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It's easy to assume this is just another dumb redneck comedy from Burt Reynolds's years of underachievement. But it's not bad as a dumb redneck comedy at all. Directed by career stuntman Hal Needham, Smokey and the Bandit is just a goofy chase starring a bunch of Reynolds's Hollywood cronies. New to the job as film boss, Needham brings a silly but energized sensibility to the production and an action man's need to see things moving. But he also has a distinctive feeling for relationships, and he's good with a joke. Put all that together, and Smokey is, at the very least (and unlike its sequels), a simple and original pleasure.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (66)

For the money, the glory, and the fun...but mostly the money
Take a simple bet to go from Georgia to Texarkana and back in 28 hours with an 18-wheeler. Add in 400 cases of illegal Corrs beer being transported across multiple state lines. Enter Burt Reynolds driving a black T-top to run blocker giving law enforcement from Texas to Georgia the chase of a lifetime. Let Jackie Gleason (Sheriff Buford T. Justice) give chase to Renyolds while giving everyone else lip. Mix with Jerry Reed's singing and you've got a smash hit movie.

It may surprise some to learn that the only movie to beat Smokey and the Bandit at the box office in the year of its release was Star Wars. There's a reason the movie was successful and that is simply because it's such a fun ride.

If you like car chases that always result in destruction, trucking, CB radios, outrageous sheriffs, sarcasm, country music, bar fights, or any combination of the above, then you will likely enjoy this movie.

Jackie Gleason steals the show on this one. Eager to work in movies again at the time, he worked for a lower salary so the director/producers would give him more lattitude with his character. The result was a lawman no one in their right mind would ever want to run into and you have to see the movie to really appreciate it.

The movie was made in a different era, so don't expect it to be exactly PC. There are one or two moments of racist/sexist/whatever overtones, but they are mostly the rantings of the out-of-his-mind sheriff engaged in a nine-hundred mile hot pursuit, and it's strictly for comedic effect. I don't believe that most people (other than actual law enforcement) would find this movie offensive.

Smokin'!
Hal Needham's free-wheeling comedy SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT is a silly yet entertaining car chase movie in an era when all movies were car chase movies (Until a certain Sci Fi film directed by George Lucas came along). It works suprisingly well however, especially since the whole movie is essentially a 2-hour cop chasing bandit story, although it does sometimes succumb to the standard cop car pile up ( Which would be replicated in films like The Blues Brothers). The teaming of the then-cool Burt Reynolds and Sally Field makes for a great comedic duo and Jackie Gleason hams it up as Sherrif Bufford T. Justice. Jerry Reed's southern title song sums up the entire production ("West outta town, 18 wheels a'rollin', we gonna do what they say can't be done..."). And no other movie has quite reached the laid-back but still exciting tone to Bandit that puts it above the rest. Reynold's laconic, charming bandit is one of the great "bad guy heroes" that pervaded the genre's top-selling action flicks. The terrible sequels have unfortunatly tarnished the original's effect. Smokey 2 sees Dom DeLuise and an elephant (!) along for the (very slow) ride. Lacklustre sequels aside, the first one will remian a classic that fans of the genre will enjoy.

That's a big 10-4 Good Buddy!
There was a time when Coors Beer was not available east of the Mississippi. Any attempt at carrying the beer across that big ole river was considered Bootlegging! And who better to take on the challenge than the Bandit. But things get out of hand when he picks up a wandering bride who just walked out on her fiancé, the son of Sheriff Buford T. Justice. It turns into a game of chess as Ole Buford is in Hot Pursuit.

Got it? Well, it doesn't matter. This film is not about story. It's about fast cars, notably a black Trans Am and the destruction of as many police vehicles as can be done in and hour and a half, the more humiliation the better. The film was helmed appropriately enough by longtime stuntman Hal Needham who keeps the action rolling. But it is the charismatic performers that make this film such a success. Burt Reynolds is at his confident best as the Bandit. He easily catches the eye of the adorable Sally Field. ("You Like me, you really, really like me") And even country singer Jerry Reed gives us some good comic relief when the romance begins to boil.

But, if truth be told, it is the late, great Jackie Gleason's turn as the vulgar, grammatically challenged Justice that makes the film work and work well. He commits totally to bringing ole Buford alive and even makes logically challenged material work. Like the occasional car flying off the ground and landing atop a truck for no apparent reason.

This simple story, Smokey and the Bandit, was one of the first films to topple the financial record held by GONE WITH THE WIND. Now, its numbers are nowhere to be found on that listing, but still it was an excellent feat. From its initial run, I'm sure Universal Pictures was ready to cash in with a sequel or two!

The way movies should be made today
I'll never forget the first time I watched the tail end of the movie and I actually quite liked it, then a couple of months later I taped it on the KSTW channel (cable station is located in Tacoma, WA) and they got rid of that channel sometime around 1994 or 95 which was kind of unfortunate cause I grew up on that channel and that channel will always take me back to the golden days of my childhood.

The movie begins as the Bandit (Burt Reynolds) takes a $80,000 bet to see whether he can haul off about 600 cases of beer from Texarkana, Texas to somewhere in Georgia within' 18 hours and he brings his buddy Cledus (Jerry Reed) to drive the semi truck so he can haul off the beer while the cops (better known as the Smokey's) can concentrate on just the Bandit and the Bandit buys a brand new Trans Am, then he meets up with a runaway bride (Sally Field) and Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason) is on their tail cause she ditch Buford's dimwitted son Junior and boy wouldn't it be funny if every cop was as dumb as Junior?

There are some other great moments throughout the film like Buford driving through a pole and the top of the car comes on, or when the police cars collided into each other and a trucker crashes into the open door of Buford's car and he gets all angry, if you like high speed chase movies or fast cars then you'll like Smokey and the Bandit, I wouldn't recommend watching the sequels unless if you really enjoyed watching this movie and they don't come close to how good this movie is although I do kind of like watching Smokey and the Bandit 3, if you're on a budget then I would get the Smokey and the Bandit pursuit pack which generally costs around $17-$20 and it's less expensive than buying Smokey and the Bandit 1 and 2 separately.

Honk if you think Sally Field is cute
This is a movie the whole family can watch and enjoy. I always thought Sally Field was cute, back in her gidget days, and she does not dissapoint in this movie. Burt Reynolds is overflowing with machoness. And the firebird trans-am still looks good to me. Jackie Gleason plays the sherrif who is set on catching Burt Reynolds, and chases him through multiple states.

This is one of those throwback movies where the excitement does not rely on four letter words(...).

The DVD picture quality gets 4 stars. It is a clear picture, but the colors are not as vibrant as newer movies. Considering it was filmed in the 1980's, perhaps this is the best we can get. If we avarage the movie at 5 stars, and the DVD at 4 stars, that leaves us with 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. A few special features on the DVD would have been appreciated. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The era of Molly Ringwald's profitable collaboration with writer-producer-director John Hughes (Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club) was at its peak with this 1986 film (directed by Howard Deutch but in every sense part of the developing Hughes empire). Ringwald plays a high school girl on the budget side of the tracks, living with her warm and loving father (Harry Dean Stanton) and usually accompanied by her insecure best friend (Jon Cryer). When a wealthy but well-meaning boy (Andrew McCarthy) asks her out, her perspective is overturned and Cryer's character is threatened. As was the case in the mid-'80s, Hughes (who wrote the script and produced the film) brought his special feel for the cross-currents of adolescent life to this story. In its very commercial way, it is an honest, entertaining piece about growing pains. The attractive supporting cast (many of whom are much better known now) does a terrific job, and Ringwald and Cryer have excellent chemistry. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (68)

John Hughes At His Best
Movies like this are what make one want to cry over the media-provoked labeling and fall of "The Brat Pack". The stars of the 1980s teen films were expected to form the next generation of great actors until Hollywood tore them apart and sent them scraping for whatever cable-movie parts they could get their hands on. Though Pretty in Pink was more-or-less the swan song of John Hughes'-masterminded films, to this day it continues to bring in fans to the genre with it's sweet and simple poor girl/rich guy romance and the social issues therein. Though star Molly Ringwald is occaisonally over-emotional in her portrayal of the girl from the wrong side of the tracks, it is not unfitting with her strong but somewhat neurotic character, Andie. Andrew McCarthy, though of greater acting capability than he displays here, still plays his rich but insecure Romeo (Blane) to a T, and is cute enough to make any teenage girl fall in love with him-despite the wierd eye thing. Annie Potts and Harry Dean Stanton are both memorable in their roles of somewhat bizzare parental-type figures, as is a young James Spader as Blane's perfectly condescending best friend. However it is Jon Cryer, as Andie's best and besotted friend Phil "Duckie" Dale who truly steals the show with what is surely one of the top performances of Cryer's varied career. Though on the outside this movie may appear to be pure teen fluff, the story has an endearing quality that will continually find it back in the VCR on any all night movie fest.

