Evening star., 1951-07-12

Mayer and garnlShed with that
and dancing people, is at the Pal
ace. It's visit there should be the
happiest occasion the theater has
known since THE Great CaruSo"
threw back Mario LanZa's head
and sang.
And. as Lanza's picture gave
him the greatest momentum of his
career, "Showhoat" should do the
same for Marge and Cover Cham
pion. They are up against some
tough competition in the presence
of Magnolia Hawks, Gaylor Ra-
venal. Julie LaVerne and the other
traditional figures of the Jerome
Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II mu-
sical. Happily enough, this mere
ly- enhances the glow of the dane
ing Champions, as talented, per-
sonable and intelligent a pair as
the movies have laid a contract
on in years.
AS befits a classic held in such
nostalgia affection, "Showboat"
has been treated lavishly in this
new production. Too lavishly,
perhaps. in that its rich, jewel
like quality sometimes leaves the
spectator confused as to whether
Capt. Andy Hawks was that rich
or just Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer.
Naturally it could not be Capt.
Andy whose Cotton Blossom tied
up at river wharves. that we're not
exactly the great centers of wealth
in America.
M-G-M is the perfectly stocked
studio for the latest edition of
"Showboat." It is the one with
doll-faced Kathryn Grayson to
play and sing the gentle. every
body'S-Sweetheart character Of
Magnolia Hawks. 1t is the one,
also. with Ava Gardner to shape
and Groom the heartbreak of poor
Julie LaVerne, the proud octaroon
who became the plaything of the
wrong types, of men.
And. for Gaylord Ravenal the
debonair, charming. reckless river
gambler what studio could find
more fitting baritone than Howard
Keel?
With such others as Joe E.
Brown as Capt. Henry, Agnes
Moorehead as Partly, and William
Warfeld as "Old Man Rivers" Joe.
Metro has been extremely careful
to meet the Nations standards for
these beloved roles.
X X
The pleasantest surprise of
"Showboat," and no doubt the
secret of it's durability in the
affections of everyone, is its music.
Topical songs, hill-billy tunes,
Tennessee waltzes, and the popu-
lar scores of a dozen more recent
hit musicals have come between
the public ear and "Showboat"
music in recent years.
This has had the effect not so
much of freshening "Only Make
Believe" You Are Love" MY
Bill" ETC., but of sharpening the
delight of welcoming them back.
Even "Old Man River" the most
overworked song of the last score
of years, has a wonderfully dra-
matte flavor as sung by Warfield.
1t is much too late of course for
any baritone to make this one
his song, but Warfield is the
singer you will remember here
after as "Old Man Rivers" man
East Lynne" and The Old
Homestead" could not have more
hackneyed plots than "Showboat"
by this time. Nevertheless, John
Lee Mahin's treatment of Edna
Ferber's novel of river entertain
ment life has something of al
pleasant flavor still. Mahin 81
writing trick has been to suggest
that this is beautiful, lost way
of life and the Palaces screenI
musical is doing a sentimentally
rich thing in recalling it all.
The writer's thought is that it
is a fine time for Americana and
where could anyone find a more
nostalgia spot of it than in Show
boat"
The effect of this is that, with