1h 48min | Drama, Family, Musical | 17 July 1951 | Color
Director: George Sidney
Stars: Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner, Howard Keel, Joe E. Brown, Marge Champion, Gower Champion, Robert Sterling, Agnes Moorehead, Leif Erickson, William Warfield.
Robert Alton ... dances
Alex Romero ... assistant choreographer (uncredited)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044030/
Remake of Show Boat ('36, Universal); MGM bought the rights to the film as well as the play.
Cast comparison:
Irene Dunne::Kathryn Grayson
Helen Morgan::Ava Gardner
Allan Jones::Howard Keel
Charles Winninger::Joe E. Brown
Queenie Smith::Marge Champion
Sammy White::Gower Champion
Donald Cook::Robert Sterling
Helen Westley::Agnes Moorehead
Paul Robeson::William Warfield
Hattie McDaniel::no similar character
Songs performed (28 chapters with menu; from Wikipedia):
- ch1 Main Title — MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus ("Cotton Blossom" and an instrumental version of "Make Believe")
- ch2. "Cotton Blossom" — Cotton Blossom Singers and Dancers
- ch3. "Capt' Andy's Ballyhoo" — danced by Marge and Gower Champion (MGM Studio Orchestra)
- ch7. "Where's the Mate for Me" — Howard Keel
- ch8. "Make Believe" — Kathryn Grayson / Howard Keel
- ch9. "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" — Ava Gardner (dubbed by Annette Warren)
- ch9. "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" (Reprise #1) — Kathryn Grayson / Ava Gardner (dubbed)
- ch10. "I Might Fall Back On You" — Marge and Gower Champion
- ch11. Julie Leaves the Boat ("Mis'ry's Comin' Round" — partial) - MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus
- ch12. "Ol' Man River" — William Warfield and MGM chorus
- ch13. Montage sequence ("Make Believe") — MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus
- ch15. "You Are Love" — Kathryn Grayson / Howard Keel
- ch16. "Why Do I Love You" — Kathryn Grayson / Howard Keel
- ch19. "Bill" — Ava Gardner (dubbed by Annette Warren)
- ch20. "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" (Reprise #2) — Kathryn Grayson
- ch21. "Life Upon the Wicked Stage" — Marge and Gower Champion
- ch22. "After the Ball" — Kathryn Grayson
- ch24. "Cakewalk" — danced by Joe E. Brown and Sheila Clark (MGM Studio Orchestra)
- ch25. "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" — (partial reprise by Ava Gardner, using her real singing voice)
- ch27. "Make Believe" (Reprise) — Howard Keel
- ch28. Finale: "Ol' Man River" (Reprise) — William Warfield / MGM Chorus
Although this film has color and Marge & Gower Champion (the dancing couple in '36 was very vaudeville, and were described as a comedy team), the '36 film has far more charm. It did much more to develop the romance between Nola and Ravenal, and much more development of Nola's affection for her black friends (not just Julie) and black culture (she sang more than 1 "black" song), and provided us with the couple of Joe & Queenie (Robeson & McDaniel), the drama of Kim's birth during a storm, Nola's career, Kim's adult career, and the much later reconciliation of Ravenal with his wife and daughter. The '36 version was only 5 min longer, and had 3 extra songs written specifically for the film by Kern & Hammerstein to do 3 of the things I mentioned: "I Have The Room Above Her", a duet for Magnolia and Ravenal; "Gallivantin' Aroun'", and "Ah Still Suits Me".
So it's not just the presence of Robeson and Dunne that makes the '36 version a superior film; it's the writing choices of which characters to develop. The majority of the storylines are the same.
MGM, dir. Sidney; 8-
