Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Show Boat Blu-ray Movie Review

Gaylord and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamboat.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III February 25, 2021

The third film adaptation of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's fan-favorite stage musical (itself based on Edna Ferber's 1926 novel of the same name), George Sidney's lavish MGM Technicolor production of Show Boat is a feast for the eyes and ears. The second-highest grosser of 1951 behind the studio's own historical epic Quo Vadis, Show Boat's core story has held up during the last 70 years and still remains an entertaining Southern romantic drama that's almost as sweeping as Gone With the Wind in less than half the time. Who has four hours to spare, anyway?

Hop aboard the majestic show boat Cotton Blossom with lovable Cap'n Andy Hawks (Joe E. Brown), whose puritanical wife Parthy (Agnes Moorehead) keeps their lovely daughter Magnolia (Kathryn Grayson) under her thumb; she doesn't even support Magnolia's friendship with their current leading lady, Julie LaVerne (Ava Gardner). After a revelation leads to Julie's departure -- more on that later -- Magnolia is thrust into the spotlight with handsome new acquisition Gaylord Ravenal (Howard Keel), a notorious gambler with acting experience. Much to Mom's dismay, the two fall in love and are soon married... but their good times only last as long as his gambling luck, which ends roughly a year after their arrival in Chicago. Far removed from their glory days aboard the Cotton Blossom, the next several years carve out separate paths for "Nolie", Gaylord, and even Julie, who try to get their lives back in distinctly different ways.

The majority of Show Boat is an uplifting and vibrant affair, albeit one that jettisons -- or at least shrewdly smooths over -- almost all of the racially-charged elements present in previous versions, including James Whale's celebrated 1936 film. The revelation mentioned earlier -- in which Julie is found to be of "mixed blood" and therefore not fit to perform -- doesn't have the same impact, while the initial thrill of Nolie and Gaylord's honeymoon has almost no time to register because it barely occupies five minutes of screen time. Considering these are two of Show Boat's primary plot devices, it's disappointing that they weren't treated with a little more care. Luckily, the film recovers in the home stretch with comfortable bookends that, if nothing else, still stand in good contrast with "the darker years".

But let's not kid ourselves: the real selling point of this 1951 adaptation is its luscious Technicolor visuals, bringing many of Show Boat's on-board performances to spectacle-grade entertainment, bolstered by the titular 170-foot paddle wheeler built specifically for this film (never mind that actual show boats from the era were nothing like it, as pointed out by historian Miles Kreuger in his book Show Boat: The Story of the Classic American Musical). The performances aren't far behind, from its terrific songs -- many featuring structural and lyrical changes from their earlier counterparts -- to the flashy choreography and attractive leads, giving Show Boat a glossy sheen that's almost irresistible for classic musical fans. So while Sidney's film is definitely more flash than substance, it's still a unique adaptation that, at the very least, offers a refreshingly colorful take on what was, by then, a production done nearly to death.

From that perspective, Warner Archive's new Blu-ray is a resounding success thanks to its top-tier restoration sourced from the Technicolor negatives. Like many of their recent releases in the format, including Good News and The Pajama Game, Show Boat is an absolute stunner that bursts with style and energy. Add in an optional stereo track -- alongside the theatrical mono mix, of course -- with plenty of vintage extras and you've got one well-rounded disc.

Show Boat Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Show Boat is one of Warner Archive's best-looking Blu-rays to date, and that's saying something. This outstanding new 1080p transfer was reportedly sourced from a recent 4K scan of the film's Technicolor negatives and, simply put, the accompanying screenshots speak for themselves. The film's wildly colorful opening sequence, with its near-fluorescent costumes and impossibly blue sky, is almost achingly beautiful and sets the tone for what is ultimately a very film-like and vibrant viewing experience, from William Warfield's foggy performance of "Old Man River" -- achieved by using an additional filter over the lens, which was considered an unwritten no-no by Technicolor -- to the dusk meeting between Gaylord and Magnolia before their journey to Chicago. Almost every shot is screenshot-worthy, boasting an incredible amount of fine detail and texture thanks to Warner Archive's careful preservation of natural film grain. It's exceedingly clean but has thankfully not be scrubbed with excessive noise reduction or other processing, carefully maintaining the studio's long-standing tradition of purist-friendly presentations that meet or exceed their original theatrical showings. Overall, this Blu-ray is so far beyond Warner Bros.' lackluster 2005 DVD that it's almost ridiculous.

Once again, Warner Archive has uploaded a few YouTube videos showing off the new transfer, including a stunning three and a half-minute opening sequence and an early meeting between Magnolia and Julie.

Show Boat Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The good news continues in the audio department, as we get two separate choices for the main feature, the original theatrical mono mix as well as a stereo track which, like at least one of this Blu-ray supplements, was last heard on laserdisc. Both lossless mixes are worth hearing and I sampled each one during my initial viewing of the film while going back to listen to specific moments again with the stereo option enabled. It's an interesting mix to be sure, with most of Show Boat's music breaks exhibiting a truly discrete sound field -- moreso the instrumentation than the vocals -- while most of its dialogue is closer in tone and direction to the mono mix. (It's somewhat difficult to tell at times since, as usual, the mono option is split between the left and right channels rather than being confined to the center.) As a whole the stereo mix obviously has a bit more sonic variety as the illusion of width does give it a more open atmosphere at times. Either way, both options are worth experiencing and I'm glad we get a choice here -- like the visuals, these tracks are exceedingly clean and free from defects such as clipping, hiss, and distortion.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature, including all Show Boat's song lyrics.

Show Boat Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with attractive cover art -- as usual, based on the original one-sheet poster design -- and includes an enjoyable array of vintage and DVD-era bonus features.

• Song Selection - Instant access to all of the film's 21 song breaks, interludes, and reprises.

• Audio Commentary - This feature-length track with director George Sidney (d. 2002, but recorded for the film's deluxe laserdisc release in 1998) is obviously the most valuable supplement here. It's a very lively, informative, and entertaining session that covers an awful lot of ground including the director's very first exposure to the original Show Boat stage production in 1927 at age 10, building the Cotton Blossom from scratch, casting locals as extras, earlier adaptations, "Old Man River", a bad Southern accent, late nights and dinner meetings, breaking the rules of Technicolor, other projects for MGM, and so much more. If you're at all a fan of Show Boat and haven't heard this commentary yet, it just might be worth the price of admission alone.

• Till the Clouds Roll By (15:29) - A sequence from the 1946 Broadway revival of Show Boat. Like the film itself, this clip seems to have been lovingly restored and also has lossless audio. Another pleasant surprise!

• Ava Garner Outtakes (8:25) - This audio-only song snippets include "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" and "Bill". (As fans likely know already, Ava's singing voice was replaced by Annette Warren during the actual film).

• Lux Radio Theater Broadcast (50:50) - A vintage radio program originally broadcast on February 11, 1952.

• Theatrical Trailer (4:04) - This extended vintage promotional piece can also be seen here.

Show Boat Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Though George Sidney's lavish 1951 production of Show Boat isn't as effective as James Whale's celebrated 1936 adaptation, it's still enjoyable on its own terms. The lush Technicolor visuals, a staple of MGM musicals from this era, look fantastic on Warner Archive's sparling new Blu-ray and we also get two lossless audio options to boot. Throw in several great supplements (including an invaluable audio commentary with the director, rescued from laserdisc!) and you've got a well-rounded release that's an absolute no-brainer for established fans. Recommended!