Home
Biography
Career
Articles
Photo Gallery
Landmarks
Testimonials
Collectibles
Multimedia
Shopping
Related Links
Guestbook
Show Boat
a.k.a.: Edna Ferber’s Show Boat (complete title)
Universal Pictures
Released: May 14, 1936
Runtime: 113 minutes
This film is considered the best version of Show Boat by many and one of Allan Jones’ best roles. He definitely gets a chance to sing wonderful songs and take on a serious part. He had already starred in the stage version of 1934 and would later star in two Show Boat radio shows. The song “I Have the Room Above” was written just for this film as a duet for Allan Jones and Irene Dunne.
Edna Ferber’s novel set on the Mississippi River, Show Boat was first adapted to a hit Broadway musical and then adapted to the big screen. It tells the story of Magnolia Hawks, an aspiring actress on her father’s (Captain Andy Hawks) show boat, the Cotton Blossom. Although she is constantly protected by her nagging mother, Parthy, she dreams of becoming a big star. Julie LaVerne, the leading lady of the boat’s plays, is married to leading man, Steve. However, they are both forced to leave when it is revealed that Julie is of “negro” blood and therefore breaking the law for marrying Steve, a white man. Joe, an African American, sets the theme for the story by singing “Ol’ Man River,” and expressing how life keeps “rollin’ along” despite times of hardship…
Andy quickly recognizes Magnolia’s ambition and makes her the new female star, despite Parthy’s discontent. They are searching for a new male star when one day, Magnolia meets gambler Gaylord Ravenal. He strolls by the Cottom Blossom singing, “Where’s the Mate for Me?” when he spots her at the ship’s rail. Taken with her beauty he strikes up a conversation and they start a duet of “Make Believe.” Andy sees how well they get along and immediately makes him act opposite of Magnolia, again to his wife’s discontent. The two quickly fall in love and sing, “I Have the Room Above Her” together one night while looking out their bedroom windows. Soon after, Gaylord asks Magnolia to go away with him and get married. She agrees and the two sing “You Are Love.”
Magnolia and Gaylord lead an opulent lifestyle for quite some time, thanks to his luck as a gambler. They have a daughter, Kim who is able to attend a private school. As the years go by, however, Gay’s luck soon runs out and he is broke. Instead of losing face and his pride by confronting Magnolia with their financial situation, he leaves her the last of his money and walks out. Before leaving town, he makes one last visit to Kim at her school and reprises “Make Believe” to her while trying to fight back the tears.
Magnolia’s is heart broken and takes Kim back to the Cottom Blossom. Although life is hard without Gaylord, life keeps rollin’ along. There, they begin to live happily for quite some time. Magnolia starts her acting career again and becomes a star on stage. Kim grows up in her mother’s footsteps and makes her Broadway debut. All the while, Gaylord has kept track of his wife and daughter’s success and builds up the courage to visit them. He surprises Magnolia at her box seat during one of Kim’s opening nights and joins her in a reprise of “You Are Love.” The family is finally reunited and all is well.
Credits
Director…James Whale
Writers…Edna Ferber (novel), Oscar Hammerstein II (play, screenplay)
Producer…Carl Laemmle Jr.
Original Music…Robert Russell Bennett (uncredited)
Cinematography…John J. Mescall
Film Editing…Bernard W. Burton, Ted J. Kent
Art Direction…Charles D. Hall
Costumes…Doris Zinkeisen
Assistant Director…Joseph A. McDonough
Sound Supervisor…Gilbert Kurland
Special Cinematographer…John P. Fulton
Assistant Camera…James V. King (uncredited)
Costumes: Irene Dunne…Vera West
Musical Director…Victor Baravalle
Orchestrator…Robert Russell Bennett (uncredited)
Music arranger: vocal and choral…Will Vodery (uncredited)
Technical Director…Leighton Brill
Presenter…Carl Laemmle
Choreographer…LeRoy Prinz
Title Designer: main title sequence…John W. Harkrider (uncredited)
Cast
Irene Dunne…Magnolia Hawks
Allan Jones…Gaylord Ravenal
Charles Winninger…Captain Andy Hawks
Paul Robeson…Joe
Helen Morgan…Julie LaVerne
Helen Westely…Parthy Hawks
Queenie Smith…Ellie May Chipley
Sammy White…Frank Schultz
Donald Cook…Steve Baker
Hattie McDaniel…Queenie
Francis X. Mahoney…Rubber Face Smith
Marilyn Knowlden …Kim as a child
Sunnie O’Dea…Kim at 16
Arthur Hohl…Pete
Charles Middleton…Sheriff Ike Vallon
Awards
1936: Nominated at the Venice Film Festival for the Mussolini Cup for James Whale
1996: Won the National Film Registry award from the National Film Preservation Board, USA
Soundtrack
• “Cottom Blossom”
o Sung by offscreen chorus during opening credits and in opening scene by chorus
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
• “Capn” Andy’s Ballyhoo”
o Spoken by Charles Winninger and Danced by Queenie Smith and Sammy White
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
• “Where’s The Mate For Me?”
o Sung by Allan Jones
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
• “Make Believe”
o Sung by Allan Jones and Irene Dunne, Reprised by Allan Jones
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
• “Ol’ Man River”
o Sung by Paul Robeson and male Chorus, Reprised/Hummed by workers, Reprised offscreen by Paul Robeson and Chorus during end scene
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
• “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man”
o Sung by Helen Morgan, Hattie MacDaniel, Paul Robeson and chorus, Danced by Irene Dunne and workers, Reprised by Irene Dunne
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
• “Life Upon the Wicked Stage”
o Played by the Show Boat brass band
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
• “I Have the Room Above”
o Sung by Allan Jones, Irene Dunne
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
• “After the Ball”
o Sung by Irene Dunne and Chorus
o Music and Lyrics by Charles Harris
• “Bill”
o Sung by Helen Morgan
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
• “Why Do I Love You?”
o Heard as Background Music
o ** The 1936 Promo Cut of Allan and Irene Dunne singing “Why Do I Love You” is available on the “Cut! Out Takes from Hollywood’s Greatest Musicals Volume 3” LP Record.**
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
• “Ah Still Suits Me”
o Sung by Paul Robeson, Hattie McDaniel
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
• “You Are Love”
o Sung by Allan Jones and Irene Dunne, reprised by Allan Jones and Irene Dunne
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
• “Act II Opening Chorus (At the Fair)”
o Played by Show Boat brass band
o Music: Jerome Kern
• “Gallivantin’ Around”
o Sung/Danced by Irene Dunne and Mixed Chorus, Reprised/hummed by Chorus and Danced by Sunnie O’Dea and dancers
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
• “Cakewalk” (Act I Finale)
o Danced by levee workers outside church
o Music: Jerome Kern
• “Goodbye, My Lady Love”
o Sung/Danced by Queenie Smith and Sammy White
o Music and Lyrics: Joeseph E. Howard (uncredited)
• “Mis’ry’s Comin’ Round” (fragment)
o Sung by workers on levee
o Music: Jerome Kern
o Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
• “Till Good Luck Comes My Way”
o Heard as background music
o Music: Jerome Kern