Reviews (11)

A MUST SEE
This is a very good movie! I am a Shirley Temple fan, but I think that even if you are not, you will still love this movie! Shirley plays Star, a child that was in a ship wreck and was found by Captain January, a lighthouse keeper. There is an evil truant officer who is trying to take Star away from "Cap". This movie has something for everyone. It has a lot of really funny parts, but it also has a very good plot. There are some good songs in the movie, such as,"At the Codfish Ball","Early Bird",and "The Right Somebody To Love". This is a very good movie, A must see for anyone!

Shirley
This Temple film is very good. Little Shirley stars as the "daughter" of a lighthouse keeper who rescued her when she was a baby. A truant officer learns that "Star" doesn't go to school, makes her take an examination, and when she passes, angrily decides to sent Star to an institution. Unhappy Star gets a surprise from her sympathizing aunt and uncle. Includes lots of dancing. Not too cute like some of the Temple films. Lots of songs.

Great film
This movie has a good dance sequence with Shirley and Buddy Ebsen. Shirley sings some good songs with friends. An uplifting and entertaining film.

Gets Me Everytime
This is probably one of the only films besides for some tear-jerking romance movies that gets me to break down in tears each time I watch it. Shirley Temple gives an excellent performance as Star, a pint-sized orphan living with her savior, Captain January, in a lighthouse on the shore. When Star is ripped out of Captain January's arms as the cold truant officer tries to put her in an institution (I know- these are a likely basis for Temple flicks but who cant love them!), I bawl everytime as she yells to the grief-stricken Cap- "What did I do? Why are they taking me away from you?" It is the sadest thing ever to see a little girl, especially Shirley, break down like that- it gets me everytime.
This movie is indeed a Temple memorable- most def. one of her classics. She shines in this movie- dances surely the best she can with Buddy Ebsen- and bestows this beautiful relationship with the old sea Cap. The cap and Star both take care of each other and it is adorable to watch on screen. The songs in this movie are very cute and any child or Shirley fan will love this movie. I highly recommed it being a major Shirley fan myself. I grew up with her big smile, her bright eyes, her tiny dimples, and her curly top- Shes a big part of my childhood memories. I wish their were movies more like these that exist now...

AT THE CODFISH BALL WITH JED CLAMPETT!
A remake of a 1923 silent with the now-forgotten Baby Peggy, this is an amusing little Temple flick - one in which the little ones should enjoy. This was Shirley's initial 1936 release and it actually turned out to be one of her most fondly remembered movies. Based upon an 1890 novel entitled THE LIGHTHOUSE AT CAPE TEMPEST by Laura E. Richards, its the story of a poor foundling (how unusual for a Temple character!) named Star who is taken in by a kindly lighthouse keeper - the title character played by the talented Guy Kibbee. Shirley sings THE RIGHT SOMEBODY TO LOVE and her dance number with Buddy Ebsen is among her best while doing AT THE CODFISH BALL. During the filming of the latter's sequence, Temple had to climb a 45 foot stairway while a camera crane moved up beside her, catching her lines each time she turned on the stairs - timing the line exactly to the turn - Shirley never missed the synchronization once. Temple was easily the greatest asset the newly formed TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX had and this movie is quite a showcase for the little moppet. It's designed solely as its star's vehicle; Shirley appears in nearly every sequence: grinning, sobbing, dancing, singing, wriggling, pattering downstairs or spitting on her pinafore as the scenerio requires! The colourization process has improved substantially, so the kids won't complain about watching "old black and white movies"! ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Excellent true life World War II suspense story!
Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer give outstanding performances as Monsr. Hugh O'Flaherty(Peck) and SS Col. Herbert Kapler(Plummer). The action and suspense of the movie keeps it going at a brisk pace. The story follows Peck as a Vatican official trying to save Italian Jews and Allied escaped POW's from the hands of the German SS. Plummers portrayal as Col. Kapler is both chilling and frightening, especially when he personally executes a Catholic priest who was caught helping the Resistance. Peck's portrayal of Father O'Flaherty is very moving to watch. The intelligence and compassion of this man truly shows through and shows how much Father O'Flaherty deserved the awards and decorations he received from the Allies after the war. And the ending is very surprising as well! It is also a plus having the movie shot in Rome where the actual events took place. A truly classic movie. I highly recommend it.

Excellent true life World War II suspense story!
Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer give outstanding performances as Monsr. Hugh O'Flaherty(Peck) and SS Col. Herbert Kapler(Plummer). The action and suspense of the movie keeps it going at a brisk pace. The story follows Peck as a Vatican official trying to save Italian Jews and Allied escaped POW's from the hands of the German SS. Plummers portrayal as Col. Kapler is both chilling and frightening, especially when he personally executes a Catholic priest who was caught helping the Resistance. Peck's portrayal of Father O'Flaherty is very moving to watch. The intelligence and compassion of this man truly shows through and shows how much Father O'Flaherty deserved the awards and decorations he received from the Allies after the war. And the ending is very surprising as well! It is also a plus having the movie shot in Rome where the actual events took place. A truly classic movie. I highly recommend it.

amazon bias
erik reitz review is incredibly bigoted and hostile toward catholics - however i wrote a review pointing this out and incredibly you don't post my review but retain his - another thing i've noticed that amazon allows bigoted views against western civ, christianity, catholicism, anglos, men, heterosexuals etc to be posted & while some people will reply exposing this bigotry amazon runs the double standard of allowing unrestrained bigotry on one side while censoring the other side - you claim to moderate fairly yet what you do is allow left wing bigotry unchecked and the rest censored - amazon has presented a hostile evironment to the above mentioned censored majority of which i am a part - i cringe everytime i shop amazon's reviews that my sensibilities will not only be ignored but trampled and violated

The Scarlet & The Black
Great Job ... Acting, Location & Story. Its nice to see one more positive telling of the Church during the war. Not too many people know that the Chief Rabi of Rome during and immediately after the war, Israel Zolii, was so impressed by the Christians in Rome who tried to protect Jews from nazi persecution, that he was baptised as Catholic shortly after the end of the war. He took for his Christian name Eugene ... the same first name as Pope Pius XII, whom he especially admired as a friend and protector of Jews. He died as a devout Catholic.

One of the best!
This movie never gets enough credit! This is one of the best war time movies ever and with Mr. Peck's passing this is a must see for Peck fans who have not seen this movie. Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer in one of his best roles play a cat and mouse game during WW2. The acting is fantastic and there is a lot of suspense! A must see! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Jingoism, beefcake, military hardware, and a Giorgio Moroder rock score reign supreme over taste and logic in this Tony Scott film about a maverick trainee pilot (Tom Cruise) who can't follow the rules at a Navy aviation training facility. The dogfight sequences between American and Soviet jets at the end are absolutely mechanical, though audiences loved it at the time. The love story between Cruise's character and that of Kelly McGillis is like flipping through pages of advertising in a glossy magazine. This designer action movie from 1986 would be all the more appalling were it not for the canny casting of good actors in dumb parts. Standouts include Anthony Edwards--who makes a nice impression as Cruise's average-Joe pal--and the relatively unknown Meg Ryan in a small but memorable appearance. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (209)

Fun, but not realistic.
"Top Gun" is not the movie to watch if you are looking for authentic military activities. It is, however, a showcase for Tom Cruise to show how hot he and his band of young stud actors are. Cruise plays Maverick, a crack Navy pilot who get the chance to go to the elite Top Gun Avaiation School. There he is placed in competition with other excellent pilots, but his cheif rival is Iceman (Val Kilmer). This is your standard story of a boy wonder trying to prove himself to a father figure. The romance with his instructor is also sort of superficial. It is, however, very funny to watch all the bloated egos trying to function, resulting in very funny lines of dialog. Also the dog fights are very cool and exciting. Good job Tony Scott. I have met a lot of pilots who act just like these guys, but it didn't seem as funny at the time, though.

