It's such a tragedy that so few young Americans know who Paul Robeson is, to the point where I actually won $50 from a professor who wagered no one in the 100+ student lecture hall would identify him when he had Ballad for the Americans playing at the beginning of class. Not that I'm a spring chicken either, I'm almost 27. Oh well, Texas textbooks are also erasing the Pullman Strike and Haymarket Massacre from our nation memory, to further the interests of their corporate puppet masters.
Outward racism apart - try to step away from it for just a minute. Note that the two white women are following in step with the free expression of the black leads. And by the way, nothing takes away the dignity of McDaniel and Robeson! The repression comes when the old white bat comes along reminding the younger women to stop acting natural. The film does model a very sore and evil time in American history and culture, but a strong message comes through as well, holding racism in our faces.
To BigBingFan: I have a DVD of this release of Showboat. It is not the best of DVD's, but is a legitimate release. I searched around the net to locate it, and it was there. How could they not release the version with the incomparible Paul Robeson? True the 1951 version lacks the talent and verve of this production. Irene Dunne is also sensational in this version, love her dance here!
That part toward the end where Irene Dunne begins to shuffle is hysterical, especially when she tries to make a "minstrel" face-very politically incorrect.
around 1995-1998 the Mississippi PBS showed a clip of Helen Morgan on Broadway singing 'Can't Help Loving dat man of Mine'. It was a personal clip from a young man who was there. They said that it was the only one taped from her live performance. It was scratchy but I taped it on a vcr tape that is in storage somewhere. I just about wore it out. I have not seen the movie with Helen Morgan but I would love to see it. Thanks for putting this up. It is magnificent!
With all respect to Helen Morgan, Ava Gardner captures the tragedy, the heart breaking sadness that is really Julie. "I can never get him back, and life will never be the same." Ava Gardner breaks my heart. The upbeat version simply does not go as deeply with me as the 1951 version does.
@CarlD2 Yes there was supposed to be. Where are you from. There was so much pain & that was part & parcel of the show. Helen Morgan's chac. is black pretending to pass as white & married to a white man. When she sings this song it is with her heart aching & living in fear that they would be found out. in the South then it was against the law to be married to a person of 'color 'as they say. And she loves Magnolia & knows she shouldn't teach her this song. Helen is mermesring.
A great version done by the original Julie. Helen Morgan was great and it was such a bittersweet performance as it mirrored Helen's life. Thanks for a great post.
wow this show how sad and ignorant times were in the 1930's and if any one havent notice the black women sounds like a slave but this song is very good
this is my ex boyfriend and my song. We went and seen show boat at a local theatre toghether. when this song started to play we both looked at each other and kissed. today would be our anniversery. i do miss him. and "no home without him, ain't now home to me. i can't help lovin dat' man." (sniffle)
Paul Robeson, scholar, athlete, singer, actor, and social activist, was able to transcend the limitations put on him. He exudes powerful masculinity in his scenes with his handsome face and magnetic personality . He is a perfect example of the Renaissance man.
Ah fantastic, beats the 50s version of the song hands down (if you'll pardon the pun). Where would we be without music? and it doesn't come much better than this. By 3:59 you're all set and from then on it's magic!
@madamerotten if enough fans of the broadway production as well as the 1936 film adaptation express interest in seeing this film released on DVD, it stands a good chance of being officially released on dvd and blu-ray. this is a wonderful production.
@stix2507 I did indeed find many VHS copies available at Amazon, and I think there may be some non-US issues on DVD. Elsewhere on YouTube there's an excerpt of a scene from this movie. (Search: "Show Boat (1936) - Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man") with what I think are Portugese subtitles. Maybe it was taken form such a DVD (?).
Just seeing Helen Morgan sing this as she originated it on Broadway makes this film a true gem. Maybe it seems "dated" in comparison to some of the other versions, but my goodness, this is an AMAZING and groundbreaking piece of theater history captured on film and THAT in itself was rarely done!
I LOVE Irene Dunne's dancing in this scene! I would never have believed that she's 38 in this...still so young looking...and young looking again years later when she made a hilarious appearance on "What's My Line?", available on youtube! (WATCH IT!). She's just PURE CLASS.
It is available on Amazon in both DVD and VHS. It is NOT politically incorrect in any way whatsoever but accurately captures the zeitgeist of the times in which it was written and depicts. The Old Man River scene sung by the great Paul Robeson is artfully directed by british director James Whale ( The Bride of Frankenstein) and is in sync with the lyrics. Cotton was the cash crop of The South until WWII. In order to appreciate where we as african Americans are now we must appreciate our roots
Only 'fanatics' or 'cineasts' will look behind the actual production itself and quietly praise the artistic acumen and financial risk taken by Carl Laemmle and his son.........Julius 'Carl Junior' Laemmle.......it was Junior that shepparded this project from inception through completion......indeed it was a very bitter pill.....for production costs escalated precipitously and Carl Sr. was forced to put Universal Pictures up as collateral in order to receive capital & was forced out. Tragic.
Hattie Mcdaniels, Helen Morgan, Irene Dunne, and Paul Robeson are amazing in this sequence. I love this song as well as the musical itself. jerome kern and oscar hammerstein did a wonderful job crafting edna ferber's book in to a musical.
