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This soapy but highly watchable television "sequel" to Gone with the Wind, the most popular Hollywood movie ever made, has nothing to do with memories of a vanished antebellum South. But it does end up in Ireland, where the determined Scarlett O'Hara Butler (played with frosty passion by Joanne Whalley-Kilmer) turns hard times into an opportunity by buying the ancestral home of her family. Before that happens, however, Scarlett fights to win back the estranged Rhett Butler (manfully portrayed by Timothy Dalton), often seen in the company of other women, struggles for control over the homestead Tara, and gets caught in yet another compromising position with poor Ashley Wilkes (Stephen Collins). The troubles never stop (Scarlett's Ireland adventures land her in a heap of trouble from which only Rhett can save her), but this TV miniseries wisely keeps the focus on these captivating characters, their entangled histories, and the collective destiny that refuses to part them. The show also looks good: the location scenes in Ireland are particularly handsome, and there is something unaccountably satisfying about seeing Scarlett and Rhett walking through peaceful green hills. Enjoy. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (94)

The ending is horrible! What happened????
First off. . . the so called sequel to GONE WITH THE WIND will never measure up to the first. Kinda like to many Jason & Freddy movies! As a big time fan of GWTW I jumped on the band wagon. . . bought the book. . . waited for the movie. Let's just say the book is actually great! Different but great. The movie . . . well I will try to be nice. Joanne Whalley-Kilmer as Scarlett? What a joke! They should have got Delta Burke for that role! Timothy Dalton was an ok Rhett Butler better than the Scarlett. If they had stayed with the way the book was written instead of changing the ending it would have been much better. Where does Hollywood come up with some of their stuff? The ending in the book is so much better than what they showed! It was a crock of you know what!

When it took place in Savannah,GA and Ireland that was really nice. Gave you a so-called new take on that time frame instead of the poor south at that time.

Jean Smart played Sally Brewster's role wonderful. Gave the charater the spunk she needed!

Starts well, then falls apart
I enjoyed the first part of this film, Timothy Dalton is, of course, devestatingly gorgeous as Rhett Butler, the woman playing Scarlett is a bit insispid but who cares, so long as I could drool over Dalton I was happy. The part where they get shipwrecked on an island together, aaaaah! If only! I found it quite interesting to meet Scarlett's posh relations on her mother's side, and I was glad that Suellen had finally got herself a husband, she wanted one os much, poor soul. The killing off of Mammy is of course a big mistake, but the author clearly doesn't know how to portray black characters convincingly, which is I suppose why the film suddenly shifts to Ireland, where Scarlett goes to discover her roots. From here on it's downhill all the way. Pure melodrama, and Sean Bean is so blatantly wicked he might as well wear a hat with 'villain' written on it. If only Margaret Mitchell had written a sequel herself! Naturally I want Scarlett to get Rhett back, who doesn't, but the way it happens in this film is just too silly for words. I persevered to the end because, of course, Timothy is still there, and still devastating, but honestly! It just gets sillier and sillier.

Horable!! Don't waist your time!!
In gone with the wind, Scarlett was a little bit of a brat, but she at least had some morals!!! I this movie, Scarlett (who you remember loved Ashley until Melanie died) has become hated around Atlanta because of the fact that she chased after Ashley so long. To save her dignity, Scarlett runs to Rhett's mothers house, where she stays for a time (much to Rhett's dismay). When a turn of events gets Scarlett kicked out of Mrs. Butler's home, she eventually ends up in Ireland with a baby that Rhett has no idea exists.

In Gone With the Wind, Scarlett married many men for their money, but she was not going around sleeping with men out of wedlock, which turned out to be a very bad idea!
Also, the boathouse scene was such a corny idea!!!

This is defiantly NOT a good sequel to gone with the wind.
The woman who played Scarlett couldn't even begin to compare with Vivien Leigh. Maybe someday they will remake this movie and actually take the time to choose good actors and write a decent story line!!!

Horable!!!! Don't waist your time!!!
In gone with the wind, Scarlett was a little bit of a brat, but she at least had some morals!!! I this movie, Scarlett (who you remember loved Ashley until Melanie died) has become hated around Atlanta because of the fact that she chased after Ashley so long. To save her dignity, Scarlett runs to Rhett's mothers house, where she stays for a time (much to Rhett's dismay). When a turn of events gets Scarlett kicked out of Mrs. Butler's home, she eventually ends up in Ireland with a baby that Rhett has no idea exists.

In Gone With the Wind, Scarlett married many men for their money, but she was not going around sleeping with men out of wedlock, which turned out to be a very bad idea!
Also, the boathouse scene was such a corny idea!!!

This is defiantly NOT a good sequel to gone with the wind.
Joanne Whalley (who played Scarlett) couldn't even begin to compare with Vivien Leigh. Maybe someday they will remake this movie and actually take the time to choose good actors and write a decent story line!!!

Gone With the Wind This Ain't
I love GWTW, personnally I think that it is one of the BEST movies of all time-- this is not up to par. I have read GWTW by Mitchell and I read Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley and I must say that the original is by far better.

Now the Scarlett Miniseries was suppose to be the sequel to the GWTW movie not the book otherwise it would confuse those who've seen the original but didn't read the book, like Scarlett's other children by her first two husbands, I digress. However, the screenwriter or even the director of this movie thought it important to put Suellen having a family, after all in the first movie you expect her to be an old maid!

Joanne Whalley as Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler is a like unbelieveable and I do agree with the other reviewers that said Terri Garber(Ashton of North and South) might have been a better choice, albeit type-casting. Timothy Dalton as Rhett Butler is a good choice, I actually liked him as Rhett and seemed a better notice that in the sequel Rhett has a Southern accent. Which from my understanding Clark Gable refused to play the part with the accent.

My overall opinion of this movie is blah at best, if you really must see it I recommend finding it at your local video rental store. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Blarney and bliss, mixed in equal proportions. John Wayne plays an American boxer who returns to the Emerald Isle, his native land. What he finds there is a fiery prospective spouse (Maureen O'Hara) and a country greener than any Ireland seen before or since--it's no surprise The Quiet Man won an Oscar for cinematography. It also won an Oscar for John Ford's direction, his fourth such award. The film was a deeply personal project for Ford (whose birth name was Sean Aloysius O'Fearna), and he lavished all of his affection for the Irish landscape and Irish people on this film. He also stages perhaps the greatest donnybrook in the history of movies, an epic fistfight between Wayne and the truculent Victor McLaglen--that's Ford's brother, Francis, as the elderly man on his deathbed who miraculously revives when he hears word of the dustup. Barry Fitzgerald, the original Irish elf, gets the movie's biggest laugh when he walks into the newlyweds' bedroom the morning after their wedding, and spots a broken bed. The look on his face says everything. The Quiet Man isn't the real Ireland, but as a delicious never-never land of Ford's imagination, it will do very nicely. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (136)

John Ford's gentle and loving salute to Ireland.......
From all reports "The Quiet Man" was a very personal and passionate undertaking from director John Ford, and his company of players (most of Irish ancestry)....and what sweet fruit their passion bore...

This is a film of such warmth, tenderness, humour and beauty that it just sparkles from beginning to end.

Irish-born, American boxer Sean Thornton (John Wayne) returns to his place of birth after accidently killing another man in the ring. Seeking to find peace and happiness in the lush green country side, Sean is enraptured with the fiery Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O'Hara in a wonderful performance) but incurs the wrath of her bully of a brother Red Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen) because of Thornton's purchase of local land. Failing to abide by the customs of Irish courtship as advised by resident matchmaker Michaleen Flynn (Barry Fitzgerald) and Father Peter Lonergan (Ward Bond)...it's not long before the whole county is in a spin about this big Yank in their midst !!