A girl from the wrong side of the tracks and her life
This movie set in the mid 80s era of brat-prack movies is a unique shining star. Molly Ringwald is Andie a girl from the wrong sides of the tracks who has romantic intrests from both sides of the spectrum; Duckie (Jon Cryer) who's puppy-dog love for her is both sweet and endearing to watch, and Blane (Andrew McCarthy) the rich guy who has everything going for him. What follows is Andie having to deal with this, the bitchy cheerleader type girls at school, her loving but dishonest father (Harry Dean Stanton) and through all this will she get an invatation to the prom? This is a great film, with both Blane, and Andie having to deal with their friends disagreeeing with their relationship. Steff (James Spader at one of his very best) Blane's best friend, who tries to make Blane try to decide between Andie and himself, when really he just wants his finger in the pie. Annie Potts as Iona, Andie's quirky older best friend is excellent and her weird and orginal costume changes throughout the movie are a highpoint. This is a emotionally raw film a rareity at the time it was made. If you ask me this should have swept the Oscar nominations with Molly Ringwald getting Best Actress, but hey regardless of the miss of Oscars watch this, it is a powerful film and a great piece of film making

Watch 16 Candles or The Breakfast Club, instead
Pretty in Pink is truly one of the worst bratpack movies ever made. Whiny Molly Ringwald has by this time thoroughly worn out her welcome; her perpetual pout, her eye-rolling and her generally sour disposition are extremely grating, all the moreso because she is in virtually every scene! The only interesting thing about Ringwald's "performance" is her ever-changing haircolor (throughout the movie, her hair goes from strawberry blonde to dark auburn to nearly chartreuse back to strawberry blonde, and so on. At least SOMETHING changed; her expression never did!).

Andrew McCarthy is the wimpiest "romantic hero" ever, and, like Molly, his expression never changes. "Must remain bland" was surely his mantra throughout filming.

Jon Cryer plays "Ducky" (did YOU go to high school with anybody who had a nickname like that???) like a spastic goofball. James Spader is wasted in a one-note role as "The Mean Snobby Guy." There's no end to the talent wasted in this film: Annie Potts and Harry Dean Stanton are also squandered in thankless, my-character-only-exists-to-showcase-Molly-Ringwald roles.

As if all that's not annoying enough, Molly's character is the richest "poor girl" ever, with her own lilac-colored Kharman Ghia, an endless supply of funky vintage dresses, petticoats, sweaters, granny boots, and hats (if you think she picked all that swag up at Salvation Army, you're crazy), and her own phone complete with answering machine (no big deal now, but it was in the '80s).

The cherry on top is the fact that the dress Molly cobbles together and "triumphantly" wears to Prom is ugly. Ugly, ugly, UGLY. That's not just my opinion, either: I saw this dog in the theater, and people LAUGHED when she made her entrance.

Bottom line: if you're in the mood for a bratpack movie, watch 16 Candles or Breakfast Club, instead.

One of the better Brat Pack movies.
Molly Ringwald did an good job in this film. The movie wasn't the best brat pack movie, but it is enjoyable. The supporting cast is okay, and the romance you are able to relate to. All, in all good, and heartfelt. See it, if you love teen romance movies.

Pretty good 80's movie
This isn't really my favorite movie that John Hughes made, Sixteen Candles is my favorite, but this one is also pretty good..besides the ending. Molly Ringwald was SO much better with Duckie. Duckie is the best character in this, he's so funny. The part at the end when he's at the dance and he looks at you through the camera, it's priceless!! You got to check this movie out, it's a good one. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A Great Adaptation
This is another film that's been secreted away in the MGM vaults that just cries out to be adequately transferred to DVD.

Talent abounds here. Start with a great director in Tony Richardson (Tom Jones, A Delicate Balance, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, The Entertainer, etc) who is the perfect choice for such a project. Have Christopher Isherwood and Terry Southern adapt the screenplay from a wonderful Evelyn Waugh novel. Assemble a perfect cast, including James Coburn and Dana Andrews, Milton Berle, Tab Hunter, Roddy McDowall, Margaret Leighton and Liberace (unforgettably!) in cameo roles. Feature the likes of Rod Steiger (why didn't he try more comedy? He's brilliant here!), John Gielgud, Jonathan Winters in memorable supporting roles and top it off with excellent leads in Robert Morse and Anjanette Comer (both relative unknowns at the time, but perfect for the roles).
How could the movie not be memorable?

Suffice it to say it holds up amazingly well after almost 40 years. It has to rank as one of the great classic comedies of the sixties.

The plot revolves around a young English twit named Dennis Barlow (Morse) who shows up at his uncle's (Gielgud's) doorstep, having won his air passage to LAX through some absurd stroke of luck. He has no money and his gregarious uncle takes him in and introduces him to the expatriated Brits that inhabit LA. Chief among these is the snobbish Sir Ambrose Abercrombe (Morley) who takes an instant dislike to Barlow, whom he feels doesn't adequately represent the proper English gentleman (and he doesn't). In short order, Uncle Francis is canned by his crass Hollywood Studio boss (McDowall), in spite of the fact that he has been a faithful employee for 30 years. Unwilling to face the future at his advanced age, Uncle Francis hangs himself beside the decrepit pool that represents his sagging fortunes.

It's at this stage that the movie shifts satirical gears and the humor gets darker and darker. Waugh's study of American mores and materialistic mindset as represented by the funeral industry is brilliantly captured by the screnwriters, director and cast. It's a great ensemble effort from a once in a lifetime creative team. THE LOVED ONE deserves a broad DVD release, hopefully in the not too distant future.

BK

Strange comedy, not for all tastes
MY RATING: 6.4

I've watched this one last night on tv, and I must say its's quite an odd mov. It's a comedy, a black comedy as many say, yet it's not for all tastes since cause it contains an amount of strange characters and situations. Some good points for the presentation of the eternal rest of the loved ones and that horrid mother of Rod Steiger, who is probably the best character on the film. Also starring Robert Morse as the brit who has just arrived from London, John Gielgud as his gay uncle, a dual role for Jonathan Winters, Roddy McDowall, Robert Morley and the irritating voice of Anjanet Comer.
Really an mov with some importance in the 60's, but nothing special now.

I haven't forgotten
I just order a VHS copy and look forward to seeing this unforgettable movie again. (There are just)Too much brilliant characterizations and scenic situations! But above all, one scene:

Dennis Barlow{Robert Morse},
Mr. Joyboy's mother{Ayllene Gibbons},
a roasted turkey in the refrigerator.

Nothing Much to Add...
In a parallel universe this is a flick that's as well known as Strangelove or The Producers. Yes, Steiger should have done more comedy--he's incredible in this movie.

I write this with the hope that someone out there is adding up the votes for a DVD release. I'll also add that the long out of print "Catalogue of Cool" dubbed 1962 " The Last Good Year." After that...well, we lost a lot of our wit, charm, whimsy, humanity, and creativity to Viet Nam, Watergate, and all the other dreariness--from Reaganism to Political Correctness--that led up to this uniquely ugly moment in history. There were a lot of sharp films made in the late Fifties to early Sixties that had qualities sadly lacking since--check out Wilder's "One, Two, Three" or "Inherit the Wind." One reviewer notes that "The Loved One" is black comedy without the nihilism. I agree and that's kind of what I mean. This era of film deserves a re-examination and we could all probably learn a lot from it.

