Mississippi Melody (1951)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Mississippi tune |
| Original title | Show boat |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1951 |
| length | 110 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | George Sidney |
| script |
John Lee Mahin George Wells Jack McGowan |
| production | Arthur Freed |
| music |
Conrad Salinger Adolph Deutsch Jerome Kern Assist Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern |
| camera | Charles Rosher |
| cut | John Dunning |
| occupation | |
| |
Mississippi Melody (original title Show Boat ) is an American musical film from 1951, directed by George Sidney . The main roles are Kathryn Grayson , Ava Gardner , Howard Keel and Joe E. Brown .
The story for the template comes from Edna Ferber . The film adaptation goes back to the successful Broadway musical Show Boat by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II . Before that, there had been film adaptations from 1929 and 1936.
action
The showboat “Cotton Blossom” is on the Mississippi and casts a spell on people wherever it docks. The attraction on board is the beautiful actress Julie LaVerne, who is on stage with her husband Stephen Baker. In order to attract people, they are offered samples of the evening show, which should arouse their curiosity. The concept always works. Pete, a bully who would like Julie to have himself, harasses her again and again and is put in his place by her husband Stephen Baker, which makes him even angrier. He thinks there are consequences and storms off the ship.
Meanwhile, Gaylord Ravenal, a gifted young actor and singer, has come on board where he meets Magnolia Hawks, the daughter of Captain Andy Hawks. Together they sing the duet Make Believe . Just as they are about to kiss, Magnolia's parents come back on board. Gaylord Ravenal introduces himself and asks for a job. However, Hawks thinks his crew is complete. When Magnolia asks her best friend Julie what it's like to really love someone, she replies with the song Cant Help Lovin 'Dat Man. Shortly thereafter, Parthy Hawks wants to forbid her daughter Magnolia to interact with Julie; Julie defends her friend courageously. When the sheriff comes to the ship a little later to arrest Julie, Captain Hawks is very astonished. The law enforcement officer stated that there had been a complaint that a couple was practicing “ racial disgrace ” on their ship . Julie has to admit that her mother was black. The sheriff states that her marriage to the white man Stephen Baker is therefore illegal and insists on taking the couple with him. That Magnolia and her father protect themselves from Julie and Stephen is of little use. The only thing the captain can take is to throw the informer Pete out. The vengeful man says self-gloriously that he has only done his duty. At dusk, Julie and Stephen leave the ship, accompanied by Joe's tune, which ends the evening program, Ol 'Man River .
So it comes to a commitment from Gaylord Ravenal. To the chagrin of his wife, Captain Hawks decides that both daughter Magnolia should appear at his side. During a rehearsal, personal feelings between the two already play an important role, which gives their game an incomparable naturalness. So they rush from success to success. Before long, Gaylord asked Magnolia's parents for their daughter's hand. The father gives them his blessing, but Magnolia's mother turns away. The young couple leaves the ship for Chicago . Gaylord has started gambling again and is very successful, which allows him and his wife a luxurious life. However, the success does not last. At the hotel, the manager demands the bill that is six weeks overdue. Magnolia wants to help her husband and give him her jewelry, but he refuses because he is convinced that luck at the gaming table will return. After losing again, he has to ask Magnolia for the jewelry, but continues to be unsuccessful in playing. The couple secretly have to leave the expensive hotel to find a cheap pension. For the first time, Magnolia blames her husband for always betting on the next bet, one more and one more. She says he is cheating on her with a lady she has no chance against, the lady is called gambling addiction , and that when he talks about her, his eyes would shine. Shortly thereafter, Magnolia meets Frank and Ellie, who performed on their father's ship, and is full of joy. When she wants to get Gaylord, she only finds a suicide note. He is gone. The young woman collapses crying.