Amidst the lopsided courtship and Red Will's refusal to pay the dowry, Thornton & Danaher square off in what must be the most entertaining and longest on screen fights in cinema history...much to the amusement of the entire town that turned out to watch !!

"The Quiet Man" is such a wonderfully enchanting film, that it is as enjoyable for all ages today, as it was nearly 50 years ago. Truly, a film for those young at heart and those who can appreciate such a warm hearted and lovingly prepared ode to the magic of Ireland.

A Movie You'll Watch Over And Over
A true masterpiece, this movie captures the heart and soul of Ireland. That said, not only the Irish will love it. It tells the story of an American, coming home to his mother's beloved Irland. There he meets and falls in love with a beautiful colleen, only to find that her brother is against the affair and basically, out to get him. Shot on location in Ireland, the view is gorgeous, and the plot has everything from exciting fights to tender love scenes. ( My favourite scene is their famous first kiss, when he kisses her in the storm and then she slaps him. Btw, Maureen O'Hara fractured her wrist doing that!)

"The Quiet Man" was John Ford's favourite film, and also his most personal one. He cast his favourite actors in it, and it shows. John wayne is just great -whoever thinks he only played himself in every role should see his performance here. For his love interest we have Ford's kind of a woman, the breathtakingly beautiful Maureen O'Hara.She gives a magnificent performance as Mary Kate, and in my opinion should have won the Oscar for it. (She Wasn't even nominated!) Sparks flew when this couple met on screen, and the result is out there for you to witness.

Don't wait till the next St. Patrick's Day -see this film now. I promise you won't regret it.

A romance almost out of time and place - wonderful cast
Anyway, the story is an idyll that is really out of time and place. Apparently it takes place in the early 20th century in Ireland. It seems to be after the Irish Revolution, but before the First World War. I say before the war because the movie never references the awful loss of life that traumatized every European nation that experienced it. Any later than that and you would wonder where the planes and cars would be.

It is a good love story, but the whole concept of dowry and the stubborn character shown by the whole Danaher clan would be mysterious to the younger American generation, as would the purpose of a matchmaker and the formal courting rituals that the movie sends up.

John Wayne is quite fine in this role as is the whole cast. It is a very enjoyable film with a lot to recommend it for the family. It will certainly spark some discussion with the kids that might be helpful and broaden their cultural horizons.

One of the great classics of world cinema
Everything about this film is first rate. The storyline, cast, the directing, the cinematography. You can't go wrong with this one.

Restored ? Huh !
I'm going to keep this short. The Quiet Man is a classic, so why treat it like crap. I have VHS copies of old Disney Afternoon cartoons that are a million times better than this. The transfer is so bad I finally just messed with the color on my set and decided it would be better in black and white.
Theatrical Trailers? That's what the box says, but there are only three "trailers" on the disc, and none are theatrical. they are all commercials for other Artisan discs, which makes no sense as anyone who sees what a terrible job they did to this classic will be very wary before they ever pick up another Artisan disc. Can you imagine the outcry if they did this to Wizard of Oz or any ohter film classics. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hold on to your school bags: it's time for another eccentric day with Ms. Frizzle, the wacky and winsome science teacher who stars in Scholastic's popular program Magic School Bus. Science concepts come alive when the Friz leads her inquisitive class on extraordinary adventures inside a magical bus, in this wildly watchable program based on Joanna Cole's books. Ms. Frizzle explores the secrets of color for today's lesson in "Makes a Rainbow." From her bag of tricks comes a dazzling light-powered pinball machine, which she hides away in her classroom closet. To win at pinball, students must figure out how to light up all six colors of the rainbow by learning the principles of light, wavelength, prisms, and refraction. To help them, the Friz piles her class into the school bus and shrinks it to the size of a Tonka trunk for a journey inside the pinball machine. Things go badly awry, however, when the bus hits a prism and splits into six colors, including six hues of every student. It gets worse, however, when the school's principal, Mr. Rule, is about to make a colorful discovery of his own. To reinforce the film's concepts, repeat showings and follow-up discussions are recommended. And lest viewers become confused when the innovative program blurs fantasy and scientific reality (like when the speed of light is remarkably slowed in the pinball machine), a science review at the story's end clarifies the two. Moreover, children are reminded of the program's larger message, that if you keep asking questions, you'll continue getting answers. (Ages 6 to 9). --Lynn Gibson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Rainbow of Education for Kids!
Learn how the colors of the rainbow work in this video. Best for art teachers and teachers, and kids! Play Ms. Frizzle's pinball game--and rack up some colorful points! Find out what makes the colors of the rainbow and how they become colors. Find out the prism trick and how to stall you principal! (hehe!) ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

When this popular prison drama was released in 1994, some critics complained that the movie was too long (142 minutes) to sustain its story. Those complaints miss the point, because the passage of time is crucial to this story about patience, the squeaky wheels of justice, and the growth of a life-long friendship. Only when the film reaches its final, emotionally satisfying scene do you fully understand why writer-director Frank Darabont (adapting a novella by Stephen King) allows the story to unfold at its necessary pace, and the effect is dramatically rewarding. Tim Robbins plays a banker named Andy who's sent to Shawshank Prison on a murder charge, but as he gets to know a life-term prisoner named Red (Morgan Freeman), we realize there's reason to believe the banker's crime was justifiable. We also realize that Andy's calm, quiet exterior hides a great reserve of patience and fortitude, and Red comes to admire this mild-mannered man who first struck him as weak and unfit for prison life. So it is that The Shawshank Redemption builds considerable impact as a prison drama that defies the conventions of the genre (violence, brutality, riots) to illustrate its theme of faith, friendship, and survival. Nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Actor, and Screenplay, it's a remarkable film that signaled the arrival of a promising new filmmaker--a film that many movie lovers count among their all-time favorites. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (692)

Triumphant celebration of the human spirit
First off, this reviewer regularly rates this movie as his personal favourite of all time. Why only four stars then? Because we are asked to rate the DVD, not the movie, and the criminal lack of DVD extras for one of the best films ever made is shameful. So, film five stars, DVD three - averaging out at 4. Maths lesson over, on with the review.

Based on the Stephen King novella ' Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption ' this really has become a modern day classic. Other films have grossed more, and may have a more immediate following, but Shawshank will endure for years, and become another 'Casablanca ' loved by generations to come.

The film tells the story of Andy Dufresne, sent to the maximum security prison of Shawshank for the murder of his wife and her lover. Played with an under-stated intelligence by Tim Robbins in a career defining turn, and supported by sterling performances from Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, and veteran James Whitmore. Morgan Freeman's work is particularly notable, not just for his performance ( let's face it, the man doesn't know how to give a bad one! ) but also for the fact that his is the voice of the film. His chocolate-rich tones were director Frank Darabont's choice for the voice-over of the film, as if his character Red is talking to us, and explaining the sub-text of the film. Voice overs often dont work ( Blade Runner being a prime example ) but this one does, perfectly.

Beginning at a slow pace, the film begins with the brutal de-humanising regime meted out to the 'Fresh Fish' as they begin their incarcaration in Shawshank. I remember suggesting my wife watch the film after I'd seen it, and she, being of a considerably more sensitive nature than me, found the early scenes difficult. If you too find the opening 45 minutes a tad heavy going, stick with it - the reward is worth it.

