The Unsinkable Molly Brown

A minor but likeable musical, partly based on fact, with Debbie Reynolds as the innocent backwoods orphan who, thanks to a combination of push, shove and money from her placid husband's lucky silver strike, makes good her burning ambition to gate-crash turn-of-the-century Denver society, finally conquering the snobs and achieving her finest hour during the 'Titanic' disaster. As ebulliently energetic as ever, Reynolds makes the brash social climbing both funny and touching, but the film itself gets trapped in two minds between satire and sentimentality. The score, by Meredith Willson of The Music Man, though pleasant, is rather thinly spread; but the sets are a delight in the best traditions of the MGM musical, and Walters does a wonderfully graceful job of direction.