NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (March 2020): Criterion have transferred James Whale's 1936 Show Boat to Blu-ray. It is from a "New, restored 4K digital transfer". As compared to Warner Archive's bare-bones DVD from 2014, the 1080P shows more information, notably on the side and top edges. Unlike the DVD this starts with the Universal logo (small plane circling the globe). The HD presentation is a significant improvement with better attributes in all video transfer areas including detail, contrast and grain texture support. It looks impressive and consistent for its almost 85-year age.

On their Blu-ray, Criterion use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. It is a strong advancement in the audio with, of course, the film being filled with the music of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II notably including Ol' Man River sung in voiceover by Paul Robeson and the first reprise hummed by workers on the levee - as well as Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man, Why Do I Love You?, Gallivantin' Around and much more, sounding reasonably consistent with some appreciated depth. Criterion offer optional English subtitles for dialogue and song lyrics (see samples below) on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Criterion Blu-ray has an audio commentary from 1989 featuring American-musical historian Miles Kreuger who tells us that many of the Broadway production participants were involved in this, the 2nd of 3, film adaptations of Show Boat. He discusses James Whale's career and many of the cast and crew. There are gaps and he, occasionally, narrates but this commentary is generally very informative and pleasing to listen to. There is a new 20-minute interview with James Whale biographer James Curtis (James Whale: A New World Of Gods And Monsters). It is, predictably, very informative and titled Remembering James Whale - recorded by Criterion in 2020. Recognizing Race in “Show Boat,” is a new 27-minute interview program featuring professor and author Shana L. Redmond (Everything Man: The Form and Function of Paul Robeson.) She discusses the enduring significance of the 1927 musical Show Boat and how, by extension, the 1936 film version delivers a complicated picture of racial identity, popular entertainment, and iconic performances. Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist runs 1/2 hour and is from 1979. It is an Academy Award–winning short documentary directed by Saul J. Turell and narrated by Sidney Poitier, it celebrates the life of Paul Robeson, tracing his career through his activism and his politically charged performances of his signature song, "01' Man River." Criterion include four performances from the sound prologue of the 1929 film version of Show Boat, including songs from original Broadway cast members Helen Morgan, Jules Bledsoe, and Tess Gardella (16-minutes), plus twenty minutes of silent excerpts from the film, with audio commentary by Kreuger. When Show Boat was first adapted for the screen in 1929 by Universal Pictures and directed by Harry A. Pollard, it was originally a silent film. With the advent of talkies, the film was released to theaters wired for sound with a newly shot sound prologue featuring five musical numbers, plus additional sound recordings interspersed throughout the film. Presented here are the four existing performances from the prologue, featuring Tess Gardella as Queenie singing "C'mon Folks" and "Hey, Feller!", Helen Morgan as Julie singing "Bill," and Jules Bledsoe as Joe singing "01' Man River," as well as twenty minutes of silent excerpts from the movie, with commentary by American-musical-theater historian Miles Kreuger. There are also two radio adaptations of Show Boat (The Campbell Playhouse and The Radio Hall of Fame). The first, produced and narrated by Orson Welles, aired on The Campbell Playhouse on March 31,1939. It stars the original stage and 1936 film performer Helen Morgan as Julie, and Show Boat author Edna Ferber in the role of Parthenia Hawks. The second was recorded for The Radio Hall of Fame and aired on December 31,1944. That cast features the 1936 film performer Allan Jones as Gaylord Ravenal and original stage and '36 film performer Charles Winninger as Cap'n Andy Hawks and narrator. The package contains a liner notes booklet with an essay by critic Gary Giddins (author of Faces In The Crowd: Musicians, Writers, Actors, And Filmmakers).

Show Boat shows James Whale's flexibility in virtuoso filmmaking equal parts effective film and musical. It's still considered the very best version of Show Boat and this Blu-ray will bring it to many generations who would never otherwise had seen it. This stacked Criterion package gets our absolute highest recommendation! One of the best packages I've seen this year. 

Gary Tooze

ON THE DVD (2014): Since around 2006, a Blu-ray collection of 3 Show Boat film versions (1929, 1936 and 1951) to commemorate Broadway show's 80th anniversary has been rumored around the internet, but 2007 came and gone and no collection was released. Even more disappointing, 1929 and 1936 films were still missing on digital media despite extensive restorations of the films. Finally, in 2014 Warner Archive released 1936 version on dual-layered DVD. It's worth noting that the initial pressing was replicated and made our list of best DVD releases of the year 2014.

Often eclipsed by Technicolor MGM remake of 1951, 1936 Universal production is more faithful to the source musical and overall is a better film. This is James Whale's only musical, but the innovative direction and staging of musical numbers makes us wish he made another attempt in this genre. Irene Dunne is charming and believable as a ingenue in the beginning of the film and as a seasoned star of stage in the end. Helen Morgan is heartbreaking in her last film role - one wishes for a revisionist musical of her character's story. Hattie McDaniel and Paul Robeson portray typical for the times African-American stereotypes and the film features cringe-worthy blackface musical number by Irene Dunne, but Paul Robeson's Ol' Man River rendition is definitive.

  - Gregory Meshman