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In her first starring film vehicle, She Done Him Wrong, Mae West is Lady Lou, a saloon singer and "slick article" who drives every man who sees her mad with desire. She positively oozes sex, but always with sly, self-mocking humor. Lady Lou remarking on the nude painting of her hanging over the bar: "I gotta admit that is a flash, but I do wish Gus hadn't hung it over the free lunch." West warbles several numbers in her Brooklyn-accented, sweetly nasal voice, accompanied by her famous suggestive roll of the eye and flip of the hip: "Frankie and Johnny," "Easy Rider," and "A Guy What Takes His Time."

Based on West's Broadway play Diamond Lil, the film is set in the Gay '90s, "a lusty, brawling, florid decade, when there were handlebars on lip and wheel and legs were confidential." The corny plot involves the eternal male rivalry for Mae's favors, as well as a white slavery ring that is shipping unsuspecting girls to the Barbary Coast. But the movie's real treat is the cat-and-mouse game between West's Lady Lou and the Hawk, a detective disguised as a missionary, played by a devastatingly handsome young Cary Grant. West: "Why don't you come up some time, see me? I'm here every night." Grant: "Yeah, but I'm busy every night." West: "What're you tryin' to do, insult me?... You can be had."

In She Done Him Wrong, Mae West is absolutely in her prime. Her one-of-a-kind intermarriage of eroticism and humor, worldly wisdom and scalding wit are presented with perfect panache. --Laura Mirsky ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Bowery Bruiser With A Comic Edge
Mae West had a Broadway smash when she penned the bawdy tale of DIAMOND LIL for herself--and with a few tweaks here and there the story came to the screen as SHE DONE HIM WRONG. The film was an immediate hit and the role of Lady Lou remains one of West's best remembered performances. The script is jam-packed with some of West's most famous lines, including the memorable "Come up'n see me sometime. I'm home every evenin'" and "You can be had." West throws her lines with style, aplomb, enough innuendo to make a censor cringe, and considerable humor--but, somewhat surprisingly, the movie is not really a comedy.

SHE DONE HIM WRONG is a hard-knocks tale of Bowery bruisers who dance attendance upon the 'Lady Lou' and often resort to crime to keep her dripping in the diamonds she prizes above all else. But although she has one lover already locked up in jail, another one mixed up in the white slavery rackets, and still a third waiting to step into the gap, the Lady Lou is more interested in seducing missionary Cary Grant... only to find him less interested in her body than her soul, a circumstance that prompts West to utter one of the most how-did-that-get-past-the-censors lines in 1930s cinema: "Maybe I ain't got no soul."

This is a surprisingly tough little movie, and in addition to West's zinging lines and occasional musical numbers SHE DONE HIM WRONG also offers a glimpse at a very young (and still slightly wooden) Cary Grant; it also has an ensemble cast that plays in a very enjoyable grand manner, truly first rate production values all the way, and A surprisingly brisk running time. West did funnier films than this, but the mix of her sharp wit and the rough story is particularly memorable. This is where the fire started really started, and I recommend it very strongly.

Come Up And See Her Some Time
This was the first Mae West film I have seen, and I was curious to see if she would live up to her reputation. She did. West stars as Lou, a singer with a penchant for diamonds and men. She's mixed up with a bunch of white slave traders and crooks. West has a wisecrack for everything, and more than enough male admirers to keep her busy. But the one guy she wants, she can't seem to get, and that's do-gooder Cary Grant, the recipient of her famous "Come up and see me sometime" line that has made her immortal in films. West has a great screen presence and she exudes sexuality. She must have been a shock to Thirties film audiences. The film moves along briskly (it's just over an hour), and the dialogue really keeps your attention, as does Mae. The lady had a way with words.

I wonder where my easy rider's gone!
Mae is brilliant in this tale of sordid intrigue. Sex, scandal and murder! Well-acted, a bit stagey (naturally, since this like many early motion pictures started out as a stage play). Watch for Gilbert Roland as the luckless Sergei, the gigolo who makes a play for Lou behind his keeper's back.

What a hoot of a film!
This film is a real tickler for the funny bone. Mae West was at her absolute peak when she made this film, her first major starring role. Many of her famous one - liners are here and are guaranteed to keep you laughing through out the 70 or so minute running time.
As the saying goes they dont make films like this anymore, mores the pity. I believe the sexual underplay here is so much more effective than in today's films where everything is thrown into your face.
The overraul look of the film is authentic and very lavish. Paramount obviously spent a fortune on the production and thankfully the MCA VHS print is magnificent.
It is also of interest in being one of Cary Grants earlier films but he appears quite stiff throughout the film and is no where near the totally charming performer he became later in the late 30's and 40's
I enjoy this film very much and I recommend it to those that enjoy a good fun time at the movies

LADY LOU TO YOU
The spicey humour and sexual double entendres that characterised West's career where brought to the nation's attention this little 66 minute film from 1933. SHE DONE HIM WRONG is a most enjoyable vehicle for Mae's comedic talents ( it was based upon her successful 1928 hit play DIAMOND LIL ). Mae was fair, fat and forty, but her timing, inflection and phrases are pure fun, and her demeanor and carriage brought to the screen the playful sexiness with which she was so integrally associated. The direction by the former stage actor Lowell Sherman is excellent as the it leaves the viewer with a good idea of what the atmosphere of the Bowery in the 'nineties was like. However, it's obvious that West carried the movie where she desired it to be led. Grant's portrayal is well-done and believable; his transition from missionary to detective is quite acceptable. A classic comedy and a classic seduction. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Pride of the Yankees: Lou Gehrig as True Hero
There are movies that involve the audience about the life of its star and there are others that use gimmicks to hide the fact that the audience never gets to look at the star from the inside. In PRIDE OF THE YANKEES director Sam Wood gave us a movie that has already stood the test of time as one of the best movies to come out of Hollywood. The high quality of this film is mostly because of Gary Cooper's startlingly realistic portrayal of a baseball icon whose playing career overlapped the cinematic career of the film icon who played him. The audience sees the man in a way that the fans in the stands could not. Cooper carries the movie in the same way that he carries SERGEANT YORK, by his straightforward radiating of emotion that is often at odds with the face that says one thing but the eyes that say another.
The young Lou Gehrig starts off as a youth loving baseball so much that he has to hide his love from a mother who wants Lou to surpass Uncle Otto as a symbol of success. Lou hears his mother praise Uncle Otto and assures her that he will follow in his footsteps, but his eyes tell another story. In fact, throughout this movie, it is his eyes that speak more eloquently than anything else he can say or do. Lou winds up in Columbia on a scholarship, and during a frat party hazing designed to test his ability to endure a razzing, Lou retreats within himself until he can retreat no more. For the first time in this film, and very nearly for his entire movie career as well, Cooper shows the anger that we all knew lay buried deep. Cooper made a career out of rechanneling emotion into productive ends, and as Lou Gehrig, he can redirect his inner chi into belting baseballs over walls well enough to earn a tryout with the New York Yankees. By this time, the audience is hooked by their caring for a man who combines the best of the American ideals of hard work and talent with the self-effacing that marks most film icons of that time.
Theresa Wright plays first his girlfriend, then later his wife. She is simply wonderful as the cultured girl who falls for the small town hero. They poke fun of each other but the audience knows that what they are really saying is the Real Thing. Theresa Wright knows exactly when to back off and let Cooper be at center stage and when to interact with him to produce some truly stirring moments. There are two scenes that stand out as unforgettable, one with Wright, the other without. The first occurs when Lou has been playing poorly. He has been striking out, dropping easy catches, and running awkwardly. His teammates are puzzled and mix anger with concern. After a loss caused by his poor play, Lou sits on a bench, trying to make sense of a body that had never before betrayed him. As he leans forward to untie his laces, he continues to fall, rolling over onto the floor. His mates pretend not to notice. Lou says nothing but his face tells the audience all that they need to know. The fear that often bubbles just beneath the skin in many of Cooper's movies surfaces, and that fear clicks in the hearts of all. Later, when he has seen a doctor and knows that his illness, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, is terminal, he decides to hide this knowledge from his wife who nevertheless has already guessed the truth, but tries to hide that from him. There is a heartbreaking scene in which she tries to raise his spirits by donning a barker's hat and mustache. As she stares at him, she laughs. As she hugs him, her eyes reveal her own torment. Each actor is absolutely convincing in their respective attempts to hide what they know, while pretending all is well.
PRIDE OF THE YANKEES tells a story well-known to anyone who reads the sports pages. It features Cooper in center stage, with a supporting cast including Walter Brennan and Dan Duryea, both of whom interact credibly with him and Ms. Wright. This is more than a baseball bio of a man who hits it big in his game. It is more the story of a giant who continued to hit it big even after the fans have left the stadium.

