Some parts were slow. Things just seemed to drag on and on.Van Johnson didn't have much of a story, or much to do. He was being chased by one of the local man-hungry females, and he was mightily offended.Of course, Gene Kelly had the romantic lead part. Dancing with Cyd Charisse in the Heather on the Hill segment, collecting heather for the wedding, was just too smarmy IMO. They were getting too sensually/sexually close for having just met. I realize all the village single women were starved for affection, but this was a bit much. Fiona Campbell was just too pretty not to have tons of the local single men chasing her, BTW.The wedding dance was lovely, with the bride and groom leading off. Hugh Laing as the ticked off ex-suitor of Bonnie Jean was way too smoldering, with a hell-bent strange behavior and so self-destructive. That he jumped into the big dance scene and started almost manhandling Jean was weird, yet I was almost cheering him on to sweep her away out of there. I did feel sorry for Harry Beaton, and wish I could have seen more dancing from the great Hugh Laing.Gene Kelly's pants were way too tight. Ugh.

In this wonderful M-G-M musical from Lerner and Lowe, you can't keep from being taken with this place of happiness, romance, and love, even if the Scottish village of Brigadoon was artificial. (Because of existing budget problems when the movie was made about 1954, M-G-M could not film on location.) The songs were unforgettable, such as "Come Ye to the Fair", "The Heather on the Hill", "Go Home with Bonnie Jean", and "It's Almost Like Being in Love." The wedding-scene music, replete with Scottish bagpipes from eight Scottish clans, was extremely impressive. The cast was well-chosen. Gene Kelly did so well as the love-sick Tommy Albright, Van Johnson was definitely adept at playing the drunk friend of Albright named Jeff Douglas, Elaine Stewart was skillful in the role of Albright's snobbish and disgusting fiancée Jane, and truly, to be around Cyd Charisse would make a person be in love with the beautiful Fiona Campbell. Again, the scenery was beautiful as well as the songs. Far-fetched as it was, the story was wonderful. For many reasons, the fictitious Scottish town Brigadoon would render the town, again, an unforgettable "mind-sticker".

Brigadoon is not the best movie musical I've seen, nor is it the worst. In fact, while the closing scene is a little abrupt, Brigadoon is a charming and underrated musical, and I confess I have not seen the stage musical. The score is wonderful and the songs are magnificent especially the enchanting The Heather on the Hill. The choreography is very attractive, especially when performed by such pros meaning Gene Kelly and Cyd Charise, the costumes and sets are imaginative and the CinemaScope is very effective and enhances the choreography even further, while the story adeptly blends charm, tragedy and humour. The cast gives the film even more heart than it has, Gene Kelly(Xanadu is his worst film, not this as I have seen cited by some people not on this site), Van Johnson and Cyd Charise are all wonderful. In conclusion, I liked Brigadoon a lot. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Well, the show is over because I reached the last DVD on this box set. I saved "Brigadoon" for the end because I was appalled by this folk theme: a romance in Scotland.Now, that I have seen it, I am a bit disappointed: the sets are too make-believe and it's look like a show on stage. This time, at least at the beginning, the songs stop the story and are quite boring. It took time for the fairy tale to take you but it happens with the help of the Celtics enchantment (patchwork colors everywhere, a "shire" atmosphere) and the talent of Minelli and Kelly. The first is very close to Lynch, being able to shoot fantasy in real / dreamy way and the latter is always convincing in spite of the void of any decent partner here...As I left for the moment Kelly's cinematography, I tell one more time how great and talented he was: actor, dancer, singer, director, choreographer and above all, a decent man! I think he has bring the best to his passion, the dance and stories like "Billy Elliot" are silly to deconstruct his legacy. Dance isn't for girls only, and boys who dance aren't effeminate. Look at him! Dance is a way of expressing yourself as writing, painting or sporting. That's why I was stunned when I see that Kelly would link sports and dance together because I have always considered my basketball practicing as "my" dance.Thanks Gene, I will remember for a long time this summer 2010 and I miss you very much!