Top Gun
This movie is an awesome hit from director Tony Scott (also directed Beverly Hills Cop, Enemy of the State,and much more) dense with fun and excitement that will keep you FLYING for as long as you like. Tom Cruise (Days of Thunder, Jerry Maguire, etc.) stars as hotshot fighter jet pilot "Maverick" Pete Mitchell, who is elected with his partner "Goose" (Anthony Edwards) to enter the Navy's very competitive "Top Gun" program, where many comparible opponents challenge him to win the top rank, including "Iceman" Tom Kusansky (Val Kilmer) and "Slider" (Russ Rossovich). Stars Kelly McGillis as Mitchell's girlfriend, with appearances by Michael Ironside, Clarence Gilyard Jr., Meg Ryan (as Goose's wife), and Tim Robbins. A great action film.

Top Gun baby!
TOPGUN..wat can i say. i grew up watchin this film ,its fun, exciting,thrilling and above all SEXY..tom cruise has never looked soo hott...this movie has given a new meaning to the song 'Youve lost that loving feeling' youd be surprised how many pilots, footballers sing this to girls in bars...it has an amazing soundtrack. 'take my breath away' performed by berlin is a wonderful emotional lovesong that truly melts your heart. so if your a fan of a little romance then this will be a movie top of your list. i know a lot of my boy friends have enjoyed this film so its not just a sloppy romance for girls. the boys get a kick out of 'Maverick' the stud played by Cruise who is 'one hell of an instinctive pilot' who learns never to leave his wing man. His best friend 'Goose' is the coolest character hes so entertaining. there are really fun sexy catchprases, such as 'goose ya big stud take me to bed and loose me forever' and 'son your ego is writing checks your body cant cash'
Top gun is a great movie to just chill out with some popcorn on the sofa and watch with your best friends. ill guarantee you will definately enjoy it.
"there are no points for second place in Topgun." (girls checkout the volleyball scene...mmm)

Awesome Movie!
This movie is a definate classic. The story line is interesting and not mindless like many of hollywoods other movies. Plus we have a beautiful guy with a smile that will make you melt playing the sensitive yet daring main charecter; need I say more? Be careful about chosing when to watch this though, you may have trouble focusing your brain on anything other than Tom Cruises amazing smile.

Top Gun Favourite.
Absolute cheese on a stick, but Top Gun proves that that's not always a bad thing. This movie's got everything - an arrogant prodigy who'd be out on his ass if he wasn't so good, a sensible, more down to earth best friend, a love interest, an arch nemesis and his dumb sidekick, a few cool high fives and catchphrases, the emotional death scene, a euphoric victory act and of course, some unforgettable action sequences. What more could any red-blooded child of the eighties ask for?

Anyone born around 1980 will remember how everyone was doing that double high five and saying 'talk to me Goose' to the kid next to them in class. Certainly one of my all time favourites - entertaining stuff. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Kevin Costner's lousy English accent is a small obstacle in this often exciting version of the Robin Hood fable. That aside, it's refreshing to have a preface to the old story in which we meet the robber hero of Sherwood Forest as a soldier in King Richard's Crusades, coming home to find his people under siege from the cruelties of the Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman). After Robin and his community of outcasts and fighters take to the trees, director Kevin Reynolds (Fandango, 187) is on more familiar narrative ground, and he goes for the gusto with lots of original action (Robin shoots two arrows simultaneously from his bow in two directions). Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, as Marion, makes a convincing damsel in distress, and Morgan Freeman brings dignity to his role as Robin's Moor friend. Alan Rickman, however, gets the most attention for his scene-chewing role as the rotten sheriff, an almost campy performance that is highly entertaining but perhaps a little out of sorts with the rest of the film.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (157)

Prince of Action Heros
Kevin Costner got a lot of... for his English accent, and while it wasn't great, it wasn't that distracting. "Robin Hood: Prince of Theives" slightly brakes from traditional myth in that Robin Hood is a returning knight from the Crusades. In the absense of King Richard, Sherriff of Nottingham attempted to take power. When Robin returns he swears vengence against the sherriff who killed his father and defamed his name. Then it's basicly "Die Hard" in the forest. The greatest change is Morgan Freeman's Moorish warrior traveling with Robin. Freeman is good, as usual. Christan Slater is full of fire and wind (putting it nicely) as Will Scarlet. Costner dose well as Robin, I really thought he did excellent. Mary Elizabeth Mastrentonio is pretty good as more or less independent Maid Marion (she has a lot of 1990s style "Thelma and Louise" attitude than was not realistic in the Dark Ages). But it's Alan Rickman's Sherriff who steals the show. He is wild, over the top, very funny to watch. This movie is dark, violent, and kind of scary with it's witch and occultic themes. This is pure action from start to finish. Just excellent.

Entertaining
First off, I wanna address this whole thing about Kevin Costner's accent. What difference does it make at all??? If you think it makes the movie more historically accurate, well, I hate to break it to you but, you're wrong. English people in 1194 weren't speaking in modern British accents, they were speaking in Old English, which is basically a dialect of German. So, with that thought, the British actors were as from the historical truth as Costner with their accents. Costner I think plays a very realistic Robin Hood, who is a lot more human than the other Robin Hoods. He shows emotion, and in the beginning, really plays well his role of a spoiled, rich boy. A lot of people commend Allan Rickman on his performance here, but I think he was one of the worst characters. When talking about him, people spoke so frightenedly about him, but in every single one of his on screen moments, he was acting like a goofy weirdo. I couldn't ever tell if what he was saying was supposed to be serious or a joke. I think his character took away from the more serious, adventurous tone of the rest of the movie, and made Prince of Thieves seem like a parody in itself. Not to say that he was a bad actor, I think that s a fault of the writers. There were a few inaccuracies, like the way that the Scots dressed. My exact first thoughts of that scene are expressed by other reviewers. They looked more like people who would have been ravaging the Roman establishments in Britain in the 4th and 5th centuries, not like Scots of the 12th. A lot of people have complained about the witch, and although I m not sure what her purpose was in the movie, she was entertaining, and kind of scary at the same time. On the whole, this was a good movie that s entertaining to watch, not too far away from Braveheart. (Although Robin's rhetoric skills are definitely much worse than William Wallace's. I could not comprehend at all what he is trying to say while he s lecturing the people from the fallen tree. He started off with something about being freedmen, and then ended with making weapons from the forest, I don't understand that connection. If they are free men then while in the hell are they living in the forest? I think that if you re free you can live wherever you want, not be forced into a "haunted" forest in the middle of nowhere. And if they were already free, they wouldn't need to fight back.)

4 1/2
Much better than the original release. This version has optimal quality in the picture and sound and has lots of bonus features. Now I can review the content of the film as this version is the best you can get! The film presented here is pretty good, well done. Im not a huge Costner fan but he does fairly well here, this story of Robin Hood did well in the theatres but skyrocketed with the help of Brian Adam's song "Everything I do, I do it for you". Its a good film with a great soundtrack and it helped sell cereal, toys and books...Good film, GREAT dvd! Must buy

Prince of Leaves
I'm rating this film so low only because of the dvd itself. Its a double sided disc that doesnt need to be flipped but the studio was so cheap they made it double sided at the time! The film itself looks average, not wonderful. Do yourself a favor...get the new extra disc version....

aging slowly but surely...
This was one of my favorite movies way back when it came out in '91. What may have even prompted me to see it was that it wasn't gonna be the proverbial 'men in tights' satire. But Kevin never really did much that was meant to be an intentional comedy (some only turned out to be that way not by design). Hilarity was an element was not intended to dominant the script. However, anyone who may have been expecting this to be anything like Dances With Wolves will have been thrown a curveball. Costner did not hold the directorial reigns and it shows, with no disrespect to K. Reynolds.
I bought the DVD recently and I cringe at some of the choices the project had taken. It's easy to say it in hindsight but the truth is rough considering the lineup of some high-profile actors cast. Bottom line: It fumbles from being having all components of a comedy, drama, and romance in one release. In other words, typical Hollywood fare.
I found the second supplementary disc sub-par. I'm surely not asking for anything on the level of the Lord of the Rings, Terminator 2 or Star Wars prequels, but I thought the SE version was going to merit more information and detail. I also grew weary of Costner's commentary here.
I might have given Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves three stars. But the cast did all they could do to save a rushed screenplay. The movie did do well in the theatres in '91 so it did have its charm. Get this only if there is absolutely nothing on the store shelf. ... Read more

Description

To be or not to be?To act or not to act?The questions are the same to Joe, a struggling (read:jobless) actor whose every sinew and synapse cries out to performand to soften the blow of not landing a part in a megabudget sci-fi movie.So in the stalwart (read:desperate) tradition of actors everywhere, Joe vows to put on a show, a special (read:even more desperate) version of the greatest play in the English tongue.

