11 thoughts on “TBT: The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964)

  1. Awww! Thanks to my GMa, I had a pretty thorough grounding in musicals, and this was one of my favorites. It also helped that I was living in Colorado, so during a US history class in middle school I chose Molly Brown as the subject of a report and got to go to her house in Denver, as well as Leadville, as part of it. She was an amazing woman in her own right, but I adored Debbie’s portrayal. To this day it makes me smile, even if it is bad fan fic. ;) The scene where she’s prowling the house thinking like a burglar… the sneer! She was a riot in that movie.

    So… how historically accurate-ish were the costumes?They always seemed to me similar to My Fair Lady or Gigi, especially once they go to Paris, but the times would be off, wouldn’t they?

    1. The costumes are pure Hollywood of the era — vaguely going for 1900-ish styles but using modern construction & materials, no corsets, modern hair & makeup. Still beautiful in their own way tho’, tons of details like beading, lace, ostrich feathers!

      How great that you went to the Molly Brown house! I’ve read how they’ve used the popularity of the musical & film to tell the history, which is fascinating. Sometimes, historians get bent out of shape by the inaccuracies, but this is such a beloved musical, it works as an excellent gateway to learning the history, which is equally amazing if totally different (as you found :) ).

      1. As a trained historian (well, bachelor’s in history), I am one of the odd ducks that prefers historical fiction to real history, at least for its accessibility. Even when reading primary source material, it can be hard to understand motives and undercurrents in a way that is easier to garner in historical fiction. That being said, I even more prefer alternate histories of the fantasy world (Jacqueline Carey’s Terre d’Ange / Kushiel and Namaah series standing head and shoulders above the rest) in which it becomes more fun to play with what ifs.

        That being said, any excuse for a gorgeous drive through the mountains out to Leadville, and another gorgeous drive through the old money part of Denver are well worth the research!! Leadville still looks a lot like it did in its mining days, although the trade is much heavier in tourism now.

        I find it most sad that her efforts to help workers and children, especially setting up one of the first juvenile courts in the us, has largely become forgotten. To me, it’s one of her most ensuring legacies.

  2. Despite the nonperiod hairstyles, I am a fan.

    Molly Brown, in a way iin the movie, s what European aristocrats such as the English thought Nouveau riche Americans were. Too elaborate and new clothes (English aristocratic women and the American Old Guard prided themselves for wearing clothes a couple of seasons off– did they buy new and keep them in hiding for a year?

    I really loved the red gown.

    1. They bought new and gave them to a servant to wear… At least Brummel was rumored to have all his new clothes “broken in” by his valet… And even artificially aged!
      New, and worse, looking new was nouveau riche and sooo vulgar.

      PS: I have troubles with that purple gown. Lace looks nice, but that print!

      1. The costume materials are all very modern — little attempt to source or copy period prints & such. But I do love how richly embellished costumes in old Hollywood musicals are, it gives great depth & of course they’re designed to move beautifully.

  3. Of course, the real Molly and Johnny Brown permanently went their separate ways. However, they never divorced as they were devout Catholics.

  4. I attended a Halloween tea in her Denver house a few years ago. Spacious it might have been for 1980, but in comparison to the movie’s mansion it’s TINY. ;)

Comments are closed.