Reviews (9)

Okay
This video is Ok. I guess I was expecting that it would be like the book, and was really disapointed.
Other than than, it was ok. Some parts were really funny(you gotta eat your spinich, baby...!)
It had a really suprising ending.
Also, I did not see much point in dressing up in a solger suit and dancing up and down the stairs. How boring!
Now that I've finished my complants, good bye!

Very lively film
This movie is about a girl named Rebecca Wilkins who lives with her step-father because her mother is dead. Uncle Henry, her step-father, wanted Rebecca to try out for Little Miss America, a radio show that was sponsered Crackly Bran Flakes, a popular breakfast cereal. When there's a mix-up at the studio and Rebecca dosen't get to be in the show, Uncle Henry decides it's time for some of Rebecca's other relatives to care for her. So he takes Rebecca to live with her Aunt Miranda on Sunnybrook Farm. But Aunt Miranda is very strict and Rebeccca has to follow rules. Later that day a piglet gets away from their farm and Rebecca goes out to chase it. She meets the director of the Little Miss America program, Tony Kent. So you'll have to see this movie to know the VERY suprising ending. It stars Helen Westly, Jack Haley, and Gloria Stuart. An excellant movie.

O.K movie
This movie is o.k, so I rated it a three out of five. It's about a girl named Rebecca who's step father wants her to become famous on the radio. But when she dosen't make it, she sends her to her Ant Maranda's house. Then she has lots of fun and even meets the director of the radio program himself! She ends up ON the radio and sings beautiful songs. It's a an ok movie if you're in love with Rebecca.

Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm
Rebecca Of Sunny Brook Farm:
This is the absolute best movie! A radio company is urgently trying to locate a young girl to be featured on their new program, Little Miss America. Rebecca (Shirley Temple) and her Uncle Harry (William Demerest) go to the company to audition. After hearing only a few measures of Rebecca's song, Tony, the talent agent, knows Rebecca is perfect. After a misunderstanding, Rebecca does not get the part and is sent to live with her Aunt Miranda.
RATED: G

Shirley Dances Her Way Into Your Heart
This is really cute. When her stepfather does all his best to train her and she doesn't get the part on the radio he decides to dump her with Aunt Miranda. With tme isunderstanding ,they really did want her. She finds her way with the next door neighbor is the talent agent. I love the little pigs in this movie. Its always great to see her dance with Bojangles. This is a sure charmer for everyone! ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the touchstone movies of the 1980s, Tootsie stars Dustin Hoffman as an out-of-work actor who disguises himself as a dowdy, middle-aged woman to get a part on a hit soap opera. The scheme works, but while he/she keeps up the charade, Hoffman's character comes to see life through the eyes of the opposite sex. The script by Larry Gelbart (with Murray Schisgal) is a winner, and director Sydney Pollack brings taut proficiency to the comedy and sensitivity to the relationship nuances that emerge from Hoffman's drag act. Great supporting work from Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Charles Durning, Bill Murray, and pre-stardom Geena Davis. But the film finally belongs to Hoffman, who seems to connect with the character at a very deep and abiding level. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (59)

What y'all really want is some gross, caricature of a woman!
In 1982, Dustin Hoffman played one of his most memorable roles as Michael Dorsey in the hilarious comedy, "Tootsie". As an out-of-work actor, Michael teaches acting classes because no director will hire him due to his somewhat peremptory attitude, or so says his agent George Fields (Sydney Pollack, who also directed the film). Frustrated with being undesirable and wanting to prove himself, Michael dons a dress and high heels so that he can apply for a female role in a television soap opera. Calling himself Dorothy Michaels, the soap opera director, Ron (Dabney Coleman), thinks that Dorothy is too ugly for the part, but Dorothy's dominance earns 'her' the right to a screen test and 'she' gets hired! As the film progresses, Michael's pretense as a woman earns him the stardom and recognition that he longed for. However, it also gets him into trouble not only with a woman that he's dating, Sandy (Teri Garr), but also with two of the regular stars from the soap opera, Julie (Jessica Lange) and John Van Horn (George Gaynes).

With an excellent script, superb acting and a hilarious story, it was completely unsurprising that "Tootsie" earned 10 Oscar nominations, including nominations for Best Picture, Best Director (Syndey Pollack), Best Cinematography and Best Screenplay. Dustin Hoffman was nominated for Best Actor and both Teri Garr and Jessica Lange were nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Of all the Oscar nominations, only Jessica Lange won the Oscar. Dustin Hoffman won the Golden Globe for Best Actor, as did Jessica Lange for Best Supporting Actress. The number of Oscar nominations that the film earned demonstrated the many strengths of the film, not to mention that the film will keep you laughing and fully engaged!

Other very memorable characters in the film include Julie's father Les (Charles Durning), Michael's roommate Jeff (Bill Murray), soap opera producer Rita (Doris Belack) and soap opera nurse April (a young Geena Davis).

If you enjoy films such as "Some Like It Hot" (1959) and "Mrs. Doubtfire" (1993), you will more than likely enjoy "Tootsie" equally as well. I rate "Tootsie" with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars and am very pleased to own it on DVD.

We Are Large...We Contain Multitudes
When I first saw this film more than 20 years, I really did not fully appreciate then what director Sydney Pollack, his cast, and his crew had achieved. To be sure, I found the humor hilarious, the cross-dressing and gender-bending clever, and all of the performances first-rate. I have the same opinion today. However, in ways and to an extent no previous film had done, Tootsie makes certain assertions which have serious implications, then and now. For example, that at least some men can more fully develop their masculinity by recognizing their femininity, as indeed Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels (Dustin Hoffman) does. And the same is also true of at least some women. Moreover, this film effectively demonstrates how difficult it can often be to gain and then sustain another's complete trust. To salvage his acting career, Michael repositions himself as Dorothy so he will be hired to play a character in a soap opera. As Dorothy, he establishes an especially close relationship with another cast member, Julie (Jessica Lange), and falls in love with her while continuing to deceive her. Later, her widower father Les (Charles Durning) falls in love with Dorothy and thus becomes another unwitting victim of Michael's deceit. The eventual happy ending does not include Les.

Shakespeare never devised for his Italian comedies a plot as complicated as the one Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal provided for Tootsie. Under Pollack's direction, all of the cast members provide brilliant performances, notably Bill Murray as Michael's friend Jeff and George Gaynes as John Van Horn, another cast member. Jessica Lange was selected to receive an Academy Award as best actress and deserved it. Much of this film is hilarious, it is always entertaining, but as I indicated previously, having seen it again recently, I find it much bolder and more thought-provoking now than I did 21 years ago. To some, perhaps, its serious implications may even seem threatening.

A Nearly Perfect American Comedy
I heard a story that Dustin Hoffman was considering doing this movie, but that he waited until he had been made up to see if he made a convincing enough woman before agreeing. I don't know how true this story is, or even how convincing he is as a woman, but thank goodness this movie was made.

I can't think of another movie more perfectly cast except.... maybe... Casablanca? Jessica Lange is perfect as the beautiful soap actress and love interest. Charles Durning is perfect as the sweet older man who falls in love with Dustin's "Dorothy". Terri Garr is perfect as the insecure female friend who loses the role on the soap to "Dorothy". Bill Murray is great in his few scenes - this is one of the first movies where we actually got to see him "act". Dabney Coleman is perfect as the arrogant director of the soap who cheats on poor Jessica. Director Sydney Pollack wisely casts himself perfectly as Dustin's exasperated agent. (The scene early on where he informs Dustin that NO ONE will hire him because he's too "difficult" is fantastic.) Lastly, Dustin Hoffman is perfect as the actor who becomes a better man by pretending to be a woman.

The film is full of situations that turn your expectations sideways - I'd give examples, but that would ruin your enjoyment if you haven't seen it yet! Trust me - just watch this movie - but only if you want to be entertained!

FUNNY. AND MEANINGFUL.
What a tightly scripted, beautifully acted, finely paced comedy! Having seen it a long time ago, I felt it must've been very much like an older version of Mrs Doubtfire, but this marvellous film has a lot more going for it than the female impersonation angle.