Writer/director Kenneth Branagh serves up Hamlet on wry with this salute to dyed-in-the-wool and other woolly-brained thespians.Michael Maloney (Truly Madly Deeply) portrays Joe, maxing out credit cards and his wits to realize his dream.Does he succeed?Well, with Richard Briers (Branagh's Hamlet), Joan Collins (Dynasty), Nicholas Farrell (Chariots of Fire), Absolutely Fabulous alumna Jennifer Saunders and Julia Sawatha and more joining Maloney, one thing's certain.The show must go on! ... Read more

Reviews (24)

A great little movie with a top-notch cast
We knew Kenneth Branagh could act, direct, and adapt Shakespeare, but who knew he could write comedy? This film is a discovery. Branagh got some of his friends together (you'll recognize many actors from his other films) and made this gem about an amateur theatre company putting on Hamlet at Christmas time! The audition scenes are priceless.

The script is excellent, the acting is wonderful, and--a rare treat in films--you will care about every character. They all go through changes and become better people as a result of their time together.

Michael Maloney is fine in the lead role of the director (playing Hamlet himself, of course; the comparisons to Branagh are unmistakable), and the rest of the cast give it their all. A standout is John Sessions as the drag queen playing Gertrude. He has the most heartbreaking scene in the film.

All in all, an inspired concept rendered beautifully. A movie with a heart as well as a funny bone.

A Side Note: The original title was "In the Bleak Midwinter," suggesting the Christmas aspect, but I prefer the alternate "A Midwinter's Tale" as it is more Shakespearean.

Hilarious And Heartfelt
Here's a story for you: Joe, a depressive, out-of-work actor, puts on a no-budget production of Hamlet, as a benefit for a church that's about to be bulldozed by developers; he's plagued by money problems, disinterest from the locals, and a cast of actors that spend their time arguing and sniping at one another. They cannot seem to focus on the play very often-and when they do, they can't get things right. Despair begins to overtake Joe.

Now: picture this as a comedy.

Can't do it? That's okay, because Kenneth Branagh already did it for you.

A Midwinter's Tale (originally titled In the Bleak Midwinter for its British release) takes that concept and weaves comic gold out of it, presenting the viewer with a film that is by turns clever, slapstick, hilarious, and heart-wrenching. After Henry V it's probably Branagh's best film, and funnier by far than his other two comedies, the uber-schmaltzy Big Chill ripoff Peter's Friends, or the intelligently done (though occasionally miscast) Much Ado About Nothing. A Midwinter's Tale surpasses them both with a tightly written script, able and artful direction that owes a debt to both Woody Allen and Frank Capra, and a truly great ensemble cast.

Casting is an integral part of any film, of course, but when one is adapting Shakespeare (or, in this case, doing a film about adapting Shakespeare), good casting is essential. Branagh has been hit-or-miss with this over the years-most notably in the case of Keanu Reeves, hopelessly out of his depth in Much Ado-but in this particular film it's spot-on. From Branagh regulars like Michael Maloney and Richard Briers, to semiregulars like Gerard Horan, Celia Imrie, and John Sessions, to newcomers Julia Sawalha and Joan Collins (yeah, that Joan Collins), everyone does a tremendous job, and each actor approaches his or her role with a verve and a dedication that is extremely fun to watch. Sawalha in particular is a delight as the incredibly nearsighted Nina, Joe's love interest; she brings a vulnerable humanity to her role that not only heightens the humor in her more slapstick scenes, but deepens the drama of the more solemn moments as well. Likewise Sessions (probably most familiar to Americans from his appearances on the British version of Whose Line Is It Anyway?) is given the seemingly one-dimensional/stereotypical role of the female-impersonating homosexual, Terry . . . which would seem unrewarding. But he turns in a three-dimensional characterization that is screamingly funny throughout the film-until his role takes a gutwrenching turn for the dramatic in one of the film's best scenes. And so it goes for each of the characters; they all have something to do in this film, and they all do it superbly, hilariously, and when it is called for, tenderly.

Branagh's script is another key element to this movie's excellence. It's impeccably written, using both Shakespeare and its unique bunch of characters to tremendous advantage. One of the keys to this is that Branagh never makes fun of these people, even when they are at their worst, their silliest, their most pompous, or venal. Branagh has an obvious fondness for these people (presumably based on actors he knew during his own struggles to make it in the business), and he treats them like people, rather than as fall guys or as the means to get to a lame punchline. Every line the characters speak, every scene they're in, shows their humanity, and shows it lovingly. A lot of the humor in the script grows out of character, and that really makes this film shine. It builds the laughter naturally, rather than forcing it through meanness and being shocking or crude, as in the case of many so-called "comedy" writer/directors today.

As I said above, Branagh's direction borrows a page or two from other comedy directors before him, mainly Woody Allen and Frank Capra. The Allen influence shows through the strongest, especially through the dialogue and the first half of the film, which bears a lot of similarities to both Manhattan and Stardust Memories. The opening credits are strongly reminiscent of Allen's classic "middle period pictures; Joe directly addresses the camera, as a lot of Woody's characters do, and this is juxtaposed with music-Noel Coward's delightful "Why Must the Show Go On?", a sardonic look at the gung-ho attitude actors have. The song becomes a leitmotiv throughout the film, with the action echoing Coward's cynical lyrics . . . until the turning point in the film, when the troupe unwittingly comes up with the answer to Coward's question, and demonstrates precisely why the show must go on. From here on in the Capra influence takes over-and I can't say too much about that without giving the ending away, unfortunately. What I will say is that like Capra at his best, A Midwinter's Tale favors sentimentalism over cynicism-something a lot of modern critics find distasteful for some reason. I can't imagine why, especially when the sentiments expressed here-in particular, the value of loyalty and family-are so genuine and loving, especially when contrasted with the phoniness and cruelty that passes for humor these days in far too many films. Branagh is more intelligent than that-and willing to take the risk that the audience is, too. A Midwinter's Tale is like a breath of fresh air compared to the stale stench of most modern comedies; take a chance on it. I guarantee you'll be happy you did.

Please release this on DVD. I keep wearing out my VCR tapes
A great movie. Full of laughter and tears. I laughed and I cried. The only thing that could have made this movie better (10 stars!) would be if they had actually shown the entire Hamlet. That would be the coolest DVD extra ever!! What a great bunch of misfits.
PLEASE release this movie on DVD! I wore out my VCR copy.

The greatest comedy you've never heard of
Don't let the fact that you've never heard of this deter you from seeing it! When I saw A Midwinter's Tale in a New York movie theater I went back either the next day or within a couple of days and it was GONE. I couldn't believe the movie ran for such a short period. And, although the VHS has been available for a few years, Amazon.com didn't even carry it at first. So, I figured "something" was going on at the distributor. Since the other reviews already say enough about it, all I can add is, this film is destined to be a CLASSIC. Branagh pays homage to Woody Allen's Stardust Memories & Manhattan in the beginning but develops the film into so much more as the characters reveal themselves in the way that only British comedians can! I believe the reason for removing it was more economic/political than actual interest -- indeed, the movie never had a chance to be seen!

Such a pity this is not available on DVD
VHS has gone the way of the dinosaur! This movie was fantastic. A must see for anyone who has taken an interest in theater (professional or amateur). I can't help wishing it was available on DVD! I have looked and looked (and searched and searched) and if I have missed something please let me know. My search for the DVD will continue till I reach my grave. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Elvis' best SAFE dramatic role.
When I say "safe", I mean where Elvis does not killed in the end like in "Love Me Tender", and "Flaming Star." This something that's much better and I prefer a whole lot. Elvis has not one but three female costars: Hope Lange, Tuesday Weld, and Millie Perkins. I don't know about you but he gives an equal amount of attention to every one of them except near the end when he focuses more on Hope Lange. I love the songs which are: "Wild In The Country", "I Slipped, I Stumbled, I Fell", "In My Way", and "Husky Dusky Day". My favorite line is when Elvis as Glenn Tyler says "This routine of yours could stagger a billygoat." That's one of his best lines. All Elvis fans should see this once in their lifetime. It's a must!