Eventually as we progress through the film, we see how Red's initial suspicion of Andy becomes a deep respect, and eventually a deep friendship, indeed it would be true to say that these two men love each other like brothers by the end. There are a few key scenes that really stick in the memory - the rooftop scene, the opera aria scene, the exam result scene - all of which enable us to begin to like these men, men we probably wouldn't have wanted in our homes before the film, but who we'd happily sit down to dinner with after.

The film's true emotional impact of course comes in the final third as we learn the truth about Andy's guilt or otherwise. True to many of King's works, there is a twist in the end which leaves us all stunned, and with a big stupid grin on our faces. The total and utter defeat of the dark forces in the film is accomplished with such applomb that you find yourself rooting for the bad guys - the prisoners, a bunch of murderers and misfits that two hours earlier you were deeply suspicious of. Indeed the last section of the film plays almost totally without our hero, and remains almost my favourite portion of it. By this time we are crying out for the final fulfilment of our hopes for the characters. It is to Frank Darabont's eternal credit that he accomplishes this in a scene without dialogue, and a sweeping panoramic withdrawl from the characters, leaving us with not a dry eye in the house, and a feel-good glow that lasts for days.

... while in [a local store] I noticed this man and wife trying to decide which DVD they would buy to view that evening. I pointed to Shawshank. "Ever seen this one?"
"No"
"Trust me" I said, "It's the best movie you've never seen." He bought it, and I like to think I made that man and wife cry, laugh and smile that evening.

To conclude, Warner Bros and Castle Rock - SHAME ON YOU! This movie deserves better. The Region 2 version rocks, so get busy, re-package, and give us fans the extras this classic deserves!

One true consensus !
To be honest, sometimes it seems odd that so much people write similar things about this magnificient film, but then again, everybody ,including myself ,wish to express and convey his thoughts and emotions in his/her special unique way.

Hence, I decided to take my time to write a few words . I hope you'll like them (The immediate reason for this is that I'm currently reading the novel,four years after seeing the movie for the first time).

Andy Dufresne. The name evokes nobel feelings in me whenever I hear it.Portrayed so wonderfully by Tim Robbins,it represents so much ; A man who had had everything,lost everthing and,finally, gained everything back.

His character is one of the most inspiring I've ever known. What a man ! An example of the strength of the human spirit, and one basic rule : diligence and patience with a little bit of luck and wisdom can get you anywhere . . . Even outside the walls of Shawshank state penitentiary...

If you've seen it once - see it again ! It never loses it's impact. Watch it whenever you're down and feeling like everything is going wrong .I bet it shall lift your spirit just a little bit higher ,and help you through the crisis .

Review of a review
Whoever wrote the following review, I've got to hand it to you for almost pulling my leg. This is funny stuff, I actually thought you were serious at first. I'm sure they're many ninnies who will put their DVD copy in now and think there's something wrong. Keep it up.

Anyhoo, The Shawshank Redemption is a great piece of work. Better on DVD than in the theaters (unless you get to take that special someone to the last row . Buy it if your internet connection just happens to be down. Of course that last statement was a joke.

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My third submission on this, if you are doubtful, check for yourself. I own the VHS of Shawshank. I recently purchased a DVD player and Shawshank was one of my first disks. I set both the disk and the tape up to play simultaneously, and flipped back and forth to compare the superb quality improvement of DVD. I was in for a surprise. The picture DOES NOT get wider-AS IT SHOULD-and the top and bottom of the picture of the DVD version are ERASED and replaced by the black bars. The other movie I found with this flaw is Jackie Brown. Check out the point where Bridget Fonda "services" Robert DeNiro. On the VHS widescreen version , her "buns" disappear. They are fully visable on the fullscreen version! The top and bottom have been erased on the widescreen version and the picture does not get any wider. I suspect more movies have this flaw. Now that we know what to look for, let's look!
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Great story, wondrously told and acted
At the heart of this extraordinary movie is a brilliant and indelible performance by Morgan Freeman as Red, the man who knows how to get things, the "only" guilty man at Shawshank prison. He was nominated by the Academy for Best Actor in 1995 but didn't win. (Tom Hanks won for Forrest Gump.) What Freeman does so beautifully is to slightly underplay the part so that the eternal boredom and cynicism of the lifer comes through, and yet we can see how very much alive with the warmth of life the man is despite his confinement. Someday Morgan Freeman is going to win an Academy Award and it will be in belated recognition for this performance, which I think was a little too subtle for some Academy members to fully appreciate at the time.

But Freeman is not alone. Tim Robbins plays the hero of the story, banker Andy Dufresne, who has been falsely convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. Robbins has a unique quality as an actor in that he lends ever so slightly a bemused irony to the characters he plays. It is as though part of him is amused at what he is doing. I believe this is the best performance of his career, but it might be compared with his work in The Player (1992), another excellent movie, and in Mystic River (2003) for which he won an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor.

It is said that every good story needs a villain, and in the Bible-quoting, Bible-thumping, massively hypocritical, sadistic Warden Samuel Norton, played perfectly by Bob Gunton, we have a doozy. I want to tell you that Norton is so evil that fundamentalist Christians actually hate this movie because of how precisely his vile character is revealed. They also hate the movie because of its depiction of violent, predatory homosexual behavior (which is the reason the movie is rated R). On the wall of his office (hiding his safe with its ill-gotten contents and duplicitous accounts) is a framed plaque of the words "His judgment cometh and that right soon." The irony of these words as they apply to the men in the prison and ultimately to the warden himself is just perfect. You will take delight, I promise.

Here is some other information about the movie that may interest you. As most people know, it was adapted from a novella by Stephen King entitled "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption." Rita Hayworth figures in the story because Red procures a poster of her for Andy that he pins up on the wall of his cell. The poster is a still from the film Gilda (1946) starring her and Glenn Ford. We see a clip from the black and white film as the prisoners watch, cheering and hollering when Rita Hayworth appears. If you haven't seen her, check out that old movie. She really is gorgeous and a forerunner of Marilyn Monroe, who next appears on Andy's wall in a still from The Seven Year Itch (1955). It's the famous shot of her in which her skirt is blown up to reveal her shapely legs. Following her on Andy's wall (and, by the way, these pinups figure prominently in the plot) is Rachel Welsh from One Million Years B.C. (1966). In a simple and effective device these pinups show us graphically how long Andy and Red have been pining away.

Frank Darabont's direction is full of similar devices that clearly and naturally tell the story. There is Brooks (James Whitmore) who gets out after fifty years but is so institutionalized that he can't cope with life on the outside and hangs himself. Playing off of this is Red's periodic appearance before the parole board where his parole is summarily REJECTED. Watch how this plays out at the end.

The cinematography by Roger Deakins is excellent. The editing superb: there's not a single dead spot in the whole movie. The difference between the good guys (Red, Andy, Brooks, etc.) and the bad guys (the warden, the guards, the "sisters," etc.) is perhaps too starkly drawn, and perhaps Andy is a bit too heroic and determined beyond what might be realistic, and perhaps the "redemption" is a bit too miraculous in how beautifully it works out. But never mind. We love it.

All in all this is a great story vividly told that will leave you with a true sense of redemption in your soul. It is not a chick flick, and that is an understatement. It is a male bonding movie about friendship and the strength of character, about going up against what is wrong and unfair and coming out on top through pure true grit and a little luck.

