Customer Reviews

Show Boat (1951)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Show Boat" was Jerome Kern's immortal gift to the Broadway stage. An instant hit upon its initial release, the movies just couldn't wait to capitalize on its success. The plot concerns a river boat performer who just happens to be mulato(Ava Gardner in this version) (a big "No, No" in the old south and it gets her broomed). On board is also Magnolia (Kathryn Grayson), a naive child who discovers her own heart break when she marries gambling scallywag, Gaylord Ravenal (Howard Keel). This version of the stage play tempers the racial undertones with more baritone and schmaltz than was previously showcased or, for that matter, necessary. Nevertheless, the results a la MGM's sterling production values, is astoundingly beautiful. Marge & Gower Champion, Joe E. Brown and Agnes Moorehead also headline.
TRANSFER: VERY NICE! A clean, bright, bold and beautiful print that is long on quality and short on digital anomalies. Blacks are solid and deep. Colors are rich and vibrant. Very few scenes illustrate that the original film elements are sixty years old. Though there is some minor pixelization and edge enhancement neither distract from your viewing enjoyment. The audio is mono but remarkably well balanced.
EXTRAS: Sorry. Not a one!
Bottom Line: Must have!

This version of Show Boat was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1951. It is one of the finest movie musicals ever made and was the second biggest money maker of all films released in 1951. This movie represented MGM at their best. However, there are a number of people who prefer the earlier 1936 Universal version of Show Boat to this one. To see why, there are two different ways to take this movie into consideration...

First, as a screen adaptation of the Broadway play. If a person takes the movie in that way, then he/she will find that this version is dreadfully unfaithful to the B'way original (that is the common complaint about this movie). The 1936 Universal version is generally accepted as the most faithful version (which, really, it is, out of all 3 versions; 1929, 1936, 1951). I cannot go into too many particulars on that version, as I have never seen it. But from what I've read, it generally follows the play scene by scene, with only the ending altered. A few songs were added for that version and one song, "Why Do I Love You?," dropped for running time. Someone please correct me on that if I'm wrong. This 1951 version cuts down the role of Joe and all but eliminates the Queenie character (who actually had a fairly substantial role on stage).
[Please note: the 1929 version is actually a part silent/part talkie screen adaptation of the original novel. After the Kern/Hammerstein play opened, a few songs were added.]

Second, as a movie-musical in its own right...
If one does not take this movie as a screen version of the Broadway musical, it is a lot easier to see where this movie soars. What a movie! Excellent cast, fantastic sets, gorgeous sound, and lush technicolor make this version a feast for both eye and ear. Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel are both fabulous as Magnolia and Ravenal. Whenever I read about Show Boat, Grayson and Keel are the first people that come to mind. Grayson's singing may sound a little harsh on the ears at times, she's still the best Magnolia. I also prefer Keel's singing to that which I've heard on any of the revival/studio cast albums. And Ol' Man River has never been sung better. William Warfield's breathtaking rendition of the classic song always sends chills up my back, especially during the closing sequences. He became sononymous with the role of Joe as did Paul Robeson and Jules Bledsoe before him. Fabulous. Done in the true MGM fashion, this is not one to be missed. The best!

Note: another reviewer is in error. He states that MGM's Show Boat was shot and released in 4 track stereo, which it was not. The immortal Kern and Hammerstein score was recorded by placing "stem" mics around the recording stage to capture the different orchestral angles, with the vocals recorded on separate tracks, which were combined into a monaural mix down track for use in the film. The film was thus released in monaural. This practice had been in use at MGM since the thirties. By today's standards, to have recorded tracks in this way is considered to have been recording them in monaural, since they were mixed to mono, even though many of these "stem" tracks (where they exist) from the great MGM musicals are being remixed for stereo. True stereo recording in the movies was still a few years away. MGM's first film recorded and released in stereo was "Kiss Me Kate," also starring Keel and Grayson, in 1953.

Delivery amazing, ordered Friday a nd in my mail box on Monday. So much easier than ordering in a store.

Show Boat is a heavy drama for those who are not familiar with it. The storyline is strong and emotional. The songs are pure and lyrical. The voices of Ava Gardner and Kathryn Grayson have a clarity that have you hanging on every word. Howard Keel, a real looker in his day, has you spellbound with his rich voice. There are a couple of dancers who leave you breathless with their high energy and flexibility. Joe E. Brown who plays the daddy to Kathryn Grayson, and owner of the Show Boat, gives a hilarious performance. The man was born with that face for good reason - to generate emotion in one sense or another. The legendary performance of Old Man River gets you every time. Each actor is worthy of the purchase. There are no weak points in this performance.

It is the 1880s, and Captain Andy's riverboat, the Cotton Blossom, travels the Mississippi putting on shows. When the star Julie (Ava Gardner) and and her husband are forced to leave under a cloud, the Captain's young daughter (Kathryn Grayson) and a handsome gambler (Howard Keel) take over the spotlight. When they, too, leave the show, they live on his winnings, but then his luck runs out.

This wonderful Jerome Kern show has a dream cast and unforgettable songs. The plot is more serious than most musicals, consisting of two tragedies; the first deals with racial discrimination and the second with love gone wrong. Grayson has a lovely operatic voice and is exquisite as the innocent girl who becomes sadder and wiser. Keel is dashing as her husband and Ava Gardner steals the show with her heartbreaking performance as the unfortunate Julie.

The songs include "Make-Believe, "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man," and the powerful "Ol' Man River." The movie is filmed in glorious Technicolor with lively dance numbers. Even though it's a tear-jerker, it's a classic and one of MGM's best musicals.

It was good, but could have been wonderful if the music would have been remastered with todays technology.

Show boat is spectacular with it's scenery and costumes. The singing was a pleasure to listen to. The whole cast was well chosen, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it, relaxing and pure entertainment.

Excellent Service, excellent condition, just as promised.Thank you VERY much!

You don't have to be a purist to find this version of "Show Boat" pretty bad.

It's particularly unfortunate because a number of the cast members of this version were excellent choices. But the screenplay is inane, robbing the characters of any consistency whatsoever. Most of the numbers are poorly staged. Many details are wildly off, with "Life Upon the Wicked Stage" seeming to be out of another film entirely. And almost all of the songs are performed with funereal tempos.

Well-cast though most of the principals are, what perhaps sinks the film most is Kathryn Grayson's performance as Magnolia. She never really could act, but in her early films she had a certain charm. Here she's just awful, both dramatically and vocally. Listening to her sing is painful, and I'm not one of those people who have trouble listening to sopranos. I like good sopranos, but in this film Grayson's sound is shrill, her vibrato is excessive, and her phrasing is intolerably mannered. But bad as she is, even she doesn't deserve the ugly dress she's given for "After the Ball."

The best sequence in the film is the "Old Man Fiver" sequence when Julie and Steve leave. That one section is well-directed and shot, though even there the song, despite William Warfield's fine singing, is performed at a too-slow tempo.

Stick with the 1936 version. Some of it's a little primitive and rough around the edges, and the ending doesn't work, but it's vibrant and often wonderful. The only reasons why this film merits two stars instead of one is that it's hard to completely destroy the music, much of the cast does the best they can under the circumstances, and that there's a certain grisly fascination about some of the worst parts.

I thought the story and music were great, however, I was very disappointed with my VHS. It seemed like it was a copy of a copy and was very fuzzy. I did not know there was a DVD out on it or I would have bought that instead. I might do that any way. Thanks