Wild In The Country
Wild In The Country would offer Elvis his last serious role in a film by a significant director (Philip Dunne). Elvis portrays Glenn Tyler, a southern boy from a rural, poverty-stricken background, who has just been released from juvenile hall. Central to the character of Glenn is that the brooding young man is at a crossroads in his life, and he must choose the path most suitable for him. His choices are represented by three women. Noreen (Tuesday Weld) is Glenn's cousin who urges him to stay with his own kind. Noreen offers passion and good times, but such a carefree existence allows little thought for the future. Betty Lee (Millie Perkins), who is Glenn's childhood sweetheart selflessly places Glenn's future above her own needs, urging him to leave town and attend college. She is prepared to lose him that he may have an education and a secure future. Hope Lange costars as Irene Sperry, the court-appointed psychiatrist assigned to Glenn's case, who recognizes in him the raw talent of a budding writer. She also encourages Glenn to attend college but causes scandal when she falls in love with him. Glenn ends up following Betty Lee's advice and asking her to wait for him.

With a strong supporting cast including a young Tuesday Weld who was only 17 years old during the film's production. She was one of the hottest and wildest starlets in Hollywood and already had romances with two of of her costars in the film - Elvis and Veteran Actor John Ireland.

Produced for Twentieth Century Fox by Jerry Wald. Released June 22, 1961. Color.

Of Banana Oil and Bathtubs With Dry Ice In Them
This movie starts with Glenn Tyler (Elvis) trying to kill his brother Hank in the barn while their father looks on as casually as if this was an everyday occurrence. His brother throws a pitchfork at him, and Glenn breaks a milkstool over Hank's head, injuring him... There is a hearing after this fit of violence and Glenn is put under the care of his uncle who runs an elixir business. This uncle has a brasen daughter, Noreen, who has a baby, and he is determined to get Noreen and Glenn hitched up. Noreen is perpetually tight from the elixir, the uncle spends his nights at the bowling alleys and poker games, and Glenn divides his time among work, his girlfriend Betty Lee, and visits to Mrs Irene Sperry the psychiatrist. Irene finds out that Glenn has always loved writing but stopped because people laughed at his dreams of being a writer. So she asks him to write down the story of what happened at Hi-Tension Grove a few nights before (Glenn had had an argument/near fight with Cliff Macy, a rich young guy) and he does as she asks. She is amazed at his talent and wants to show it to a professor friend of hers who might be able to get Glenn a scholarship at a college . But he won't let her. He gets upset at the very idea of letting anyone else see it, and goes home to spend an evening being wild and crazy and drinking elixir with Noreen. They go to Irene's house (this one of the best scenes in the movie)... Glenn is drunk and so is Noreen, and he's yelling to Mrs Sperry to give his story back. He turns on the hose and rattles out all kinds of nonsense while he "hoses down the heat" - but really it's the porch and the front windows. Irene and her housemaid Sara watch through the door, and Irene is amused at him until he turns away calling out, ''Ok, oh well, you don't give a damn about me anyway,'' and Noreen, who's been swaying and chattering right along with Glenn, kisses him. Irene suddenly knows that she does care. The next day, Irene takes him his story back. After that little confrontation he decides to rewrite it and type it up like she asked and let her show it to her friend at the college. He goes along with her and on the way back they get caught in a violent rainstorm, so they stop at a motel and get rooms until the rain stops... then occurrs the other sweet little scene in the movie, when Glenn tells Irene he's in love with her. After they get home, he tries to call her three times, but she refuses to talk to him. She loves him deeply too, but doesn't want him to know or see. She agrees to marry Cliff Macy's father, who has been begging her to marry him for a long time now so he can divorce his wife. That evening Irene is expecting Mr Macy to come and celebrate the engagement, but Glenn gets to her house first. He talks with her, tries to find out whether she loves him, but she refuses to tell him that she does. Glenn takes her by the shoulders and begs her to answer him - and Mr Macy walks in. Seeing them together he begins to get ruffled and demands to know whether the rumours about Glenn and Irene spending a night together in a hotel were true. Glenn tells him the truth (that it is a lie), but Mr Macy won't believe him. He makes the mistake of telling Glenn that Irene has agreed to be his wife. Glenn looks daggers at Irene, and as he walks out he calls to Mr Macy, ''If I find your son and he comes home in a box, don't say I didn't warn you. Mrs Sperry, I'm never going to see you again.'' And he walks out. Irene runs to the porch, but Glenn has gone. She starts crying and tells Mr Macy that she does love Glenn. Meanwhile Glenn goes back to Noreen, and asks her to run away with him. On their trip out, Glenn stops at Hi-Tension Grove, violently knocks down Cliff and leaves before finding out that he has killed him. Not ten minutes pass before the police arrest him for manslaughter. At the hearing the next day, Mr Macy does all he can to cut down Glenn, determined to see him dead. Irene shows up and testifies that no matter what Glenn may have said, he was innocent because he didn't mean to kill Cliff. No one believes her - after all, they were in a small town, and slander spreads fast. After Mr Macy lies and condradicts Irene's statement that Cliff had a bad heart and that it was surely the real cause of his death, Irene leaves the courtroom. It is a dramatic moment. Just before going out, she turns back and meets Glenn's eyes. He is gazing at her, and he looks as though about to cry. He still loves her. She turns and leaves. When she gets home and takes care of a few little things, she shuts herself in the garage and turns on the car, intending to kill herself. Back in the courtroom, Mr Macy is finally admitting that Irene and Glenn were right and that Cliff's death was an accident when word comes that Irene has attempted suicide. Glenn jumps up and runs all the way to her house, where he drops down by the couch where the doctor is trying to revive her, takes her hands and wills her to live again, promising that he will take care of her, that nothing bad will ever happen to her again. The movie closes with Glenn going off to college, but we know that he will come back and that he will marry Irene whom he loves.

This is one of the best Elvis movies except for a few things. I felt that the difficulties between Mr and Mrs Macy should have been detailed a little more - you never quite understand what exactly was wrong between them that he wanted to divorce her. The other fault is that many times characters who kept appearing were never built up so that you could understand what was going on with them. Mr Macy's son Cliff was a primary example of this.

Also the two songs he sang during the film didn't ''go''. ''I Slipped, I Stumbled, I Fell'' is a cute little tune but didn't seem to fit; he also sings a song to Noreen which also just seemed out of place. I don't know what that was called. The only songs which really belonged, in my opinion, was the title song that he sang during the credits, and the little thing he and Irene were singing on the way home from the college.

This movie had a lot of truly good moments and I think that with a few improvements it really could have been impressive, with all the intrigue and spicy subplots. It was also good to see Elvis playing a character who was somebody with other aspirations than music or performance. You just need to give this movie a chance.That's all, folks.

My review on Elvis movie " Wild In The Country "
"Wild In The Country" is certainly the number one best movie of Elvis, eventhough it seems to be a forgotten one. Actress Hope Lange (the role of Irene Sperry) had great chemistry with Elvis. I'm not an Elvis fan, but I do think he had done an excellent job being the character Glenn Tyler...END

