Finian's Rainbow (1968) User Reviews

Wonderful Performances In A Deeply Flawed Film

[gftbiloxi · 8/10 · 12 April 2005]

Opening on Broadway in 1947 with music by Burton Lane and lyrics by E.Y. "Yip" Harburg (who wrote the lyrics for 1939's THE WIZARD OF OZ), FINIAN'S RAINBOW was an unexpected smash that generated one pop classic after another--"How Are Things In Glocca Morra?," "Old Devil Moon," and "Look To The Rainbow" to name but three. But when talk turned to a film version, not a single studio in Hollywood would touch it: although the story was fantasy, it was also extremely satirical, contained elements that had a decidedly socialist edge, and made one of the most wickedly funny statements on racism seen up to that time. With Hollywood operating under the production code and the nation drifting into the communist paranoia of the 1950s, the whole thing was impossibly hot. And so FINIAN'S RAINBOW remained off the screen for over twenty years... until 1968, when a sudden splash of popular screen musicals prompted Warner Brothers to bankroll it.

The plot is deliberately ridiculous, and finds Irishman Finian McLonergan (Fred Astaire) and his long suffering daughter Sharon (Petula Clark) in Tennessee, where Finian plans to bury a crock of gold stolen from a leprechaun (Tommy Steele) on the theory that the land around Fort Knox will make the gold grow. But things take an unexpected turn when they arrive in Rainbow Valley, where they encounter a commune of black and white tobacco sharecroppers doing battle with a viciously bigoted Senator (Keenan Wynn.) And when daughter Sharon is outraged by the Senator's racism and happens to be standing by the hidden crock of gold--she accidentally "wishes" the Senator black! Unlike the 1947 stage show, the big screen version of FINIAN'S RAINBOW tanked at the box office, and it is little wonder: both producers and then-novice director Francis Ford Coppola made a host of very basic mistakes with the material, the first of which was not keeping the film within its original 1940s context; they instead give it a 'contemporary' tone that not only undercuts the fanciful storyline but makes many of the story's elements seem heavy-handed. In the process they manage to blunt the edge of the original in a very significant sort of way. There are also a number of cinematic problems with the movie, which feels awkwardly filmed and still more awkwardly edited, and the film visibly shifts between outdoor set-ups and studio soundstage sets in a very uncomfortable sort of way.

All of that said, there is still a great deal to enjoy in FINIAN'S RAINBOW--the aforementioned score for one and the truly memorable performances for another. Astaire is timeless, Tommy Steele almost walks away with the show, Keegan Wynn (in spite of some rather ill-advised make-up) gives a memorable performance as the bigoted Senator, and Al Freeman Jr. is absolutely hilarious in the sequence where he applies for the job of butler in the Senator's home--I laugh just thinking about it! But the real revelation here is Petula Clark. Best known as a pop singer, Clark is perfection as Sharon McLonergan; it is a tremendous pity that she was never again so well-cast on screen. And together they manage to gloss over most of the film's weaknesses; if you're a musical fan, you're likely to enjoy it.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

MORE SILVER AND BRONZE THAN GOLD AT THE END OF THIS "RAINBOW"

[SFTVLGUY2 · 7 November 2004]

The film version of "Finian's Rainbow" was conceived at a time when the public's interest in movie musicals was on the wane; in fact, in light of the poor critical reception accorded "Camelot" the year before, studio head Jack Warner would have been content to pull the plug on what he perceived as another sure-fire disaster. To an extent, his feelings were justified - what had been a daringly provocative look at racial strife in the deep American South as seen through the eyes of a scheming Irishman and his less-than-supportive daughter when it debuted on Broadway in 1947 was no longer very pertinent twenty-one years later, and the fairy tale aspects of the plot - which included the hyperactive antics of a leprechaun intent on retrieving his "borrowed" pot of gold - were going to be a hard sell in 1968. The score, although exquisitely timeless and highly recognizable, was old-fashioned in its theatricality and not likely to result in a best-selling cast album. Furthermore, directing the project was a virtual unknown, a "hippie" from northern California named Francis Ford Coppola, with only one prior film - a non-musical - to his credit. Given the odds the movie was doomed, Warner basically maintained a "hands-off, don't-ask, don't-tell" policy and simply hoped for the best.

The end result may not have been the "best", but it is considerably better than most critics described it upon its release. The overlong book, with several insignificant sub-plots, could have used some judicious trimming. Tommy Steele's performance as Og, the slowly-turning-into-a-human leprechaun, is frantically overblown. The film's editing is criminal in that Fred Astaire's feet are often unseen in his dance routines. And the attempt to blend reality and make-believe results in an awkwardly uneven balance of the two - Coppola would have been far more successful had he decided to emphasize the whimsical and play down the outdated political aspects of the story. But for all these shortcomings, "Finian's Rainbow" - from its spectacular opening credits to its nicely staged farewell to Finian - almost a goodbye to Astaire himself, for whom this would be his last dancing role - is pleasant entertainment, buoyed by its familiar score and anchored by the presence of Petula Clark, whose delightfully fresh and sweetly seductive performance is the true gold to be discovered here. At the time known in the States as the pop singer responsible for the mega-hit "Downtown", Clark drew on her previous experience as an actress in mostly grade-B British films and developed a character whose acceptance of a leprechaun hiding in the backyard well is as easily believed as her skepticism regarding her father's plot to multiply his borrowed gold by burying it in the shadows of Fort Knox and her fiancé's plans to grow mentholated tobacco. The Arlen/Harburg score - including such standards as "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" and "Look to the Rainbow" - could well have been composed specifically for her voice, which wraps itself around each note with a hint of a brogue and - in the case of "Old Devil Moon" - a raw sensuality suggesting the woman inside the sweet Irish colleen. Deservedly, Clark was nominated for a Best Actress Golden Globe for her portrayal of Sharon McLonergan, and if for nothing else, her performance makes "Finian's Rainbow" definitely worth a look-see.

