Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

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

Strange musical--the second film by Francis Ford Coppola. Finian (Fred Astaire), an Irish man, comes to Rainbow Valley with a pot of gold and his strong-willed daughter Sharon (Petula Clark). He plans to bury it hoping it will grow more gold (don't ask). In Rainbow Valley black and white people live together peacefully. Sharon meets hunky Woody (Don Francks) and falls in love. And then there's the racist mayor (Keenan Wynn) who wants to throw everybody out of the valley. The plot is really silly but that's the bare bones.This was a play in 1947 and considered pretty strong stuff because it dealt with racist politics. Twenty years later though it came across as pretty silly. Plot aside though this is fun. The songs are great, everybody can sing and the dances are colorful and full of energy. Clark and Francks especially have great voices. And it's lots of fun to see Astaire still able to dance when he was in his late 60s! On the bad side Tommy Steele (as a leprechaun) overacts, it's too long and Coppola really doesn't know how to direct a musical. Still it was fun.

Until TCM ran it, I never saw it complete. My old local TV station used to cut it to pieces for "time", I thought. Now I know they were uncomfortable with the subject matter. This movie is not "PC." It makes fun of racism in much the same way of Mel Brooks' films: with outrageous comedy. Keenan Wynn is marvelous as the white senator who gets "wished" black. The mint tobacco crop won't burn, but it puts out fires! Both Tommy Steele and Petula Clark (who is surprisingly good) are perfect. Fred Astaire, in his last musical, can still dance at age 69. To his credit, Francis Ford-Coppola does not over-direct. Harburg's lyrics are great (oh, yes, you remember that other film of his "The Wizard of Oz"?) although slightly dated; as this Broadway musical is from 1947. Several memorable songs, including: "That Ole Devil Moon","Look to the Rainbow", "When I'm Not Near the Girl I Love, I Love the Girl I'm With". This film is a fantasy and a fable. It even includes a miracle: a "mute" finds her voice. (Barbara Hancock as "Silent Susan" is a beautiful dancer.) A fairy tale, this film will be way too sweet for some, but it is a better musical than anything produced today. Best seen on a big screen because of its lush outdoor settings and cinematography. Some reviewers think this film is "deeply flawed" because of it's racial humor. It's because of people with "attitude" like that that no one can buy a (legal) copy of "Song of the South".

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.