Nostalgic Eye for the Baseball Guy
I hate people that can't seem to enjoy an old fashioned good feeling movie and call it sacharine because it has a happy ending. Which is why I am a little embarassed to give Pride of the Yankees just three stars. But the truth is that I really had to fight hard to surpress a smile at the level of schmaltz in this film that I didn't recognize when I saw this as a boy.

Gary Cooper plays Lou Gehrig with a childlike naivete which I know was charming in its day but today it feels like you would have to lock someone up who was his age and still that childlike. And I really did want to play along with the most classic scene in the film but found it funnier than any campy parody I have seen over the years. The little boy in the hospital who is sitting by the radio because the Babe and Lou promised him they would each hit home runs form him. "Little Billy" sits in pajamas in the hospital by the radio. He listens earnestly with a expectant vapid open mouth expression waiting. Its as if his ability to ever walk again hung on the success of that hit. Bottom of the sixth Gehrig disappoints by striking out for his second time in a row still one short of the two promised home runs, you can tell the kid is thinking "Damn" but instead says "Golly"! I am glad I wasn't drinking anything at the time because it would shot through my nose trying to hold back the laugh. Pride of the Yankess does hearken back to simpler times but is perhaps so gentle and guileless it crosses the line into accidental comedy.

However I did very much enjoy the relationship between the two competing sportswriters who mock each others favorite players much like Statler and Waldorf the two old geezers in The Muppet Show. Walter Brennan plays writer Sam Blake who roots for Lou and does a wonderful job. He is so slender of build here he is almost unrecognizable in this role.

I am sure most people will have a fine time enjoying this film and Lou Gehrigs touching farewell speech.

From NY Immigrants' Child to American Legend
This was probably my introduction, and for millions of others, to the legend that is Lou Gehrig. And for so many years, I had Gehrig and Gary Cooper completely confused in my mind--they seemed inseparable. But there's good reason for it: the role of the Iron Horse seemed to be made for Cooper. Gehrig was a low-key, almost self-effacing athlete and person, which was just the type of character that Cooper built his career on. Their sizes were just about the same. Cooper nailed down Lou Gehrig's voice, especially for the famous "luckiest man" farewell speech. Hell, Gary Cooper LOOKS like Lou Gehrig! Maybe my confusion is justified, at least on this subject.

PRIDE OF THE YANKEES is the grand-daddy of all baseball movies. Cooper's performance, as I can't help but keep mentioning, is stellar. Teresa Wright as his wife helps keep the hankies moist but she is also very spunky and strong. Walter Brennan (who also played opposite Cooper in MEET JOHN DOE where John Doe is a semi-pro pitcher) is in a supporting role here but provides desperately needed comic relief.

And perhaps I'm wrong to categorize PRIDE OF THE YANKESS as merely a baseball film. It is about human potential, human frailty, and above all human strength during times of crisis. Lou Gehrig's tragedy occurred during a time of extreme crisis in America, and, I believe, his strong steady public appearances helped the nation through it. PRIDE OF THE YANKEES could easily have been named "Strength of America" in my mind. It's that important a film.

The story of Lou Gehrig and the classiest sports biopic
There are all sorts of little imperfections in the 1943 film "The Pride of the Yankees." The screenwriters rearranged Lou Gehrig's famous farewell speech at Yankee Stadium so that the best line, "Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth," becomes his exit line (it was the second line in his speech with his actual last line being, "So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for"). Gary Cooper had enough problems batting right-handed let alone left-handed like Gehrig, so the actor wore a uniform with "KROY WEN" on the front, ran to third base when he managed to hit the ball, and then they reversed the print. Gehrig is shown wearing his famous number 4 when the Yankees play the World Series, but that happened in 1926 and 1928 while the Bronx Bombers did not start wearing uniform numbers until 1929 (Gehrig batted cleanup and was 4, Babe Ruth batted in front of him and was therefore 3). The film talks about how Gehrig won the Triple Crown on the day he was married but Gehrig won the Triple Crown in the 1934 season, the year after Lou and Eleanor were married in 1933.

But none of that really matters because "The Pride of the Yankees" remains the standard by which all sports biopics, whether of baseball players or anyone else, are judged. Even those who were not weaned and raised on baseball know that the title character is going to die of Lou Gehrig's disease and the film takes full advantage of that foreshadowing: when Gehrig gets into his first game and refuses to come out after being hit in the head by a thrown ball, manager Miller Huggins asks, "What do we have to do to get you out of the game? Kill you?" Irving Berlin's song "Always" becomes a recurring musical theme throughout the film, another reminder of Gehrig's mortality.

In many ways "The Pride of the Yankees" is more of a love story than a baseball theme. It starts off as a rags-to-riches story, where Gehrig's mother (Elsa Janssen) insists her son will be an engineer and does want him wasting time playing baseball. Eventually the fame and money opens her eyes, but then Lou meets Eleanor Twitchell (Teresa Wright) and has a new "best girl." One of the most impressive aspects of this film is how it touches on the two darker sides of the Lou Gehrig story, the friction between his overbearing mother and his society wife along with the strained relationship that developed between Gehrig and Babe Ruth. The film really only touches on these aspects and Ruth, playing himself, is usually a smiling figure when he shows up on screen, except for when Gehrig is eating his new hat and he is listening to Gehrig's farewell speech.

Cooper was nominated for an Oscar for his performance and even though he is rather awkward and a bit old for the role, he captures the essential dignity and class of Gehrig. It makes sense that one American icon is being played by another. Having been nominated of a Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar for "The Little Foxes" in 1941 she received another nomination in that category in 1942 for "Mrs. Miniver" and also one for Best Actress that same year for "The Pride of the Yankees." Wright won for "Mrs. Miniver" and lost out to Greer Garson for Best Actress (because of the war the Oscars were made of plaster for the first time, but were replaced by "real" Oscars when the war ended). "The Pride of the Yankees" was nominated for 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, but only won for Daniel Mandell's Film Editing.

Walter Brennan as sportswriter Sam Blake and Ludwig Stössel as Pop Gehrig provide a lot of the comic relief in the film. Brennan's role is rather low-keyed for him while Stössel has several fine moments where he tries, usually without success, to stand up to his wife. Appearing as themselves are Yankee players Bill Dickey, Bob Meusel, and Mark Koenig, and the familiar voice of Bill Stern makes it on screen as well.

Gehrig's tragic death at the age of 38 makes all of his records even more astounding given that his career was cut short. Sportswriter Jim Murray once described the tall, strong Gehrig as a "Gibraltar in cleats," and "The Pride of the Yankees" provides a sense of that. For me the most poignant scene comes before Gehrig enters Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939, when he encounter 17-year-old Billy (David Holt), the lame boy in the hospital (Gene Collins) for whom Gehrig hit two home runs in a World Series game in the film's most extended baseball sequence. The irony that Gehrig could inspire Billy to rise up and walk but Fate had conspired to strike down the Iron Horse who played in 2,130 is enough to reduce most of us to tears before Gehrig ever steps to the plate for the last time to talk about how lucky he is.

Courage and Heroism in Perfect Form
"The Pride of the Yankees" is without a doubt one of the best baseball films of all time. Why? Because it isn't just about baseball. It's about a real person seeking that seemingly impossible American dream and capturing it, only to lose it all too soon. Cooper plays Gehrig with so much heart in this film, that the movie almost seems unreal due to the fact that Gehrig was such a good person, both as a human and as a star athlete.