Black Humor At It's Best
As many have already stated, this is one dark, funny movie. The casting is perfect. It is on my top ten list. It has been since I saw it as a youngster. It is a film to see over and over. This really needs to be on DVD. SOON! ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Gregory Dunne turned the true story of Los Angeles's Black Dahlia murder case into a compelling novel and then adapted the novel (with wife Joan Didion) for this meaty movie mystery directed by Ulu Grosbard. A study of the ways power corrupts, and the way corruption consumes the soul, the film stars Robert Duvall and Robert De Niro as a pair of brothers (a cynical police detective and a rapidly rising monsignor, respectively) who come into conflict over the case of a murdered woman in 1940s Hollywood. De Niro gives a beautifully shaded performance, while Duvall, who never gives a bad one, gets the slightly flashier role. Yet there's nothing showy about Duvall, who gets under the skin of this cop and who knows better than to get personally involved in a case but ultimately can't help it. A fine supporting cast includes Kenneth McMillan, Charles Durning, and Burgess Meredith. Maybe too studied for some, but worth watching if only for the two leads. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A story of brotherly love and sibling rivalry
It is hard to believe that a film with outstanding performances from both Robert Duvall and Robert DeNiro could slip through the cracks of the movie going consciousness. True Confessions perfectly captures, in an effortless manner, the feel of post-war California, we don't see men in costumes or old cars, we're put right in the time and place through artful direction. Two brothers, one a pious priest with a head for high finance, the other a hard bitten detective, now clean after an earlier career stint as a bagman, must handle the problems of their separate worlds. A brutal crime - the murder and dismemberment of a young woman - is about to bring their two worlds crashing together. The up and comers of the building in boom in California, who the Church is using to advance their goals of schools and hospitals, may not be the pillars of the community that wish to appear to be. A well balanced mystery of money, power, politics and principles. Don't miss the scene in which Charles Durning dances an Irish jig at a wedding.

Dissapointing...
I was pretty disappointed in this film. I'm a fan of Duvall and DeNiro (who isn't?) and they do great work here, but I couldn't shake the feeling that their roles should have been reversed -- DeNiro should have been the edgy detective and Duvall the Priest. But the biggest disappointment is the causal use of the ''Black Dahlia'' murder; here disguised as ''The Virgin Tramp'' murder. This was a heinous, brutal crime that's used here only as an excuse to buck up a thin plot. (I'm getting pretty tired of scenes in which hard-boiled detectives stand over a nude dead woman and make cracks about her body.) I feel sorry for the dead women who populate this movie for no other reason then to provide titillation between the endlessly dull scenes of patriarchal posturing and male bonding. Skip it.

Unrecognized classic
I am in complete agreement with 'A viewer from Summit N.J.', unable to understand why this thoughtful, moving film failed to achieve the recognition is so clearly deserves. De Niro and Duvall are both at their distinguished best, their interaction as brothers one of the most persuasive and compelling I have ever seen on the screen. The evocation of the period - including the Catholic Church of the day - seems flawless, and the slowly unfolding drama of personal redemption gives the movie very unusual dramatic weight. An excellent film in every way.

IRISH AMERICAN CATHOLICS IN THE FIFTIES,PLUS COPS&HOOKERS
I CAN WATCH THIS MOVIE OVER AND OVER. I GUESS BECAUSE IT IS A GOOD STOREY AND A WELL MADE MOVIE. I ENJOYED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TO IRISH, AMERICAN, CATHOLIC, BROTHERS (AS IN SIBLINGS) IN THE FIFTIES. YOU GUESSED IT. I AM ALL OF THE ABOVE. MY WIFE LIKED IT AND SHE IS NONE OF THE ABOVE.

critics are sometimes wrong
Simply stated, this is a great watch. The critics did not care for this effort. Some say it is too complex, too much thinking required to follow the plot. Not at all. It is a perfect blend of hero, anti-hero, humanity's darkside and finally, a redeeming closure. DeNiro and Duvall "made" this movie! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Structured as a star vehicle for country singer turned actor Kenny Rogers, Six Pack is an amiable little film that aims low but showcases the pleasant and easygoing charm of its star. Rogers (The Gambler) plays a down on his luck race car driver saddled with a half dozen delinquents. As he tries to resurrect his fledgling career, he bonds with the little waifs and they form a sort of family, even as they are pursued by a corrupt sheriff who wants to send the kids to an orphanage and ruin Rogers' comeback. A blatant knockoff of films like Smokey and the Bandit, this family-oriented movie works best as a breezy comedy of errors, with the hapless racer contending with his unruly brood as they stay one step ahead of the law. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Enjoyable and Entertaining!
I remember watching Six Pack with my mother who is a Kenny Rogers fan and I thought it was a very cute movie and Kenny Roger's is just as good an actor as he is a singer! Roger's plays former racecar driver who is attempting to make a comeback and one day he catches six orphans who are trying to strip his car and after that rough first meeting the kids latch on to him and they all develop a warm relationship but a crooked sherrif and his thugs are out to make troube for all. Not only was Kenny Rogers good but so was Erin Grey (Silver Spoons) as the love interest and the kids especially Anthony Michael Hall (The Breakfast Club) and (Diane Lane (Under the Tuscan Sun) and I recommend this movie and I hope they put it out on DVD (Widescreen).

Six Pack
This was one of my favorite movies growing up . I just recently purchased a copy of this movie for my family and now my kids love it as well . Kenny Rogers was terrific in this simple role and who doesn't love Erin Gray . Some how we all were able to relate to these kids in some way . I give this movie 4 stars for plain simple enjoyable fun .

Six Packed with Fun
The only objection I have heard to this movie, that was halfway objective, was that the attitude of the kids and language could be improved. Now I understand that judgement, but either you need to get eye surgery or or be realistic about your outlook. When I first saw this movie when it was released I fell in love with it. I'm no kid either, in fact I'm now 52. This movie is realistic and has some great acting and comedy. So if you're concerned about how it will affect kids, why don't you sit down and watch it with them. Everyone should have a laugh.

It is sad to me that funny family movies like this have not come out on DVD when there is so much junk that has come out on DVD. I don't know who is keeping this from coming out on DVD but I for one will buy it when it does. I went ahead and ordered this on VHS because there is no indication that it will be on DVD anytime soon.

This movie is bad, but it was filmed in my hometown.
Once upon a time in the '80s, when I was in elementary school, a film crew and Kenny Rogers invaded Buford, filming scenes of SIX PACK. I thought it was cool at the time, for I watched Erin Gray, the love interest in the film, on "Silver Spoons" and "Buck Rogers." (Little did I realize that the coolest person in the film would turn out to be Diane Lane, who would go on to get an Oscar nomination in 2003. Of course, her biggest claim-to-fame then was "A Little Romance.")

When it came out months later, everyone crowded the theater to see how the whole thing came out. And it was bad. To give you an example of how bad the film was, it has a character in it named Breezy, and it's about unruly children and NASCAR racing.

But the town was recognizable, so that's something interesting. I can say I've walked past the same Western Auto that Diane Lane did in that rain scene.

(To see more films made in my hometown, rent Steve Martin's A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE, which was a modern version of "Silas Marner." It bombed at the box office like this one, though the reason it bombed is because "Silas Marner" is awful.)

Anyway, SIX PACK is bad.