Julie has now found accommodation as a singer in the Tracadero showroom . After her husband left her, she started drinking. Ellie May Shipley and Frank Schultz appear with Magnolia in tow and ask Director Green of the Tracadero to listen to Magnolia singing. Julie also hears her friend sing and is ashamed; she doesn't want Magnolia to see her like this, indolent and drunk. When Julie learns that her husband has left Magnolia and needs the money, she runs away, not without letting Green know beforehand that he would be crazy if he would not hire the young woman who sang to him. Then Magnolia becomes the new singer in the Tracodero . It's New Year's Eve, and Magnolia's father is with friends at the Trocadero , also because they want to see their former colleagues Ellie May Shipley and Frank Schultz perform there. Captain Hawks thinks he can't believe his eyes when the emcee announces his daughter Magnolia. Their sad singing is however acknowledged by the audience with boos. After her father smiles at her and reminds her of the show laws, she can convince the audience. After a deep hug, Magnolia tells her father her story and tells him that she is going to have a baby. But she doesn't let her husband come up against it, but defends him from her father. Captain Hawks takes his daughter back to the ship at his own request. When Magnolia's daughter was born, she was baptized Kim Ravenal. The little one is the happiness of her mother and grandparents. Kim's father Gaylord still spends his time at the gaming table, but is increasingly dissatisfied with his life. In a bar, Ravenal puts a man in his place who treats Julie LaVerne rudely. Julie then asks the bartender for his name and is correct in her assumption that it is the husband of her friend Magnolia.
Julie, who has since slipped even more, accuses Ravenal of abandoning his pregnant wife. Only now does he realize who she is. She tells him that she continued to follow Magnolia's life after she left the ship and asks him not to tell his friend how he met her. He promises. Then he goes to the "Show Boat". There he meets his little daughter Kim and immediately finds access to her. Just as he is holding her in his arms and singing her Make Believe , Magnolia joins them. She sends the little one on board. After a few seconds the couple hug each other and then board the ship together. Magnolia's mother also believes that this is really a reason to celebrate. It must have been love after all. Joe is standing at the railing, and Ol 'Man River sounds as the ship leaves. Julie emerges from the docks and looks after the ship with a look that speaks volumes. She knows her friend is happy now.
background
The film was shot from November 17, 1950 to January 9, 1951, further new recordings from February 5 to March 1, 1951. The shooting took place in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer -Studios in Culver City and in the outdoor area there, in the Dunleith and Lansdowne plantations in Natchez on the Mississippi and in the House on Ellicot Hill and Stanton Hall in Natchez, all in the USA . Furthermore, recordings were made on and on the Mississippi. The film premiered in Hollywood on July 17, 1951. On July 19, 1951, it was shown in New York and on September 24, 1951, it was generally in cinemas in the United States. It was shown for the first time in the Federal Republic of Germany on January 24, 1952, in Austria on May 23, 1952. In the GDR , it was broadcast as a TV premiere on May 16, 1986. Alternative titles in Germany were show boat and love nights on the Mississippi .
On December 27, 1927 the musical Show Boat was first performed at New York's Ziegfield Theater and developed into one of the most successful American musicals. For the composer Jerome Kern and the librettist Oscar Hammerstein II, this meant that their names were immediately famous.
In the 1929 feature film version, Laura La Plante played the role of Magnolia Hawks, Joseph Schildkraut acted as Gaylord Ravenal and Alma Rubens as Julie. In the 1936 film version , Irene Dunne played the role of Magnolia Hawks, Allan Jones acted as Gaylord Ravenal and Helen Morgan , who had her breakthrough with the musical on Broadway in 1927, took on the role of Julie LaVerne. The American comedy film Banjo on My Knee , which ran under the title Mississippi Melodie in Germany , has a completely different subject matter and does not belong in this series.
In a 1989 performance of the musical at the Paper Mill Playhouse, Rebecca Baxter played Magnolia Hawkes, Richard White played the role of Gaylord Ravenal and Shelly Burch played Julie LaVerne. The story behind the musical Show Boat since its opening on Broadway in 1927 is described in a documentary film from 1989 under the original title Show Boat - The Story, which, in addition to the preparation of archive material, also deals with the three film adaptations.
