Show Boat

A Tribute to Howard Keel

This vivacious remake of the Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein musical (based on an Edna Ferber novel) about life on a Mississippi riverboat tracks the hardships of Julie Laverne (Ava Gardner), a mulatto trying to pass for white while also following the course of a tumultuous love between a captain's daughter, Magnolia Hawks (Kathryn Grayson), and an itinerant gambler, Gaylord Ravenal (Howard Keel). Gardner (with help from Annette Warren, whose voice was overdubbed for Gardner's songs) gives a heartbreaking performance, and Grayson's clear, pure voice soars, set off magnificently by Keel's rich baritone. The film stands as a classic for both its surprising emotional impact and its well-known score, featuring timeless gems such as "Old Man River" and "Can't Help Lovin' that Man of Mine."