If you want to understand the exact moment Old Hollywood tried to act young and hip while accidentally being incredibly offensive, look no further than the film Thoroughly Modern Millie 1967. It’s a massive, three-hour musical comedy. It’s got Julie Andrews fresh off The Sound of Music. It’s got Mary Tyler Moore with a bob. It even has Carol Channing being, well, Carol Channing.
Basically, it’s a time capsule of 1960s excess trying to capture the 1920s spirit. You’ve got jazz, flappers, and some very questionable subplots that make modern viewers squint at their screens in disbelief.
What Actually Happens in This Movie?
The plot is... a lot. Millie Dillmount (Julie Andrews) arrives in New York City in 1922. She’s got a plan. She wants to be a "modern." That means bobbing her hair, wearing short skirts, and—this is the weird part—marrying her boss solely for his money. It’s gold-digging as a feminist statement? Sorta.
She moves into the Hotel Priscilla for Single Women. There, she meets Miss Dorothy (Mary Tyler Moore), a wealthy girl playing poor for the "experience." They become best friends instantly. But there’s a dark side. The hotel is run by Mrs. Meers, played by Beatrice Lillie.
Honestly, here is where it gets uncomfortable.
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Mrs. Meers is actually a failed actress running a "white slavery" ring. She kidnaps orphans and ships them off to the Orient. To do this, she wears a wig, uses a fake accent, and pretends to be Chinese. It’s yellowface. There’s no way around it. It’s a comedic subplot about human trafficking.
The Cast: Julie Andrews and the 1960s Peak
By 1967, Julie Andrews was the biggest star on the planet. People loved her. She could do no wrong. In the film Thoroughly Modern Millie 1967, she’s charming as ever, even when she’s chasing a paperclip salesman named Jimmy (James Fox) while trying to woo her boss (John Gavin).
- Mary Tyler Moore: This was her first big movie role after The Dick Van Dyke Show. She’s delightful, though her character is mostly there to be the "damsel" in the kidnapping plot.
- Carol Channing: She plays Muzzy Van Hossmere, a wealthy, eccentric widow who parachutes into scenes—literally. She’s the heart of the film’s "zany" energy.
- James Fox: He plays Jimmy, the guy Millie actually loves but tries to ignore because he's poor (spoiler: he’s actually rich).
Why the Production Was a Massive Deal
Universal Studios spent a fortune on this. It was directed by George Roy Hill, who later did Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He wasn't exactly known for musicals, and he clashed with producer Ross Hunter. Hunter wanted a glitzy, traditional musical. Hill wanted something more satirical and sharp.
The result is a movie that feels like it’s fighting itself. It’s long. Really long. There’s an intermission.
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The costumes, designed by Jean Louis, are stunning. They aren't strictly 1920s; they're 1920s-as-seen-through-a-1960s-lens. Think brighter colors and shorter hemlines than would have been common in 1922. It won an Oscar for Best Original Music Score (Elmer Bernstein), and Carol Channing got a Supporting Actress nomination.
The Problematic Side: The "Oriental" Subplot
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. The film Thoroughly Modern Millie 1967 features two henchmen, Bun Foo and Ching Ho. They were played by Pat Morita (yes, Mr. Miyagi!) and Jack Soo. In the original credits, they were literally listed as "Oriental #1" and "Oriental #2."
It’s rough to watch now. While the movie tries to make them sympathetic—they’re just trying to earn money to bring their mother over from China—they are stuck in a narrative that treats their culture like a joke. The 2002 Broadway musical tried to fix this by giving them more agency and making the villain’s racism the butt of the joke, but the '67 film is very much a product of its insensitive era.
Is It Still Worth Watching?
If you like camp, yes.
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The "Tapioca" dance number is genuinely fun. The scene where Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore have to dance the Charleston in an elevator just to make it move is a classic bit of physical comedy. It’s a movie that captures the "Big Musical" era just before it died out to make room for the gritty New Hollywood of the 70s.
But you have to watch it with your "1967 goggles" on. It’s a weird mixture of high-budget talent and low-brow stereotypes. It’s shiny, it’s loud, and it’s occasionally very cringey.
How to Experience Millie Today
If you're diving into the world of 1960s musicals, don't just stop at the screen. Here is how to actually engage with this piece of film history:
- Watch the "Tapioca" sequence on YouTube first. It’ll give you a vibe check on whether you can handle three hours of that energy.
- Compare it to the 2002 Broadway Cast Recording. Sutton Foster took the role Julie Andrews originated and turned it into a Tony-winning powerhouse. The stage version "fixes" a lot of the plot issues.
- Check out the Costume Design. Look up Jean Louis’s sketches. If you're into fashion history, the way he blended 60s mod with 20s flapper is actually brilliant.
- Read Julie Andrews’ memoir, Home Work. She talks about the filming process and her transition from the "nanny" roles into this more comedic, "modern" persona.
The film Thoroughly Modern Millie 1967 is a massive piece of entertainment history that tells us just as much about the 1960s as it does about the 1920s. It’s flawed, beautiful, and absolutely bizarre.