There are few professional athletes in the world who show so much character and so much love to others as Gehrig did. He faced death with honor and courage. He was and is a true hero. If you're looking for an athlete for your children to look up to, pick the "Iron Man of Baseball."

This film does exceptionally well in capturing the heart and soul of Gehrig. It is a great family film and I highly recommend it. Gehrig might have been in Ruth's(and later, DiMaggio's)shadow, but he was so much bigger than these guys. He was honest, hard-working, and approached people long after the cameras were gone.

Add this one to your collection. It's a keeper, even if you don't know the difference between a baseball and a ball of yarn. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Violence and Humiliation
Edward G. Robinson gives one of his most vivid characterizations as Wolf Larsen, captain of the "Ghost". Robinson is hated by his entire crew, since he employs violence and humiliation to keep the men in line. Among the crew is fugitive John Garfield, who fits right in since most of the crew is made up of society's losers. Writer Alexander Knox and convict Ida Lupino are also taken aboard and they also fall victim to Robinson's cruel ways. The only way out seems to be escape or death. Garfield and Lupino are intense as usual and well-matched, although their relationship develops quicker than the story gives it time to grow. Knox is convincing as the intellectual writer who analyzes the captain and also learns about himself under extreme conditions, but he doesn't have much screen presence. Supporting players Gene Lockhart and Barry Fitzgerald have some excellent moments, with Fitzgerald a particular surprise, cast against type as one of the ship's most disagreeable characters. But it's Robinson who towers above everyone else as the cunning, cruel Wolf Larsen, one of his best performances. Director Michael Curtiz keeps the suspense up, giving the film a dark, disturbing quality. The script is literate, the music effective, and the characters are well drawn and performed. It's a very solid film.

JACK LONDON CLASSIC.
Jack London's exciting tale of the sea and of the nefarious Captain Wolf Larsen makes for a riveting, atmospheric high-seas adventure. Adapted for the screen by Robert Rossen, the story plots the course of three civilians who find themselves on board the aptly-named turn-of-the-century schooner "Ghost" helmed by the tyrannical Larsen. Edward G. Robinson, in a dynamic and complex portrayal, plays the hardened captain who finds it's "better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven". As the newest members of this "hell ship", a lovely Ida Lupino and a handsome John Garfield are both fugitives from the law; and Alexander Knox is the idealistic writer forced to face the barbaric side of human nature. Gene Lockhart does well as the drunken ship's doctor and Barry Fitzgerald is especially memorable in a surprisingly effective and offbeat characterisation as the vile cockney cook with an annoyingly sardonic laugh. This rather underrated film which was directed by the notoriously tyrannical Hungarian Michael Curtiz is definitely worth viewing: THE SEA WOLF remains a rip-roaring action film which gives berth to both high adventure and intelligent characterisations - a classic of its kind.

Florid Melodrama
A script by Robert Rossen is only one reason to see this film. E.G. Robinson delivers a forcefull performance as Wolf Larson.

Aboard for the ride are a young Ida Lupino, John Garfield, Alexander Knox, Gene Lockhart and Barry Fitzgerald. There are a handfull of actors who we dont mind if they soemtimes give an "over the top" performance because the viewer knows how much into the character that actor is.Robinson was one of these actors ( Laughton, O, Brien etc) .

In addition, Mr. Garfield never gave a mediocre performance in any of his films so you know that you can take your eyes off him when he is in frame. Even more, Garfields modulated voice made his characters more real than most. Jack London via Michael Curtiz ..and thats pretty good .

Man's true nature?
Edward G. Robinson's Wolf Larsen is a self-educated man, a sadistic genius who has developed the humiliation and manipulation of his fellow man into a science. He is the alpha male in a crew whose willingness to exploit any sign of weakness in order to gain advantage places it barely above the level of the animal. Onto his ship come a trio of castaways, whose various fates among Larsen's men we follow. Particularly interesting is Larson's relationship with the writer Humphrey Van Wyden, portrayed by Alexander Knox. Van Wyden understands exactly what kind of man Larsen is and refuses to play the syncophant. Larsen listens to, and even invites, his criticisms with all the fascination of a man seeing himself in the mirror for the first time.

Full Sea Locker?
Edward G. Robinson delivers as the infamous Wolf Larson in this tale of the sea.

Ida Lupino and John Garfield offer strong support in this film. Gene Lochart plays the drunken doctor aboard and becomes a victim of the sadistic Wolf Larson. Robinson was always terrific in these roles..and in others like it (The Red House) ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Boris Karloff glows and sizzles.
Universal Studios took time off from Frankenstein flicks and vampires long enough to produce this early sci-fi thriller. Dr. Janos Rukh (Karloff) theorizes that a meteor of the nebula Andromeda crashed into the Earth eons ago. After finding the meteor in Africa, Rukh suffers a fiendish transformation caused by contact with Radium X, a powerful element from outer space. His body glowing with eerie special effects, and his mind frazzled by chemical poisons, Rukh sets out to destroy his enemies. His very touch is deadly. He is a grim angel of death in a slouch hat and a dark coat. He leaves day-glow handprints on his victims. He uses his ray gun (powered by Radium X) to melt a statue at a nearby church after each murder. The complicated plot goes off in all directions, but holds the interest. Karloff and Lugosi collaborated on many films, and this is one of their best. Bela's three-dimensional portrayal of a brilliant but ambitious scientist blends the light and dark of the human soul. He develops a counter-active drug for Rukh but warns him it is not a cure, only a temporary measure to ease the symptoms. He warns that failure to administer the drug carefully will cause Rukh to crumble to ash. Lugosi's slicked-back hair and pointed goatee makes him appear especially demonic, even as he heals children. Viewers that recall Bela starring in an endless string of low-budget turkeys, looking old and tired, will appreciate him in his prime. Karloff's frizzy hair symbolizes the scrambled brains of his character. His trademark scowl hi-lighted by his tortured eyes effectively round out his portrayal. Classic horror fun for kids of all ages. ;-)

From the past
This is my favorite Boris Karloff - Bela Lugosi movie. Rukh (Karloff) learns to capture and project light rays from the past, not bad effects for 1936. He proves to Benet (Lugosi) that radium-x, 1000 times more powerful than uranium, is in Africa from a meteor that crash there years ago. Going to Africa, Rukh becomes poisoned by radium-x and everything he touches dies. Benet discovers an antidote but not a cure and eventually Rukh becomes a killer out for revenge, believing Benet and the party that went to Africa has stolen his discovery.

I hope Universal will put this one on DVD.

Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi discover deadly Radium X!
In this 1936 film Boris Karloff plays Dr. Janos Rukh, who proves that a meteorite landed in Africa centuries ago that contains an unknown but powerful element. Dr. Benet (Bela Lugosi) agrees to an expedition to find the element. But when Rukh locates Radium X he suffers radiation contamination that means whoever he touches dies. Dr. Benet creates an antidote that can provide temporary relief, but Rukh is convinced Benet and the others have stolen his great discovery and he seeks revenge. Certainly this is not as good a Karloff-Lugosi film as "The Black Cat," but "The Invisible Ray" does deserve to be remembered as an early science-fiction film. The plot of the earnest scientist whose great discovery ends up threatening humanity is old hat now, but it was relatively new back in 1936. One person in the crew who deserves to be singled out is John P. Fulton, whose special effects are first-rate for the time, especially the bit about the Andromeda nebula. Director Lambert Hillyer, who made "Dracula's Daughter" later that same year, was primarily a director of westerns.

Boris and Bela in Good Form
Though it doesn't reach the heights of "The Black Cat" (1934), the underrated "Invisible Ray" (1936) remains an intriguing Karloff-Lugosi vehicle with its offbeat mixture of horror and sci-fi elements. For both actors, it's a definite change of pace. Boris chews the scenery as the radiation-poisoned scientist, while Bela effectively underplays his part as the sympathetic colleague. In retrospect, the film might have been stronger if Karloff and Lugosi had switched roles. Still, "The Invisible Ray" survives as a memorable chiller and John Fulton's special effects are excellent.