#2 RATED MOVIE ON THE IMDB (AND FOR A REASON !)
Great film with classic and quotable lines. The narration by Morgan Freeman is also superb. Many touching moments which is specially odd in a prsion movie.
Highly recommended. ... Read more

Description

Hayley Mills received a special Academy Award(R) for her performance as Pollyanna in this timeless Walt Disney tapestry of small-town Americana. Here you'll meet Pollyanna, the orphan who brings sunshine into the lives of everyone she meets. But her Aunt Polly (Jane Wyman) is too concerned with appearances, propriety, and local politics to appreciate her effervescent niece. It isn't until the town almost loses their "Glad Girl" that Aunt Polly realizes the power of love and lightheartedness. Featuring an impressive all-star cast and a story filled with fun, laughter, and tears, POLLYANNA will inspire your entire family and prove that the art of positive thinking is just as delightful today as it was at the turn of the century! ... Read more

Reviews (23)

"Hayley Mills is great in 'Pollyanna'"
Hayley Mills in her first Disney movie ever. In "Pollyanna", she plays a 12-year old orphan who comes to Harrington Town to stay with her aunt Polly (Jane Wyman). The whole town needs some happiness,so Pollyanna invents "The Glad Game" to make everyone fell better. Hayley sings a delightful version of "America The Beautiful" in the scene where all the girls dress up as the American flag. Hayley Mills won an Academy Award for her performance as Pollyanna. This movie is fun for the whole family to enjoy!

A charming, wonderfully performed, BELIVEABLE film
A vast improvement on the cutesy, blatantly unrealistic and cliched book on which it's based, the Disney film version of Pollyanna has a very charming feel to it. The talented cast are all great, and really make you believe in them and forget they're all stereotypes, unlike in the book, which was the total opposite. Jane Wyman is quite good as Aunt Polly, and so are Agnes Moorhead, Adolphe Menjou, and espicially Karl Malden. Hayley Mills more than holds her own, delivering a very calm, subtle, BELIEVABLE performance. It's really obvious that she's made such a difference in the town because she interacts so well and effectively with everyone and does it throughout the movie, instead of chatting her mouth off about nothing and thinking that every cold act of her aunt's is an expression of love, like in the book. She stays with each person just long enough to subtly get her point across, but her presence lingers. She deserved her special Academy Award; her performance is excellent, astonishing for a 14-year-old who had only done one other film. She continued to enchant audiences throughout the '60's in other Disney films, all of which (that I've seen) are good and deserving of her talent. There, I've said enough. Get the movie; it's wonderful.

A Beautiful Movie that Will Touch Your Heart!
This movie is a very touching movie about a young girl who shines light on everyone around her. Pollyanna (Hayley Mills) is an orphan who comes to live with her aunt Polly Harrington (Jane Wyman). But her aunt is too concerned with other matters than with her little niece. Her aunt doesn't notice that Pollyanna goes around, playing the "Glad Game", and brightening up everyone around her, including the old town snob (Agnes Moorehead). Only until she has a bad accident does she realize how many people she's touched! I would highly reccomend this movie!!!

This Movie Brings Back Such Fond Memories
I remember for Christmas one year My Parents got me the following DISNEY MOVIES.

One And Only Genuine Origional Family Band
Follow Me Boys!
BON VOYAGE!
Pollyanna

And I love all of them but my ultimate top favorite was Pollyanna I got the same edition as pictured above the Old white clamshell release with A Little Mickey Mouse at the Top. Well My Favorite Seen was when Pollyanna (Haley Mills) and Jimmy Bean (Kevin "Moochie" Corcoran) went to Mr. Pendergast and Jimmy was trying to climb the tree. My Favorite Actoress in this classic Disney film though was Jane Wyman as Aunt Polly. I also liked Richard Egan as Dr. Chilton. But one of the best roles other than Aunt Polly, and Pollyanna was played by Nancy Olson (SMITH!, Absent Minded Professor, Snowball Express) as Nancy. I still remember sitting by the television set. With the Video case in my hand watching in awe. At this classic Disney Film. This movie has never gone out of circulation with Disney. It is one of the few that hasn't. Those films are what started me collecting Disney. I still have those 4. And I have alot more of the old white clamshell releases of The Old Disney Films. Well Disney did a great thing when they put this classic film on Disney. I know that there has been a debate that They shouldn't have had Haley Mills sing America The Beautiful. But why don't people grow up. She did a great job and she put feeling into it. She wasn't one of those stuped singers that sings it without meaning. She sang it with meaning. This Is A Movie To Remember. If the had a 10 star rating on here. I would give it 10 stars. Other Tha Follow Me Boys! This Is the best Disney Film ever created.

A Story That cherishes your heart
This film, although very different from The book is a must to your Disney films collections. Hayley Mills Recieved an OScar for he role which i must admit was like eating 'Norwegin smoked salmon and Iranian Caviar toppeld with bubbling Champagne'. I think that this film deservs to be cherished over again and again. ... Read more

Description

Starring Reese Witherspoon (LEGALLY BLONDE), Colin Firth (BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY), and Rupert Everett (MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING), here is the hilarious adventure of two dashing young bachelors and the outrageous deceptions they find themselves in over love! Whenever Worthing (Firth) wants to leave his dull country life behind, he makes visits to the city posing as his fictitious "brother" Ernest. There, he becomes smitten with the ravishing Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor, A.I.). But when Worthing is in town, his playboy pal Algy (Everett) is in the country and falling for Worthing's young and beautiful ward, Cecily (Witherspoon) -- while also impersonating Ernest! Pandemonium ensues when these two would-be Ernests find themselves face-to-face and in the predicament of explaining who they really are! ... Read more

Reviews (102)

The Importance of "Seeing" Earnest
Since I have not read the play by Oscar Wilde nor seen any previous performances of this work, I came into this movie completely unprejudiced, and left utterly delighted. I thought the film was hilarious; in particular the interplay between the two male leads, Colin Firth (Jack)and Rupert Everett (Algy). Judi Dench, as the austure Lady Bracknell, is of course perfection, and although less impressive, yet still quite good, are the two romantic interests of the gentlemen: Francis O'Connor (Gwendolyn) and Reese Witherspoon (Cecily). The tangled webs woven by our two heroes lead to some wonderful moments for Firth and Everett, especially when Algy shows up at Jack's manor to woo the fair Cecily. The scenes where Jack takes matters into his own hands had the audience roaring, and it was a treat to see Mr. Firth in a more playful role then is his usual.
There is also a sort of side plot involving the vicar (Tom Wilkinson)and Cecily's tutor (Anna Massey) which is also quite entertaining, and both actors display their humourous sides most credibly. All in all, a wonderful movie. I thought it was a shame, however, that the studio saw fit to release it only as a limited engagement. I, myself, had to drive nearly 200 miles to view this gem(well worth the trip, I might add), yet the lack of accessability disturbed me as it seemed to assume that only those in "larger metropolitan areas" would make the effort. Well, not only did I make the effort, I fully intend to purchase the DVD when it is released, and am looking forward to that date with relish, so that I may watch Firth and Everett over and over and over....

Run! (don't walk!) to see "The Importance of Being Earnest"!
This movie is a must-see and the epitome of a playful, feel-good comedy. Having never seen nor read the original play by Oscar Wilde I went to the theater with the expectation of merely staring at Colin Firth (whom i LOVED in P&P2!!) & Rupert Everett for an hour or so. I was pleasantly surprised and elated to discover that the movie was comedic, witty and filled with a cast of actors who played off each other wonderfully.

The movie is hysterical-i laughed throughout the entire thing-and it was not merely the verbal wit, but the physical comedy and dare I say again the chemistry of the actors that made the movie a true delight. Colin Firth and Rupert Everett are absolutely perfectly fitted to their roles, and "the muffin scene" (which those who have seen it must remember!) had me laughing so incredibly hard! Reese Witherspoon is grand, as is Frances O'Connor. Judi Dench's role was perfectly suited to her, and the twists of the story put the characters in such hilarious situtations. I must say, my only regrets after viewing this movie are:
1. It was only opened in limited release
and
2. I did not go and see it sooner.

