Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) review

Typist Millie (Julie Andrews) is staying at the Priscilla Hotel (for single young ladies) where she becomes friends with new resident Dorothy Brown (Mary Tyler Moore), a struggling actress, is courted by paperclip manufacturer (and dance-a-holic) Jimmy (James Fox) and whose only goal is to be "modern" and marry her dapper boss Trevor Graydon (John Gavin) - while all this is going on, "house mother" Mrs. Meers (Beatrice Lillie) is busy drugging guests of the Priscilla and running a "white slavery" (read: prostitution) ring.  As a knock-off of Sandy Wilson's musical The Boy Friend, it has a kind of bubbly charm to it at the beginning (with a few dance numbers and Millie frequently breaking the fourth wall to acknowledge the audience), but its appeal wears out quickly since it's too casually paced and vacuous ... and then Carol Channing pops in (as the wealthy Muzzy Van Hossmere) to chew up everything in sight.  It makes an attempt to "spring to life" in the last act when the gang goes after kidnapper Meers and her two Asian assistants (played by Japanese-Americans Jack Soo and Pat Morita) - and there's a cute (but improbable) ending - except by then it's too late to really matter.