Watch Finian's Rainbow online, or on DVD (1968)

Finian's Rainbow

1968

Overall rating: 3 out of 5

from 782 members

Available on LOVEFiLM Instant for 12 more days

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, All Movie Guide

Finian's Rainbow details

Formats:	U DVD, LOVEFiLM Instant
Starring:	Barbara Hancock, Tommy Steele, Keenan Wynn, Petula Clark, Fred Astaire, Don Francks
Director:	Francis Ford Coppola
Genres:	Family - Drama, Music/Musical - Musical, Romance - General, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Studio:	WARNER HOME VIDEO
Collections:	3-6 Years Old, Dance Collection, Family Films, Far Far Away, The Dance Floor, The Deep South

Title	Runtime	Certificate
Finian's Rainbow	2hrs 19 mins	U

LOVEFiLM Instant Information

Run time:	2 hours 19 minutes
Rental release:	Currently unavailable

Name	Discs
Finian's Rainbow	U Feature

DVD Information

Run time:	2 hours 19 minutes
Rental release:	Currently unavailable
Main languages:	English

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Most helpful review Finian's Rainbow

Sunday Afternoon Family Film

By Sarah B from Rotherham, England , 22 Oct 2005

[Highly rated reviewer]

Wonderful viewing on a wet and cold Sunday afternoon. One of my old favourites.
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classic brilliance

By cheesekake (1311 reviews) from uk , 27 Mar 2012

brilliant film for all the family, its one of them films that you can't just help love for its sheer cuteness.

defo worth watching
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Musical Madness............ Awesome :)

By Shellbelle81 (1 review) , 10 May 2011

Amazing!!!!! I was so excited when I saw it was on here. This was one of my favorite films when I was a child, I can not wait to share this with my 7 year old daughter :)
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petrified parsley!

By a customer from yorkshire , 19 Feb 2010

Petula Clark's performance here is much underrated. Tommy steele is a bit annoying but this is forgivable. it is a film of its time. There are some great cinematic shots and some great musical moments.

Well worth a watch!
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Finian's Rainbow

By Miriam from Ealing, London , 16 Nov 2009

I got this film out because Fred Astaire was in it, but was disappointed

I think it's billing as a musical is wrong, when it's really a fantasy film based on Irish Mythology.

Also,Tommy Steele's characterisation of the Leprechaun, made the film feel like a pantomime.
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follow the fellow, who follows the dream

By Babsy (49 reviews) from Reading , 27 Sep 2008

A memory of childhood long gone; Finnigans rainbow was a Saturday afternoon film on 1 of 3 channels available in those days!

My nostalgia actually serves me better than the real thing; Tommy Steele plays a delightful little leprechaun who has grown too big and is becoming mortal because he has had his crock of gold stolen by no other than an ageing Fred Astaire.

It has a lovely journey of falling in love with the square jawed Petula Clarke, but the intriguing sub plot is the racial unrest of the deep south, told in such a whimsical way that I actually found it quite irritating (..and I really wanted to love this film as I did when I was a wee bairn!).

I think in fairness to this little film (I think it's by Copolla!), it is a product of a dated era and we, as discerning viewers do not want to be patronised anymore. So, watch this with half a brain switched off, enjoy Tommy with his pre-Tom Cruise toothy smile and enjoy watching the very elderly Astaire twinkle toe his last dance on film.
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