Little seen Karloff/Lugosi team-up is fun classic
Part sci-fi, part standard mad doctor on murderous rampage, this is nevertheless a must-see for golden age horror buffs. The story of Karloff discovering Radium X and how it turns him into a glowing killer is pretty dated. You'll cringe at some of the "science". But the fast pacing, sets and characterizations make this decent fun. Karloff is pretty hammy, and Bela surprisingly not (usually it's the reverse). View this in the context of its time and with the spirit of a Universal horror fan, and The Invisible Ray will give you a pretty electric feeling! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Boris Karloff in a third-rate Phantom of the Opera ripoff
This 1944 film directed by George Waggner was Boris Karloff's first film in Technicolor. Karloff plays Dr. Hohner, who once murdered the great opera star Marcellina (June Vincent) because her career was more important than their love. Ten years later he hears that Angela (Susanna Foster), has been chosen to sing "The Magic Voice." Hohner believes Angela's voice is the reincarnation of his dead Marcellina, and vows to prevent her from singing in the opera. If this sounds somewhat familiar then it will not be surprising that "The Climax" was filmed on the sets first built for Lon Chaney's 1925 version of "The Phantom of the Opera." Based on the play by Edward J. Locke, "The Climax" had been filmed before in 1930 with Jean Hersholt, although the Karloff version is much more of a costume drama. "The Magic Voice," the operetta that Angela is supposed to sing, consists of musical themes by Chopin and Schubert that were adapted by Edward Ward. This is a below average horror film that has a certain uniqueness because Dr. Hohner tries to stop Angela by first hypnotizing her into believing she can never sing again and then trying to use mental telepathy to stop her. The chief charm is the singing of Susanna Foster rather than the menacing shenanigans of Karloff's character.

State of the art Technicolor the real star here.
Slow moving tale of mad doctor on the loose in the Vienna Opera is not as sinister as one would hope. Karloff is okay and Sondergaard good as the watchful housekeeper, but it is the state of the art Technicolor - here perfectly and impeccably restored - that is the real star. Watch for this reason alone. Sumptuous color design. Oscar nom for Art Direction but it deserved nods for Costumes and Score as well.

The singing is top drawer,horror weak.
This film is an obvious follow up to Phantom of the Opera ,showcasing Susanna Foster.As in "Phantom" she is superb. Karloff does his best with a weak script.Turhan Bey acts like a lovesick teenager for most of the film.Color and staging, as in "Phantom", is outstanding.No one sings like Foster;not Durbin, MacDonald or any of filmdoms canarys.She is one of a kind!View it for the music if for no other reason.Oh yes,Foster and her clothes are gorgeous. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great Film for Schools !
As a science teacher, it's fun to show a good, enriching, humorous, and educational film, but films like this are so very rare. Young Tom Edison is one of those unique Hollywood gems that fits the bill perfectly. Every year I show this film I hear the same thing: "Awww...do we HAVE to watch a black & white film ?" "These old films are never any good!" "How old is this ?" "Is the real Tom Edison in this?"
Every year I start this film hearing comments like this, but without fail, kids are laughing and really enjoying the film after just 10 minutes. After the first day (it takes two days to show Young Tom), kids can't wait to see the rest! It's that good! Mickey Rooney is perfect as the irrepressible Young Tom: both charming and curious almost to a fault, Tom blunders his way into big problems and then brilliantly uses science to get himself out of the trouble. From all I've read about Tom Edison as a young man, much of the adventures shown in this film are entirely factual, which only adds to the allure and charm of this family/school -friendly film. A must-see for all ages, and a great film for public school use.

Triumph of the American spirit... regardless of age
Made during a time not unlike today, when America found herself in the midst of a turbulent world on the brink of war, and needed a serious uplift, "Young Tom Edison" is a lighthearted drama starring Mickey Rooney, as the famous scientist at around the age of 12 or 13. While some of the events portrayed in the movie are most likely fiction, (the ending is a bit of a stretch to believe as actual history) this movie is still a delightful piece which tries to answer the question, "What would one of the world's greatest innovators, misunderstood, mocked and ridiculed as a boy, have been like in those days?" The casting is marvelous. Not only does Rooney shine as the head-in-the-clouds, chemistry-brilliant young Edison, but both Fay Bainter and Norman Taurog give believable performances as hardy, hard-working Midwesterners doing the best they can to understand their decidedly odd young son. Virginia Weidler (of Philadelphia Story fame) delivers a remarkable performance as Edison's younger sister, Tannie.

The upshot is: if you're looking for a lighthearted approach to history and are willing to suspend your disbelief for a couple of hours. Then this movie is nothing short of marvelous. Buy it.

Very good family picture, funny but honest.
This is a great movie for children and parents to watch together. It is good clean fun. We have used it as a family night movie at our church and all loved it.

A HOLLYWOOD CLASSIC!
MICKEY ROONEY REACHED THE ZENITH OF HIS CHILDHOOD ACTING CAREER,IN THIS STORY OF A GIFTED BOY GROWING UP MISUNDERSTOOD IN PORT HURON, MICH.A FILM THAT YOU WILL WANT TO SEE AGAIN AND AGAIN. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Reel good
I hadn't seen "Million Dollar Legs" since 1936, so I guess the title should have been changed to "Billion Dollar Legs," thanks to that boy we have in the White House now, so determined to cut us seniors social security after we fought in the war. Commonly of thought of as a Betty Grable vehicle, it is a Betty Grable vehicle like the Volkswagon is the People's Car. I mean, give me a break.

God Almighty did I laugh at it after I bought it through Amazon!

Fields drunk and trying to seduce a sea lion while his wife is asleep next to him is priceless. When she wakes up and sternly asks "Bill. Are you eating sardines in bed again," I thought I'd bust a gasket.

Mae West appears briefly in drag as as the "bearded prospector." (Her name is listed as her prestage Rosa Luxenbourg in the credits.) Though scarcely on the screen for three minutes, she dominates with close ups of her cutting eyes and her answer to the cop who tries to arrest her for loitering.

"I don't loiter, but I could with the right guy," she coos.

"Say, where'd you come from?"

"Up in them hills, them big pink ones over there."

"Why'd you come here."

"I ran out of cucumbers, my good man....and I'll delete the good if you give me a chance."

The cop is played by soon to be vice president John Nance Garner.

And the cannon firing, sheep slaughter, the prediction of global warming and goat romp will all live in my weathered old head.

From 8 to 80 will adore this.

Way beyond screwball
Pauline Kael thought this was the single funniest film comedy she had ever seen, and she may be right. The film's plot is so insane that it makes most screwball comedies of the period look tame by comparison: the country of Klopstockia (whose president is WC Fields, and whose citizenry is mostly descended from goats) decides to enter the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, and sends its greatest athlete (Jack Oakie). The jokes are so insane and fast you can barely keep up--it's like getting a Marx brothers movie that's all Groucho with no tedious business from Harpo or Chico (and DUCK SOUP is the only film that seems indeed even remotely similar). Watch for the song jack Oakie is asked to sing--and what it's printed on!

W.C. Fields as the president of the republic of Klopstokia
"Million Dollar Legs" is set in the fictional Republic of Klopstokia, where everyone is addicted to ports, babies can jump six feet and every adult can run the mile in a few seconds. So the government of President W.C. Fields decides to send a team to the Olympic Games in the United States. However, political intrigue, a "mysterious man" (cross-eyed Ben Turpin), and other domestic problems threaten to derail these grand plans. Based on a story by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, this 1932 film directed by Edward Cline has aspirations towards satire focus on the best athlete in Klopstokia, Migg Tweeny (Jack Oakie), but does not quite get there. Instead the film pretty much relies on Keystone Cop style comedy gags, which is an ironic thing to do given that Paramount was trying to make a successful talking picture here. I do not find it at all surprising that putting Fields in an absurd universe does not work as well as when he is puncturing the bubbles of sanity. Still, this is the oldest W.C. Fields feature film currently available on tape and as good a place as any to start your way through the comedian's films.

Million Dollar Legs
Very good movie that slaps fun at Germany at a very opportune time in history. Long Live Klopstokia!

