SYNOPSIS

The whimsical fantasy of "Brigadoon" was adapted minimally for the screen and almost gives the feeling, as one critic put it, of a "filmed stage show rather than a motion picture musical." Although BRIGADOON was criticized for this by some, others felt its merits, such as the direction, musical arrangements, costumes and art direction, far outweighed its faults.

The film opens as the villagers of Brigadoon awake from their century of sleep. Two Americans hunting in the Scottish Highlands, Tommy Albright and Jeff Douglas, are lost when they stumble upon a small village not indicated on their map. They discover a happy community preparing for a wedding that evening. They are puzzled, however, by the dress, language and way of life of the villagers; it is as if they have stepped into the past. The groom spots the strangers, welcomes them to Brigadoon and invites them to join in the festivities of the night. The men share pints of beer and dance gaily to "I'll Go home With Bonnie Jean." Jeff enjoys himself, despite his cynical nature and, as the day goes by Tommy falls hopelessly in love with the brides sister, Fiona Campbell.

Fiona, out of love for Tommy, wants to explain the mystery surrounding Brigadoon. She takes Tommy and Jeff to the schoolmaster, Mr. Lundie. It seems a former minister of Brigadoon sacrificed his life so the town would sleep 100 years at a time, thus ensuring it would live on eternally and not be affected by the evils of the world. However, no citizen can ever leave Brigadoon or the entire village will vanish. Tommy is faced with a hard decision. Does he stay in Brigadoon with his love and abandon his life in New York?

Tommy chooses to return to New York and reunites with his fiancée, but he is miserable and feels he compromised true love for hypocrisy. He breaks his engagement and returns to the area that was Brigadoon to console himself. Magically, the town reappears. The schoolmaster reminds a confused Tommy, "If you love someone, anything is possible, even miracles."