Show Boat Overview:

Show Boat (1951) was a Musical - Black-and-white Film directed by George Sidney and produced by Arthur Freed.

Show Boat was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1996.

Academy Awards 1951 --- Ceremony Number 24 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best CinematographyCharles RosherNominated
Best Music - ScoringAdolph Deutsch, Conrad SalingerNominated
.

BlogHub Articles:

Musical Monday: Show Boat (1936)

on Aug 12, 2019 From Comet Over Hollywood

It?s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals. In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals. This week?s musical: Show Boat (1936) ? Musical #... Read full article


Musical Monday: Show Boat (1951)

on Jan 28, 2019 From Comet Over Hollywood

It?s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals. In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 500. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals. This week?s musical: Show Boat (1951)?? Musical #... Read full article


Show Boat (1936)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 4, 2017 From 4 Star Films

Most of what I know about riverboats can be gleaned from Mark Twain, Davy Crockett and the River Pirates, and that ever beloved Snoopy incarnation The World Famous River Boat Gambler. The 1936 musical Show Boat falls into that very same rich tradition but some clarification is in order. In truth, th... Read full article


Show Boat (1936)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 4, 2017 From 4 Star Films

Most of what I know about riverboats can be gleaned from Mark Twain, Davy Crockett and the River Pirates, and that ever beloved Snoopy incarnation The World Famous River Boat Gambler. The 1936 musical Show Boat falls into that very same rich tradition but some clarification is in order. In truth, th... Read full article


Show Boat - The Story Behind One of America's Greatest Musicals

By The Metzinger Sisters on Oct 6, 2015 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

A Ziegfeld show typically summons to mind images of glorified girls in fantastic headdresses descending twirling staircases to the strains of haunting melodies. Florenz Ziegfeld was the great glorifier of the American girl, it’s true. It is also true that he produced lavish revues brimming wit... Read full article


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Quotes from

Magnolia: [to Gaylord Ravenal] I know there's no other woman... no flesh-and-blood woman. But I can't fight this Lady Luck of yours, this fancy queen in her green felt dress.


Gaylord Ravenal: [borrowing Magnolia's jewels so that he can pawn them] Don't worry darling, it's only temporary. I'll get them back for you.
Magnolia: Everything can be temporary - -except us.


Julie: Pride is smaller than kindness.


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Facts about

The showboat built for the film (known as the Cotton Blossom) became an amusement park attraction in 1973, after MGM sold many of its props at an auction. Unfortunately, in 1995, it was dismantled and torn apart. For this film, the Cotton Blossom was built on top of a flat-bedded barge so that it could be towed into position by underwater cables for the musical number which opens the film. Even though the Cotton Blossom was built to exact specifications and was fitted with a stern paddle-wheel, the thrust of the paddle wheel would have been too strong to maneuver the boat in the studio lake. Too little thrust would have moved the boat very slowly if it moved the boat at all. Hence, it was necessary to move the boat into position by underwater cables. This underwater towing technique also made it easier for the boat to move into its mooring position at exactly the right moment when the musical number came to an end.
Even though the character of "Magnolia" is supposed to look up to "Julie" in an older-sister type of relationship, in reality, Kathryn Grayson and Ava Gardner were born in the same year.
The original production of Showboat opened in the Ziegfeld Theater on December 27, 1927 and ran for 572 performances.
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Best Music - Scoring Oscar 1951










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National Film Registry

Show Boat

Released 1951
Inducted 1996
(Sound)




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Also directed by George Sidney




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Also produced by Arthur Freed




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Also released in 1951




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