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IMDbPro

Show Boat

  • 19361936
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 53m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
3.4K
YOUR RATING
Irene Dunne, Allan Jones, Helen Morgan, and Charles Winninger in Show Boat (1936)
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Musical
Despite her mother's objections, the naive young daughter of a show boat captain is thrust into the limelight as the company's new leading lady.Despite her mother's objections, the naive young daughter of a show boat captain is thrust into the limelight as the company's new leading lady.Despite her mother's objections, the naive young daughter of a show boat captain is thrust into the limelight as the company's new leading lady.
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
3.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • James Whale
  • Writers
    • Edna Ferber
    • Oscar Hammerstein II(stage play)
    • Zoe Akins(contributing writer)
  • Stars
    • Irene Dunne
    • Allan Jones
    • Charles Winninger
Top credits
  • Director
    • James Whale
  • Writers
    • Edna Ferber
    • Oscar Hammerstein II(stage play)
    • Zoe Akins(contributing writer)
  • Stars
    • Irene Dunne
    • Allan Jones
    • Charles Winninger
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 72User reviews
    • 32Critic reviews
    • 88Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination

    Photos14

    Irene Dunne, Hattie McDaniel, Helen Morgan, and Paul Robeson in Show Boat (1936)
    Paul Robeson in Show Boat (1936)
    Hattie McDaniel and Paul Robeson in Show Boat (1936)
    Irene Dunne and Allan Jones in Show Boat (1936)
    Isabel La Mal, Harold Nelson, Tiny Sandford, Lois Verner, and Billy Watson in Show Boat (1936)
    Charles Winninger in Show Boat (1936)
    Irene Dunne, Maude Allen, William Alston, Barbara Bletcher, Betty Brown, D'Arcy Corrigan, Jeanette Dickson, Kathleen Ellis, Jimmy Jackson, Allan Jones, and Mary Stewart in Show Boat (1936)
    Irene Dunne, Donald Cook, Francis X. Mahoney, Helen Morgan, Queenie Smith, Helen Westley, Sammy White, and Charles Winninger in Show Boat (1936)
    Irene Dunne in Show Boat (1936)
    Irene Dunne, Donald Cook, Allan Jones, Francis X. Mahoney, Hattie McDaniel, Helen Morgan, Paul Robeson, Queenie Smith, Helen Westley, Sammy White, and Charles Winninger in Show Boat (1936)
    Irene Dunne, Allan Jones, Hattie McDaniel, Helen Morgan, Paul Robeson, Helen Westley, and Charles Winninger in Show Boat (1936)
    Irene Dunne and Allan Jones in Show Boat (1936)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Irene Dunne
    Irene Dunne
    • Magnoliaas Magnolia
    Allan Jones
    Allan Jones
    • Gaylord Ravenalas Gaylord Ravenal
    Charles Winninger
    Charles Winninger
    • Cap'n Andy Hawksas Cap'n Andy Hawks
    Paul Robeson
    Paul Robeson
    • Joeas Joe
    Helen Morgan
    Helen Morgan
    • Julieas Julie
    Helen Westley
    Helen Westley
    • Parthy Ann Hawksas Parthy Ann Hawks
    Queenie Smith
    Queenie Smith
    • Elly May Chipleyas Elly May Chipley
    Sammy White
    • Frank Schultzas Frank Schultz
    Donald Cook
    Donald Cook
    • Steve Bakeras Steve Baker
    Hattie McDaniel
    Hattie McDaniel
    • Queenieas Queenie
    Francis X. Mahoney
    • Rubber Faceas Rubber Face
    Marilyn Knowlden
    Marilyn Knowlden
    • Kim (as a Child)as Kim (as a Child)
    Sunnie O'Dea
    Sunnie O'Dea
    • Kim (at Sixteen)as Kim (at Sixteen)
    Arthur Hohl
    Arthur Hohl
    • Peteas Pete
    Charles Middleton
    Charles Middleton
    • Vallonas Vallon
    J. Farrell MacDonald
    J. Farrell MacDonald
    • Windyas Windy
    Clarence Muse
    Clarence Muse
    • Janitoras Janitor
    Maude Allen
    • Fat Womanas Fat Woman
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • James Whale
    • Writers
      • Edna Ferber
      • Oscar Hammerstein II(stage play) (screen play)
      • Zoe Akins(contributing writer) (material unused) (uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Special permission had to be granted from the Hays Office in order to retain the famous miscegenation (interracial marriage) sequence in the movie. Miscegenation was banned as a film subject and the scene had been excluded from the 1929 film version.
    • Goofs
      About five minutes in, Cap'n Andy Hawks is introducing Miss Ellie May Chipley, the toast of Cairo, Illinois. He mispronounces Cairo. His pronunciation is for the capital of Egypt. Cairo, IL is pronounced Kay'ro, with perhaps other local variants. But NEVER as the Egyptian capital.
    • Quotes

