'He's my Friend' with Debbie Reynolds and Harve Presnell

A riotous dance number from the film 'THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN (1964) full of vim and vigour....Where the stars get their energy from is hard to fathom (none of the ensemble are exactly youngsters).....even stalwart MARTITA HUNT gets in on the act!

[@servantofmylord]

The actors of this era have it all over the actors of today. There just isn't anyone that can compare to the talent of these people!

[@Seabasstien]

Debbie Reynolds evokes absolute Joy in this scene. She would have had my vote for Best Actress.

[@gforcestp]

OMG, this is electric. They just don't create sequences like this today-probably couldn't. Was on the sound stage where they shot this at SONY Studios when I took the tour. Was honored to walk the same boards as these amazing artists. Thanks so much for posting.

[@irenedontoh3539]

We don't have entertainment like this anymore. What a shame

[@BarbItalia]

Debbie Reynolds was REMARKABLE!!!

[@anthonyscinocca4380]

This iconic actress should have made millions for her role as Molly Brown. Hard to believe she suffered financial hardships in later years. But today, actors with far less talent make multi millions. This was a spectacular dance segment.

[@sandrapister3589]

Loved Debbie Reynolds and Harve Presnell. What a great voice. This dance segment is fabulous.

[@frieda406]

Debbie Reynolds was a trooper. She passed out during a dance number for Singin' In the Rain. They practiced it so many times she finally keeled over.

[@MeJessieLee]

when i first saw this I was blown away, couldn't' stop smiling. The three of them dancing toward the end was fantastic

[@SharonLuzadder]

It’s sooo sad we don’t have real talent with singing, dancing and lighthearted moments. Right now I think people or older ones could use some inspirational talent to calm the “nerves” and lighten our spirits!!

[@jgsmile1331]

So nice to see all the ole' familiar faces and giving us such an uplifting performance. Love it. The world was not perfect then but at least we celebrated the good things in life and did not have to hear the actors political view on things. Love all stars here in this movie and will be watching it again soon. They are a CLASS act. I'm going to watch a lot of these musicals I did not get to see lately. They are excellent. Thanks for the upload.

[@vickyfarmer1176]

How commendable.

[@cindydawson3815]

❤❤❤ This! Thanks for lifting us up and making us smile!🥰

[@swtsngr85]

This is my all time favorite movie. Debbie Reynolds & Harve Presnell are the perfect duo!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE THIS DANCE of Debbie's - just so PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@donschmidt8203]

Debbie Reynolds was clearly one of the most talented performers ever to grace stage or screen. Singing dancing and charming every viewer privileged to watch her. Much better than doris day or any other contemporary star. It's obvious as well that Harve Presnells talents go well beyond his magnificent voice. What a wonderful dancer he was in this film. As I stated before its astonishing he wasn't a bigger star than he was. If he were performing on Broadway now he would bring down the house. Only Philip Quast has a voice to compare to his for quality and I would still give Presnell the edge. What a gift.

[@MinstrelSurfer]

Thanks so much for your comment here, Don. I enjoyed the information you provide and agree with you that Debbie Reynolds had star quality which was often under-rated. This is one of my favourite clips and I find the vim and vigour contagious. An excellent dance sequence and cleverly choreographed. As you say, Harve adds so much to this, vocally and in his dancing. Lots of personality, too. It always amazes me how some of these multi-talented people rise to prominence while others, just as good, never get the credit they deserve. I think Gene Nelson was the equal of Astaire and Kelly and yet he remained in the shadow of these two greats.

[@topogigio2879]

Debbie's phenomenal in this number, I have to disagree about the rest of it. She wasn't a great singer and I actually prefer Doris's acting performance in CALAMITY JANE. Unlike Debbie, she doesn't overdo it. I also prefer Betty Hutton in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN.

[@frieda406]

Thank you for posting this. Saw the movie when it first came out. Just loved it and especially this number. The performers clearly gave it their all.

[@chgoboy69]

Amazing number which apparently was added when the budget was just about gone and they almost didn't include it. I read that they filmed it in very few takes so they would include it with a limited budget. Can't imagine the film without it!

[@reelfan-16]

God speed, Debbie. Thank you for all the great songs, great dances and great memories!

[@lorilarsen4414]

Look at her dance! Fabulous. Love this movie so much.

[@tgenrette451518]

R.I.P. DEAREST DEBBIE REYNOLDS ONE OF THE BEST DANCE SCENES EVER. U KICKED UP YOUR HEELS 🎵🤓

[@swtsngr85]

2 thumbs down?????? How could ANYONE in their right mind not like this??!!!!

[@ppppmmmm7809]

I bet it was hard work, but they made it look so easy, looks like a fun day at the office

[@CivicSTS]

I have not seen this movie in over 10 years. This song just popped in my head.