A True Elvis Gem That Must Be Recognized
Elvis can act, and sing and love!!! This movie, based very loosly on the JD Salamenca novel Lost In The Country, is about Glen who is put on probation after a run in with his drunk borhter(and a previous charge of car theft). He is to move in with his Uncle Rolfe and cousin Nory and work in Uncle Rolfe's Snake-Oil Medicine factory and he must meet with social worker Irene Sperry. He still finds time to spend time with girlfriend BettyLee but is warned to leave her alone, by her father. Even from the beginnig Glen is a sour, angry young man and only finds time to soften up to BettyLee and later Ms. Sperry who he considers an enemy who's trying to find out if he's "touched in the head". When he can no longer carry on with BettyLee he has a fling with his cousin Nory(who has an illegitimate baby) whom he butts heads with at first. Uncle Rolfe, in a way, encourages this but then seems outraged(when it really happens) causing Glen to lash out and run away to work at a car garage. Right now the only women he can turn to is Ms. Sperry who finds a hidden writing talent in Glen and asks him to write in a journal and present it to him. ONe day she takes him to a prestigious University and encourages his writing talent. ON the way back they stop over in a motel during a storm and of course they attempt to make love only to have Irene come to her senses. While there a young man(Glen's enemy) reads the motel register and realizes the two are there. The young man's father is the town lawyer who is married and carrying on with Ms. Sperry. When he tells his father(whom he can't stand), the man confronts Irene who confesses she is in love with Glen. She tries to discourage Glen, who feels the same way, when she explains her husband felt the same way but he was not ready for marriage and it led to his accidental death. Unfortunately, Glen is at the house when Irene is confronted by her lawyer lover and Glen then claims that the young man will die for this and the boy does after being hit by Glen. Glen is put on trial but Ms. Sperry arrives saying the deceased had a heart problem(she overheard this from the boy's father) but the father vehemently denies it. Irene is ruined and attempts suicide. Glen has been exonerated(after the boy's father realizes he cannot hide the heart condition and hurt Irene) and is released and tells her he will always be there. Glen then goes to college but still says he will be back for her. I can believe it! This is a rare opportunity to see an angry and sensitive Elvis who can act and he does very little singing. It's a shame his movie career didn't continue on this course. Hope Lange is excellent but she seems to play "the other women" alot, but always harmless. It's the first time she plays a rather weak one, especially when she tries to kill herself. This is a wonderful movie ... Read more

Reviews (762)

Lethal Hatchet Part 4
So sue me, I stole that by-line from Newsweek. But it's the most apt description I've heard. It really is a Mel Gibson revenge flick, with him running around with a couple dozen hatchets and rifles rather than a semi-automatic Glock. Don't get me wrong, I loved this movie, but it wasn't historically accurate, and for anyone who wants a truly good Colonial period drama(I'm one of those), they'll have to keep looking. The Last of the Mohicans didn't do it(yes, I know that that was the French and Indian War), and this one doesn't do it either. It's pure action, pure revenge, pure adrenaline. Same as almost any Mel Gibson picture. The scene where he eliminates a 20 man British contingent is definitely a cool sequence; The follow up to this movie should have Bruce Willis and be called "Die Patriot". Ok, bad joke, but basically, this is an adventure film that is fun to watch, as it is in the vein of all my favorite adventure films, like Die Hards 1-3 and Lethal Weapons 1-4. Cool movie, not exactly Oscar material. Heck, not even Golden Globe material.

The Patriot a perfect Fourth of July rouser
What is it about American wars that brings the best out of otherwise trivial filmmakers? Ten years ago, the glorious Glory came from "thirtysomething" creator Edward Zwick. Now, Godzilla's Roland Emmerich, about the last director from whom we could expect full-bodied characters, brings us The Patriot--in every sense of the word, the most beautiful movie of its year.

Part of the credit should probably go to screenwriter Robert Rodat who, as Saving Private Ryan proved, surely knows which patriotic buttons to push. Whoever should be credited, there's not a false move in this rousing three-hour tribute to American spirit. When they say "They don't make 'em like that anymore," point to this one as an example of how it can still be done.

And who knew Mel Gibson still had any actorism left in him? As Benjamin Martin, a reluctant war veteran who is finally moved to fight in the Revolutionary War when a redcoat kills one of his sons, Gibson sheds his familiar love-me mannerisms like an old winter coat. He never relies on cutesy tics, and not once does he strike a false note. His character elicits laughter, tears, and bloodshed, and for the first time in years, Gibson emotes an honest-to-gosh person on the screen.

The movie's basic point--stated outright by Martin early on in the story--is that the Revolutionary War was won by wily militiamen who served as a direct counterpoint to the straight-on British manner of battle. But that's about the only thing in the movie which is stated so blatantly. The dialogue, rather than being laden with jingoism, is appropriately sparse, letting the movie's considerable action tell the story. And as such, this movie is a perfect argument against gratuitous movie violence (despite its R rating)--it shows the devastating effects of war (Martin loses a great deal of his family, one by one) and yet doesn't linger on its horrific effects.

Gibson's magnificent underplaying and Rodat's spare screenplay seem to have invigorated the rest of the cast as well. Everyone from Jason Isaacs (the British colonel with a bug up himself about Martin) to Tom Wilkinson (terrific as British warlord Gen. Cornwallis) to Trevor Morgan (the actory smart-aleck in The Sixth Sense) as one of Martin's sons, seem just as juiced up as Gibson is.

I haven't told a great deal about the plot, have I? (I haven't even touched upon Caleb Deschanel's beautiful cinematography, or John Williams' best movie score since E.T.) And this is as it should be. Please just trust that you should devote nearly three hours to one of the most perfectly realized movie visions you're likely to see for a long, long time.

The Patriot is rated R, mostly for very graphic violence, though in context, a PG-13 would be far more appropriate. Its only dramatic effect is to get kids talking about the story, an opportunity that I'd imagine most history teachers and parents would welcome.

STIRRING AND MOVING
Once again, people crave for authenticity...the way it really happened....and once again, I say, "It's a movie. It's entertaining and moving....I didn't take my history book along to make sure it was totally accurate. I like escapism, and movies that move me." This movie did that. It's beautifully filmed by the respected Caleb Deschanel; the music by John Williams is moving, and the cast on a whole is exceptional. Mel Gibson has been labeled an okay actor, but if you look deep inside his performances, the man does his best in filling whatever shoes his role dictates. As the family-oriented and somewhat stubborn father, he evokes the pain he feels from his actions in an earlier battle with the French; he seems devastated by his youngest daughter's silence to him; and he loves his family. Joely Richardson is effectively cast as Mel's sister in law, who helps take care of his family during this crisis. Heath Ledger is all gungho and spirited as Gabriel, and plays well with the rest of his cast. Tom Wilkinson is superb as Cornwallis, a man steeped in tradition and British fanfare. His scene with Gibson in which the patriot negotiates for the release of his 18 prisoners is exceptional. Jason Isaacs is pure evil in his role as the heartless Haverton (or whatever), and shows that war to him is merely licensed murder. The rest of the supporting cast: Chris Cooper, Rene Auberjonois, Adam Baldwin, Gregory Smith, Mira Boorkem, and Donal Logue, in particular, are great additions.
The movie is a manipulative film, of course...how else would it work, but it's to director Roland Emmerich's credit, that when the credits were over, I felt moved and touched. That's what films are meant to be in my opinion.

Complete and Utter Waste of Time
I am genuinely surprised at this movie's good rating!
1)The historical innaccuracy is horrible
2)It is a movie that glorifies the WRONG things about the American Revolution
3)The love story is nauseating
4)The characters are weak and underdeveloped. Mel Gibson is an ok (Just OK) actor. Most of the others are too, with some really really bad ones thrown in- just for kicks!
5)People say it was entertaining- really? I was writhing through the entire thing. Oh, and the war scenes really aren't that gruesome... maybe its because I saw Kill Bill a month ago?

I wish I didn't waste my time with this movie! Please, please watch something else! There are so many better (historical or otherwise) movies!

An American Patriot
The 2000 summer film, "The Patriot" which I believe was in theatres appropiately on the 4th of July, stars Mel Gibson in the heroic role of Benjamin Martin, a father fighting for his family and his colony from the British enemy forces of General Cornwallis (played by Tom Wilkinson). The movie was directed by Roland Emmerich, the director of Independence Day, which, though science fiction blockbuster epic that it was, still maintained the 4th of July American patriotism theme much like this movie. Being entirely different from his usual blockbusters (Godzilla, Day After Tomorrow most recently) Emmerich immerses us into the historical period of early America in the 1770's, when the budding, newfound country was at war with Great Britain. The American Revolution was the first real war in America. The country was earning its independence and fighting for it in the most literal sense.