Why is the picture letterboxed? The original movie uses the standard 4:3 ratio (actually 1.37:1 but close enough). The image has been distorted by the clueless uploader.
As for Hattie McDaniel I recall she said she's rather PLAY a maid, than be a maid, and that's why she was thankful when she later won the Oscar.
@harleykman not to mention playing a maid paid a hell of a lot better than if she were just a regular maid. That's the same reason why Dorothy Dandridge's mother played maids in movies 'cause it brought in good movie.
I think it's Slang name is "rooster shuffle", but I doubt that's the actual name. According to my laserdisc's commentary it was an actual dance from the late 1800s, and audience members would have recognized it immediately from their youth.
@bethal1998 - It was known as the "Shuffle'. And I'm ecstatic to see this masterpiece once again!
I saw this film originally, as a boy, when it was televised and I nearly shat a gut when Magnolia got up and went into that shuffle. It wasn't supposed to be comical but seeing her do it gave me fond memories of laughter every time I recalled it. Until that time my impression of Irene Dunne was drawn from very serious and mature roles: I Remember Mama; An Affair To Remember; etc She was amazing!
As Paul Robeson says in this scene: "That's my favou-rite song!" It's beautiful and this is one of the best renditions of it I have heard. We had it on an old 78 rpm record when I was a kid! Robeson's singing contributed significantly to my life long love of music! Thanks for posting this!
this is my favoutite version of the song. i am singing this song at the moment in my singing lessons, and my teacher is forcing me to compete with this song, and i am so happy! i love 1930's music!
I watched this movie last night and I totally LOVED IT...Irene was just the best actress in the whole world, she could do anything, she could sing, cry and laugh and touched people's emotions the way nobody else did! I LOVE YOU IRENE DUNNE!
Strangely enough, Ava Gardner was dubbed. There's a CD that has both Ava Gardner and the woman who dubbed her singing. Ava really was fine. I don't know why they ha her dubbed.
(From a review of the movie) 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.
Helen Morgan is playing the character of Julie, the one who's singing. Irene Dunne is the other one (Magnolia) who dances around as if she thinks she's on an earlier version of Soul Train. I love the singing, too. I found a Helen Morgan CD online. It's got this tune on it.
Unfortunately, the movie captured a moment in time, and was "politically incorrect," no matter how much truth it displayed in this age of showboats and river culture. That ensures it will likely never be released on DVD...a REAL SHAME! Funny, they release all kinds of murder, sex, depravity, violence and awful moral messages.......but, not the 1936 "Showboat." This is a travesty. I ABSOLUTELY love this 1936 version--the 1951 version PALES in comparison...but, that is the one released. YUK!
Also, check out Bing's 1944 movie, "Here Come the Waves," where Bing & Sonny Tufts sing in blackface, "Accentuate the Positive." Not promoting movies in blackface, but debated online alot. I don't particularly like the way white/Anglo Christian fathers/males are depicted in the public media, but I don't call for banning, like the Left does. Cheers!
I don't see anything politically incorrect about this movie? The play was a product of the 1920s, and Jerome Kern did his best to deal with the color issues that afflicted the deep south during the age of river boats.
I don't see anything offensive about this masterpiece of theatre.
@BigBingFan It's absurd to say the MOVIE was politically incorrect, it portrayed a situation as it existed at the time. The SITUATION was shameful, but you can't say the FILM is politically incorrect for showing things as they were.
I used "today's" term, of politically incorrect. In it's day, it represented the true reality, not too many years before this movie was made...so, your assertion that when I used politically incorrect is "absurd," is ludicrous for you to think that. In TODAY's terms, it would be politically correct, just to set you straight...in those days, it reflected more reality. With the election of "you know who" we've come full circle. He wants to use the Supreme Court to do his bidding.
@BigBingFan If you like this, the original stage play is even better. Only a few film fragments remain. The John McGlinn CD from 1988 is as close to what you would have heard opening night in 1927. Shocking, in its day, watered down over the years, and, politically incorrect during our time. American musical history, denied.
I appreciate your comments errolfan! By the way, do you know if any fragments are purchase-able? I'd love to see bits and pieces of it......anyway, I totally agree with your comments. And also, John McGlinn, I've never heard of him...can you give any background on him, or tell me more about the CD? I'd love to purchase it. I appreciate your comments on John McGlinn and anything else revolving across this miraculous movie. Thanks in advance.
This is my favorite scene from the best version of this musical. Irene Dunne is gorgeous, it is so hard to believe that she is almost 40 in this movie.
It is a rare treat to see and hear Helen Morgan perform in the movie version just as she did in the original Broadway cast. I think most people know this, but the film was directed by James Whale, the man who brought us "Frankenstein" and a number of other horror classics. I prefer this version much over the 1950s one.
@michaeljayklein Most of the cast in this movie were "recycled" from the 1920s theater version. The director wanted it to be as authentic as possible, and what better way to do that, than to hire the original actors.
Irene Dunne could sing and dance (especially the truckin' step, ooo-whee!). She could act (dramatcally or hilariously). And she was truly beautiful. Everything she did was "Dunne well."
I was so happy to see this moving coming on one night. It was late; eleven or midnight. It didn't matter, though; I was so eager to see it. Wonderful movie. The best adaptation of the musical so far.
