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starring: Irene Dunne, Allan Jones, Charles Winninger, Paul Robeson, Helen Morgandirected by: James Whale
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9786301976244
Format: Black & White, NTSC
ISBN: 630197624X
Label: MGM (Video)
Manufacturer: MGM (Video)
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: MGM (Video)
Release Date: September 01, 1998
Running Time: 113 minutes
Sales Rank: 3036
Studio: MGM (Video)
Theatrical Release Date: May 14, 1936
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Editorial Review:
Amazon.com:
Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's Showboat, based on Edna Ferber's 1926 novel, is a seminal American musical, the first to explore serious themes (most notably racism) and to truly integrate song with story and character. The plot follows three generations of a theatrical Mississippi riverboat family from the 1880s to the 1920s. The 1936 film version, directed by Englishman James Whale (Frankenstein), is probably the one that best captures the spirit its creators intended. First and foremost, it features Paul Robeson as Joe. His indelible rendition of 'Ol' Man River,' delivered strong, straight, and without bathos, is a stunningly powerful anthem about the plight of African Americans in the United States. (The song is set against a fascinating expressionist montage in 1930s social realist style.) Other standout performances include torch singer Helen Morgan as Julie, the actress banished from the showboat for her 'mixed race' ancestry. Her 'Bill' and 'Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man' are simply sublime. Hattie McDaniel (Gone With the Wind) is her usual outrageous self. Irene Dunne (The Awful Truth) is spunky and delightful as Magnolia Ravenal. Her most endearing moment occurs early in the film when she leads the company in a funky cakewalk, swinging her hips with joyful abandon. (She also does a number in blackface!) When Dunne and the narrative leave the riverboat for the big bad city, fame, and heartbreak, the movie loses much of its snap and substance and descends into rather conventional melodrama. Still, this film represents an essential moment in the American musical theater, one not to be missed. --Laura Mirsky
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - OK, So WHERE is it? WHY do we NOT have it?
Luckily, I am one of the few who owns this wonderful, early Hollywood Cinematic Gem, in the Criterion Edition that came out on LaserDisc in 1989. I thank my Lucky Stars every time I watch it!
Inquiring Minds, INCLUDING MINE, want to know WHERE IS IT on DVD?
WHY do we NOT have this Hollywood Masterpiece on DVD, since it has ALREADY been "mastered" digitally by Criterion, and transferring it to DVD should, certainly, be a SIMPLE matter, thus the Question, Again, WHERE IS ... Read More
Rating: - 1936 showboat
I have purchased two (one 'new', the other 'like new') video copies of the 1936 Showboat and returned both because of their less than sterling quality. I love musicals and the 1936 Showboat is my favorite one. Its absolutely incredible that this classic, which so many movie goers think is the best musical on film, hasn't been put in DVD format yet. Why aren't the champions of movies (Scorcese, are you listening?) pushing hard to get this film on DVD? Come on Hollywood, get this film on DVD for all ... Read More
Rating: - Where is it?
This is an out-and-out classic that should be permanently available on DVD. So where is it? Surely, MGM must know the value of their product, and this one is worth its weight in gold-dust - the entire cast is superb (other reviewers have named them all, so I wont repeat them), it's in beautiful black-and-white, it gives a much fuller version of the score than the lame 50's remake, and it's much better sung, plus it's got period charm by the bucketful. Yet every time I do a search, all I can come up ... Read More
Rating: - Why oh WHY Is This Movie not Available on DVD???
Like most people who have posted reviews of this film, I also state most emphatically that it is the best version of the seminal Kern/Hammerstein 1927 musical. Not only does it boast some of the wonderful original Broadway cast, it is more faithful to Ferber's novel than the 1951 version. For those who balked at the film's "happy ending," that was also the way the original stage play was written. In the novel, Nolie finds out second hand that Gaylord has died after being shot in a gambling dispute. ... Read More
Rating: - Stunning...
I just returned from viewing the Warner Brothers 35mm studio-print of the 1936 version, at the Heights Theater in Minneapolis. Although I'm a musical lover, I never considered the 1951 version any more than adequate... This, on the the other hand, left me breathless. Yes, the blackface (and a few other) scenes are painful, but, overall, this is one fantastic movie musical. I hope it becomes available on DVD, soon...
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