Definitely worth a second - or even a third - look!

[scooterberwyn · 7/10 · 28 June 2012]

I remember seeing this film when it was first released. I absolutely hated it - too slow-moving, and the male romantic lead was a cipher. Even the songs were manipulated to the point that I could barely stand to listen to them. Tommy Steele was far too frenetic as Og, the leprechaun. Its saving graces were Fred Astaire, Petula Clark (although she seemed too old in the role of Sharon), and Keenan Wynn. I've avoided it like the plague ever since.

Tonight, thanks to Turner Classic Movies, I finally watched it again. And you know what? It's a lot better than I remembered. I don't know what has caused the turnabout in my opinion, except perhaps the lack of quality of most of the musical films that have come along since FINIAN'S RAINBOW in 1968. It still has a few longueurs, but generally it's very enjoyable. Even Tommy Steele isn't too bad. Don Francks is still dramatically stiff, but he's better than I remembered, and he sings well. And oh, those songs! It's a shame that "Necessity" was cut, but otherwise, what a string of melody - How are Things in Glocca Morra, Old Devil Moon, When I'm not Near the Girl I Love, and more.

Thank you, TCM, for giving me a second chance with this film!

Tommy Steele at his best!

[jbdean · 10/10 · 3 July 1999]

All politics aside, let's just enjoy the movie. This is a delightful tale of Irish immigration to America and, while wanting to be "All American", holding fast to tradition. Finian finds the elusive pot o' gold and steals it off to America. The drawback? If Og (the leprechaun) doesn't get it back in time he'll lose his magic and become ... dare we think it ... MORTAL! Tommy Steele, adorable as Og, is so charming and believable that there is no need for trick photography to make him appear "wee" in size. We accept his full size and never disbelieve that he is full-blooded Leprechaun! With such delightful songs as "When I'm Not Near the Girl I Love," "Something Sort of Grandish," (sung by Steele), "How are Things in Glocca Morra" and "Old Devil Moon" (Pet Clark) the film is a delight from beginning to end. And who doesn't love the scene when Og begins to realize that being mortal isn't really all that bad? One of my very favorite films and one of the last of the Classic American Musicals! 4 Stars!

Wildly Entertaining

[denysbristo · 8/10 · 22 July 2003]

I first saw this movie as a young girl and developed an instant crush on Tommy Steele. The storyline is very entertaining with a keen sense of humor. It was also great seeing Fred Astaire again - I'm a big fan. This movie has some of the most memorable songs which are still among my favorites, of course many of them featuring Petula Clarke. If you are a fan of musicals and enjoy a bit of the blarney - then this movie will be right up your ally.

Not Fred's best, but, oh, so watchable.

[callie-5 · 6 April 1999]

This was Fred Astaire's last full-blown musical movie ("That's Entertainment II" is not counted). The original play, written back in the 1930's, dealt more with the organization of a union by a bunch of poor sharecroppers. But by the time this movie was finally set to be made, unions were no longer the "hot topic", thus the racism angle was embellished. Plot aside, which isn't difficult, the basis of the story is that Finian McGlonnagen (Fred Astaire) has stolen a pot of gold from Og the leprechaun (played to perfection by Tommy Steele) and has plans to bury it near Fort Knox, thinking that the "magical properties" in the ground there will make more gold for him. Not exactly Pulitzer stuff here, but an enjoyable movie. A great vehicle for Keenan Wynn, showing why he was the best character actor of his day, and Tommy Steele, who disappeared from American movie screens far too soon. Great music; Good movie.

Has its flaws, but it is worth watching and is perhaps Francis Ford-Coppola's most underrated film

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 17 July 2011]

I love musicals and have done for the longest time. Finian's Rainbow is not among the best of the film musicals, but it is hardly among the worst either. It does have a ridiculous story and some moments of awkward editing. That said, it is definitely worth watching and is for me Francis Ford-Coppola's most underrated film.

The editing aside, I like the production values a lot, as the sets and costumes are lovely and there is some good lighting. The score and songs are all wonderful, my least favourite The Begat is still very good, and Old Devil Moon, When the Idle Poor Became the Idle Rich and particularly Look to the Rainbow are timeless.

