous Ann-Margret....but the song was just terrible. While he has a lovely voice, you'd never know it with this song--it just sounds off-key and dreadful. Well, apparently folks weren't paying attention to her singing, as the film helped to launch her career into overdrive--but I almost turned the movie off because the song was THAT bad.What follows is a film very much inspired by Elvis Presley's induction into the army. Girl across America are apparently in hysterics because the new singing sensation, Conrad Birdie, has been drafted. However, as a publicity stunt, he is to sing a song and give a symbolic last kiss to some lucky lady (Ann-Margret). A struggling songwriter (Dick Van Dyke) is hoping that this will revive his career, as they've gotten Birdie to agree to sing his new song. Much of the film is set in the small Ohio town where the girl, her family and her screwball boyfriend live.Compared to most musicals, this one seems to have a few more songs than usual. Some later went on to be quite famous and many are quite good. However, many are pretty annoying (other than the intro and closing songs). I really think dropping a couple of the lesser songs would have made the film flow a bit better and quickened the pace. Overall, a mildly diverting and occasionally fun film.

So many people seem to know actress Janet Leigh from her role in "Psycho" (1960).How unfortunate! Two years later, she got to leave her comfort zone and perform as Rosie DeLeon in "Bye, Bye Birdie." It has been said this movie is an Ann-Margret movie, and she does indeed give a fine performance, as she would in years to come.Janet Leigh is no Chita Rivera. For that matter, Ms. Rivera is no Ms. Leigh. And the 1960 stage show is not the 1963 film. You take the performers and the productions on their own terms. They all work well. Janet Leigh was never lovelier than she was here!!!! She may not be the best singer, but she was fantastic, getting out of a "comfort zone" in terms of performing, and giving it her own all in this film!! I can understand the disappointment both Dick Van Dyke and Paul Lynde felt with this production. I imagine they deserved more time, given what they contributed. But they, and the other supporting cast members do well.From my perspective, I first saw this in spring 1974 in junior high, and the movie looked so hokey, given its Kennedy administration background. Watergate loomed very, very large, with its cynicism, and I could not appreciate this as a 14-year-old. But as time goes by, I have gotten to love this movie very much.And since I grew up in the Southern Tier of New York, the song "One Last Kiss" has a special meaning. When Gary Lewis and the Playboys performed this song on "The Ed Sullivan Show" on 4 December 1966, before Mr. Lewis went to the Army, the girl who got the kiss was from Endicott, just 5 miles from where I was writing this!! Whatever the case, this movie remains as enjoyable today as it was when it was released nearly 50 years ago!!