Fields at his comedic-genius best.
Fields plays leader of tiny, ficticious country Klopstokia, a bizarre land of goats and nuts, who has his heart set on entering the Olympics. A brilliant, inventive classic with a wonderful comic cast; thoroughly inspired direction. Fields truly shows his mastery for timing and characterization in this zany masterpiece of a gem. Timeless, and somewhat, unforgettable. Jack Oakie is hilarious and charming as usual. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Junkle Craptive
I'm sorry. I hate to say it, because I am a Universal Monsters junkie. But this is the nadir of Universal's horror output. It is much more like a PRC cheapie than one from Universal.
A budget *slightly* bigger than PRC might have employed is evident, but hardly anything monster-related happens until the last five minutes. And then it's a predictable 'so-what?'. Jungle Captive is something of a police procedural, when it doesn't just consist of IOWA (Idiots Out Wandering Around).
The cast includes no one of note, which also hurts a great deal. Rondo Hatton as a movie's marquee draw is not the stuff of which Hollywood classics are made. So we are left with the pulchritude of Vicki Lane (prettier even than Acquanetta but without even her acting abilities), and she is covered in black fur sometimes (but not often, and not until late). Jungle Captive's molasses-like narrative is beyond the capacity of her finely-formed features to save.
There were problems with each of the first two movies in the Ape Woman trilogy (Captive Wild Woman's stock footage and Jungle Woman's leaps in logic and inability to better copy Lewton's formula), but they retain a great deal of silly charm all the same. This one is just plain dull.
Horror was for all intents and purposes dead and buried, until the nuclear age spawned new terrors for damsels to be carried off by. (Woo-hoo!! Giant spiders!!!)
(Did I use enough parentheses in this review?)
P.S. I'm really very sorry. Please don't revoke my Universal Monsters Club Card.

Attack of the "B" People.
This is the final entry in the "Ape-Woman" trilogy from Universal's fright factory. To nobody's surprise, this isn't cinematic art. As a thriller with a modest budget, it serves the purpose. The dark-eyed Acquanetta is gone, and Vicky Lane replaces her as Paula Dupree, the woman with the simian alter-ego. (As if anyone knows Vicky Lane). In a smart move, one of our favorite "B" people, Rondo Hatton, is present as Moloch, Stendahl's assistant. Hatton suffered from a disfiguring bone disease, and he played horror roles without makeup. He is the brute killer with a yen for the attractive young woman the insane Stendahl (Otto Kruger) uses as a captive blood donor to pump the inert Ape-Woman full of human blood. The Ape-Woman is revived and dreadful death ensues amid typical '40s cliches. The spooky fright makeup appears in several scenes. The hirsute she-beast is truly a shambling nightmare. Classic horror fans will have fun with the quasi-werewolf story combined with Frankenstein elements. Serious collectors of classic horror need this one. Don't think about it, just enjoy the nonsense. ;-)

Low grade horror film
This is a low grade horror film so bad it's entertaining. Last of the Paula the ape woman trilogy it's not as dull as "Jungle Woman" and not as mechanical or loaded with stock shots as is "Captive Wild Woman" One of my guilty pleasures. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Hopalong Cassidy Returns
Apple-eating killers, great costumes for the female villain (a different, dazzling costume for almost every scene) and the equally lovely California Sierras make this Hopalong Cassidy adventure one of the best of the 60 films made during the '30s and '40s. It was so good in fact that Harry Sherman and his crew recycled the plot elements in another fairly good Hopalong titled, Wideopen Town. Although Hopalong Cassidy Returns is by far the better of the two, not only by virtue of being first, but also because more money was spent on the production and it shows.

The dark-haired Miss Brent in satin and sequins plays well against the shimmering, silvery haired William Boyd. Their final scene in the movie is worth waiting for, if not for the emotional content then for the lighting and photography. You won't see another like it in the series. ... Read more

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Dick Powell will forever be known as a 1930s crooner in archetypal musical comedies, but this career-changing role shows Powell at his best and remains perhaps the most faithful cinematic representation of Raymond Chandler's hard-boiled hero, Philip Marlowe, ever put on screen. In this adaptation of Farewell, My Lovely, Powell's cynical, smart-talking private eye is hired by a dim ex-con (pug-nosed Mike Mazurki) to find his girl Velma, and by the prissy stooge of a blackmail victim to babysit him during a handoff. The meeting ends with the stooge's death, and Marlowe is immediately engaged by the owner of some jewels, the wily Mrs. Grayle (Claire Trevor), to recover them. As Marlowe navigates the dark, dangerous world of wartime L.A., splitting his search between high-society haunts and the cheap, smoky bars and flophouses of the inner city, he turns up one too many stones, winds up on the wrong end of a fist, and wakes up to a drug-induced nightmare that director Edward Dmytryk delivers with a mixture of surreal symbolism and sinister expressionism. Powell delivers screenwriter John Paxton's snappy lines and droll asides with hard-boiled cynicism, like someone not quite as tough as he talks; but it's Powell's innate vulnerability that makes this reluctant saint of the city so compelling. Dmytryk's shadowy style creates a visual equivalent to the web of intrigue Marlowe navigates, an almost perpetual world of night. One of the first great films noir and an often-overlooked detective-movie classic. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Very good film noir from the forties.
This tightly constructed thriller marked a change of direction for crooner Dick Powell and he was surprisingly good as private eye Philip Marlowe.Thefilm was also successful in transferring much of Raymond Chandler's sardonic dialogue to the screen. Good performances from Mike Mazurki as the dim-witted giant, Moose Malloy and Otto Kruger as a nasty quack psychiatrist and Claire Trevor as the femme fatale.

HOW SWEET IT IS ON DVD!
Interesting choice of career change for Dick Powell. After establishing himself as the light hearted lothario of 1930s Busby Berkeley musicals at Warner Brothers, the crooner side stepped his squeaky clean, boy-next-door image entirely with a string of deep and powerful dramatic performances. In "Murder My Sweet" Powell carries off Raymond Chandler's hard-boiled detective, Philip Marlowe to perfection. Okay, he's no Bogart, whom film buffs will recall played Marlowe in "The Big Sleep." But Powell's performance is a close second, buffeted by his quick thinking, deeply cynical, smart-shooting dialect. In "Murder My Sweet" Marlowe is hired by an ex-con (Mike Mazurki) to hunt down his old flame. But the plot spins out of control when a murder leads to Marlowe's engagement by a manipulative woman (Claire Trevor), to recover her missing jewels. But a drug induced nightmare fraught in symbolism and expressionism turns Marlowe's world on end, devouring his soul beneath a seedy underbelly that permeates both high-society and the dangerous post war bars and flophouses of inner city Los Angeles. "Murder My Sweet" is one of the first great, though often overlooked, film noirs; an absolute must see.
Warner's transfer on "Murder My Sweet" is better than average. In fact it's remarkably clean. The gray scale is very well balanced with deep solid blacks and whites that are vibrant and sharp. There's some film grain but few age related artifacts for a visual presentation that is over all a considerable improvement over previously issued VHS tapes. The audio is mono but nicely balanced. The more intent listener will notice slight pops. Alain Silver delivers a very thorough audio commentary that will most surely enhance your appreciation for this film. A very good disc to add to your library of classic cinema.

HARD BOILED NOIR....
One of the better ventures on the darker side of film noir with Raymond Chandler's PI Philip Marlowe (Dick Powell) enmeshed in a complicated search for a jade necklace. He's hired by a thick brute named Moose Malloy (Mike Mazurki) to find former night club singer Velma Valenti. After numerous attempts to throw him off the scent, he tracks her down. She's now Mrs.Grayle (Claire Trevor), married to a much older man with a grown daughter (Anne Shirley) who despises her. The jade necklace comes into play and so does Mrs.Grayle. Marlowe enters a weird plot that eventually finds him drugged and held prisoner before he fights his way back with the help of Shirley. "Murder My Sweet" is good and salty film noir with hard bitten performances, brittle dialogue, thugs, mystery and a sexy femme fatale in Mrs. Grayle. When Marlowe first meets her, she's wearing a revealing white dress that allows her entire leg to be casually exposed when she sits down. Very sexy for the 40's. Excellent b&w photography with almost everything occuring at night drenches the film with heavy noir atmosphere. This is a classic film to be savored and the DVD print is great. A real collectors' treat.

