Legitimate Theater:"Here's Love" (1963)

Welcome to Legitimate Theater: a column dedicated to movie-based stage musicals. The goal of this series is to explore those stories that originated in films and eventually worked their way onto Broadway and beyond. By the end of each entry, there will hopefully be a better understanding of this odd but rampant trend in modern entertainment. Are these stories really worth telling through song and dance? How can it even compare to the technical prowess of a camera and seamless editing? Join me on this quest as I explore the highs and lows of this trend on the third Wednesday of every month and hopefully answer what makes this Legitimate Theater.

Opening

With tomorrow marking the annual Macy's Day Thanksgiving Parade, it only feels right that the holiday season also kicks off with a film that highlights the events. Miracle on 34th Street has remained a holiday staple that transcends the two winter holidays, and it was only a matter of time before it would be adapted to the stage with a new songbook of holiday classics. Luckily The Music Man's Meredith Wilson is the one to take on that challenge and brings with him the love of Americana and enthusiasm that would bring t his story to life. But could it possibly compare to his masterpiece music from River City? To say the least, it's among his least remembered work, even if it's his most recognized source material. Here's hoping that Wilson has a few presents in his bag that will delight and amuse audiences. 

A Quick Background

Tony Wins: N/A

Based on: Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Music: Meredith Wilson

Lyrics: Meredith Wilson

Book: Meredith Wilson

Prominent Actors: Valerie Lee, Janis Paige, Laurence Naismith

Soundtrack

1. "Overture/The Big Clown Balloons/Parade"
2. "Arm in Arm"
3. "You Don't Know"
4. "The Bugle"
5. "Here's Love"
6. "My Wish"
7. "Pine Cones and Holly Berries"
8. "Look, Little Girl"
9. "Look, Little Girl (Reprise)"
10. "Expect Things to Happen/Love Come Take Me Again (Waltz)"
11. "She Hadda Go Back"
12. "The Man Over There"
13. "My State"
14. "Finale"

Note: Listen to the music here

Song Exploration

Opening Song:
"Overture/The Big Clown Balloons/Parade"

The majority of people will remember Meredith Wilson almost exclusively from The Music Man musical, which was full of jaunty marching tunes. It makes sense that he wouldn't only want to adapt Miracle on 34th Street, but make one of the high points of the show the Macy's Day Thanksgiving Parade. What's not to love as he plays into his strengths in an elaborate number that features lyrics about spectacle and a strong orchestration of drums and horns playing as the crowd gasps in awe. It's the type of opening that almost makes too much sense and makes Wilson the perfect person to adapt this. The only issue is that that big marching number is only the opening, and the rest can't compare to the enthusiasm and ingenuity on display over these nine minutes. 

Carryovers

This is an example of a musical that borrows bits and pieces from the music of the film, but doesn't have any outright moment that could be highlighted. There's plenty of Christmas songs and imagery that could be considered here. The rest is predominantly setting the entire plot to song, but with more of an upbeat Americana enthusiasm. If anything, the music embraces the corporate nature of the film and makes the experience of going to a parade feel more accessible to the audience. It works well enough on the soundtrack, but there's a good chance that Wilson's vision in the production is a lot stronger and warrants the sometimes subdued nature of the more emotional songs. 

High Point:

"She Hadda Go Back"

In one of the few moments that stand out for its inspired mix of Broadway and humor was a late track that explains why a woman was late. While it can be argued that the sexual politics are a bit backwards, the idea that a woman keeps forgetting things at her apartment is perfectly played for a lyrical math question. Why was she late? She kept forgetting her keys and had to fix her hair. There's a convoluted nature to it all, but it makes so much sense by the end. The way that the lead singer counts up to 15 each time is also an inspired approach to the musical nature. It fully conveys that characters and their confidence in a way that elevates the story in meaningful ways.

Low Point:

"You Don't Know"

While it's not much of a gripe, one issue that I have with Meredith Wilson shows is that he often doesn't know how to write slow and emotional songs too well. If anything, this slow song embodies him at his weakest and the most cornball. While the show is all about the magic of believing in Santa, it's still pretty goofy to dedicate a whole song to believing in fairy tales that is sung so passionately, as if it's the deepest and most heartfelt secret of these characters. This show has too much of an earnest heart and at times adds nothing to the greater mythology of the film. It's fine, but it's tracks like these that keep the show from feeling like anything greater.

What Does It Bring to the Story?

The simple answer is that it brings a whole lot of music to the show. Most of the story is still carried over in a recognizable manner. The only thing is that there are portions in the show that feel a bit underwhelming because they don't have great songs to highlight memorable moments from the film. Instead, it's mostly jaunty Americana that feels void of certain emotions. There's not enough nuance to make the drama work, and instead it feels like a giant celebration of the source material. That isn't a bad thing, but it does feel like a miss in creating something far more interesting for what could be a holiday season staple. Instead, it's all sorts of forgettable.

Was This Necessary?

No

In all honesty, I'm not opposed to the idea of Meredith Wilson adapting Miracle on 34th Street for the stage. In fact, it almost makes too much sense and the opening music is a strong example of what this show could've been. However, it kind of meanders at points and is more about the fun nature of what Christmas is than any deeper meaning of the characters. For a property this iconic, it does feel predictable to have a show like this for the holiday crowd. However, it's far from being anywhere as interesting as Wilson's work on The Music Man. There's moments that work and make me wish it was that good, but it doesn't stay there for long.