Mamma Mia! The Movie (In Wikipedia)

Mamma Mia! The Movie

Teaser poster
Directed by Phyllida Lloyd
Produced by Judy Craymer
Catherine Johnson
Executive producers
Benny Andersson
Björn Ulvaeus
Phyllida Lloyd
Tom Hanks
Rita Wilson
Written by Catherine Johnson
Screenplay
Benny Andersson
Bjorn Ulvaeus
Thomas Kelly
Story
Chris Kelly
Bernard Forde
Mags Kaputsa
Annie Asgard
Tracy Cronin
Starring Meryl Streep
Amanda Seyfried
Pierce Brosnan
Colin Firth
Stellan Skarsgård
Dominic Cooper
Julie Walters
Christine Baranski
Music by Benny Andersson
Lyrics
Björn Ulvaeus
Stig Anderson
Benny Andersson
Cinematography Haris Zambarloukos
Editing by Lesley Walker
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Playtone
Running time 108 min.[1]
Budget $52,000,000
Gross revenue $552,627,435
Official website IMDb Allmovie

Mamma Mia! The Movie Is a 2008 stage-to-film adaptation of the 1999 West End musical of the same name, based on the songs of successful pop group ABBA, with additional music also composed by ABBA member Benny Andersson. The film did very well at the box office and had the largest opening weekend of any musical film in U.S. history ($27 million), until it was dethroned by High School Musical 3: Senior Year in October 2008 (with $42 million). Like the stage musical, the film's title originates from the group's 1975 chart-topper Mamma Mia!. It was produced by Universal Pictures in partnership with Playtone and Littlestar.[2] It was released on July 3, 2008, in Greece,[3] July 10, 2008, in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, July 11, 2008, in Sweden,[3], July 16, 2008, in the Philippines, July 18, 2008, in the United States and Canada, September 10, 2008, in France and Brazil, July 24, 2008 in Israel.[3]

Meryl Streep heads the cast of the film, playing the role of single mother Donna Sheridan. Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgård play the three potential fathers to Donna's daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried).

On August 29, 2008, Mamma Mia!: The Sing-Along Edition, with lyrics to the songs highlighted on the screen, was released in select theaters [4].

Plot

It is 1999 on the enchanting Greek island of Andros (Kalokairi). The story begins at the remote Mediterranean hotel Villa Donna, run by Donna Sheridan (Meryl Streep), her daughter Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) and Sophie's fiancé Sky (Dominic Cooper).

Prior to her forthcoming marriage, Sophie nervously posts three wedding invitations ("I Have a Dream") to three different men, one of whom she believes may be her father. From three cities across the globe, three men set off to return to the island, and the woman that had enchanted each of them 20 years earlier.

Back on that island, Donna is rousing her staff for the frenetic day ahead as Sophie's bridesmaids and best friends Ali and Lisa (Ashley Lilley and Rachel McDowall) arrive and she shares with her best mates a scandalous secret: Sophie has found her mother's diary and learned she has three possible dads; American businessman Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan), Swedish adventurer Bill Anderson (Stellan Skarsgard), and British banker Harry Bright (Colin Firth). Without telling her mother, she has invited all three to her wedding ("Honey, Honey"), believing that after she spends time with them, she will at last know who her real father is.

Meanwhile, back on the Greek mainland, Sam, Bill and Harry; strangers until today have met at the harbour. Fortuitously, Sam and Harry have missed the ferry to Kalokairi, and Bill offers them a lift on his yacht to reconnect with the woman who broke all their hearts 20 years ago.

Back on Kalokairi, Donna is ecstatic to reunite with old friends and former "Donna and The Dynamos" bandmates, wisecracking author Rosie (Julie Walters) and wealthy multiple divorcee Tanya (Christine Baranski), and reveals her mystification at her daughter's desire for a traditional wedding or any wedding at all. At the Villa, Sophie introduces Tanya and Rosie to true love Sky, and tells them about their idea of designing a website to attract tourists to the island. Donna explains her precarious finances ("Money, Money, Money") to her girlfriends as she takes them on a tour of the Villa. Hounded by her creditors, Donna dreams of a "rich man's world," sunbathing on a yacht and being deliciously pampered. She is brought back to reality as an ominous crack appears in the courtyard.

