Show Boat

Irene as Magnolia 

Release date 05.14.1936



“Fish got to swim and birds got to fly, I got to love one man till I die,
 can't help lovin' dat man of mine…”

Great turmoil in town: the showboat “Cotton Blossom” is going to land! The variegated troupe of artists pouring from the boat is headed by captain Andy Hawks (Charles Winninger) and his bossy wife Parthy (Helen Westely). The third member of this family is teenage daughter Magnolia (Irene) who meets gambler Gaylord Ravenal (Allan Jones), and instantly falls for him.

meeting Gaylord (Allan Jones) - and singing a duet with him

Magnolia's closest friend on the boat is leading lady Julie LaVerne (Helen Morgan) who gets in great trouble when an ex-friend out of jealousy denounces to the sheriff that she as a mulatto is married to a white man, which is against the state's law. Julie and her husband flee, and as things go Magnolia and Gaylord -looking for a ride on the boat to keep out of jail - take over the leads. No wonder this pair is a success because as lovers they play a couple in love,and soon the wedding bells are ringing and drowning out Parthy's strident protest.

ding-dong

Though he is deeply in love with his wife, Gaylord isn't reformed, and while Magnolia is giving birth to their first child, he is gambling. On a lucky streak he leaves the showboat with Magnolia and their little daughter Kim, and takes them to Chicago. But as we know lucky streaks are not for a lifetime, and after a couple of years Gaylord leaves his family hoping that they are better off without him.If he hoped that Magnolia would simply turn to her family again, he is all wrong. Instead she is determined to make a living for her daughter and herself singing… a lot more to tell, but that would be all spoilers and so I just won't!

Irene surrounded by three members of this wonderful cast:

 Paul Robeson, Hattie McDaniel and Helen Morgan

Sentiment, beauty, laughs, atmosphere, an absorbing plot and an “evergreen-heavy” score - all of this achieved by a wonderful cast under the firm direction of James Whale - who could ask for anything more? With the exception of the end, this 1936 filming of the musical by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II based on Edna Ferber's novel, follows the stage production closely, no wonder considering the fact that the screenplay was written by Oscar Hammerstein II. Ten numbers from the original score were actually sung, four were especially written for the film. The cast is mainly consisting of actors and actresses who had on stage experience with “Show Boat” and they obviously knew their vehicle. In particular worthwhile watching is the first half of the film, the part which actually plays on the showboat. From Paul Robeson's pivotal interpretation of “Ol' Man River” to Charles Winninger's tour de force acting out all parts of the hilarious showboat play on his own, numbers like “Can´t Help Lovin' Dat Man” with Irene breaking into a shuffling and trucking step, or Magnolia's and Gaylord's first encounter ending in “Make Believe” - it's all there.

and the great Charles Winninger, here rehearsing a love scene

with our two leads

In the end the film gets a little bit hasty – director James Whale had to cut some scenes - and this shows. Regrettably, one scene which ended on the cutting floor was Gaylord and Magnolia singing “Why Do I Love You?” on a trip with an automobile. Of course Irene, already in the second half of her thirties, didn't look like a teenage girl anymore, but she emanates the air of youthfulness, something she accomplishes mainly through her way of moving. Magnolia is an interesting role with a wide range of emotions – no problem for Miss Dunne who knew this part back and forth. As you know by now, I have quite a weakness for Miss Dunne's singing voice, and once again she doesn't disappoint me, neither does the rest of the cast – Helen Morgan's touching version of “My Bill” certainly deserves an extra mentioning.

and that´s our lost chance of hearing "Why Do I Love You?"

Meritedly, this second screen adaptation of Show Boat – first filmed in 1929 as semi-talkie production, remade in 1951 by MGM as a Technicolor musical – made it to the list for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, but we are still waiting for an official DVD release, at least rather good TCM rips are around. Though the film is on YouTube, I highly recommend watching it on the biggest screen you have at hand – this film simply cries for a big screen.

Well, have a wonderful time visiting the “Cotton Blossom”!