Film Noir 101
This is the movie that hooked me on "Film Noir." I first saw this on the late show while suffereing a killer flu. Even through local TV editing and enough medicine to tranquilize a circus tent, it had me sitting at attention from start to finish. It wasn't until several years later that I got to see it uncut on cable that I got the full effect. Having grown up with Bogart's hard-boiled private eye archetype, Dick Powell was a complete revelation to me. If you double-bill this with Bogart's "Big Sleep," you see at once that Powell truly IS Phillip Marlowe (even Raymond Chandler thought so), and Bogart is much better suited to portray Hammet's colder, meaner Sam Spade. Powell gives Marlowe a vulnerable cynicism as well as a touch of the "everyman," that Bogart wouldn't be able to pull off until later in his career. Powell's background in romantic musicals gives him access to a far deeper emotional range, needed to play the complex and conflicted Marlowe; his cynicism, his humour, his loyalty to his code...it's all there. Powell manages to give extra resonance to some of Chandler's throw-away similes! No wonder he claimed this as his favorite role!

The direction by Edward Dmytryk and cinematography by Harry Wild are perfect, giving the film a tight, economical yet alluring vintage "feel". Working on a tight budget, they manage to infuse it with all the seedy, chaotic topography that would serve as the touchtones for every film of this type from "Night of the Hunter" to "Blade Runner." While this isn't the first Noir film, it may well be the best.

Seminal film noir--B&W perfection
January 1945: Murder, My Sweet is released starring former movie musical crooner Dick Powell as tough detective Philip Marlowe, Claire Trevor as femme fatale Mrs. Grayle (aka Velma Valentino) and Mike Mazurki (in his first major role) as big lug-thug goofball Moose Malloy. Based on Raymond Chandler's Farewell, My Lovely, this baby is the real deal when it comes to film noir. Yeah, there were others before this--The Maltese Falcon and especially, Double Indemnity with a phenomenal performance by Barbara Stanwyck.

But this is the one that put detective-based film noir on the map. The 1975 version (same title as the book) with Robert Mitchum, John Ireland, and some of the other classic film noir stalwarts is, in fact, a pretty good piece of work. But Murder, My Sweet is the ne plus ultra of film noir. The director, Edward Dmytryk, had a limited budget and so confined much of his shooting to low-lit interiors to save money. Not only that--he also has some ultra-cool sequences of poor Marlowe, having been force-fed a syringe or two of dope, hallucinating something awful. This shows the influence of German Expressionism to the max; the contrast of black and white has never been sharper, more vibrant, more startling in an American film. And dig those crazy images--multiple doors to go through trying to avoid a doc who walks through doors; larger than life images of two of the bad guys looming above, peering down at Marlowe with spooked up backlit faces; a giant syringe ready to plunge.

There's the good girl and the bad girl, sure. There's the supposedly innocent older husband of the femme fatale. There's the evil brains of the picture who loves blackmail, brutality, and backbiting. And of course there's the hard-bitten cops dogging Marlowe throughout his journey from cynical onlooker to active tough guy to sentimental joe. What's not to like?

So far the only DVD of this is being released in France. Hey, movie studios! Wake up! Time to get more film noir on DVD!

Yeah. A great piece of work; that's what I say. ... Read more

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The Pacific in World War II was a battlefield like no other before or since, the war a conflict between great navies whose primary weapon was the airplane. In this documentary produced by the Discovery Channel, the planes of the Pacific battles and the critical roles they played are covered in a fast-paced narrative laced with archival footage. The American Avenger dive bomber, P-40 Tomahawk, P-38 Lightning, P-51 Mustang, and, of course, the plane that for many defines the Pacific war, the B-29 Superfortress bomber, are profiled.Japanese planes, including the legendary Zero fighter, also get their due. In addition to explanations via maps, narration, and old film footage about how the specific planes were deployed in battle, interviews with veterans from both sides of the conflict are prominently featured. Participants in specific battles and operations, including the men who flew on the famous Doolittle Raid against Japan, and even a Japanese flier who attacked Pearl Harbor, recall their roles in what was then a strange new form of warfare. This video is first and foremost a tribute to the warbirds and their pilots, but while concentrating on the specific planes and their use, the narration also provides a solid overview of how the war in the Pacific was fought, from Pearl Harbor to the Coral Sea, Midway, Guadalcanal, and onward to the ultimate and decisive air attacks on the Japanese home islands. --Robert McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (2)

BADMEN OF DEADWOOD
Don't waste your money on this piece of garbage. This is a DVD made from a VHS transfer, made from a VHS transfer. The picture quality is so bad it gave me a headache after just 15 minutes of watching fuzzy images and dark scenes. And the sound is even worse. I have no idea why companies like this who spend money making attractive box covers and disc lables can have no regard for the quality of the movie they are transferring. There is no excuse....if they worked with a decent 16 MM print there is no way it could be this bad. This company has bought a bad VHS tape and made a copy from that bad tape to offer an even worse quality copy.

Durn-tootin' Saturday matinee fun.
Sturdy Republic Western that emphasizes action over music. The Sons of the Pioneers are nowhere in sight. Roy Rogers is a reformed gunfighter working for Gabby Hayes' snake oil medicine show. In Deadwood, the members of the civic league are in cahoots with a gang of killers. This includes the sheriff and the newspaper editor, who has been waging a bogus war against crime on the editorial page. Villains abound. The honest townspeople enlist Roy's help, and the stage is set for excitement. This B Western is true to its budget restraints. The running time of 53 minutes is a virtue that doesn't let the plot go awry. With the bad guys posing as good citizens and the good guys reduced to social castoffs, the story requires close attention to keep the players straight. Even RR initially wears a black hat. The conflict of warring factions builds to a climactic shoot-out of Hopalong Cassidy proportions. This film is an entertaining blend of Western action and light humor. We are happy to report there is more shootin' and ridin' than in most of RR's later Western musicals. Nobody made Westerns as Republic. ;-) ... Read more

