Mitch Leigh, Joe Darion, Laurence Rosenthal - Man of La Mancha (1973 Movie Soundtrack)

Perfection

Not sure what I might have thought of this 30 years ago, but at 68, I'm feeling pretty dumb that I only just now got round to seeing it.

I was blown away! Not since the Broadway musical, "Les Miserables," have I been swept up in such a powerful presentation of the grace of God.

Having spent the past two days tracing down its origins, it is clear that there was an invisible hand guiding the various writers through which the life of Cervantes finally became "Man Of La Mancha," the movie.

Imprisoned by what was calling itself "church" in the days of the Spanish Inquisition, Cervantes, the sane man behind the mad man, Quixote, finds himself tried on two fronts. In the dungeon, where the Inquisition has locked him up, he is put on trial by his fellow prisoners. He defends himself by becoming the crazy Don Quixote, the would-be knight in quest of an "Impossible Dream."

Enlisting his fellow prisoners as the cast of his play, as his defense plays out, he must convince a very fallen women, Aldonza, that she is an incomparable princess. All she need do to make the transition is to believe the new name he gives her, "Dulcinea." To that end he dedicates his life. Dying to prove his unoffendable love, she finally sees the light, and in her seeing, transforms the others held in prison be the Inquisition of that day.

In short, the movie seemed to me to be vested with a meaning no sane person of this world intended. The original script may be found in Ezekiel, Chapter Sixteen. October 1, 2007

No One Should Miss This One, Ever

Should be listed in Things to Do Before You Die. I have watched and listened to the Broadway and countless stage musical versions,this original film soundtrack always comes up trump. Don't worry if it's not Peter O'Toole doing the singing but it is enough to hear him delivering the fine lines superbly in the three roles - Miguel de Cervantes, Alonso Quixana and Don Quixote. Sophia Loren excels as Aldonza/Dulcinea and not to forget Sancho and the rest of the cast and crew who together bring this literary classic to life for us to enjoy and reflect. August 13, 2007

Man of La Mancha (1973 movie soundtrack)

I saw the movie ages ago and had beeen looking for the original soundtrack for just as long. Thanks to Amazon, I found it. As usual, you lived uo to your reputation. May 7, 2007

It Reached the Unreachable Star

I will be entirely honest: I hate the original Broadway cast album. I bought this one because I already owned the original cast, and, quite frankly, I didn't feel it was up to par with this version. First off, James Coco is a definite improvement to the high, nasally, and extremely obnoxious shrieking of the Sancho in the original cast. Secondly, Man of la Mancha is not, has never been, and will never be The Phantom of the Opera. The intent is not, in fact, to "wow" people with the amazing, perfect pitch and quality of the singers. The point is to draw you into the story and teach you something. Aldonza should not have an operatic voice. Sophia Loren acheives a far more impacting and touching performance with her rough, uncultered singing because a "kitchen slut" would not have a trained voice. Period. Comparing the versions of "Aldonza" between the original Broadway cast and the movie soundtrack, the movie leaves the original in the dust. I have never once cried during the original version of that song. Every time I hear it on the movie soundtrack, I'm in tears. Loren sells me like none other, especially in the reprise of "Dulcinea." And, personally, O'Toole or whoever it was who actually sang as Don Quixote, sounds more like an old man than the singer in the original. The movie seems more real.

And, let's be honest, it's worth just about anything you could pay just for the "Life As It Is" speech. I don't care who you are, that speech is amazing. I just don't understand how anyone could hear that speech and NOT be breathless. O'Toole shines in that speech, and any soundtrack that doesn't include it isn't complete. And it really is worth buying the CD for that track alone.

Maybe I am mad to love this version, but who knows where madness truly lies? I cannont say enough about this soundtrack. I love it. It gives me chills, and if Broadway Purists want to knock it, that's fine. They're missing out on the incredible experience of amazing versions of, "Aldonza," "Man of la Mancha," and, most importantly..."Life As It Is." April 7, 2006

Well, I agree with some of the reviewers...

I see Simon Gilbert being given credit for having dubbed Peter O'Toole's singing, in the leaflet it specifically mentions O'Toole working 3 hours a day with a vocal coach to do the singing. Its tough to tell, sometimes it sounds like O'Toole, sometimes it sounds decidedly unlike O'toole. As for Quixote's songs (The Quest; I, Don Quixote) I agree that the Broadway version is better.

However, I strongly disagree with the opinion that Sophia Loren's singing is terrible, but I do see how one could arrive at that opinion. My friend, who is also a big musical buff, winced the first time he heard 'Aldonza', she is off key at times, and her voice breaks occasionally as well. The passion in her voice more than makes up for that, and puts it in context if you will. I'll take a Aldonza/Dulcinea with passion whose voice has an accent and breaks when she is spitting words at Quixote over a perfectly in tune singer who conveys no passion. In short, when listening to Loren singing, I *believe* she is a trollop with no hope for anything better than where she is at, with the Broadway version I don't get that at all. January 24, 2002

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