Roberta

Irene as Stephanie

Release date 03.08.1935

“Where are you going?”
“Down.”
“Why?”
“Because I pushed the button!”
“But I want to talk to you.”
“That´s what your´re doing.”
“Just let me tell you I love you!”
(Stephanie´s and John´s story starts and ends - at least the visible part - in an elevator)

Football player John Kent (Randolph Scott) accompanies his friend Huck (Fred Astaire) and his band to an engagement in Paris. Before they even get around to start work they are fired over a misunderstanding and find themselves broke and stranded in Paris. The only person they know in this capital is John’s Aunt Minnie (Helen Westley) who under the name "Roberta" runs a famous fashion business, helped by her assistant Stephanie (Irene) - not only a talented designer but also a White Russian Princess.

first encounter...and he is already trapped!

The visit at Aunt Minnie’s turns out very successfully not only under the aspect that John meets Stephanie but that Lizzie (Ginger Rogers) is around - an old sweetheart and dance partner of Huck. She is passing herself off as  Polish countess Tanka Sharwanka and conveniently works at a Russian club as singer. Lizzie/ Tanka gets Huck and the band a job there, John gets a makeover by Stephanie and Aunt Minnie, and all could be very nice if Aunt Minnie wouldn´t die and leave the business to John and  that old flame of his - Sophie (Claire Dodd) - wouldn’t show up…well, we know now in which direction the whole thing is heading, and that we are going to make some detours before we´ll reach our final destination - a Happy End!

Everything could be very nice...Randolph Scott, Fred Astaire,

 Ginger Rogers and Miss Dunne

That’s a charmer of a film! Irene called the story “inane and silly” which is simply true, but she also called “Roberta” entertaining, and real high-class entertainment that is. This film offers a wonderful Kern score, 30s Hollywood glamour at its best and last not least the talents of Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, by they way billed in that sequence. I remember watching “Roberta” very well the very first time because it put me in such good humor, and nowadays I find myself smiling in front of the TV screen, which certainly isn’t the worst reaction to a movie.

Dinner? Gee, that would be swell!

“Lovely To Look At” was especially written for Irene and was not in the original score of the play, which was quite a hit on Broadway. Irene made the number 20 of the popular billboards with this number in June ´35, but the song which is even more associated with Miss Dunne is “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” which was frequently played when Irene was recognized somewhere. Another song added to the filming was “I Won’t Dance” to give Fred and Ginger - in their third pairing - a chance for a second dance number. Anyway, those dance numbers: these great Astaire choreographies, which are perfectly staged and at the same time have an air of improvisation and effortlessness about them - a joy to watch. Lightness is the leitmotif of the whole movie, and as we know, easiness is one of the most difficult things to accomplish.

Fred Astaire with a new dancing partner! Guess who...

That’s not a film much to think about, much to say about, but it’s much fun. And I love that story about the filming of “Lovely To Look At“, which Irene will tell you in her own words:

"To show how your mind can play tricks, I got so nervous over the song because I knew I‘d have to be lovely to look at walking down the staircase singing the song. I got no sleep the night before, and when I went in the next morning, the cameraman told the director, "I‘m not going to shoot her today. That‘s all there is to it. She‘ll have to go home to sleep." We waited for a day or two, I rested up, and then we shot it."

(interview with John Kobal 1972)

Well, after Miss Dunne had enough sleep she gave us this "singing knockout" descending the staircase - and it‘s kind of comforting that even divas have to rest up to look her best.

here she comes

The costumes in this film (designed by Bernard Newman) really deserve an extra mentioning - they are the epitome of 30s chic and luxury and devoured a nice chunk of the production costs. Allegedly, one of Irene‘s was so highly flammable that she was followed by a fireman over the lot and I‘m really glad that today Miss Dunne is not remembered because she blazed up on the set of „Roberta“! Moreover, don‘t miss a short glimpse at a very young, blonde Lucille Ball as one of the models in an elaborate fashion show.

John with his old flame Sophie (Claire Dodd)

and Irene´s costume looks like it would make a nice flame too

Looking for some relaxation? Just throw the DVD of „Roberta“ - a nice WB release - into the player and maybe you‘ll end up singing - those songs have a high "hunting melody" quality - and even trying some dance steps.

Irene singing, Ginger and Fred swinging: don’t miss this!
Highly recommended for Christmas shopping and wish lists!