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Gary Cooper's natural nobility made him the perfect choice to play Lou Gehrig, the New York Yankee legend whose career was cut short by disease. Sam Wood (King's Row) directs this touching story of Gehrig's love of baseball from childhood, his friendship with Babe Ruth (who plays himself in the film), his marriage, career triumphs, and eventual resignation from the game. Teresa Wright is wonderful as Gehrig's supportive wife. Cooper's heartbreaking re-creation of Gehrig's farewell speech to Yankee fans is a magnificent moment. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Pride of the Yankees: Lou Gehrig as True Hero
There are movies that involve the audience about the life of its star and there are others that use gimmicks to hide the fact that the audience never gets to look at the star from the inside. In PRIDE OF THE YANKEES director Sam Wood gave us a movie that has already stood the test of time as one of the best movies to come out of Hollywood. The high quality of this film is mostly because of Gary Cooper's startlingly realistic portrayal of a baseball icon whose playing career overlapped the cinematic career of the film icon who played him. The audience sees the man in a way that the fans in the stands could not. Cooper carries the movie in the same way that he carries SERGEANT YORK, by his straightforward radiating of emotion that is often at odds with the face that says one thing but the eyes that say another.
The young Lou Gehrig starts off as a youth loving baseball so much that he has to hide his love from a mother who wants Lou to surpass Uncle Otto as a symbol of success. Lou hears his mother praise Uncle Otto and assures her that he will follow in his footsteps, but his eyes tell another story. In fact, throughout this movie, it is his eyes that speak more eloquently than anything else he can say or do. Lou winds up in Columbia on a scholarship, and during a frat party hazing designed to test his ability to endure a razzing, Lou retreats within himself until he can retreat no more. For the first time in this film, and very nearly for his entire movie career as well, Cooper shows the anger that we all knew lay buried deep. Cooper made a career out of rechanneling emotion into productive ends, and as Lou Gehrig, he can redirect his inner chi into belting baseballs over walls well enough to earn a tryout with the New York Yankees. By this time, the audience is hooked by their caring for a man who combines the best of the American ideals of hard work and talent with the self-effacing that marks most film icons of that time.
Theresa Wright plays first his girlfriend, then later his wife. She is simply wonderful as the cultured girl who falls for the small town hero. They poke fun of each other but the audience knows that what they are really saying is the Real Thing. Theresa Wright knows exactly when to back off and let Cooper be at center stage and when to interact with him to produce some truly stirring moments. There are two scenes that stand out as unforgettable, one with Wright, the other without. The first occurs when Lou has been playing poorly. He has been striking out, dropping easy catches, and running awkwardly. His teammates are puzzled and mix anger with concern. After a loss caused by his poor play, Lou sits on a bench, trying to make sense of a body that had never before betrayed him. As he leans forward to untie his laces, he continues to fall, rolling over onto the floor. His mates pretend not to notice. Lou says nothing but his face tells the audience all that they need to know. The fear that often bubbles just beneath the skin in many of Cooper's movies surfaces, and that fear clicks in the hearts of all. Later, when he has seen a doctor and knows that his illness, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, is terminal, he decides to hide this knowledge from his wife who nevertheless has already guessed the truth, but tries to hide that from him. There is a heartbreaking scene in which she tries to raise his spirits by donning a barker's hat and mustache. As she stares at him, she laughs. As she hugs him, her eyes reveal her own torment. Each actor is absolutely convincing in their respective attempts to hide what they know, while pretending all is well.
PRIDE OF THE YANKEES tells a story well-known to anyone who reads the sports pages. It features Cooper in center stage, with a supporting cast including Walter Brennan and Dan Duryea, both of whom interact credibly with him and Ms. Wright. This is more than a baseball bio of a man who hits it big in his game. It is more the story of a giant who continued to hit it big even after the fans have left the stadium.

Nostalgic Eye for the Baseball Guy
I hate people that can't seem to enjoy an old fashioned good feeling movie and call it sacharine because it has a happy ending. Which is why I am a little embarassed to give Pride of the Yankees just three stars. But the truth is that I really had to fight hard to surpress a smile at the level of schmaltz in this film that I didn't recognize when I saw this as a boy.

Gary Cooper plays Lou Gehrig with a childlike naivete which I know was charming in its day but today it feels like you would have to lock someone up who was his age and still that childlike. And I really did want to play along with the most classic scene in the film but found it funnier than any campy parody I have seen over the years. The little boy in the hospital who is sitting by the radio because the Babe and Lou promised him they would each hit home runs form him. "Little Billy" sits in pajamas in the hospital by the radio. He listens earnestly with a expectant vapid open mouth expression waiting. Its as if his ability to ever walk again hung on the success of that hit. Bottom of the sixth Gehrig disappoints by striking out for his second time in a row still one short of the two promised home runs, you can tell the kid is thinking "Damn" but instead says "Golly"! I am glad I wasn't drinking anything at the time because it would shot through my nose trying to hold back the laugh. Pride of the Yankess does hearken back to simpler times but is perhaps so gentle and guileless it crosses the line into accidental comedy.

However I did very much enjoy the relationship between the two competing sportswriters who mock each others favorite players much like Statler and Waldorf the two old geezers in The Muppet Show. Walter Brennan plays writer Sam Blake who roots for Lou and does a wonderful job. He is so slender of build here he is almost unrecognizable in this role.

I am sure most people will have a fine time enjoying this film and Lou Gehrigs touching farewell speech.

From NY Immigrants' Child to American Legend
This was probably my introduction, and for millions of others, to the legend that is Lou Gehrig. And for so many years, I had Gehrig and Gary Cooper completely confused in my mind--they seemed inseparable. But there's good reason for it: the role of the Iron Horse seemed to be made for Cooper. Gehrig was a low-key, almost self-effacing athlete and person, which was just the type of character that Cooper built his career on. Their sizes were just about the same. Cooper nailed down Lou Gehrig's voice, especially for the famous "luckiest man" farewell speech. Hell, Gary Cooper LOOKS like Lou Gehrig! Maybe my confusion is justified, at least on this subject.

PRIDE OF THE YANKEES is the grand-daddy of all baseball movies. Cooper's performance, as I can't help but keep mentioning, is stellar. Teresa Wright as his wife helps keep the hankies moist but she is also very spunky and strong. Walter Brennan (who also played opposite Cooper in MEET JOHN DOE where John Doe is a semi-pro pitcher) is in a supporting role here but provides desperately needed comic relief.

And perhaps I'm wrong to categorize PRIDE OF THE YANKESS as merely a baseball film. It is about human potential, human frailty, and above all human strength during times of crisis. Lou Gehrig's tragedy occurred during a time of extreme crisis in America, and, I believe, his strong steady public appearances helped the nation through it. PRIDE OF THE YANKEES could easily have been named "Strength of America" in my mind. It's that important a film.

The story of Lou Gehrig and the classiest sports biopic
There are all sorts of little imperfections in the 1943 film "The Pride of the Yankees." The screenwriters rearranged Lou Gehrig's famous farewell speech at Yankee Stadium so that the best line, "Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth," becomes his exit line (it was the second line in his speech with his actual last line being, "So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for"). Gary Cooper had enough problems batting right-handed let alone left-handed like Gehrig, so the actor wore a uniform with "KROY WEN" on the front, ran to third base when he managed to hit the ball, and then they reversed the print. Gehrig is shown wearing his famous number 4 when the Yankees play the World Series, but that happened in 1926 and 1928 while the Bronx Bombers did not start wearing uniform numbers until 1929 (Gehrig batted cleanup and was 4, Babe Ruth batted in front of him and was therefore 3). The film talks about how Gehrig won the Triple Crown on the day he was married but Gehrig won the Triple Crown in the 1934 season, the year after Lou and Eleanor were married in 1933.

But none of that really matters because "The Pride of the Yankees" remains the standard by which all sports biopics, whether of baseball players or anyone else, are judged. Even those who were not weaned and raised on baseball know that the title character is going to die of Lou Gehrig's disease and the film takes full advantage of that foreshadowing: when Gehrig gets into his first game and refuses to come out after being hit in the head by a thrown ball, manager Miller Huggins asks, "What do we have to do to get you out of the game? Kill you?" Irving Berlin's song "Always" becomes a recurring musical theme throughout the film, another reminder of Gehrig's mortality.

In many ways "The Pride of the Yankees" is more of a love story than a baseball theme. It starts off as a rags-to-riches story, where Gehrig's mother (Elsa Janssen) insists her son will be an engineer and does want him wasting time playing baseball. Eventually the fame and money opens her eyes, but then Lou meets Eleanor Twitchell (Teresa Wright) and has a new "best girl." One of the most impressive aspects of this film is how it touches on the two darker sides of the Lou Gehrig story, the friction between his overbearing mother and his society wife along with the strained relationship that developed between Gehrig and Babe Ruth. The film really only touches on these aspects and Ruth, playing himself, is usually a smiling figure when he shows up on screen, except for when Gehrig is eating his new hat and he is listening to Gehrig's farewell speech.

Cooper was nominated for an Oscar for his performance and even though he is rather awkward and a bit old for the role, he captures the essential dignity and class of Gehrig. It makes sense that one American icon is being played by another. Having been nominated of a Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar for "The Little Foxes" in 1941 she received another nomination in that category in 1942 for "Mrs. Miniver" and also one for Best Actress that same year for "The Pride of the Yankees." Wright won for "Mrs. Miniver" and lost out to Greer Garson for Best Actress (because of the war the Oscars were made of plaster for the first time, but were replaced by "real" Oscars when the war ended). "The Pride of the Yankees" was nominated for 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, but only won for Daniel Mandell's Film Editing.

Walter Brennan as sportswriter Sam Blake and Ludwig Stössel as Pop Gehrig provide a lot of the comic relief in the film. Brennan's role is rather low-keyed for him while Stössel has several fine moments where he tries, usually without success, to stand up to his wife. Appearing as themselves are Yankee players Bill Dickey, Bob Meusel, and Mark Koenig, and the familiar voice of Bill Stern makes it on screen as well.

