Finian's Rainbow

Rating:
Summary: Francis Ford Coppola Directs Fred Astaire
Review: A great cast and a great score are not enough to keep this 1968 film version of the 1940's satirical fable from unraveling into many irrelevant musical fragments. While Robert Wise was directing "Star!", William Wyler - "Funny Girl" , Gene Kelly "Dr. Dolittle", Warner's turned to just-out-of-college whiz kid Francis Ford Coppola and handed him the plum assignment of directing Fred Astaire in this Broadway property. The results of Coppola's inexperience are all up there on the screen. Really bad edits, scenes that come out of nowhere, songs that spring from obvious cues, and a real lack of any overall visual concept. The obvious switch from location exteriors to studio built sets is somewhat painful.

To be fair to Francis, Warners cut his budget after the disastrous reception of their "Camelot" in 1967, and it's evident Finian wasn't being lavished with the same spectacle Warners had given "My Fair Lady" and "Camelot".

But there are still reasons you may want to take a look at Finian - the two biggest being the aforementioned cast and score. Petula Clark is lovely as Sharon and gives the Broadway ballads a bit of sixties contemporary flair. Her "Look to the Rainbow" starts a capella and opens the film beautifully. Don Francks (did he ever do another movie?) makes a fine leading man in the Howard Keel tradition - and has one of the best crooning voices I've ever heard on film. He purrs "Old Devil Moon" seductively and belts out "If This Isn't Love" better than anyone short of Sinatra. On the other hand - Tommy Steele mugs and overacts like crazy. But since he's playing a leprechaun, I'll give him a little leeway.

Ironically, while it was Coppola's first film, it was Fred Astaire's last musical. But it's a respectable performance nonetheless. Though he doesn't have all the moves he had as a young guy - he still moves like Astaire, and it's a joy to watch, particularly in the "Idle Poor" number that opens the second act.

And the songs - Old Devil Moon, How Are Things in Glocamorra?, Look to the Rainbow - great standards and they all get wonderful treatment here, particularly from Clark and Francks. The rest of the score - though it may not be as familiar - is all good.

But the (ahem) story... well. It wasn't much of a story on Broadway. It was never meant to be taken seriously - it's a fable. But fables are hard to pull off on film. Make them too stylized, and you miss the point. Make them too real and they seem ridiculous. Coppola commits error number two. He films the tale much too realistically, which only highlights the huge leaps in logic in the narrative. In addition, the satire which was much too cutting edge for Hollywood when the show debuted in 1948, was irrelevant by the time the movie was made in 1968.

That said, the scene where a white boss is teaching a young black man how to "act Negro" is still good for a snicker - especially when the joke pays off a little later in the story. There are places - this scene, and the opening - where you realize that you are being led by someone who has definite creative ideas.

Interestingly, 1968 saw another old Broadway property turned into a film - and it won the Academy Award: "Oliver!" Of course, being based on a timeless Dickens story helps - but contrast the two and you begin to sense Copolla's inexperience next to Carol Reeds very conservative, yet artistic treatment of Oliver Twist. Still, nobody can accuse Francis of being a poor learner - his next directorial assignemnt was "Godfather".

My suggestion: buy the album and hear Petula Clark, Don Francks, Fred Astaire, and Tommy Steele do justice to the great Burton Lane score. But if you can't find the soundtrack - the video is the next best thing.

Technical note - this is NOT letterboxed - which is a shame because it was filmed in wide screen and you miss pieces of the dance numbers and duets in the pan and scan.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite movie
Review: I have a hard time understanding why several other reviews keep saying that the themes to this story are outdated -- wishful thinking, perhaps. But unfortunately, the themes of bigotry, prejudice and hatred are still alive and well and living in the U.S. today (should anyone doubt this, consider that the first successful murder conviction in the south against a white man for killing a black man occurred in the 1970's!) Abuse of power and the overwhelming gap between the poor and the rich are also as healthy as ever.

Sure, there are some specifically outdated elements -- sharecropping, for instance. And the tobacco subplot isn't really very PC nowadays, though it's pretty funny. But what's important is still contemporary.

The acting is marvelous, and the chemistry between Fred Astaire and Petula Clark is very strong, making Sharon's instant infatuation with Woody much more believable than it might otherwise be. "He's just like you!" And Og is wonderfully comical with just a hint of a serious edge, making him utterly loveable. Though probably my favorite bit of acting in the show is Howard's complete non-expression in the scene where he is being taught how to "act black".