I cannot wait for the DVD ~ the extra features *sigh* ~
...i can only imagine...

a treat
I haven't seen the 1952 version of Earnest, but I must say that I love this one. I laughed the whole way through. Purists might say that the dialogue goes too slowly, that the acting was underdone, or that Reese Witherspoon was miscast. My opinion: the dialogue is, of course, brilliant. It's Oscar Wilde. It is also delivered wonderfully, with perfect expressions that make the witty lines even more funny. Attention is, at times, required to catch these little expressions, but they are what help make the film so great. Also: I loved the casting. I loved it the first time I saw the film. I appreciate the casting even more now that I've read the actual play--the actors portray the characters exceptionally well, with all the quirks and nuances that I gleaned from the book. The add-ins (like the knight in Cecily's daydreams) make the movie, in my opinion, even more delightful. It should be quirky, and, thank goodness, it is. I highly recommend this film--it is a very well-done, lighthearted story full of wit. I definitely enjoyed it.

GOOD except some...
Brilliant, lovely, impeccable casting by the entire Oliver Parker's production team. Almost perfect performances by GORGEOUS actors and actresses upon beautiful costumes design, greenest of the countryside, and exquisite interior decorations. This Oscar Wilde adaption will no doubt remain timeless for the next three decades at least before another remake emerges in Hollywood.

Everything's so agreeable except Reese Witherspoon's cast here... Parker must have been mistaken for Christ sake! Witherspoon is so NOT right for the choice. Her indifferent beauty and bubbly profile are totally incompatible with the rest of the casts - who has got the lordly Englishness. She plays the "ward" of Jack Worthing (Colin Firth) who's kept and schooled in his country house, no wonder.

Superb
I must admit that I decided to watch this movie for just one reason. Colin Firth. And needless to say, I was not disappointed. The movie itself was very funny, not the slapstick stuff that has invaded the cinema screens in the recent past but hilarious dialogues and characters that are so rich in their stupidity that you can't help but laugh away. The concept of the play itself is lovely, the fact that so much importance is given to being christened with an appropriate name. However, I was quite upset with Witherspoon being cast as Cecily, there are a million wonderful British actresses for God's sake, why her ? I have this image of her in Legally Blonde, and then you see her faking this Brit accent and its sad, to say the least. Evert, Firth and Dench are superb in their roles, a must must watch movie. ... Read more

Reviews (80)

A poignant, beautiful adaptation of Steinbeck.
Gary Sinise's "Of Mice and Men" was virtually ignored by critics and public when it was first released, and I have never known why. It strikes me as one of the truly great cinematic adaptations of a literary classic. The screenplay is remarkably faithful to both the letter and spirit of Steinbeck; the photography by Kenneth MacMillan is heartbreakingly beautiful; and the performances by Sinise, John Malkovich and Ray Walston are almost unbearably poignant. My sister, a high-school English teacher, shows this film to all of her classes, and all of them have loved it. This is the rare movie that really imparts the flavor and significance of the novel on which it is based.

An American Masterpiece
John Steinback's classic novel "Of Mice and Men" has been made again for the big screen, but with direction by Gary Sinise. It's touching, gripping and powerful. The lavish scenery shows well and George and Lennie are running away to find work. Lennie (John Malkovich) is a tall, slow-minded fellow who means well, but causes trouble. George (Sinise) is his friend and looks out for him. The movie stays close to the novel and will definitely help any freshman in high school who doesn't want to read the book. Forget the Shakespeare garbage, this book really is good! The two men along with an older man have a dream to buy a nice little place to tend rabbits and it would be paradise. Unfortunately, Lennie gets himself into trouble with the boss' son and his girlfriend. I've learned that you should never try to punch a man twice as big as you, unless you're a genius because your hand will get smashed. Seriously, the movie is a tour de force and kudos to director Sinise for making a poignant picture of true friendship. John Malkovich is brilliant and the supporting cast is great. A must-own masterpiece.

Great movie version of the classic novel
I had to read Of Mice and Men in high school and I liked the book so I figured I would watch the movie one day. Very few movies even come close to being as good as the book, but Of Mice and Men is an exception. Gary Sinise and John Malkovich play great roles as Lenny and George in the movie as do the ones that play Slim, Candy, and Curley.

Gary Sinise couldn't have done a much better job directing the movie to be just like the book. Of Mice and Men is one of the best novel to movie translations ever. If you liked the book and even if you haven't ever read it, this is one movie worth getting anytime.

Highly Recommended!!
This Steinbeck classic comes to life with the brilliant acting of Gary Sinise and John Malkovich. This is one time when I can truly say the movie was almost as good as the book!

Malkovich plays main character Lenny to a "T."

All high school English students should see and evaluate this one. It is powerful human drama.

John Malkovich and Gary Sinise Play Roles to Perfection
If you have read the book but haven't seen the movie, you are making a (as Donald Trump would say) "HUGE" mistake. Acting was created so Gary Sinise and John Malkovich could play these roles! And I really mean that.

I have read John Steinbeck's novel a few times. I am seriously bothered by the constant "using the Lord's name in vain" in all of Steinbeck's novel, but that doesn't discount the fact that he is a great writer - one of the best of all time. When I finally got to watch the movie, I was blown away by what a great job Malkovich and Sinise did playing their characters. But I was even more blown away by the rest of the actors ability to step up to the plate too. Every character was just as I pictured them in my head.

There are a few scenes that are not exactly as they were in the book: Curley's wife confronts George while he is alone in the barn...that's not in the book. Candy walks in on Lennie and Crook in Crook's room which is not in the movie. But these little changes matter not...the soul of each character is captured perfectly by this amazing movie!

Lennie and George are partners in their walk through life, and they couldn't be more opposite: Lennie (Malkovich) is a child in a big man's body, and George (Sinise) is the quick thinking (though never quite quick enough) sidekick determined to watch after his friend. The two actors are amazing on screen; I could almost swear they were having a contest to see who could actually (really) change in to their character. I think it was a tie!

I wish I could give it six stars - not an option though.

See ya next review!
www.therunninggirl.com ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Garry Marshall's 1988 drama about a 30-year friendship between two women, one wealthy (Barbara Hershey) and the other (Bette Midler) seeking her fortune in show business, is well written (based on the novel by Iris Rainer Dart) and nicely textured in its contrast between the characters' separate destinies. When Hershey becomes ill with cancer, the film takes a predictably sentimental course, yet Marshall brings out the best in both actresses and catches some very fine drama. The film is a little too long, perhaps, but overall it is a fine experience.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (100)

ENTERTAINING SUDS
Barbara Hershey and Bette Midler form an unlikely alliance in this contemporary/traditional "woman's picture". Well-produced musical numbers, charting CeCe's (Bette) singing/performing career, add zest and emotion, though the central relationship is exceptionally well-played by both the young and older versions of the characters. I particularly loved the way this movie grows with the characters; the story evolves over much time, and, unfortunately, spends too much time, and the film's most overrated song (Wind Beneath My Wings, which has a bizarrely self-involved lyric) in its final half hour wallowing in suds. However, the actresses retain a power throughout, and the tears this movie works to summon forth do not feel shameless -- an age-old friendship will likely always suffer its highs and lows, though perhaps not with this many strings playing in the background.