Six Pack rules.
When I was a boy I loved this movie. I would watch it everyday. Play, rewind. Play rewind. My friend Alisa would come over to my house and we would hold hands and watch the movie. We loved being together to watch the cinematic masterpiece that is Six Pack! Diane Lane is fantastic as the innocent looking vixen. See her in 'Unfaithful'. Good movie with a lot of explict adult situations. Schwing! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's Showboat, based on Edna Ferber's 1926 novel, is a seminal American musical, the first to explore serious themes (most notably racism) and to truly integrate song with story and character. The plot follows three generations of a theatrical Mississippi riverboat family from the 1880s to the 1920s. The 1936 film version, directed by Englishman James Whale (Frankenstein), is probably the one that best captures the spirit its creators intended. First and foremost, it features Paul Robeson as Joe. His indelible rendition of "Ol' Man River," delivered strong, straight, and without bathos, is a stunningly powerful anthem about the plight of African Americans in the United States. (The song is set against a fascinating expressionist montage in 1930s social realist style.) Other standout performances include torch singer Helen Morgan as Julie, the actress banished from the showboat for her "mixed race" ancestry. Her "Bill" and "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" are simply sublime. Hattie McDaniel (Gone With the Wind) is her usual outrageous self. Irene Dunne (The Awful Truth) is spunky and delightful as Magnolia Ravenal. Her most endearing moment occurs early in the film when she leads the company in a funky cakewalk, swinging her hips with joyful abandon. (She also does a number in blackface!) When Dunne and the narrative leave the riverboat for the big bad city, fame, and heartbreak, the movie loses much of its snap and substance and descends into rather conventional melodrama. Still, this film represents an essential moment in the American musical theater, one not to be missed. --Laura Mirsky ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Excellent Adaptation of a Theatrical Landmark
Jerome Kern's and Oscar Hammerstein's SHOWBOAT is a landmark Broadway musical. It was brought to the screen in 1936 by Universal Studios with most of it's drama, joy, and heartbreak intact. James Whale (BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE INVISIBLE MAN) might seem an odd choice for this project, yet his direction hits the mark: realistic and gritty when it needs to be, stylized and theatrical when it can afford to be. The film is blessed with a magnificent cast, most of whom had previously played their roles on stage: Irene Dunne played Magnolia in the 1927 touring company, Allan Jones appeared as Ravenal in summer stock, and Paul Robeson starred as Joe in the 1928 London production and then again in the 1932 Broadway revival. Charles Winninger, Helen Morgan, and the underrated Sammy White starred in the 1927 and 1932 Broadway productions and understand their characters thoroughly. White's eccentric dancing is hilarious and Morgan's turn as the tragic Julie may well have you fighting back tears. While some favorite songs are missing, three were written specifically for the movie; one of them,"I Have The Room Above Her," found it's way into the recent Broadway revival directed by Harold Prince. SHOWBOAT isn't perfect: Hammerstein's screenplay unnecessarily alters the final section of the story, and Irene Dunne's performance in blackface of "Gallivantin' Around" might possibly offend some in this day and age. But SHOWBOAT has so much to delight and engage the viewer that these minor flaws can, and should, be overlooked. By the way, keep an eye open for Eddie "Rochester" Anderson in the opening scenes.

DEFINITIVE FILM VERSION.
This middle version of SHOW BOAT is the most authentic. Although the 1951 M-G-M version is mighty pretty to look at in its ravishing Technicolor, this version is much truer to what Edna Ferber had in mind. Without going into great detail about the story, I'll just say that the film is about the life and loves of the personnel on an old-time Mississippi showboat. Charles Winninger is terrific as Captain Andy (he played the role on Broadway). The little-seen-in-movies Helen Morgan played her role of Julie on the stage as well, and her performance is unforgettable: a rare chance to watch a legendary artist at work: she would die in obscurity via alcoholism in 1941. Irene Dunne is fine as Magnolia, few movie-goers know that she was a professional singer as well as a fine dramatic actress and a wonderful Screwball comedienne. Paul Robeson is magnetic when he sings that classic paean to the the Mississippi river, Ol' MAN RIVER. Helen Westley and Hattie McDaniel shine in their supporting roles as Parthy Hawks and Queenie Joe's wife respectively. In fact, the cast is full of diverse character actors: Barbara Pepper (Doris Ziffle on GREEN ACRES), Elspeth Dudgeon (the ancient patriarch in THE OLD DARK HOUSE), Flora Finch (she was a silent star circa 1915 in comedy shorts called "Bunnyfinches" with her co-star John Bunny) Marilyn Harris (whom Frankenstein's monster threw into the lake), Harry Barris (one of the original Rhythm Boys with Bing Crosby & brother of blues singer Mildred Bailey), Helen Jerome Eddy (Annie Alden in Mae West's KLONDIKE ANNIE). The story had been filmed less successfully priorly in 1929 with the now-forgotten Laura LaPlante as Magnolia. The acting kudos went to the heroin-addicted Alma Reubens as Julie; Reubens would die in an insane asylum at the age of 33.

To Curtis Crawford
Picky, picky, picky. Did you remember that this was one of the first musicals made into a movie and that it was made way back in 1936? That's close to seventy years ago. I would hope they have learned a little since then. I saw the movie then and I have never forgotten it or the wonderful music. I thought Alan Jones had a wonderful voice, as did all the others. This movie is one of my fondest memories.

What an Awesome Movie Needs to be on DVD though
Man this is an awesome movie and i dont see why it hasnt come out on DVD yet. This is the best cast for this movie, the 1936 version is the best one out there. there is only one thing to make it better get it out on DVD. James Whale as the director of America's first true musical makes him such an awesome director, you dont even have to talk about Frankenstein, this is his greatest film. With the best song ever written Ol' Man River sung by Paul Robeson the only Joe ever. Get this Whale's Favorite of his movies out on DVD soon

One Unmentioned Point
All the reviews here are excellent. However one point has gone unmentioned. In the first scene, the first line of the movie announcing the arrival of the showboat is spoken by Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. This was his only line and his only appearance in this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

The Wild Geese
This is one of the best made and realistic mercenary action adventure movies ever made. The film depicts how it happens in the real world how mercenaries are hired to go on a mission but are then left out to dry after a deal is struck between the adversaries. They then have to improvise their way out from deep within enemy territory and they even have room for honor and idealism and payback. It reminds me of a modern version of the Magnificent Seven with similar star power with Richard Burton, Richard Harris, Roger Moore and other good actors better known in the UK. I just wish it was available on video again. I would certainly purchase it and so would many other fans of quality action adventure.

It's the BEST WAR drama
The WILD GEESE demonstrated, unequivocally, that Officers are indeed GENTLEMEN. These men (Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris, Hardy Krooger, etc,) are extra-ordinary mercenaries, they have scruple. These bunch would not do just anything for money, they are on the side of good, and goodness saw them through all the dangers they faced in the jungle of South Africa when they were abandoned. It is not just a war about killing, but of killing evil dead in all its forms. There are many real life issues that touched the heart, and are so very well dramatized that every scene arrests a viewers attention. This movie has every emotion in it, humour, actions,espirit de corps, sorrow, losses, recovery of humanity and new understandings, etc. It started with Roger Moore refusing to be a cocaine pusher, to Richard Harris failing to fulfill his promises of a wonderful Christmas holiday to his only son because of a heart wrenching tragic event, to Hardy Krooger (a black hating South African)finding a new understanding of humanity and friendship in the black president Limbani they went to rescue. It ended by paying treachery in its own coin. Just when the doer proclaimed peace a sudden distruction landed on him. A clear lesson for discerning minds. It is a movie I have watched over and again many years ago, and still long to see it again. BRING IT OUT AGAIN, and "Shout at the Devil".Many would love it for Christmas. I am hoping it would come out in DVD version suitable for the USA viewers.

A Classic 70s Study in Moral Ambiguity
Murderers and mercenaries with conscience? The scene where Roger Moore forces a dope dealer to eat a bag of heroin is particularly disturbing. That, and the sacrificial ending, which I will not spoil.

I loved this film as a kid. This, and the excellent (and available) "The Dogs of War" are two of the best mercenary films ever produced.

As a fan of Burton, Harris and even Moore, I would love for somebody to finally release a region 1 version of this film on DVD. They've already done the telecine for region 2, so what's the hold-up?

Oh, and Hardy Kruger is great, too--as he was in "The Flight of the Phoenix."