Irene performing "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes"

and here are her numbers from "Roberta"

Sweet Adeline

Sweet Adeline 

Release date 12.29.1934

“You know, I can't do it…it's off!…

And there is Pop. I would kill him! A painted woman! A stage actress!!”
(Adeline to Sid)


Adeline Schmidt (Irene) works in her father's beer garden and is courted by two men: aspiring composer Sid Barnett (Donald Woods) and Spanish-American War Army Major James Day (Louis Calhern). Of course sweet Adeline is not only a waitress but an accomplished singer for whom Sid's songs are written and thus he tries to persuade her to star in the upcoming production of his operetta. Knowing that her father dislikes all things theatre Adeline refuses, which ends with a quarrel between Sid and her, and Addie starting to date the Major.

Adeline and Sid - prelude to a quarrel

Well, the role goes to Elysia (Winifred Shaw) whose wealthy boyfriend Rupert Rockingham (Hugh Herbert) conveniently will back up financially for the show. Adeline's nutty sister Nellie (Nydia Westman) is suddenly vanished from the beer garden, and Addie searching for her - of course with the Major in tow - happens to show up at the perfect moment at a rehearsal of the operetta. To make it short: Adeline sings and snatches  away the lead from Elysia who just shocked us and Sid with a horrible version of “Why Was I Born”. The part is taken over by Adeline and the financial back up by the Major, which means that he is around all the time.

Adeline and the Major

Sid has to face the green-eyed monster and rehearsals aren't going smoothly. At the day of the premiere, Adeline expecting a proposal, visits the Major at his new apartment, but the only future plans of the Major are to install Miss Schmidt as his mistress at this cosy little place. Shocked by this outlook and the notion that this is the kind of treatment "theatre dames" have to expect, Adeline wants to quit the show immediately, but is persuaded by Sid to go on.

Lonely Feet

The show runs splendidly, but there is still Elysia - did I mention that she is a spy and stupid Rupert a member of the Secret Service? - who attempts to kill Adeline cutting the strings of a swing while Adeline does a singing-swinging number. Poor Adeline ends crashing on the floor, Elysia in jail and Sid writing a new show using all these happenings as scenery. Of course Adeline - don't worry, fully recovered - is the star of this show, and after one and a half hour waiting for it, we get the final embrace - in thick darkness though. Happy End. Curtain.

Light, please!

That's the story and that's the main problem - and I had a lot more fun writing it than I had watching it. “Sweet Adeline” is a “hot and cold” film for me: thrilling me and boring me stiff during its duration of 87 minutes. The old, tried comedy construction of serious stock (Adeline, Sid and the Major) and laughing stock (Nellie, Elysia and Rupert) just doesn't work: all the attempts on being funny are just this - mere attempts. This interwoven ridiculous spy story is annoyingly distracting and from time to time the film commits the cardinal sin of dullness, which is a shame because all the craftsmanship Warner Brothers had to offer at that time is at hand: Mervyn LeRoy as director, Sol Polito as photographer and Orry-Kelly in charge of Irene's costumes. But not even the best are able to transform a lame duck of a script into a swan of a film.

Irene with a lot of dispensable folks in the background

That this duck doesn't sink is mainly - once again - due to Miss Dunne who is not alone, because she has the support of a Kern score. I love Kern and I love Irene singing Kern, so this combination is a sure bet with me. “Lonely Feet” is one of my absolute Irene favorites and this beautifully staged grand number (choreographer Bobby Connolly) is quite a treat. Beyond the wonderful Kern songs, “Sweet Adeline” certainly has its moments: smashing close-ups of Irene especially while she is singing, and clever ideas of handling the camera. As so often the parts are better than the whole.

Miss Dunne singing Jerome Kern

This film cries for a lot of cutting and that's the reason why I won't write about Irene's colleagues here, they just ended on my personal cutting floor - at last I got rid of these distracting, but innocently so, folks. In a long interview with Irene in 1978 James Harvey used “Sweet Adeline” as an example: even in films “where nothing much seems to be at stake, or even to make much sense - what's striking is your intensity. It's one of the things that holds people when the watch your films.”

and more singing...

If Irene's intensity and a wonderful Kern score are reasons good enough for you to watch a film, those are notwithstanding the delicacies “Sweet Adeline” proffers between some tasteless courses.

Delicious or not - for everyone really interested in Miss Dunne, this film is virtually a must, because it marks her first Kern on screen. Considering how much Irene is associated with Jerome Kern's music that's an important Dunne moment, which shouldn't be missed.

Here is the music!