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After watching today's lecture on Showboat and the discussion about differences between the Universal & MGM versions. Some of that is due to the nature of the studio heads, as well as a sign of what was happening in society at the time of the MGM version. Louie B Mayer considered himself a father figure to all of his employees. He want clean wholesome pictures. Pictures that only reflected the best of the US. Being a Jewish immigrant from Eastern Europe, he wanted to fit in, become main stream America. He ran a very puritanical home not letting his daughters out w/o a chaperon. He would want to down play the gambling and abandonment, and other vices. Society at the time was is turmoil, with woman returning to traditional rolls after the war, issues with race, we were good enough to fight and be treated as equals, then to come home to Jim Crow again. Also the rise of morals, this time it was anti-gaming. The Kefauver committee hearing had start in 1950. The Senator took his committee throughout the US turning a spot light on gambling and organized crime. Even though TV was not a popular medium at the time, it was must watch TV for those how had access to it. At the same time you have people in Hollywood being Blacklisted for being communists. If only through contact. Sen McCarthy when after the entrainment industry. Again this became must see TV. I think Showboat this is a good film to show how what is important to society as time goes on. What would Showboat look like today? Who would be the gay character? How would other races be placed in key rolls?