Finian's Rainbow (1968)

Director:

Francis Ford Coppola

Writers:

E.Y. Harburg (book) and
Fred Saidy (book) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 October 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Fantasy | Musical

Tagline:

Let yourself glow

Plot:

A mysterious Irishman, Finian, and his beautiful daughter Sharon, arrive one day in Rainbow Valley,...

Plot Keywords:

Irish American | White Man As Black Man | Wish Fulfillment | Racism | Wish

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Fred Astaire	...	Finian McLonergan
Petula Clark	...	Sharon McLonergan
Tommy Steele	...	'Og' the Leprechaun
Don Francks	...	Woody Mahoney
Keenan Wynn	...	Senator Billboard Rawkins
Barbara Hancock	...	Susan the Silent
Al Freeman Jr.	...	Howard
Ronald Colby	...	Buzz Collins
Dolph Sweet	...	Sheriff
Wright King	...	District Attorney
Louil Silas	...	Henry
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Brenda Arnau	...	Sharecropper (uncredited)
Roy Glenn	...	Passion Pilgrim Gospeleer (uncredited)
Jester Hairston	...	Passion Pilgrim Gospeleer (uncredited)
Robert S. Holman	...	Lucas (Ensemble - Chorus - Uncredited (uncredited)
Vince Howard	...	Geologist #1 (uncredited)
Avon Long	...	Passion Pilgrim Gospeleer (uncredited)

Directed by
Francis Ford Coppola

Writing credits
E.Y. Harburg		(book) and
Fred Saidy		(book)
E.Y. Harburg		(screenplay) &
Fred Saidy		(screenplay)

Produced by
Joel Freeman	....	associate producer
Joseph Landon	....	producer

Cinematography by
Philip H. Lathrop		(director of photography) (as Philip Lathrop)

Film Editing by
Melvin Shapiro

Production Design by
Hilyard M. Brown

Set Decoration by
Phil Abramson		(as Philip Abramson)
William L. Kuehl

Costume Design by
Dorothy Jeakins

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup supervisor
Jean Burt Reilly	....	supervising hair stylist

Production Management
Joel Freeman	....	production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred Gammon	....	assistant director
Howard G. Kazanjian	....	assistant director (as Howard Kazanjian)

Sound Department
M.A. Merrick	....	sound
Dan Wallin	....	sound

Stunts
Jerry Brutsche	....	utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
William N. Clark	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Fred Talmage	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Ken Darby	....	associate music supervisor
Richard C. Harris	....	music editor
Ray Heindorf	....	conductor
Ray Heindorf	....	music supervisor
Bob Bain	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)

Other crew
Ronald Colby	....	dialogue supervisor
Betty Levin	....	continuity
Phill Norman	....	title designer: main titles
Hermes Pan	....	choreographer
George Lucas	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Brothers/Seven Arts (presents) (as Warner Bros.-Seven Arts)

Distributors

• Warner Brothers/Seven Arts (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1977) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Pioneer Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (video)

Other Companies

• Westheimer Company  main title
• Rhino Records  soundtrack (uncredited)
• Warner Bros. Records  soundtrack (uncredited)

Runtime:

141 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Australia:G | UK:U | Canada:PG (video rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:G | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Warner Brothers/Seven Arts

Trivia:

Petula Clark, who had many hit records in French and English, does her own singing in the French-dubbed version of this film. The French audio track is included on the DVD.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sharon has finished washing her father's shirt, the front of her dress is wet, but when she meets Og the Leprechaun in the well, her dress is dry.

Quotes:

Sharon McLonergan: Do you mean to say you're taking this land from these people merely because their skins are black?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Monty Python's Flying Circus: It's a Living (#2.6)" (1970)

Soundtrack:

That Great Come-And-Get-It Day

aw, innocence!

'Finians Rainbow' with Fred Astaire and Petulia Clark may not be in the same league as 'The Sound of Music' or 'South Pacific' but why should it matter. A movie does not need to be complicated or cost millions to be enjoyed. It has beautiful music, Fred Astaire dancing and a growing Lepricon! What more can you ask for?

I saw 'Finians Rainbow' for the first time (in the '60's) when i was a teenager. I was young and innocent and so was the movie. Now that I'm old, I love to sit back and watch 'Finians Rainbow' and other movies of this ilk ('Calamity Jane', 'Bye,Bye Birdie') and pretend i'm innocent again.