Gehrig's tragic death at the age of 38 makes all of his records even more astounding given that his career was cut short. Sportswriter Jim Murray once described the tall, strong Gehrig as a "Gibraltar in cleats," and "The Pride of the Yankees" provides a sense of that. For me the most poignant scene comes before Gehrig enters Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939, when he encounter 17-year-old Billy (David Holt), the lame boy in the hospital (Gene Collins) for whom Gehrig hit two home runs in a World Series game in the film's most extended baseball sequence. The irony that Gehrig could inspire Billy to rise up and walk but Fate had conspired to strike down the Iron Horse who played in 2,130 is enough to reduce most of us to tears before Gehrig ever steps to the plate for the last time to talk about how lucky he is.

Courage and Heroism in Perfect Form
"The Pride of the Yankees" is without a doubt one of the best baseball films of all time. Why? Because it isn't just about baseball. It's about a real person seeking that seemingly impossible American dream and capturing it, only to lose it all too soon. Cooper plays Gehrig with so much heart in this film, that the movie almost seems unreal due to the fact that Gehrig was such a good person, both as a human and as a star athlete.

There are few professional athletes in the world who show so much character and so much love to others as Gehrig did. He faced death with honor and courage. He was and is a true hero. If you're looking for an athlete for your children to look up to, pick the "Iron Man of Baseball."

This film does exceptionally well in capturing the heart and soul of Gehrig. It is a great family film and I highly recommend it. Gehrig might have been in Ruth's(and later, DiMaggio's)shadow, but he was so much bigger than these guys. He was honest, hard-working, and approached people long after the cameras were gone.

Add this one to your collection. It's a keeper, even if you don't know the difference between a baseball and a ball of yarn. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Rare Early Teaming of Bing Crosby and Carole Lombard
"We're Not Dressing", produced by Paramount in 1934 sadly seems to be a film that is largely forgotten today. Nevertheless it is a film which displays alot of important elements that later became the acknowledged "trademarks" of the performers involved in the production. Foremost here we see a very early example of Bing Crosby's relaxed crooning style of musical delivery that became his trademark in countless memorable film performances in the decades to come. Beautiful leading lady Carole Lombard was just starting to fully emerge as the glowing Paramount star beloved of film audiences around this time and "We're Not Dressing", gives her a wonderful character to work with in uppity society girl Doris Worthington who learns a lesson or two about humility while stranded on a desert island. Ethel Merman also displays her high voltage and totally arresting performing style in an energic supporting performance as Doris's man chasing sidekick Edith. The film despite it's obvious short falls compared to later big budgeted musicals is an enjoyable treat that is unique in it's teaming of two very different performers in Crosby and Lombard.

"We're Not Dressing", has a quite famous pedigree having been loosely based on the novel "The Admirable Chrichton", by James M. Barrie. It had already served as the source material for the legendary Gloria Swanson in one of her most famous roles in Cecil B. DeMille's production of "Male and Female" in 1919. This version while obviously accomodating the musical talents of Bing Crosby takes a far more lighthearted approach in telling the story of society heiress Doris Worthington who along with her friends and a deck hand from her yacht becomes marooned on a tropical island when her yacht sinks after hitting a reef. The film interestingly explores the whole issue of the "roles" society imposes on people and how the "order" of things can be reversed when circumstances change . In this case while on the ship the roles were very much master and servant, once on the island they are reversed as sailor Stephen Jones (Bing Crosby) possesses all the common sense and practical knowledge to survive in the wilderness while Doris and her spoiled society friends are ill equipped to look after themsleves minus the comforts of life and servants. While on board Doris is pursued by two hangers on in the vapid Prince's Alexander and Michael (Jay Henry and a very young Ray, billed as "Raymond" Milland) however her real affections are diverted to the singing sailor on board who in between scrubbing decks must do thankless tasks such as caring for Doris's pet bear Droopy. Conflict arises between Doris and Stephen once they manage to get to the island as she is the one used to giving orders and now she finds herself having to follow Stephen's orders if she wants to survive while stranded. There are many lighthearted moments while they wait for rescue which include the hopeless efforts of Doris and her friends to build a hut which collapses while Stephen's effort holds up to the elements and when the group encounter eccentric husband and wife Botany team George and Gracie (George Burns and Gracie Allen essentially playing themselves to hilarious effect). Of particular note are Gracie's bizzare "animal trap" inventions that get George in particular into all kinds bother and trouble. Despite their personal conflicts with each other which involve a number of slapping scenes followed by a kiss, true love does blossom for Doris and Stephen and when the group are finally rescued the two cast aside their preconceived ideas of the different levels of society not mixing and decide to let romance rule between them on the boat back to civilisation.

First and foremost above being any deep commentary of the values of different levels of society, "We're Not Dressing" is a musical treat for one and all. Bing Crisby is given a number of memorable tunes to croon throughout the film and prominent among them are "A Sailor Must Be True To Any Girl", "May I?", "She Reminds Me Of You" and especially the beautiful "Once In A Blue Moon". Ethel Merman also has an oportunity to shine in the highly energic "It's A Spanish Custom" which is a real showcase for her big voiced singing style. Directed with a nice pace by veteran Norman Taurog who was responsible for helming such diverse films as the classic "Boy's Town" (1938) through to a number of 1960's Elvis Presley vehicles, here he manages to smoothly incorporate the comedy elements of the story in between the many musical numbers with ease. It is fascinating to see two such different talents as Bing Crosby and Carole Lombard combining together in their only screen appearance with each other here. Carole Lombard famous for her screwball comedy antics here is wonderful as the spoilt rich girl who learns a few lessons about life and while the young Bing Crosby would never register as matinee idol material, here he manages to add alot of dimension to his at first subserviant character that learns to assert himself and take charge of those who's orders he once had to follow. Being a big budget Paramount production this film has "A" class production values and the numerous location shots done at Catalina island which stands in for the Pacific Island in the story are first rate and give alot of the film less of a studio bound look.

"We're Not Dressing", is an interesting and entertaining early 1930's musical vehicle which helped pave the way for many much more grander "South Seas" efforts in later years. Bing Crosby in only his fourth or fifth film here displays the obvious talents that endeared him to audiences ever after and while her truly great years were still ahead of her when she made "We're Not Dressing", Carole Lombard reveals here the stuff that help make her a top rate Hollywood legend . Enjoy Crosby and Lombard and other colourful characters stranded on an island and having to reassess their "stations in life" in Paramount's amusing 1934 effort "We're Not Dressing".

charming musical with Carole Lombard and Ethel Merman
WE'RE NOT DRESSING is a charming 1930s musical starring Bing Crosby, and is noteworthy for several songs, the legendary Broadway belter Ethel Merman and the comedic stylings of co-stars George Burns and Gracie Allen.

Bing Crosby plays Stephen Jones, a crooning deckhand of the yacht owned by charming society heiress Doris Worthington (Carole Lombard - MY MAN GODFREY, NOTHING SACRED). Also on board are Doris' best friend Edith (Broadway's Ethel Merman) and the continually-sloshed Hubert (Leon Errol). After Stephen and Doris clash several times during the voyage, he is fired, but not until a freak storm crashes the yacht and dumps all the occupants on a desert island. Also living on the island are George and Gracie (George Burns and Grace Allen, essentially playing themselves).

There are a few choice songs in this delightful musical, including "Love Thy Neighbor", "May I?", "Once in a Blue Moon" and "She Reminds Me of You". Ethel Merman also impresses with her infectious number "Spanish Custom".

A lovely little movie indeed.

MCA/Universal presents Bing Crosby & Carole Lombard!!!
MCA/Unicersal Clacssics have restored and re-released "We're Not Dressing" on home video. This movie falls under the Bing Crosby Collection.

Early Crosby croons several catchy tunes in this semi-musical at sea comedy / love story.

Summary - Crosby a crooner deck hand on a millionairesses (Lombard) yacht. Lombard (beautiful & funny) falls for Crosby but acts a