Reviews (11)

It's a Movie - of course the book's better!
One of my all-time favorite novels, and now one of my favorite videos. Of course the book is better. A movie could never approach the philosophical breadth that Dostoyevsky does in his classic novel, nor could it develop the characters as fully and as masterfully. Lament that the "Grand Inquisitor" does not make an appearance in the film, and that the character of Father Zossima (a very significant figure in the novel) is not developed at all. But, for a movie, it's quite well done and worth the watch. Even my kids enjoyed it (my 10 yr-old daughter figured out the murder mystery before it was revealed). Yul Brynner is very concvincing and, I'm no "trekie," but Shatner rules! I liked it.

Pale version of the novel
This was fair as a movie, but an extremely poor adaptation of one of the finest novels ever written. It would be comparable to a cartoon version of Hamlet. Cobb is outstanding as Fyodor and Brynner is quite good as Dmitri, but they are hamstrung by a phenomenally flat script. Shatner is a disaster as Alyosha and the other characters are not particularly memorable. If you have not read the book, this is a decently enjoyable film. The original story is pared down and the ending changed, but still OK for a light viewing. If you have read the novel, however, this film will be neither entertaining not elucidating.

The Brothers Whats?..av
This movie doesn't go along with the book, but what movie about a book goes along with it? This movie is your typical movie about a book and kinda twisting the books details. But it is pretty funny.

Excesses of Every Description
THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV is a movie about a dysfunctional nineteenth century Russian family headed by a domineering father (Lee J. Cobb). He and his strong-willed son (Yul Brynner) compete for the same woman (Maria Schell). The family which also has three other sons is torn apart by excesses of every description and some of the characters seem much larger than life - especially Brynner and Cobb. The thoroughly competent supporting cast includes Claire Bloom, Richard Basehart and William Shatner.

The film was based on a novel by Feodor Dostoevsky. It received one Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor (Lee J. Cobb). The main competition for Oscars in 1958 came from GIGI.

Richard Brooks also directed ELMER GANTRY.

Yul Brynner HOT as usual
Interesting how one of the greatest novels of all time can play like a pretty good episode of General Hospital on the big screen, when placed in the right(?) hands. See it for YB, God rest his soul, and some interesting family intrigue. You will be entertained, but if you want more than that, READ the book! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A major Mitchum masterpiece.
There should be a sub-genre in the Western called 'the Robert Mitchum Western'. Mitchum's brilliant, idiosyncratic, usually undervalued Westerns import his film noir persona to etch some compellingly dark character studies, and bring an elegiac world-weariness prefiguring the films of Sam Peckinpah. 'Man with the gun' is one of his best. Directed by Orson Welles protege Richard Wison, it is a stark, monochrome beauty, full of chilling silhouettes and terrifying outbursts of savage violence, as Mitchum comes to tame a town terrorised by a monopolist with a private army. Mitchum's regression from soft-spoken stranger to deranged murderer, with a host of dark emotions in between, is a marvel of expressive, physical acting. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Bette Davis' Personal Favorite - One Of Her VERY BEST!
Bette Davis plays loyal wife to hard-working NYC cabby Ernest Borgnine. Borgnine is very close to realizing his dream to actually own his own taxi cab, complete with special licence, at last being his own boss.

All would be well, if not their young daughter Debbie Reynolds had announced her sudden plans to marry blue-blood Rod Taylor. Davis, unphased by the limited financial means, is determined to "give" their daughter a big wedding. The figures to foot the bill reach astronomical proportions, making everyone but Davis nervous.

The not entirely predictable outcome is one of the most satisfying Hollywood movie endings ever. -- This film was Bette Davis' personal favorite; she called her performance "my proudest effort". As a fan of all 4 stars, I agree that "A Catered Affair" is one of the very best films Bette Davis has ever starred in. "Cinema Candy" all the way through!..

CALLING ALL BETTE DAVIS FANS...
With a brilliant screenplay by Gore Vidal, based upon a play by Paddy Chayefsky, this is an outstanding drama with fine direction from Richard Brooks. Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine, Barry Fitzgerald, Debbie Reynolds, and Rod Taylor make up the superlative cast.

This slice of life drama focuses upon a lower, middle class Bronx family, headed by Tom Hurley (Ernest Borgnine), a cab driver, and his wife, Aggie (Bette Davis). Their daughter, Jane (Debbie Reynolds), has just announced that she is getting married, but that she and her fiance (Rod Taylor) want no formal wedding reception.

Aggie soon insists upon giving her daughter the wedding she never had, which promises to wipe out their entire paltry savings, as well as Tom's dream of owning his own taxi medallion. Aggie's plans are the catalyst for some much needed family changes.