Althoug the movie keeps its period piece/costume drama visuals, in the dialogue you can find traces of modernism. For example, in one scene, Mel Gibson sits with his wife and asks "Can I sit here ?" and she replies in comedy tone "Hey it's a free country.. or that is it will be". Much of Mel Gibson's own influence is in this movie. He did not direct this movie although he could have easily done so. The fighting scenes, the battles, the gunfights and the violence is very Mel Gibson in nature (he is after all responsible for such films as Braveheart). The portrayal of the British is of course biased since it's on the American side we're sympathezing with. Cornwallis is a man we love to hate-rude, arrogant and cruel. The other British in the film are also portrayed as very nasty. The message of patriotism, love of family and home is all quite strong here. But it does make a good film if you're into this period, if you want to see Mel Gibson doing a historic piece and as the hero which he always does so well in. Mel Gibson, though much older now, is still a great actor and provides much romantic/sex appeal. On DVD, the movie is loaded with extra features including commentary and "Making Of" segment. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

perfect revenge movie
Death Wish was an excellent movie that told the story of mild mannered common man Paul Kersey driven to become a vigilante after the murder of his wife and rape of his daughter. Death Wish is very artistic and was a hit that spawned 4 sequels. Death Wish 2 set the pattern for the other movies in the series and is a different type of film from the first. The second Death Wish falls into the category of revenge films and has a gritty look to it that captures the rawness of it's subject. Some have complained about the look of the film, but it serves to make it much more visceral from the first film and one of the grittiest films ever made. There's a disturbing snuff film/documentary feel about Death Wish 2 which both repulses and transfixes, and at the same time the film also works on a much more unreal level as a revenge fantasy.
In the first film Kersey never catches the thugs who destroyed his family, but in Death Wish 2 his revenge isn't just aimed at random criminals, but at specific thugs responsible for his daughter's death. The first Death Wish was about Kersey's transformation into a vigilante, but Death Wish 2 is about hunting down specific guilty criminals and seeing that they pay for their crimes. There have been many revenge films, but there's just something much more satisfying about the way justice is served in the Death Wish series than in other films. William Lustig's Vigilante is another good film of this type as is The Exterminator, but Death Wish 2, like the rest of the series, really provides the audience with a satisfying feeling of justice. The combination of the hyper real and the fantastic make Death Wish 2 compelling viewing. As a cinematic revenge fantasy it's the best of it's kind.

A sequel far from equal to the first.
For some reason it took 8 to 9 years for there to be a sequel made to the movie that most people associate with Charles Bronson. It wasn't worth the wait. Even revisiting the movie on DVD (sadly full frame, at least they could have restored it to its proper aspect ratio) did not improve my original thoughts on this follow up. Death Wish 2 is to Death Wish what Jaws 2 was to Jaws, a sequel that attempts to pass itself off as a continuation of the first film but largely recycles its plot and most memorable moments. Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) is now living in Los Angeles and he has had his still mentally withdrawn (and actually younger looking) daughter Carol moved to a nearby facility. Evidently her husband left her, as that character is not mentioned this time out, even in passing. When Kersey and his new girlfriend (played by Bronson's real life wife Jill Ireland) take Carol out for some quality family time, Paul is attacked by muggers who steal his wallet. Of course Kersey gives chase and manages to pound one mugger against a wall, but they still have his wallet - which contains his address and, of course, the muggers are gunning for revenge. This is obviously meant to recreate (or homage) the set-up for the attack by a trio of thugs who get the Kersey home address at the supermarket in the first Death Wish. The muggers attack the Kersey household, sexually assaulting both the housekeeper as well as Kersey's daughter (again), both of whom die. The major difference from the first movie is that Kersey is there and thus knows just who to hunt down after a little alone time. In the first Death Wish it was a business trip to Tuscon, in Death Wish 2 it's a weekend at a friend's rustic cabin. The rest of the movie is basically Bronson wandering around the seedier areas of Hollywood until he finds his prey - that and avoiding his girlfriend while trying to keep her clueless about what he is doing at night. Death Wish 2 delivers on the violence and sleazy exploitation, but it misses the mark in even attempting to create a compelling story. Despite there being ample oppurtunity to do so. Some Bronson fans will no doubt want this, put it remains a poor follow up to a truly great movie.

A real Winner
Not sure where to begin with Death Wish 2. Significantly, it was directed by Michael Winner, who directed the first and would go on to direct the amazing third entry in this series about 'bleeding heart liberal' architect Paul Kersey and his vigilante side job.

Paul Kersey now lives in sunny Los Angeles, which like New York is depicted as a pit of human filth and depravity. The incredible cynicism of the filmmakers begins right away as Kersey's housemaid and daughter--who, remember, was violently raped in the original--are brutaly raped, with the maid murdered. Then Kersey's daughter is taken away, raped again, and decides to jump out a window rather than endure the rest of the film. Kersey then puts down his slide ruler and blueprints and takes up his old hobby of blowing away criminal scum.

The main difference between Part 2 and the original, besides an even deeper cynicism, a lower budget, and overall abysmal effort by all involved, is that Bronson actually hunts down the individuals responsible for these acts of malfeasance. His behavior now flat-out pathological, he rents a cheap office in a bad part of LA, using it as a home base for his vigilante operations. Donning ski cap and dark clothes and packing heat, he roams the streets of LA, looking for revenge.

Even the tagline is noteworthy:

Bronson's on the loose again! Seems to suggest that, in effect, it didn't matter who Bronson was playing, because 'he' was on the loose again!

Overall, it's bad. Very, very bad. Part 3 is bad, but it has other things going for it, namely that it cannot be taken seriously for a moment and it knows it, the tongue so firmly in cheek that it becomes an incredible guilty pleasure and one of the best bad movies of the 80s, perhaps ever. But Part 2, for the most part, is an exploitation movie. The film looks cheap, grimy, and rushed. It can't even succeed as a bad movie, which is pretty depressing. It feels seedy, right down to the very grainy film stock and washed out look to the picture. And to top it off, Jimmy Page contributes one of the most appalling scores I've heard in a movie of any genre. Not even his score for Part 3 was this embarassing. And yes, it is THE Jimmy Page.

As for Bronson, he's particularly wooden in this one. Which may be appropriate as at this point, Kersey is less than sane.

But alas! The Death Wish flicks finally reappeared on DVD, right around the time of Bronson's death in 2003. Obviously recommended if you like, well, Death Wish movies, the DVDs are capable, if pretty bare bones. I would love to hear Michael Winner do a commentary track to discuss his state of mind when he directed this one.

Character Development
REASONS TO BUY:
Unlike the first part, Bronson has a strong unyielding character. He's not the least bit afraid to get the job done this time and doesn't stop untill he gets every single on of those creeps that killed his daughter. It really gives you a sense of staisfaction even if it's just a movie.

REASONS NOT TO BUY:
This is the cut version. Evidently, some people believe that we are not intelligent enough to view certain scenes. I think it's worth the time to search the internet for the full uncut version.

Brutal reality
Plot
This film is the second appearance of the character of Paul Kersey, the liberal architect who became a vigilante after his daughter was assaulted (with spray paint) and his wife was killed while trying to stop the assault perpetrators. Kerseys daughter is visiting her father but is still in the state in which she was left in the first film, only she seems to be happier. Kersey takes his daughter and his girlfriend to a fair, then goes to get ice cream. But it seems that he is the only man in the world who can get mugged during such an activity; a gang with a kingpin played by Lawrence Fishburn steals his wallet. He chases after them and stops, but this is definitely not the last he hears of them as they use his ID to find his home then rape his maid; then he returns with his daughter and they knock him out, kidnap his daughter and rape her. She dies by throwing herself out a window. And so the plot is set for Charles Bronson's character to avenge his daughter and reenter the vigilante lifestyle.

Analysis
I very much enjoyed this movie, from seeing a movie shows reality in a form that's so blunt it offends many people, to the delivery of such lines as "Do you believe in Jesus...well now your going to meet him."

In this movie, unlike its predecessor, Kersey actually knows who he is hunting, and he does not to bother those who he did not see in the apartment, while in the first movie he simply capped those who tried to mug him, or in one case a gang who was harassing a middle aged man. Rather than simply being a vigilante, Bronson is now also playing an avenger.

There is another change in Kersey in this movie; he no longer is reluctant to kill. Granted that went away in the second half of the first movie but in the sequel that reluctance is even less. Kersey now delivers lines to his enemies before doing away with them, and does it as though it's the most natural thing in the world. Having Bronson play the protagonist really aids this effect; with is calm voice he can make statements in a straightforward and threatening manner but at the same time not show any signs that he has lost his cool. As though dispatching criminals and antagonizing them were just a normal part of life for him, oh wait, it is lol.

