A frenetic rendering of the Broadway smash which fails to stay the course due to a wafer-thin script which doesn't follow through on its own set-up (a kiss between a singing idol on his way to the Army--à la Elvis--and a smitten teen with a troubled love life). Ann-Margret, at the peak of her sexy/innocent charms, simply cannot be equaled when she's front and center; the fiery, orange-haired young woman attempts to be modest--but most of her sidelong glances, responses and dance-moves reveal a vixen. She's probably too old to be playing a bobbysoxer, but she lights the screen up in such a way that no one wants to mince words. Janet Leigh (in an odd brunette wig) is sweet as a secretary, but there's too much of her--we don't really need the dance sequence with the Shriners, but apparently Leigh did. Dick Van Dyke and Maureen Stapleton (as a mamma's boy and his mamma) just get in the way, but Paul Lynde makes his suburban pop something to relish and Bobby Rydell is likable enough as A-M's slightly pushy beau. The film ends with a messy sequence, its cast turned into a mob, with ideas thrown around and a situation not fully realized. It moves fast and has a pleasantly scrubbed atmosphere, but only Ann-Margret is worth swooning over, doing her best to convince us she's a good girl. *** from ****
Review of Bye Bye Birdie
