I first saw this when I was thirteen years old. I have to admit, it was a bit odd to me then. I mean, who was this middle aged blonde woman playing a boy? It was gratifying to me that my kids played the tape of this over and over because over time I came to realize how well done this was. The great Mary Martin and Cyril Ritchard were worth the price of admission. Granted there are some things that weren't politically correct, especially those relating to Native Americans, but one need only look at the media of the time (especially the classic Westerns) to realize that this shortsightedness and insensitivity was just a part of our country. If you can look past that, watch the performance of Martin, with her eternal optimism and Ritchard, dancing and prancing with that glint in his eye, up to no good. Yes, we can see the wires, and Nana is a dog costume with some small person inside. But the songs and the delightful story will live on.
