Show Boat (1936) - Part 9/16: "Gallivantin' Around"

One of three film versions of the classic Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein stage musical, this Universal production is

considered the best of the three by film critics and enthusiasts alike.

Premiering at Washington's National Theatre in the winter of 1927, the original stage show went on to continue its out-of-

town tryout in a series of East Coast cities before finally making its Broadway debut at the Ziegfeld Theatre on 27

December, 1927. The original Broadway production was a huge success, playing over 500 performances. The show then embarked

on a nation-wide tour after it completed its Broadway run in 1929.

Norma Terris, Broadway's original Magnolia Hawks, went off to Hollywood to make films and actress Irene Dunne took over the

role for the remainder of the national tour, which disbanded in 1930.

A revival of the original Zeigfeld production opened at the Casino Theatre on Broadway in 1932. This first Broadway revival

reunited much of the original cast and included the great bass Paul Robeson as Joe, for whom the role was actually written

for. Unable to join the original production at the Ziegfeld due to other commitments, the role went to Jules Bledsoe. Prior

to his appearance in the 1932 Broadway revival, Robeson had played the role in London for which he received critical

acclaim and achieved overnight stardom.

After an unsuccessful attempt at converting a silent filmed version of Edna Ferber's novel of the same name--on which the

show is based--into the much acclaimed musical version by overlaying musical numbers on the previously shot action, re-

shooting key sequences, and incorporating sound, the film rights bought by Universal were put into good use, resulting in

this critically acclaimed 1936 film version of the groundbreaking stage musical.

An unusual choice for director considering the genre was James Whale, but his attention to atmospheric detail made him an

ideal choice. The head of Universal at the time insisted as much of the original Broadway cast as possible be brought in to

do the film. Of those original cast members that eventually joined the film production were Charles Winninger as Captain

Andy Hawks; Francis X. Mahoney as Rubberface Smith; Sammy White as Frank Schultz; and Helen Morgan as Julie LaVerne.

Also joining the production were Show Boat alumni Hattie McDaniel, who had appeared in the 1933 West Coast production, as

Queenie; Paul Robeson as Joe; Allan Jones, who had appeared in a regional U.S. production, as Gaylord Ravenal; and Irene

Dunne as Magnolia Hawks.

By far the most faithful to the original stage version, this 1936 film is almost word for word accurate with the exception

of the much altered ending. A considerable amount of songs were cut due to time constraints (although bits remain in the

underscoring) but the show's most memorable numbers remain.

CAST

Magnolia - Irene Dunne

Gaylord Ravenal - Allan Jones

Captain Andy Hawks - Charles Winninger

Joe - Paul Robeson

Julie - Helen Morgan

Parthy Ann Hawks - Helen Westley

Ellie - Queenie Smith

Frank - Sammy White

Steve - Donald Cook

Queenie - Hattie McDaniel

Rubber Face - Francis X. Mahoney

Kim (as child) - Marilyn Knowlden

Kim (at sixteen) - Sunnie O'Dea

Pete - Arthur Hohl

Vallon - Charles Middleton

Windy - J. Farrell MacDonald

Sam - Clarence Muse

Jim - Charles Wilson

Backwoodsman - Stanley Fields

Jake - Harry Barris

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director - James Whale

Producer - Carl Laemmle Jr.

Stage play, screenplay, and lyrics - Oscar Hammerstein II

Music - Jerome Kern

Cinematographer - John J. Mescall, A.S.C.

Special Cinematographer - John P. Fulton

Art Director - Charles D. Hall

Musical Director - Victor Baravalle

Costumes - Doris Zinkeisen

Choreography - LeRoy Prinz

Editors - Ted Kent, Bernard Burton

Orchestration - Robert Russell Bennett

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Show
• Boat
• 1936
• Oscar
• Hammerstein
• Jerome
• Kern
• Showboat
• Musicals
• Broadway
• Classic
• Irene
• Dunne
• Paul
• Robeson
• Allan
• Jones
• Hattie
• McDaniel
• Charles
• Winninger
• Helen
• Morgan
• Edna
• Ferber
• James
• Whale
• Theatre
• Ziegfeld
• Blackface
• Gallivantin'
• Gallivanting
• Around

[BernardProfitendieu]

@ectorlove why? Showboat was filmed in the 1930s, but set historically in the 1880's - should they have pretended blackface shows on the river didn't exist in the 19th century just in case some misguided, politically correct vigilantes were going to arrive on the scene 75 years later? your comment is ignorant.

On top of that, Irene Dunne has been dead for over 20 years - she's feeling no shame about anything, sister!.

[turetskygambit]

@musicaltheatergeek79 Ever since the word "nigger" became considered as inappropriate it became probably the most popular word in any urban school hallway. That's the irony of our history. A totally innocent scene like the one in this film is considered "racist" in the country where the word "nigger" is pronounced hundred times a day by every American teen of any race.

[thebackgroundartiste]

Despite the historical accuracy I don't enjoy this scene and I'm glad that it wasn't included in the 1950's version. Was it in the most recent stage version? I don't know but I have never enjoyed blackface or minstrel numbers. I just don't see any entertainment value in them.

[tallytigerful]

this is my first time watching this original version and i must admit i am enjoying it much more than the 1950's version. this scene is hilarious! i burst out laughing at work and my office all stopped their busy days to see who the idoit was. lol

[zac613]

love this version of ShowBoat compared to the 1951 version. it's funny hearing the idiots complaining about the black face number. back in the day some black actors/actresses would paint themselves white and pretend to be white.... like the character Julie did in this movie. You can't erase history and if u try to rewrite history or forget it..... the event u are try to rewrite or forget will happen again.

[3investigators]

@BernardProfitendieu Amen. This is a seminal film of a seminal play. It's artistic and historical significance speaks for itself.

[musicaltheatergeek79]

I'm as liberal as they come and I think those griping about the blackface scene are morons. It's history. That's how things were like back in the 1880s. To accuse the movie of shame and bigotry because of these scenes is to deny history. Last year, HUCKBLEBERRY FINN was updated and the word "nigger" replaced with "slave" to appease those modern readers who are offended by the term. But Mark Twain wasn't being racist, he was using the vernacular of his youth.

[queenmedesa]

Black performers weren´t allowed to act with white ones in the same stage in those times,specially in the South

[GekkoKamen]

Political correctness is an idiocy. Black-faced shows were amusing and were something enjoyed even by the blacks.