Coppola directs with assurance, the choreography is some of the best I've seen in a while and the script has a lot of funny, witty and heart warming parts. When it comes to favourite scenes, the Rain Dance Ballet, which is lovingly choreographed, and the scene where Al Freeman Jnr applies for the job of butler, which is hilarious, are the most memorable to me.

I can't fault the cast either, Fred Astaire can do no wrong in my eyes, Tommy Steele and Al Freeman Jnr steal every scene they're in and I don't think there is another film where Petula Clark is more perfectly cast. In conclusion, flawed but definitely worth the watch. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Odd, but lovely

[eyecandyforu · 8/10 · 14 April 2008]

Whimsical is not a word I get to use often, but that's exactly what Finian's Rainbow is. Based on the 1947 stage musical it's part fantasy and part political satire. The plot follows the quintessential Irishman Finian(Fred Astaire in his last full screen role) and his daughter Sharon (Petula Clark) as they basically flee to America with a pot of gold stolen from the leprechaun, Og (Tommy Steele). After an amazing opening credit sequence ("Look To The Rainbow"), they arrive in "Misitucky" which is supposed to be near Fort Knox, to bury the gold in the belief that it will multiply. The small hamlet of Rainbow Valley becomes their home, a kind of Tobacco Road with very poor but very happy hippie-like inhabitants. Here Sharon meets her love interest Woody (Don Francks) Add Keenan Wynn as the villain, Senator Hawkins, a racist Southern stereotype that during the course of the story turns black. Several minor plots weave in and out, creating a rich and unique film. Astaire used to sound stages and carefully planned dance numbers balked at dancing outside in a field and the director, Francis Ford Coppola (an odd choice, but what's done is done) tried his best to meet his demands. Ironically the field sequence, which comes early in the film is beautiful and very well done by the choreographer Hermes Pan, who was subsequently fired from the film. Petula Clark clearly steals the movie. The camera loves her in this and her natural beauty and performance are such a pleasure to watch. Astaire, who was criticized cruelly for his appearance (he was 69 at the time) is as usual charming and no one danced like he did. Francks holds his own and makes a nice compliment to Clark. Tommy Steele's performance rolics between delightful and way too over the top. Beautifully filmed, it does suffer from jarring "this is real, this is fake" scenery but if you just go with it, it's not that bad. The DVD presents Astaire's dance numbers complete and full body (something Astaire always insisted on but was overlooked in the original release) Finian's Rainbow is known now more for many of it's songs than itself as a whole, but it's still very much worth a look, especially if you love musicals.

how did we get so cynical?

[petersj-2 · 9/10 · 23 August 2008]

Finians Rainbow came along at a time where critics were telling us that they hated musicals, even masterpieces like "Finians Rainbow". They attacked many a fine musical such as "Sweet Charity", Hello Dolly" and they gleefully lynched Lucy in Mame. These were all great films but it was a cynical age and sadly the world is becoming more cynical. I would not trust a movie critic to mind my kids, let alone review my movies. Finians Rainbow is a brilliant film. Coppola took a much loved stage musical and adapted it beautifully for the big screen. The stagey sets were probably not what Copolla wanted but they work out well and look quite lovely.There is not only gold at the end of the rainbow but gold in the performances. The casting of Fred Astair was a stroke of genius. He is perfect. I saw Bobby Howes do it on stage years ago but I was very young and now all I can imagine is Asatair. He was a little older but can still dance brilliantly. The choreography may not be as energetic as early days but it suits old Finian. He was never a great singer but few Finians ever were. Bobby Howes did it on stage and while he was wonderful he could not sing. It does not matter in the role of Finian. These songs are all classics. Look to the rainbow must be the most wonderful song ever written. AS for How are things in Glocca Morra its impossible to sing without shedding a tear. Old Devil moon is sung by Petula Clark as Sharon and the very handsome Don Francks as Woddy. This must be the sexiest romantic scene ever in a musical. Petula Clark is superb and she sings the great classic numbers a bit differently from the Broadway star, she is captivating. By the way Astair and Clark have totally faultless Irish accents! Brilliant! Tommy Steele is a charmer at any time. I loved him in this and his scene with Clark when they sing the gorgeous Something Sort Of Grandish is just beautiful. Steele is delicious and you fall head over heels in love with him. The dialogue is wonderful with every musical cliché and reference. He hams this great role up to perfection. Don Francks as Woddy was new to me but what a star! The voice is perfect and he has magical presence. The movie is perfect and packs a very powerful anti racist message. Perhaps thats why some people who are too politically correct do not like it. They just don't get it. Perhaps they see their own racist values and it makes them uncomfortable. There is a great performance by Al Freeman Jr and the scene where he serves the bromide in the correct manner to the suffering Sentator is hilarious. He sings just one small section in one song and its a pity he does not have more, its a lovely voice. The whole movie is an Olympic event GOLD, GOLD, GOLD.If you don't shed a tear at the end of the movie as Astair bids farewell.. you do not have a heart. Its a 9/10 from me.

