Reviews (11)

"When I'm Calling Youuuuuuuuuu..."
Considered by many to be the best of the Eddy/MacDonald cannon, "Rose Marie", while not my personal fave, is nevertheless quite good and makes for an excellent introduction to their films. MacDonald is a tempermental opera diva with a soft spot for her criminal brother (James Stewart) and Eddy is a Canadian Mountie sworn to capture said brother. They end up searching for him together through the Rockies, making time to sing the famous "Indian Love Call".

Other songs include "The Mounties", snippets of "Tosca" and "Romeo et Juliette" and the title song. The music is good, the costumes are stunning, and the secenery is, well, scenic. Jeanette and Nelson have great chemistry as always, and there are plenty of light moments to offset the angst. We also get to see a very young Jimmy Stewart and a huge Indian tribal dance number. What more could you want?

If you like "Rose Marie", be sure to check out "Naughty Marietta" (my favorite Nelson/MacDonald) and the tragic "Maytime". Jeanette and Eddy made a total of eight films together, most of them wildly popular. Watch "Rose Marie" and know why. GRADE: A-

Dead or Alive, We Are Out to Get You, Dead or Alive...
Now, you mightn't think those are particularly catchy lyrics, yet that's the song I enjoyed most from "Rose Marie", this proud boast of the Canadian Mounties, led of course by Nelson Eddy. I would be remiss not to mention, however, that two other much better-known songs come from this movie, "Oh Rose Marie, I Love You" and the mega hit, "When I'm Calling You--Indian Love Call". One time they played a bit of that number on the Oscars, and I was sad to see the audience hoot at the rendition. I guess they had gotten beyond simple love stories from a simpler time like this one. The story line is a tad unusual: Jeanette MacDonald, a famous opera singer, races up to Canada to try to find her fugitive murdering brother--very young James Stewart--before the Mounties do (that's where their theme song comes in handy). Well, they somehow manage to carve out a happy ending from this unlikely premise, but that's what movie magic is all about!

Entertainment at its best
Rose Marie has it all. Wonderful music, a great story. Good clean entertainment. As for acting, this is Jeanette's and Nelson's best. It is also the first movie Jimmy Stewart was in.
2 of my favorite scenes is when Jeanette and Nelson are in the canoe and he is singing to her. They other scene is she is hungry and he his cooking beans. The looks on their faces are perfectly acted.

Has resonance even today.
Rose Marie is one of my favorite films. America's Sweethearts go to a Pow Wow! Wow! Being part Apache myself, it's fun to watch the strange way Indians, in this case Canadians, are portrayed in this film. I was not offended. I don't even mind that the "half-breed" character was played by a Greek actor. There's too much to like here. A little romance blown up to universal proportions is fun sometimes. There's always something new on each viewing. I hope we're not too jaded and cynical today to get lost in a little light romance.

Oh, Genevieve Annabelle Caroline Rose-Marie - I love you!
I don't know what kept me away from this movie so long. I'd seen it so many times browsing the shelves at the library, but had no idea who was in it or what it was about. Then I saw The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met, got entranced with baritones all of a sudden (yes, me the tenor fanatic), and decided to see some of Nelson Eddy's movies... the first one was The Phantom of the Opera, which I have reviewed separately, then I saw The Chocolate Soldier and I Married an Angel, which I shall review separately later, and then this one. Besides the fact that Nelson cuts a dashing figure in the spiffy uniform (okay, so the britches ARE a bit weird), I found it an incredibly touching, sweet little story, and also enjoyed all the songs. Coming from me that says a lot, because I am not in the least a musical fan - there are very few musicals I count as favourites.

Nelson and Jeannette have the ability to be very spontaneous in dialogue and work very well together, even depsite the fact that Nelson can be rather stiff at times - his singing more than makes up for it.

One thing I found particuarly striking was the scene toward the end when Jeannette is singing "Tosca": she is literally cracking up. We can hear what she hears - Nelson's Indian love call - and feel the discord between it and the words she must sing on stage. It reaches a pitch and then she faints.

I also felt that for a lightweight piece of "fluff" the character development wasn't half-bad, either - Right from the beginning it's well-established that as far as Jeannette is concerned the entire world revolves around her, so as the movie progresses it's good to see how Jeannette turns from a selfish, slave-driving diva to a sprightly, energetic, loving human being. Not everyone has the opportunity to cross the Canadian mountains with a mountie (unfortunately!), but I'm sure that figuratively there is something like that in each person's life, some backwoods experience that creates real character because of the necessity of facing adversity, learning what sacrifice and love are all about, and that life isn't all "me", and sometimes we have to eat bacon...

I found the totem pole dance scene rather amusing as well. I was very into Indians for a long time as a child, and learnt quite a bit about them, so it struck me funny that this tribe had it all - the totem poles of the Pacific Northwest, the feathered headdresses and tipis of the Plains... Still, it was an interesting sequence, despite the fact that it was very 1930's Hollywood and far from authentic.

James Stewart's small role as Jeannette's brother was fine as well - it was interesting how he really was only on screen for a few minutes, but all through the film, you were seeing the wanted posters and thinking about him to a point where he was really a main character.

I recommend this film very much, along with The Chocolate Soldier, which is another truly delightful musical. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Wired!
This is a great video. I remember when Bad was shown back when MTV played real music.It brought back memories. Though now I am a HUGE U2 fan, then I was just a kid who wondered why they were so big.Now I see why.This is a interesting look back at U2 at their climb to the top. It was cool to see them making a record how it worked back then before real technology took over. Best part is seeing A Sort of Homecoming, and BAD live. They still have this same passion live now as then. I would suggest this vid to newcomers as well. Wish it was longer, but its worth evey penny. Cant wait for the new CD!I must say in this world of sellouts U2 havent done that yet with all their money and success they still are thankful to the fans and pour thier hearts in the music. Get it, now!: )

A great look at a band in its adolescence
Any U2 fan would love this, any music fan could appreciate, anyone who knows who Bono is would get a kick out of this. "Unforgettable Fire" is a look at the mid 80s version of one of the greatest and most successful bands of all time. All of our favorite 80s styles litter this piece as well as a lot of the band's best early work.
Unforgettable Fire starts with a collection of music videos. One of which is a timeless video for one of the band's most famous songs "Pride (In the name of love)." Another is a video for "Unforgettable Fire" that has about as much of an 80s flair as imaginable. The other videos are footage of a mid 80s U2 concert tour with overdubbed live versions of "Bad" and "A SOrt of Homecoming." The footage is moving and captures the amzing on-stage presense of the give-it-our-all boys from Ireland.
The second half of the video is a documentary of the band putting together the album "Unforgettable Fire," some of the scens are of their early stages of recording in an old castle. This shows the early versions of such songs as "Pride," "Unforgettable Fire," and others. The video then shows these songs evolve in the studio into final cuts. The footage also shows Bono and the boys dealing with their producers, a good look behind the scenes for those who have never witnessed that process.
If you have a chance to check out this video, even if you aren't a fan, do so.

UNFORGETABLE
One of the best "Rockumentary" EVER!! The most precious bit in this video is a tie between Larry singing "we are going on a... summer holiday ..." and Bad, performed Live with a little of "Symphathy for the devil" thrown in. Absolutely need to get this, mine's so worn from being played over and over and over.