What a hell of a cast! You want see stars the likes of Paul Robison, Hattie McDaniel, Helen Morgan and Irene Dunne anywhere else. I sure wish they would release this soundtrack already.
And by the way, Hattie McDaniel was a wonderful, underrated singer. I wish she had recorded more.
I love Irene in this scene-between the silly shuffle,the bustle,the fact that she in her mid 30s playing a teen ager-and that her mother chases her upstairs .
I love this! Yeah, it has really grown on me since watching this a couple more times. As for the dancing...well I thought it was great, when everybody else was doing it but when I first saw Magnolia dancing by herself I just had to laugh!
I have to say, this song really grows on you. When we watched a clip of it in theatre class my friend and I just about died laughing over the dancing... but in retrospect it's pretty darn adorable!
Recently had major eye surgery on both eyes...totally blind for 3 weeks...funny what goes through ones mind...visioned this scene ... Robeson's and Morgan's voices, Dunne's dancing ...love ,love. love it. Far better than the 50's poor version
I think this is Hammerstein's best libretto. His words are a better fit with Kern than with Rodgers. Robeson has the best version of Ole Man RIver. This was a great old movie that still keeps flowing.
She had a very tough life. She was a genius at performing a song but the agony evident in her face and voice was always part brilliant acting and part the story of her life. Her artistry is so far beyond what we see today save for a few great artists. She lives each song. Morgan was never classically beautiful, she was big-boned, her voice was odd, but it all added up to something precious and rare, and she became a very big star.
This has always been my favorite scene from "Show Boat" and is almost the same as the original in the Broadway production. It stopped the show every time. Seeing Helen Morgan, Hattie McDaniel and Irene Dunne brings tears to my eyes. An era of talent never to be seen again. And then there is Paul Robeson, truly in a class by himself forever.
I think Irene is dead groovy when she dances in this scene! Love her, I consider herself, Barbara Stanwyck and Myrna Loy (who was never even nominated) the greatest actresses to have never received an Oscar for a performance.
this is my favorite song. I have never seen this version of Show Boat but from the clips that I have seen, it looks better then the 1951 version, which is good but doesn't go by the original script from the stage show.
Ah fantastic, beats the 50s version of the song hands down (if you'll pardon the pun). Where would we be without music? and it doesn't come much better than this. By 3:59 you're all set and from then on it's majic!
This is such classic film footage - The talent forever preserved on film in this one scene is amazing..I NEVER TIRE of watching this footage. Thank you again for posting it.
Julie's such a cool character! But it's unfortunate, what happens later...and I also think that it looks awfully hard to move around in those dresses XD Even sitting looks kind of painful.
i kno that black people were treated unfairly and portrayed like totaly idiots but things were crazy back then so we should move on cause it is different now
Paul Robeson had a masculine breadth and good-natured appeal to him.
I understand the problems looking back, now, at the way Blacks were portrayed. But we learn and move forward. I'm glad they were filmed .. the talent was wonderful.
It is always difficult to judge old films in a modern context. I wonder how Eddie Murphy's portrayals of black people will be viewed in seventy years time?
The way black people were portrayed has much to do with how white-dominated the film industry was. Also this film is set in the 1880's when blacks had only been out of slavery for 20 years. It's not about black people today. I really love the performances of Hattie McDaniel and Paul Robeson in this scene. Their characters seem warm and real, even if unfortunately they have to "Uncle Tom" to an extent. The bit where Irene Dunne starts to shuffle is a bit much though.
Why is it a bit much for a white person to do the shuffle???That's as racist as saying a black person couldn't waltz or do some type of european folk dance! Music and dance are universal, and lets look at the time period this portrays.
back at this period it would have been scandalous for a white girl to dance this way,
i remember when i was a kid in the 70's, getting cussed out by elderly people for dancing to soul train because that's not the way white girls were "supposed to dance"
What the hell was she doing? having a seizure?
devmonbar 1 day ago
she so funny when she start to dance like that <3
ILoveLucy1937 2 months ago
like if will and grace brought you here
twilight11263 3 months ago
It's such a tragedy that so few young Americans know who Paul Robeson is, to the point where I actually won $50 from a professor who wagered no one in the 100+ student lecture hall would identify him when he had Ballad for the Americans playing at the beginning of class. Not that I'm a spring chicken either, I'm almost 27. Oh well, Texas textbooks are also erasing the Pullman Strike and Haymarket Massacre from our nation memory, to further the interests of their corporate puppet masters.
trilobright 3 months ago
Outward racism apart - try to step away from it for just a minute. Note that the two white women are following in step with the free expression of the black leads. And by the way, nothing takes away the dignity of McDaniel and Robeson! The repression comes when the old white bat comes along reminding the younger women to stop acting natural. The film does model a very sore and evil time in American history and culture, but a strong message comes through as well, holding racism in our faces.
PRR5406 4 months ago
The play in its entirety actually shows the injustice experienced as does the book.
hurllella 4 months ago
Wonderful!!!!
komo40 4 months ago
whAT is with that dancing that chick does. she looks high...
laurasdfghjkl 5 months ago
That sure is a funky little dance she is doing!! LOL
1CurVQT 5 months ago in playlist Vocal Class
@1CurVQT she looks like a ƒish! dayyyum i wanna dance like dat.