Unusually catchy music

[bigwave87 · 10/10 · 6 December 2007]

Multiple levels of dramatic material exist in this film. At first glance it involves a serious amount of musical material. For such a film of initial minimal weight, there are several segments of song and dance lasting over 6 minutes. Other well-known musicals stick to shorter and more infrequent tunes. The first Glocca Morra scene and the "Betrothed" scene are lengthy and wide in scope. The music includes not only song but also lots of dance, changes of tempo and style of music, and story development. It's important to pay attention to not only the words of songs but also to the events of the drama that are told through music. On another level are quite modern social discussions. The idea of a utopia is focused on clearly as both a positive and negative idea. Rainbow Valley, when magnified, is a sort of community where all residents are of equal status and are ruled by a single man and his lackeys. Racism is also a topic that is discussed in a more blatant manner, and at most times in a comedic manner. Finian's Rainbow portrays plenty social mockery of the view of blacks as subordinates in a "southern" community while not abandoning humor at any point. The actors are charming (Petula Clark and Fred Astaire act wonderfully) and the music is substantially connective throughout the movie. The film is not as simple as most see it. To say the least, Finian's Rainbow deserves to be recognized as a significant addition to the genre of the musical. How are things in Glocca Morra?

"Follow the fellow who follows a dream"

[Steffi_P · 8/10 · 12 July 2010]

The 60s were a strange time for cinema – a flourishing of surreal, psychedelic, political and often pretentious film-making. And yet the figures and ideals of the previous generation – Hollywood's golden age – were still around, and neither had they been totally forgotten by the younger generation. Finian's Rainbow was quite literally a remnant from that bygone era, having been an acclaimed stage musical in the 1940s. Had it not been for its controversial subject matter it would probably have been produced for screen in the 50s. As it was, the eventual film adaptation found itself an old-time song-and-dance show in an era where the musical had become something very different indeed.

In a way Finian's Rainbow was always a mix-and-match musical. The E.Y. Harburg-Burton Lane score blends Broadway brass with Irish jigs and occasionally gospel to surprising success. The story also places old-world folklore alongside contemporary racial issues, in what is a sometimes awkward but generally passable modern-day fairytale. Aside from anything else, the Lane melodies are of considerable beauty and the Harburg lyrics witty enough that it makes a broadly appealing and timeless package. Fans of the inventive wordplay in the numbers from Wizard of Oz, which were also penned by Harburg, will appreciate such clever twists as "Make him a better person… not a worse 'un" Harburg even reuses the word "individdle", here rhyming it with fiddle, having rhymed it with riddle in Oz.

Another relic of the old days appears in the form of Fred Astaire as the titular Finian. Astaire may be lacking his cane and topper, he may be showing the signs of his age a little, and his accent may be about as authentically Irish as a gift-shop Shillelagh – but it's still the same old Fred, full of the effortless dance-steps and easygoing charm that won over audiences thirty-five years earlier. It's a real delight to see him here, partly because his endearing demeanour is so reassuringly familiar, and yet he still makes an honest attempt to deviate from his regular persona to create this crusty yet lovable old Irishman. Representing the new is a fresh-faced Tommy Steele, playing the leprechaun Og. A certain proportion of Steele's performance, say 10%, is pure brilliance. Unfortunately the remaining 90% is pure annoyance, as Steele grins and capers his way maddeningly through some disappointingly flat renditions of the Harburg-Lane numbers. Still, he does appear to have struck some kind of unlikely rapport with Astaire, and their scenes together are among the most brightly comical.

The director was from the young side of the fence. Francis Ford Coppola was a graduate of Roger Corman's schlock factory, and this was his first big-budget assignment. Coppola had already demonstrated himself to be a director who took a detached and distant view of things, often keeping his camera high above the action or peeping from amongst foreground foliage. Oddly enough this sets him up well for the light and abstract world of the musical, in which the broad canvas, rich detail and ensemble are more important than the intense close-up or the dramatic long take. Coppola shows real sensitivity to the music, keeping rhythms going with natural-looking background movement – check out the way the crowd shifts behind Petula Clark and Don Francks during "Look to the Rainbow". He also uses his harmonious technique to draw attention to the lyrics, for example having the camera pan up to the heavens on the line "Skies could be so bluish blue" in "Something Sort of Grandish".

The conventions of the time and the sensibilities of the young production team have certainly left their mark on Finian's Rainbow. There are many thinly-veiled references to hippy and protest culture, with the "tobacco"-growing enterprise, a business-like police force and even a sit-down, in a reasonable attempt to make this a musical equivalent of In the Heat of the Night. However the difference between the old and the new is too stark for them to fuse. Coppola's penchant for realism results in some stunning outdoor photography, but this only grates all the more with the woefully fake-looking studio "forest", the like of which would now only be seen in a kid's TV show. Most of the components are glorious, but as a whole it is occasionally like watching two separate films spliced together.

However, Finian's Rainbow is at least self-aware enough to realise that it has the opportunity to be a respectful homage to the classic musical, and never descends into a roughshod "update". The most profound and emotionally stirring aspect of the picture is that Astaire evidently knew it would be his last appearance as a dancer. Coppola surely knew it too, and the tender staging of Astaire's final scene is among the most poignant moments of self-reference in movie history.

Farewell to Freddy in style.

