The second of three film versions of one of the most acclaimed musicals of all time, this one is far from perfect but nonetheless has several moving sequences and, of course, the legendary score. It offers somewhat deeper characterizations than the 1951 version, but they are not satisfactorily developed or resolved. Also, some of the performances have dated poorly, and the finale is extremely unsatisfying as well as implausible.
This time around Irene Dune is cast as Magnolia Hawks, the daughter of a Mississippi showboat captain (Charles Winninger). When Julie (Helen Morgan), the star of the show, is discovered to be half black, she is forced off the boat and Magnolia takes her place. In doing so, she falls in love with her leading man (Allen Jones), and they eventually marry. They leave the showboat and have a daughter, but his compulsive gambling threatens their union. When his persistent losing streak forces the family to lower its standard of living, he abandons them. Magnolia goes on to become a famous star of the stage, and her daughter follows in her footsteps.
At the risk of divulging the ending (which can probably be guessed anyway), there is a flash-forward of several decades for a reconciliation scene, in which all three generations are alive and well. This whole scene feels like an artificial and oversimplified attempt to tie up all the loose ends, when in fact it does just the opposite it undermines the characters and leaves the viewer unfulfilled. Other characters are left dangling in thin air. Take Joe (Paul Robeson) and his wife Queenie (Hattie McDaniel). They appear for a few songs at the beginning, make strong impressions, and are never seen or heard from again. The worst incidence, however, is with the character of Julie. After a magnificent introduction, most of her potential is squandered. She is seen once more in a heartbreaking sequence, but one is left wondering whatever became of her.
As I noted before, many of the performances have not aged well. Dunne fills the role of Magnolia adequately, but her lilting soprano seems out of place from today's standpoint. That goes double for the vocalizations of Jones, who is completely unconvincing as the roguish cardsharp. Morgan's much-praised portrayal of Julie suffers from lack of footage, but she stops the show with her rendition of `Bill,' pouring her heart and soul into the song and leaving a lump in the throat of every viewer. Winninger almost steals the movie with his spirited performance as Captain Andy. At one point, in one of the all-time great displays of physical comedy, he enacts all the parts of a very animated play, doing so with the kind of indomitable dexterity that can only be compared to Donald O'Connor's `Make Em Laugh' routine from "Singin' in the Rain." Finally, there's Paul Robeson, whose creates a Joe who is wise and all knowing, just like the `Ol' Man River' which he immortalizes in song during the sequence which is the film's high point.
As for the other songs, they're all here: `Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man,' `Make Believe,' as well as a few that could have been disposed of. (Do we really need to witness Jones singing a love song to Dunne's stocking?) Still, as directed by "Frankenstein"'s James Whale, it is a high quality production with excellent set designs and cinematography. Like the later version, there's a lot to like, but not quite enough to recommend.
This time around Irene Dune is cast as Magnolia Hawks, the daughter of a Mississippi showboat captain (Charles Winninger). When Julie (Helen Morgan), the star of the show, is discovered to be half black, she is forced off the boat and Magnolia takes her place. In doing so, she falls in love with her leading man (Allen Jones), and they eventually marry. They leave the showboat and have a daughter, but his compulsive gambling threatens their union. When his persistent losing streak forces the family to lower its standard of living, he abandons them. Magnolia goes on to become a famous star of the stage, and her daughter follows in her footsteps.
At the risk of divulging the ending (which can probably be guessed anyway), there is a flash-forward of several decades for a reconciliation scene, in which all three generations are alive and well. This whole scene feels like an artificial and oversimplified attempt to tie up all the loose ends, when in fact it does just the opposite it undermines the characters and leaves the viewer unfulfilled. Other characters are left dangling in thin air. Take Joe (Paul Robeson) and his wife Queenie (Hattie McDaniel). They appear for a few songs at the beginning, make strong impressions, and are never seen or heard from again. The worst incidence, however, is with the character of Julie. After a magnificent introduction, most of her potential is squandered. She is seen once more in a heartbreaking sequence, but one is left wondering whatever became of her.
As I noted before, many of the performances have not aged well. Dunne fills the role of Magnolia adequately, but her lilting soprano seems out of place from today's standpoint. That goes double for the vocalizations of Jones, who is completely unconvincing as the roguish cardsharp. Morgan's much-praised portrayal of Julie suffers from lack of footage, but she stops the show with her rendition of `Bill,' pouring her heart and soul into the song and leaving a lump in the throat of every viewer. Winninger almost steals the movie with his spirited performance as Captain Andy. At one point, in one of the all-time great displays of physical comedy, he enacts all the parts of a very animated play, doing so with the kind of indomitable dexterity that can only be compared to Donald O'Connor's `Make Em Laugh' routine from "Singin' in the Rain." Finally, there's Paul Robeson, whose creates a Joe who is wise and all knowing, just like the `Ol' Man River' which he immortalizes in song during the sequence which is the film's high point.
As for the other songs, they're all here: `Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man,' `Make Believe,' as well as a few that could have been disposed of. (Do we really need to witness Jones singing a love song to Dunne's stocking?) Still, as directed by "Frankenstein"'s James Whale, it is a high quality production with excellent set designs and cinematography. Like the later version, there's a lot to like, but not quite enough to recommend.