What was the worst stage musical to film adaptation

Lucille Ball in MAIM.

There can only be one answer.

Maybe not outright "worst," but I think Cabaret and Grease should be mentioned because it's now all-but impossible to have a production of either that isn't influenced by the movie in some way.

Pal Joey.

Sinatra’s heart wasn’t in it, nor was Hayworth’s. He was doing Harry Cohn a a favor, she was working out her contract with Columbia. And they changed it so much that “Vanessa The Undresser” singsf “Zip.” Joey’s a nice guy, not a heel, and there’s a hopeful ending.

Lady in the Dark does boast this little number.

"Babes In Arms." They ditched most of one of the best scores ever written (Rodgers and Hart gave us five or six standards!) and made it into a stupid Mickey-and-Judy show with a bunch of added mediocre songs by lesser talents.

I still prefer the inverse query: the worst musical adaptation of a non-musical film. (My money's on "Carrie: The Musical," as always.)

Meow.

I agree. Gotta be Mame.

Let's be honest: the stage show of Mame just wasn't that good to begin with.

True, r10. It depended a lot on its lead. Let's face it -- Lucy was too old, too COPD'd, and just lousy.

That wedding dress Ginger wore in LITD had to be the ugliest dress I’ve ever seen on film.

The 1932 version of [italic]Girl Crazy[/italic].

[quote]I still prefer the inverse query: the worst musical adaptation of a non-musical film. (My money's on "Carrie: The Musical," as always.)

How about non-musical movies to musical movies, like "High Society," or "The Opposite Sex"?

There are also musical movies that became stage musicals: "Singin' in the Rain," "Meet Me In St. Louis," "State Fair," "Newsies."

Song of Norway

[quote]There are also musical movies that became stage musicals: "Singin' in the Rain," "Meet Me In St. Louis," "State Fair," "Newsies."

"Gigi."

[quote]How about non-musical movies to musical movies, like "High Society," or "The Opposite Sex"?

Would this include "Joker" and "Joker: Folie a Deux"?

Oui...

The movie of A Chorus Line just came across as stupid

Was MAMMA MIA a bad film?

If I had to pick between Lucy Mame and Butthole Free Cats as the worst....

Then I can only say.....

MEOW

The Producers 2005 absolutely lame. Mame 1974 was more enjoyable.

R21 The Broadway show itself had the flimsiest of stories, and was basically an excuse to sing ABBA songs.

The original film was cute and clever, and the actors filled in some of the gaps in the story nicely. Haven't seen the second one.

[Quote] Was MAMMA MIA a bad film?

The original show was stupid. The movie only reflected that. I dislike Meryl in comedies—she always seems like she’s trying to hard

[Quote] The Producers 2005 absolutely lame

Totally agree. Not sure why it felt completely flat on screen

R25 Agreed. Meryl was passably good in IT’S COMPLICATED, but she’s been godawful in her other comedies.

[quote] How about non-musical movies to musical movies, like "High Society," or "The Opposite Sex"?

That would be a topic for a different thread.

R8 wins

The film of "A Chorus Line" makes Lucy's "Mame" look like "West Side Story"!

It's hard to say because I haven't seen the originals. I haven't seen Lady in the Dark on stage but when I was teenager I got the published play script from the library, got out a Gertrude Lawrence record with some of the songs on it, a my parents had a Danny Kaye record with his big number on it, and I sort of tried to recreate it in my mind. And having done that, I then saw the Ginger Rogers movie and even in my youth I could tell it was a mess.

Some others I never saw on stage but I'm sure were not good adaptations: Panama Hattie (with Ann Sothern instead of Ethel Merman) and Du Barry Was A Lady.

On A Clear Day You Can See Forever comes to mind. I haven't seen Dear Evan Hansen (on stage or screen) but the movie didn't seem to be loved. I think Carousel, The King And I and South Pacific, as movies, came across as worse to me than dinner theater and local theater productions I have seen of these shows, that had more depth and soul and humor.

R21, I think it's telling that the sequel got considerably better reviews even without Meryl in it (aside from one scene as a "ghost"). Why? Easy: it was originally written for screen. (And Cher steals the entire fucking show, but no surprise there.)