The three men arrive, and Sophie smuggles them to their quarters and sheepishly explains that she, not her mother, sent the invitations. She begs the men to hide so Donna will have a fantastic surprise at the wedding; seeing the old friends of whom she "so often" favorably speaks. They overhear Donna working in the storeroom below preparing to fix the crack and the men swear to Sophie they will not reveal her secret. Sophie leaves by the window just in the nick of time, as Donna peeps through the trapdoor.

She is dumbfounded to find herself face to face with the three former lovers she could never forget ("Mamma Mia!"), while the men clumsily make up excuses for their presence. Donna is adamant; they simply cannot stay. Visibly shaken, she confides in Tanya and Rosie ("Chiquitita") a secret she has kept from everyone - she is uncertain which of the three men is actually Sophie's father. No matter, as Tanya and Rosie rally her spirits by getting Donna to join in with the female staff and islanders accompanying a musical number intended to make her forget her woes. Donna and The Dynamos reclaim their glory days and champion the women of the island in a call to liberation ("Dancing Queen").

Sophie finds the men aboard Bill's yacht, and they take a trip around the gorgeous island ("Our Last Summer") and tell her stories of Donna as a carefree girl. Upon their return, Sophie musters up the courage to speak with Sky about her ploy, but loses her nerve. Sky and Sophie sing passionately to each other ("Lay All Your Love on Me"), but are interrupted by the bachelor party that has descended upon Sky to kidnap him for his last night of freedom.

At Sophie's bachelorette party, Donna, Tanya, and Rosie perform in a surprise one-night-only event as Donna and The Dynamos ("Super Trouper"). Sophie is delighted to see her mother rock out, but becomes nervous when the festivities are interrupted by the arrival of Sam, Bill and Harry. She decides to get each of her three prospective dads alone to talk.

The young bride uses the confusion of her amorous girlfriends' dancing with the men ("Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)") to speak with Sam about his love for Donna. Next, she's on to Harry about his desire, if any, for children. Finally, Bill reveals that the old woman who gave Donna the money to invest in her Villa was his Great Aunt Sofia, and Sophie guesses she must be her namesake. That's it! Bill must be her father! Sophie asks him to give her away and to keep their secret from Donna until the wedding ("The Name of the Game").

Over the moon, Sophie returns to the party. But her happiness is short-lived as Sam and Harry each tell her they must be her dad and will give her away ("Voulez-Vous"). A shocked Sophie can't tell them the truth and, overwhelmed by the consequences of her action, faints on the dance floor.

In the morning, Rosie and Tanya reassure a frantic Donna they will take care of the men. Donna confronts Sophie in the courtyard, mistakenly believing Sophie wants the wedding stopped. Sophie angrily says that all she wants is to avoid her mother's mistakes and storms off. An upset Donna is accosted by Sam, full of fatherly concern at Sophie getting married so young. Donna dresses him down, and both realize they still have feelings for each other ("SOS").

Meanwhile, on Bill's boat, Bill and Harry are about to confide in each other, but are interrupted by Rosie who is startled to find Bill, naked, making breakfast. Similarly, pulses are racing down on the sandy beaches as Tanya and young Pepper (Philip Michael) continue their May-December flirtations from the previous night ("Does Your Mother Know").

With her plans falling apart and wedding in jeopardy, Sophie knows it is time to come clean to Sky and ask for his help. He reacts angrily to his fiancée's deception and Sophie must turn to her mother for support.

As Donna helps her daughter dress for their wedding, the rift is quickly healed and Donna reminisces about Sophie's childhood and how quickly she's grown ("Slipping Through My Fingers"). Then and there, Sophie decides the only parent she's ever known is the only one who should give her away. As the staff and bridesmaids accompany Donna and Sophie to the chapel, Sam lies in nervous wait. Donna waves the wedding party on, and he begs Donna to talk. She cuts him short, however, revealing the deep pain she felt over losing him ("The Winner Takes It All").

After the ceremony begins, Donna can hold her tongue no more. She confesses to Sophie that her father is present but he could be Sam, Bill or Harry. Sophie, in a shocker of her own, admits she invited them. The three men concur that they would be quite happy to be one-third of a father for such a girl. The surprises keep coming when Sophie tells Sky they should postpone their wedding and travel the world, as they have always wanted. It appears that preparations have been in vain until Sam steps in with the final curveball: he proposes to Donna.