Notes
The film that was actually released in theatres is different from the original version in terms of graphic rape scenes. The MPAA was going to give it an X rating but gave it an R after the movie was toned down.

See Lawrence Fishburn playing a rapist known as Cutter; he doesn't have quite the same effect as the paint fetish guys from DW but he's still pretty sadistic. ... Read more

Reviews (122)

O lente currite noctis equi! O softly run, nightmares!
It is impossible to make a faithful (legal) movie of Nabokov's novel. However, this is very good approximation of it.

Jeremy Irons is perfectly cast as Humbert, and captures the kind of clueless social fumbling and bumbling which is a large part of the character in the novel. Humbert is not comfortable around people of any age. Domenique Swain, in her first role, pulls off an acceptable version of the title character, both vulnerable and crafty. Although Frank Langella is no Peter Sellers, his rendition of Clare Quilty is much more realistic and true to the novel - even the over-the-top death scene with the ballet-like movements and red spit-bubble is almost straight from the book. A real problem was casting Melanie Griffith as Charlotte - unfortunately she was completely wrong for the part - being too shrill and light.

The cinematography was excellent. The feeling of travel - 27,000 miles in the course of a couple years, and geography plays a substantial part in the book, and was well represented in the movie.

Beautiful score by Morricone, who also did the well-regarded "The Mission" score.

For all the good things in the movie, the same three things in both the Lyne and Kubrick versions bother me, as I feel it robs Humbert of some nuance to his character:
1. No mention of first wife. He was not always just into nymphets.
2. No mention of second wife, Rita, (and taping the goodbye note to her navel so she would find it).
3. The last page and a half from the book was left out. This is possibly the most moving passage of the novel - when Hubert offers his apology for all his nastiness, and his admonition to Lolita, and the revelation that neither Lolita nor Humbert are alive as we read the book, and his pathetic summation..."I am thinking of aurochs and angels, the secret of durable pigments, prophetic sonnets, the refuge of art. And this is the only immortality you and I may share, my Lolita."

The title cards at the end detailing the demise of the characters was a cheap out in both versions of the movie. Had there been a narration of the last page over, say, a scene of Humbert writing in jail (which in the novel is where the book is written in 56 days of captivity), I'd give this movie 5 stars.

The DVD has a lot of extras including a commentary, rehearsal footage and 8 deleted scenes.

Nothing replaces the book, and I suggest the "Annotated Lolita" version which has 140 pages of notes, helping with the nuances in the complex, convoluted novel.

Lolita 1998
Although Adrian Lyne's Lolita is a good film adaption of Vladimir Nabokov's superb novel, it contains fatal flaws. First I will say that the cinematography is glorious and the score by Ennio Morriconne lush and romantic. I expected Jeremy Irons as the obsessed Humbert Humbert to turn in a mind blowing performance. Unfortunately, he stands around looking glum most of the time. Dominique Swain as the nymphet Lolita does have several impressive moments, but ultimately is unconvincing as she comes across as nothing more than a 90s brat. I will say though that the relationship between Humbert and Lolita does have its very powerful moments, just not enough of them.

I don't hold these faults to the actors. I think Adrian Lyne, the director is responsible for the films flaws. For one thing, he seems to want to make Lolita look as unattractive as possible every chance he gets. She takes out her retainer before performing oral sex on Humbert, and is frequently seen munching on bananas and getting milk mustaches. Also in one scene, we see Lolita sitting diown, laughing as she reads a comic book. The camera moves away to reveal that Humbert is making love to her. This and other scenes make the relationship between Humbert and Lolita repulsive, and if you're going to make a film based on Lolita, their relationship can't be portrayed as disgusting. The audience must be made to feel the love that Humbert has for this girl. It only partially succeeds. Irons also fails most in the ending scene where Lolita tells Humbert that she never loved him. Irons merely cries for two seconds and leaves. James Mason in Kubrick's version is much more moving. I also have a problem with the fact that Lyne seems to have duplicated the Kubrick film shot by shot in that scene.

My last qualm is that this adaption is nearly completely devoid of humor, which is an essential aspect of Nabokov's story. Melanie Griffiths gives a fine performance as Charlotte Haze, but she is given far too little screen time. Frank Langella as Quilty is also quite amusing, too bad he only gets ten minutes to show it. Thus, when a 17 year old Lolita reveals to Humbert that it was Quilty who put her away, we don't care. It should be a revelation, but it is not. Quilty's death scene offers an infusion of black humor, but it is too little, too late. Jeremy Irons last few scenes as an emotionally broken Humbert are very moving though.

I give this movie three stars because for all of its faults, it is involving and does deserve to be seen and compared with Stanley Kubrick's 1962 adaption. Even though it falls short when compared to it.

Adrian Lyne, you do not compare to Stanley Kubrick
The original 1962 Kubrick version of this movie is so much better, he actually captured the essence of this film. The remake is completely cheesy; it pales in comparison. Shame on those who think this wannabe movie is better or even compares to the original.

A FASCINATING STORY OF OBSESSION
It is interesting to compare this movie and its predecessor, to "Pretty Baby."

Some critics claim "Lolita" is a true love story. I disagree.

Dominique Swain is beautiful and incredibly sexy; and Irons wants to possess her. Realistically, this can not be, so conflict, and ultimately death, ensue.

In "Pretty Baby," Brooke Shields is stunningly beautiful, adorably so, but not sexy, although she becomes a child prostitute.

While Swain obviously knows exactly what is on men's minds, Shields portrays a child playing at the sex trade.

Ultimately, her photographer-lover lets her go on to a normal childhood, just as earlier he freed the bird trapped in the whore-house. This is love.

Athough both films are visually beautiful, in "Pretty Baby," Sven Nyquist's cimematography is transcendentally so. His shots of Brooke Shields posing for her photographer-lover are like peering into the tender, throbbing core of life itself.

As vexing as ever
Certainly the most compelling screen version of Lolita, Adrian Lyne has a much better feel for the story than did Stanley Kubrick, and Dominique Swain is much better cast as the young femme fatale than was Sue Lyon. But, the most striking feature of this film is the cinematography which gives the story a much more evocative feel. While it is through Humbert Humbert that we see Lolita, Lyne finds more subtle ways to probe Lolita than did Kubrick, who treated her very much as an object. I suppose in that sense it may have been a little closer to Nabokov's original telling, but Lyne has a more sensitive eye to detail and the devastating relationship that forms between Humbert and Lolita. The script stays close to the novel. Lyne lavishes much attention on the cross-country trip and the rain-soaked stay in New Orleans. I felt Jeremy Irons did a better job than James Mason in capturing Humbert's psyche, better able to convey the emotions that led to his ill-fated obsession in Lolita. The film also evocatively recalls the genesis for Humbert's obsession. It was a bold move by Adrian Lyne, demonstrating a thoughtful understanding of the novel and not trying to add any form of moral judgement on it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Entertaining Golf the Comic Italian Way
This is more of classic Martin & Lewis! They play off each other so well. Here the goofy caddie (read Lewis) becomes the star golfer.

Songs are good, with That's Amore the headliner. Never realized that this song came from this movie.

Lighthearted stuff that is so pleasing a contrast to today's shocking, revolting plots. Very entertaining for the family.

Buy this one!
Really enjoyed Dean Martin's singing! Their acting was more believable in this movie. The 2 comedians looked like they really had fun on this film.

Terrific
Another one of my personal favorites.Along with The Stooge and Cinderfella.I love it when Dean sings That's Amore.But my favorite part is when Jerry's in the store on roller skates with all the dishes and stuff on the shelves!you just know it will all end up on the floor somehow.Hilarious!!

Yet another Martin&Lewis Classic!!
Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis have done it again with this timeless classic of a would-be pro golfer seeing what it's like on the pro tour. This film has some of the most timeless tunes ..."That's Amore" first appeared in this movie...

Buy it today....and enjoy it for a lifetime... ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Powerful, though altered, version of the play
Tennessee William's play, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", was considered so controversial that its Broadway producers forced the playwright to alter the third act. Either in spite of or because of the changes, the play was a huge hit. Even with the changes, it had to be further watered down for Hollywood's 1958 movie version. Once more, it was a boxoffice smash. It went on to garner six Oscar nominations, including Best Actress for Elizabeth Taylor and Best Actor for Paul Newman. Despite the industry's timidity back then, the movie was a searing, powerful drama about a family in crisis. That it remains so to this day, despite massive changes in social values and mores over the years, is a credit to its brilliant cast and to its director, Richard Brooks.