JOGO 5 months ago 2
To BigBingFan: I have a DVD of this release of Showboat. It is not the best of DVD's, but is a legitimate release. I searched around the net to locate it, and it was there. How could they not release the version with the incomparible Paul Robeson? True the 1951 version lacks the talent and verve of this production. Irene Dunne is also sensational in this version, love her dance here!
signorgelato 5 months ago
@BigBingFan, so blacks should be portrayed like shuffling idiots for your entertainment? GTFOHWTBS!
angelgirl79 6 months ago
old school rumpshaking
japittrich 6 months ago
That part toward the end where Irene Dunne begins to shuffle is hysterical, especially when she tries to make a "minstrel" face-very politically incorrect.
SilkMiller 6 months ago
around 1995-1998 the Mississippi PBS showed a clip of Helen Morgan on Broadway singing 'Can't Help Loving dat man of Mine'. It was a personal clip from a young man who was there. They said that it was the only one taped from her live performance. It was scratchy but I taped it on a vcr tape that is in storage somewhere. I just about wore it out. I have not seen the movie with Helen Morgan but I would love to see it. Thanks for putting this up. It is magnificent!
cajanwitch60 7 months ago
Helen, Hattie, Irene and Paul in same scene. Awesome. A classic. Tks
johnohconnor 7 months ago
With all respect to Helen Morgan, Ava Gardner captures the tragedy, the heart breaking sadness that is really Julie. "I can never get him back, and life will never be the same." Ava Gardner breaks my heart. The upbeat version simply does not go as deeply with me as the 1951 version does.
goodcatholicboy 8 months ago
@goodcatholicboy I never really saw this version as upbeat; I thought there was a lot of pain under a seemingly happy surface.
CarlD2 7 months ago
@CarlD2 Yes there was supposed to be. Where are you from. There was so much pain & that was part & parcel of the show. Helen Morgan's chac. is black pretending to pass as white & married to a white man. When she sings this song it is with her heart aching & living in fear that they would be found out. in the South then it was against the law to be married to a person of 'color 'as they say. And she loves Magnolia & knows she shouldn't teach her this song. Helen is mermesring.
cajanwitch60 7 months ago
A great version done by the original Julie. Helen Morgan was great and it was such a bittersweet performance as it mirrored Helen's life. Thanks for a great post.
waratah08 8 months ago
Great song. Great voices. Hattie McDaniel was such an unappreciated talent. Best version
frick35662 9 months ago 2
@frick35662 You are so correct. I would love to have known her.
PRR5406 8 months ago
Never thought i would see Irene Dunne dancing like that! haha
coolkid1234533 9 months ago
thrusting in a bustle looks beyond hilarious
RoozleRay 9 months ago
This is the best version I've ever heard.
closedcircle1 9 months ago
i can't believe this will never be released, especially with this song being such a standard!
Mattio351 10 months ago
Paul Robeson had such an adorable smile. :D
WolfQueene 11 months ago 2
the 1936 video can be purchased at Amazon...it's an import.
alanbweaver 11 months ago
@alanbweaver
Thank you alot! I'll check Amazon, because you gave me the information. I appreciate it alot.
BigBingFan 11 months ago
In the original novel, the "coon songs" that Magnolia sang were spirituals, not songs like this.
SarekOfVulcan 11 months ago
wow this show how sad and ignorant times were in the 1930's and if any one havent notice the black women sounds like a slave but this song is very good
priceless852 11 months ago
terrible quality
Krazy8910 1 year ago
whats the name of the character singing most of the song?
partyandahalf 1 year ago
@partyandahalf Julie's singing the song, Magnolia is the younger girl, and Queenie is the kitchen worker.
SarekOfVulcan 11 months ago
@partyandahalf Helen Morgan, as the character Julie LaVerne.
madamerotten 11 months ago
@madamerotten thanks!
partyandahalf 10 months ago
@partyandahalf YW!
madamerotten 10 months ago
mila kunis sent me here
32ROCKERCHICK32 1 year ago
The dancing.. haha
I still love this song just the same :D
sammysaywhat49 1 year ago
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tharindudansh 1 year ago
I love this song. I admire the ability of Irene Dunne to "Shuffle". It looks like fun! It's a great clip. Where can I get the whole movie?
ellieweingardt 1 year ago
Show boat honestly featured a two tier society. Among other things, honesty is a quality denied by the politically correct.
followthefleet1 1 year ago 2
this is my ex boyfriend and my song. We went and seen show boat at a local theatre toghether. when this song started to play we both looked at each other and kissed. today would be our anniversery. i do miss him. and "no home without him, ain't now home to me. i can't help lovin dat' man." (sniffle)
zac613 1 year ago
Paul Robeson, scholar, athlete, singer, actor, and social activist, was able to transcend the limitations put on him. He exudes powerful masculinity in his scenes with his handsome face and magnetic personality . He is a perfect example of the Renaissance man.
youyong28 1 year ago 11
Try dancing like that in a girdle and bustle. It ain't easy!
costernocht 1 year ago 6
@kje1957 'no account river fella'- as in good-for-nothing, worthless
craigkier 1 year ago
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Sorry for repeating myself but this is so good.