She accepts ("I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do"); Sam and Donna then go through an impromptu ceremony, surrounded by the churchful of guests.

At the wedding reception, Sam sings to Donna, who he has loved for 21 years ("When All Is Said and Done" [in the film only, not the musical]), which prompts Rosie to make a coy play for Bill ("Take a Chance on Me"). All the couples present proclaim their love and, magically, water from Aphrodite's fountain of love bursts through the crack in the courtyard at Villa Donna.

The story concludes as Sophie and Sky bid farewell to the island and sail away to a new life together ("I Have a Dream"), one full of hope and promise.

Donna, Tanya, and Rosie reprise "Dancing Queen" during the first part of the credits, then launch into "Waterloo" with the rest of the cast. Finally, Amanda Seyfried sings "Thank You for the Music".

 

Cast

marca Meryl Streep as Donna Sheridan, Sophie's mother, owner of the hotel "Villa Donna."[5]
marca Amanda Seyfried as Sophie Sheridan, Donna's daughter and Sky's fiancée.[6]
marca Julie Walters as Rosie, one of Donna's best friends, an unmarried fun-loving author.
marca Christine Baranski as Tanya, one of Donna's best friends, a rich three-time divorcée.
marca Pierce Brosnan as Sam Carmichael, Sophie's possible dad #1 and an American architect.[7]
marca Colin Firth as Harry Bright, Sophie's possible dad #2 and a British banker.
marca Stellan Skarsgård as Bill Anderson, Sophie's possible dad #3, a Swedish sailor and travel writer.
marca Dominic Cooper as Sky, Sophie's fiancé, designing a website for the hotel.
marca Philip Michael as Pepper, Sky's best man who likes Tanya
marca Ashley Lilley as Ali, a close friend of Sophie.
marca Rachel McDowall as Lisa, a close friend of Sophie.
marca Benny Andersson (cameo) as Piano player during "Dancing Queen"
marca Björn Ulvaeus (cameo) as Greek god
marca Rita Wilson (cameo) as Greek goddess
marca Other production crew members (cameo) as Greek gods and goddesses

 

Musical numbers

See also: Mamma Mia! The Movie Soundtrack Featuring the Songs of ABBA

The following songs were included in the soundtrack of the film, but only 17 are on the soundtrack album (omits "Chiquitita" as well as "Waterloo" and "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do"):

  1. "I Have a Dream" - Sophie
  2. "Honey, Honey" - Sophie, Ali, and Lisa
  3. "Money, Money, Money" - Donna, Tanya, Rosie, Greek Chorus and Full Cast
  4. "Mamma Mia!" - Donna
  5. "Chiquitita" - Tanya, Rosie and Donna
  6. "Dancing Queen" - Donna, Tanya, Rosie, Greek Chorus and Full Cast
  7. "Our Last Summer" - Sophie, Sam, Harry, and Bill
  8. "Lay All Your Love on Me" - Sky and Sophie
  9. "Super Trouper" - Donna, Tanya, and Rosie
  10. "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" - Cast
  11. "The Name of the Game" - Sophie and Bill
  12. "Voulez-Vous" - Cast
  13. "SOS" - Sam and Donna
  14. "Does Your Mother Know" - full cast: Tanya, Pepper, and the Guys
  15. "Slipping Through My Fingers" - Donna and Sophie
  16. "The Winner Takes It All" - Donna
  17. "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" - Donna, Sam, and Company
  18. "When All is Said and Done" - Sam and Company
  19. "Take a Chance on Me" - Rosie and Bill
  20. "Mamma Mia" (Reprise) - Cast
  21. "I Have a Dream" (Reprise) - Cast
  22. "Dancing Queen" (Reprise) - Donna, Tanya, and Rosie
  23. "Waterloo" - Cast
  24. "Thank You for the Music" - Sophie

The soundtrack album was released July 8, 2008 by Decca. Because the film is based on a stage musical, the songs are new renditions, not performances by the ABBA group. Many of the songs have been changed, with some words changed to better fit the plot, or have sections spoken as dialogue, or were rearranged for orchestral backup, with guitar and Greek bouzouki (as in the final performance of "I Have a Dream").