Barry Fitsgerald is wonderful as Aggie's bachelor brother, who has been living with the Hurleys for many years. Jane's impending nuptials and Aggie's plans make him take stock of his own life. Aggie and Tom are also forced to take stock of their own relationship with each other. This is a character driven, rather than plot driven, film.

The sets are wonderfully dreary, setting the stark tone for the claustrophobic, narrow lives lived by the characters. Bette Davis is terrific as the wife and mother who lives a life unexamined, until her daughter's own life change forces her to look at what she has. Ernest Borgnine is excellent as the taciturn father and husband, who knows his limits, but has his dreams. Aggie's and Tom's lives appear to have been running on parallel tracks until Jane's leaving home forces them to choose between going on as they had, in dreary loveless, isolation or forming a commom bond and one track upon which they will ride together. It is a situation with significant implications.

This is a superb film that all Bette Davis fans will enjoy, as will those who love superior, well acted dramas.

Midle age and Midle class Bette Davis in this movie
It is charming as well as realistic. It describes middle class family effervescence before a wedding! At one point, when her daughter refused to have a big wedding, Bette replied" You are going to have a big wedding and if you don't like it you don't have to come!" The character of her Cabby husband is very touching but as always it is Bette who makes it a great movie! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Outstanding movie! DVD please!
Great movie for fans of Eric Fleming! Eric is fantastic as usual! All fans of the Rawhide series should see this movie! The story is great and the entire movie is superior to a lot of movies they are making today (2004) because there weren't a lot of special effects so they focused more of character development and storyline. The issues of morality and the bold interactions in this film are simliar to those seen in the Rawhide series. A lot of classis old west confrontations in this movie. This should be on DVD.

A vampire rides tall in the saddle.
Altho not a good film, this effort from the very end of Universal's SF/horror cycle deserves a footnote for establishing, more or less, the minor sub-genre of the horror western. (There actually had been a few films in the Thirties which fit into this category, but they were forgotten by virtually everyone until being released on home video.) Michael Pate (a sort of sinister James Coburn) is effective in the role of a vampire menacing folks on a ranch. This particular vampire is perfectly capable of walking around in the sunshine (hey, no fair!) and the fact that the climactic destruction of the vampire takes place in broad daylight greatly lessens the film's effect. Worth a look for horror fans, however.

Curse of the Undead (1959)
Great horror film (also known as "Mark of the West) coming at the end of Universal's Horror/Scifi period. There are no giant bats, howling dogs, torch bearing villagers or black capes in this unique vampire tale. There is, however, an eerie, hair rising score by Irvin Gertz and a nontraditional background for a horror film. Taking place in the old, wild west we are introduced to a vampire, played by Michael Pate, who can walk around bathed in the full strength of the sun (without erupting into flames) and only uses a coffin for those occasional naps.

Curse of the undead
It was as good as any of the Universal horror flicks. I bought it because of Eric Fleming. He was a good actor.

Curse of the Undead
In 1959 I was watching the new TV series RAWHIDE, and when I read in the newspaper Eric Fleming starred in this film, I went to see it. I fell in love with Eric, and from that day on, I collected everything I saw on him. The feelings all came back when I saw the video at Suncoast in 1996. I bought every copy they had. The film was as good as any other Universal horror flicks. I really paid no attention to the plot, as I was too busy looking at Eric! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A classic of the late 1950s, this film looks at the string-pulling behind-the-scenes action between desperate press agent Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) and the ultimate power broker in that long-ago show-biz Manhattan: gossip columnist J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster). Written by Ernest Lehman and Clifford Odets (who based the Hunsecker character on the similarly brutal and power-mad Walter Winchell), the film follows Falco's attempts to promote a client through Hunsecker's column--until he is forced to make a deal with the devil and help Hunsecker ruin a jazz musician who has the nerve to date Hunsecker's sister. Director Alexander MacKendrick and cinematographer James Wong Howe, shooting on location mostly at night, capture this New York demimonde in silky black and white, in which neon and shadows share a scarily symbiotic relationship--a near-match for the poisonous give-and-take between the edgy Curtis and the dismissive Lancaster. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (43)