Ah fantastic, beats the 50s version of the song hands down (if you'll pardon the pun). Where would we be without music? and it doesn't come much better than this. By 3:59 you're all set and from then on it's magic!
cirvine1234 1 year ago
old count river fellow ???
kje1957 1 year ago
This is precious. Thank you for posting it. I hope this version of the movie will be released officially, someday.
madamerotten 1 year ago
@madamerotten if enough fans of the broadway production as well as the 1936 film adaptation express interest in seeing this film released on DVD, it stands a good chance of being officially released on dvd and blu-ray. this is a wonderful production.
stix2507 1 year ago
@stix2507 I did indeed find many VHS copies available at Amazon, and I think there may be some non-US issues on DVD. Elsewhere on YouTube there's an excerpt of a scene from this movie. (Search: "Show Boat (1936) - Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man") with what I think are Portugese subtitles. Maybe it was taken form such a DVD (?).
madamerotten 1 year ago
this is magnificent, and the tempo and style that suits the song best
MsTykester 1 year ago
Just seeing Helen Morgan sing this as she originated it on Broadway makes this film a true gem. Maybe it seems "dated" in comparison to some of the other versions, but my goodness, this is an AMAZING and groundbreaking piece of theater history captured on film and THAT in itself was rarely done!
friendsfamilyaccount 1 year ago 5
magnolia looks posessed
Wantango 1 year ago
Magnolia's dancing reminds me of a mermaid on land lol. Love the clip though!!
staigerm01 1 year ago
@WeedsRaw it's the "shimmy"
maddesigning 1 year ago
I LOVE Irene Dunne's dancing in this scene! I would never have believed that she's 38 in this...still so young looking...and young looking again years later when she made a hilarious appearance on "What's My Line?", available on youtube! (WATCH IT!). She's just PURE CLASS.
bjnevin 1 year ago 4
It is available on Amazon in both DVD and VHS. It is NOT politically incorrect in any way whatsoever but accurately captures the zeitgeist of the times in which it was written and depicts. The Old Man River scene sung by the great Paul Robeson is artfully directed by british director James Whale ( The Bride of Frankenstein) and is in sync with the lyrics. Cotton was the cash crop of The South until WWII. In order to appreciate where we as african Americans are now we must appreciate our roots
mommymoonchild 1 year ago 2
Is this what this song original from? b/c I've heard a few different versions. Anyone know?
xxUngroundablexx 1 year ago
I love how intent Irene Dunn is in her dancing, she looks like she's really thinking about it at first. I love Irene Dunn, a true actress.
iamlovedbysomeone 1 year ago 2
Only 'fanatics' or 'cineasts' will look behind the actual production itself and quietly praise the artistic acumen and financial risk taken by Carl Laemmle and his son.........Julius 'Carl Junior' Laemmle.......it was Junior that shepparded this project from inception through completion......indeed it was a very bitter pill.....for production costs escalated precipitously and Carl Sr. was forced to put Universal Pictures up as collateral in order to receive capital & was forced out. Tragic.
1912Universal 1 year ago
Lmao 4:06 that dance is hilarious
coast0385 1 year ago 2
Magnolia's dancing is odd.
SunshineSodapop12 1 year ago 3
I've never imagined to see Irene Dunne dancing this way. Wonderful artist!
LauraAmiga 1 year ago 2
@LauraAmiga yes she is. She was nominated 5 times for an oscar but never won. She was an amazing, powerhouse actress.
stix2507 1 year ago
Great movie and music, both the 1936 & 1951 versions. Can you provide this video without the subtitles? Thanks. TB
TMBELM 1 year ago
Hattie Mcdaniels, Helen Morgan, Irene Dunne, and Paul Robeson are amazing in this sequence. I love this song as well as the musical itself. jerome kern and oscar hammerstein did a wonderful job crafting edna ferber's book in to a musical.
stix2507 1 year ago
Why is the picture letterboxed? The original movie uses the standard 4:3 ratio (actually 1.37:1 but close enough). The image has been distorted by the clueless uploader.
As for Hattie McDaniel I recall she said she's rather PLAY a maid, than be a maid, and that's why she was thankful when she later won the Oscar.
harleykman 1 year ago
@harleykman not to mention playing a maid paid a hell of a lot better than if she were just a regular maid. That's the same reason why Dorothy Dandridge's mother played maids in movies 'cause it brought in good movie.
musicaltheatergeek79 1 year ago
What is the name of the dance that irene is doing? I know it's a minstrel type drag of some sort. Is the shuck or shuffle?
bethal1998 1 year ago
I think it's Slang name is "rooster shuffle", but I doubt that's the actual name. According to my laserdisc's commentary it was an actual dance from the late 1800s, and audience members would have recognized it immediately from their youth.
harleykman 1 year ago
@bethal1998 - It was known as the "Shuffle'. And I'm ecstatic to see this masterpiece once again!
