A Few Words About A few words about…™ Show Boat (1951) – in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[ahollis]

Ava Gardner's voice is just fine. I'm not sure why they dubbed it. What is left of the 1929 version has been cobbled together on the Criterion 1936 version. It's interesting. Looking forward to seeing and hearing this one.

The LD of the Complete Showboat Collection had an almost complete version of the 1929 version. The prologues that are on the Criterion blu-ray were not complete on the LD. I still have that LD, so most of the movie still exists.

 

[RobertMG]

The LD of the Complete Showboat Collection had an almost complete version of the 1929 version. The prologues that are on the Criterion blu-ray were not complete on the LD. I still have that LD, so most of the movie still exists. View attachment 88789

Ms Gardner sure made a big leap from The East Side Kids "Ghosts On The Loose" to "Showboat."

 

[bujaki]

Ms Gardner sure made a big leap from The East Side Kids "Ghosts On The Loose" to "Showboat."

Via The Killers.

 

[lark144]

Via The Killers.

Is it possible Louis B. Mayer was afraid Ms. Garner would have him rubbed out?

 

[bujaki]

Is it possible Louis B. Mayer was afraid Ms. Garner would have him rubbed out?

Ava could have rubbed me any which way.

 

[Nick*Z]

One irrefutable fact about all those golden LD's released under the MGM/UA banner - they were nothing if not comprehensive. I sure wish I had kept mine!

 

[Drew Salzan]

One irrefutable fact about all those golden LD's released under the MGM/UA banner - they were nothing if not comprehensive. I sure wish I had kept mine!

I kept all of mine but have no means to play them .

 

[RobertMG]

Via The Killers.

Met Mr Heston when his book came out sadly his book details the emotional wreck Ms Gardner had became when they were filming 55 Days At Peking

 

[RobertMG]

Off topic but the sweeping King Solomon's Mines has always suffered from shoddy video releases - wonder if the OCN was lost at the Eastman fire? But back to SHOWBOAT have a Super 8 print and the color is great - but this blu along with The Great Caruso will have places on my top shelf of classics!

King Solomon's Mines was meant to be a big release and it was and the fact it copied the opening title scrawl like GWTW made that evident!

 

[filmnoirguy]

MGM's Technicolor valentine is not only my favorite version of Show Boat, it's also my all-time favorite movie musical. It'll be the next Blu-ray I buy.

 

[Gerani53]

There's no beating these three-negative transfers from WAC! The musicals are wonderful, but how about some action-adventure films for a little variety? Give us all heart failure by digging up the Technicolor negs to THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX. As for MGM, the Stewart Granger trilogy of KING SOLOMON'S MINES, SCARAMOUCHE and THE PRISONER OF ZENDA will do nicely.

 

[filmnoirguy]

I have never been a fan of any of the versions of Showboat, and I was not going to order this. I guess I've also never been a fan of Edna Ferber's sprawling multigenerational stories, either. However, the recent rash of stunning MGM musicals from Warner Archive has gotten me addicted to the Technicolor eye candy. It looks like this one will pop off the screen, and have great sound to boot. So, I have pre-ordered it and am actually looking forward to it. (At least it is a shorter version of the story).

The 1936 version runs 113m, while the 1951 version runs 107m, so only 6 minutes shorter.

 

[mark brown]

King Solomon’s Mines dvd shows this film is sorely in need of restoration!

 

[Waldo Lydecker]

And we just recently lost the last surviving principal player...Marge Champion at age 101...

 

[Garysb]

The 1936 version runs 113m, while the 1951 version runs 107m, so only 6 minutes shorter.

They moved the ending of the story to an earlier part thus eliminating the generations aspect of the story and they rewrote Julie's(Ava Gardner) story a bit in the 1951 version. All movie versions were shorter than the Broadway versions (there were several) and all eliminated many story points included in the Edna Ferber book especially in the later part of the story.

 

[Rick2Hot]

Been waiting for" Show Boat" for a long time. 1st day buy for me. How about "High Society" 1956 from MGM in VistaVision & Technicolor with Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong & Celeste Hold. Warner has it out on DVD but this deserves a top notch blu-ray. I watched my DVD last night but would love blu.

 

[RobertMG]

There's no beating these three-negative transfers from WAC! The musicals are wonderful, but how about some action-adventure films for a little variety? Give us all heart failure but digging up the Technicolor negs to THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX. As for MGM, the Stewart Granger trilogy of KING SOLOMON'S MINES, SCARAMOUCHE and THE PRISONER OF ZENDA will do nicely.

Northwest Passage 1940 too

 

[RobertMG]

They moved the ending of the story to an earlier part thus eliminating the generations aspect of the story in the 1951 version. All movie versions were shorter than the Broadway versions (there were several) and all eliminated many story points included in the Edna Ferber book.

I think according to Hugh Fordin's book he said this did not play well at previews until cutting some things????? Then it went Boffo!

 

[Waldo Lydecker]

We recently lost the last living featured cast member...Marge Champion at age 101...!!! (There’s something to be said about dancing)...

 

[Mark Booth]

Anyone know for sure (or confirmed) whether the digital 1951 version available through iTunes is the new transfer? It looks to be the same cover artwork.

Edit: Never mind. The version on iTunes is SD. Doh!

Mark