Finian's Rainbow

An underrated musical, admittedly a little dated in the social comment (on labour exploitation and race relations) which probably seemed quite daring on the original's Broadway debut in 1947. But Burton Lane's score - intact save for the curious omission of the marvellous 'Necessity' - is still first rate, and Coppola steers his motley cast through it with an instinct for rhythm and movement which shows that the choreographic preoccupation which surfaced in his work starting with 'One From The Heart' was nothing new. Certainly the best of the latter-day musicals in the tradition of Minnelli and MGM.