I saw this film originally, as a boy, when it was televised and I nearly shat a gut when Magnolia got up and went into that shuffle. It wasn't supposed to be comical but seeing her do it gave me fond memories of laughter every time I recalled it. Until that time my impression of Irene Dunne was drawn from very serious and mature roles: I Remember Mama; An Affair To Remember; etc She was amazing!
tracer740 8 months ago
As Paul Robeson says in this scene: "That's my favou-rite song!" It's beautiful and this is one of the best renditions of it I have heard. We had it on an old 78 rpm record when I was a kid! Robeson's singing contributed significantly to my life long love of music! Thanks for posting this!
tachuman 1 year ago
omg...its mammy from Gone with the Wind!
JohnnyAdvent 1 year ago
this is my favoutite version of the song. i am singing this song at the moment in my singing lessons, and my teacher is forcing me to compete with this song, and i am so happy! i love 1930's music!
mcmolgog 1 year ago
I watched this movie last night and I totally LOVED IT...Irene was just the best actress in the whole world, she could do anything, she could sing, cry and laugh and touched people's emotions the way nobody else did! I LOVE YOU IRENE DUNNE!
Rena1934 1 year ago 2
Strangely enough, Ava Gardner was dubbed. There's a CD that has both Ava Gardner and the woman who dubbed her singing. Ava really was fine. I don't know why they ha her dubbed.
mjimme 1 year ago
Comment removed
morrisonr 1 year ago
lol @1:34
morrisonr 1 year ago
what is Sophia doing @ 4:00 ?!
chuckchicks 1 year ago
(From a review of the movie) 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.
toobyu2859 1 year ago
Yup, made a mistake, of course it's Helen Morgan singing and not bad either. Thanks for your comment
Tomring0800 1 year ago
When I hear Irene Dunne singing this song as compared to Ava Gardener in the MGM version in the 50's Irene was certainly 10-Times better.
This 1936 Film is a must!!
Tomring0800 1 year ago 2
But it's Helen Morgan singing the song. Irene Dunne is dancing.
toobyu2859 1 year ago
@Tomring0800 -
Helen Morgan is playing the character of Julie, the one who's singing. Irene Dunne is the other one (Magnolia) who dances around as if she thinks she's on an earlier version of Soul Train. I love the singing, too. I found a Helen Morgan CD online. It's got this tune on it.
MrRedFredSaid 1 year ago
Ahşap Yat ve Tekne İmalatı Wooden Yacht and Boat is Good
Eurasia Boat Show 2010
From:Istanbul,Turkiye
TurkishMaxPower 1 year ago
Unfortunately, the movie captured a moment in time, and was "politically incorrect," no matter how much truth it displayed in this age of showboats and river culture. That ensures it will likely never be released on DVD...a REAL SHAME! Funny, they release all kinds of murder, sex, depravity, violence and awful moral messages.......but, not the 1936 "Showboat." This is a travesty. I ABSOLUTELY love this 1936 version--the 1951 version PALES in comparison...but, that is the one released. YUK!
BigBingFan 2 years ago 60
@BigBingFan you can download the dvdrip of this version if you cannot find the dvd, but it has been released on dvd.
ericthatsme1 1 year ago
@ericthatsme1
Thank you ericthatsme1--Last night TCM had the '51 version---pales very much in comparison to the '36 version. Better all the way around.
BigBingFan 1 year ago
@ericthatsme1
Also, check out Bing's 1944 movie, "Here Come the Waves," where Bing & Sonny Tufts sing in blackface, "Accentuate the Positive." Not promoting movies in blackface, but debated online alot. I don't particularly like the way white/Anglo Christian fathers/males are depicted in the public media, but I don't call for banning, like the Left does. Cheers!
BigBingFan 1 year ago
@BigBingFan Thanks, I will.
ericthatsme1 1 year ago
@BigBingFan The world could do with a bit more politcal incorrectness I guess then. :p
thewordthatpierces 1 year ago
@BigBingFan
I don't see anything politically incorrect about this movie? The play was a product of the 1920s, and Jerome Kern did his best to deal with the color issues that afflicted the deep south during the age of river boats.
I don't see anything offensive about this masterpiece of theatre.
harleykman 1 year ago
@BigBingFan It's absurd to say the MOVIE was politically incorrect, it portrayed a situation as it existed at the time. The SITUATION was shameful, but you can't say the FILM is politically incorrect for showing things as they were.
simikess 1 year ago
@simikess
I used "today's" term, of politically incorrect. In it's day, it represented the true reality, not too many years before this movie was made...so, your assertion that when I used politically incorrect is "absurd," is ludicrous for you to think that. In TODAY's terms, it would be politically correct, just to set you straight...in those days, it reflected more reality. With the election of "you know who" we've come full circle. He wants to use the Supreme Court to do his bidding.
BigBingFan 1 year ago 2
@BigBingFan If you like this, the original stage play is even better. Only a few film fragments remain. The John McGlinn CD from 1988 is as close to what you would have heard opening night in 1927. Shocking, in its day, watered down over the years, and, politically incorrect during our time. American musical history, denied.
errolfan 11 months ago
@errolfan
I appreciate your comments errolfan! By the way, do you know if any fragments are purchase-able? I'd love to see bits and pieces of it......anyway, I totally agree with your comments. And also, John McGlinn, I've never heard of him...can you give any background on him, or tell me more about the CD? I'd love to purchase it. I appreciate your comments on John McGlinn and anything else revolving across this miraculous movie. Thanks in advance.
