tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post1844419033596995918..comments2024-03-23T21:46:50.843-04:00Comments on the passionate moviegoer: cinema obscura: Otto Preminger's "Porgy and Bess" (1959)joe baltakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11467420961490314339noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-15066675675825316212007-10-05T10:35:00.000-04:002007-10-05T10:35:00.000-04:00There's a lot of controversy around this movie... ...There's a lot of controversy around this movie... There were many complaints by Afroamericans about the racial stereotypes.<BR/><BR/>Apparently, Cab Calloway wanted to cast for Sportin' Life (Gershwin crafted the character after him). Sam Goldwyn and Judy Garland first agreed to get Cab in the role of Sportin' Life: that was logical because Calloway ran the Broadway re-run in 1952 and the European and US tours in 1953.<BR/>But Sammy Davis Jr. wanted that cast so much. Goldwyn once said that he didn't want that "little monkey" (dixit), but Sammy Davis said to Goldwyn that he was ready to play for free. That willingness thrilled Goldwin's mind and he accepted. Sammy Davis Jr. was so happy to get the role that he offered a watch to each member of the crew on the first day of shooting.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, the filming stopped because of a fire that destroyed the set (July 1958). During this "intermission", Robert Mamoulian was fired, replaced by Preminger.<BR/>From this moment on, the mood on the set was awful. Preminger sticked to his reputation, yelling at everyone, in particular at Sidney Poitier (Poitier certainly didn't care too much, because he fell in love with Diahann Carroll - Clara in the movie - on the set).<BR/><BR/>Another funny point about the dubbing is that Sammy Davis played and sung the role in the movie. But, due to exclusivity issues in his contract, he wasn't allowed to sing on the Soundtrack album. And guess who sings on it?? Cab Calloway, of course!<BR/><BR/>You'll find a complete note about this and more about Cab Calloway on my (French) website: www.thehidehoblog.comThe Hi de Ho Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06463112783632569232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18439960.post-49146591821020037452007-09-13T20:50:00.000-04:002007-09-13T20:50:00.000-04:00Robert McFerrin was, not surprisingly, the father ...Robert McFerrin was, not surprisingly, the father of "Don't Worry, Be Happy" singer Bobby McFerrin. Doing the voice for Porgy was his only film credit.<BR/><BR/>I've never seen the film, but share your enthusiasm for Preminger, particularly Anatomy of a Murder, Daisy Kenyon, Laura, and Fallen Angel. I believe a new bio of him is on the way or just came out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com