A knockout script, stellar acting, and dazzling photography
This film, barely distributed upon release (it's a thinly veiled barb directed at the Walter Winchells of the world), features what is arguably the finest screenplay ever written. Ernest Lehman started the task, but Clifford Odetts (the later years, more bitter Odetts) was called in to "punch it up," as Tony Curtis later explained in a lecture at the Smithsonian a couple of years ago (the film was never shown publicly in Washington until the mid-1990's). (According to Curtis, such lines as "The cat's in the bag, the bag's in the river" were by Odetts, whom Curtis observed in a trailer on the set after midnight in Manhattan at a typewriter next to a whiskey bottle.) What other movie features lines like: "My left hand hasn't seen my right hand in 30 years"? This is clearly Tony Curtis' greatest role as a sleazy press agent, yet it is nearly topped by Burt Lancaster's chilling performance as a corrupt columnist. The dialog moves at breakneck speed chock full of such artifice that one is left nearly breathless trying to follow along. For jazz aficionados, check out the cameo appearance by Chico Hamilton's quintet with Paul Horn on flute and Fred Katz on cello, a rare film recording of their trademark "Tuesday at 2" late night jazz riffs. (The soundtrack equals the excellence of the rest of the film.) The photography by James Wong Howe is, as usual, impeccable, making ample use of wide angle lenses. For New Yorkers, this film captures the essence of Manhattan after dark. Although the setting is the world of the airwaves, the print media, and publicity hounds, the script is so true to life that I've found astonishing parallels to my workplace. Yet the words are so laden with methaphor as to defy the imagination. Sit back and let this picture take you away. It's a ride you won't soon forget.

"The cat's in the bag and the bag's in the river."
Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis at their best. Possibly the most cynical film to come out of the 1950s (with some stiff competition from Billy Wilder's Ace in the Hole and Nicholas Ray's In a Lonely Place). Scottish director Alexander Mackendrick (The Man in the White Suit, The Ladykillers) didn't produce a black comedy or film noir as much as a unique combination of the two, and the script features some of the fastest and most furious dialogue ever written -- next to, say, All About Eve (Ernest Lehman and Clifford Odets did the honors). It packs as much of a punch as Elmer Bernstein and Chico Hamilton's muscular jazz score. The great James Wong Howe provided the appropriately "Weegie-ish" cinematography (high contrast B&W).

"AN APPLE MADE OF ARSENIC."
One of the problems with studying in film school, being a movie buff and getting older is that at some point in ones' life a man ventures into the video store, peruses the shelves and reaches the conclusion that he has seen every movie worth seeing.

I thought I was getting there until a few years ago when I heard about and checked out "The Sweet Smell of Success". It was like that with "Chinatown", which I never saw until the 1990s and now consider one of the best films ever.

"Sweet Smell of Success" holds up totally even though it is black-white, set in 1957. Burt Lancaster is J.J., based on Walter Winchell, who was a leading accuser of Communists in the media.

Tony Curtis is a lackey publicist who lives on the whim of those who pay him to place items in various columns, which means he must grovel at the feet of clients and columnists. J.J. plays him like a fiddle. This has lines so vitriolic and perfect, Frank Manciewics in "All About Eve" is no more biting, and Bette Davis in "Eve" bites with the best of 'em.

Lancaster just fills the screen with irony and sardonic, hurtful wit. Curtis fends it off with skill, it is like a fencing match. Anybody who has any desire to study dialogue must watch and memorize this. Everything is tremendous; the acting, the directing, the score, the noir shadows of New York at night. The music is unreal, lots of horns, filling the room with its wailing sobs of a corrupt, naked city.

A love story between J.J.'s little sis and a musician (Martin Milner I think, who was in "Adam 12"), is the heart of the story. It is the one true, good thing, but J.J. is a monster. Perhaps Bob Towne had this in mind when he cast John Huston to be an incestuos father in "Chinatown". The inference, being the '50s, is much more subtle but it seems J.J. has the hots for sis and wants nobody to have her. He brands the musician a Commie, using sycophant secondary journalists to keep his own hands clean.

Any chance for this dark one to have a happy ending goes down the tubes when sis, as much to torment her bro, kills herself. Curtis is utterly ammoral. His picture appears in Webster's next to the word ammoral.

Many films have played off this theme. "Swimming With Sharks" (1996, Kevin Spacey, Frank Whaley) comes to mind. If this could be 20 stars I'd give it 20.

Steven Travers
Author of "Barry Bonds: Baseball's Superman"
straversca@aol.com

HARD TO TELL WHAT'S GOING ON.
The dialogue moves along so fast, and the plot is so sketchy, that I had a difficult time understanding it. I know that many viewers feel the same way but don't want to bother writing a review: most reviews are positive. So think this one over.

