Joseph Starkey

Shows based in Hawaii get a lot of their strength from the beautiful settings in the islands where the action takes place. To downplay the scenery and ambience which is so important in 2 generations of Magnum and Hawaii Five-0 shows is a incredible mistake and is clearly reflected in the weekly ratings.

This movie is an historical treasure. It is the first musical version and the cast is loaded with legendary performers of the era. Paul Robeson was an All American football player, sang the definitive version of “Old Man River” that is still the gold standard to this day and was equally at home on stage in opera or on Broadway. Irene Dunne rates with the great actresses of the 30s and 40s. Her singing doesn’t match Kathryn Grayson but is still quite good. Allan Jones as Gaylord Ravenal Is an excellent leading man with wonderful voice although Howard Keel became the best in that role in the later version made in color with his combination of acting and singing abilities. The supporting cast features some of the great talents of the era. Hattie McDaniel as Queenie would later win an Oscar for her performance in Gone With the Wind. Helen Morgan’s performance as Julie will break your heart and her voice clearly stands up with the other singers in this wonderful film. Sadly, this brilliant film also reflects the stereotypes of racial issues in the era but also serves as an historical reminder of how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go.