When a failing actor cross dresses to get a job, he also discovers the inconveniences of being a "woman of the 80s". Throughout the film, there's always a pleasing sense of cynical humor (e.g., "I dont believe in hell. I believe in unemployment, but not in hell") and Hoffman is topnotch in his role.

The from Morricone has a somewhat grating refrain of Stephen Bishop's "It might be you" but I guess it perfectly serves its purpose, providing the touching backdrop to the actor's increasing awareness of the strength of feminine qualities -- the touch of the baby to his cheek, the poignant sight of Julie's skirt swishing in the kitchen, the offering to Dorothy of her chocolate-covered finger to suck, etc.

I can see that Hoffman must have committed to this movie bigtime, and I notice that there's a book that describes the making of this film but is currently out of print. Perhaps something to this effect would have been great to include on the DVD itself, which is incidentally quite lousy for such a classic film.

At any rate, it's a great addition to any movie collection.

Dustin Hoffman is the best!
Dustin Hoffman is a fantastic character actor, one of the all time greats. He is superb in this movie. He is an actor who can't get a job as a man but through circumstances, ends up getting a woman's part in a soap opera. The cast thinks he is a woman and it really was funny watching Hoffman try to keep them from learning he was a man. This movie was really funny and yet it had a lot of drama and humanity included.

I found his portrayal of a woman more interesting and likable than that of the male character, in fact, there were times that I would get so wrapped up in the character, Dorothy, that I would forget that he was a man acting as a woman. The cast, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Bill Murray, Charles Durney, Geena Davis, were all great.

This is one of those movies that will be remembered for years to come! Enjoy! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The bright cartoon colors of the Saturday morning classic Fat Albert get brought into the real world--or a Hollywood facsimile of reality, at any rate. When a teenage girl named Doris (Kyla Pratt) sheds a tear onto her TV's remote control, her unhappiness summons Fat Albert (Kenan Thompson, Barbershop 2), Mushmouth, Dumb Donald, Old Weird Harold, and the rest of the gang from Bill Cosby's popular cartoon (inspired by his childhood memories of growing up in Philadelphia). Doris is, to say the least, a little freaked out and doesn't really want Fat Albert to help solve her problems--but with the blithe confidence that only cartoon characters can have, Fat Albert and the gang follow her to school to root out the source of her misery. One of the movie's problems (which are legion) is that Doris's world isn't much more real than the cartoon one; it's a sterile, clean-cut caricature of a city neighborhood. In fact, the whole movie feels suspiciously like a commercial for a DVD of Fat Albert cartoons, an advertisement for which actually appears in the movie, making for a bizarrely self-referential product placement. Thompson, surprisingly, hangs on to his dignity in the face of the inane proceedings and even gives Fat Albert a hint of gravitas. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (64)

A True G Movie...even though it's rated PG.
Wow, I thought movies like these weren't made anymore (Totally Wholesome).....and I'm just 35 yrs old. I saw this movie with my 6 1/2 year old daughter, we both enjoyed it.
There is no refrence to sex or drugs and there is absolutly no cursing.... how great is that. The movie is suprisingly good, a nice family movie.

What is wrong with you people the movie is bad!
I know that everyone is sayin that this movie is great but in my opinion it's really not. I watched it the other day and it's horrible. I do think Kenan Thompson is hilarious but not in this film I don't. This movie really does suck. The acting is terrible, the soundtrack is okay I guess but I just didn't really like the movie much. What a waste of time to watch for a hour and a half but please don't bother seeing it. I just thought it was the worst Bill Cosby movie ever made.

Cartoon much better
I miss the old cartoon..this movie does not compare.This new version of the old is okay...wish Bill Cosby would have played more of a role in this...it may have helped with ratings.
I also wanted to see this to see a friend who had a stand in role with her son.
Was nice too that it wasn't filled with bad language that could have ruined this all together.
Rent don't buy!!!

You're like school on Saturday: no class.
Is there an unwritten rule in Hollywood that if you choose to recreate comedy, it has to be less funny than the original so that it doesn't overpower the genuine moment of the first?I am a strong believer that there is such a rule because I fully witnessed it in the film Fat Albert.This film had so much potential that I really wanted to jump into my television and start grabbing necks a-la Homer Simpson.Frustration grew inside of me as jokes were tossed out towards the viewing audience with such disappointment that to laugh would have given the film way too much credit.The characters were flat, the story was "normal chaos that has been done in nearly every other film", and the class of the television program Fat Albert was diminished by cheap thrills and over-budgeting.Did Bill Cosby have a true writing credit to this film?It would be hard for me to believe that he seriously considered this work great, but then again, he is older and has bills to pay ... so why not?While the ending tried to bring a tear to your eye, I was already crying at the utter lack of appreciation that this film carried and influenced the youth of our nation.

To say that this film was horrible would be too kind of a word, to quote a line from the film "(Fat Albert is) like school on Saturday: no class" would again, probably be giving it too much credit.From the opening credit sequence to the overly animated cartoons to the lack of animation in the characters when they became real was difficult to watch. Kenan Thompson tries really hard to empower the soul of Fat Albert, but what comes through the screen are just pathetic.He has no backbone and literally, he gives Albert this image of ignorance.Instead of being this helpful friend, Thompson's Albert has these huge glazed eyes that roll around whenever trouble begins.He just didn't seem to have that pizzazz that I remember Albert having from the television programs.If Albert was a leader in the cartoon, he was not one in this film.Unless you count the fact that the other actors in this film followed his suit by also leaving their energy at home.Childish humor coupled with this sense of apathy really didn't spark this film onto the level it should have been.I kept seeing glances of this really humorous story about Fat Albert in the real world, but instead I was forced through yet another Cool World.That is how I would best describe this film, Cool World for children.

With our characters firmly not caring about their careers, we are then forced to focus on the non-existent story that apparently the writers of this film chose to not write.Instead of creating a plot with some climactic moments, our writers of this film chose to just let Fat Albert wander until something funny happened.I kept wondering to myself if this was an actual scripted film or just Thompson and Zwick allowing improv to occur anywhere and anytime.Now, if you were working with a genuine comic actor this could have worked (like Robin Williams or Will Ferrell), but with Thompson it just felt forced.Nearly every scene felt forced or overworked in this film.Spontaneity was not an element that these writers considered.This ultimately caused the jokes to be extremely flat.The humor just didn't bring the true life of Albert onto the screen.This is where I question the validity of Cosby being involved with this production.I know he was getting paid, but how much did he work?The jokes felt so old and used that I am surprised that children responded to them.Maybe it was the urban feel that Albert somehow felt comfortable in ... who knows?Either way, the loose story allowed for unfizzy jokes, which ultimately lead to the demise of this picture.

Finally, I would like to say that Fat Albert (when I was growing up) was an inspiration and "every man" to us all.The group that followed him and his actions somehow always felt like a part of us.There wasn't anything that could stop Fat Albert from helping another lost soul, and somehow in this film adaptation, none of these old feels could be remembered.It wasn't as if they were trying, but this was definitely not the same Fat Albert that I grew up with.He didn't reach me like he used to, and perhaps it was the larger budget or the lack of imagination, but Albert hurt the soul in this film.I am surprised that he was able to assist Doris in her problem (this obscure problem that was never quite defined), because if I were in her shoes, I would have politely kicked this Albert to the curb.Cosby needed to reconsider his options before allowing this Albert to see the light of day.

Overall, as if you couldn't tell already, this film hurt me.As I watched this dopey picture, I couldn't help but wonder if this film was focused correctly.When it first started I had this feeling that Albert would be called to help Doris with her problem, causing him to be a secondary character (like her own Jiminie Cricket), but instead what happened is that Thompson's camera excitement stole the performance away from Doris while creating a film centered around Albert.This should not have been the case for this to be a truly inspirational film.We lost the central focus of the film, and then the story just went fuzzy.Too many hands in the honey pot with one hand wanting to be on top.It was sad, and ultimately destroyed this film.

