| The book and the 1951 remake (re: how would you change the ending?) | |
| Last Edit: Marlo*Manners 11:19 am EDT 09/17/24 | |
| Posted by: Marlo*Manners 11:09 am EDT 09/17/24 | |
| In reply to: how would you change the ending? - sc2 10:42 am EDT 09/17/24 | |
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| In Edna Ferber's original book, Gaylord Ravenal leaves and never comes back. Magnolia takes over the show boat from Capn' Andy and Parthy who die. So that strong woman narrative is part of the original material by Ferber. In the 1935 movie, in the final scene Ravenal ends up being the doorman at a theater where his daughter Kim is headlining in a show. Ravenal and Magnolia are reunited in the theater box watching their daughter performing onstage on her triumphant opening night. There is a sense that they are united as proud parents but not as a couple necessarily. Miles Kreuger and many others have issues with the very slick technicolor 1951 technicolor remake. However, in one place it is a huge improvement and that is the finale. The scene where Ravenal meets Julie as a broken down alcoholic saloon singer/prostitute in a gambling saloon and she tells him to return to Magnolia and his child is shattering and Ava Gardner is heartbreakingly good in that scene. Ravenal then finds the show boat and he and Magnolia and young Kim are reunited. For one thing, the scene takes place only maybe a few years at most after he abandons her and Kim. That makes sense because if he comes back as an old man after 20 something years gone, fuck him. He left both his wife and daughter to fend for themselves for 20 or more years. Coming back a year or two later while Kim is a small child still makes sense. It's a very good happy ending if that is the way you need to go. Marlo Manners (Lady Barrington) |
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