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From the Back Cover
Languages: English, French and Italian
Subtitles: English and Italian for the Hearing Impaired; English, French, Italian, Italian (Forced) Narr, Dutch, Arabic.
Subtitles: English and Italian for the Hearing Impaired; English, French, Italian, Italian (Forced) Narr, Dutch, Arabic.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This was the wonderful Fred Astaire's big screen musical swansong - and what a charming, pitch perfect musical it is.
There's not much opportunity for Fred to dance (at least not PROPERLY!) but he does give a great performance alongside the rest of a very good cast. The only downside is the Irish accent he attempts - which I rate only slightly better than Dick Van Dyke's cockney turn in 'Mary Poppins'!
That minor quibble aside, this is a superb feelgood, whimsical, family movie that features two absolutely outstanding musical numbers - 'Look to the Rainbow' and the sublime 'Old Devil Moon' - a song that literally sends shivers down the spine. There are other good ones including 'How are things in Glocca Morra' and 'If This isn't Love'. When two excellent songwriters such as E.Y. 'Yip' Harburg (lyrics) and Burton Lane (music) team-up, the end product is usually of deep-pile quality - as is the case here. As an aside, 'Yip' also wrote the lyrics for 'The Wizard of Oz' (featuring 'Over the Rainbow') which suggests he has a thing about this particular meteorological phenomenon!
Petula Clark has a lovely voice and a charismatic screen presence, and it's perfect within the context of this movie. Throw in a decent performance by Tommy Steele and you have two British singers appearing together in a major Hollywood musical. I bet that hasn't happened many times!
The vibrant, colourful print is lovely to look at, but biggest shock of all is that the movie was directed by the fledgling Francis Ford Coppola! It's like discovering that David Fincher actually had a big hand in 'The Sound of Music'!! The extras section of the DVD features a nice piece where FFC describes how he came to direct the movie and his credentials for doing so.
'Finian's Rainbow' was a massive Broadway hit on the stage when it opened in 1947 (running for 725 performances), and the only surprise is it took so long (1968) for a motion picture to be made. Please buy, watch and treasure this lovely musical.
There's not much opportunity for Fred to dance (at least not PROPERLY!) but he does give a great performance alongside the rest of a very good cast. The only downside is the Irish accent he attempts - which I rate only slightly better than Dick Van Dyke's cockney turn in 'Mary Poppins'!
That minor quibble aside, this is a superb feelgood, whimsical, family movie that features two absolutely outstanding musical numbers - 'Look to the Rainbow' and the sublime 'Old Devil Moon' - a song that literally sends shivers down the spine. There are other good ones including 'How are things in Glocca Morra' and 'If This isn't Love'. When two excellent songwriters such as E.Y. 'Yip' Harburg (lyrics) and Burton Lane (music) team-up, the end product is usually of deep-pile quality - as is the case here. As an aside, 'Yip' also wrote the lyrics for 'The Wizard of Oz' (featuring 'Over the Rainbow') which suggests he has a thing about this particular meteorological phenomenon!
Petula Clark has a lovely voice and a charismatic screen presence, and it's perfect within the context of this movie. Throw in a decent performance by Tommy Steele and you have two British singers appearing together in a major Hollywood musical. I bet that hasn't happened many times!
The vibrant, colourful print is lovely to look at, but biggest shock of all is that the movie was directed by the fledgling Francis Ford Coppola! It's like discovering that David Fincher actually had a big hand in 'The Sound of Music'!! The extras section of the DVD features a nice piece where FFC describes how he came to direct the movie and his credentials for doing so.
'Finian's Rainbow' was a massive Broadway hit on the stage when it opened in 1947 (running for 725 performances), and the only surprise is it took so long (1968) for a motion picture to be made. Please buy, watch and treasure this lovely musical.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've been "singing" bits of the songs from this movie since I saw it when I was a child. I was over the moon when I found the DVD and have now been able to share the pleasures with my family. A good family movie
33 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Underrated film. The transfer to DVD is fantastic, colours really bright (perhaps too bright, I had to tone down the saturation on my screen somewhat). Audio is perfect, imho.
An unexpected pleasure was Francis Ford Coppola's commentary track. He really packs it in... hardly a second goes by without any comments... extended anecdotes about his reasons for making this film - trying to impress his dad, Carmine, his first experience helming a hollywood feature, casting, candid regrets on how certain things were done, how he'd do them today... Coppola's a wonderful, humble storyteller - the commentary track is a real treat.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A little pot of gold
To have Fred Astaire, Tommy Steele and Petual Clark on screen is magical. Some absolutley lovely tunes, great comedy, and a real master class from Fred, singing and dancing. Read more
Published 6 months ago by G. Wilson
Follow the rainbow
Roguish Irishman Finian McLonergan (Fred Astaire) arrives in Rainbow Valley near Fort Knox with his daughter Sharon (Petula Clark) to test out his theory of economics - that if he... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Trevor Willsmer
Finians Rainbow- the pot of gold shines forever
A family musical which will never age with the talents of Fred Astaire, Petula Clark and Tommy Steele. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Mr. Rh Frost
Songs to remember
Remember Fred Astaire? Pet Clarke, This story is a wonderful musical with songs that will echo in your mind forever. At the end, a tear may flow across your cheek. Read more
Published on 11 Aug 2009 by Mr. M. Boase
Finian's Rainbow
I Actually got the Finian's Rainbow dvd for my father he taught is was a very good dvd.
Published on 21 Jun 2009 by R. Quill
Wonderful
I've loved this film since I first watched it many moons ago. The songs are great. A lovely family film.
Published on 20 Jan 2008 by P. Cafrine
A slice of nostalgia
My Mum forced me to watch this movie when I was younger and I loved it. I learned all the words and even the stupid "Doom and Gloom" cry from the leprechaun. Read more
Published on 26 May 2004 by Mrs. A. Fotheringham
What happens when a man finds the legendary pot of gold...
This a great feel-good musical, beginning with the dreams of an irish immigrant (Fred Astaire) to find wealth and a new life with his daughter (Petula Clarke) in America. Read more
Published on 22 Jan 2001
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