      Joe: I just shell them peas.

      Queenie: You ain't pickin' them up.

      Joe: No, but I could've if you didn't. I could do a lotta things if it was necessary.

      Queenie: Then why don't you?

      Joe: It ain't necessary.

    • Crazy credits
      The rights to this film were bought by M-G-M in 1942, so all prints shown on TV until the mid 1990's had the roaring lion logo at the beginning. However, despite having bought the rights, M-G-M retained Universal Pictures' spinning globe for the "The End: A Universal Picture" credit at the film's close.
    • Connections
      Featured in The All Talking, All Singing, All Dancing Show (1973)
    • Soundtracks
      Cotton Blossom
      (1927) (uncredited)

      Music by Jerome Kern

      Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

      Sung by offscreen mixed chorus (during opening credits) and in opening scene by mixed chorus of dock workers

    User reviews72

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Excellent
    The BEST version ever of the musical. It follows a show boat and the family that runs it through three generations concentrating on Magnolia (Irene Dunne) and her husband Ravenel (Allen Jones).

    Some people have complained that Dunne's high-pitched singing voice is TOO high-pitched...they're not completely wrong. Still she sings in tune and her "Make Believe" duet with Jones is just great. Actually all the songs are great and belted out by the cast--highlights are "Can't Help Lovin' That Man", "Bill" and the great Paul Robeson doing "Old Man River". The movie also is very faithful to the stage play--it has almost all the songs and manages to fit a 3 hour play into a 2 hour film. The last section with Kim seems rushed but that's understandable.

    Dunne is just great as Magnolia--very sweet and lovable. The only strange point is her dancing to "Can't Help..."--the dress is way too constricting and she has a strange look on her face. Jones is wooden but but has a wonderful singing voice. Helen Morgan was taken from the stage show to recreate Julie. She stops the movie TWICE with "Can't Help..." and "Bill". She has a beautiful voice and is a superb actress. Her character disappears completely halfway through...but it's the same in the stage play. In the book her character ends up working in a house of prostitution--there was NO way they could have gotten that on the screen back in 1936! Everybody else is great and the movie moves very quickly.

    It's much better than the 1950s version. The 50s version IS in color and opens with a great number...but most of the singing is overdubbed, the story is brutally cut down and "Can't Help..." is thrown away!

    This has it all over that one. Also director James Whale reportedly liked this one above all his other films--he did a few other little films like "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein"! Beautiful songs, some truly lovely photography (the moonlight scenes on top of the showboat are dreamlike) and a quick story. Just simply one of the great Hollywood musicals. A must see!
    helpful•33
    3
    • preppy-3
    • May 1, 2004

    FAQ1

    • This version of "Show Boat" is supposed to be extremely faithful to the stage musical. What changes have been made?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 17, 1936 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Edna Ferber's Show Boat
    • Filming locations
      • Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Universal Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 53 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

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    Irene Dunne, Allan Jones, Helen Morgan, and Charles Winninger in Show Boat (1936)
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