Grade: ** out of *****

Bill Cosby must not have had an active role in this
I think there should be a competition on fear factor to see how many times someone could watch this movie. It's so dumb. Every corny comedy cliche about a person from the past who comes to the future is hit in this travesty. You could have more fun by throwing yourself down the stairs of your house. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Disney continues to "sequelize" its classic features. With smart foresight,the filmmakers choose to go with three snappy short films to comprise this 73-minutefeature with the Fairy Godmother granting wishes to various characters. In the openingshort, Cinderella must pursue life as queen. Several feathers are ruffled as she brings herdown-home ways to the castle (bring the commoners in and open those darn curtains). Inthe other tales, one of Cinderella's animal pals receives a chance to see the world quitedifferently, and finally, Anastasia, Cinderella's formerly evil stepsister, finds love with alittle help. As with the other sequels, the look of the film helps bridge the distance betweenthe original and the sequel (here over 50 years) and it comes together seamlessly. Little onesfrom ages 4 to 9 should be entertained while purists may be a bit aghast. --DougThomas ... Read more

Reviews (132)

Be Fair: This is one of the few good sequals!
A traditionally animated Disney sequal has not been this good since "The Lion King II." I CANNOT believe it has gotten so many bad reviews. I mean, if you're looking for a movie to rightfully call dumb, lame, boring, and uninspired, I say, review "Peter Pan II." That surprised me unpleasantly as well with so many good ratings. "Cinderella II" is funny, cute, entertaining, and though not exceptionally original, it has very catchy songs. (Even though I usually detest pop and admit that pop does not suit Cinderella.) As for the statement that Lucifer was killed in the first movie, I have this to say: What planet are you from?!?!?!?! What Cinderella have you been seeing?!?!?!? Nothing could be farther from the truth. Do you think Disney would have killed that cat? And HOW did he die, pray tell? He didn't. Yoish. Glad to have cleared that up. Now, admittedly, there are a few things that could have been improved in this film. First of all, the Prince is despicable. He doesn't seem to care a thing for Cinderella. He was probably off fooling around with someone else in the first story. And he looks and sounds like every other Disney prince. But he serves as a person to make fun of, so it's not a total loss. And the king was so interested in grandchildren in the first movie. Here he never mentions it once. But despite small things like that, the movie (or series of separate, tied-together plots, which is not a problem, as I see it) is really good. It moves quickly and doesn't drag out. Fat people are made fun of a little, but there is other humor too, including some you have to be creative to find. I pause parts and watch them in slow motion and they look hysterical. Try the king flying through the air or the cat jumping on Sir Hugh. I watched this with several friends and family members and they all found funny things. My one friend thought Mary said "Shut up! That was so brave!" instead of "Jaq! That was so brave!" Now that's as inside joke with us. And we like the part where Prudence goes "Hyah!" when she gets yanked out of a conversation. It's so funny. The voice acting in this movie is terrific, especially considering there is nothing but a bunch of nobody's in Return to Never Land. Just as a comparison. Indeed, there are a few unanswered questions. What is it like being married to the Prince? We hardly see him. He has no opinions, no personality, no depth. Why does Anastasia all of a sudden just fall in love with a nice but overall unattractive baker? Anyway, people shouldn't be so harsh when rating this movie. They liked the romance from the first one. Well, this movie has double it. Almost everyone gets paired up. So I like Cinderella II. I absolutely knew I was going to hate it before it came out; I was prepared to hate it. I mean, a sequal to Cinderella? It seemed so wrong. Well, it just goes to show you. I was wrong.

Blargh
Another one?

I saw this on Disney's cartoon channel. (Toon Disney?) And I was so very glad I had not invested any money in purchasing or renting it. It felt cheap, corny, and just wrong. Why did this film need to be *made*?

The film was really three different stories - and I felt that each one added very little to the Cinderella story at all. The fairy godmother is just now apparently everyone's fairy godmother. Even the mouse!

While some younger girls I know liked the film, they agreed it wasn't up to the standard of the orginal stories. Frankly, Walt Disney would be sick. Why he isn't haunting the heck out of the company's higher-ups, I'll never know.

Don't bother with this one.

I don't know...
Which was a bigger crime against childhood: Making this movie at all, or deciding to charge $26 for it

The movie, if you can call it that, is actually a series of vignettes told by the mice of all people. Only one is specifically about Cinderella, one is mainly about Jaque the mouse, and one is about Anastasia the formerly evil stepsister.

The one about Cinderella is first and within the first 3 minutes, Prince Charming leaves on business, leaving Cinderella to the "domestic" task of planning some party with some crabby lady who's always done it before to teach her how things are done in the palace. Cinderella is completely unable to take on the "princess role" grows tired of this and decides to do it her own way, which is of course infinitely more fun than the royal way.

In the second the fairy godmother (who apparently grants wishes to mice now) turns Jaques into a human because he wants to be able to help her. He is, of course, still afraid of PomPom the castle cat. Turns out he likes being a mouse. Then there is this totally contrived situation where the king is clinging to a rampaging elephant that can only be stopped by, you guessed it, a mouse. Jaques is turned back into a mouse and saves the day.

The third short is about Anastasia who falls in love with the baker. Stepmother hates this of course, but with two or three words of encouragement Anastasia stands up to mom and invites the Baker to the ball.

I understand the desire to have Cinderella do something other than get rescued by falling in love with a prince, but geez, put an ounce of effort into it!

The "plot" in this "movie" is the only thing worse than the animation, which is not any better than the original Cinderella, and might in fact be worse.

I know, I'm an adult, and clearly not the target market for this "movie". My daughter is though. This is the child that sat through all of Monsters Inc at age 16 months, not to mention all the other original disney flicks. She's 3 now, and even 1 week after a trip to Disneyland, which solidified her obsession with Cinderella, she loses interest in the movie after 30-40 minutes.

If your little one MUST see it, rent it from Blockbuster for $1. Or better yet, from the library for FREE. Don't waste hard earned cash on this junk.

Strictly for little kids
My 3 year old LOVES this movie. She loves all things Princess, but the original Cinderella has too many scary parts (same goes for Snow White, Aladin, and Beauty and the Beast). This isn't a movie you'll want to sit and watch, but for little ones who want to see princesses without villians, it's perfect.

My 2 year old love it!
After being terrorized by Snow white and Sleeping Beauty, my daughter really loves this one. It is simple, cute, and she understands what is happening. I am surprise about the negative reviews, I think this one is a Disney movie really for kids, the best thing is that my little one does not have nightmares. ... Read more

Description

Vivian Leigh stars as a ballerina in war-torn England who turns to prostitution when she believes her fiance has died in the war in this drama based on Robert E. Sherwood's acclaimed play. Robert Taylor co-stars. Year: 1940 Director: Mervyn LeRoy Starring:Vivien Leigh, Robert Taylor, Lucile Watson, Virginia Field, Maria Ouspenskaya ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Vivien Leigh at her very best.
Beautiful, sensitive love story told in flashback, loosely based on Robert E. Sherwood's play, of the doomed love between aristocratic british army officer Robert Taylor and frail and lovely, classic ballerina-turned-into-streetwalker, Vivien Leigh, at the peak of her natural beauty.

This movie was filmed after Miss Leigh's success in "Gone With the Wind" and she gives a great tragic performance as ballerina Myra Lester, and Robert Taylor is much better than usual as Captain Roy Cronin. Very good acting by the supporting players too: pretty Virginia Field is also great in a heart-felt performance as Leigh's very loyal & supportive friend; Madame Maria Ouspenskaya, once again gives a knowing authoritative performance as the strict ballet coach; Lucile Watson is very understanding, sweet and charming as Lady Margaret, the hero's mother; and last but not least, C. Aubrey Smith, very effective as usual, as the Duke, Taylor's Uncle.

Filmed before in 1931, at Universal Studios and directed by James Whale, much more faithfully to Robert E. Sherwood's play, with Mae Clarke and Douglass Montgomery in the leads, with newcomer Bette Davis in a small role. Then again, remade in 1956, as "Gaby" with Leslie Caron and John Kerr.

A Great Tragic Romance
When pressed to name her favorite of her own films, Vivien Leigh brushed aside both GONE WITH THE WIND and STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE in favor of this now little-known film based on a failed 1930s stage drama of the same name: WATERLOO BRIDGE, directed by Mervyn LeRoy. Leigh had good reason for her choice. Although she was dazzling as Scarlett O'Hara and elegantly depraved as Blanche DuBois, she was never as beautifully photographed as she was in this 1940 film.

