Finian's Rainbow

One of many musical stinkers made during a decade infamous for them, FINIAN'S RAINBOW is sadly notable as the last screen musical of the genre's greatest star. With typical understatement, Astaire declared this mess his "biggest disappointment." Director Coppola, who generally refuses to talk about the film, is more direct in calling it "a disaster" and concedes that he was wrong to throw out the choreography and ask his cast to "fake it" instead. Had anyone taken the young director's efforts on this film seriously, he would never have directed again.

Although Astaire somewhat overdoes the "Oirish" routine as a man who buries his pot of gold in America, hoping i...