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Finian's Rainbow ()


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An Irish immigrant and his daughter move into a town in the American South with a magical piece of gold that will change people's lives, including a struggling farmer and African American citizens threatened by a bigoted politician.

Awards:
  • Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 7 nominations.
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Cast verified as complete

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Finian McLonergan
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Sharon McLonergan
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Og
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Woody Mahoney
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Senator Billboard Rawkins
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Susan the Silent
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Howard
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Buzz Collins
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Sheriff
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District Attorney
Louil Silas ...
Henry
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
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Sharecropper 'Necessity' (uncredited)
Charles Carter ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Sterling Clark ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Robert Cleaves ...
Geologist (uncredited)
Robert Cole ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Willie Covan ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Evelyn Dutton ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Martin Eric ...
Deputy (uncredited)
Joe Evans ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Talya Ferro ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Jimmy Fields ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
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Sharecropper (uncredited)
Lili Francks ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Nicci-Ann Frank ...
Sharecropper Child (uncredited)
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Passion Pilgrim Gospeleer (uncredited)
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Passion Pilgrim Gospeleer (uncredited)
Louis Hart ...
Man in White Suit (uncredited)
Marya Henriques ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Robert S. Holman ...
Lucas (uncredited)
Joyce Horne ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
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Geologist #1 (uncredited)
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Sharecropper (uncredited)
Bobby Johnson ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Carlton Johnson ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
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Sharecropper (uncredited)
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Passion Pilgrim Gospeleer (uncredited)
Maurishka ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Bert May ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Gary Menteer ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Frances E. Nealy ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Roy Palmer ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Frank Radcliffe ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Leonard Rogel ...
Man in White Suit (uncredited)
Robert Strong ...
Deputy (uncredited)
Roberta Tennes ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Claude Thompson ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Peter Virgo ...
Deputy (uncredited)
Rebecca Vorno ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Clessia Wade ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)
Jonathan Wynne ...
Sharecropper (uncredited)

Directed by

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Francis Ford Coppola

Written by

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E.Y. Harburg ... (from the Broadway play: book by) and
Fred Saidy ... (from the Broadway play: book by)
 
E.Y. Harburg ... (screenplay by) &
Fred Saidy ... (screenplay by)

Produced by

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Joel Freeman ... associate producer
Joseph Landon ... producer (produced by)

Music by

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Ray Heindorf ... (uncredited)

Cinematography by

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

Editing by

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Melvin Shapiro ... film editor

Editorial Department

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Fred Talmage ... assistant film editor

Production Design by

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Hilyard M. Brown

Set Decoration by

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Phil Abramson ... (as Philip Abramson)
William L. Kuehl

Costume Design by

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Dorothy Jeakins ... (costumes designed by)

Makeup Department

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

Production Management

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Joel Freeman ... production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Fred Gammon ... assistant director
Howard G. Kazanjian ... assistant director (as Howard Kazanjian)

Art Department

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Frank L. Brown ... carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department

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M.A. Merrick ... sound
Dan Wallin ... sound
Bob Barrett ... sound editor (uncredited)
Al Cavigga ... sound editor (uncredited)
Harold Fisher ... dialogue editor (uncredited)
Jack Horger ... sound editor (uncredited)

Stunts

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Jerry Brutsche ... utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department

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Carroll Ballard ... second unit photography (uncredited)
William N. Clark ... first assistant camera (uncredited)
Robert Jason ... electrician (uncredited)

Music Department

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Ken Darby ... associate music supervisor
E.Y. Harburg ... lyrics by: from the Broadway play
Richard C. Harris ... music editor
Ray Heindorf ... conductor / music supervisor
Burton Lane ... music by: from the Broadway play
Robert Bain ... musician: guitar (uncredited)
Jack Dumont ... musician (uncredited)
Albert Sendrey ... orchestrator (uncredited)
Robert B. Shepard ... playback singer (uncredited)
Louise Di Tullio ... musician: flute (uncredited)
Dan Wallin ... music scoring mixer (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Betty Levin ... continuity

Additional Crew

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Ronald Colby ... dialogue supervisor
Phill Norman ... main title
Hermes Pan ... choreographer
George Lucas ... production assistant (uncredited)
Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

Of Glocca Morra, Ireland, Finian McLongeran, who has his own unique belief system of Irish legends, uproots himself and his adult daughter, Sharon McLonergan, and heads for the mythical land of Rainbow Valley, Missitucky, USA where he believes he will become rich. One of those beliefs is that burying a crock of gold in Rainbow Valley will make it multiply, due to the power of rainbows and the Valley's close proximity to Fort Knox. Finian considers that he "borrowed" the crock of gold he has from the leprechauns of Glocca Morra, which he plans to return once he makes his fortune. Little does he know that in taking the gold, the leprechauns can no longer make wishes come true and are slowly turning mortal. One of those leprechauns, Og, has come to retrieve the crock of gold to save himself and his fellow leprechauns. Finian and Sharon's arrival in Rainbow Valley coincides with the return of the Valley's prodigal son, Woody Mahoney, who has come to repay back taxes before his land is auctioned off. Woody's sister, Susan Mahoney, is referred to by most Susan the Silent, as she has never spoken and communicates primarily through dance. In helping the Mahoneys repay those taxes, Finian only asks for a small parcel of that land for him and Sharon, and mostly for a place to bury the crock of gold. With the rest of the land, Woody and his friend, Howard, a research botanist, plan to revolutionize the tobacco industry by growing the first ever mentholated tobacco plants, which is a little more difficult to accomplish than they initially believe. Much like Finian, Woody plans on getting rich the easy way, in Woody's case off the hard work of Howard. Regardless of Sharon's dislike of what Woody is doing by being what she considers a schemer, the two fall in love. Finian's assistance of Woody in keeping the land irks bigoted Senator Billboard Rawkins, who has been trying to buy up as much land in the Valley as possible. Complications ensue for all involved because of the crock of gold, even though most have not seen it or even know it exists for real. Written by Huggo

Plot Keywords
Taglines Let yourself glow See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • La Vallée du bonheur (France)
  • La vall de l'arc iris (Spain, Catalan title)
  • El valle del arco iris (Spain)
  • Finianova duga (Croatia)
  • Divotvorný hrnec (Czechoslovakia, Czech title)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 141 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $3,500,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia Many, including Fred Astaire, blamed director Francis Ford Coppola for cutting off Astaire's feet during filming of his dancing scenes, but it was Warner Bros. who decided, after the filming had been completed in 35mm, to convert the film to the wider 70mm and promote it as a "reserved-ticket roadshow attraction." This was achieved by cropping off the tops and bottoms of the film frame, including some shots of Astaire's footwork. See more »
Goofs In the song "Old Devil Moon" as Woody and Sharon dance through the stream, Woody has bare feet and his hands are in Sharon's. In the next shot, he has his shoes on, and it even looks as if his trousers are dry. See more »
Movie Connections Edited into The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002). See more »
Soundtracks Look To The Rainbow / How Are Things In Glocca Morra? See more »
Crazy Credits introducing Barbara Hancock as "Susan the Silent" See more »
Quotes Og: What fools these mortals be!
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