WATERLOO BRIDGE is perhaps best described as one of a number of films "with an English accent" that played to American sympathies for England in the years when England largely stood alone against Nazi Germany. The story itself has a wartime setting: beautiful ballerina Myra (Vivien Leigh) meets and falls passionately in love with officer Roy Cronin (Robert Taylor), only to be parted from him when he is called to duty during World War I. Alone and increasingly destitute, she learns that he has been killed in action--and so, broken hearted and unconcerned for herself, she drifts into prostitution, plying the world's oldest profession along Waterloo Bridge... until she experiences a horrific twist of fate.

Although Robert Taylor is a bit miscast, Leigh carries the film with a truly remarkable performance. In the opening portion of the scene, she is at the height of her youthful beauty, and cinematographer Joseph Ruttenberg makes the most of it; later, when experience has hardened her, she turns the graceful charm of her earlier scenes upside down to create the bitter, brassy tart that Myra has become. The cast also features an exceptional performance by Lucile Watson as Lady Margaret and notable turns by Maria Ouspenskaya, C. Aubrey Smith, and a host of others.

Although less well known than such tragic romances as Garbo's CAMILLE, WATERLOO BRIDGE is easily the equal of such and considerably better than most. The romantic aura is powerful, the production values are meticulous, the direction, photography, and script are first rate. And at the center of it all we have perhaps the single most beautiful actress of her era, Vivien Leigh, in one of her finest performances. You'll need a box of tissues for this one; don't miss it.

IT WAS BOTH VIVIEN AND ROBERT`S FAVORITE FILM
Vivien Leigh proved that her success as Scarlett O`Hara was no fluke. She gives a stunning performance as the shy and innocent ballet dancer Myra Lester. MGM gives the product a lush and style and it is the definitive version of the play.

It is the PERFECT film for two people in love:-))))))))))))

Romantic classic for lovers both young and old
Vivien Leigh had what I firmly believe was her most wonderful role as the tragic Ballerina Myra Lester in MGM's classic "Waterloo Bridge". If one film was to be regarded as the epitome of what romance on screen should be like then this beautiful production would be it. With no use of bad language, no gross sex scenes, relying as it is on a simple but beautifully wrought story of genuine love between two very different people, it is perfect and should be a film enjoyed by all those over the generations who have loved or wish to be.

Adapted from the famous stage play "Waterloo Bridge", by Robert F. Sherwood it provided the ever lovely Vivien Leigh with one of her greatest roles ever. Made in the aftermath of her triumph as Scarlett O'Hara in the classic "Gone With The Wind", it provided the second of two classic roles for her within the space of two years. Despite winning an Oscar later in her career for her tragic role in "A Streetcar Named Desire", Vivien Leigh would always be most fondly remembered for her work in "Gone With The Wind", and "Waterloo Bridge". Here she has a very different role to the feisty Scarlett and Vivien proves herself to be more than up to the challenge. Never on screen has she been more lovely or convincing as the fragile dancer Myra who meets the man of her dreams Colonel Roy Cronin (Robert Taylor in his best role ever)in the middle of an air raid on London's Waterloo Bridge, falls into a whirlwind romance only to be seperated from him by the demands of the war which also sees her own life crumble into degradation after falsely believing him killed in action in France. Expertly directed by veteran Mervyn LeRoy famous for extracting heartfelt performances out of his actors, "Waterloo Bridge" is a wonderfully moving experience from start to finish. We see the young couple meet in less than ideal circumstances in the underground being used as a airraid shelter, we see (in the most romantic scene in the film) the two dancing and falling in love at the wonderful Candlelight Club just as the light is being extinguished. We join them in their attempts to get married and then to find Roy being shipped off to active duty within a few hours. We then witness Myra's tragic decline into a life of prostitution only to discover too late that Roy is still alive and still just as in love with her while life has taken her in a totally different direction leading to tragic consequences. As the heart felt lovers Vivien Leigh and Robert Taylor are perfectly matched and bring total conviction to their parts. Both stated in later years that this film was their own personal favourite and its easy to see why filled as it is by wonderful acting, beautifully staged romantic scenes and a message about what war can do to people in general. Robert Taylor has never been better and his old age rememberances of his lost love on Waterloo Bridge are some of the most tearful parts in the whole film.

"Waterloo Bridge", abounds with other beautiful performances as well. As Myra's best friend and confidant Kitty Meredith who shares the hardships of life on the streets with her , Virginia Field is wonderful in her unwavering love and loyalty to Myra. Veteran character actress Lucile Watson fresh from her triumph playing Norma Shearer's wise mother in "The Women", plays here Robert Taylor's mother Lady Margaret Cronin. Always a beautifully sensitive actress her standout scene where she meets Myra in a restauranrt just after Myra believes that Roy has been killed will leave a lump in your throat for a long time. Rounding out the superlative cast is Maria Ouspenskaya as the harsh Madame Olga Kirowa the domineering manager of the ballet company troupe who by her rigid set of rules is responsible for Myra's downward spiral to a life of degredation and C. Audrey Smith as the Duke delivering his usual sterling work as the army superior who finds himself a little in love with Myra himself when he gives she and Roy permission to marry.

First and foremost it is Vivien Leigh and Robert Taylor's film and as an ideal image of what young lovers should be they are perfect. The chemistry here is ever bit as magical as it was for Vivien with Clark Gable in "Gone With The Wind". She and Taylor had worked together a couple of years previously in England when Robert Taylor travelled over to film "A Yank In Oxford" and their familiar camaradie shows on screen. I cannot recommend "Waterloo Bridge", highly enough to you. It is one of my all time favourite romantic dramas. Being also a favourite of my dear late mother's it also has a real sentimental attachment for me. Whether you are seeing this film for the first time or revisiting it after a number of years if you love romanctic tearful dramas you can't help but fall in love yourself with this beautiful production of "Waterloo Bridge".

Roy and Myra will steal your heart!
"Waterloo Bridge" is a tender love story set in England during WWI. I really love this movie because of the beautiful development of the stars's romance. Robert Taylor is perfect as the aristocratic, dashing Capt. Roy Cronin while Vivien Leigh is captivating as the sweet ballet dancer Myra Lester.
They meet and fall in love during an air raid and share some of the most tender moments on the screen like the beautiful dance at the "Candlelite Club." But their love is put to the test when Myra,who mistakingly thinks Roy's been killed in the war, is dismissed from the ballet company and turns to prostitution as a means of survival.
If you're a romantic like me, you'll enjoy this tearjerker. Roy and Myra's story tugs at the heart and makes you believe in true love again. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who loves a good romance or a well developed story with substance. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Pipe Down, I'm Taking A Nap!
Ladies, Ladies, PLEASE!! Please stop this bickering. My fellow reviewer, "Shadow Lady" (see below), is about ready to explode a gasket with her disdain and contempt for the lovely Miss Garson. "Shadow" paints much too bleek a picture while her lowly peer, Little Miss Proper ("Princess Incognita") has sugar coated Greer's character into a sticky little marshmellow of misinformation. The definitive opinion (my own, of course) is the important one, and is somewhere in between.

First of all, this movie has a disturbing pagan slant that could be quite offensive to devout religious types like myself. Surprisingly frequent references to "witchhunting" and the Dark Ages. Basic storyline: A steel tycoon's son (Gregory the "impeccable peckerhead" Peck) loves the family maid who just happens to be an Irish steelworker's daughter! And WOW, the setting is even "Victorian" Pittsburgh, PA in the late 1800's!

Ranting and raving is the predominant rule of thumb as Greer's Daddy (a crusty old codger clucking away in his wheel chair) throws one hissy fit after another. "I'm reachin' into high heaven to put the curse on this marriage" (it's a bit complicated, but he's madder than a hornet's nest that the steel workers' demand of a 5 cent per hour raise has fallen upon deaf ears)! Peck's rich and reasonable father seems hellbent on resolving the conflict until one day (in a peculiar and nutty twist) he is gunned down in broad daylight. All he said was, "We Scotts cannot live without belching chimney's anymore than you can." For crying out loud. His subsequent and imminent demise was quite unexpected, I must say.

