Review of Finian's Rainbow (1968) by Dave S — 22 Jan 2010

Since I relish in writing one-line descriptions that make movies sound as absurd as possible, let's get that out of the way first: this is the Francis Ford Coppola musical with Petula Clark where a mute girl communicates through dance, a racist senator gets his skin color changed because someone accidentally wishes on a leprechaun's pot of gold, and there are subplots about botany and credit. I was looking for a big Hollywood musical more bizarre than "Carousel" and I certainly found it, but this isn't half bad either.

Sure, there are a few too many reprises, but there are enough worthy songs to almost make up for it. And Petula Clark is a little subdued but her lack of energy helps make up for Tommy Steele, who could probably only be believably cast as a leprechaun and still manages to overplay it. But despite the fact that there's low character development and someone dumped a big bucket of goofy over the proceedings, it's often just plain fun, and even something like some mobile camerawork and the occasional interesting framing helps make this seem less stagy than some old musicals, even when it's clear they're on emerald astroturf.

Also, a must-see feature on the DVD: a vintage news report from the movie premiere in New York, in which Petula Clark says she feels "very close to 'Finian's Rainbow, in more ways than I can explain" and a daffy hostess asks Tommy Steele, "You did some research on leprechauns, did you not?".