Associate producer: Josef Somlo. Producer: Geoffrey Toye. This film was produced by arrangement with Rupert D'Oyly Carte. Made at London's Pinewood Studios.
Music played by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Geoffrey Toye. Chorus from the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Songs, all lyrics by Sir William Schwenck Gilbert, music by Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan: "The Sun, Whose Rays" (Baker, reprized Colin), "Gentlemen of Japan" (chorus), "A Wandering Minstrel, I" (Baker and chorus), "Our Great Mikado" (Stroud and chorus), "Behold the Lord High Executioner" (chorus), "Taken from a County Jail" (Green), "Comes a Train of Little Ladies" (chorus), "Three Little Maids from School" (Colin, Paynter, Naylor and chorus), "Were You Not to Ko-Ko Plighted" (Baker and Colin), "I Am So Proud" (Granville, Green, Stroud), "With Aspect Stern" (Green, Granville, Stroud, chorus), "The Threatened Cloud Has Passed Away" (Baker, Colin, Granville, Paynter, Naylor, chorus), "Long Life to Nanki-Poo" (Granville, chorus), "Your Revels Cease!" (Willis, chorus, Paynter, Baker), "Braid the Raven Hair" (chorus), "For He's Going To Marry Yum-Yum" (Paynter and chorus), "Brightly Dawns Our Wedding Day" (Colin, Paynter, Baker, Stroud), "Here's a How-De-Do!" (Colin, Baker, Green), "Miya Sama" (chorus), "Obedience I Expect" (Barclay, Willis, chorus), "A More Humane Mikado" (Barclay and chorus), "The Criminal Cried" (Green, Paynter, Granville, chorus), "The Flowers That Bloom in the Spring" (Baker, Green, Colin, Paynter, Granville), "Titwillow" (Green).
Deleted songs: "Young Man Despair", "I've Got a Little List", "So Pardon Us'', "Oh Fool", "Flutter Little Heart", "A Is Happy", "Alone And Yet Alive", "Beauty in the Bellow of the Blast", "For He's Gone and Married Yum-Yum".
Copyright 10 May 1939 by Universal Pictures Co., Inc. A G&S Films (London) Production. New York opening at the Rivoli: 1 June 1939. U.S. release: 8 September 1939. U.K. release through General Film Distributors: January 1939. Australian release through G-B-D/20th Century-Fox: 15 June 1939. 11 reels. 91 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Rather than marry his father's choice, the son of the Mikado of Japan flees from the palace.
NOTES: Universal's first full Technicolor release.
COMMENT: Exquisite. Mind you, some viewers complained that Kenny Baker's American accent was distracting. Others were unhappy by the omission of Ko-Ko's famous patter song about his "little list". And many of the songs that are retained have been cut down to a few verses. But who could resist such a charmingly pastel-colored production, brilliantly enacted and sung, and so stylishly presented? Sound recording and other technical credits are superb.
Music played by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Geoffrey Toye. Chorus from the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Songs, all lyrics by Sir William Schwenck Gilbert, music by Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan: "The Sun, Whose Rays" (Baker, reprized Colin), "Gentlemen of Japan" (chorus), "A Wandering Minstrel, I" (Baker and chorus), "Our Great Mikado" (Stroud and chorus), "Behold the Lord High Executioner" (chorus), "Taken from a County Jail" (Green), "Comes a Train of Little Ladies" (chorus), "Three Little Maids from School" (Colin, Paynter, Naylor and chorus), "Were You Not to Ko-Ko Plighted" (Baker and Colin), "I Am So Proud" (Granville, Green, Stroud), "With Aspect Stern" (Green, Granville, Stroud, chorus), "The Threatened Cloud Has Passed Away" (Baker, Colin, Granville, Paynter, Naylor, chorus), "Long Life to Nanki-Poo" (Granville, chorus), "Your Revels Cease!" (Willis, chorus, Paynter, Baker), "Braid the Raven Hair" (chorus), "For He's Going To Marry Yum-Yum" (Paynter and chorus), "Brightly Dawns Our Wedding Day" (Colin, Paynter, Baker, Stroud), "Here's a How-De-Do!" (Colin, Baker, Green), "Miya Sama" (chorus), "Obedience I Expect" (Barclay, Willis, chorus), "A More Humane Mikado" (Barclay and chorus), "The Criminal Cried" (Green, Paynter, Granville, chorus), "The Flowers That Bloom in the Spring" (Baker, Green, Colin, Paynter, Granville), "Titwillow" (Green).
Deleted songs: "Young Man Despair", "I've Got a Little List", "So Pardon Us'', "Oh Fool", "Flutter Little Heart", "A Is Happy", "Alone And Yet Alive", "Beauty in the Bellow of the Blast", "For He's Gone and Married Yum-Yum".
Copyright 10 May 1939 by Universal Pictures Co., Inc. A G&S Films (London) Production. New York opening at the Rivoli: 1 June 1939. U.S. release: 8 September 1939. U.K. release through General Film Distributors: January 1939. Australian release through G-B-D/20th Century-Fox: 15 June 1939. 11 reels. 91 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Rather than marry his father's choice, the son of the Mikado of Japan flees from the palace.
NOTES: Universal's first full Technicolor release.
COMMENT: Exquisite. Mind you, some viewers complained that Kenny Baker's American accent was distracting. Others were unhappy by the omission of Ko-Ko's famous patter song about his "little list". And many of the songs that are retained have been cut down to a few verses. But who could resist such a charmingly pastel-colored production, brilliantly enacted and sung, and so stylishly presented? Sound recording and other technical credits are superb.