Friendship that never dies.....
I fell in love with the movie the first time that I saw it and still love it. One of the most brilliant performances by both Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey I have ever seen.I enjoyed very much seeing Bette showcase her voice in the movie because she has such a strong and beautiful voice, not to mention she is so hilarious. The scenes in this movie are emotional, uplifting, comedic and poignant. This film reminds of a special friendship that I have, and just watching the movie reminds me a lot of my relationship with my friend. It depicts that all friendships aren't perfect, everyone has their differences but that in the end that one special friend will always be there for you. In this world today, it is hard to find a friend like that. There were also some stellar performances by John Heard as the love interest of Bette Midler, Laine Kazane as Bette's mother Leona. What a wonderful movie, a real tearjearker and call it a chick flick if you want but this is a movie that was made for both men and women.

I love this movie
Bette Midler is wonderful in this movie. Barbara Hershey gives an outstanding performance. I love their friendship and how it goes through the different phases, and yet at the end they are there for one another, to support one another. This movie is definitely a tear-jerker, yet a classic.

Made me feel dirty
Watching this movie was a very unpleasant experience for me and left me feeling like an emotional voyeur. It was just too harrowingly weepy. I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with a movie that appeals primarily to the emotions, but I felt that Beaches went way past the saturation point. By the end I was simply tired of feeling!
I have, however, given Beaches three stars because the fact that it is so well loved by so many suggests that it must successfully fulfill some sort of need for many viewers. Just be warned that, depending on your tastes, you may want to fulfill that need elsewhere.

Sad but Good!
I never read the book this movie is based on but we rented Beaches and I thought it was a good movie. It is a tearjerker that is really sad and I don't always like sad movies because sometimes they can be too melodramatic and real downers but I liked this movie and I think Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey gave good acting perfomances and I was also impressed with Mayim Bialik (Blossom) who played Bette Midler's character C.C. when the character was 11 years old. I recommend this movie! ... Read more

Reviews (79)

Good film, great extras
The breezy rehab story of Gwen Cummings(Sandra Bullock) and her 28 days towards the road to recovery isn't a perfect film by any stretch of the imagination, but it's definitely enjoyable.The key points to the DVD that may warrant you buying it are Betty Thomas's directors commentary, three character testimonials that were cut from the final film, instructions on how to make a gum wrapper chain like the fiesty heroine,theatrical trailers,and talent files. But the best thing, and possibly worth the price of the rest of the disc, is the hilarious 26 minutes of "lost episodes" of the fictional soap "Santa Cruz" that everyone at the rehab center watches.That alone is almost as funny as the movie, with the actors playing their scenes with intense seriousness amid ridiculous plot situations even more far fetched than the average soap.

Here's Looking at You, Sandra Bullock
Director Betty Thomas has achieved something rare: A modern movie that tackles a serious issue and emerges with it's tastefulness intact. "28 Days" has the plot of a drama, the soul of a comedy, the feel of a documentary and a fabulous performance by Sandra Bullock that gives each genre a place in the delicate mix of this wonderful movie.

Bullock is Gwen Cummings, an alcoholic, pill popping journalist who is sentenced to spend 28 days in a rehab center she drunkenly steals a limo and crashes it into a house. Leaving behind her boozy British boyfriend Jasper (superbly played by Domonic West), Gwen soon finds the support and understanding of her eccentric and often hilarious new neighbors. There's Eddie (Viggo Mortensen), the washed up baseball player who'll sleep with anyone; Oliver (Mike O'Malley), the wisecracking Park Avenue pot addict; Andrea (Azura Skye), a young woman addicted to drugs and a preposterous soap opera called "Santa Cruz," which she eventually turns everyone on to; and Gerhardt (Alan Tudyk), the wacky German. "28 Days," unlike an "Erin Brokovich" where one star dominates, is an ensemble film that allows a variety of talents to shine. And with a cast of this caliber, sometimes that shine rivals the stars themselves in brightness.

Despite many humorous moments, it's the dramatic aspects of "28 Days" that make it great. When Gwen becomes so desperate for her pills that she jumps out the window to get some she threw away earlier, the obsessiveness and despair of dependency are captured at their most vivid. Then there's her troubled relationship with her sister Lily (sensitively portrayed by Elizabeth Perkins), who can't decide whether she wants to give up on the woman who has never been there for her, or stand by her in the hope that she will reform, risking having her heart broken yet again.

It's because Bullock and screenwriter Susannah Grant have made Gwen such a likable character that these situations have real bite. Sine we can't decide whether we love her or hate her, we keep watching the movie on the edge of our seats, searching for something that will proove to us once and for all what Gwen Cummings is. The movie wisely avoids giving us a straight answer to that and many other questions, allowing the viewer instead to make their own decisions and create their own relationaships with the characters and the things they encounter.

"28 Days" is a triumph for all involved. There's nothing better for a cynical critic like me then proof on the screen that films moving stories with engaging characters are still being made. Perhaps the best news of all is the resurrection of Sandra Bullock's career after three flops in a row. If she continues to show such wise judgement in choosing her projects, this poor man's Julia Roberts may be topping the A-list once again.

drunks on parade......
While the film was entertaining, I do not find anything in the least entertaining about the subject matter of drug addiction. In Gwen's book it was booze and Vicodin......a killer combo.....Alcoholics are often seen as hilarious, but in reality most of the time they leave a trail of tragedy not only for those who are closest to them, ie families and their friends, but they create pain in the lives of total strangers.....witness Gwen's destruction of a limo and a residence when she left her sister's wedding reception. I suppose we should be happy she did not end up on the freeway with the limo.
I found the characters in this film just too cute.....From what I have seen on COPS, they don't appear to be that cute in reality, or maybe if you have the 50K, which rehabs centers like Gwen was staying at cost, perhaps you see a different bunch of addicts.

Good movie with some strong performances
I liked this one- am finally adding it to my video collection.
Sandra Bullock is a believable drunk who has a very tough time relating to anyone and everyone. Was nice seeing someone who is not overly likeable in movie like this.
Nice performance by a clean cut and hunky Viggo Mortenson livens this up.
For a double downer line up of sobering drama
see Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia in When a Man Loves a Woman.

Santa Cruz & Gum Wrapper Chains
Sandra Bullock's character goes to rehab. She hates it at first then sees she should be sober. Its a funny movie thats not very preachy and it has good characters. The dvd has cool features like how to make that gum wrapper chain thing, and actual scenes from Santa Cruz. ... Read more

Description

New 2001 digital transfer from refurbished elements
Introduction by Omar Sharif
Trailer
2 vintage documentaries:
Behind the Camera
David Lean's Film of "Doctor Zhivago"
... Read more

Reviews (132)

Doctor Zhivago with Omar Sharif
Doctor Zhivago is David Lean 's measured and beautiful adaptation of Boris Pasternak 1958-acclaimed novel. Made in 1965 and winner of five Academy Awards, starring Omar Sharif and Julie Christie, Doctor Zhivago is a cinematic masterpiece, a visually stunning and expressively powerful love story set in the foreground of life in Russia during the latter days of Czarist Russia and the turmoil of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917.

The film features gorgeous landscape and romantic scenes set to Maurice Jarre's haunting music. Lean uses Panavision cinematography to boast his landscapes that are often remote and cold is contrasted with the emotional fires burning within Zhivago and Lara -- a romanticized version of an illicit relationship without moral dilemmas or conflicts. The romance is amid the opulence of Russia before the war and the violent social upheaval that followed. Like many Russians, Zhivago's life is swept away with the radical currents of the Revolution.

