Nearly 20 years after it opened on Broadway, the E.Y. Harburg/Fred Saidy musical Finian's Rainbow was committed to film. Set in the mythical southern state of Missitucky, the story involves the whimsical Irishman Finian (Fred Astaire) and his daughter Sharon (Petula Clark) arriving in the community carrying a crock of gold, which they've stolen in the Auld Sod from Ogg the Leprechaun (Tommy Steele). Finian believes that if he buries the crock on American soil, it will grow into an even larger treasure--just as Fort Knox did ...
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Nearly 20 years after it opened on Broadway, the E.Y. Harburg/Fred Saidy musical Finian's Rainbow was committed to film. Set in the mythical southern state of Missitucky, the story involves the whimsical Irishman Finian (Fred Astaire) and his daughter Sharon (Petula Clark) arriving in the community carrying a crock of gold, which they've stolen in the Auld Sod from Ogg the Leprechaun (Tommy Steele). Finian believes that if he buries the crock on American soil, it will grow into an even larger treasure--just as Fort Knox did (or so he thinks). Sharon falls in love with sharecropper Woody Mahoney (Don Francks), who like everyone else in the community is being threatened by the perfidy of Senator Rawkins (Keenan Wynn). While Finian haggles over three wishes with the tricky Ogg, Sharon runs afoul of the racially bigoted Rawkins. She wishes that Rawkins would turn black so that he could walk in someone else's shoes for a change--and this, thanks to Ogg, is exactly what happens. To rescue Sharon and Woody from being burned as witches, Ogg grants a last wish, which turns him into a human being; this is not an altogether bad thing, for Ogg has fallen in love with mysterious mountain gal Susan the Silent (Barbara Hancock). The racial tolerance subtext of Finian's Rainbow, considered radical in 1948, seemed rather antiquated in 1969, though it did allow for a hilarious scene in which a white associate of Judge Rawkins attempts to instruct young black botanist Al Freeman Jr. on the proper way to "act Negro". As Finian, Fred Astaire requested that the role be expanded to allow him to dance a little (as written, the character barely even sings). Most of the original score remains intact, including the hit song "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" Francis Ford Coppola seemed a curious choice to direct a musical, and indeed the production was a troubled one due to Coppola's inexperience in the genre. Hal Erickson, Rovi
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Add this copy of Finian's Rainbow (Dvd) to cart. $3.17, new condition, Sold by Goodwill of Greater Milwaukee rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Milwaukee, WI, UNITED STATES, published 2005.
Add this copy of Finian's Rainbow to cart. $21.34, new condition, Sold by Importcds rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Sunrise, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2016.
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Fred Astaire; Petula Clark; Tommy Steele; Don Francks; Keenan Wynn. New. Run time: 141 mins. New in new packaging. USA Orders only! Brand New product! please allow delivery times of 3-7 business days within the USA. US orders only please.
Add this copy of Finian's Rainbow [Blu-ray] to cart. $25.15, new condition, Sold by Importcds rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Sunrise, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2017.
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Fred Astaire; Petula Clark; Tommy Steele; Don Francks; Keenan Wynn. New. Run time: 141 mins. New in new packaging. USA Orders only! Brand New product! please allow delivery times of 3-7 business days within the USA. US orders only please.
Add this copy of Finian's Rainbow to cart. $25.56, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2016 by Warner/Allied Vaughn.
Add this copy of Finian's Rainbow to cart. $25.58, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2016 by Warner/Allied Vaughn.
Add this copy of Finian's Rainbow (1968) [Blu-Ray] to cart. $28.96, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2017 by Warner Archive Collection.
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Fred Astaire; Petula Clark; Tommy Steele; Don Francks; Keenan Wynn; Barbara Hancock; New. 1968 Run time: 145. Buy with confidence-Satisfaction Guaranteed! Delivery Confirmation included for all orders in the US.
Add this copy of Finian's Rainbow (1968) [Blu-Ray] to cart. $33.43, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2017 by Warner Archive Collection.
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Fred Astaire; Petula Clark; Tommy Steele; Don Francks; Keenan Wynn; Barbara Hancock; New. 1968 Run time: 145. Buy with confidence-Satisfaction Guaranteed! Delivery Confirmation included for all orders in the US.
I find the movie to be refreshing and itelligent with a lot of humor in it (such as, "What has America got that Ireland doesn't?" "More Irishmen?".
mehaul
Apr 3, 2010
Fool's Gold At The Rainbow's End
TITLE: Finian's Rainbow
GENRE: Musical/Dance
CAST: Fred Astaire, Petula Clark, Don Francks, Tommy Steele, Barbara Hancock, Keenan Wynn and Al Freeman Jr.
PLOT: A Irishman with foolish thoughts of wealth steals a leprechauns pot of gold and plans to plant it in America so it will grow. He drags his maiden daughter with him on the adventure. The High Council of Leprechauns sends one of their own to retrieve it. To tell the resolution of the pot of gold would give away the ending.
RETURN ON INVESTMENT: 8 of 10; Rock 'n' Roll killed the musical format. Although it had been dying on its own for half a decade. One thing missing from many of those recent efforts was good old fashioned lead actor dancing (all the others in that time use chorus line dancing). As a genre rescue effort, Fred Astaire was the right choice. he's just the best hoofer we ever developed. Sadly this turned out to be his last leading dance role. Well, when one door closes, another usually opens and in this case it was for Francis Ford Coppola as a director. This is his first film directed for a major studio. The songs are all excellent though they haven't survived the music revolution (Exception: "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?"
DVD BONUS: An archieval feature of the premiere on Broadway of the movie. a commentary overdubbing by Coppola (we hear him sing some of the tunes) and a theatrical trailer.
ADDED NOTES: There are some racial stereotypes played upon which result from the original play being from the forties. Such presentations would prevent a network from showing this film in this politically correct era. The only way to see Al Freeman do his 'strut-mossie-walk' is to get this film for yourself.
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