[Will_Scarlet · 10/10 · 5 March 2004]

In the oh-so-great Fred Astaire's last musical movie, he wears no top hat, white tie or tails, but one step and you know he's Fred Astaire. His last proves to be one of his most memorable roles, playing the crafty Irishman in the heartland of the American south, amid the bigoted senators, gospel sharecroppers and

burying a pot of Leprechaun gold. Astaire's Irish accent is remarkably well- handled, and he plays the role much like Gene Wilder's portrayal of Willy

Wonka, or Dick Van Dyke's portrayal of Bert, the Chimney-sweep. The songs do

not work with his voice as well as they should, but it's still a delight to see him dance, especially working with Hermes Pan, his old partner choreographer from his old films of the Golden days. As the top part of the movie, he runs a close race against Petula Clark as his daughter, and Tommy Steele as Og, the

Leprechaun becoming a mortal man. Petula Clark may not look the part, and

may not be as youthful as Sharon should be, but she is a marvelous actress,

and sings the songs beautifully, and why her opening rendition of "Look to the Rainbow" is not included in the soundtrack is still a mystery to me. Steele may appear overbearing at times, but his performance is extremely well done, and

he sings and dances "When I'm Not Near the Girl I Love (I Love the Girl I'm

Near)" with all the charm and grace of a young Gene Kelly. Veteran character

actor Keenan Wynn is also good as the racist senator turned black by a

mistaken wish, and his "mint julep" skit is just priceless. Barbara Hancock is a spectacular dancer, and her mute innocence makes her a marvelous character,

straight out of Truman Capote. Yip Harburg, the genius behind "Over the

Rainbow" and "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime" gives us a marvelous

depression-era score of negro work-songs and black gospel choirs, mixed

surprisingly well with the Irish ballads and drinking songs of Sharon and Finian. It is plain to see that this is Copolla, of "Godfather" fame's first film, because he is plainly trying to find his style. But he directs the anti-racist story very well, which brings us to another point: the story is a remarkably liberal take on the

segregationist southern politics that still existed in the 60s. So watch this movie, and see a legend doing one of his best and most unusual roles yet! And see it for everything else too, if you can. 7/10.

aw, innocence!

[buggestwug · 10/10 · 7 March 2006]

'Finians Rainbow' with Fred Astaire and Petulia Clark may not be in the same league as 'The Sound of Music' or 'South Pacific' but why should it matter. A movie does not need to be complicated or cost millions to be enjoyed. It has beautiful music, Fred Astaire dancing and a growing Lepricon! What more can you ask for?

I saw 'Finians Rainbow' for the first time (in the '60's) when i was a teenager. I was young and innocent and so was the movie. Now that I'm old, I love to sit back and watch 'Finians Rainbow' and other movies of this ilk ('Calamity Jane', 'Bye,Bye Birdie') and pretend i'm innocent again.

Very current AND very dated at the same time.

[MartinHafer · 6/10 · 9 January 2013]

Finian (Fred Astaire) and his daughter (Petula Clark) arrive in the fictional Southern American state of Missitucky. There, Finian encounters several problems--including a leprechaun who wants his pot of gold back, a racist senator and the need to marry off his daughter. How all these are worked out are something for you to discover if you decide to see the film.

"Finian's Rainbow" was a very successful play back in 1947. However, because it directly addressed racial prejudice, studios passed on making a film out of it. Efforts to have the play 'cleaned up' to please a wider (in other words, more prejudiced) audience were in vain, as the playwright refused (justifiably) to sanitize the film. However, by 1968, its themes of racial harmony and bigotry were much more acceptable and current--and so the film was finally made. In this sense, the film was very timely. HOWEVER, when it came to the music, by 1960s standards it was VERY corny. In particular, the songs sung by the leprechaun were amazingly bad--with some horrible lyrics. But, the bad lyrics weren't confined to his songs but occasionally popped up among other cast members (such as Clark who sang a line that went 'Zsa-Zsa Gabor-ah' and later when Astaire sung about 'dames'). Because of this, a bit of trimming would have greatly improved the film--making it far less dated and silly. Plus, the bad moments really detract from its central message of racial harmony--a laudable theme that occasionally got lost among the silliness. It also meant a few too many songs--a problem that can hurt any musical. Overall, this can truly be called a mixed bag. While it stars Fred Astaire and I LOVE him in films, this just isn't all that great a film. A time-passer--and that's about all--even though it has some nice moments.

By the way, for years Fred Astaire was NEVER shown dancing in films unless ALL of him was shown. He felt it detracted from the dancing if he wasn't shown from head to toe. Well, he did NOT negotiate such a contract with the folks making "Finian's Rainbow", as he DOES dance and you don't see him from head to toe in songs such as "The Idle Rich". Perhaps this was due to his age and his slowing down a bit--which might explain why this was his last musical.

"Something Sort of Grandish"

[sadwhitewolf · 9/10 · 7 January 2008]

This outlandish musical will be sure to make your heart feel so sugar candish.

It's a delightful romp with the talents of Fred Astair, Petuala Clark and tommy Steele (whom, quite frankly, steals the show as the insanely funny Og the leprechaun) Pure Fun!

