Porgy and Bess (1959)
The George and Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward beloved opera was finally preserved on film in 1959, with Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Daihann Carroll, and Sammy Davis Jr. Or, I should say, starring Sidney Poitier via Robert McFerrin, Dorothy Dandrige via Adele Addison, Diahann Carroll via Loulie Jean Norman, and Sammy Davis Jr. Of the main leads, Sammy was the only one who did his own singing. Dorothy had previously been dubbed in Carmen Jones, and if you’ve ever seen Our Virgin Island, you know Sidney can’t carry a tune. But, given the era, making a film with an all-black cast was a financial risk, so it made sense that Hollywood would gather their brightest stars regardless of whether or not they could sing.
That being said, Porgy and Bess is a beautiful film, even though half the cast is dubbed. Set in a poor town in1912 South Carolina, the sets and art direction manage to both transport the audience to the proper setting and give them the feeling that they’re watching a show that used to be on the stage. Otto Preminger chose to capture the film mostly in long shots and long takes, adding to the authenticity and continuity for the audience. It’s easy to get sucked in from the first scene, and the ending will come much too soon. I already knew a few of the songs, but even if you don’t, the overture will get you hooked, and you’ll hum your favorites after the credits roll.
Even though he normally has a beautiful voice and could have easily kept up with the opera singers around him, Sammy Davis Jr. chose to downplay his singing in the film. His big song “There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon for New York” could have been a showstopper, but his interpretation was more of a slimy, seedy weasel. It doesn’t ruin the movie, though, since everyone else does such a good job.
I highly recommend watching Porgy and Bess if you like musicals and operas. I went into it not knowing one spec of the plot; I’d seen two five-second clips from AFI’s 100 Years 100 Passions television special when I was twelve and had wanted to watch the captivating romance in its entirety. I searched far and wide for a copy for fifteen years, and when I finally saw it available, I watched it without delay, not even to read a plot synopsis. I loved it.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Sidney Poitier movies here!
That being said, Porgy and Bess is a beautiful film, even though half the cast is dubbed. Set in a poor town in1912 South Carolina, the sets and art direction manage to both transport the audience to the proper setting and give them the feeling that they’re watching a show that used to be on the stage. Otto Preminger chose to capture the film mostly in long shots and long takes, adding to the authenticity and continuity for the audience. It’s easy to get sucked in from the first scene, and the ending will come much too soon. I already knew a few of the songs, but even if you don’t, the overture will get you hooked, and you’ll hum your favorites after the credits roll.
Even though he normally has a beautiful voice and could have easily kept up with the opera singers around him, Sammy Davis Jr. chose to downplay his singing in the film. His big song “There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon for New York” could have been a showstopper, but his interpretation was more of a slimy, seedy weasel. It doesn’t ruin the movie, though, since everyone else does such a good job.
I highly recommend watching Porgy and Bess if you like musicals and operas. I went into it not knowing one spec of the plot; I’d seen two five-second clips from AFI’s 100 Years 100 Passions television special when I was twelve and had wanted to watch the captivating romance in its entirety. I searched far and wide for a copy for fifteen years, and when I finally saw it available, I watched it without delay, not even to read a plot synopsis. I loved it.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Sidney Poitier movies here!