[@stayheavypdx]

RIP Debbie Reynolds.. thank you

[@bealeach1227]

My FAVORITE of a lot of musicals!

[@QueerOkie]

“They’ll have ME to recon with!” God bless the Duchess and God bless Margret Brown!

[@MyCatsR2Crazy]

Harve Presnell play the father Mr Parker in the television show The Pretenders

[@HBsrfrgirl]

♥ We love you, Debbie. Rest in peace. ♥

[@nannettetaylor5895]

You were/are a treasure ... THANK YOU ... and may you RIP

[@Bintmoosa27]

so enjoyable... love this x

[@kimclayton2860]

Best scene in this film was this one. Great dance number and as I read some dropped out of exhaustion since only one take was allowed due to time and money. Great job Ms. Reynolds. rip

[@valenciam722]

Love this!!!!

[@anamariagutierrez2019]

Excellent Rendition of Everybody Actually

[@MinstrelSurfer]

This is one of my favourite clips, Ana Maria. Everyone is so vivacious and full of fun. Great scene, great song, and great dance sequence. It always makes me happy when a i watch it. Glad you enjoy it, too.

[@Bintmoosa27]

best days of long gone years

[@coveredinbees3909]

Now that's a party!

[@MinstrelSurfer]

Sure is, CoveredinBees! A rousing number, well-staged and choreographed! Great to see the wonderful Martita Hunt ..... she could always do a good turn as a Dowager ..... and the lovely Debbie Reynolds! They don’t make them like this now! Thanks for commenting!

[@coveredinbees3909]

No they don't make em like this anymore which is shame. I'd go to this party any day. Thank you for uploading one of my scenes for the old school musicals XD

[@dorenechase6614]

One of my favorite movies...

[@zekekresco3443]

I really enjoyed watching this Reynolds movie . The first for me was " Charlotte's Web " ( 1973 ) " Singin' In The Rain " ( 1952 ) , then " The UnSinkable Molly Brown " ( 1964 )

[@kennethwayne6857]

Same for me.

[@dalehoward8352]

I love this movie!

[@Dxybelle1]

Fantastic.

[@ThePearsch]

Ed Begley dancing at 63 yrs. old.

[@jasonplatt2228]

And dancing great, especially since he wasn't known for his dancing but for his dramatic acting.

[@fullplate100]

The human body's an amazing thing. As you rehearse a dance # like this over & over, the body gets stronger & makes adjustments in order to do the work, naturally. As long as you feed it & rest it properly, that is. Come time to film the sequence, you can look/dance like you're 20 yrs. old. (if you're lucky.)

[@aminsadeghpour1549]

I remember before my family and I rented the movie from the video rental store I had already listened to the original Broadway show from a c.d I had gotten from the library. I was initially a little disappointed because a lot of the songs from the original show were cut from the movie. Only about four songs from the show were in the movie but I was blown away with this dance number. In a way this number made up for the songs that were cut.

[@kennethwayne6857]

In the early '90's there was a national tour of this show with Debbie and Harve Presnell returning to their roles. It played until 1993, almost 30 years after this film! They tried to make it more like the movie with a few songs cut and this one added, but that's still way preferable to what they do today where they write an entirely new script for the show because it isn't 'woke' enough for them. Many classic musicals are being subjected to this. Sorry, end of rant.

[@Kisskiss019]

The guy with the red socks will still be my Favriot XD

[@khunt2055]

They were not prepared for my love & acquaintance with Show Tunes. It's Sad, really. Thank you.

[@rocketmom60]

It is hard to believe Harve Presnell here is the same as the guy in Paint Your Wagon. Such a different appearance and not just due to the beard in PYW.

[@jmuduke99]

Or Fargo

[@kennethwayne6857]

Actors transform themselves. That's what they do.

[@josephbancal8161]

J'aime Dennie Reynolds car elle est ravissante, piquante actrice, excellente danseuse, plaisante chanteuse, masculine quand il le faut, drôle ou tragique, mais toujours énergique et pleine d'entrain. Ce n'est pas une mauviette ! Elle n'est pas efféminée !

[@momof2momof2]

I want to go to her parties !!!!!

[@johncommand1619]

grover dale is so fantastic

[@2up3rm4n1]

Debbie Reynolds Oscar omission that year has to be one of the academy's most interesting footnotes. Even if they wanted to give it to Julie Andrews for My Fair Lady, based on those qualifications, Molly Brown is the better role and performance.

[@thelightandchampioncenter4968]

It's very arguable that Anne Bancroft's was better yet. Or Loren's. Not that Reynolds' was bad, but, no, not the best.