The film alternates between a hopelessly naive romance and nasty hillbilly feuding. An occasional dose of sharp dialogue is overshadowed by the cantankerous. Or as one hapless victim proclaimed, "For once in your life, will you just keep your mouth shut!" Oh shucks, another predictable cliche! Why, there's even the occasional "shuffling Negro" ("That's right, Sir!") which may be a bit perturbing to some. Fortunately, the first half of this film has its moments of brilliance but it flickers, and then eventually fades.

From book to movie.... Garson portrayal is perfect!
Contrary to what one reviewer thought, Greer Garson played the character to perfection. She was every bit the character that Davenport created in her book, on which this film is based. And "annoying, uppity and full of herself" is exactly the opposite of the role that Garson portrays. See the movie and you'll see. As for chemistry in the film...it's beautiful. I couldn't imagine any other leads other than Peck and Garson. I totally recommend the book too! After you see the movie, you'll want to see what happens next. And so much more happens!

SOMEBODY SLAP THIS GARSON CHICK!
There is no chemistry to speak of between Garson and Peck in this boring, snoozefest of a movie. The idea of them being in love is absurd and they should never have been cast together romantically. What was Hollywood thinking? Every character is a walking cliche and the plot is entirely predictable. Predictability can be good, but in this case it's just another reason to dislike it strongly. Garson's character is annoying, uppity and full of herself (what a stretch *snarkle*). She's just one of those holier-than-thou type of people who think they're better than everyone else and I wanted to slap her around 'til I knocked her delusions of grandeur out of her. I'm sure this is not how her character was supposed to come off, but that was the impression that I got. How could anyone want her to be happy and get her man? No guy as hot as Paul (GP's character) deserves such an awful woman as his wife! The only thing that saved this movie from being a total waste of time was Gregory Peck. Besides being a young, handsome gentleman in this film, he gave a great performance and his effort to save a disaster of a movie deserves two stars, and know that both stars are for him and no other part of the movie. And people actually gave this 5 stars? Oh boy!

I absolutely loved this film!
This was one of those films that I found on TV about midway through, and was instantly hooked. After that, I just HAD to see the whole thing, so I bought the video, a box of kleenex, and then the book.

This film is wonderful...One of my ultimate favorites! This was the first time I had seen Greer Garson and I thought she was wonderful. Gregory Peck was perfect, of course! He a rich steelmill owners' son, she a poor Irish housemaid. They fall in love, but can they ever be together?

I absolutely love the ending to this film. I can't tell you...you have to see it, but that's what prompted me to buy the book. I wanted to see what else happens! I confess that I prefer the movie adaptation over the book, but the movie only covers about a third of what the book has to tell. Go out and get both...you won't be sorry!

Very moving.
We loved this movie. Greer Garson is so perfect and Gregory Peck, as always, is a perfect gentleman. Humorous and also very moving. It keeps you sitting on the edge of your seat right until the end - make sure you have a box of kleenex handy. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Barry Levinson (Wag the Dog) directed this comedy-drama about an Armed Forces Radio disc jockey (Robin Williams) whose manic, hilarious delivery from a studio in 1965 Saigon gives U.S. troops in the field a morale boost (while upsetting military brass). Based on the real-life experiences of deejay Adrian Cronauer, the film is actually more concept than story: put Williams in front of a microphone and let him go nuts. Still, the surrounding stuff about the influence upon Cronauer of the endless deaths among his listeners--as Cronauer tries to stay funny while feeling the mounting losses--is affecting. Williams got a much-deserved Oscar nomination for his work. DVD release available. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (34)

funny comedy, so-so drama
This flick really put Robin Williams on the map, and deservedly so- he's freakin' hilarious in this movie! Good acting jobs by all major roles; Forest Whitaker also does nicely as the "protege".

However, the fault of this movie is where it tries to be serious. Williams's politics are thinly veiled, as the only people who oppose anything he does (VC's, bully GI's, "the brass") are stereotypes. Nothing Haup or Dickerson say or do is ever pleasant or reflective of any redeeming qualities whatsoever. In addition, after picking oneself up from the floor from laughing at Williams's brilliant jokes, one can step back and understand (empathize?) why people might not have liked such comments as "If it's being done well, here or abroad, it's probably *not* being done by the U.S. Army!" Now, maybe that's true, maybe it's not, but a lot of people work (and worked) very hard to be sure that what the U.S. Army did is/was done well, and these people wouldn't be the jerks that Dickerson and Haup (sp?) are in this film if they took offense to a deejay like Williams's portrayal of Cronauer.

In short, watch this movie and enjoy the humor, but think twice before taking any sort of "deeper meaning" more seriously.

He bucked authority and won the hearts of the soldiers
Starring Robin Williams as Airman 1st Class Adrian Cronauer, this 1987 film is loosely based on a real radio DJ whose outrageous sense of comedy bucked authority and won the hearts of the American soldiers in 1965 Vietnam. The audience never learns much about Cronauer's character as there is virtually no back story. He is just set down in Vietnam at a time in history when the American police action is about to escalate. When he gets to know the Vietnamese villagers, however, his character slowly changes. Of course there is conflict with his very uptight superiors which adds to the comedy. Eventually though, the story becomes more complex than the comedy and, at film's end, Cronauer has become more mature and wiser.

I found myself giggling at the jokes, but eventually the comedy all had a certain sameness. However, I did get into the story. There wasn't much military action, only some strong hints of what was to come. Wisely, the film focused on the characters and portrays the Vietnamese villagers as real people who Cronauer teaches to curse in American slang and with whom he plays baseball, using mangos as the ball. This is a good video, lighthearted and yet with a message. Robin Williams' performance is excellent. And, although some of the action was a little too slow for my taste and the comedy ran thin early, I still do give it a good recommendation.

Gooooood Moooooorning Amazonnnn!!!!
Robin Williams, one of my favorite actors, is great as the crazy DJ who shakes things up for the soldiers of Vietnam. With his ability to do so many voices, love the Cronkite, and also his talent to convey some of the most diverse emotions, Robin Williams leads the movie. William's character is a radio dj, as I mentioned, who seems in his own world, and happy with it. Yet, with the violence of vietnam but also it's appeal, which to him is the Vietnamese people themselves, he is torn. One of the more uplifting stories about Vietnam this movie is very good and very funny, as only William's, even early in his career, can be.

Morality Charged Comedy
When Williams gets to do his stand up bit behind a mike as a Vietnam War disc jockey the results are hysterical. However, when the movie timidly ventures out from the safe confines of the airbooth, the movie seems ungainly. Williams' Adrian Cronauer is actually kind of a jerk. A funny jerk but a jerk. Being uncooperative, giving people a hard time and being a smart alecked rebel-without-a-cause seem to his modus operandi for the 1st 2/3 of the movie. The movie seems to be trying to tell us the Vietnam War was bad and sad, censorship is bad, mean people suck, many people in influential positions are self-interested jerks and the Vietnamese citizens were just people like you and me. I couldn't escape the impression that the scritwriter was much more interested in making a Robin Williams Movie than in showing any real interest in the Vietnam War.

Wakeup Call, Williams Style.
1965 was the year when, as a result of the Congressional Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, American military buildup in Vietnam began in earnest, and troop strength grew by a factor of no less than eight; from 23,000 at the beginning of the year to roughly 184,000 at the end. 1965 was also the year when a new AFN DJ arrived in Saigon, which over the course of that same year would transform itself from a sleepy French-Vietnamese colonial town into the nightmare it has since come to be in the memory of countless vets.

The new DJ in question was Adrian Cronauer; fresh from an assignment in Greece.

While the idea for a fictionalized account of his Vietnam experience was Cronauer's own, fueled by the popularity of "M*A*S*H," the script for Barry Levinson's "Good Morning Vietnam" was ultimately penned by screenwriter Mitch Markowitz with only some input from Cronauer himself, who has since gone out of his way to underline the fictional nature of the account and stress that his true stance was not so much anti-military as "anti-stupidity." Thus, the film has to be taken with a considerable grain of salt; both as far as the portrayal of 1960s' armed forces radio and as far as the movie's plot is concerned. But that doesn't make it any less poignant; nor does it take away one iota of Robin Williams's performance as Cronauer: Indeed, the role of an irreverent, unstoppable DJ seemed tailor-made for Williams, who had burst onto the scene with his inimitable brand of lightning-quick ad-libbing ten years earlier in "Mork & Mindy" - and of course, all of Cronauer's hilarious broadcasts in this movie are ad-libbed, too.

