Product Details

• Actors: Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner, Howard Keel
• Directors: George Sidney
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• DVD Release Date: August 8, 2000
• Run Time: 107 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (95 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004RF9K
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,400 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #87 in Movies & TV > DVD > Musicals
• Learn more about "Show Boat" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The show that first defined the Broadway musical has never come to the screen intact, despite three tries. But take this splashy 1951 MGM extravaganza on its own terms, and it boggles the eyes. Not to mention the ears: The Kern-Hammerstein score includes some staples of the American songbook, such as "Make Believe," "After the Ball," and "Can't Help Lovin' That Man." Perhaps a riverboat gambler is almost too-easy casting for Howard Keel, and Kathryn Grayson is overly twittery, which may be why the film's middle sags when they take center stage. But any time the uncannily beautiful Ava Gardner smolders, a lush tragic undertone takes over (even if the most interesting parts of her story seem to take place offscreen). The physical production is extraordinary: the busy riverside setting, the outrageous color design, and best of all an "Old Man River" (sung by William Warfield) staged in the mists of morning. -- Robert Horton

Product Description

Howard Keel, Ava Gardner, Kathryn Grayson. A sentimental story of complicated lives and loves on a Mississippi show boat. Score by Jerome Kern includes the songs Ol' Man River, Where's the Mate for Me, Can't Help Lovin' That Man and more. 1951/color/107 min/NR/fullscreen.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

111 of 119 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Why do I love this movie? September 28, 2002

By Pope VINE™ VOICE

Format:VHS Tape

This version of Show Boat was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1951. It is one of the finest movie musicals ever made and was the second biggest money maker of all films released in 1951. This movie represented MGM at their best. However, there are a number of people who prefer the earlier 1936 Universal version of Show Boat to this one. To see why, there are two different ways to take this movie into consideration...

First, as a screen adaptation of the Broadway play. If a person takes the movie in that way, then he/she will find that this version is dreadfully unfaithful to the B'way original (that is the common complaint about this movie). The 1936 Universal version is generally accepted as the most faithful version (which, really, it is, out of all 3 versions; 1929, 1936, 1951). I cannot go into too many particulars on that version, as I have never seen it. But from what I've read, it generally follows the play scene by scene, with only the ending altered. A few songs were added for that version and one song, "Why Do I Love You?," dropped for running time. Someone please correct me on that if I'm wrong. This 1951 version cuts down the role of Joe and all but eliminates the Queenie character (who actually had a fairly substantial role on stage).
[Please note: the 1929 version is actually a part silent/part talkie screen adaptation of the original novel. After the Kern/Hammerstein play opened, a few songs were added.]

Second, as a movie-musical in its own right...
If one does not take this movie as a screen version of the Broadway musical, it is a lot easier to see where this movie soars. What a movie! Excellent cast, fantastic sets, gorgeous sound, and lush technicolor make this version a feast for both eye and ear. Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel are both fabulous as Magnolia and Ravenal. Whenever I read about Show Boat, Grayson and Keel are the first people that come to mind. Grayson's singing may sound a little harsh on the ears at times, she's still the best Magnolia. I also prefer Keel's singing to that which I've heard on any of the revival/studio cast albums. And Ol' Man River has never been sung better. William Warfield's breathtaking rendition of the classic song always sends chills up my back, especially during the closing sequences. He became sononymous with the role of Joe as did Paul Robeson and Jules Bledsoe before him. Fabulous. Done in the true MGM fashion, this is not one to be missed. The best!

Note: another reviewer is in error. He states that MGM's Show Boat was shot and released in 4 track stereo, which it was not. The immortal Kern and Hammerstein score was recorded by placing "stem" mics around the recording stage to capture the different orchestral angles, with the vocals recorded on separate tracks, which were combined into a monaural mix down track for use in the film. The film was thus released in monaural. This practice had been in use at MGM since the thirties. By today's standards, to have recorded tracks in this way is considered to have been recording them in monaural, since they were mixed to mono, even though many of these "stem" tracks (where they exist) from the great MGM musicals are being remixed for stereo. True stereo recording in the movies was still a few years away. MGM's first film recorded and released in stereo was "Kiss Me Kate," also starring Keel and Grayson, in 1953.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I LOVE THIS MOVIE, AND SO WILL YOU October 11, 2000

By Brandon Langeland

Format:DVD

So what if this isn't very faithful scriptwise. The story they did have, plus the music, plus the singing, kept me glued to my seat, unable to take my eyes off it. Not since West Side Story has a movie musical had this effect on me. I suppose that if you grew up seeing the stage play, you might be taken aback by the cuts, but how many of you would really be willing to sit and watch a movie for the four hours that the original play takes? You can't even sit through Gone With the Wind without taking a little "intermission." The singing is incredible. I love to hear Kathryn Grayson hit those oh-so-high notes, and I love to hear Howard Keel, well, anytime. After hearing the soundtrack I was kind of mad that they didn't let Ava Gardner do her own singing, but her wonderful performance makes you forget about it. One reason I am glad they changed the story for the movie is when we see Julie at the very end. It's the kind of bittersweet finishing touch that gets ya choked up no matter how many times you see it. So buy this movie, gosh darnit, and be prepared to sit back and enjoy a cinematic masterpiece.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars SHOW BOAT A TECHNICOLOR DREAMBOAT! April 9, 2001

By "hcampo"

Format:DVD

The 1951 film version of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein's groundbreaking operetta, Show Boat, is one of the most beloved movie musicals of all time. The highest grossing picture of 1951, it has attracted several generations of appreciative audiences through countless theatrical re-releases and on home video. This DVD release showcases Show Boat's justly famous Technicolor cinematography better than any other previous video format. The opening sequence alone could well serve as a demo for the visual capabilities of the DVD medium. No motion picture, before or since, has the rich, incredibly saturated palette of colors displayed in Show Boat. Although this DVD version was made from the most recent Technicolor restoration of this film, there are still a few scenes (especially large blue speckles in the Ol' Man River sequence) which could benefit from digital cleaning and enhancement. Considering that Show Boat is approaching its fiftieth anniversary this year, these minor flaws do not seriously detract from the overall excellence of the image. Alas, the same can't be said for the sound. Although MGM recently did a surround stereo mix from the original multi track recordings of Show Boat, this DVD uses an older monaural mix, which while clean and dynamic, is no match for the superb picture. The current laserdisc version uses the surround stereo mix and it sounds truly awesome. The laserdisc also has running commentary by the film's director, George Sidney, which should have been included on this DVD. Warner Bros., the current owners of this film, should reissue Show Boat on DVD with a 5:1 mix derived from the surround stereo. Then the sound would equal Show Boat's spectacular picture quality. Also, Ava Gardner's own lovely vocals should be re-inserted into the picture in place of Annette Warren's dubbing. Today's audiences would find Gardner more convincing in the songs as her fine singing voice more closely matches her superb acting performance as the tragic Julie and an older audience grew up on Gardner's vocals, which were included on the best-selling Show Boat soundtrack album.

Although this version of Show Boat has its detractors, especially among purists who prefer the stage and earlier black and white screen version, MGM's production is still an impressive achievement with several key sequences that are visually the most stunning examples of color art direction and cinematography ever committed to film. The score is performed beautifully by Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Marge and Gower Champion and especially William Warfield, whose definitive, magnificent, moving performance of the classic Ol' Man River, has become the standard by which all past, present and future renditions of this song will be judged. In fact, everyone associated with this matchless film should feel justifiably honored. And this DVD is the best way to experience Show Boat, short of a theatrical re-release.