A terrific video!
In the 80's, before we became buried under the avalanche of U2 merchadise, this video was a rare treasure...Heck, it still is a rare treasure! It's amazing to see U2 back in their glory days (When they were in their early 20's!) recording what we now consider legendary classics: 'Pride', 'Bad', 'The Unforgettable Fire', 'A Sort of Homecoming'. And scenes of the band with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois in Slane Castle and Windmill Lane are fascinating. This video, along with Live at Red Rocks, brilliantly captures U2 in the last moments before they hit the big time! Any true U2 fan will agree; 1980-1997 was undoubtedly the best period for the band! (Although the 90's were pretty dang good.) Get this video! Even if it were $50., it'd be a bargain!

The Birth of U2's Unforgettable Fire
You don't have to be a fan of U2's music, but it helps and to be an admirer of creativity. This video, featuring four video clips from the album of the same name,also has the making of the album. Inside Slane Castle where their producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois (who also produced their mainstream and Grammy winning 'The Joshua Tree'), show U2 how to find the correct image and sound that turned out such a fine art album. Funny, this is one of their most forgettable records to those that don't really know U2. But a true fan will tell you that it is by far one of the most fulfilling records , containing their biggest hits yet, 'Pride'(In the name of love) and Bad, and also experimental samples like Elvis Presley in America; but enough about the album, get this video and watch U2 create and perform and get a treat at how young they were, yet so smart and impressionable. ... Read more

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In the cactus-studded Mexican backcountry of the 1860s, a surly drifter who could easily be mistaken for the Man with No Name becomes protector and lethal helpmate to a red-haired nun wanted by the French for aiding the Juarista revolutionaries. Essentially a two-character showcase for the newly stellar Clint Eastwood and what was beginning to seem the poststellar Shirley MacLaine (subbing for Elizabeth Taylor), this sardonic study in testy collaboration, mutual deception and distrust, and slightly creepy sexual attraction is highly rated by a fairly small number of critics--chiefly, one suspects, for the dual-auteur cachet of having been directed by Don Siegel and based on a story by Budd Boetticher. Others deem it an undersauced spaghetti Western and find that the stars grate on the viewer as well as each other. Cinematography by the great Gabriel Figueroa is some consolation, but... if only Boetticher had been allowed to direct. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Great introduction to Westerns for women!
Westerns aren't known for having much appeal to women, but this one tops my Listmania list of "Westerns Even Your Girlfriend Will Enjoy."

Young Clint Eastwood and a gorgeous young Shirley MacLaine have real chemistry on the screen together in this romantic adventure. MacLaine plays Sister Sarah, a righteous but beautiful nun on a mission of political mercy. She's determined to get through some treacherous country on her own, with or without the help of the rugged Eastwood -- yer typical rougish figure turned reluctant hero.

There's a bit of a twist at the end... that I think is fabulous and brings closure to the whole story... Give it a watch and decide for yourself.

And sign up for notification for the release of this movie on DVD... This movie is definitely one to watch again and again and keep on the better medium.

Eastwood + MacLaine = Highly Enjoyable Western Romp!
Though a bit quirky at times, TWO MULES FOR SISTER SARA makes for great entertainment. This is mainly due to the pairing of Clint Eastwood and Shirley MacLaine; the two work surprisingly well (no, great) together, and form a hillarious duo. Do not be mislead by the DVD cover and back; Eastwood does NOT play his usual "Man With No Name", but rather a wandering nomad by the name of Hogan. One day he happens upon three men about to rape a young woman, and he of course plugs all three and saves her. Hogan is soon shocked to see that the woman is, in fact, a nun raising money for the Mexicans, and all the while on the run from the French. So the two pair up together, Sara in need of Hogan's protection and Hogan in need of her directions to a well-protected fort, where there is a safe full of over $1 thousand (I think). While the plot may not seem like much, what makes the movie so great is the constant bickering between the two superstars; seeing those two play off eachother is both fascinating and, at times, side-splitting. One can easily tell how this film served as a partial basis for the 1975 western ROOSTER COGBURN (AND THE LADY), in which John Wayne and Katherine Hepburn squarred off in a very similar fashion. One complaint I have about TWO MULES... is the score by none other than Ennio Morricone. Despite his brilliant music for Eastwood's MAN WITH NO NAME TRILOGY, his work here is far from impressive. But since the score is absent for most of the film, it is of little consequence.

After purchasing both "Universal Western Collection" editions of JOE KIDD and HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER, I was fearing more of the same here in terms of sound and picture. But luckily, this DVD is far superior in this sense. Unfortunately, there are even less extras present here than in those other discs; all you get is a trailer. But, as I said in my review for JOE KIDD, for $it's definitely worth it.

Clint Eastwood meets Frank Zappa
Pass on this hodgepodge of tuff guy meets nun/ballet dancer in a no-holds barred feature film guaranteed to bore you to tears.

Music from Heaven...
As one of the many people in the U.S. who engaged in a letter writing campaign to the film company, begging them to release a soundtrack recording for this movie, I can assure the previous reviewer that it wasn't available in the States when the movie was released. I can't speak for Canada, but as one of the people lucky enough to see the movie at it's New York Premier, and having seen it many times after that just to bask in the music and magnificent visuals again and again, I can tell you there was no soundtrack available when it first came out. The initial response we received to our letters was that a soundtrack wasn't planned at that time. It came out several months (nearly a year) after the initial release of the movie.

That aside, it is a dreadful shame that the entire soundtrack to Days of Heaven is not available by itself, as this recording is missing several essential pieces in the original LP soundtrack recording. The fact that this CD version hasn't been available for awhile, and used copies are nearly eighty dollars as of March 2004, tells me this soundtrack desperately needs to be re-released!

If you ever find this one at an affordable price, buy it immediately-this is gorgeous music...

...
I do want to correct one of the reviewers, "Days of Heaven" was initially released as a soundtrack upon the release of the movie but didn't stay in circulation for all that long. And with the pairing of "Two Mules for Sister Sara" this particular disc is once again going through the ranks of obscurity and hard to find, I know because I have spent 20 years searching to no avail. I was finally able to obtain "Days of Heaven" and shame on me from a music downloading site from a stranger from Denmark, he had no idea how much this music meant to me...it was my holy grail. It's a uplifting experience but sadly only 26 minutes of music that you never want to end. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

An auroraborialis of a film!
The strikingly life-like performances in this gem of a film...give goose-bumps. I mean it!

Witness Marianne (Meg Tilly) attempting to have a quiet anxiety attack in the hotel bathroom. Darly (Christine Lahti) trying to babysit two very prissy children. Darly and Marianne, while watching fireworks, compare themselves to see who really is, "the most terrible".

This film knows something.

Watch it and you will fall in love, with this unpredictable, unforgettable and wonderful movie.

I could not give it more definite thumbs up! END

One of the best Christine Lahti movies!
Hearing that this movie is a sort of second-rate 'Thelma and Louise' may lead you to wrong conclusions. Nothing could be further from the truth, as this film never tries to imitate T&L. What we have here is a sweet, touching tale of two women whose pasts have been marked by sorrow and difficulties, and who end up joining and travelling to Alaska. It was supposed to be a comedy, and while having it's good humour at points (the scene where Christine lays an egg just has to be seen to be believed!!!), it's also deeply touching. Christine Lahti has here one of her best performances, altough many critics seem to disagree. Why? Because the film doesn't try to give explanations or hints about the future. The films develops as real life does, without predictability. And we still have to make decisions and take choices. In the end of the movie, we're left without knowing what the future will be or if the characters have taken the right decisions, but we are hopeful nevertheless. Just as in real life :) END

Absolutely Fabulous
This film is one of the best films I've ever seen. It touched me deeply. I, too, don't know why it's compared to "Thelma & Louise" -- why, because it's about two women? So is "Chicago" --so what?