The film follows Adrian Cronauer from his arrival in Saigon in the spring of 1965 to his forced departure about a half year later (although the real Cronauer in fact stayed for a year and was not forced out but left when his regular tour of duty was over). While a comedy, and although not trying to be anywhere near the "definitive" take on Vietnam, it does take a close look at the year when the conflict escalated and, in particular, at the resulting toll on human relations. Robin Williams earned his first of to date four well-deserved Academy Award nominations for this role (the others were for "Dead Poets Society" [1989], "The Fisher King" [1991] and "Good Will Hunting" [1997], the movie for which he finally scored on Oscar night). And in his inimitable way he provides pointed comic relief not only over the microphone but also, and always with a unique ear for the situation's mood, whenever the script would otherwise threaten to veer off into melodrama; such as after his discovery that his Vietnamese friend Tuan is actually a Viet Cong fighter named Phan Duc To ("It's unbelievable. Five months in Saigon, and my best friend turns out to be a V.C. This will not look good on a resume!!"); and in scenes that would otherwise be burdened with a bit too much cliche and/or deliberately funny writing, such as the conference after Cronauer's first broadcast, where Bruno Kirby (Lieutenant Hauk) gets to deliver such gems as "Don't say that the weather is the same all the time here, because it's not; in fact, it's two degrees cooler today than yesterday" and "I hate the fact that you people never salute me - I'm a lieutenant, and I would like salutes occasionally. That's what being a higher rank is all about." Even if Kirby himself gets to make up for these a little later in the same scene with the comment "We are not going to escalate [Vietnam into] a whole war so we can get a big name comedian" (Bob Hope who, as the men have informed him, does not "play police actions"), it takes Williams's/Cronauer's final weaving of the lieutenant's preferred abbreviations into a single sentence to truly put the finishing touch on the scene.

Although "Good Morning Vietnam" is clearly first and foremost a star vehicle for Robin Williams, he is joined by an outstanding supporting cast, including inter alia, besides Bruno Kirby, Forest Whitaker as Cronauer's good-natured sidekick PFC Montesque Garlick, the ever-reliable J.T. Walsh as his second great nemesis, Sergeant Major Dickerson (whose stock character of a straight-laced white middle class guy would probably not have come off convincingly as a villain vis-a-vis anybody *but* Robin Williams) and, in particular, Tung Thanh Tran as Tuan and Chintara Sukapatana as his sister Trinh: Her plea with Cronauer not (even) to seek her friendship, let alone more, because for her such an association with a man (particularly a foreigner) is culturally unacceptable, is one of the movie's most quietly powerful scenes. Exceptional is further Peter Sova's cinematography, which convincingly captures the daily realities of a city and a country on the brink of an all-out war, and is brilliantly complimented by the editing, which in turn also uses the soundtrack - more or less a mid-1960s "greatest hits" compilation - to maximum effect; be it in framing daily military routine, the soldiers' enjoyment of Cronauer's style of broadcasting or combat action: Indeed, hardly any image could make a more powerful statement on the cruel absurdity of war than seeing a village blown up to the tune of Louis Armstrong's "It's a Wonderful World."

Thus, "Good Morning Vietnam" is in its own way as poignant a wakeup call as any other movie about Vietnam - or about World War II, or any other war for that matter. It deservedly netted the Political Film Society's 1989 Peace Award, in addition to Robin Williams's Oscar nomination and his Golden Globe and American Comedy awards, as well as the movie's ASCAP soundtrack award. And it certainly bears revisiting - for its overall quality, for Robin Williams's performance, and also for lessons learned and deserving never to be forgotten. ... Read more

Description

This witty and mystical film follows a young Japanese executive who is forced to perform a traditional memorial ceremony in Iceland. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Very novel and entertaining
'One man's journey in a foreign land' is a cliche'd plot line but this storyline is more than a little different. Underlying the basic premise is the synthesis and comparison of two very similar cultures: Two modern island nations, with seperate but similar mythologies, strange native customs and both in love with American Culture.

A Japanese businesman passes up his vacation in Hawii so he can travel to Iceland in order to perform a ceremony for his dead parents. While in Iceland he learns he has a long journey in front of him and along the way he meets a cast of increasingly strange characters. Often 'caught in the wrong place at the wrong time' he is forced more and more out of his way, giving him the chance to see more and more of this Iceland, not so unlike his native Japan.

As simple as the plot structure is it's wonderfully novel in its details. Its a fun ride from beginning to end and there's no film I've seen quite like it.

A stranger in a strange land
In Cold Fever the Japanese businessman comes to Iceland to say goodbye to his parents, so they can rest in peace. A stranger in a strange land he meets all kind of people. Criticized by some icelanders as showing the wrong portrait of Icelandic people. Perhaps right, but films don't always have to reflect reallity. Anyway, good story, good film. Other notable work by Fridriksson: Börn Náttúrunnar(Children of Nature), Djöflaeyjan(Devils Island).

A journey to a place that's not on any map
It has been seven years since Atushi Hirata's parents died in an accident in Iceland. Hirata is now a successful young executive who has been instrumental in making a good profit for his company. He's ready to take a golfing holiday in Hawaii, but is compelled by obligation to perform the memorial rites for his dead parents by some river near Staadelfyr. Once he does so, according to his grandfather, their spirits can rest in peace. Hirata, like his late father, isn't exactly a spiritual person, but he decides to get this over with, and as Hirata hates the cold weather in Tokyo, he definitely won't be thrilled to spend three weeks in Iceland, a land of snow, cold, and sheep.

His impressions of the country go from "very cold" to "strange," but he does meet some interesting people and is reminded time and again of the way people look at death and God. Among the warmest and most positive is Laura, someone who's a "funeral collector," going to funerals, taking photos, notes, and taping the music, and she is moved by the singing and the candles. She finds death as something joyous, the end of life on earth being the beginning of a beautiful new life. She is for his family obligation, saying "how else would we learn to grieve?"

The other is an old man in his sixties who becomes his guide, a Virgil to his Dante, and given the bleak cold of Iceland, the analogy is kind of appropriate. And for Hirata, Iceland might as well be the innermost core of hell. Another mythology analogy is the bridge Hirata has to cross and the river where the rites are performed, the bridge symbolizing the journey from the living to the dead, and the river akin to the River Styx, the river of the dead.

Most of the people he meets are kind and help him out, as when his car's spare tire goes kaput. He also has a supernatural encounter with a mysterious woman who helps him when his car motor gets frozen, and that is quite a surprising scene. His worst experience comes from picking up Jack and Jill, a married American hitchhiking duo. Jack is coarse, brusque and extraverted, and Jill who complains a lot, but things get uglier as time goes on. The one thing Jack says that relates to Hirata's quest is when he thinks Iceland is God's country, quiet, the endless wastes of snow. Definitely a contrast from the noisy, neon-lit, crowded, smog-ridden streets of Tokyo.

The concept of a hero's journey is played out here. He's initially a creature of the soulless corporation, where tradition is seen as superstition and bad for business. Yet as his father tells him in a videogram they sent, success is important, but that, and any distance should not weaken the bond between parents and children. And thus does Hirata bridge that distance, having never done anything for his parents when they were alive.

Note: when Hirata shows his guide the implements for the memorial rites, he holds up something called senko, whose equivalent in English he doesn't know. Well, senko are incense rods. Also, let me break down the word Hirata uses for "hangover," futsukayoi: futsuka means second day, yoi means inebriation.

