Show Boat

1929
Passed
2h 27m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Laura La Plante and Joseph Schildkraut in Show Boat (1929)

A mostly silent version of Edna Ferber's original novel, with some songs from the musical as a last-minute additionA mostly silent version of Edna Ferber's original novel, with some songs from the musical as a last-minute additionA mostly silent version of Edna Ferber's original novel, with some songs from the musical as a last-minute addition

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.1/10

321

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win

Photos16

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Update: some of the "lost" footage of the prologue has been found, both sound and picture, and this includes footage apparently not included in the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) edition of the film. Some of this once-lost footage is included in A&E's The Great Ziegfeld (1996) and a few scenes from this footage are now included in the three-part PBS documentary Broadway: The American Musical (2004). The discovered footage includes Jules Bledsoe singing "Ol' Man River" with the Dixie Jubilee Singers in full costume. Also featured on this "Biography" episode were scenes of Tess Gardella singing "C'mon Folks" and Helen Morgan singing "Bill." All of these scenes survive in only faintly tolerable sound and picture quality, but at least they survive.

Goofs
When Nola is given the letter Gaylord has left for her telling her he is leaving her, she is shown holding and reading the letter with her right hand holding the letter near the top and her left hand near the bottom. In the next shot, her hands have changed positions.

Quotes
Capt. Andy Hawks: [intertitles]
[immediately after Kim is born, to the townspeople leaving the boat]
Capt. Andy Hawks: Another leading lady!

Crazy credits
All performers in the prologue are identified verbally.

Alternate versions
This movie is currently in the Turner library, since MGM bought the rights for the 1951 remake. The Turner Classic Movies Channel broadcast a 118-minute version, which included an Overture (i.e., the sound portion of the Prologue, and only part of it, at that) and Exit music. The Overture contained 2 of the 5 songs of the prologue ("Hey, Feller!" and "Bill") so you do get to hear Tess Gardella and Helen Morgan. Otis Harlan introduces those songs and then introduces "Ol' Man River," but that song is not heard. For some sections with lost sound dialog, subtitles are provided. Although we do hear a brief rendition of "Coon, Coon, Coon" sung by Laura La Plante as she rehearses, her scenes singing that song and 4 others on stage are totally silent. The only other songs sung were "The Lonesome Road", presumably by Jules Bledsoe dubbing Stepin Fetchit, and "Why Do I Love You" by an unidentified singer as part of the Exit music. None of the other vocals are included in the TCM print of the film.

Connections
Featured in Show Boat (1936)

Soundtracks
Gwine to Rune All Night (De Camptown Races)
(1850) (uncredited)
Written by Stephen Foster
In the score during the overture

User reviews13

Review

Featured review

4/10

You won't recognize it

I was long curious to see this version of Show Boat and how it stood up against the two more well known versions that came out later. It's a curiosity and nothing more.

I'm willing to bet that the film was being shot at the time sound was hurriedly being accommodated for by the major studios. They had to make up for the fact they had hired non-singers for the lead roles so some dialog was added.

They would have been better keeping it a straight silent. Some of Broadway's best shows were done in acceptable silent versions. Kid Boots, Rose Marie, and The Student Prince come to mind.

First of all the whole subplot involving Julie and the miscegenation angle was completely eliminated. Considering that was a controversial theme in those days and gained Show Boat a pioneering reputation, why would you want to sacrifice it.

Laura La Plante and Joseph Schildkraut as Magnolia and Ravenal are acceptable enough. But when the Jazz Singer was made it was the musical interludes with Jolson that made it a hit. There was no rhyme of reason for the parts where dialog was included.

The best performance in the film was Emily Fitzroy who plays Parthy Hawkes like a stone-faced harridan. The later versions with Helen Westley and Agnes Moorehead gave her a trace of humanity. This was one witch of a woman and she never lets up either.

Now that Show Boat is an American classic and it's a classic because of the wonderful Kern-Hammerstein score, I'm not sure anyone would want to bother with this one.