BigBingFan 11 months ago
This is my favorite scene from the best version of this musical. Irene Dunne is gorgeous, it is so hard to believe that she is almost 40 in this movie.
thefantastikmrbone 2 years ago 4
If EVER a musical demanded a DVD release...............
bjnevin 2 years ago
I love Jack and Will's version from Will & Grace. :)))))))
xlr814music 2 years ago
@xlr814music
That's the reason I looked up this song in the first place!
madskittlez1122 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
"Someone tell dat jew bitch to shut up and let the nigga sing!"
nbase41 2 years ago
LOL
mattbethe 2 years ago
magnolia's dance! great
sophiaf8 2 years ago 4
@sophiaf8 Looks like she'd been hitting the gin herself LOL
Jojoseahorse 2 years ago
@sophiaf8 yeah, i love it! i keep rewinding that part. :)
kittycollins 1 year ago
So much more fun than the 1951 version.
How about that crazy dance? Unbelievable. Is that where Dana Carvey got his Church Lady?
TreasureOne 2 years ago 14
It is a rare treat to see and hear Helen Morgan perform in the movie version just as she did in the original Broadway cast. I think most people know this, but the film was directed by James Whale, the man who brought us "Frankenstein" and a number of other horror classics. I prefer this version much over the 1950s one.
michaeljayklein 2 years ago
@michaeljayklein Most of the cast in this movie were "recycled" from the 1920s theater version. The director wanted it to be as authentic as possible, and what better way to do that, than to hire the original actors.
harleykman 1 year ago
Comment removed
eheaven3 2 years ago
Irene Dunne could sing and dance (especially the truckin' step, ooo-whee!). She could act (dramatcally or hilariously). And she was truly beautiful. Everything she did was "Dunne well."
eheaven3 2 years ago 5
Indeed, it's difficult to believe that she was nearing forty in this clip...
bjnevin 2 years ago
I was so happy to see this moving coming on one night. It was late; eleven or midnight. It didn't matter, though; I was so eager to see it. Wonderful movie. The best adaptation of the musical so far.
What a hell of a cast! You want see stars the likes of Paul Robison, Hattie McDaniel, Helen Morgan and Irene Dunne anywhere else. I sure wish they would release this soundtrack already.
And by the way, Hattie McDaniel was a wonderful, underrated singer. I wish she had recorded more.
OldieMusicMan 2 years ago 3
definitely one of the best movies ever <3
methogonzo 2 years ago
hahahahahahahaaaaa! her dance at the end!! hahaha
SundanceCrave 2 years ago 4
i like it, Irene-Magnolia looks like a bubble-gum mermaid swimming in the air :)
yepheth 2 years ago
hahaha so true! quite the description.
SundanceCrave 2 years ago
I love Irene in this scene-between the silly shuffle,the bustle,the fact that she in her mid 30s playing a teen ager-and that her mother chases her upstairs .
newrochellephoenix 2 years ago
This is reat! I like it much better thean the 1951 version. Her singing is better, and Hattie /paul robeson add a lot
celtickimba 2 years ago 4
I love this! Yeah, it has really grown on me since watching this a couple more times. As for the dancing...well I thought it was great, when everybody else was doing it but when I first saw Magnolia dancing by herself I just had to laugh!
Love it though. :')
TGBF7N 2 years ago
This is fabulous! Its a great song, and I love Paul Robeson's expressive face. And I can't help loving my man either :)
Jojoseahorse 2 years ago
my mum's favorite musical!
leprechainfreak 2 years ago
COCKETTES FOREVER!!!!!!!!! LOL
efforffefoni1 2 years ago
IT'S MAMMY!!!!
Mr1920s 2 years ago
The dance is called "TRUCKIN'" I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!
BronxBornBroad 2 years ago 3
Tremedous. Four legends in one great musical scene. Irene Dunne was awesome.
johnohconnor 2 years ago
The dance break is pretty lame.
JMUHockeyGirl 2 years ago
I have to say, this song really grows on you. When we watched a clip of it in theatre class my friend and I just about died laughing over the dancing... but in retrospect it's pretty darn adorable!
CrystallizedStardust 2 years ago 5
luv hattie
smoker954 2 years ago
i remember taping this off TV when I was little. What a wonderful memory to relive. Thank you for posting it!
So... it's not on DVD? :(
schwanny 2 years ago
Hattie was about to "bring her out"! Ha!
PisceanBeautyy 2 years ago
Blissful song,I love Showboat.
lightflower 2 years ago 3
Can never understand why this movie was never released on DVD.
rdadal 2 years ago 3
i like this higher version better.. but i like it a little bit slower because its a really lovely melody, and it does feel a bit rushed.
LivingInArt 2 years ago
Recently had major eye surgery on both eyes...totally blind for 3 weeks...funny what goes through ones mind...visioned this scene ... Robeson's and Morgan's voices, Dunne's dancing ...love ,love. love it. Far better than the 50's poor version
ourvic 2 years ago 2
Lol, is Queenie their slave or something?
JayPetey 2 years ago
No -a free and paid servant.
newrochellephoenix 2 years ago 10
free my ass
myraann 2 years ago
Yes, "free." There was no more slavery when this movie takes place, around 1880s.
musicaltheatergeek79 2 years ago 2
HAHAHA Irene at the end...so funny!
hollywoodlola 2 years ago 2
Comment removed
MerelyAFan 2 years ago
look at that gal sugar,,,never been better..
ourvic 2 years ago
Hahaa, I love the way Irene shakes it in this clip!