Amazing
I was stunned when I watched this film, and it's been a while since that's happened. The script, the acting, the cinematography are all dazzling. Why this isn't mentioned in the same breath as "The Third Man" is unforgivable. Even the score is wonderful. Also, the film demands a second viewing because there is far to much to take in. Watching it I was reminded of "Citizen Kane," "Sunset Boulevard," "The Third Man," and maybe a little Godard (maybe the look of "Alphaville"?). The film really feels like it exists in a time and place, oozing atmosphere. The only downside to the film and dvd is that some of the scenes were not restored quite as well as others, but this is an excusable oversight, considering the shimmering quality of the rest of the film and one can only hope for a special edition or criterion release in the future with commentary by a film critic or two. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

The penultimate crime caper film
Back in the days when Stanley Kubrick was still a relative unknown, he made this gem of a film which has since earned a reputation for being one of the best crime caper films ever made. The film is tightly structured and well-paced with an eye on increasing the tension until the very end. A wonderful movie, and those who have seen "Reservoir Dogs" will immediately recognize the influence "The Killing" had on the latter film. The plot-line is simple - a band of crooks, each with his own motivation, conceive of a plan to rob a racetrack. The plan works fine...until something goes wrong. Kubrick filmed this classic with a minimal budget, but his genius is evidently on-screen in how he arranges the furniture and lighting and actors to get the most out of his limited funds and to augment the clastrophobic sense of suspense. Truly a great film.

I purchased the DVD of this film, and it looks quite good. The picture quality is pristine (unlike in the DVD version of Kubrick's later films, alas). I had no problems with the sound, either, though it is monophonic. There aren't any real extras on this DVD except for a trailer, but the presentation is somewhat cool and adds to the tension of the film. So, I will recommend this DVD of "The Killing" to fans of Kubrick and good crime films.

Kubrick Does Noir
An ex-con engineers a race track heist in "The Killing," a taut and suspenseful film noir from director Stanley Kubrick. Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) is fresh out of Alcatraz after five years, and immediately goes to work on a job he figures to be worth upwards of two million dollars. He puts together a gang who are not real criminals, just "Some guys with problems and a little larceny in them." Marvin (Jay C. Flippen) is good for some front money Johnny needs; George (Elisha Cook Jr.) is a cashier at the track, and Mike (Joe Sawyer) is a bartender there; Randy (Ted de Corsia) is a cop with loan shark payment problems. Clay's got it all figured out, a precision plan that can't go wrong as long as everyone does his part and keeps quiet about it, before and after. But George has a wife, Sherry (Marie Windsor), who wants nice things, and he can't resist the temptation to let her know it's all going to get better real soon. Trouble is, Sherry has a boyfriend, Val (Vince Edwards), who has more than a little larceny in him, as well. As it is with all "perfect" plans, there are, after all, imperfections. The presentation of this film is not one of them, however; Kubrick keeps the tension high throughout, working with a tight narrative and an out of sequence chronology through which he dispenses bits of information, building the suspense, until it all fits together in the end like pieces of a giant puzzle (Much the same as Tarantino would do with "Pulp Fiction" many years later). The stoic delivery, coupled with the stark black and white photography of the film, creates an almost surreal, fatalistic ambience that works so well with this material; especially at the end, for it underscores the climax and heightens the drama of the final moment, all of which makes for a truly unforgettable scene. The supporting cast includes Coleen Gray (Fay), Kola Awariani (Maurice), Joe Turkel (Tiny), and Timothy Carey, who makes his detached and indifferent hit man, Nikki Arane, one of the most memorable characters in the film. It must be noted, however, that Elisha Cook Jr. gives what may have been his best performance ever, here. His scene, after it all goes bad for him and he stumbles into his apartment, bullet holes in his face and wide-eyed with acceptance, to confront Sherry, is so cool and underplayed that it becomes one of the lasting impressions of the movie. Kubrick wrote the screenplay (with some help from Jim Thompson with the dialogue), adapted from the novel "Clean Break" by Lionel White. "The Killing" is one of Kubrick's earliest and best films; and it's not just for Kubrick fans or for those who love the "noir" genre. This is an excellent piece of work that will definitely be appreciated by anyone who likes good movies.

Tightly plotted, hamstrung by dialogue.
The Killing (Stanley Kubrick, 1956)

For many years, I have been fond of saying that the only Kubrick film I could stomach was Lolita. While The Killing isn't up to those standards (and certainly doesn't rate a spot in IMDB's Top 250, where it sits as I write this), it's certainly a film with rewatchability potential.

Johnny Clay (The Godfather's Sterling Hayden) has just gotten out after a five-year stint in prison, and needs cash. He concocts a scheme to knock over a racetrack to the tune of $2 million, give or take a few rubles. Putting together a core team of five guys, and with two on the periphery, they plan and execute the crime. That, of course, is when things start getting interesting.

