Mary's Incredible Dream (1976)

Mary's Incredible Dream Poster

Extremely rare, never repeated special starring Mary Tyler Moore, Ben Vereen, Doug Kershar, Arthur Fiedler, The Manhattan Transfer. “A special in which the vivacious Mary Tyler Moore acts out her wildest fantasies. Lot’s of big dance numbers reminds us that Mary started her career as a dancer. Moore sings and dances to rock, pop, and classical pieces in a show that's drawn from the Bible and fleshed out with allegory about man's creation, fall and rebirth. The show takes the form of surrealistic dream sequences that range from the fanciful to the solemn, and that have Mary playing the roles of angel, devil and woman." Manhattan Transfer does "Sympathy for the Devil," perhaps worth the price of admission right there.”

Overview
"Mary's Incredible Dream", directed by Sid Smith, is a TV motion picture from 1976 that is structured as a musical range comedy and stars Mary Tyler Moore. Contrary to its title, the movie isn't completely based on a dream. Rather, it captures a modernistic experience of Mary Tyler Moore, who was at her peak of appeal throughout the '70s due to her show entitled "The Mary Tyler Moore Show".

Plot
In this movie, Mary Tyler Moore plays herself and experiences an elaborate dream where she has interactions with a number of scriptural characters. The entire facility may seem quirky, yet it indicates a profound message.

The story begins as Mary goes to sleep and enters a weird world in her dream. There, she meets a host of scriptural characters including Noah, his household, Moses, and also Adam and Eve. She even sings variety tunes with them, adding a musical essence to the narrative. Additionally, she experiences a group of children and shares different lessons learnt from these scriptural characters, making it a valuable educational experience.

The Cast
Apart from Mary Tyler Moore, the movie also stars noteworthy actors such as Ben Vereen as Noah, Bonnie Franklin as Eve, and Joe Morton as Adam. The cast's performances jointly add significant depth and variety to the film, raising the characters from the printed pages of the Bible to a lot more relatable and humanistic version.

Musical Composition
"Mary's Incredible Dream" is not simply a movie; it's a selection of tunes, dances, and mentors. A few of the tunes, especially "Everybody Has a Dream" and "Make a Rainbow", are perfectly made up and sung with terrific conviction by Mary herself. The choreography and music composition throughout the motion picture are superb, complementing the story's dreamy ambiance.

Vital Reception
Although "Mary's Incredible Dream" boasted an excellent cast and an ingenious blend of music and funny, it didn't resonate with the audience and critics as anticipated. Many viewers discovered the concept confusing and too ambitious, leading to a lukewarm action upon its release. Yet, the motion picture has considering that acquired a sort of retro-appeal due to its bold creativity and noticeably '70s design.

Final Thoughts
In conclusion, "Mary's Incredible Dream" is an unique circumstances of 70's television culture, using amusing and educational insights into biblical figures through its dream-based story and musical set pieces. Regardless of garnering combined evaluations upon its release, the movie stays a fascinating watch thanks to its audacious principle and noteworthy performances from Mary Tyler Moore and the rest of the cast. Even with its peculiarities, this film demonstrates a shining example of Moore's flexibility and charm.

Top Cast

  • Mary Tyler Moore (small)
    Mary Tyler Moore
    Angel / Devil / Woman
  • Ben Vereen (small)
    Ben Vereen
    Devil / Noah / Man
  • Doug Kershaw
    Adam / Devil / War
  • Arthur Fiedler
    The Maestro
  • Tim Hauser (small)
    Tim Hauser
    Angel / Devil / Onlooker / Manhattan Transfer
  • Laurel Massé (small)
    Laurel Massé
    Angel / Devil / Onlooker / Manhattan Transfer
  • Alan Paul (small)
    Alan Paul
    Angel / Devil / Onlooker / Manhattan Transfer
  • Janis Siegel (small)
    Janis Siegel
    Angel / Devil / Onlooker / Manhattan Transfer
  • Harvey Cohen
    Dancer (uncredited)
  • Randy Doney
    Dancer (uncredited)
  • Birl Jonns
    Dancer (uncredited)