This movie throws in a very profound moral lesson about judgment and racism presented with a spoonful of silliness that keeps you from feeling preached at.

Musical numbers abound and the catchy lyrics will have you singing under you breath for days to come.

Finian's Rainbow

[jbraptor · 12 June 2005]

First, FINIAN'S RAINBOW does not take place in Tennessee. The movie only mentions Rainbow Valley, but onstage the valley is in Missitucky, home to Fort Knox and the gold depository that was thankfully saved by James Bond in later (for the movie, earlier) years.

The movie's flaws lie not so much in the updating to 1968 as in the eyes of today's viewers. We have sadly grown used to movies that are paced much faster than this one. As a result, those too young to have grown up with older movies will consider FINIAN'S RAINBOW very slow and overlong.

Fundamentally, though, FINIAN'S RAINBOW suffers the same afflictions all stage musicals suffer when transcribed to the big screen: Loss of intimacy. Hollywood always makes stage musicals 'way too big. They think musicals have to take place all over the continent. Oddly, a single stage worked for the play, and still does. (Possibly the rare exception to this is THE MUSIC MAN which was "opened up" only enough, not too much.) All movies are of their times, especially movie musicals. Accept that and enjoy FINIAN'S RAINBOW's wonderful score and excellent performances by the entire cast.

Way over the Rainbow

[wes-connors · 3/10 · 29 March 2015]

From Ireland, grandfatherly dancer Fred Astaire (as Finian McLonergan) and his singing daughter Petula Clark (as Sharon) arrive in the southern American state "Missitucky" (a combination of Mississippi and Kentucky). After helping bushy-haired tobacco farmer Don Francks (as Woody Mahoney) pay his back taxes, Mr. Astaire is rewarded with a lot of land. This is where he plants a pot o' gold acquired from cheery leprechaun Tommy Steele (as Og). Astaire believes that being near the US Fort Knox will make the gold multiply. Problems arise when the magical Mr. Steele arrives to reclaim his gold. If he does not get it back, Steele will turn into a human...

Director Francis Ford Coppola accomplishes something difficult, herein. He manages to suck all the charm out of a Fred Astaire musical. This is a daunting task. Happily, the director would keep working and ultimately deliver "The Godfather" with a rediscovered Marlon Brando. The "Finnian's Rainbow" Astaire is obviously older, but in good physical condition. It's criminal to see his skills wasted. There is a well-meaning racial sub-plot, mainly essayed by Keenan Wynn. Unfortunately, Mr. Wynn is left out on a limb and shouts through his role. Steele also ends up shouting his characterization. This musical should have been whimsical, not obnoxious.

*** Finian's Rainbow (10/9/68) Francis Ford Coppola ~ Fred Astaire, Petula Clark, Tommy Steele, Don Francks

"Something Real, Something Sort Of Grandish"

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 17 December 2008]

It took 20 years for one of post World War II Broadway's biggest hits to finally come to the screen. Finian's Rainbow ran for 725 performances in the 1947-48 season on Broadway and made a star out of David Wayne as Og the Leprechaun. Unfortunately in getting to the screen too late a lot of the satire and meaning of the book was lost on the audience of a different generation.

The book of E.Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy is set firmly in the visionary years of the New Deal with its satire on racism and unregulated capitalism. An immigrant Irishman arrives at Rainbow Valley in the state of Missitucky bearing the pot of gold stolen from a leprechaun. Said leprechaun now played by Tommy Steele is hot on his trail and growing. In fact if he doesn't get it back and soon he's going to become a mortal.

Playing the parts of Finian McLonergan and his daughter Sharon originated on Broadway by Albert Sharpe and Ella Logan are Fred Astaire and Petula Clark. Astaire in his last musical role hasn't lost a single step in his nimble feet though the part does not call for as much dancing as you would expect. In fact the dancing is mostly done by Tommy Steele and Barbara Hancock playing Susan the Silent. That I'm betting is different from the Broadway show where David Wayne, talented actor that he was, was no dancer.

Finian's Rainbow was the first big budget film that young Francis Ford Coppola directed and he seems to have adopted the style Robert Wise used in West Side Story and The Sound Of Music. Especially the latter where the whole screen is filled with the vastness of Rainbow Valley and the players sing and dance in it.

Every paradise does have a Grinch and in this case its Keenan Wynn playing old time southern Senator Billboard Rawkins. Back in the day before nationwide mass media and the southerners cleaned up their act somewhat, some of those guys let loose with some unbridled racism. Chief among them was a guy from Mississippi named Theodore G. Bilbo on whom Wynn's character is based. Audiences in 1968 would not know who Bilbo was so the point of the name is lost on them. But when Billboard Rawkins gets a good taste of how the other half lives, no one could miss that.

Al Freeman's black scientist working on a menthol flavored tobacco could not be mistaken for anyone other than George Washington Carver who died in 1943. But by 1968 with a new generation of civil rights leaders, Freeman's character significance is lost.

In a way though with Barack Obama's election to the presidency this year the vision of Finian's Rainbow might just be more relevant now than ever. And the Burton Lane-E.Y. Harburg songs will never go out of style. Old Devil Moon and How Are Things In Glocca Morra have become mega pop standards.

