Paint your wagon was a fair success on Broadway by Lerner and Loewe with an unbelievable score. As a film, it unfortunately does not work that well as it tells its western yarn. The main problem is the MISCASTING. People of the day were unwilling to see action stars like Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood in these gentler roles singing almost in rhapsody. The thought of non-singers but good actors was considered a plus for the producers, but on release the film was basically a DUD. Jean Seberg is the leading female. The best performances come from the supporting team such as Harve Presnell who starred in The Unsinkable Molly Brown and Ray Walson who starred in everything under the sun. It really is a bit painful to hear the beautiful score sung by actors who really can't sing at all. And it's all a bit ludicrous to hear Lee Marvin or Clint Eastwood singing solos in the midst of nature. The lead stars NEVER attempted another musical. This was a lesson in futility that rarely was attempted again. It's all too bad because hearing the Original Broadway Production by true singers shows what a delightful musical PAINT YOUR WAGON could have been. Casting is everything!
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