KarinPluss 2 years ago 5
I think this is Hammerstein's best libretto. His words are a better fit with Kern than with Rodgers. Robeson has the best version of Ole Man RIver. This was a great old movie that still keeps flowing.
177hender 3 years ago
.....just keeps rolling along :)
jimbo1066 2 years ago
why the portuguese?
AdamG319 3 years ago
She had a very tough life. She was a genius at performing a song but the agony evident in her face and voice was always part brilliant acting and part the story of her life. Her artistry is so far beyond what we see today save for a few great artists. She lives each song. Morgan was never classically beautiful, she was big-boned, her voice was odd, but it all added up to something precious and rare, and she became a very big star.
waynebrasler 3 years ago 2
Sometime I forget just how gorgeous Helen Morgan's voice is. And so singular and so unforgettable.
waynebrasler 3 years ago
She had a teardrop in her voice, didn't she?
costernocht 3 years ago
This has always been my favorite scene from "Show Boat" and is almost the same as the original in the Broadway production. It stopped the show every time. Seeing Helen Morgan, Hattie McDaniel and Irene Dunne brings tears to my eyes. An era of talent never to be seen again. And then there is Paul Robeson, truly in a class by himself forever.
waynebrasler 3 years ago 4
I think Irene is dead groovy when she dances in this scene! Love her, I consider herself, Barbara Stanwyck and Myrna Loy (who was never even nominated) the greatest actresses to have never received an Oscar for a performance.
bjnevin 3 years ago
this is my favorite song. I have never seen this version of Show Boat but from the clips that I have seen, it looks better then the 1951 version, which is good but doesn't go by the original script from the stage show.
stix2507 3 years ago
Ah fantastic, beats the 50s version of the song hands down (if you'll pardon the pun). Where would we be without music? and it doesn't come much better than this. By 3:59 you're all set and from then on it's majic!
cirvine1234 3 years ago
i so agree. it's like the 1951 song wanted to ignore the black aspect of the movie. only thing is magnolia dances around really strangely.
AdamG319 3 years ago 2
At 1:37 she looks rather uncomfortable. Hmmn.....
Nunnie2009 3 years ago
hattie McDaniel's man is HAWT!
kulturvultur 3 years ago
He is Mr. Paul Robeson.
jvbrown95 3 years ago
i luv how they call her "Nola"
kaighnyne 3 years ago
i love the flats at "lovin that man of mine"
kaighnyne 3 years ago 4
but there's massive double dipdongs.
kaighnyne 3 years ago
Tell em Queenie!
thetrentone 3 years ago
Hey, that's Mammy!! :D COOOOL!
katrineGIRL 3 years ago
why dats my favorite song
jociea 3 years ago
This is such classic film footage - The talent forever preserved on film in this one scene is amazing..I NEVER TIRE of watching this footage. Thank you again for posting it.
mombam 3 years ago 3
Julie's such a cool character! But it's unfortunate, what happens later...and I also think that it looks awfully hard to move around in those dresses XD Even sitting looks kind of painful.
albinollama 4 years ago
she was dancing like a fish hence : fish got swim
klake1541 4 years ago 2
i kno that black people were treated unfairly and portrayed like totaly idiots but things were crazy back then so we should move on cause it is different now
klake1541 4 years ago
Paul Robeson had a masculine breadth and good-natured appeal to him.
I understand the problems looking back, now, at the way Blacks were portrayed. But we learn and move forward. I'm glad they were filmed .. the talent was wonderful.
thanks for posting this.
saxondog2001 4 years ago 4
Roberson was the ultimate man, he was cool. I always admired him.
devmonbar 4 years ago 3
like the movie. but as a black person watching it, i felt offended of how they portrayed black people back then
browngal1709 4 years ago
It is always difficult to judge old films in a modern context. I wonder how Eddie Murphy's portrayals of black people will be viewed in seventy years time?
leoseries 4 years ago
i guess back then black folks was lucky 2 get a part in a movie as anything.
browngal1709 4 years ago
The way black people were portrayed has much to do with how white-dominated the film industry was. Also this film is set in the 1880's when blacks had only been out of slavery for 20 years. It's not about black people today. I really love the performances of Hattie McDaniel and Paul Robeson in this scene. Their characters seem warm and real, even if unfortunately they have to "Uncle Tom" to an extent. The bit where Irene Dunne starts to shuffle is a bit much though.
MissCecchetti 4 years ago
Why is it a bit much for a white person to do the shuffle???That's as racist as saying a black person couldn't waltz or do some type of european folk dance! Music and dance are universal, and lets look at the time period this portrays.
bizbutton 4 years ago 2
back at this period it would have been scandalous for a white girl to dance this way,
i remember when i was a kid in the 70's, getting cussed out by elderly people for dancing to soul train because that's not the way white girls were "supposed to dance"
kulturvultur 3 years ago 4
* though i never heeding them no mind :D
kulturvultur 3 years ago
No, this is the dance exactly as it was performed in the original stage production on Broadway 80 years ago.
waynebrasler 3 years ago