A stunning Russian love epic of grand proportions.
This is the film that set off a fashion trend at my high school when it was released in a 30th Anniversary edition. This film is a grand scale drama about a Russian poet/doctor who dearly loves his sensitive wife yet wants this other woman named Lara. The backdrop is Russia during the Revolution around 1916, or something like that. Zhivago and his family are swept up in these fleeting events that put him in self-conflict between his wife and adulterous lover. His final choices concerning her and his family forever alter his remaining years. Based on the Nobel-Prize winning novel, it won 5 Academy Awards in 1965--Best Screenplay Adaptation, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Music Score, which introduced the hit tune "Lara's Theme" a.k.a. "Somewhere My Love." It was also a Best Picture nominee. Omar Sharif won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Zhivago. Julie Christie and Geraldine Chaplin also star. Christie won the Oscar that same year for Best Actress in the film "Darling", which I also reviewed. Not rated upon its release, but the anniversary edition denotes a PG-13 rating for mature themes and situations. This is one of my favorite films ever and is one of the films listed on AFI's Top 100 Films of All Time. The acting is great, costumes exquisitely detailed, gorgeous photography, lavish sets, and a famous score all add up to one of the greatest films of this century.

Doctor Zhivago Was An Adulterous Slime!!
Folks, get the romantic stars out of your eyes. Doctor Zhivago was cheating on his pregnant wife with (...) Lara, who started out in the world by having an affair with a MARRIED MAN! She seems to like the married ones. Commitment phobic?

Yes, it had a soaring score and gorgeous landscapes, but the morals of these characters made me sick. For Zhivago to leave his pregnant wife with an old man in the middle of nowhere in a Russian winter was reprehensible. I found it poetic justice when Zhivago's raging hormones led him back to the town where Lara was and he was caught by the army and inducted as military surgeon. He deserved the misery he put upon himself! That's the plot in a nutshell!

great film
This dvd format of "Doctor Zivago," is excellent a great documentary and much extra special and footage and a trailer. This is well worth getting and excelent film, one of the best ever. Great packaging and wonderful acting. A must see movie.

An epic that lasts...
David Lean, creator of the also epically great Lawrence of Arabia, has taken Boris Pasternak's novel and created a very good film with it. Having not read the book, I cannot comment and will not on whether it matches the book, but I can say the movie itself is very near excellent. This movie is really almost a historical film in disguise, since it highlights the lives of many, but especially Yuri and Lara, the main characters, and their attempts to live during and after the early nineteen hundreds Russian revolution. Like the movie To Live did for China, Dr. Zhivago helps one understand the daily sufferings before and after the revolution. These sufferings, or sufferers, are laced with almost hope as they live and love one another and try to thrive. This movie, although long, should interest almost anyone. It will also touch the mind and remind themselves of other culture's and their historical changes. ... Read more

Reviews (88)

One of the Most Energetic Musicals of all Time
1954's "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is rough around the edges and that's just what the doctor ordered. Stanley Donen directed this rough and tumble highly acclaimed musical, set in Oregon in 1850. It was adapted from Stephen Vincent Benét's story "The Sobbin' Women" (based on Plutarch's The Rape of the Sabine Women) and perfectly integrates song, dance, and storytelling. Russ Tamblyn as one of Howard Keel's brothers and Julie Newmar as one of the potential brides are very memorable. Besides Michael Kidd's brilliant choreography (which almost goes without saying) is Cinematographer George Folsey's CinemaScope photography that captured both the grandeur of the land (shot on MGM's back lot!) and the brilliant and bawdy dance numbers. Unfortunately it was shot in Ansco Color and not Technicolor which makes the images less vivid. Yet it does not hinder the film. I saw a recent interview with Jane Powell and she believed that MGM thought they had a real dud on their hands. Boy, were they wrong. Of the DVD versions I prefer the original MGM issue which had a 2.55 to 1 aspect ratio. The Warner Studios version is 2.35 to 1. Both DVD versions remastered the original 4-track magnetic soundtrack to 5.1 Dolby Digital discrete channels. I find this sound remastering very annoying especially to stereophonic films made in the 50s and 60s. The sound on the hi-fi VHS tape is actually truer to the original film.

Singin' & dancin' & sobbin'
A "sleeper" when it was released in 1954, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is still one of the freshest musicals ever made. With a pretty, spirited score by Gene de Paul and Johnny Mercer and rambunctious but carefully-controlled choreography by Michael Kidd, this modestly-budgeted movie surprised everyone by becoming an enormous hit, even being nominated for Best Picture. Based on a short story by Stephen Vncent Benet called "Sobbin' Women" (which was the film's working title), it tells the story of a frontier woman Millie (Jane Powell) courted by a backwoodsman Adam (Howard Keel). He takes her off to his rustic home, neglecting to tell her he has six untamed brothers to care for. Undaunted, Millie sets about domesticating the household, complete with readings from classical history, including the story of the Sabine women, which the boys take to heart. The musical was filmed in AnscoColor and CinemaScope, and the wide screen is utilized to great effect, especially in the barn-raising sequence. Letter-box is mandatory. DePaul and Mercer wrote some effective songs ("Wonderful Day", "When You're in Love", "Sobbin' Women") and the numbers blend into the story perfectly under Stanley Donen's smooth direction. Dresden-doll coloratura Powell and strapping baritone Keel make such an attractive couple it's odd M~G~M never co-starred them again. (Evidently a musical version of "Robin Hood" never got past the drawing board.) The brothers include New York City Ballet star Jacques d'Amboise and a non-dancer, the mysterious Jeff Richards, who may have been the handsomest man ever to appear on the screen, Rock Hudson notwithstanding. Among the brides is Julie Newmar, who a couple of seasons later would stupefy Broadway in "Li'l Abner".Bright and pleasantly aggressive, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is right up there with Metro's best musicals.

Fun movie!
The movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is an excellent, fun, family movie with singing, dancing, romance, and even some action. It tells the story of seven brothers who all live together way out in the country. When the eldest brother, Adam, comes home from town one day with a wife, the other six brothers decide they want brides too. They have to battle the townsmen, however, who have already "spoken for the girls." This movie is full of fun and laughs, and I would highly recommend it.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
This is a great film, two wonderful singers. Good story line as well. My kids, my husband and myself all like this one! It is a good family film everyone will enjoy.

I LOVE THIS FILM SO MUCH
I mean who wouldnt love, not like, but love this incredible film. This was the first film that I watched when I was growing up. It is similar to pretty woman but reverse because here are 7 rough western thugs that in need of brides to tame them, after their oldest brother got married. Not only did the film have good actors and actresses that were too funny to ignore, but the music and dancing were just as good. I love it and can you believe all but one brother are still alive today? Wow!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Scooby-Doo is making a big comeback with several helpings on TV and new videos. The series' writers are smart enough to mildly spoof themselves, and this movie opens with Scooby, Shaggy, Daphne, Frank, and Velma solving a crime that ends with the now-classic Scooby line, "It's... [insert some administrative minion/angry neighbor/disgruntled relative], only to have the criminal bleat, "And I would've gotten away with it too, if it hadn't been for you kids!" There they meet one of Velma's idols, fright-writer Ben Ravencroft (voiced by an effective Tim Curry). Smitten Velma and gang accept his invitation to his New England hometown festival. When one of Ravencroft's ancestors suddenly swoops down from the supernatural heavens, the gang's on alert. This movie is appropriate for viewers 4 and up (although some of the animated frights may haunt sensitive viewers). It's also for their parents who may have been fans in the series' initial run. The cool and fun soundtrack's catchy tunes include a song performed by the Hex Girls, one of whom is none other than former Go-Go Jane Weidlin. If the theme song's got a country beat, that's because it's sung by Mr. Achy Breaky himself, Billy Ray Cyrus. --N.F. Mendoza ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Harmless
I am honestly STUNNED by the shocking narrow-mindedness displayed by God-fearing, puritan Christians in other reviews of this DVD. There ARE other religions out there, exposing your children to them is no big deal, shielding them from it is both fascist and dangerous. And to dismiss them as evil is pure insanity. Especially Wicca. This is not a 'satanic' or 'devil-worshipping' religion and saying so only promotes further ignorance. Surely something was learned from the Dark Ages and the Salem Witch hunts. But reading other reviews here...I'm having second thoughts.