If you can find it in addition to the original Broadway cast album which was Columbia Record's first in that category and the cast album for the film, I highly recommend the Reprise Musical Theater all star album of the songs of Finian's Rainbow. Frank Sinatra gathered many of his contemporaries like Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr. Clark Dennis, Debbie Reynolds, Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby and the McGuire Sisters all do the songs from the score and it's a gem of a record. Hasn't been in print for years so get to those second hand stores.

In the meantime watch and enjoy this film.

The whole Begat so much less than the sum of its parts.

[bear1955 · 3/10 · 17 March 2015]

Too bad about Fred Astaire, in this. Why not have made him Og and gotten someone else for Finian? My take is this well among poorly conceived late-1960s movie musicals. The screenplay is nearly cheerless and un-redeemable because of the integral socioeconomic and racial issues reprised possibly whole, from the late 1940s stage show.

Broadway and the West End theatergoers were enthusiastic for the premier runs which both started in 1947. People swooned over the songs. Mentholated-tobacco? Black-face. Heavy-handed stereotyping galore. Irish, southern, and Negro. Tommy Steele being a 'thing'! What were the director (FF Coppola) and producers thinking?

Shame about all effort to bring it back as this major movie musical 20-years-plus, later. I've read of several short-run revivals. Read, not heard of. Why ask why.

Except for a few songs, ghastly

[Davalon-Davalon · 2 April 2017]

I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I saw this film. I always loved Fred Astaire and Petula Clark. I also vaguely remember having a favorable impression of Tommy Steele from my childhood.

The first few minutes were quite amazing, cinematography-wise, and we get to hear the first of about 3 (maybe 4) outstanding Broadway songs ("Look to the Rainbow," How Are Things in Glocca Morra" "When I'm Not Near the Girl I Love"). After that, this Titanic sinks quickly.

The plot, if there is one, is a rambling mess about Finian, who stole the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and stupidly thought it would "multiply" if he buried it somewhere near Fort Knox. Ooookay. Then we have the bizarre racist story-line which has no connection with the music.

Next, we are bouncing back and forth between Fred and Petula and Tommy and Don Francks as "Woody" (horrid! -- we kept taking bets for when his toupee was going to come flying off) and Keenan Wynn as "The Senator" and poor lonely "Silent Susan" (Barbara Hancock, a gifted dancer, yes, but otherwise...)

It was impossible to know who to root for or care about and so we just sat and laughed and made jokes about Don and Fred's toupees.

It was amazing to see how incredibly well Fred could still dance; at the same time, he looked like he was exhausted and about ready to drop dead (even though he hung on for nearly 20 more years). So, yes, Fred was entertaining when he was dancing. Otherwise, he and everyone else (especially Tommy Steele, who redefines "over the top" every time he screams "Doom and gloom!") seemed to be lost in the flotsam and jetsam of what, I imagine, had some impact as a Broadway musical in the 1940s. By the time they brought it to the screen (directed, inexplicably, by Francis Ford Coppola), it was way too late for anyone to care. It seems woefully out of date and out of touch.

Again, the three songs mentioned above were superb examples of fine songwriting, but the rest is a slogfest and a jaw-dropper. There are moments of unexpected hysterical laughter (but not for any reasons the filmmaker intended) and the will-he-won't-he-lose-his-wig betting contest you'll be having, but otherwise... run for the hills ... just not the ones that Finian's Rainbow floats over.

worth another look

[wurliguy · 10/10 · 29 November 2006]

I was one of the many that did not like this film when it first came out. There were so many things I didn't like about it that I won't name them all, but those are some of the same things that I have grown to love about this film. First there are no sets to speak of, the whole movie is set outdoors. There are only two scenes inside a building. The color and photography are beautiful. Copolla did a great job keeping this film interesting without the help of sets. The shot of Fred Astaire's face when he opens his bag in the dark woods is absolutely amazing. He has two big production numbers and they are great. I think He was 68 years old when he made this film, and I didn't expect Fred Astaire to dance like he did 30 years earlier. He gets a chance to shine in this film with his usual likable self. Petula Clark has been one of my favorite performers for many years. Her voice is so sweetly beautiful and the songs she gets to sing are some of the best ever written for a musical.She is perfect in her part, I really wish she had made more musicals. She was also in GOODBYE MISTER CHIPS, and I think she shines in that role too. Tommy Steele is quite good, he really looks like Austin Powers without the glasses. Keenan Wynn is in fine form and is always fun to watch. The rest of the cast is wonderful. This film has it's problems, and I imagine lack of money was the top problem. The orchestrations are excellent. The cast and crew did their best to overcome the problems with this film and I think they did a superb job. I am very happy that I finally revisited Finian's Rainbow, It has become one of my favorite musicals. If you like musicals, see this one. I must add, Rainbow Valley is in Kentucky as is Fort Knox, not Tennessee as reported by another reviewer

Strange, but good overall

[funkyfry · 7/10 · 6 September 2009]

Surely there are few enterprises in the history of film musical comedy stranger than this one. Sure, "Finian's Rainbow" is a wonderful musical, with Burton Lane's best music and some of Yip Harburg's cutest and wittiest lyrics. But it's a musical from 1947, and this film was made in the late 60s. Add to the mix the elder statesman if film musicals Fred Astaire and then give him a director in Francis Ford Coppola who is hip and energetic and young enough to maybe be his grandson, and you have a strange brew.