"Thank You for the Music" is also placed during the closing credits. "Under Attack" and "Knowing Me, Knowing You" appear in the film as instrumentals during scene activity, and the wedding march is a version of "Knowing Me, Knowing You" performed by a brass ensemble.

The prologue of "I Have a Dream", "Chiquitita", "Waterloo" and "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" were filmed and remain intact but are not included on the soundtrack. Sophie and Bill's song "The Name of the Game" was recently announced as having been cut from the final version of the film. The scene will be included in the deleted scenes of the DVD release. "The Name of the Game," however, remains on the soundtrack. "Thank You for the Music" appears as a hidden track.

"When All Is Said and Done", the lead single in North America from ABBA's final studio album The Visitors (1981), was included in the film as a new song that was not present in the stage musical. "When All Is Said and Done" was ABBA's last top 30 hit in the United States.

In the film, Donna hums the chorus of "Fernando" to herself as she walks into the goat house. In the stage musical, Donna hums the chorus in the beginning scenes when she begins repairing the tavern, which precedes the song "Mamma Mia!"

Amanda Seyfried (Sophie) recorded a music video for the song "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" that was released in Europe and other countries.

 

Production

Most of the filming was done on small Greek islands, including Skopelos and Skiathos (during August/September 2007),[8] and the seaside hamlet of Damouchari in the Pelion area of Greece. At Skopelos, Kastani bay, the tiny west-coast bay, was the film's main location site.[8] The producers had built a beach bar and jetty along the bay, but removed them both when they left.[8]

Other parts of the film were produced on the 007 stage at Pinewood Studios, where lighting and temperature could be controlled. Production offices for the film were based at Pinewood Studios.

The part of the film where two of the characters miss the last ferry to the island was filmed at the old port of Skiathos.

Both composers Benny and Björn appear in minor, uncredited roles in the film. Benny, dressed as a fisherman, plays the piano in "Dancing Queen" as the cast dances; Björn is a Greek god (with lyre) showering the girls with gold dust during the closing credits.

Actress Meryl Streep had taken opera singing lessons as a child, and as an adult, she had previously sung in several movies, including Postcards from the Edge and A Prairie Home Companion.[9]

The Mamma Mia! trailer was released the week of December 10, 2007 first on Entertainment Tonight, then released to the internet. A high quality version can be found on the film's official site.

 

Release

ABBA appeared together in 2008.

Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog joined Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson at the Swedish premiere of the film, held at the Rival Theatre in Mariatorget, Stockholm, owned by Andersson, on 2008-07-04. It was the first time all four members of ABBA had been photographed together since 1986.[10]

 

Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog joined Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson at the Swedish premiere of the film, held at the Rival Theatre in Mariatorget, Stockholm, owned by Andersson, on 2008-07-04. It was the first time all four members of ABBA had been photographed together since 1986.[10]

 

Reception

Mamma Mia! received mixed reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 54% of critics gave the film positive reviews based upon a sample of 125 reviews, with an average rating of 5.6/10.[11] while IMDb users have given the movie 7.1/10. The Times gave it four stars out of five,[12] as did Channel 4 which said it had "all the swing and sparkle of sequined bell-bottoms."[13] BBC Radio 5 Live's film critic Mark Kermode delivered an all-singing, all-dancing review, describing the experience as 'the closest you get to see A-List actors doing drunken karaoke'.[14] The Guardian was more negative, giving it one star, stating that the film gave the reviewer a "need to vomit".[15] The Daily Telegraph stated that it was enjoyable but poorly put together ("Finding the film a total shambles was sort of a shame, but I have a sneaking suspicion I'll go to see it again anyway.")[16], whereas Empire said it was "cute, clean, camp fun, full of sunshine and toe tappers."[17]

The casting of actors not noted for their singing abilities led to some mixed reviews. Variety stated that "some stars, especially the bouncy and rejuvenated Streep, seem better suited for musical comedy than others, including Brosnan and Skarsgård."[18] Brosnan, especially, was savaged by many critics: his singing was alternately compared to "a water buffalo" (New York Magazine),[19] "a donkey braying" (The Philadelphia Inquirer) [20] and "a wounded raccoon" (The Miami Herald),[21] and Matt Brunson of Creative Loafing Charlotte said he "looks physically pained choking out the lyrics, as if he's being subjected to a prostate exam just outside of the camera's eye."[22]

