New Musical in Manhattan

The Body Beautiful (music and lyrics by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick; book by Joseph Stein and Will Glickman) is wholeheartedly, though in spots enjoyably, mediocre. Treating of the fight world, it drapes the plot round a rich, handsome Dartmouth graduate who wants to box his way to glory and falls in love with a girl who disapproves. Their squabbles over the ring, and his adventures in it, are about the dullest part of the show. It bounces to life in Jack Warden's amusing, likable performance as a fight manager, most notably when he goes fully clothed, on business, to a steam room. The show turns sprightly once again when a bunch of neighborhood tykes warble Uh-Huh, Oh Yeah. It tingles pleasantly when Barbara McNair and Lonnie Sattin sing Fair Warning and reprise All of These and More. And it looks nice, thanks to William and Jean Eckart's sets.

But the high points of the show are mere holiday spots in the year. Much oftener there is ordinary Saturday-night hoopla, not to speak of Monday-morning doldrums. The show is thoroughly professional in the sense that it is thoroughly routine. The tunes seem sold by the dozen, the gags come packaged and ready to serve. There is not much of Ziegfeld's idea of the body beautiful, and there must be too much trite and tired business for even the tired businessman.

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