[@sisterluke]

1964 was a competitive Oscar year. Julie Andrews won Best Actress but now that enough time has passed, there are several critics that will argue that the Oscar should have went to Anne Bancroft for drama or Debbie Reynolds for best comedy/musical performance. One thing is for sure, if they had a category for "best performance in a musical", Reynolds would have won for her role. As far as the musical as a whole, the screenwriting and the production budget cuts are what ultimately weakened it to the point of never being quite an equal to My Fair Lady or Mary Poppins. In recent years, many marginalized groups like LGBTQ have embraced "I Ain't Down Yet" as an anthem and character Molly Brown as a inspiring icon.

[@bibber123]

Harve Presnell also played the father-in-law, Wade Gustafson, in the 1996 movie “Fargo”.

[@dalehoward8352]

In watching the movie right now/Chicago!

[@swoklahoma]

Tried to find this on Hulu. They don't have it ! Can you believe it ?

[@mike89128]

These scenes are shot over a period of days. every cutaway may have been shot hours apart to allow the actors to rest and set the scene.

[@sparklemotion1018]

Except - it wasn't. This scene was (famously) shot in one day, as quickly as possible, because the studio's mid-filming budget cuts to the film during production left little for filming this number (which was written specially for the film - it's not in the stage musical - and would have been skipped for lack of funds if it had taken "a period of days."). Not sure why you would speculate about how this scene "may have been shot," when the history is well-documented.

[@chuckschafer6728]

in the revival of the stageplay hes my friend was included

[@ej3016]

Sparklemotion101 Debbie mentions this in production number in “Unsinkable” and yes it seems it was done in a single day

[@2up3rm4n1]

One of the dancers passed out at the end of this song. Looks like it was the dark-haired fellow as he is going down when the song is over. Reynolds also had to have medical attention. All of that whooping and cheering was obviously added on later.

[@crisvanfan]

The royalty in the room was having a blast you think the hoity-toity Denver society could lighten up a bit

[@lorrainekliendienst3732]

Love to hear Ebony Eyes by the Everly bros.

[@emilybalzan1599]

I cannot get the whole film

[@esmeephillips5888]

Shot in a day using multiple crews bc MGM had plundered the budget to pay for 'Dr Zhivago'. Director Chuck Walters had begun as a hoofer and must have winced at some parts of the dancing- bad but jolly larking about, from the hoedown school of 'Seven Brides' and 'Calamity Jane',😢 sans finesse. Harve Presnell's height difference with Debbie as well as his lack of training constricts the choreography and leaves him looking dead beat after the somersault, but it's all fun. Had this been Judy's comeback in musicals, as had been proposed, the height difference would have been grotesque. Of course the plot is ahistorical nonsense and the principals look nothing like JJ and Maggie (not Molly) Brown, but when the legend becomes fact...

[@2up3rm4n1]

Funny thing is of all three movies, Mary Poppins is the best known today. so maybe the academy was correct.

[@PocketMarmo04]

This may be the best sequence from an otherwise odd and lackluster film. This film and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Paint Your Wagon somehow all derived from and/or inspired each other. And I don't understand movies that unduly romanticize the 'Old West' in quite THIS way. How differently we depict this period now, than in 1964. The REAL Old West was hot, and dirty, and difficult, and merciless, with bad teeth, and body odor, and shortened life spans, and lynchings, and lonely anonymous deaths by gold seekers and fur trappers..... .

[@annwalsh5065]

"Debbie Downer" strikes again! ☹

[@rtfe83able]

Wow they don't make them like that any more! How the Hell didn't Debbie Reynolds win the Oscar for that perfomance! Rip off!

[@gloria-sw1iw]

thank god, it was awful

[@2up3rm4n1]

Yes, They WANTED to give Julie the Academy Award for My Fair Lady. Julie has acknowledged this as well. So she got it for Mary Poppins. But she has admitted it was because she did not get the role in My Fair Lady. They were trying to give her the Oscar for My Fair Lady. Mary Poppins was the only way she could get it. Had she done both movies that year, Mary Poppins would not have been nominated. She would have been nominated for My Fair Lady, and won for that one. Understand now?

[@2up3rm4n1]

Julie Andrews won the Oscar for Mary Poppins, but for NOT getting the role in My Fair Lady. Audrey Hepburn wasn't even nominated for My Fair Lady. Julie wasn't offered MFL because it was felt she wasn't a big enough star in the states at the time, she was in the UK, but not in America. Audrey said if she didnt take the role, they would offer it to someone else and Audrey felt she deserved it more than that person. Debbie lost out to politics, plain and simple.

[@serapidus]

I love this film but I think Shirley Maclaine(original choice) would have been a better choice for her dancing skills

[@gloria-sw1iw]

awful, even with shirley

[@gloria-sw1iw]

one of the worst performances in movie history, terrible.. film lost a bomb..miscast