Who payed the critics

Disturbing yet enthralling

Crappy film

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Unfortunately, I think the most disappointing thing about this musical is the music. I'm a fan of a lot of the mid-century musicals ("My Fair Lady", "The Music Man", etc.), but in this one it seems like the songs don't advance the plot very much, which seems like rather a waste of time. These songs could be dropped into any of a number of other musical productions because there's nothing plot-driven or plot-specific about them, as there was with a number like "The Rain In Spain". Further, the musical numbers weren't, as a whole, very catchy... not much to whistle while exiting the theater back in the day. I finished it, but I was unimpressed.

If you've read any of my reviews of musicals, then you know that I watch them only so that I can heckle them like Mike, Servo and Crow do to the crummy movies sent them by Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank. I did the exact same with George Sidney's "Show Boat". Among my jeers were:Andy: "I got a sixth sense about these things." - Me: "I can see dead people." Julie: "It's surely not his brain." - Me: "Bra-a-a-a-ains!" (like a zombie) I also noticed that Agnes Moorehead played a supporting role. She is of course best known as Endora on "Bewitched". I guess that Endora might tell Samantha "See what your marriage to that mortal has driven me to?" To be certain, in the scenes with the granddaughter, I said "Don't encourage Tabitha to use witchcraft!" But most importantly, this movie is the ultimate whitewash. It depicts racial harmony in the south when in reality the south had Jim Crow laws. It was definitely a little jarring to hear the casual talk about miscegenation laws.So, you probably think that I didn't understand the movie at all. Well, there's nothing to understand. It's the typical happy-go-lucky musical. Trey Parker and Matt Stone of "South Park" ought to remake it and put their own spin on it.

I recorded and watched this movie when it aired on TCM recently. I am primarily a fan of non-musicals, mainly comedies and drama. Usually the only musicals I get into are WWII-era musicals. So since this was adapted from a fictitious musical stage show, it was a bit of a stretch for me. Nonetheless, I fast-forwarded through some of the music just to see the drama elements here and there. I did enjoy "Old Man River" though.The parts that impressed me the most, and I don't see much if any mention of it in these reviews, are the wonderful chemistry between Joe E. Brown and Kathryn Grayson. In it he plays the type of caring father who welcomes his daughter back with wide open arms, under any conditions. You can see it in Brown's eyes, and then Grayson always reciprocates the sentiment in her eyes. You can say what you want about his comic "Happy New Year" parts, but for me the real "meat" of this movie is seeing the warm father/daughter relationship throughout the movie. I first noticed it early on when he is understanding and even dreamy-eyed while his daughter kisses the gambler on stage, despite the mom (Moorehead's) rejection of the gambler. Brown's unconditional acceptance is consistent throughout the rest of the film, all the way to the end.Brown was a minor actor by the time this movie was made. Although I am not familiar with everything he did later on in life, this is probably the most true-to-life part he played.Most people know Brown for his slapstick roles. Among those: Earthworm Tractors, Alibi Ike, The Circus Clown, and Fireman Save My Child. Or even for the bit he did later on in Some Like It Hot. What is probably less known is the amount of time he dedicated to entertaining the troops during WWII.I have read a couple of Brown's books, and in particular one called Your Kids And Mine. It is a documentary of his extensive experiences while he served at the Hollywood Canteen during WWII. Furthermore, he often traveled abroad at his own expense to entertain soldiers. From the Wikipedia entry for Joe E. Brown: "Brown was one of only two civilians to be awarded the Bronze Star in World War II." So here in glorious Technicolor, you get to see Brown be fatherly on film, just like he was in real life. And that is what makes this movie for me.

It is the 1880s, and Captain Andy's paddle wheel boat, the Cotton Blossom, travels the Mississippi putting on shows. When the headliners, Julie (Ava Gardner) and Steve are forced to leave, the Captain's young daughter (Kathryn Grayson) and a handsome gambler (Howard Keel) take over the spotlight. When they, too, leave the show, they live on his winnings, but then his luck runs out.This wonderful Jerome Kern show has a dream cast and classic, unforgettable songs. The plot is more serious than most musicals, consisting of two tragedies; the first deals with racial discrimination and the second with love gone wrong. Grayson has a lovely operatic voice and is exquisite as the innocent girl who becomes sadder and wiser. Keel is dashing as her husband and Ava Gardner steals the show with her heartbreaking performance as the unfortunate Julie.The songs include "Make-Believe, "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man," and the wonderful "Ol' Man River." The movie is filmed in dazzling Technicolor with lively dance numbers. Even though it's a tear-jerker, it's one of the best musicals MGM ever made.