Both actresses are great and there are some one wonderful lines (especially when Christine is smoking in front of the kids) and there is a beautiful outside scene where a lovely song with a vocal is played in its entirety... a sign that the director is obviously sensitive to music as well as all other elements which combine to make a great film. Totally underrated; absolutely fabulous. Where is the DVD version and why do we have to wait for it? It should be out and available now!

Kindness and intelligence
This is one of my ten favorite movies. I see it perhaps twice a year and weep every time (behind a closed door, I'm a straight white guy). It is one of the smartest, most decent movies ever made. Whoever is keeping it from being released on DVD should be blacklisted. Get a move on! These VHSs won't last forever.

A boost when you need it.
I picked this up at a video store--because it was on the monitor at the time. After I'd watched it the first time, I IMMEDIATELY rewound the tape and watched it again! It's an all-time favorite, one that I watch at regular intervals to lift my spirits. This movie delivers the same kind of surprises that life does. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Home on the Range
"Home on the Range" may be the last hand-drawn Disney feature for the foreseeable future. Disney is going the way of computer animation and forsaking the old ways. That being said, "Home on the Range" represents Disney's animated films going out with a whimper. Well not a bad movie, it is not a great one either. It falls somewhere in the "who cares?" range, and will probably be easily forgotten.

The Patch of Heaven ranch is facing foreclosing, and the owner will not sell her cows because they are like family. The cows get the bright idea to track down Alameda Slim, a wanted outlaw, and collect the reward that just so happens to match the amount needed for the ranch.

The voices are middle of the road too. Roseanne Barr voices the main cow, and she is just as obnoxious sounding as ever. Judi Dench gives us a British sounding cow, and Randy Quaid voices the bad guy. The songs are average as well.

In the end, kids will probably enjoy it, but it may wear on adults patience. Some adult humor is sprinkled in (giving the film a PG rating), but it actually seems out of place. The best bet on this one would be to wait until it comes out on video.

Home on the Range
This is NOT for kids. This NOT a kid movie. Funny, but why make a utter (pun) joke into this movie.

Ummmmm............
Well, traditionally-animated movies by Disney went out not with a bang, not with a wimper, but something along the lines of a giggle, and with Home on the Range, the once proud Walt Disney Studios enters the frightening world of burp-and-bathroom-humor kids' movies.

The House That Mickey Built seemed to just copy themes from other films and make a new movie out of them: the basic premises (save the farm, would-be heroes) have been seen several times before. Humor goes to the dogs....er, cows, with crude humor (including a Disney limit-pushing quirk at udders). The animation, aside from the ocasionally gorgeous backgrounds, is pure lazy, and the cartoon cattle bear little resemblence to real livestock.

In conclusion, Disney needs to take a hint from Pixar and get back to doing what it does best: making original and entertaining movies for the whole family.

Destined to become a Disney Classic
This is an excellent film for young and young at heart alike. I really enjoyed it. The animation was very good as was the score. I understand that this may be the last animated Disney film to be drawn frame by frame by their talented artists. That is truly a shame. I thought the animation in this film was truly nostalgic. If this is to be the last hand-drawn full length animated feature by Disney than I will cherish this film. It deserves it.

Not the best, but far from the worst.
The state of animation at Disney is no where near as awful as most critics would have you believe. However, what is awful is that the company is abandoning the traditional animation market, a market that single-handedly saved the company in the early 90's. The final traditionally animated movie from the company was "Home on the Range" and it's obvious that the company simply didn't care anymore. Fortunately, the filmmakers did. "Home on the Range", while far from the delirious heights of the best Disney movies, is still a fast-paced entertaining film with bright visuals and vivid characterizations. Interestingly enough, the movie that most resembles "Home On the Range" isn't another Disney movie, it's "An American Tail: Fievel Goes West". Both movies have a very similar color scheme and are more comedy than old-fashioned western. "Home on the Range" may not make your spirit soar, but it provides some solid laughs and a very enjoyable outing at the movies. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Lovely , simply charming and heartwarming
This movie touched my mind in so many ways. One thing it brought to mind was that the most important things in life are still free. The cast was excellent and the cinematoghraphy was beautiful. I truely enjoyed this movie. An excellent choice for those who love history with a lot of romance.

Good Entrainment with a Few Flaws
Great Cast with a great story is not always the best combo, but this DVD is a keeper. Audrey Hepburn as Natasha does the best with her multi expressions & cute dialogue during the many courtships throughout the film. Henry Fonda as Pierre comes in a close 2nd, but at 1st he seems out of place, too passive. Later this lack of emotion or evolvement shines forth as he goes though many hardships as a prisoner of Napoleon. Mel Ferrer as Prince Andrei, then Audrey Hepburn's real husband, has the same problem as Henry Fonda, he drifts in & out of character. I believe the problem with the main male actors is that they played it too straight. The woman who played Prince Andrei's 1st wife did the worst, she over acted like a silent movie star. The supporting cast does a great job, specially the actor playing Nepoleon. This is exactly what I think Nepoleon looked & acted like in the early 19th century. The phyical height & size for the French emperor are perfect, & the letting of free opinion to be express, yet at the same time having the over powering will to bring Europe to his knees. Desite the flaws, this version of "War & Peace" will give you a short stroll, with a "to the point" idea of a western classic with great photography & sound. I try not to watch it too many times because I don't want to wear it out.

the Hollywood version
This film is a bit of a mess, but nevertheless very entertaining, mostly because of Audrey Hepburn...her charisma and enthusiasm make up for a lot of the muddled and mixed performances that surround her in this star-studded production of Tolstoy's masterpiece.

Hepburn's then real life husband, Mel Ferrer, does a pretty good job as Prince Andrei and Henry Fonda is Pierre, who despite sounding like "Young Mr. Lincoln", gives a convincing performance, and has several fine scenes. Nino Rota's score is a curious one, as the beautiful Italian-flavored melodies we're accustomed to hear from him are replaced by Russian folk tunes and battlefield music.

Perhaps too many big names and too many writers (6 of them !) made the heart of the book get lost, but this is Audrey's movie, and she's a delight to watch.

Still The Best
This is an appeal to Hollywood, if anyone's listening.
I first saw this film in 1956, when it first opened in the UK.

I've seen it several times since, but all I can get here across the pond, is a second hand video at an extortionate price of nearly £ 40.

Please can we have it on DVD? SOON!

Hello?
Hasn't anyone ever heard of something called DIGITAL RESTORATION? Why must evryone keep waiting for sudios to release all these movies on proper 3- disc sets with a proper restoration. i mean, look what they did to My Fair LADY, it was so well restored that i couldn' tell the difference. even gone with the Wind hasn't had a proper DvD release yet. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Roughriders- true to form, accurate and inspiring!
Of all of the recent genre of movies depicting vignettes of American history, Roughriders goes the extra mile to capture the essence, mood and feeling of Victorian America as it flexed it's international muscles for the first time! Berenger and the supporting cast are outstanding, and the battle scenes are among the most accurate ever made. This is a must see!

