Porgy and Bess

73
Porgy and Bess is a 1959 American musical film directed by Otto Preminger. It is based on the 1935 opera of the same name by George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward, and Ira Gershwin, which is in turn based on Heyward's 1925 novel Porgy, as well as Heyward's...read more

Porgy and Bess is a 1959 American musical film directed by Otto Preminger. It is based on the 1935 opera of the same name by George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward, and Ira Gershwin, which is in turn based on Heyward's 1925 novel Porgy, as well as Heyward's subsequent 1927 non-musical stage adaptation, co-written with his wife Dorothy. The screenplay for the film, which turned the operatic recitatives into spoken dialogue, was very closely based on the opera and was written by N. Richard Nash. The project was the last for Samuel Goldwyn. Due to its controversial subject matter, the film was shown only briefly following its initial reserved seat engagements in major cities, where it drew mixed reviews from critics. Two months after its release, Goldwyn grudgingly conceded, "No one is waiting breathlessly for my next picture." In 2011, the film was chosen for inclusion in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.

Original Release

06/24/1959

US Release

06/24/1959

Cast

(see additional cast & crew)

Directors

Otto Preminger, Rouben Mamoulian

Writers

Dorothy Heyward, DuBose Heyward, N. Richard Nash

Cast

Producers

Editors

Daniel Mandell

1 - 7 of 7 items
Ouch! Looks like something broke. Try reloading this page. 🗙