There is a plot hole big enough to drive the Death Star through, I admit -- but I choose to see it in a slightly different light. If Og made two of the wishes -- well, you figure it out. I like to believe that maybe things aren't quite what they seem.

All in all, I think it's a wonderful, delightful and moving story and I've loved it passionately since I was six.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Worst Musicals I have Ever Seen
Review: Let me say something before I go into how bad this movie really is. I am a seriously big Fred Astaire fan, and I can honestly say that 30 out of 31 of his musicals have been nothing less than atleast worthy of watching. That single one that slips up, and makes it to the list of "Fred Astaire Completists only" is this one, for sure.

If Fred Astaire was not in this movie, it would not even get the one star rating, it would deserve absolutely nothing. This is a complete embarrassment, to the otherwise brilliant list of films Fred Astaire has been in. Being a completist, even I, myself have trouble over thinking that this movie is actually in my collection.

Fred Astaire, the greatest male dancer to ever appear in the movies, is completely wasted here. For some stupid reason, the very little dancing that poor old Fred does in this movie, might aswell have been cut out completely. When filming a dance number, you should NOT cut out the view of the dancers feet. I am personally insulted by the waste of such a great talent. Fred Astaire is also a great - and very much underrated - singer. He does do a few numbers, but even they cannot save this movie.

Moving away from Fred Astaire for a bit, I'll get on with the co-stars. Petula Clark is a fairly good singer, and she does actually have a few good songs to sing in this movie. But, then we have to be tortured by that leprechaun, played very annoyingly by Tommy Steele. This film is insulting in another way, also, which I wont explain here, because if you choose to watch the movie, you will know, more or less, straight away what I am referring to.

I had to, simply HAD to sit through this movie, so that I could say I had seen it, and therefore complete the films of Fred Astaire, and I tried my best to watch it a second time. I managed to, but let me say this, it was one of the most torturing things I have ever had to put up with. The film is very long, also.

I am amazed by the amount of people who have already written their own thoughts on this movie. Some of them even saying it is their "favourite movie". I can guarantee there are more people out there that hate this movie, than there are that like it. I have came across a whole load of them. I guess nobody seems to want to put it in print. This movie was a huge flop when it was released, and personally, I can't understand why the negative, and all prints of the film, were not burned. The only explanation I can think of, is due to Fred Astaire fans having to need to watch this, and then being able to say they have seen all of his movies.

Believe me, Fred Astaire completists only should watch this. I can write so much about this movie that I hate, but I honestly cannot think of a single thing I like about it, except Fred's appearance. Nothing else. Terrible, terrible movie. It's torturing to watch. If only Fred had of not made this movie, I would never of had to watch it. Watch Fred Astaire in any of his other musicals, and just pretend he never made this, for your own good.

Rating:
Summary: I'll dance out the questions, and you dance out the answers!
Review: People seem to either love or hate this movie. And that's understandable. On the one hand we have beautiful cinematography, and some truly classic songs sung and danced by top talent. I LOVE the title song Look to the Rainbow. But then on the other we have a director who can't seem to make up his mind whether he wants to film this movie in the great outdoors (get a load of those huge musical numbers featuring enough people to have a convention), or indoors (in sets that feel like they were swiped from Camelot or Brigadoon). On the one hand we have some great actors Fred Astaire, Tommy Steele, and Petula Clark (I think I'm in love). And let's not forget the at times hilarious dialog ("It's an angel! An Irish angel.)

But what really makes this a great movie is the way everyone involved put all their heart and soul into their role. That and the glorious use of widescreen and color (why this movie isn't out on dvd I will never know).

But again, the switching back and forth from studio set to outdoor helicopter shot feels...strange. And one or two of the musical numbers and do seem to drag (just a bit). And man, the plot of this movie sure is out there (burying gold stole from faery-land near Fort Knox as an experiment?) Some of the characters are a little hard to strange as well (a lovely mute girl who talks by dancing and a Leprechaun who finds himself turning into a human?). But if you can get over the low points (or perhaps just unusual points) and just embrace it for what it is (and especially if you love musicals), I think you'll find Finian's Rainbow to be worthy purchase. Now if only they would just release it widescreen on DVD...