PLEASE RELEASE THE REGION-1 DVD!!!

"THE WILD GEESE" Soar
Like everyone else who has discussed this extraordinary film, I implore the powers that be to please release it on dvd as soon as possible.

Burton, Harris and Moore are excellent...
I am truly a fan of great films and this is arguably my favorite. The synopsis has been given in previous reviews here so I will avoid a lengthy description...this is probably the best mercenery film made to date, and films like "Tears of the Sun" pale outlandishly in comparison. I encourage all to sign up on the waiting list to hopefully persuade the studio to release this on DVD. Hard to believe ALL the second rate sequels, which star none of the original cast, are readily available on either DVD or at least VHS and it is next to impossible to find a good used copy of this, which has been out of print for some time. My VHS copy is getting worn and I feverishly await the DVD release!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's hardly shameful that The Three Godfathers ranks as the slightest John Ford Western in a five-year arc that includes My DarlingClementine, Fort Apache, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Wagon Master, and Rio Grande. The source, a Peter B. Kyne story both hard-bitten and sentimental, had already been filmed at least five times--once by Ford himself as Marked Men (1919). The star of that silent version, Harry Carey, had recently died. This remake is dedicated to him ("Bright Star of the early western sky") and proudly introduces his son, Harry Carey Jr. (who had already appeared in Howard Hawks's Red River--as did his father--but we won't quibble).

Just before Christmas, three workaday outlaws (John Wayne, Pedro Armendáriz,Harry Carey Jr.) rob a bank in Welcome, Arizona, and flee into the desert.The canny town marshal (Ward Bond) moves swiftly to cut them off from the wells along their escape route, so they make for another, deep in the wasteland. There's no water waiting for them, but there is a woman (Mildred Natwick) on the verge of death--and also of giving birth. The three badmen accept her dying commission as godfathers to the newborn. Motley variants of the Three Wise Men, they strike out for the town of New Jerusalem with her Bible as roadmap. It becomes increasingly apparent that saving the child's life will cost them their own.

Ford's is the softest retelling of the tale; in place of Kyne's bitter/triumphant final twist, he adds a very broad comic postlude. Elsewhere, the nearly sacramental treatment of the mother's death is followed by an extended gosh-almighty sequence of the banditos reading up on childcare. But it's all played with great gusto and tenderness--especially by Wayne, who's rarely been more appealing. Visually the film is one knockout shot after another. This was Ford's first Western in Technicolor, as well as his first collaboration with cinematographer Winton Hoch. What they do with sand ripples and shadows and long plumes of train smoke is rapturously beautiful. It's also often too arty by half, but who can blame them? --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (12)

One of my favorite westerns!
It's amazing how a simple idea can be so powerful if it's handled well. This film shows 3 men wanted by the law who promise a dying woman they will care for her baby. They are menaced by an unforgiving desert, indians, and a total ignorance of how to care for a baby. All of which provides fertile ground for some good humor and great character development. Wayne is tough as usual but shows loyalty, honor, and a tenderness with the baby that is truly touching. One of my favorite John Wayne films.

heroism, with sweet & tender sentiment
There are many reasons not to miss this beautiful 1948 film: It's exquisitely directed by John Ford, The cinematography by Winton C. Hoch is remarkable, John Wayne is looking and performing at his absolute best, and my personal reason for owning this video, the wonderful Pedro Armendariz, who is magnificent in it.

It's a sentimental tale of 3 bandidos with hearts of gold, completeing a promise they made to a dying woman to take care of her baby, and it's so well written and lovingly made that it never gets corny. This is good old fashioned entertainment, and entertaining it is, as these heroic good/bad men are chased by the sheriff and his posse across the desert, with a Bible as their map. John Ford made many inspirational films, and this is one of my favorites.

read and you will find out
a good and a very good ending. some good acting by wayne. it is an underrated film.buy this one you will never forget it.

Heartwarming John Wayne / John Ford Classic!
All the positive comments you read here about this film are true. This is a sleeper film in the Warner Brothers' MGM catalog that is way, way overdue on DVD.

This classic western stars John Wayne, Pedro Armendariz, Harry Carey Jr and Ward Bond -- the usual John Ford suspects. Ford strikes a balance between action and sentimentality, directing this simple story in a straightforward fashion with a great sense of pace. It's really good fun. This is Ford's first color film and cinematography by Winton Hoch looks really rich and with enough sand to make you wish you had some lemonade.

Maybe Warner's busily restoring this film to its original pristine 35mm real 1948 Technicolor glory and researching the vaults for behind-the-scences extras? Maybe they'll even toss in a pdf of the original story by Peter B. Kyne and the film script? It would be great if they included the original 1916 silent film with Harry Carry Sr.

"3 Godfathers" is a natural for the Christmas season as it's a film the whole family can watch. Did I say it's way overdue on DVD?

Love Duke, love this movie
I'm giving this four stars instead of five simply because five stars is reserved for true masterpieces - for films virtually without flaw. This film is flawed, but oh so wonderfully lovable. I won't bother to retell the plot, as others have already done a better job than I can, but I will just say what I love about it.

The performances: Pedro Armendariz & Harry Carey Jr. are wonderful. I think of the scene where Pedro steels his resolve and heads into the tattered covered wagon to help deliver Mildred Natwick's child; his face reveals a wonderful mixture of dread, awe, responsibility, resolve, strength, determination... And John Wayne is at his irascible, lovable best - at turns impatient and scolding, tender and understanding - truly avuncular. He is clearly the leader of the group, and being 6'4" of John Wayne, he commands (and gets!) most of our attention, but never in a way that diminishes the other two men or moves them too far into the background. The relationship between the three characters is wonderfully drawn and complementary; obviously they all had great chemistry together.

The story: The desert is a harsh and unforgiving place, but this film shows that even in the desert you can find redemption. Robert Hightower's soul is in a spiritual desert and it is for this reason that he must be the one to bring the baby to New Jerusalem. He has to find his own redemption and his own peace walking with God, which the other two men already seem to have. I know some may not share in the Christian faith that John Ford obviously had and thus may find the symbolism in this film heavy-handed, but I for one think it lent a great deal of emotional depth. Every soul is longing for something more, and for something greater than itself, and though I know little about Ford as a person, it seems to me that he knew this something more can only be found in Christ. There is so much more I could say about the symbolism in this film - the water, for example, that the men are constantly craving and aching for - think of the Samaritan woman at the well in the Bible and what Jesus tells her (John 4). This is a highly spiritual film!

It is also at times highly comic. The funniest part, and one I could watch over and over again, is when the men are puzzling over what to do with their godson. Just the sight of John Wayne holding the tiny infant in his huge hands is downright sweet and endearing. Then the Kid pulls out Doc Meecham's book of baby advice, advice that prompts JW to say he wouldn't trust a "sick polecat" to the good doctor's care. One of the things the doctor suggests is rubbing the baby down with olive oil or clean lard. Pedro finds some axle grease, and the next thing we see is Wayne's huge hand dipping into the yellow grease and "greazing" the tiny baby's body, a sight that strikes the characters as funny as it strikes us. But it's much better seen than described so I will leave off. Suffice it to say that this is a highly enjoyable film that moves easily between sad & funny moments, and one I will be turning to often. ... Read more

Reviews (146)

Disney Still Makes You Appreciate The Family Magic...
Disney's latest animated feature film directed by Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker tells the heartfelt tale of the relationship of brothers, dream and the belief in nature.

Beautifully animated and sprinkled with songs by the Phil Collins (Tarzan, Hook) and even one sung by Tina Turner (Road Warrior: Beyond Thunderdome) the movie has energy and an appreciation of older culture and how man and nature can co-exist.

This movie teaches the value of appreciating your siblings and the elderly in your families. Sometimes their advice is the only thing you may have to fall back on. Its starts with a tragedy and this threat come full circle at the end of the film. The perspective is that of the Bear. The Bear sees man as the Monster Man sees Bear as the monster. The spirit of one of the brother intervenes and shows the perspective of the other.