Cowboys become Military Legends
This excellent mini-series (directed by John Milius) details the training and employment in battle of one of the most legendary units in American military history: the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, better known as the "Rough Riders".
Raised by then-Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt, a New York aristocrat-turned Dakota Territory rancher, the Rough Riders were perhaps the most unusual of all the volunteer regiments to be raised to fight in Cuba in 1898.
Comprised predominately of cowpunchers and lawmen (with a small sprinkling of outlaws), as well as a few Park Avenue socialites, the Rough Riders went on to be employed as (next to the 10th US Regular Cavalry, one of the regiments of "Buffalo Soldiers") some of the most effective troops in the War. The taking of the Spanish strong point in the San Juan Heights was pivotal to the defeat of the Spanish in Cuba.
Milius gives us a story which is equal parts western, period piece and war movie. The casting is especially masterful. Western stalwart Sam Elliott plays the commader of "G" Troop, Captain "Bucky" O'Neil, an Arizona Territory sheriff who ultimately falls victim to the bullet of a Spanish Mauser rifle in front of the San Juan Heights.
Tom Berenger portrays Theodore Roosevelt, and we see Roosevelt go from enthusiastic amateur soldier to hardened warrior. We also see the genuine affection Roosevelt felt for his regiment of cowboys. Gary Busey is thoroughly enjoyable as Maj. Gen. "Fightin' Joe" Wheeler. Wheeler was a Democrat Congressman from Alabama who led the Cavalry Corps of the US expeditionary force in Cuba. More significantly, he was a West Point graduate...and had served as a CONFEDERATE cavalry general in the Civil War. His command in Cuba was seen as being a significant step in the reunification of the US following the Civil War.
The battle scenes are well choreographed and the acting is superb throughout. Elmer and Peter Bernstein's score reinforce the "western" flavor of this film. My only regret (and it's a small one) is that the uniforms worn by the actors were not more accurate in detail. They retained a bit of "Hollywood" in watching the budget, and this shows in some of the small things (such as the hats worn by the actors portraying soldiers). Other than that, I have no complaints with this movie. It's fun, inspiring....and makes me proud to be an American, but above all else, proud to be a Westerner!
Gotta like it when cowboys save the day....and they did historically in 1898 at a hill in Cuba....

Great war movie, great cast, great future president
This movie deserves to be better known. It's primary subliminal lesson is that the Spanish-American war was not the kind of cakewalk that folks who use John Hay's oft-quoted phrase, "A splendid little war," make it out to seem. Quite to the contrary, it was deadly beyond imagining.

And it brought forth some great heroes, too, some of whom you will meet in this movie. The most famous, of course, is TR himself, Teddy, the "cowboy" who became our 26th president -- portrayed in the film delightfully human (as when he flirts with his wife) and courageous by Tom Berenger. Another familiar face (Gary Busey of "The Buddy Holly Story") portrays General Joe Wheeler, the only Confederate general to wear blue in the war of 1898. And Sam Elliott is cast in the role of another one of the Rough Rider heroes.

This film is a magnificent tribute to the men who fought the war that finally re-united a nation in an act of bloodshedding that was all but routine. "Rough Riders" makes clear just how far from splendid this "little war" really was, as well as just how heroic were the men who fought in it.

Please put this classic on DVD!!!!
There's not much to say here that hasn't been said by others.
This is one great film, historically accurate, and fun too,
while it gets all of this across. Why this is not yet on DVD,
when a great number of lesser films are, is anybody's guess.
I'll add my plea here too: PLEASE get this great film onto a
DVD format!

Outstanding!
John Milius did an absolutely amazing job of putting together a film that depicts the establishment and deployment of the 1st U.S. Vounteer Cavalry. Milius has done wonderful justice to his longtime hero, Theodore Roosevelt, who he once said was the embodiment of everything great about America.

As Americans, we take so much of our heritage for granted. In this day and age of our all-volunteer armed forces, high technology and limited warfare, any discussion of our heritage and sacrifice in the blood our ancestors made is neatly compartmentalized for Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. This is a shame.

Sometimes, the people who are supposed to be leading us aren't much help, either. Our elected and appointed officials often flounder in the face of bad press without explanation. The end result is that no one can understand how our government can ask people to fight and die in places far away, for causes that sometimes seem to have more to do with whether or not we can maintain our standard of living than anything else. The wars we fight now seem to be fleeting events that come and go. Tragically, the dead are gone, and life goes on without them.

In his various career incarnations as Governor of New York, the Secretary of the Navy, and as President, Roosevelt was always one to inspire controversy. As a Lieutenant Colonel assigned to the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, he was no different. To Roosevelt, war was not the drudgery of hell on earth, but an enobling excercise, one which all Americans should aspire to. Amusingly, after one visit with Roosevelt, author Mark Twain remarked that it was easy to see the Roosevelt was "cleary insane."

Whether you agree or disagree, Tom Berringer is the perfect Roosevelt. He portrays TR as a man of vision and backbone, as the sort of man who would one day forge the United States into the awsome power that it is today. Berringer's performance in "The Rough Riders" is possibly the best of his career.

In 1898, the American nation was, in many ways, still rebuilding from the civil war. For the people of America, this was the dawn of an industrialized nation, and for the first time, American industry was forging the tools that would take our Naval Forces into the twentieth century. Yet it would be twenty years before the new technology of the tank and airplane would be implemented in land warfare. The Spanish-American war is unique in that in many respects, both politically, strategically and tactically, it was a prelude to World War One.

Without going into a plot synopsis (I'm not going to explain something you can see for yourself), I will say that the story unfolds perfectly and the direction is impeccable. All of the supporting actors, Brad Johnson, R. Lee Ermy, Dale Dye, Brian Keith, Sam Elliott, Gary Busey and George Hamilton are superb in their roles.

Yes - this is a film that should have been a theatrical release. Yes - this is a film that ought to be put on a two-dvd set with lots of extras. Yes - this is a great film.

The "Rough Riders" was made for presentation as a made for TV film for Turner Broadcasting. It was first broadcast in 1998, roughly 100 years after the Spanish American war. I'll give Ted Turner credit; I don't agree with him on very much, but I will say that Turner Broadcasting performed a great service in broadcasting "The Rough Riders".

In a day and age where films depicting shoddy characters with even shoddier values are routinely churned out and targeted for specific demographic groups, "The Rough Riders" is an anomoly. It is an inspired film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Hank Ketcham comic strip about a mischievous boy named Dennis Mitchell (Mason Gamble) becomes a film directed by Nick Castle (The Last Starfighter) based on a weak script by John Hughes (The Breakfast Club). Gamble is fine and Walter Matthau is persuasive as the grouchy neighbor Mr. Wilson, but Hughes spoils everything by throwing in a formulaic subplot about a criminal (Christopher Lloyd) who doesn't know what he's getting into by abducting Dennis. Been there, done that. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (22)

My 4th Grade Class Gives This One 20 Thumbs Up!
I remember growing up with "Dennis The Menace" TV re-runs. I loved the black & white sit-com, but this 1990s movie version almost tops it! That lovable sling-shot-toting kid with the cowlick is an unlikely "menace" to retired postman Mr. Wilson, who wants nothing more than to be left alone. Dennis Mitchell always seeks out Mr. Wilson's company, but each time disaster strikes, usually causing harm to property or Mr. Wilson (usually both). Mrs. Wilson adores Dennis and often volunteers to watch him when the Mitchell's list of possible baby-sitters is exhausted. There is a sub-plot with a "bad guy" who, of course gets "fixed" by our hero.