In the film, Annette Warren sang for Ava Gardner, but on the MGM soundtrack album Ava Gardner contributed two songs she sang herself. Since the director George Sidney was absent for a few days due to illness, the producer Roger Edens directed the recording when the showboat left the harbor wrapped in a haze. These scenes in the film, including William Warfield's performance for his Ol 'Man River , were also lauded by critics who otherwise disliked the film. Joseph Breen's censorship office tried to influence this film as well and to remove the scene when it was expressed that Stephen Baker is married to a woman whose mother was black. This time, however , the Hays Code did not work because the film version from 1936 set a precedent . First choice for the role of Julie was Judy Garland and after her Lena Horne , only then followed Ava Gardner, who then played the role.
The showboat "Cotton Blossom" later became an amusement park, which was an attraction in 1973. In 1995 it was dismantled and torn apart.
DVD
The film has been available in German on DVD since May 19, 2006, published by Warner Home Video.
synchronization
The German version was created in the MGM dubbing department in the Tempelhof film studio in West Berlin. Erik Ode was responsible for the script and direction for the dialogue .
| role | actor | Voice actor |
|---|---|---|
| Magnolia Hawks | Kathryn Grayson | Marianne Prenzel |
| Julie LaVerne | Ava Gardner | Edith Schneider |
| Gaylord Ravenal | Howard Keel | Siegfried Schürenberg |
| Captain Andy Hawks | Joe E. Brown | Alfred Balthoff |
| Frank Schultz | Gower Champion | Klaus Schwarzkopf |
| Stephen Baker | Robert Sterling | Kurt Waitzmann |
| Pete | Leif Erickson | Manfred Meurer |
| Joe | William Warfield | Axel Monjé |
| Jake Green | Emory Parnell | Kurt Vespermann |
| Herman, assistant director | Chick Chandler | Axel Monjé |
| Hotel manager | Edward Keane | Otto Stoeckel |
| Hotel porter | Jim Pierce | Clemens Hasse |
| doctor | Frank Dae | Alfred Haase |
Songs in the movie
- Cotton Blossom - runs during the opening credits and is sung by the Cotton Blossom Choir in the first scene
- Where's the Mate For Me? - sung by Howard Keel
- Make Believe - sung by Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson
- Can't Help Lovin 'Dat Man - sung by Annette Warren for Ava Gardner and recorded again by Annette Warren and Kathryn Grayson, banjo by William Warfield
- I Might Fall Back on You - sung and danced by Marge Champion & Gower Champion
- Cakewalk - played by Cotton Blossom and orchestra, danced by Marge Champion and Gower Champion
- Mis'ry die Comin 'Round - music by Jerome Kern, hummed by the background choir
- Ol 'Man River - sung by William Warfield and the background choir
- You Are Love - sung by Kathryn Grayson & Howard Keel
- Why Do I Love You? - sung by Kathryn Grayson & Howard Keel
- Bill - music by Jerome Kern, text by Oscar Hammerstein II and PG Wodehouse, sung by Annette Warren for Ava Gardner
- Cant Help Lovin 'Dat Man - sung by Katryn Grayson
- C'mon Folks - Music by Jerome Kern, played as background music for the acrobats during the New Year's Eve scene
- Life Upon the Wicked Stage - sung and danced by Marge Champion and Gower Champion
- After the Ball - written by Charles Harris, sung by Kathryn Grayson and the "Trocadero" audience
- Auld Lang Syne - traditional Scottish music from the 17th century, lyrics by Robert Burns , sung by the New Year's audience
- Cakewalk - danced by Joe E. Brown and Sheila Clark, banjo by William Warfield and harmonica by Owen McGiveney
- Make Believe - sung by Howard Keel
-
Finale: Ol 'Man River - sung by William Warfield and the background choir
- Unless otherwise stated: music by Jerome Kern, text by Oscar Hammerstein II.
Reviews
The lexicon of international films said that the third film adaptation of the popular musical would "revolve around two love stories, excellent musical numbers and dance interludes".