A wonderful movie that examines spiritual renewal in a person. Hirata's cold fever eventually breaks, and as he says at the end of the movie, "sometimes, a journey can take you to a place that's not on any map."

winter wonderland
I traveled to Iceland this past March, and watching Cold Fever made me positively nostolgic for its wintry landscape and sense of mysticism which this film so gorgeously captured. The landscape seemed to function as the main character in the film, unyielding and rich with stories and secrets. I particularly enjoyed the array of bizarro characters in Cold Fever - the funeral collector, the sock puppet wielding Americans, the Icelandic cowboys and caroling truckers - peppering the film's themes of alienation and ritual with wonderful humor. Anyone who has been to Iceland can attest to its power and eccentricities. From the moment that Atsushi arrived at the Reykjavik airport and took the flybus to the Blue Lagoon, it was as if I was there all over again. I recommend Cold Fever to film lovers everywhere, and especially to those of you who dream of going to Iceland.

SEARCHING FOR ONESELF
A young Japanese businessman must travel to Iceland, where his parents lived and then died, to perform a ritual for their burial. The film chronicles his confusing trek through Iceland where he gets drunk on a uniquely Icelandic alcohol and picks up hitchhikers (played by the excellent Fisher Stevens and Lili Taylor) who ultimately steal his car. An interesting and different concept which is good simply for its different approach. ... Read more

Amazon.com

What can two little mice possibly do to save an orphan girl who'sfallen into evil hands? With a little cooperation and faith in oneself,anything is possible! As members of the mouse-run International RescueAid Society, Bernard and Miss Bianca respond to orphan Penny's call forhelp. The two mice search for clues and, with the help of an old cat namedRufus, track Penny to the clutches of the evil Madame Medusa in adilapidated ship in Devil's Bayou. It turns out that Medusa is using Pennyto locate and retrieve the Devil's Eye Diamond--a stone she'll stop atnothing to possess. With a cunning plan, courageous acts, cooperation fromlocal animal life, and lots of faith, Bernard and Miss Bianca helpPenny find the diamond and escape from Medusa. The result of theiradventure is that Bernard and Miss Bianca become close friends and Pennygets adopted. This somewhat dark, classic 1977 animated Disney film is based on MargerySharp's The Rescuers and Miss Bianca, and features the AcademyAward-nominated song "Someone's Waiting for You." Voice talents includeEva Gabor as Miss Bianca, Bob Newhart as Bernard, Geraldine Page as MadameMedusa, and Jim Jordan (radio's Fibber McGee) as Orville Albatross. Followedby the sequel The Rescuers Down Under. (Ages 5 to 11) --TamiHoriuchi ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Nero!!...Brutus!!....Stop that making that noise in there!!!
The Rescuers is one of my all-time favorite Disney films to watch. I saw this movie when I was 6 years old and now that I'm 21, I still love this movie.
The story begins when a little girl named Penny is kidnapped by a evil woman named Madame Medusa who forces Penny to search and find a large diamond called the Devil's Eye, thats hidden in a underground cove called Devils Bayou. Penny, however, manages to send messages in bottles to get help from the outside, and the R.A.S. Rescue Aid Society, the secret organization that's composed of mice from around the world answer Penny's call for help and they send two mice Bernard, who's the janitor, and a agent from Hungray named Miss Bianca. The only way to get to Devil's Bayou is the Albatross Air Service that's ran by Orville, a bumbling, wise-cracking albatross who's the pilot, flight annoucer, and the plane.
When they do get to Devil's Bayou, Bernard and Bianca witness a escape attempt made by Penny, who get snatched by Medusa's two bumbling pet alligators, Nero and Brutus.
My favorite scene is where Nero and Brutus are trying to catch Bernard and Bianca when they're trapped in a pipe organ, and while Nero is playing the organ, Brutus trys to catch them when the air comes up through the pipes.
If you want a good family classic to watch, give The Rescuers a try, I love it.

I didn't know
I didn't know that Disney was planning are releasing this movie on dvd, until today. And I watched this movie tonight. I had a vhs copy of this movie around. And I think this was the first Disney movie to have a sequel, and this movie was out about 13 years, before the sequel to this movie was made. It tells a story about 2 mice, 1 a janitor and the other a lady on a mission to save a young girl named Penny that was kidnapped from an orphanage. As the movie opened, Penny (Michelle Stacey) drops a bottle that is a cry for help, and the bottle finds its way to New York, where a couple of mice discovers it, and the Recure Aid Soceity calls to order, a meeting. A janitor mouse named Bernard (Bob Newhart) brings ladder (that is really a comb), cames the comb, and goes inside, manges to get the message out of the bottle, but keeps falling back to the bottom of the bottle. The message is all watered out, and a mouse named Miss Bianca (Eva Gabor) manges to make out some of the message, including Penny's name. Miss Bianca decides to ask to take the misiion, even though Bernarnd doesn't think it is a good idea for Miss Bianca to go alone. So the chairmouse, decides for Miss Bianca to selct a co-agent to go with her, and she has a lot of vanletters, which makes it hard for her to chose, and she picks Bertand.

Theatre Gem
I remember my parents taking me to see this gem of a film in the theatre. I was captivated by the cute girl Penny and the two mean gators. This film was a fun Disney film. It seemed weird when they released "Resuers Down Under" WAY before this one?!?!? But now you can complete or expand your Disney collection with this piece of Disney Gold!

Cool film!
Although this film doesn't particularly follow the same story line as the forgotten Margery Sharp classic, I have to admit that the film is better in it's own way. To start, in the book, the rescuers, janitor Bernard, Lady Miss Bianca and sailor mouse Nils go into the Black Castle to rescue a Norweian poet, but this is just some no-one who you really don't get to know that well, since he comes at the end of the book and barely even speaks, you can't feel for the character, however, Penny is filled with charming personality, and you learn to love her as you watch the film. Nils was a very charming little mouse in the book, too bad he wasn't in Disney's film. Then Madame Medusa is a great villain compared to the boring jailers and gate keepers in the book, since they do nothing to stop the young poet from scaping. In Disney's film, Madame Medusa has held Panny captive for months because she needs her to find the world's largest diamond, and the rescuers are flying into a journey to her rescue. Lovable film, pretty disappointing DVD, hopefully Disney will give us another, better edition.

There unconfirmed rumors that a new sequel, The Rescuers III: Journey to the Black Castle is in the works, and this time, little cute Nils would be joining us, I would loooove to see that!

R-E-S-C-U-E, Rescue Aid Society....
When a young girl's plea for help it found via bottle in the ocean, Miss Bianca of the Rescue Aid Society, along with her partner Bernard, go on an action packed adventure to rescue her.

Young Penny had disappeared from Morningside Orphange one day and no one has seen her since. With a tip from the Orphange's wise old cat, the two mice track down a pawn shop run by Madame Medusa. She is the one, along with her goofy sidekick Snoops, who kidnapped Penny and is holding her hostage deep in the bayou on a rundown Riverboat. Time after time Penny attempted to escape, only to be tracked down and brought back to her prison by Medusa's two pet crocodiles. The only reason Medusa is holding Penny hostage is because Penny is the only person small enough to fit down into the cave where Medusa's greatest desire, the Devil's Eye diamond, is at.

With the help of Miss Bianca, Bernard and some of the swamp's resident critters, Penny manages to bring Medusa her coveted diamond, outsmart her crocodiles and escape back to the orphanage and, ultimitly, unite Penny with the family she so yearned for.

A touching tale. I can see why this is considered a classic! ... Read more

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While 2003's Daredevil was a conventional superhero movie, the 2005 spinoff, Elektra, is more of a wuxia-styled martial arts/fantasy flick. Elektra (Jennifer Garner) has returned to her life as a hired assassin, but she balks at an assignment to kill a single father (Goran Visnjic, ER) and his teenage daughter (Kirsten Prout). That makes her the target of the Hand, an organization of murderous ninjas, scheming corporate types, and a band of stylish supervillains seeking to eliminate Elektra and tip the balance of power in the ongoing battle of good vs. evil.

As the star of Alias, Garner has proven that she can kick butt with the best of them, and some of the visual effects are impressive, but the action sequences tend to be anticlimactic, and there's not much to the story. Fans will notice numerous references to Frank Miller's comic books, but there's very little resemblance to Miller's cold-blooded killer (Elektra with an agent? Elektra referring to herself as a "soccer mom"?).