This is the perfect family movie. It's funny, sweet and makes you feel good when it's through. I showed this video to my 4th grade class (as a reward). I never saw a group of 10 year-olds enjoy a film like they did this one. Enjoy this wonderful film again and again, it's a gem!*****

Big Winner With Kids & Grown-Ups Alike!
I remember growing up with "Dennis The Menace" TV re-runs. I loved the black & white sit-com, but this 1990s movie version almost tops it! That lovable sling-shot-toting kid with the cowlick is an unlikely "menace" to retired postman Mr. Wilson, who wants nothing more than to be left alone. Dennis Mitchell always seeks out Mr. Wilson's company, but each time disaster strikes, usually causing harm to property or Mr. Wilson (usually both). Mrs. Wilson adores Dennis and often volunteers to watch him when the Mitchell's list of possible baby-sitters is exhausted. There is a sub-plot with a "bad guy" who, of course gets "fixed" by our hero. -- This is the perfect family movie. It's funny, sweet and makes you feel good when it's through. I showed this video to my 4th grade class (as a reward). I never saw a group of 10 year-olds enjoy a film like they did this one! Enjoy this wonderful film again and again, it's a gem!

Sweet and Charming
While this film does not break new cinematic ground; it was never intended to in the first place. Having said that, this is perhaps one of the most delightful, sweet and charming children's movie's I have ever seen. I say that with some amount of authority, as I have two young children, so watching children movies is something we do alot of.

What makes this movie so utterly unforgettable is the sweet charm displayed between Walter Matthau (Grumpy Mr. Wilson) and Dennis (Mason Gamble). There is a unique, understated quality to this movie, where the soundtrack is rather understated and in many scenes you simply watch young Dennis or Mr Wilson (or both) interacting in gentle, silent ways. The movie has become a favorite of my 4 1/2 year old girl (Dennis-like herself) to watch before she goes to bed. We have even memorized some of the scenes and act them out at dinner, like when Mr Wilson eats a piece of chicken that has accidently become victim to Dennis' paint & wood glob. Matthau is so good in that scene; just watch his facial expressions...hardly says a word, but what a classic comedic scene.

I can't rave enough about this movie, if only more movies could be made with such charm, care and love.

NAUGHTY DENNIS. 15th april 2004.
Dennis is a young boy, who keeps disturbing his neighbour mr wilson. He's a little rascle, he is clumsy and mr wilson has soon got fed up of him.

Good. I enjoyed it.
Thats a different cover, but nonetheless.... I was told my Mom grew up with the black-and-white sitcom of Dennis the Mennis and I grew up with this movie. The climatic secene when Dennis was accedntly beat-up the bad guy was a scream. My mom, Grandma, Aunt, and I enjoyed it. My 8 and 4 year old cousins enjoyed it throughly. It is a delight. When it's through, your mind deosn't feel rotted. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO USE A GRENADE THAT WONT WORK
JUMPING JACKS is a great film-I've watched it twice since I rented it-its so funny-like when Jerry falls out of the plane at the end-and when he lands on Deans parachute-hilarious!

JUMPING JACKS is about a nightclub entainter who mistakenly gets
a letter to join the army and takes someone elses name-and also
is afraid to parajump!

One of my favorite scenes is when Dean is singing the parachute jump and when Jerry is running on the beds-and-actually any scene with Jerry is enjoyable!

Another great scene is the start-with Jerry and a dame singing
I cant resist a boy in a uniform-that trick uniform was great!

I hope that my video store will let me have the rented one-since its christmas!

Great movie!
I have always loved this movie, of course I have always been a Jerry Lewis fan. I have never been to crazy about Dean Martin and his singing but I guess without him in some of these movies Jerry wouldn't have been so funny. Even though Jerry carries himself well without Dean in alot of movies. My kids love Jerry Lewis now! This one is the best one that they made together in my opinion! Very funny!

A good performance
Really really like the paratroopers dancing around Dean Martins Singing. It's like where they left off on At war with the army. I would buy these two movies together.

Martin/Lewis' best film together (I think so, anyway)
Watch this movie and look around the jump towers at Fort Benning and you'll SEE NO BUILDING 4 INFANTRY HALL which wasn't built until 1964! One thing we should remember about films like this, though they be comedies, they are often filmed on location, with help from the U.S. Army and in so doing, they capture rare moments (like a jump tower mound with no Building 4 behind it!) that are lost forever. For example, at the film's end you see Martin/Lewis take part in a mass tactical parachute jump where you see C-82 aircraft with their rear clam shells removed to airdrop jeeps and artillery pieces...this footage alone makes this video worthwhile....where else can you find it?

O, yes its a very funny movie!

Airborne!

Martin and Lewis shine in the "Funniest" movie ever made!
My sister and I both agree that "Jumping Jacks" is our favorite movie! I fell in love with Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin the first time I saw them on the screen! Jumping Jacks will keep you 'laughing out loud' from the moment it begins, to its ending credits! Watch it, and enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Outstanding Movie And Excellent Book
For starters this movie depicts everything that is detailed/explained in the original title "Native Son". I do not know precisely which movie one of the previous reviewers from Decatur, Georgia was watching, but I can most definitely assure that it was not Native Son.

The cast performed almost as good as the cast members in the original story. I think the book and the video are an excellent combinational method for those reading the novel and attempting to visual what the entire concept of this novel is all about. In short I think the video is well deserving of a 4 star rating.

NATIVE FLOP
The cinematic presentation of Richard Wright's classic is once again another flop. Although it is far better than the original adaptation of the book into a movie (filmed in 1949), it fails to capture the essence of Bigger Thomas. How can such a film with a star studded cast fail so miserably? After all, now you have actors who can really act!

Native Son lacks passion.Bigger comes across as poor Black boy gone wrong with his cowardly behavior. His white liberal benefactors personalities are benign. Jan (Matt Dillon) just doesn't impress me as an ardent communist. Mary Dalton ( Elizabeth McGovern) comes across as a bubble head. Even Oprah Winfrey's begging plea to let her son live, is a sham. Where is the political and heated fervor of the era? John Karlen's role as Max, the lawyer for Bigger, was a waste of time. He wasn't convincing as a passionate lawyer out to save this oppressed black boy.

Most film adaptations of books fall short in staying true to the author's story. This second adaptation falls through period. I found it a great disappointment in the acting as well as the script. Someday, somehow, some one will do this great novel justice and present us with a blockbuster film filled with not only passion but with a sense of what formed this Native Son. I recommend this movie to put in your video archive along with its original version.

Big Letdown From the Book
After reading the book, the movie leaves a lot to be desired. There were just way too many things left out of the movie.

The film did have an exceptional cast, and the acting was terrific. I was somewhat suprised at how well Matt Dillon play Jan Erlone. The setting was pretty good too. The scenery was put together nicely, as it did look like the 1940's.

Unfortunately, the editing from the novel made the film seem quite choppy. Having read the book, you got into the minds of the characters, especially that of Bigger's. The movie skipped over too many things, not allowing you to do this, which was a fairly big letdown.

Not reading the book might leave you with a different impression of the film, because, once again, the acting is wonderful. But, having read the book, I couldn't enjoy the movie. Way too many important scenes were taken out of it. It is really not a good adaptation.

Book better than movie
Well, after reading Native Son, I thought it would be a good idea to rent the movie to get visual of what happened in the book. Well, that was all I got out of this movie...

