Music,Comedy
United States of America
Bye Bye Birdie is a 1963 musical comedy film directed by George Sidney, based on the 1960 stage musical of the same name. The movie stars Dick Van Dyke, Ann-Margret, and Janet Leigh.
The plot centers around rock and roll heartthrob Conrad Birdie (played by Jesse Pearson), who has been drafted into the army. His manager, Albert Peterson (Van Dyke), and Albert's longtime girlfriend and secretary, Rosie Alvarez (Leigh), come up with a scheme to help boost Conrad's popularity before he leaves for the army. They plan to have Conrad give one last public performance and give a goodbye kiss to a lucky fan on The Ed Sullivan Show.
The small town of Sweet Apple, Ohio is chosen by the fan club to be the location of Conrad's farewell performance. The entire town becomes swept up in Birdie mania, with teenage girls swooning over the singer and local businesses profiting from the frenzy.
Meanwhile, Albert struggles with his demanding mother (played by Maureen Stapleton) and his growing affection for Rosie. Rosie also begins to question her loyalty to Albert when she meets and becomes attracted to a young reporter named Hugo Peabody (Bobby Rydell).
As the date of Conrad's TV appearance draws closer, chaos ensues in Sweet Apple and the characters must navigate through their personal issues while trying to ensure the success of their plan.
Bye Bye Birdie features several memorable musical numbers, including "Put on a Happy Face," "Kids," and "A Lot of Livin' to Do." It received mixed reviews upon its release but has since become a beloved classic.