Is Elektra better than Daredevil? Not really, even with the distinct advantage of having all Garner and no Ben Affleck. That could be the spinoff's greatest disappointment: after Spider-Man 2 raised the bar for comic-book movies, Elektra lowered it back to Daredevil's level.Directed by Rob Bowman (the X-Files movie), and featuring Terence Stamp as the mysterious mentor Stick, Will Yun Lee (Die Another Day) as the chief villain, and NFL-player-turned-mixed-martial-arts-champion Bob Sapp as the immovable Stone.

DVD features
Ben Affleck's much-rumored cameo is one of the deleted scenes on the Elektra DVD.It's a one-minute throwaway, and while he's supposedly appearing as Matt Murdock (who romanced Elektra in Daredevil), the barrage of celebrity gossip makes it impossible to see him as anything other than Jennifer Garner's real-life boyfriend.There's also a making-of featurette, which is mostly promotional hype other than a few interesting effects shots; four editing featurettes; and Jennifer Garner's videotaped message to ComicCon.--David Horiuchi

More on Elektra

Elektra: The Album (Soundtrack CD)	Elektra: The Movie (Comic Adaptation)	Frank Miller Comic Books
Daredevil (Director's Cut) (DVD)	Jennifer Garner stars in Alias (DVD)	More Superhero DVDs

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Reviews (163)

Not bad
I don't understand when people complain about Elektra being trashy. Com' on, you know you're watching a comic character, a character written from comics, how intellectual do you want the movie to be?

I love the trashiness of the movie.

More like E-Suck-tra...
This was one of the crappiest movie I have ever seen in the history of movies. The boss fights were stupid, the final boss, stupid, The tatoo guy that was supposed to be TOTALLY sweet died way way way too easily. She had this stiff pissed look the entire movie which just made me fell Stiff and pissed. I think the only part I found entertaining was how they died, If you want to laugh get this movie, if you want action(which is what you expect from this movie) Go try Samurai Champloo.

good dvd release but worst superhero movie i've ever seen
I'd never seen this movie in big screen, but one of my friends told me it was an average movie. when the dvd released, I Bought to put it near my daredevil DVDs (special 2 discs edition & directors cut), oh my... when i watched it... it was not an average movie but one of the worst superhero movies i've ever seen. too much lies! terrible actings and a boring story! not comperable with daredevil in any way, daredevil was a five star movie but this can hardly get one star! its just like one of jackie chan recent and cheap movies with a TV Worthy picture and special effects. it's not even worth to rent. don't be fool by the beautiful and kind of sexy photo on the cover of dvd! don't buy it even you are a super hero DVD Collector

Good acting , silly story
I was surprised that someone like Jason Isaacs would appear in a movie like this... special effects are very good, but still, the story wasn't very good. Goran Visnjic did a great job, excellent. But I don't know...watch it if you want to have some fun.

A Different Concept ?!!/ Disappointing and Medicore!!!!
I personaly am a comic book fan and can tell you from experience that the comics of Elektra are way better. The movie was somewhat weak with barely any action scenes!!! The only good part of the movie was Jennifer Garner which put some flavor into the movie and was in fact perfect for playing the part of Elektra!!! I place all blame on marvel who basically focused too much on setting up for the sequel and less on the action!!! This movie had so much potential but in the end it was barely amusing!!! If you want the truth the only reason I gave this movie 3 stars was because, of pitty and Jennifer Garner!!! It was a nobel effort but there are way better movies than this!!! The special features aren't that special either and not worth buying the movie over!!! Some hardcore Elektra fans will have a special place in their hearts for this movie!!! Don't buy this movie because of Jennifer Garner, if you want to see more of her just watch Alias/ or buy the first season!!! Marvel used to be about making comics and pleasing their main fan group, but now they have turned into a bunch of corporate business investors trying to make a profits!! The movie "Hulk" was even worse than this, which makes this look good!!! If you are looking for good movies from marvel here are some suggestion:

Spiderman
spiderman 2
X Men
X Men 2
The Punisher
Daredevil
The Incredibles

I hope Marvel is wise and makes more movies like the one's listed above!!! I suggest you rent this movie first to see if you truly want it!!! If you are a action fan like me you will probably not like it!!! Better luck on the sequel!!!

-Anonymous ... Read more

Reviews (1484)

Great Action Film
"Gladiator" is a film that should suit all tastes. It is an expertly mounted and eye-filling event; the blood and gore, delivered in split-second imagery (allowing your head to fill in the rest) should satisfy the most blood-thirsty movie goer; and the story is a superb tale of good vs. evil, power vs. honor, and "Might for Right". I was reminded of "Camelot" many times during this film, especially by the almost unrecognizable appearance of Richard Harris as the wise and noble Marcus Aurelis. Joaquin Phoenix gives a bone-chilling performance as the evil and cowardly Commodus, who inherits the title of emperor upon his father's death. But the sole weight of this overwhelming piece rests on the shoulders of the magnificent Russell Crowe. If one doesn't believe in him, then one doesn't believe in this epic costume drama. Kudos to the rest of the cast as well, and hand over heart for the late Oliver Reed. But back to Crowe--he is an actor to contend with. His work in "Gladiator" is a tour de force performance; he very nearly sprays testosterone from the screen. It's what was exactly demanded from him in this role, and he exceeds expectations in that regard.

Gladiator ROCKS!!!
I completely dug this film from beginning to end,and every aspect of it,from the breathtaking cinamatography,the expertly staged battle sequences,and exqusite set-design,to the stellar performances of a top-notch cast,rang true.The film starts with a stunning battle and doesen't let up from the time Maximus says"on my mark,unleash Hell". Do they ever.Russell Crowe is perfect in the lead role,as an expert warrior with a grieving soul and a deep sense of honor and loyalty.It's a true star-making turn,and he oozes rugged charisma from every pore.Equally impressive,but in the exact opposite way,is Juaquin Phoenix as the conniving,decadent,deeply evil Emperor.Also great support from Richard Harris and the late,great Oliver Reed.Director Ridley Scott uses his gift for composition and visual flair to great effect,giving each scene a painterly burnish and unforgettable depth,whether it's the after-life of Maximus' dreams,the bustling,grand sprawl of Rome,the rip-roaring battles of the Coluseum,or the sinister twinkle in the Emporer's eyes.At one point Maximus admonishes the bloodthirsty crowd:"Is this not what you wanted? Are you not entertained?" Indeed we are Russell,very much so.What a great film.

okay
this is a three star movie with a five star dvd. one of the biggest problems with the movie was the first battle. i was expecting braveheart quality but ended with a battle less entertaining than the one in dragonheart. the blurry camera and closeups made it impossible to tell what was happening. if you want to see a movie like this but better, see the last samurai or braveheart.

A Modern Classic of an Old Age
I seldom write reviews for anything, but for a movie like 'Gladiator' I'm willing to make an exception, and gosh if it's worth doing it!!
The movie, by far the best of the year 2000, is not only an award-winning production, but it is also one of the few that I personally enjoy watching again and again and again. Not because it is flawless (at times the storyline is quite predictable) but because it portrays life and death in the Roman Empire in such a way that it really bring those old buildings we all know since childhood (the Coliseum, the Forum, Via Appia, etc) back to life.
And yet it does so not at the expense of the story but through it, from the characters, to the script (they're so many quotables lines from Maximus and Commudus alone to make a CD)...in fact everything in the movie, from the battle in Germanica to the last fight at the Coliseum, is portrayed with realism plus an amazing score lacking in so many movies these days.
The movie of course is not to be seen as "history" in the academic sense but rather as an historical exercise, Holywood style, of one of the most facinating and complex periods of Western History. The attention to the detail is amazing, especially in the opening scene (the battle in Germanica) and the gladiatorial fights. Even most deleted scenes are great in the sense that they allow us to understand the characters a little bit more (Commudus' sword smashing of his father's marble bust is a most see), although they neither add nor take of the story. The casting is superb, with Russell Crow in the main role, Joaquin Phoenix as the Emperor Commudus, along with such legends as Oliver Reed as the freedman slaveholder and Richard Harris as the great Marcus Aurelius.
I'll recomend strongly that anyone who sees this movie shoudl do his/her homework and do a little of reading about Rome, both as a Republic and after, and the huge importance of the entertaining business in h