I'm actually quite glad Warner had the balls to have a plot involving Wicca and witches in a Scooby Doo cartoon. Okay, so ONE of them ultimately turns to be evil but there are evil people of all religions. Witch's Ghost is NOT pure Wiccan propaganda, it merely educates and enlightens on what is a highly misunderstood way of life. I would definitely prefer children to watch this.

The movie itself was one of the earlier efforts in the Scooby Doo revivals. Meaning that the monster is real and the writing is stronger and the gang have updated outfits. Tim Curry has a role as whacko writer Ben Ravencroft, a sort cross between HP Lovecraft and Sutter Cane, plus there is a Goth Girl Group called The Hex Girls who have a couple of cool songs. Billy Ray Cyrus sings the theme tune this time around.

There's a decent amount of mystery and humor, obviously nothing too sophisticated, to keep anyone, not just the kids, entertained. It's perfect family fun and I suggest you give it a ago and pay no attention to the insane reviews of Christian fundamentalists.

The DVD is in 1.33:1 fullscreen, as drawn, with Dolby 2.0 sound. However, my Region 2 release has a Dolby 5.1 track that was surprisingly loud and forceful with plenty of surround effects and deep bass. Sorry, but this ain't on the Region 1 version. A small amount of okay extras are included too. This DVD is an awful snap case but my Region 2 is a sturdy keepcase. If you can play multi-region DVDs get the UK version.

Fun, but awfully preachy
Davy and Goliath called, they said to stop being so preachy in future cartoons...

If you miss any of the recent Scooby revival movies, be sure to miss this one. I loved the first new-movie (Zombie Island), even if it broke the main rule of Scooby Doo: the monsters are fake. The other two more recent ones (The Cyberspace one, the Alien Invaders) were a little less fun, but a hoot, and a far cry from the Scrappy days.

The Witches Ghost seems more like a big misstep. Some of the funny self-referring humor exists still ("I hate it when they call us kids"), and Scooby and Shaggy still get to ham it up. But, the show falls flat on it's face when it veers into trying to make me care about the difference between witches, wiccans, and eco-goths. Add the horrible and pointless Hex Girl's music and you got the weakest of the new movies. This would be acceptable if all of this made up a small part of the movie, but this was the whole plot. I was expecting a number at the end of the movie on how to enlist.

Overall, it wasn't the fact that it was witches who save the day that bugged me (I love Harry Potter and Kiki's Delivery Service), it was that there seemed to be an intent to ram an agenda down my throat. It read more like a Captain Planet episode rather than Scooby Doo. Fortunately, this seems like one bad movie instead of a sign of things to come.

Proselytizing!
I was so disappointed to see the beloved Scooby characters commandeered and used to promote a religious agenda! What a farce! If you want your kids to absorb a one-sided Wiccan view of the Wicca religion, let them see this film. But if you want a good, funny, Scooby laugh, SKIP THIS PROPAGANDA PIECE!!!

Great for all ages
I don't understad why so many kids are afraid of harmless cartoons. This movie is NOT scary. I was watching a three year old, and she wanted to watch it, so I put it on for her, and She loved it. She wasn't scared at any point. If you think your kids will be scared of this movie, you might as well not let them watch television at all.

The Best Scooby-Doo Animated Movie Ever
Gosh, let's just stop and think a little. Not for children under 8? Oh, are your kids insane or what? Sorry, but this DVD it's NOT scary, I mean it! The most frightening thing that you will find here are walking pumpkins...if this is scary, you'd better go to a doctor. This movie has a perfect soundtrack, perfect animation, perfect story...
This is my opinion, and Warner Brothers haven't still produced a movie that could be better than this one. Not even the Scooby Doo - Motion Picture, the real movie, is better than this. So, if you would not buy this one 'cuz u think it's 2 scary, forget it. It's perfect, kids will love it. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Engrossing, changed my perception
I just watched this film last night, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I loved this film so much that I went and bought the book by Somerset Maugham today.

A young man disillusioned with the "conventional" life deemed worthy by society treks through Paris and reaches India, finding there spiritual fulfillment. He comes back to the United States a changed man, only to find that his childhood friends have changed--mostly for the worst.

Terrific performances, especially by Anne Baxter, who won the Academy Award for best supporting actress through her role as Sophie in this film.

Although 2 and half hours long, this movie will keep you glued to your seat. Beautifully written, directed, and played. Highly recommended.

If you want a movie you will watch over and over again--a movie that will make you think and question--watch The Razor's Edge.

Ambitious, but Flawed Adaptation
This film has achieved "classic" status, yet it looks a bit shop-worn and creaky in some respects, when approached from a modern perspective. This is, overall, a highly stylized treatment of Maugham's novel. Scriptwriter Lamar Troti definitely focuses on the melodramatic elements of Larry Darrel's spiritual odyssey. Maugham was a highly realistic novelist. His subtle wit and sharp observations are buried under here in the moviemaker's wallowing in the bathetic.

The performers, with the exception of Clifton Webb as Uncle Elliot and Herbert Marshall as Somerset Maugham, are decidedly from the "studied" school of drama. Tyrone Power, in particular, is at times painful to watch, especially in the scenes opposite Tierney. Such emoting might work on stage, but before a camera, the overblown gestures, lack of facial expression, and wooden delivery border on the farcical. Tierney is a delight to look at, but her emotive range is severely limited as well. She seems to have two modes: coquettish or angry. Sure, this stylized sort of performance was the order of the day in 40s Hollywood, but it looks really dated these days. And there were exceptions, even then. One can well imagine what actors the caliber of Olivier and Leigh would have done with the roles. Anne Baxter, who received a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance as the unfortunate Sophie, is also guilty of overacting, at least by naturalistic standards. She could have used a dose or two of Ibsen.

Which brings us to the two bright spots, performance wise. Clifton Webb probably would have won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, had he not received one two years earlier for his work in "Laura." His death bed scene, though maudlin as all get out, is nonetheless unforgettable. The man had a knack for line delivery. He made a character with despicable motives and questionable morals, somehow sympathetic, even loveable. Herbert Marshall delivers an understated, brilliant portrayal of author Maugham. As reviewer Bernie mentions, it's easy to make the mistake when we envision Maugham in our mind's eye as looking identical to Marshall. I thought the first time I viewed the film that it was Maugham playing the part, as it's not a polished or studied performance in the least. He acts as if he's too shy to actually face the camera in most scenes, which fits the character perfectly. Most of the time he is the half reluctant, frequently uncomfortable observer, standing on the perifery, making mental notes for his next novel. A great piece of acting.

Even though the lead actors turn in stagey performances and the script may not be true to the tone of Maugham's novel, the movie still "works" on many levels. It's too good a story to completely mess up. If you can accept it as a product of cinematic trends of the era and allow that audiences of the time bought into the concept that over emoting and over gesticulating was something screen stars were supposed to do, you may find, as I did, that this is still a very enjoyable film

BEK

Do yourself a favor and skip this one.
Maughm's outstanding book deserves much better than this. The 1980's film of the same title (with Bill Murray)is a MUCH better and truer presentation of the story than is this bit of fluff. Do yourself a favor and see the other film, or better yet read the book!

Worth watching but not buying
Having watched