Show Boat

"HEAR Glorious New Music and Songs by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II:"

1936 1h 53m EN

👍

6.7

SOLID

★6.7TMDB · 51

MusicRomanceDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Sheltered beauty Magnolia Hawkes takes over as the leading lady on a Mississippi riverboat show when mixed-race Julie and her white husband are forced out of town by a prejudiced sheriff. Charismatic opportunist Gaylord Ravenal wins Magnolia's heart, but his gambling losses threaten to ruin their chances for a happy marriage.

“HEAR Glorious New Music and Songs by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II:”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Irene Dunne
Magnolia Hawkes
Allan Jones
Gaylord Ravenal
Charles Winninger
Cap'n Andy Hawkes
Paul Robeson
Joe
Helen Morgan
Julie LaVerne
Helen Westley
Parthenia "Parthy" Hawkes
Queenie Smith
Ellie May Chipley
Sammy White
Frank Schultz

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: James Whale
Writers: Oscar Hammerstein II
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $1.2M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

90 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by James Whale, shot by John J. Mescall. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Jerome Kern. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Ted J. Kent shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Irene Dunne and Allan Jones and Charles Winninger carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "HEAR Glorious New Music and Songs by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II:".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0028249 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

James Whale directs. John J. Mescall behind the camera. Jerome Kern scores. Ted J. Kent cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $1.2M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
290 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Directed by James Whale, shot by John J. Mescall. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Jerome Kern. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Ted J. Kent shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Irene Dunne and Allan Jones and Charles Winninger carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "HEAR Glorious New Music and Songs by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II:".
8IMDB entry: tt0028249 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 51 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.