The film magazine Cinema was of the opinion that "the colorful entertainment with songs like 'Ol' Man River 'is hardly inferior to the films from 1929 and '36". [...] Conclusion: "Great music and dance performances in Technicolor."
Moviepilot said that Show Boat , "just like the Mississippi and the famous' Ol 'Man River', is an inexhaustible river" and continued that the "great stars Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner, Howard Keel, Marge and Gower Champion in Technicolor [would be particularly effective]. The 52-meter-long paddle steamer built especially for the film, the unforgettable evergreens and the equally timeless appeal against racial prejudice [would] also [make] a strong impression. "[...]" This is music that Kern and me will survive for a long time ", Ferber said about her first impression of the song Ol 'Man River . Moviepilot wrote: "How right she was."
Bosley Crowther of the New York Times was of the opinion that one should be happy because Show Boat was back in town after 15 years in a Technicolor production with lots of glitter and glamor and a touch of romance from the Mississippi era, a beloved classic the American musical comedy. Comparisons with the film version from 1936 are not okay, even if you loved this version. The Metro version presented the beautiful Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II songs so well that any comparison would put the 1936 version in the shade, which would be unfair to the fans of Irene Dunne and Allan Jones. Crowther praised the novelty and freshness of the Metro version. The songs sung by Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel received particular praise, and of course William Warfield's performance Ol 'Man River , which goes to the heart when he sings it on the banks of the muddy river at the foggy dawn. "(Incidentally, Mr. Warfield has a voice that we want to hear more about)." The background music, which lavishly accompanies the film, is always appropriate to the situation and the sound is excellent. Adolph Deutsch's musical direction is better than George Sidney's direction of the entire film. […] The absence of the Hinderwäldler scene in The Parson Bride was regretted . But all in all, there would be only minor objections. Kathryn Grayson as Magnolia is a doll that reflects the courage and beauty of the original girl whom Edna Ferber described. Howard Keel plays the gambler Gaylord with devilish charm and rustic masculinity. Joe E. Brown as Captain Andy fits into Charlie Winninger's shoes as wonderfully as one could wish for, right up to the last heroic success of his absorbing “HAPPPPpy New Year!” And Agnes Moorehead pecks like a hen but plays along with it strict persistence Parthy, the captain's loving wife. The settings that show the Showboat in full size are in the best metro tradition, elaborate and expensive.
Awards
At the Oscar ceremony in 1952 was Charles Rosher for "Best Cinematography in a color film" nominated, but had a disadvantage compared to Alfred Gilks and John Alton that the Oscar for An American in Paris ( An American in Paris received). Mississippi Melodie also received an Oscar nomination for "Best Score in a Music Film" . However, the Oscar went to Johnny Green and Saul Chaplin for their music to the film An American in Paris ( An American in Paris ).
literature
- Edna Ferber : Show Boat. Roman (Original Title: Show Boat ). German by Gertrud von Hollander . Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 1990, 352 pp. ISBN 978-3-404-11552-5 . - previous issues of this translation were also titled The comedians ship released
Web links
- Mississippi melody in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Show Boat at TCM - Turner Classic Movies (English)
- Show Boat at TCM - Turner Classic Movies (original trailer and three film clips)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Mississippi melody at bocksmusicshop.at (with further information). Retrieved January 28, 2013.
- ↑ a b Show Boat Notes at TCM - Turner Classic Movies (various films, English).
- ↑ a b Show Boat Trivia at TCM - Turner Classic Movies (English).
- ↑ Mississippi Melody ( Memento of the original from June 3, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. at digitalvd.de (DVD). Retrieved January 28, 2013.
- ↑ Mississippi-Melodie In: Synchronkartei.de. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
- ^ Mississippi Melody in the Lexicon of International Films . Retrieved January 28, 2013.
- ↑ Mississippi melody at Cinema.de. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
- ↑ Mississippi Melody at Moviepilot.de. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
- ^ Bosley Crowther: Show Boat In: The New York Times , July 20, 1951. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