Three brothers are voiced by Joaquin Phoenix (Signs, Gladiator), D.B. Sweeney (Dinosaur, Fire In the Sky) and Jason Raize (First Feature). The lovable but obnoxious youthful bear Koda is played by Jeremy Suarez (Jerry McGuire, Bernie Mac Show).

Of the comic relief is mainly supplied by the two Moose - Rutt and Tuke played by Dave Thomas (Coneheads, Boris and Natasha) and Rick Moranis (The Flintstones, Honey I Shrunk 1,2,3,4). There perspective gives tribute to the Canadian traditions of the old past.

The movie has a warm heart and is fun and family orientated. What's really nice is it has a closure that leaves every character happy with his newly found situation. Including little Koda. Good clean family fun! (11-10-03)

Fun Family Movie
"Brother Bear" is a good family movie. It has a good message to it and the story is very enjoyable to watch. The cub, "Koda," is fun to watch and the moose brothers, "Rut and Tuke," are just hilarious. The movie's message of loving one another and protecting family is fantastic. The entire film has a good "family" feel to it without coming across as too gushy or preachy.

It's also a great comedy. There are multiple scenes in the film that make children of all ages laugh. My two-year old loves watching "Koda" be silly. "Rut and Tuke" provide great comedy for the adults. The character of "Kenai" is also very funny when he comes to realize that he isn't human anymore.

The only shortcoming of this film is the music. Don't get me wrong, it is nice to listen to, but it doesn't sound as inspired as past Disney efforts. As another reviewer stated, the music reminds me a lot of "Tarzan."

The DVD is chock full of extras. I like both the "family-friendly" version of the film and the original theatrical aspect that are offered. The games are fun and the "Bones" game is actually quite challenging for the younger lot. There are deleted scenes(including one with a character not seen in the movie) and funny "outtakes" a la "Bug's Life." "Stitch" even makes a cameo appearance in the extras! There are a number of other extras, including a documentary on different aspects of the film. You can pick and choose which parts you want to watch.

Overall, I highly recommend this film. Some folks have knocked it for the violence in the early sequences of the movie. This is ashame, because the scenes are handled with care and there is no blood actually viewed on-screen. If you're bothered by the violent sequences, watch the movie without your kids first and prepare yourself to explain the scenes to your child. I honestly don't think this is necessary, but I know how sensitive some folks can be. Others have questioned the spiritism used in the film. Considering this movie takes place at the time of the Inuit people, I find no fault with the totems or spirits involved. Don't let a few naysayers in the crowd ruin your experience.

This is a fine family movie that can be enjoyed by all.

An Amazing Bear
I saw the trailers for Brother Bear when it was in theatres and didn't really think much about it, until it got the Academy Award Nomination for Best Animated Feature, then I said to myself that this could be good, and guess what...it is!

Brother Bear is about Kenai (Joaquin Phoenix), a young Native boy who takes revenge on the bear who killed his older brother. When his brother's spirit sees what he's doing, he changes Kenai into a Bear to make him see through the animals point-of-view.

AMAZING! I was really impressed at how well done this movie is. I have to admit that this is one of my favorite animated films to date. The music by Phil Collins and (surprise!) Tina Turner are great! The score really stands out too, especially during the exciting transformation scene. Though, not as much music as my second favorite animated film, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, this one still delivers and music placement is put in where music is needed. The story is a bit strong and there are some scary scenes that may frighten little children, but other than that, the kids will forget about it when the two hilarious Moose, Rutt and Tuke, arrive on-screen (voiced wonderfully by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas). The Animation mixed in with a few CGI's are fantastic! as is the detail and the usage of the widescreen scope is used to the fullest extent. I was reading around and one reviewer said that this is a collaboration of all of the Disney themes, such as family in 'The Lion King', the transformation of 'The Little Mermaid', the Natives in 'Pocahontas' and the collaboration of Phil Collins again, just like in 'Tarzan'. I do agree with this and found it incredibly interesting that there are similarities which I welcome to with open arms.

I have to comment on how animated films have more adult themes to them these days. The 3 Nominated films of 2003 have elements of death or separation to them. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, it's actually, to me, a breath of fresh air. Brother Bear does have some intense and scary moments but at the same time there are are those fluffy scenes that back it up. I grew up watching Disney films right when I was at least 7 years old and ten years later, I have to admit, I still watch them. That may seem a bit sad and embarrasing, on my part, but it just shows how Animated films, such as Brother Bear, have that long range of age where no matter how old you are, you can still learn and relate to what these stories have to tell. It's really a dissapointment to hear that Traditional Animation is fading away, as it really shows the talent of human art, but times are changing and so is technology. So, just as long as Animated films have a great story to tell then I'm open to the posibilities that Computer Animation has to offer.

So, in the end, Brother Bear is an excellent mix of Disney themes that is filled with great music, good story and overall just a great film.

GREAT MOVIE!
I LOVED THIS MOVIE! I FIRST SAW IT IN THEATERS AND I THOUT IT WAS REAL GOOD!I GOT IT ON DVD THE FIRST DAY IT CAME OUT!I RECCOMEND THIS MOVIE FOR EVERY KID IN THE WHOLE WORLD!THE GROWN-UPS WOULD PROBABLY LIKE IT TO!I HOPE THEY MAKE A BROTHER BEAR 2!

Breathtaking!
This film is just absolutely wonderful. Not only will my daughter sit and watch it over and over again, but I dont' mind it, even after the 400th time! It's a movie that my husband, daughter and I can all watch as a family, and enjoy. It's cute, fun, and will hold true to Disney themes of making you laugh, cry and anticipate. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Just as Do the Right Thing was the capstone of Spike Lee's earlier career, Malcolm X marked the next milestone in the filmmaker's artistic maturity. It seemed everything Lee had done up to that point was to prepare him for this epic biography of America's fiery civil-rights leader, who is superbly played by Oscar-nominated Denzel Washington, from his early days as a zoot-suited hustler known as "Detroit Red" to his spiritual maturity after his pilgrimage to Mecca, as a Black Muslim by the name of El Hajj Malik El Shabazz. Do the Right Thing climaxed with the photographic images of Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King engulfed by flames of rage; Malcolm X explores the genesis and evolution of that rage over Malcolm's lifetime, and how these two great figures--held up to the public as polar-opposites within the African American human rights movement (King for nonviolent civil disobedience, Malcolm for achieving equality "by any means necessary")--were each essential to the agenda of the other. Lee careens from the hedonistic ebullience of Malcolm's early days to the stark despair of prison, from his life-changing conversion to Islam to his emergence as a dynamic political leader--all with an epic sweep and vitality that illuminates personal details as well as political ideology. Angela Bassett is also terrific as Malcolm's wife, Betty Shabazz. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (72)

Awesome man, excellent tribute
Denzel Washington makes this little understood nearly mythical man breath. After studying the life of Malcolm X in a sociology of religion class, we watched this film to relax a bit. The script seems fairly accurate to history, and the imagery helps bring the conflict, drive and sincerity of Malcolm X to life.
In the movie, it becomes so obvious that Malcolm had just reached a kind of Buddhist nirvanna in his Islamic faith. Had he been allowed to live, his newly found spiritual insight gained from his pilgrimage to Mecca most likely would have helped to enlighten other Americans, Muslim or Christian, white or black. Malcolm appears on the verge of something even greater than he had previously been. Malcolm appears to be on the verge of becoming a national and perhaps even global spiritual and secular leader at the time of his death. Denzel makes more mourn the death of a man I never met. Inspiring, insightful. I'm grateful to Denzel and Spike for bringing me this "joint."

