Product details

Director ‏ : ‎ Harold Prince
Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 4 minutes
Date First Available ‏ : ‎ February 9, 2007
Actors ‏ : ‎ Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Rigg, Len Cariou, Lesley-Anne Down, Hermione Gingold
Producers ‏ : ‎ Denis Holt, Elliott Kastner, Otto Plaschkes
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00004CJFG
Writers ‏ : ‎ Hugh Wheeler, Ingmar Bergman

Customer Reviews:
4.2 205 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5

205 global ratings

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REF

Was Not Disappointed - Loved It!!

Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2023

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I was never lucky enough to see the Broadway production of A Little Night Music. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie musical. While Elizabeth Taylor might not have had a strong singing voice I could not take my eyes off of her. I felt the same for Diana Rigg. Len Cariou, I was lucky enough to see in Sweeney Todd and have always loved him. Everyone looks like they had a blast making this movie and Sondheim’s lyrics and music always amaze. I saw don’t listen to all the negative reviews, check it out!

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D. Auer

WE NEED A FILM OF THE STAGE VERSION OF THIS MUSICAL!

Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2021

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It's hard to know how to rate this movie. As a movie, it gets 4-1/2. As a rendering of Sondheim's musical, it gets a 1-1/2.

The movie is excellent and I'm glad to have it. Elizabeth Taylor isn't very good in this role, but most of the others are excellent. My objections are due to the fact that so many of the songs are missing, and the tone of the show is bent out of shape by the movie.

In addition to several feature songs being eliminated or cut down, the whole concept of the "Greek chorus" is missing. In the original musical, there is a quintet of singers who are not characters in the movie, but stand apart from the action and provide commentary. They generally (always?) sing as a quintet, and they have several numbers. Only one of their songs is included in the movie, and it is sung by various of the featured characters. The Greek chorus quintet is entirely absent.

Now this is a device which probably works better on a stage than in a movie. So here is my fervent wish: This is one of my very favorite musicals, and I hope that someone will re-do it on film or video, re-instating all the missing music including the Greek chorus, and do it as a filming of a stage production, eliminating all cinematic effects except for use of multiple cameras for different angles and close-ups. This monumental musical deserves this!

5 people found this helpful

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James D. Held

Much better after 40+ years

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2023

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When I saw this film in its first release (1977?) I was appalled to see Liz Taylor in the role of the aging actress, but, she is a perfect choice. Not sure she actually sings, but it sure sounds like her speaking voice. The rest of the cast, Led by Broadway veteran Len Cariou and a fine supporting cast. This film did age well, I'm happy to say. Directed by no less than Harold Prince and filmed in beautiful locations. The interiors and exteriors were all sumptuous and just right for the story. I have a deep love of the Bergman film it came from--"Smiles of a Summer Night."

One person found this helpful

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Lew Troop

A Pleasure For Many

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2012

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As a pastiche of time and place, it has no equal. Although the locale has changed from Sweden to Austria, there's no loss and, in fact, some gain. The era and place suits itself nicely for a tale of infidelity combined with lush settings and characters. Yes, the plot has changed substantially and, yes, Elizabeth Taylor is not especialy proficient as a singer but we must be grateful that this exists at all; Other than in snippets, no Sondheim work has every been transferred to the screen with most, if not all, of the score in tact.

On the plus side there are great performances, especially by Dame Diana Rigg, Len Cariou and Hermione Gingold. Even young Chloe Franks makes an amusing daughter to Miss Taylor's Desiree. And, as it's been restructured, the burden of the plot does not fall heavily on Miss Taylor. She gives a capable performance if not brilliant but then her character does not call for brilliance but really an understanding of the role, given that, she performs very well. But it is Diana Rigg who's command of the screen holds your attention. Unfortunately, Dame Diana has been too little noticed over the years but when she has appeared, she commands the screen. (Only Maggie Smith in "Evil Under The Sun" could hold her own against her.)

Len Cariou and Laurence Guittard repeat performances they the gave in the Broadway Stage version and it's easy to understand why they were not replaced with more bankable if less skilled perfomers. Hermione Gingold who would eventually play Madam Armfeldt on the stage gives the perfect reading of a modest if integral role.

But the triumphant "performance" isn't given by any actor but rather by designer Florence Klotz who's costumes capture the grandeur and exxagerations of the time to perfections. The opening and the closing with all the performers in white could have looked washed out, bland but in her stylings are important and meaningful.

While not for the taste of everyone, this is a "must own" for anyone who enjoys the musical theatre as, time has shown, very few of that genre are now given further life on the screen.

16 people found this helpful

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B. DeBruyn

Most Enjoyable

Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2021

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This DVD is a translation of a play to a movie and as any translation of a book or play into a movie there will always be some disappointments.
That said, as a movie, it is a most enjoyable movie to watch.
Yes, there are a few, very few, cracks and pops, which let you know you’re watching a film from 1977. But that, to me, simply adds to the full, old fashioned, romantic ‘MGM, 20th Century Fox’ in Living Color’ era of the time the film was made.
The settings, the costumes, and the acting are all most enjoyable to watch.
And the movie does what a play cannot, it uses cutaway scenes and various angle shots to some nice effects a few times.
The there certain,y are serious moments in the movie, and some sympathetic characters, The movie doesn’t take itself seriously, but neither did the play.
So one should simply be prepared to watch a rich, warm, film, with Elizabeth Taylor and Dame Dianna Rigg performing among a very good cast in a fun loving farce about the ups and downs, the highs and lows of love and life in general.

3 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Mark C Atkins

VHS rip...

Reviewed in Canada on July 31, 2023

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Unfortunately, it's a VHS rip. Plays great without issue.

Roger Rebec

Much Better Than Expected

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 12, 2013

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Given the generally poor critical response to the film, I was really surprised that I enjoyed it! I am a huge fan of the stage show and there is no getting away from it that moving the piece from Sweden to Vienna does not help it and some of one's favourite songs are missing.

That said, I knew this was going to be the case and I am reviewing what we have got rather than what we would like to have had. The biggest downside is that we are not looking at a digitally remastered print and there are some scratches visible from time to time. The second is that the third smile of the summer night is somewhat abruptly and confusingly handled.

What there is to enjoy are the fact the extremely witty dialogue is virtually intact, the performances and what is left of the score. Elizabeth Taylor's take on Desiree is less glamorous than usual but it works very well and, as usual, no one can accuse her of not giving everything to the project. Diana Rigg is superb as the Countess and makes the most of the very witty lines whilst making us very aware that this is a very disturbed lady. Hermione Gingold, shorn of her wonderful "Liaisons" number still sparkles with malicious wit and the rest of the cast, several of whom were in the original Broadway production are very good indeed.

Would I recommend this? Yes, I would as a film of the show adapted for the screen. The piece has suffered amputations and changes but the important thing is that it is very enjoyable while you are watching it. If you want a record of the original stage show, however, you will be disappointed

3 people found this helpful

Mister Blue

Yikes!!!

Reviewed in Canada on November 23, 2022

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The best thing about this production is Diana Rigg. Enough said!

Holbrook Tech

Rare DVD Release

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 7, 2021

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This film had been hard to find on DVD. This Amazon sourced copy came from Spain with English and Spanish versions. This version is in fairly low video quality (in comparison with modern HD releases) but still very watchable. I enjoyed it - the story was good and the singing serviceable. The actors were good and Elizabeth Taylor was, as usual, luminous - her singing was "interesting".

2 people found this helpful

joel

Great cast, shame about film quality

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 18, 2017

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This could do with remastering, showing it's age...music good and Elizabeth Taylor/Diana Rigg are brilliant!

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