Show Boat (1936)
by James Whale
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Product details
Actor: Allan Jones, Charles Winninger, Helen Morgan, Irene Dunne, Paul RobesonDirector: James Whale
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: English (Original Language), Analog
Format: Black & White, NTSC
Release Date: 1998-09-01
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Publisher: MGM (Video)
Studio: MGM (Video)
VHS Movie Reviews of Show Boat (1936)
Movie Review: Why oh WHY Is This Movie not Available on DVD???
Summary: 5 Stars
Like most people who have posted reviews of this film, I also state most emphatically that it is the best version of the seminal Kern/Hammerstein 1927 musical. Not only does it boast some of the wonderful original Broadway cast, it is more faithful to Ferber's novel than the 1951 version. For those who balked at the film's "happy ending," that was also the way the original stage play was written. In the novel, Nolie finds out second hand that Gaylord has died after being shot in a gambling dispute. Also, Captain Andy dies by falling off the boat and drowning the night Kim is born. With all the other tragedies in the play, can we blame Hammerstein for lightening up the plot somewhat???
All that aside, Irene Dunne is remarkably convincing and sings and acts beautifully as Magnolia (and can that girl shuffle, as Queenie -- the incomparable Hattie McDaniel [the first African-American ever to win an Oscar] -- remarks during "Can't Help Lovin' That Man"). Allan Jones is handsome and charming and more than vocally capable as the ne'er-do-well Gaylord. Helen Morgan tears at your heartstrings as she sings the torch song "Bill." And if anyone can offer a more definitive rendition of "Ol' Man River" than the immortal Paul Robeson, I'd like to hear it!!!
Get this film out on DVD ASAP!!!!!
Movie Review: Stunning...
Summary: 5 Stars
I just returned from viewing the Warner Brothers 35mm studio-print of the 1936 version, at the Heights Theater in Minneapolis. Although I'm a musical lover, I never considered the 1951 version any more than adequate... This, on the the other hand, left me breathless. Yes, the blackface (and a few other) scenes are painful, but, overall, this is one fantastic movie musical. I hope it becomes available on DVD, soon... Movie Review: How is this not on DVD?
Summary: 5 Stars
This version of the musical is my favorite by far and the most true to the stage version. I don't understand how it is not on DVD yet when it is on the "AFI's 25 Best Musicals of All Time" list. Yes, the 1936 version NOT the 1951 version is on the list. Irene Dunne is a delight to watch in this film. She is about 37 at the time doing this film and she looks like she is more like 25. Her secret? She said getting enough hours of sleep.
Although I like the alto version of "Can't Help Lovin' that Man of Mine" in the 1951 version, I prefer the tempo of the 1936 version. The song is one of those songs that you learn when you were a kid and when you watch the movie you go "Is this where it's from!?" and you are shocked.
When Irene Dunne dances for "Can't Help Lovin' That Man" you can't help but smile. And when she sings in black face for "Galavantin' Around" it doesn't seem offensive at all. It seems more like she is just having fun. Dunne's character doesn't understand why there is such a problem with race. She befriends all races and accepts them as equals.
This movie needs to go on DVD soon! I love it and I don't have a VCR anymore. I do have it permanently saved on my DVR from TCM, but I will happily buy it the day it is released.
Movie Review: Incredible, Over-looked musical!
Summary: 4 Stars
I just recently saw the 1936's version of "Show Boat" and I found it to be quite incredible! Hard to believe it was made in 1936! I found the beginning half of the movie to be very similar to that of the 1951 version. The second half is were the main differences take place. I really liked Irene Dunne as Magnolia, though I liked Ava Gardner better as Julie Laverne than Helen Morgan. Ava Gardner added more depth to the character and she is more involved in the 1951 story. Howard Keel definitely wins over Allan Jones! I felt he was more believable as the character of Gaylord Ravenal.
The songs are great! Irene Dunne didn't get a chance to sing in too many of her movies, but she certainly shows she can here! This is a good classic well worth the watch!
Movie Review: Classic Version of a Classic Musical
Summary: 5 Stars
This review refers to the Criterion Laserdisc release of the 1936 SHOWBOAT. This 1936, James Whale - directed version of SHOWBOAT is a must for DVD, if only to share an unique experience with younger generations. Personally, I'm fortunate enought to own the Criterion Laserdisc box set, which came out in ??? It's a gorgeous transfer, and if any of you out there want to see it come out on DVD, I'd suggest writing or e-mailing the fine people of Criterion to release it. I love the story and the music, and found a few scenes worthwile in the 1951 version, but ultimately it's unsatisfying...like watching the James Dean version of EAST OF EDEN after having read Steinbeck's novel or seeing the wonderful miniseries with Jane Seymour that was done for TV. (another great version of a classic that is unavailable on DVD at this time)
Summary of Show Boat (1936)
Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's Showboat, based on Edna Ferber's 1926 novel, is a seminal American musical, the first to explore serious themes (most notably racism) and to truly integrate song with story and character. The plot follows three generations of a theatrical Mississippi riverboat family from the 1880s to the 1920s. The 1936 film version, directed by Englishman James Whale (Frankenstein), is probably the one that best captures the spirit its creators intended. First and foremost, it features Paul Robeson as Joe. His indelible rendition of "Ol' Man River," delivered strong, straight, and without bathos, is a stunningly powerful anthem about the plight of African Americans in the United States. (The song is set against a fascinating expressionist montage in 1930s social realist style.) Other standout performances include torch singer Helen Morgan as Julie, the actress banished from the showboat for her "mixed race" ancestry. Her "Bill" and "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" are simply sublime. Hattie McDaniel (Gone With the Wind) is her usual outrageous self. Irene Dunne (The Awful Truth) is spunky and delightful as Magnolia Ravenal. Her most endearing moment occurs early in the film when she leads the company in a funky cakewalk, swinging her hips with joyful abandon. (She also does a number in blackface!) When Dunne and the narrative leave the riverboat for the big bad city, fame, and heartbreak, the movie loses much of its snap and substance and descends into rather conventional melodrama. Still, this film represents an essential moment in the American musical theater, one not to be missed. --Laura MirskyDrama Video
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