 

Box office

When released on July 3 (2008) in Greece, the film grossed $1,602,646 in its opening weekend, ranking #1 at the Greek box office.[23] The film also opened at #1 in the U.K, taking £6,594,058 on 496 screens. It managed to hold onto the top spot for 2 weeks, narrowly keeping Disney and Pixar's WALL-E from reaching #1 in its second week. The film made $9,627,000 in its opening day in the United States and Canada, and $27,605,376 in its opening weekend, ranking #2 at the box office [24] At the time, it made Mamma Mia! the highest record-holder for the biggest sales at opening weekend for a movie musical, surpassing Hairspray's box office record in 2007. On October 26th, High School Musical 3: Senior Year took a weekend total $42 million, surpassing the record held by "Mamma Mia!" making Mamma Mia! have the number two highest grossing weekend numbers. As of October 30, Mamma Mia! has grossed $409,034,250 internationally and $143,576,790 in the US, for a worldwide total of $552,611,250 all on an estimated budget of $52 million.[25] [26]

As of October 24, 2008, Mamma Mia! is the ninth highest grossing movie of 2008 in North America and the sixth highest internationally. It has earned $409,034,250 internationally and $143,576,790 in the US and Canada, making a grand total of $552,611,250[27], and is 17th on the Box Office Mojo list of movies that never hit #1.[28]

As of October 26, 2008, Mamma Mia! is the highest grossing movie musical of all time worldwide[29],Box Office Mojo - Yearly Worldwide Gross 2008</ref>, and 49th highest grossing movie of all time[29]

As of October 30, 2008, Mamma Mia! has grossed £66,995,224 in the U.K. making it the second highest grossing film ever in the U.K., behind Titanic (which grossed £68,532,746). [30]

 

Possible sequel

Because of Mamma Mia!'s huge financial success, a Hollywood studio chief told The Daily News that it would take a while, but there could be a potential sequel. The co-chairman of Universal Studios, David Linde, told the news that he would be delighted if Judy Craymer, Catherine Johnson, Phyllida Lloyd, Benny Andersson, and Bjorn Ulvaeus agreed to the project, noting that there are still plenty of ABBA songs to use.[31]

 

Themes

The overarching themes in Mamma Mia! include extensive use of ABBA music and classical Greek comedy: [32]

marca All ABBA, all hits - The entire scope of the film, with the musical score and parts of the dialogue, is based on songs of ABBA, plus other music written by former ABBA member Benny Andersson. The songs are not just those which happen to fit the plot, but cover most of the major hits recorded by the band ABBA. Even the song "Super Trouper" was included by presenting it as a staged number, whereas the plot would not have matched the original song lyrics ("When I called you last night from Glasgow...").[33]
marca Classical Greek comedy - Another major theme of the film is to structure the story as a Greek comedy (see: Aristophanes), including patterns of strophe and antistrophe,[32] a chorus representing the common people,[32] and costumes matched to moods of the characters, including masks and the phallic props typical of Greek comedy.[32]
marca The Greek chorus is provided by the dual role of the common townspeople or bystanders,[32] causing some doubletakes when others sense hidden messages being mentioned.

 

Differences from the stage production

marca In the musical, Bill Austin is Australian; in the movie he is Swedish (like Skarsgård who plays him) and his last name is aptly changed to "Anderson".
marca In the musical, Harry came out openly, but in the movie, his homosexuality was hinted as he was looking at another man during the wedding ceremony and dancing with that same man at the after party.

 

DVD and Blu-ray Disc release

Mamma Mia! will be released in Australia on DVD on November 6, 2008 and on Blu-ray on December 3, 200]. It will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK and US on November 24 and December 16, 2008, respectively.

DVD features
marca Audio commentary (unspecified participants)
marca Deleted scenes including Sophie and Bill's deleted number The Name of the Game (10:58)
marca Outtakes (1:53)
marca Birthing Mamma Mia! featurette (4:40)
marca The Filmmaking featurette (14:47)
marca The Cast featurette (10:26)
marca Anatomy of a Musical Number: "Lay All Your Love on Me" (5:39)
marca "'Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" music video (3:47)

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