There wasn't anything wrong with the acting or set, it was the script. They simply cut way too much out of the book. Here are some examples:

-After Bigger killed Mary and they found the bones in the furnace, Bigger ran from the house (as he did in the book), and then all of a sudden he's on roof tops getting chased and then caught. In the book he was on the run with Bessie for a few days and then he killed her. -In the book, they had two inquests and in the movie they only had one...no mention of Bigger fainting in the first inquest. -They completely cut out the trial in the movie, only playing soundbytes. They only showed the sentencing. In the book, Bigger's lawyer gave a 16 page statement on Biggers behalf. -Bigger's mother (Oprah Winfrey) assumed the role of both his mother and the priest in the movie.

Well, those are a few examples. If I hadn't read the book I wouldn't have known what was going on in Bigger's head, which was what made the book so good. I don't think Richard Wright would be too impressed with this movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A pre-Phantom Michael Crawford plays Woody, a goofycartoonist-accidentally-turned-spy in this Cold War-era lark. In Parisvisiting his friend, a CIA "file clerk," Woody is sent on a cloak-and-daggererrand and is mistaken for an operative by his beautiful Russian counterpart.She then contacts the agency with the demand that he, and only he, help her defect. Writer adopts comic book persona and voilà: Condorman! Thiswide-winged hero thwarts the pesky Soviets at every turn. From the oldrun-down farmer's truck he's driving emerges a flashy race car that outruns afleet of Russian vehicles. Later, in a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang moment, thecar sprouts floaters, allowing the pair to escape their pursuers by sea.Barbara Carrera's Natalia--the true spy of the two--is really just alongfor the ride. It's Condorman's show, as confirmed by the ending: ashot-filled showdown off the shores of Monte Carlo.--Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Condorman is a great movie for everyone.
I first saw this movie when I was very young and loved it ever since. Every time I see it on the Disney Channel, I tell myself that if I ever found this movie I'd buy it. All of my friends have to put up with it at least once a year. It's always been my favorite. I think that Michael Crawford is a wonderful actor.

Fun but not very good
I first saw this movie five years ago, as a preteen, with my father. We made jokes about what low-quality it was until I read a year ago that it stars Michael Crawford(Phantom of the Opera). It was still low quality (except the special effects, which are pretty good), but it is definitely worth it for Crawford fans. Crawford plays a cartoonist who, with an amazingly coincidental association with the CIA, acts out the exploits of his hero, Condorman. Not especially funny or thrilling, Condorman is a uniform mock-spy-thriller, with a good supporting cast but bad writing. Would probably be good for younger children (note the PG rating, though), and has gorgeous scenes in the Alps.

This movie changed my life!
It was 1981... I was a poor, young man lost in a cloud of bong smoke, living in some cardboard box on the corner of 1st and Main. I was living a lie. A horrible lie, like that time I told mom that binky the bunny ran away... and then served the family "lamb". Anyway, all I had were comics, graphic novels, if you know what I mean... and my favorite character? The Thing from the fantastic four. Why? He was encased in a shell of stone... just like me. So there I am in my box... and I happen to find $3.25 in canadian pennies one day. Instead of buying a premium bottle of the happy juice, I saw the marquee and it sang CONDORMAN. I was on the edge of my seat with the opening credits. This man... was me. A dreamer who had shed the skin of ambiguity and embraced the true nature of the... ummm... dream. I had no wings. Condorman gave me wings. I love you, Condorman. Whenever you're in my part of town, be sure to stop by... mine's the box where the rabid coyote prince sings his tortured songs of yesteryear. Bring that lady, too... man... I mean... umm... man. And eat meat.

Movie is 5 stars, but dvd is 1 star
I love this movie, and have been waiting for it to be released on dvd. Unfortunately, the dvd was not worth the wait. The dvd has no features whatsoever, not even subtitles. The main menu has two options, play movie and chapter selections. The sound and picture are no better than the video; the only benefits the dvd has over the video are that you can fast forward directly to a specific scene, and you have your choice of full screen and wide screen (double sided dvd). What's the point of making a dvd if it is as bad as this one? Very disappointing....
P.S. This is for the 1999 dvd version. I noticed that a new version was released in 2003. Hopefully that version is better.

Up In The Sky...It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's...Condorman?
Yes, it's Condorman, vulture of the western world and superhero/spy extraordinare! Disguised as mild-mannered comic book writer/illustrator Woody Wilkins (Michael Crawford) by day, Condorman must fight a never ending battle to save the world from the ever growing forces of evil that threaten to engulf it, while at the same time trying desperately to protect his beautiful Russian spy girlfriend Natalia (Barbara Carrera) from the clutches of the villainous Krokov (Oliver Reed)!

Highlighted by a well above average cast and an exciting musical score composed by the one-and-only Henry Mancini, and loaded with tons of adventure, action and excitement..."Condorman" is certainly a very fun movie to watch and is one that can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter how young or old they may be! ... Read more

Description

This delightfully entertaining romantic comedy stars Reese Witherspoon (LEGALLY BLONDE) as sophisticated Melanie Carmichael, a rising New York clothing designer who suddenly finds herself engaged to the city's most eligible bachelor. But this is no fairy tale romance for Melanie. She has skeletons in her fashion-filled closet that include Jake -- the backwoods husband she married in high school who refuses to divorce her. Determined to end their marriage and sever all ties with her past once and for all, Melanie returns to Alabama. But home starts to tug at her heartstrings, and what she thought she wanted may not be what she wants at all. ... Read more

Reviews (306)

reeseWITHERSPOON is the future of hollyWOOD!
A crowd pleasin' romantic comedy with a Reese Witherspoon happy ending. This was the best slice of bologna cake I've had in weeks. I liked the storyline of the film, it involves a young woman named Melony (Reese) who is ready to get married for a second time. Problem is she's gotta get divorced from her first husband. For that to happen she must leave her new life in New York and return to her old life in Alabama, where her husband remains. Besides Mrs. Witherspoon the film stars Josh Lucas (Reese's husband), Patrick Dempsey (Reese's husband to be), Fred Ward (Reese's daddy), Mary Kay Place (Reese's mom), Ethan Embry (Reese's friend Bobby Ray), & Candice Bergen (Partick's mom). One of the funniest lines in the movie is when up-tight Candice tells southern Mary Kay to go back to her double-wide and fry something. SWEET HOME ALABAMA is a delightful little movie that can be enjoyed by couples or single Reese fans like myself. Widescreen DVD features: 8 Deleted scences / Alternative ending with commentary intro / Director commentary of entire film / Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack / & more. Warning the alternative ending is awful, it's easy to see why it was changed. 4 stars.

Where the skies are so blue...
This movie shows you that no matter how far you go, you can never forget your roots.

Cliche'
Movie had promise...it had some comedic moments. Then it went down the typical romantic comedy trail. I like Reese Witherspoon...she could've done better.

MY FAVORITE MOVIE!!!!!
This was such a sweet, great movie. It was very innocent and fun, and it puts you in a great mood! (...) A must buy!