Excellent Biopic, One of the Best!
A sweeping biopic of an admirable man, who, while his ideas were wrong, had the will and the determination to defend his ideas and to say them publicly. A powerful film, with a sweeping force and excellent production values. While the film is extremely long (200+ min.), it is never boring ans always fascinating, it is divided in equally interesting stages; Malcolm's youth, prison time, his dedication to Elijah Muhammad, and the ultimate betrayal and death of Malcom X. A compelling study of a complicated, angry man, and whether you agree with his ideas or you don't, the movie remains a riveting biopic that is one of the best movies of the 90's. The reason the film works so well is mainly because of the performances and the assured direction by Lee. Not as incendeary or provocative as one would expect from a Spike Lee film, only the first and last few minutes are controversial. Denzel Washington delivers a powerful performance that ranks among his best. Also Angela Bassett is great in support. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 9!

Powerful...
...is the best way to describe Malcolm X, Denzel Washinton's greatest work in cinema so far. It tells the story of Malcolm X, the strong-willed black revolution leader whose ironic and powerful views differed very differently from Martin Luther Jr.
Denzel Washington gives an extraordinary performance, and with heart he shows the metamorphosis of Malcolm X, from hip young kid, to his life of crime days, to when he was a white-hating civil rights leader.
There are many other great performances in the film, and Spike Lee makes Malcolm X his best "joint" ever. You can feel that this is a Spike lee film, because it is a little strange and it swings from one mood to another. Spike lee also stars in the film, but as a minor character.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching Malcolm X, and it ranks as one of the best film of the '90s. If you love Denzel Washington, you haven't seen him perform until you have seen him in Malcolm X.

BEST MOVIE EVER
Movies are never good as the book, but its good to see a visual. One thing I didn't like about the movie is the way they protrayed Elijah Mahammad.
This movie changed my life, for someone like me in High School that didn't like to read. lol It was becasue of this movie I joined the Nation Of Islam when I was 18. I figured I would go to the source, Malcom X just repeated what Elijah said, and look how great he became. Malocom X was so great, but always thought he would come back to the N.O.I....Give thanks to Malcom X our living Ancestor...

Definite classic
But... while this film marks Spike's high point as a director and one of Denzel's highest points as an actor (THIS is what he should've goitten the Oscar for, not Training Day, and it's criminal that Spike wasn't nominated.)
That being said, the film is overall excellent and historically accurate, even when it hurts, such as the corruption of the Nation of Islam. Two things, however, mar it: First, Freeman's Elijah sounded like he belonged in Kung Fu film; the real Elijah (there are tapes)didn't quite sound that Asian. Second, the ending just didn't fit. That was just Spike trying way too hard to say something that really didn't need to be said. The film could've ended at the assassination and been near perfect. The rest was attempted spin-doctoring.
DEFINITELY see this film. It's essential in understanding a lot of the early '60s political scene. ... Read more

Reviews (111)

My Kids Love This Movie
This story takes place in the perfect little town, Shining Time, where everyone apparently sits around at the train station with nothing to do; and the Island of Sodor, which is populated only by trains (which leaves me wondering, why the need for passenger cars) and Sir Topham Hat, the cranky railway controller. Mr. C is a tiny little guy who magically pops in and out using gold dust. Gold dust is the only way to travel to the Island of Sodor and it's running out. And to make things worse a nasty Diesel engine is running amok threatening the steam engines. Hence the plot of this movie.

I have to agree with almost all of the other reviews-- for the most part the acting stinks, but my kids love it. They want to watch it nearly every day. They love to watch the "choo-choo's". Because of that I gave it 4 stars.

From an adult perspective I would give it 2 stars, only because of Alec Baldwin. If it weren't for Baldwin this movie would have nothing for the adults to watch. He is absolutely hillarious as Mr. Conductor. He plays the part perfectly. The only other good acting comes from C Jr., Mr. C's nephew (don't know his real name), who plays a funny British surfer-dude. On the other hand Peter Fonda's acting is so bad, it would be funny if he weren't so annoying. He plays Burnett Stone, a sad-sack old recluse who never comes down from the mountain and now I see why. If he did come down he would be pelted with rocks.

This movie is full of stupid dialog and situations. One of the more stupid moments in this movie: A girl asking a stray dog what train to get on and where to get off. The most stupid lines: Native-American: "Does Burnett Stone ever give you a smile?" Patch: "No, but he doesn't frighten my horse either. Which means I don't think he's a bad man."

Thomas the Magic Railroad wasn't so magical after all.
After reading the previous reviews about the film and comtemplating on the opinions. I realized that this film doesn't have the Thomas spirit. I'm 16 years old and I have watched numerous videos of Thomas in my young childhood and like to rejoice on the great memories that I have had with Thomas. When the movie was released, I watched it at home and I wasn't all that impressed. The basic storyline was pretty well thought out but it didn't seem like a regular Thomas storyline. Some of the children nowadays would think it is boring and simply terrifying with the exception of Diesel 10. The majority of the children have watched the show and videos and learned that Thomas is a innocent, friendly, and a hard worker. When you put a evil train into the mix, it doesn't seem right. The original Diesel used to cause trouble out in the yards etc., but this one didn't fit. Overall the storyline isn't all that bad, but the they could have had better acting and more train scenes instead of the humans. I mean it is Thomas's movie. But in conclusion, they didn't ruin the Thomas series, it just put a little confusion in the likes of the series.

3 y.o twins love it - but are now saying "GET OUTTA MY WAY!"
It is definitely for the under 5 crowd, and they will sit through this unlike many other movies. It captivates them, and I can handle watching it, but the boys did learn the "GET OUTTA MY WAY!" phrase from Deisel 10 and I am not thrilled about that. Especially when repeated in the preschool yard!

Should be zero stars
Honest - I think this may be the worst movie I've ever seen. I agree with the previous reviewer: kids who are young enough to be interested in Thomas won't sit still for the live-action scenes. And an adult who doesn't mind watching a typical Thomas video with a child will find this movie just excruciating. The "plot" is extremely tedious, and the acting is just plain awful. I have no idea why Alec Baldwin and Peter Fonda took these roles unless (1) they never read the script or (2) somebody backed a truckload of money up to their door. I would have rated it a zero if I could. Just plain bad. Don't waste your money.

Mara wilson. 4th may 2004.
By looking on the advertisements, it looked fairly good. Mostly wanted it cos mara wilson was in it, i like her films, she is a good actress. I don't think it is amusing for any older kid, after watching it myself i know that older kids might get a bit bored of it. Not just for those who just like thomas the tank engine, it is kind of an adventure too. People who don't like thomas might absolutely hate this film, for me there is too much talking trains and it is great for an ill kid,especcially young ones. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Shakespeare in Hollywood.
Let me begin by saying that the 5 star rating is purely subjective. As you can see from the other reviews you either like this film or you don't. I LOVE this film. As an adaptation of Shakespeare's play it's not very good. Such is the case with other Shakespeare movies of this vintage (check out the 1934 ROMEO AND JULIET with Leslie Howard and Norma Shearer or the 1929 TAMING OF THE SHREW with Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford). In fact the hostile reception this version received steered Hollywood clear of anything by Shakespeare for years. So much for Shakespeare in Hollywood. The fairy scenes are among the most magical I have ever seen in any film echoing their German origins while the Athenian scenes are as Hollywood as they come. F.W. Murnau's FAUST (the co-director William Dieterle played Valentine in FAUST) meets 42ND STREET (note the dance numbers). The performances by James Cagney, Olivia de Haviland, Ross Alexander, Jean Muir, and Victor Jory are quite good. Anita Louise is a lovely Titania and Mickey Rooney (12 at the time) is loud and mischievous. Just what I would expect Puck to be. Most of these performers were in Max Reinhardt's stage production which this film is based on. The tradesmen are vaudeville comics with the exception of Frank McHugh and are perfectly at home in this dual setting. Joe E. Brown and Hugh Herbert get to do their shticks while an unrecognizable Arthur Treacher gets to do nothing. A MIDSUMMERNIGHT'S DREAM is not for everyone and definitely not for Shakespeare purists. But if you approach it as a movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood and all that implies then it's much easier to enjoy. Postscripts for the historically curious (with apologies to Henry W. Simon). This was the film that brought Erich Wolfgang Korngold to Warner Brothers. His job was to arrange the well known music by Mendelssohn. The rest as they say is history. The part of the young Indian prince is played by Kenneth Anger of HOLLYWOOD BABYLON fame.