The movie is actually very enjoyable in my opinion. Everyone in all the books on Astaire, musicals, or Coppola that I've read has tried to come up with explanations for its failure, but I think that the film just isn't quite compelling enough and must have seemed very stale to audiences at that time. The quaint devices that Harburg uses to make his progressive ideas easier for the audience to swallow had already become a bit ridiculous by the late 60s. For example, here we have a very intelligent and well-educated black man, played by Al Freeman Jr., and that's not something you see every day in a 60s film, much less in the 40s. But his job is to create a new kind of mentholated cigarette. So you demolish one stereotype but play games with another.

Nevertheless, the racial element of the play presents some of the film's most amusing and interesting episodes, centered around the racist Senator played by Keenan Wynn. Good old Keenan, he's one of my favorite actors and I've just accidentally seen him in 3 movies just this week. The guy worked a LOT. I thought he was very funny here in his scenes with Al Freeman Jr. and Tommy Steele. The role allows him to show off his great range.

On a certain level of course the film is a vehicle for Astaire, and it is indeed a very nice send-off in some ways. But you're still yearning for a really solid dance number from the great man as the credits roll. The one time it really looked like he was cutting loose, Coppola foolishly kept the camera angle in a medium shot so we couldn't even see his feet. As a result, this was the first Astaire movie I ever saw and I went away from it years ago thinking that Tommy Steele was a better dancer than Fred Astaire.

Steele himself might have been sort of annoying, but the role demands a lot of whimsy and I think Steele did a very good job. Petula Clark looks, sounds, and generally performs great in her role; she sounds just like Ella Logan on the OC album when she sings "Glocamora." But she and Don Francks seem quite a bit old to be the ingénue couple, which might have contributed to the film's lack of friction at the box office. But his voice is fantastic, and once you get used to his horrendous hairpiece he's a joy to watch. He and Clark duet very nicely on "Old Devil Moon", although the distinctively late 60s "lounge" style instrumental arrangement is quite bizarre (Burton Lane meets Burt Bacharach?).

I am not a fan of Coppola's direction here. Not only does he fail to get the best of Astaire's dancing, but all the group dance scenes (choreographed by the great Hermes Pan) seem dead in the water for some reason. There's a feeling of forced joyousness to the picnic scenes, like a second-rate version of the picnic in "Pajama Game." In the middle of "Devil Moon" he puts the camera directly overhead of the actors, a good example of showy direction that adds nothing to the feel of the scene. There's even a few scenes where it seems like it wasn't blocked correctly; it's stuff that his mentor Roger Corman wouldn't even do. Perhaps Coppola was intimidated by the whole studio apparatus on his first real big job (not making a movie for Corman or with the AIP studio head's mistress, that is). When the Francks character is arriving, he treats us to a stunning zoom shot through a train and out of the caboose. But why? The shot makes it seem as if something very dramatic is about to happen, but nothing really materializes to justify it. Unfortunately Coppola himself never really outgrew his tendency towards pointless stylistic flourishes, and it's painfully discordant with such a quaint show as this one.

But all in all in my opinion the film is a winner. It's very funny, the songs are great, and there's just enough moments of genuine joy to justify the running length.

One of the most superb musicals of all time!

[Dabig_W · 9/10 · 9 August 1999]

As in most musicals with inane stories, this one is no exception. However, if you can get past the plot, sit back and thoroughly enjoy what I pick as the most wonderful singing and dancing put on film! This movie, adapted from a Broadway play of the same name, contains several of my most favorite tunes performed by a wonderful cast. Many times each year, I put on my tape, and escape.

What a great movie!

[kmellina · 10/10 · 7 August 2006]

I just think this is a fabulous movie.

Someone else (maybe on another site) said that Tommy Steele's performance was awkward, bad, or something like that. I think his performance was superb, just short of genius, and I think he really made this film work.

Tommy deserves a lot of credit for this film.

Fred Astair is just wonderful, as always. I love the dance routines he did, which is what he is really all about.

And who cannot love Petula Clark. A beautiful voice and so many memorable songs from this movie and her entire career.

I compare it to 'Oklahoma', though it certainly does not meet the excellence of that movie.

Still, this is a great movie.

Once again, Yip Harburg puts in a rainbow!

[wayno-6 · 10/10 · 10 August 1999]

First Yip Harburg but a rainbow, in "The Wizard of Oz" -- now teamed up with Burton Lane, he put another rainbow in "Finian's Rainbow."

This dynamic team came up with the best musical of 1947. There is NOT one bad song, in this entire movie -- the lyrical skill of Harburg, combined with the talents of Burton Lane, has produced one of America's best loved musicals.

Tommy Steele is brilliant as Og. While the idea of making "menthalated Tobacco" is a bit bizarre, this movie/play has spun some great songs: "Ole Devil Moon", "How are things in Glacamora" --- delightful...