Sweet Home Alabama
Sweet Home Alabama DVD ~ Reese Witherspoon is an awesome movie about a woman that realizes that money, fame and shallow materialthings in life have no real value and that staying true to your roots is what matters most. I loved it. ... Read more

Description

Two-time Academy Award(R)-winner Meryl Streep (ONE TRUE THING) stars with Angela Bassett (HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK) in a heartwarming, acclaimed true story of how one woman's musical gift affected those who least expected it! A single mother with little more than talent and the determination to make a difference, Roberta Guaspari (Streep) overcame the skepticism of everyone who didn't think she should be teaching violin to students in a tough inner-city neighborhood. But even after a decade of ever-growing popularity and countless success stories, Roberta and her kids must rise to meet an even greater challenge: budget cuts aimed at shutting down her valuable program for good! Also starring Aidan Quinn (PRACTICAL MAGIC) and Grammy-winner Gloria Estefan in a stellar cast, this extraordinary story will inspire anyone who's ever thought their dreams were too far out of reach! ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Fascinating true story gets lackluster film treatment
Meryl Streep got her twelfth Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Roberta Guaspari in Places in the Heart. Her performance is excellent [when has she been anything but?], yet it is not enough to bring the movie completely to life. This true story, which has been filmed before as a documentary called Small Wonders, is about a teacher who created a music program in the schools of the impoverished East Harlem area of New York. A single mother of two boys, Guaspari, who was trained as a classical violinist but who had little teaching experience, was given a job as a teacher in the 1980s by Janet Williams, a principal at one of the schools. There was no real budget for a classical music program, so she was hired as a substitute. Guaspari herself supplied the first violins. Ten years later, she had taught 1,400 youngsters. When the program was in danger of being axed due to a school budget crisis, Guaspari enlisted the aid of some friends, who arranged for her to give a benefit concert with her best students at Carnegie Hall. Famous violinist like Isaac Stern participated, and the Program was saved. In 1999, money was found by the city to assure its continuation.

I don't know who was responsible for Music of the Heart's rather uninspired telling of the story. It certainly wasn't Ms. Streep. It may have been director Wes Craven, who until now has made his mark in the horror genre, with creepy teen fare such as Nightmare on Elm Street and the Scream trilogy. His choice to make a straight drama raised a few eyebrows, and perhaps he was overly cautious with the material. Some of the problem lies within the screenplay. Writer Pamela Gray concentrates on the main character almost exclusively. Ms. Streep is in nearly every scene. Except for some fairly good interaction between Roberta and her boys, most of the characters float in and out, acting almost as stage props. There is little that is memorable about them, and, as a result, we wind up not understanding Roberta Guaspari very well. We see what she does, and we understand that her work is noteworthy and inspirational. Yet the picture does not fill us with inspiration. It's not that it's a bad move, it's that it never soars, as movies about noble, dedicated people can when well done. While it is not a given, what usually provides the drama for such true tales is understanding what personal sacrifices an individual must make to fulfill a difficult goal. I feel certain that this happened to Ms. Guaspari in real life, but we see almost none of it in this movie. It is strongly hinted at a couple of times, but then the film simply glosses everything over and moves on the something else.

Music of the Heart is certainly worth watching for Ms. Streep's performance. The story is a fascinating one, but much of what makes a good story is the way in which it is told. Music of the Heart is not that much of a story teller.

Inspiring story and bravura performance by Meryl Streep
This is a powerful, moving and triumphant true story, which springs from a documentary about a music teacher and her students. This is the story of Roberta Guaspari-Tzavaras (Meryl Streep), a violin teacher who single-handedly created a program to teach violin to inner city kids in East Harlem, New York. The film follows her from the dubious inception of the program, which started as a substitute teaching job, through the ensuing 10 years where so many children wanted to be in the program that it had spread to three schools in the district and a lottery had to be held each year to limit the number of students. The last part of the film is devoted to her fight to continue the program after the board of education killed its funding. It culminates in a triumphant benefit concert supported by some of the greatest violinists in the world to raise private funds to save the program.

This film celebrates the dogged determination and courage of one woman who proved that a single individual can make a difference. Her life was not a pretty picture. Her husband left her for one of her friends, turning her into an emotional basket case. Music was her only solace and teaching was her gift. Unfortunately, her lack of experience in the education system made her unqualified to get a position. So on the recommendation of a friend she convinces an East Harlem principal to give her a chance as a substitute violin teacher. She even supplies the violins.

The story from there is an example of life often being more remarkable than fiction. The results she achieved with these children were astounding. My only criticism of the story was that it contained a little too much treatment of her personal life. Almost her entire relationship with Brian (Aiden Quinn) could have been eliminated without hurting the story. I know that director Wes Craven was trying to give us some character development on how tough her life was and how difficult a person she was, but it was superfluous and the digression only bogged the story down. The real story here was about her and the kids. He should have stuck to that. Otherwise, Craven did a fabulous job of directing, delivering an emotional story with great power and effect. I was quite impressed, especially given the fact that prior to this film, he was almost exclusively a one genre director (Horror. Think 'Scream').

The acting by Meryl Streep was nothing short of brilliant. I have read criticism of Streep's performance as too harsh, it seeming as if she didn't really LIKE the children. In actuality her performance was dead solid perfect. I was lucky enough to rent the Collector's Series DVD of this film which included a separate disk of the original documentary about the real Roberta Guaspari-Tzavaras and her students, including the actual concert at Carnegie Hall. If you watch that documentary you will be in awe of how well Streep utterly nails her character. We get to see the real Roberta teaching her students and she is like a drill sergeant barking orders, throwing kids out of practice for not having their violins, reproaching them angrily about plucking their strings while she is speaking, and generally tolerating no nonsense. She is impatient with them and completely intolerant of anything but their best.

The children who made comments about the real Roberta said things like, 'I wouldn't have the discipline I have if it weren't for Roberta. That discipline not only helps me with the violin, but with everything else.' Another child said, 'I have to pay attention to what I'm doing or Roberta will get mean. But if I do good, she is pleased and that make me feel good.' Yet another, 'I want to work really hard so Roberta will be proud of me.' Clearly, these are not the comments of children who were being negatively affected by Roberta's no nonsense style.

Streep said in the featurette included in the DVD that it is very difficult playing a real person because there is no leeway for artistic interpretation. Translation: If she was to play Roberta Guaspari-Tzavaras, she had to become Roberta. This she accomplished with stunning accuracy. Streep captures not only Roberta's irascible demeanor, but the essence of her drive and passion for drawing the students very best. Roberta is a complex and difficult character to play and Streep throws herself into the role, delivering a tour de force performance that very few actors have the range and depth to accomplish.

This film is a must see for anyone who loves the arts and anyone who can appreciate a great actress giving a career performance. I rated it a 9/10, subtracting a point for Craven's unnecessary digression into Roberta's private life. That is, however, hardly a reason to miss this bravura performance and an inspiring story.

Most unrealistic portrayal of a classroom ever on film...
Whoever wrote this screenplay had NO idea what the inside of a classroom looks like.
My goodness. I've seen more realistic depictions of school life in a few B-movies.
It's like the makers of this particular movie were SO interested in making a movie about MUSIC that they paid very little attention to making a movie about SCHOOL.
I could go on and on and on about how this movie falls flat on its face in the depiction of a contemporary classroom, particularly an inner city classroom, but let me just demonstrate but ONE ridiculous unreality this movie commits: In this movie, the school children all pretty much speak proper English. What?!!??? In the inner city???? School children not using barbaric slang in the inner city but instead speaking proper English and doing so naturally, like that's what they do all the time???
Yikes. You've got to be kidding me.
The 5 star reviewers on here ought to be ashamed of themselves for settling for such cartoony realism; better yet, they and the these out-of-touch moviemakers ought to actually go spend some time studying their subject matter, the actual daily war zone that is the contemporary American inner city classroom.