I liked the new one better
This wasn't a terible movie, but I liked the new version better. Some of the acting in this version was overdone; Anita Louise, who played Titania, sounded like she belonged in an opera house, and why did Mickey Rooney decide to portray Puck as a wild animal in human form? Olivia De Havilland did give a good portrayal of Hermia, however; I just wish she'd had more lines! James Cagney also gave a good portrayal of Bottom. In the new version, whoever played the man who played the woman in the play about Pyramus and Thisbe gave a much better performance than Joe E. Brown does here. Brown just plays it for laughs. For the most part, the acting in the new version was much better. I believe the special effects were innovative for the time period; it is easy to see that, but, unfortuanatly, they pale in comparison to all that has come since in special effects in movies. The sets weren't too bad, either. So, on the whole, there were pluses to this movie, but minuses, too. The new version had more pluses.

Puck steals the show!
This is not the type of movie I would normally watch - but it is a must-see! The dance numbers are awesome, and the real kick is watching the performance of Puck, which I only realized later was Mickey Rooney - he doesn't look 12, and I found myself wondering "how did they get him to act like that?".

The movie seems long at times, particulary in the party at the very end. But I wouldn't mind watching it again with someone -

The best to date
There have been criticisms here of Reinhardt's AMND as "un-Shakespearean," but truly: who among us would really want to sit in a theater with almost no props or backdrops, minimal costuming, men performing the women's parts, and audiences that were anything but quiet during the show? -For that's exactly what Shakespearean theater conditions amounted to. Our idea of Shakespeare derives simply from modern Masterpiece Theater style productions, which make a virtue of sober lucidity, and do a fine job of it, too.

But Reinhardt gives us a German High Romantic version of AMND, and displays a very different virtue, seldom seen in modern screen transcriptions of older works: a sense of well-conceived and executed style. You may not like his Mendelssohnian fairies, but their integration into the play--by choice of dialog, imaginative staging and costuming, brilliant special effects and incidental music--is consistent. Mendelssohn's music was in fact intended to accompany actual performances many years previously; and the ballet sequences built around it have a way of stopping time even today with their visionary beauty, a matter of movement, staging, lighting (the remarkable Hal Mohr), editing and effects. A book in fact could be written on Reinhardt's multi-level application of thematic materials, which is done in a manner that's far less boring than the way it sounds. This is a brilliant conception of Shakespeare, far from the "let's be different to grab attention" Shakespeare of punk Romeos that have fled across our screens in recent years.

The casting is generally very good. Mickey Rooney, in his first film role, displays all the remarkable energy and focus which were his greatest gifts. (What a shame the film industry kissed him off when he matured into a short, pudgy man, who was just as talented!) No prim, polite observer, his Puck is an elemental force, taking malicious delight in the strongly felt emotions of the humans that have come to the forest. Everything is brilliant, bright mockery: his deliberately garbled imitation of the speech and gestures of Lysander prior to the latter's magical sleep is a good example. This is not a Puck you would want call Robin Goodfellow, not unless you wanted to please him--and you most definitely would want to please him. It is a taut, kaleidoscopically varied performance.

The comic players are also well cast. James Cagney is superb as Bottom, particularly in the monologue that follows waking from what he considers "his dream." Hugh Herbert brings more variation to a giddy giggle, both for accompanying expression and meaning, than any other human being probably ever has. Frank McHugh is a delight as Peter Quince. Only Joe E Brown, as Flute, goes overboard, trying to steal the scene from others during their lines; but he makes up for it with a delightful Thisbe. Arthur Treacher is very much wasted, with nothing to say; and their are indications in the action that more may have been filmed, or at least planned of their material to film. Considerations of length and/or budget probably intervened.

Victor Jory, so well known even today for his villainous roles (especially in Flash Gordon serials), is a superbly dark Oberon: not sinister, but more of a somber Herne the Hunter type, in contrast to Anita Louise, who is all Elven gossamer. Presumably Reinhardt saw them as a balance of light and dark, perhaps with an overlay of contemporary Austrian psychoanalysis: masculine/dark/forceful against feminine/light/receptive. No, I don't buy the silly pop analysis of Men Are From Mars, Women From Venus; but in Reinhardt's AMND, we may be looking at an earlier incarnation of the same values, definitely presented on a more creative level. I don't buy into Reinhardt's portrayal of Oberon's followers as a bunch of anthrompomorphized bats, but I have to admit it works in context. This especially holds true for the ballet sequence where one bat follower symbolically forces a fairy follower of Titania to the ground, overshadows her, then bears her off, horizontal, her hands waving delicately in the air. I suppose we can only be thankful that the Hayes Office wasn't really paying attention to high prestige Art films.

The lovers are not quite as effective. All four are good, with Olivia de Haviland perhaps the best of the lot; but there's little sense of emotional depth in their performances, at least enough to draw forth Puck's disparaging remark about "what fools these mortals be." Some of this, again, may be due to the director's conception. Reinhardt clearly plays them more for laughs, cutting a fair amount of the four-way badinage, and deliberately staging at least one famous piece of it as a four-way, non-stop, unintelligble harrangue, in which opponents trade off to continue arguing. The quartet in Adrian Noble's 1996 AMND is to be preferred, here (though the staging is, IMO, awful).

To round out, I have to return to Reinhardt. He gave many of Hollywood's greatest talents during the 1920s-40s their apprenticeships. The contemporary notices for his productions are unanimous raves for his artistic insight, integrity, intelligence, directorial ability, and brillance of execution. Yet he would be no more than a footnote in some theatrical encyclopedia if it were not for this single film, made after Reinhardt escaped from the Nazis. A modest success in box offices at the time, Hollywood could not countenance the huge expenditure of resources on such a film, and Reinhardt was a respected pariah in the film community until his death in the early 1940s. But AMND lives on, and provides an excellent sense of what all the excitement was about this master visionary of theater...and potentially, cinema.

Mere Words Cannot Describe the Horror
Max Reinhardt was among the great theatrical impresarios of the early portion of the 20th Century, renowned primarily for the pageantry of his stage productions. His 1930s Los Angeles staging of William Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM was such a popular success that Hollywood studios went wild to lure Reinhardt into adapting his production to the screen. Strange to say, Warner Brothers--more at home with gangster movies, tough melodrama, and strident musicals--won the bid, and the result was this 1936 abomination.

Now, I won't go so far as to say this version of Shakespeare's famous fairy tale will actually make you run screaming from the room, but I will say that by the time it ends you may wish you had. Fairies flutter, flounce, and flop around to some of the most uninspired choreography imaginable; the score, lifted from the Mendelsson's most obvious works, could rot your teeth at twenty paces; the sets and costumes strive for a Parrish-like effect and instead come up with clunky Hollywood gloss. And need we mention that Shakespeare's gossamer script has been ripped to shreds?

The cast is simply horrendous. This was Olivia de Havilland's first film, and while she isn't memorably bad, neither is she memorably good--and that's really the highwater mark of the performances as a whole. James Cagney is terribly miscast, and Dick Powell behaves exactly as if he is about to launch into a Busby Berkley musical number. And then there is Mickey Rooney, who gives what must be single most abrasive performance in all of 1930s cinema. Only Joe E. Brown manages to emerge unscathed.

All in all, watching the 1936 Warner Brother's version of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is akin to watching an alligator swallow an innocent, sweet-eyed fawn. You just can't quite believe that it is happening, right there, in front your own eyes. Now, if you have an interest in how Hollywood approached Shakespeare in the 1930s, you may actually want to sit through this movie once. But don't inflict it upon any one else. They won't thank you for it.

--GFT (Amazon.com Reviewer)-- ... Read more

Amazon.com

This remastered, pan-and-scan 30th-anniversary edition of that kiddie-car caper is flawed but solid family fare. It retains a quaint charm while some of the songs--including the title tune--are quite hummable. A huge plus is Dick Van Dyke, who is extremely appealin