The Mikado (1939)

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Synopsis of The Mikado

Though it boasts an American director and star, this Technicolor cinemadaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operetta The Mikado is a faithful record of what it must have been like to attend a performance of Britain's D'Oyly Carte opera company. Less annoying than in his other film appearances, radio tenor Kenny Baker stars as Nanki-Poo, the wand'ring minstrel who wanders into a curious set of situations in the Japanese village of Titi-Pu. D'Oyly Carte perennial Martyn Green plays the leading role of Ko-Ko, the timorous Lord High Executioner who must perform one execution per day or he'll lose his job-and his own head. Ko-Ko finds a likely candidate for decapitation in the form of Nanki-Poo, who feels mighty suicidal when it seems as though his sweetheart Yum-Yum (Jean Cola) is out of his reach. Unbeknownst to Ko-Ko, Nanki-Poo is the son of none other than The Mikado, played with a combination of pomp, circumstance and Noel Cowardlike waspishness by Sydney Granville. Most of the delightfully satiric Gilbert & Sullivan songs have been retained, including "The Lord High Executioner", "Three Little Maids from School are We", "Tit Willow", "Here's a How-de-Do", and "The Object Most Sublime". The grandiose musical accompaniment is provided by the London Symphony Orchestra. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Theatrical Feature Running Time:

87 mins

Complete Cast of The Mikado

Director(s):

Victor Schertzinger

Writer(s):

Geoffrey Toye

Producer(s):

Geoffrey Toye, Josef Somlo

Categories:

Romance

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