Show Boat (1951)
While I’ve admittedly never seen the 1936 version, I love the remake of Show Boat. I probably won’t give the original a chance, since I don’t like Irene Dunne, and because I absolutely love the cast of the 1951 version. I can’t imagine anyone else singing the beautiful and memorable songs.
Joe E. Brown and Agnes Moorehead run a riverboat that produces musical shows during the stops, but they take care to keep their beautiful and talented daughter Kathryn Grayson away from the stage. Acting isn’t a respectable profession, and heaven forbid their little girl get romantically involved with an actor! Ava Gardner and her husband Robert Sterling are the stars of the “Show Boat”, but when the all-American theme of racism rears its ugly head, they find themselves in trouble. While docked in the South, the police arrest the married team for miscegenation, since Ava secretly has an African-American ancestor. Her husband stands by her, and all of a sudden, the boat is in need of two new leads. Joe and Agnes weaken and let their daughter sing. They also hire Howard Keel, a drifter and a gambler.
Joe E. Brown and Agnes Moorehead run a riverboat that produces musical shows during the stops, but they take care to keep their beautiful and talented daughter Kathryn Grayson away from the stage. Acting isn’t a respectable profession, and heaven forbid their little girl get romantically involved with an actor! Ava Gardner and her husband Robert Sterling are the stars of the “Show Boat”, but when the all-American theme of racism rears its ugly head, they find themselves in trouble. While docked in the South, the police arrest the married team for miscegenation, since Ava secretly has an African-American ancestor. Her husband stands by her, and all of a sudden, the boat is in need of two new leads. Joe and Agnes weaken and let their daughter sing. They also hire Howard Keel, a drifter and a gambler.
And that’s just the beginning! The story is as wonderful and haunting as Jerome Kern’s songs; every time “Old Man River” plays during the opening credits, I get goosebumps and buckle up for a tear-filled evening. I absolutely love this movie; the only parts of it I dislike—and actually fast-forward—are the needless dance numbers with Marge and Gower Champion. If you cut those scenes out, it’s a nearly perfect musical.
In musicals, it’s easy to focus on the songs and let the acting fall by the wayside, but in Show Boat, everyone pours their hearts into their performances, spoken or sung. Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson are absolutely darling together, and when they sing “Make Believe” and “Why Do I Love You” together, it’s hard to believe they didn’t fall in love in real life. William Warfield sings the iconic “Old Man River”, and Annette Warren’s vocal dub of “Cain’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man of Mine” is such a perfect match to Ava Gardner’s speaking voice, it’s hard to believe she’s been dubbed. Everyone who knows me knows I really don’t like Ava Gardner, but she is absolutely fantastic in Show Boat. Even though she doesn’t sing her own songs, her facial expressions and spoken scenes deliver so much realistic emotion; more than any other movie, she truly becomes the role. Hands down, it’s the best performance of her career, so if you’re a fan, don’t miss this one!
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Juhi Thaker" for posting!
More Ava Gardner movies here!
More Kathryn Grayson movies here!
More Howard Keel movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1936's Show Boat here!
In musicals, it’s easy to focus on the songs and let the acting fall by the wayside, but in Show Boat, everyone pours their hearts into their performances, spoken or sung. Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson are absolutely darling together, and when they sing “Make Believe” and “Why Do I Love You” together, it’s hard to believe they didn’t fall in love in real life. William Warfield sings the iconic “Old Man River”, and Annette Warren’s vocal dub of “Cain’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man of Mine” is such a perfect match to Ava Gardner’s speaking voice, it’s hard to believe she’s been dubbed. Everyone who knows me knows I really don’t like Ava Gardner, but she is absolutely fantastic in Show Boat. Even though she doesn’t sing her own songs, her facial expressions and spoken scenes deliver so much realistic emotion; more than any other movie, she truly becomes the role. Hands down, it’s the best performance of her career, so if you’re a fan, don’t miss this one!
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Juhi Thaker" for posting!
More Ava Gardner movies here!
More Kathryn Grayson movies here!
More Howard Keel movies here!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of 1936's Show Boat here!