Wes Craven Shines!
Can you believe this film was directed by Wes Craven? What a moving story! Everyone should see this movie. One thing-why is Gloria Estefan on the cover???!! Don't get me wrong I love her music, but she hardly had any part AT ALL! Maybe she had 7 lines in all, so it kind of doesn't make sense. Anyway, this movie is great-so watch it, NOW! :-)

Outstanding.
Streep and Bassett are wonderful in this heart-felt drama about a music teacher who "belives" and makes a tremendous difference in the lives of young inner-city children. Funny and poignant.

Very highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (216)

Go girl! Hitch's feminist fable.
Although Hitchcock listed this as one of his 2 favorite films, I had once viewed it as "closet drama" because of the limited set, conventional bad guy, passive good guy. The voyeuristic angle was interesting, even provocative to a point, but insufficient to save the movie from its sense of claustrophobic one-dimensionality.

That was before I viewed the film through the eyes of Grace Kelly. In one respect, the critical, pivotal moment in the movie is not when Kelly puts herself at risk in Raymond Burr's apartment, nor is it the film's climax with James Stewart fending off the murderer with his camera's flash bulbs. Rather, it's the moment when Hitchcock's camera (not Stewart's) shows Kelly's eyes suddenly open wide and come alive when she, too, becomes interested in the scenes being played out on the other side of the court yard.

At this point, within the first half of the film, Kelley drops her high society, fashion-model airs and her constant mothering of Stewart. She now spectates with greater curiosity and imagination than Stewart, and even though she questions these "rear window ethics" and characterizes her behavior as "ghoulish," it's clear she has become a major player, fully participating in the game of voyeurism, scopophilia, and fetishism that is normally assigned only to men who fail to emerge from an obsessively narcissistic and hedonistic childhood.

For the past 20 years feminist academics have been applying "male gaze theory" to just about every film in sight, and invariably to the discredit of the male. He is the subject; she's the object; he's the one who sees; she's the one who is seen; he owns the gaze in all of his power, pleasure, and guilt; she can only helplessly follow the gaze, experiencing a kind of masochistic pleasure at best.

In "Rear Window" Hitchcock, frequently depicted by feminist critics as a mother-obsessed misogynist, turns gaze theory on its head. Grace Kelly demonstrates that a woman can get as much pleasure from looking as do men--an irony of collossal proportions when we consider that as a high fashion model her role, if not job, is to be looked at and photographed.

But Hitchcock's film manages to liberate its central heroine's vision while preserving the "institutions" of marriage, motherhood, and femininity. What is the object of Kelly's pursuit while playing the game at its most intense moment? A wedding ring, which she flashes before the probing telescopic lens of Stewart. And at the end of the film, the camera makes clear that, pending his recovery from double castration (both legs are now broken), he will no longer go off on adventures without Kelly at his side. But then, of course, Hitch has his final little joke when, once Stewart goes to sleep, Kelly (now wearing pants) puts away her mountain-climbing magazine and replaces it with a high fashion title. Still, a radical film for Hitchcock and, for that matter, most other filmmakers.

The DVD makes it all the more possible to read the visual dynamics of the film, permitting razor sharp stills of the principals' faces and eyes, disclosing the act of seeing to a degree never before possible.

Checking Out a Murder with Hitchcock
A daredevil confined to a wheelchair is the concept of Alfred Hitchcock's comedy-mystery "Rear Window", a man of action so bored with his confinement that he begins spying on the neighbors he can see across his Greenwich Village courtyard: the frustrated composer,the "interpretative dancer", the newlyweds, the desperately lonely spinster ... and the bickering couple. The wife suddenly disappears. Has she been murdered? L.B. Jeffries thinks so, and he convinces his fiancée Lisa (Grace Kelly) and the insurance company nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) who visits him every day. (Jeffries, a professional photographer, has been temporarily disabled in an accident.) This set-up is perfect for Hitchcock, who loved tense situations in close quarters ("Life Boat", "Rope"), and who was in top form when he directed this masterpiece of entertainment in 1954. (There was a made-for-TV remake a few years back; according to... reviewers, it's pretty awful.) James Stewart was one of Hollywood's most popular personalities, but he was often mis-cast. He was pushing fifty when he played the 25-year old Lindbergh in"The Spirit of St Louis". Similarly, in "Rear Window" he's too mature for the lead. The part just weeps for William Holden. Stewart even takes his shirt off in a couple of scenes, revealing a pale, thin physique. The idea that Grace Kelly would travel all the way down from the East Sixties to Greenwich Village to spend the evening with him is a little ... well,unbelievable. Miss Kelly is almost as seductive here as she was in her next Hitchcock "To Catch a Thief".The Master was obviously infatuated -- but, then, who wasn't? She also had a droll sense of humor: the way she pronounces "weird" is priceless. Thelma Ritter and Wendell Corey give witty support. Raymond Burr, just a couple of years away from playing the most famous of fictional lawyers, is quite creepy as the killer Thorwald. The sound track is a mixed marvel of car traffic, distant voices, and snatches of music; it sounds great with stereophonic ear phones. About the only real complaint in John Michael Hayes' screenplay that the pragmatic might bring up: Doesn't Jeffries ever LOCK his door?

Trapped in a Sound Stage
I don't think this is Hitch's best film. It is highly ranked by film rating services, sometimes higher than Vertigo, but I can't agree. There's something claustrophobic about what is essentially a movie set. We are stuck in that lofty room with the big glass windows. Jimmy Stewart peers across a courtyard and observes New Yorkers in their habitat. When I was in elementary school we used to have projects called diorama's where we would take a shoebox and decorate it like a stage. Each apartment in Hitch's diorama showcases a mostly silent vignette, the gorgeous dancer and her boyfriends, the lonely-heart middle-age lady, the sex crazed newlyweds, and the guy who kills his wife. Stewart can watch all the fun, but with a broken leg, he can't leave the apartment to do anything about it. Hence, the suspense centers on Stewarts inability to maneuver when his girlfriend, fashion gal, Grace Kelly breaks into the killers apartment to find clues. We see the killer coming down the hall and Jimmy can't warn her from his perch. Stewart and Kelly are interesting as a couple with opposite interests. She's high fashion-society chick and he's a rough-it, world-traveling photographer. These differences never really resolve and Stewart appears maybe 15-20 years older than young marriage-scheming Grace. This is really a stage play with stage play lighting and a who-dun-it plot. Great suspense, yes, but not as good as Vertigo by a mile.

The Perfect Alfred Hitchcock Movie
North By Northwest and Vertigo are spectacular cinematic achievements but, for me, Rear Window is the one Hitchcock movie everyone must see. It is as perfect as a Hitchcock movie can be. One of the greatest American movies ever made. Not one false note. It is the movie I would show to someone who hasn't seen a Hitchcock movie but wonders what they're all about and why he's so revered. The tremendous psychological drama and cat and mouse suspense are perfectly tuned. Stewart turns in a brillantly nuanced performance as a morally dubious peeping tom. The film is about him, of course. Not about an unseen murder or a pieced together amateur murder investigation. Listen to the dialogue and observe the interactions between Stewart and his guests. Subtext and more subtext. Just perfect.

If you prefer souffle over meat or casserolle
5 stars as a piece of cinematic craft. 1 star as substance. another hitchcock exercise of excellent pacing, subtle humor and
droll commentary on the folly of human behavior, heavy on dramatic artifice, as are most of hitchcok's films. ... Read more