Brick and Maggie [Newman and Taylor] have come to his father's big plantation in Mississippi to celebrate the old man's 65th birthday. Everyone calls him Big Daddy, and as portrayed by Burl Ives, he truly is a larger than life figure. Brick's brother, Gooper [Jack Carson], his wife, Mae [Madeleine Sherwood], and their five 'little no-neck monsters" are also there. Big Daddy has just returned from several weeks at a clinic where he was treated for cancer. He thinks he is cured, but the doctors have lied to him. He's unlikely to see his next birthday. Rivalry and intrigue abound among the siblings and their families as everyone fights over who will take over the plantation. Brick has major problems of his own. The former star athlete drinks too much, refuses the advances and affection of the gorgeous and calculating Maggie because he blames her for his best friend's suicide, and is bitter about his father, who doesn't seem to love him or anyone else. Brick is also hobbling around on crutches, having recently tripped while trying to leap a hurdle one drunken night. Through all the bickering and fighting, his mother, Big Mama [Judith Anderson], tries desperately to hold onto whatever happiness and dignity the family still possesses. But a storm of confrontations is brewing, and she's powerless to stop it.

The 'shocking' element that was changed was the revelation that Brick and his friend had been lovers and that Maggie's 'crime' was her attempt to eliminate her rival. This was changed to the friend's killing himself because he was weak. I think when you know this, you can easily see what is going on underneath the surface between Brick and Maggie. It also makes the characters more understandable and believable. Their constant fighting makes more sense. The story becomes about more than greed, power, money and land. It becomes about the power of the human heart.

"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" is highly recommended, script changes notwithstanding.

Every line filled with tension, and the acting is wondeful!
This adaptation of a Tennessee Williams play was nominated for six academy awards in 1959. It stars Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie, rejected over and over by her alcoholic husband, Brick, played by Paul Newman. His father, Big Daddy, played by Burl Ives, has just returned to his Mississippi mansion after exploratory surgery. There's bitter rivalry in the family as they speculate about his death. Jack Carson plays the older son, who, with his pregnant wife, played by Madeline Sherwood and their five obnoxious children are determined to inherit Big Daddy's fortune. But Big Daddy despises him, as he does his own wife of 40 years, Big Mama, played by Judith Anderson.

As this film was originally a play, most of it is sharp and cutting dialogue, every line filled with tension and double meanings. Close-ups reveal the artistry of the actors, all of whom are excellent. I especially liked Burl Ives, whose performance called for a wide range of emotions, showing his vulnerability as well as his strength. And as the characters battled with each other, the story, which I understand was rewritten to fall within the guidelines of 1950s censors, slowly revealed itself. Some critics say this ruined this movie adaptation. I can't comment on that because I though the story was great. Most of the film takes place inside a house and there's almost no physical action. Not necessary. The dialog does it all. And it does it well. Recommended.

Humanity at it's best...
"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" is a spectacular visual masterpiece about the human spirit.
Every character has three dimensions, and every line is perfectly written and delivered. Credit is needed for the original playright(although I am aware the plot was altered to please the strict critics of the time), who along with the screenplay writers are as important as the actors.
Speaking of actors, Liz Taylor, Burl Ives and Paul Newman were all flawless in their roles. They were human, and as a painting they were more real than reality. My opinions of the characters changed continually throughout the film. It was as if you were peeling away the skin layer by layer to find the truth. Annoyance turned into hate, hate turned into compassion.
The most important element of this film was feelings;emotions the players have, and have to deal with. As well as how you feel about them, and their situations.

Superb
Acting doesn't come any better than this. Newman and Taylor have such chemistry its unbelievable, and although the movie may drag in certain parts, overall it is a great character study.
Taylor is heartbreaking as the sexually deprived wife as Newman, a hardened man who suspects his wife of infidelity. Once again the theme of homosexuality is present ( as it is in all of Williams' plays), but in the movie it is thankfully downplayed and subtle. The definitive film version of the play, whose highlights are pretty much every scene in which Maggie and Brick are alone in their room bickering.

MEEEOOOOW!
"Cat on the Hot Tin Roof"
Has so much tension, one can't cut it with a machete... Just another very dysfunctional family, which Tennessee Williams writes so brilliantly.

You have Maggie (the cat) The only character in the extended family who is 'Normal' The only one who seems to be keeping the family from killing one another. Liz, of course plays her beautifully, superbly, very sexy as 'The Cat'

(Brick) Paul Newman plays her husband...A drunk with many devils he needs to let out, such as why he will not sleep with Maggie, why won't he stop thinking about his foot-ball buddy who killed himself. The viewer will wonder if his has other preferences... Because who wouldn't sleep with (The Cat)??

Big Daddy...played by Burl Ives... The GOD of the family, the one with all the money, Power, the one who's dying. (Excellent performance)

(Goober) Brick's brother and his wife wait impatiently for Big Daddy's fortune. The wife is appalling enough to make one sick. Continually taunting Maggie about not having children, having a bad marriage, not controlling Brick. Her kids run around the house like little, foul animals.

This family is a disaster waiting to happen...The pressure cooker is on high, baby, and when she blows
Watch out...All hell will break loose all over the place.

They don't make um' like this anymore.

MEEEEOOOOOW! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Imagine a work by Shakespeare reduced to one of those pretty, glossy coffee-table picture books that have only a dollop of text alongside its sumptuous photographs, and you might have Michael Hoffman's adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream. This all-star version of Shakespeare's comedy is gorgeously shot in Tuscany, complete with a magical forest, breathtaking landscapes, beautiful villas, picturesque villages, stunning period costumes--oh wait, there's supposed to be a story here, too!Hoffman hijacks Shakespeare's basic premise but doesn't instill it with much more than surface shine and transplants it to turn-of-the-century Italy.Ergo, it's left up to the actors to find the heart and soul of this classic play, in which the fairies of the forest play mix and match with four young lovers, courtesy of a magical love potion. Hoffman couldn't ask for better (or better looking) actors to play Shakespeare's dreamlike love games--Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett, Calista Flockhart, Christian Bale, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Kline, Anna Friel, Dominic West, the list goes on and on--but he sure as heck doesn't know what to do with them, aside from putting them in various states of undress. Only Flockhart (as the lovestruck Helena), Tucci (a sprightly Puck), Pfeiffer (dazzling and funny as the queen of the fairies), and especially the sublime Kline (as weaver-turned-donkey Bottom) seem to connect with their characters in ways that make this adaptation occasionally soar; the rest are inexplicably left to flounder. Hoffman does seem to set himself right with the film's climax, when Bottom's amateur acting troupe hilariously enacts the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe (it helps that the troupe includes Roger Rees, Sam Rockwell, and Bill Irwin). Those searching for a more in-depth exploration of Shakespeare's farce might do better to look elsewhere, but if it's gorgeous actors and scenery you're in the mood for (along with an evocative opera soundtrack), and an all's-well-that-ends-well ending, this Midsummer Night will give you pleasant if weightless dreams. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (110)

Cast better than inept direction
While I don't have a problem with new interpretations of Shakespeare, I didn't find this all that new, just confused. Updating Shakespeare is also fine, if it serves a purpose, or at least doesn't interfere with the story, but those bicycles were ridiculous, and simply not funny. There was no point of reference, no reason for them to be there, no punchline. Likewise with Helena and Hermia's little mudbath...generally, the direction was absolutely horrible. The film is quite entertaining though, thanks to some very hard work from some of the cast. And that does not mean Calista Flockhart and Michelle Pfieffer (C.F. is grating, and M.P. obviously not comfortable with the text). It means Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, and Rupert Everett among the stars, but especially to some of the secondary characters: Anna Friel as a grounded Hermia (mud bath excepted) Sophie Marceau as an actually likeable Hyppolyta, and the great Roger Rees, as the most memorable Peter Quince I've ever seen. The music is gorgeous, and the scenery is nice, although having actually taken the trouble