Bye Bye Birdie
Time Out says
One of the more unsung '60s musicals, this is a big, splashy, Broadway-derived mix of boisterous rock'n'roll satire and breezy showbiz formulas. Hip-swivelling singing idol Conrad Birdie (Pearson in a juicy send-up of Elvis-style narcissism) gets drafted into the army, but not before his managers ('oldsters' Leigh and Van Dyke) arrange for him to bestow a last, symbolic kiss on one lucky Middle American Miss (Ann-Margret). Released just months before Kennedy's assassination, this enjoyable timepiece is notable today for its peppy score, energetic dancing, and for having made a star of the extremely nubile Ann-Margret, 22 passing for 16. Her fresh, wholesome eroticism fairly bursts off the screen.
Details
Release details
Duration:
112 mins
Cast and crew
Director:
George Sidney
Screenwriter:
Irving Brecher
Cast:
Ann-Margret
Janet Leigh
Dick Van Dyke
Bobby Rydell
Maureen Stapleton
Jesse Pearson
Paul Lynde
Ed Sullivan
Janet Leigh
Dick Van Dyke
Bobby Rydell
Maureen Stapleton
Jesse Pearson
Paul Lynde
Ed Sullivan