This is good, solid film noir, for the most part. Where it fails to make the cut are in the narration (and Kubrick's bouncing back and forth in time like a pinball, which necessitates it) and the dialogue, written by cult favorite Jim Thompson (The Grifters, The Killer Inside Me, etc). The dialogue has about as much meat to it as one finds in a typical Spillane novel; it's fun, but "timeless" is not a word I'd use to describe it by a longshot. That being the case, it's hard for the actors involved to really get their heads around most parts; they do the best they can with what they have, and in some cases, that's enough to make the characters come alive. Elisha Cook, Jr., is especially good, despite having some of the most ineffectual dialogue ever written for a straight mystery film.

The strongest part of the film, on the other hand, is the ending, a shaggy-dog-story style beauty that would later appear in a different form in Ocean's Eleven (the original, good version, not that overblown Soderbergh piece of trash). It is inevitable, and beautiful.

Worth watching, but don't expect greatness. ***

Kubrick's First Masterpiece
This is the third feature film directed by Kubrick and the one which probably established his eminence, subsequently enhanced by Paths of Glory (1957), Spartacus (1960), Dr. Strangelove (1964), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), and Full Metal Jacket (1987). The title refers to the one last lucrative theft which Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) carefully plans so that he can retire from his life of crime and live happily ever after with Fay (Colleen Gray). Although Kubrick carefully tracks the preparations by Clay and his associates, he seems more interested in what (for lack of a better term) can be viewed as a self-fulfilling negative prophecy. That is to say, there seems to be little (if any) chance that the robbery of a race track will turn out well. In fact, it doesn't. Clay is a world-weary, semi-paranoid leader of losers. Henpecked by wife Sherry (Marie Windsor), George Peatty (Elisha Cook, Jr.) is a reluctant accomplice, obviously motivated to satisfy his financially insatiable spouse. He as well as Nikki (Tim Carey) and Tiny (Joe Turkel) are Keystone Bandits. The quality of acting throughout the cast is first-rate. Kubrick obtains from Hayden in this film and in Dr. Strangelove his two strongest performances. The final scene on the airport tarmac is unforgettable, a fitting and (for me) an inevitable conclusion. If pressed to use one word to describe this film, I would suggest "tidy." Also "compelling." Those who share my high regard for this film are urged to check out The Public Enemy (1931), You Only Live Once (1937), High Sierra (1941), and They Live by Night (1949).

...and then there was one - Early Kubrick Classic
This Classic Kubrick Crime Drama is one of the top Hollywood Film Noire entries. The usual "toughs" planning the big heist, the one to retire on. Since Classic Hollywood never allowed the bad guys to win, everyone can predict that all will not be well once the end credits roll.

All of the elements are here: Little guys who never got an even break, a Delilah-like wife of a simpleton, who won't settle for small-time life, a happily married older guy with a wife in need of expensive medical care, a guy just released from prison, who doesn't ever want to go back, and the rest of the usual suspects. Several scenes are quite moving; several times character's are shown saying their goodbyes to loved ones, as though they don't expect to ever see them again, when they are only supposed to "go to work". Watch for another scene in the final third of the film involving a horse-shoe. It makes a powerful statement of conventions in 1950s America.

Very few films have a truly memorable "last line". This is one of them! Of course, I won't give it away, as it requires an elaborate set-up, but you'll agree that it's one of the best last lines ever! As for "The Killing" as a nostalgic Crime Drama and exemplary film noire, I confidently give it 5 stars!***** ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not for the squeamish
Max Baer's friendly fascist is one reason, but not the only one, to catch this disturbing 1974 film. In fact, Baer's smiling, upright sheriff seems a blood brother in some twisted sense to Mayberry's Andy Griffith. Based on fact, the movie portrays the misadventures of real-life brothers Alan and Jesse Vint, as they frolic through the 1950's South on their way to a date with the Army. Bad luck and Sheriff Baer however turn their joyride into a nightmare that finally ends in tragedy. The last scenes are a suspense-filled stunner. This is Baer's production and he uses it to observe the effects of gun culture, brutality, and race prejudice in fairly subtle fashion. Except for Geoffrey Lewis's overdone station attendant, the acting is first rate, with Joan Blackman a long way from her frothy Elvis movies. Special recognition should go to the casting of the two southern lowlifes who are the most convincing and sinister drifters I've seen, and are guaranteed to put chills up the spine. At times the script seems too deliberate, as though there are explanations for everything. Still, this is a first-rate thriller that deserves its cult status, and is ultimately a long, long way from the bucholic ideal of Sheriff Andy's Mayberry.

Classic David Carradine
An intense adult drama, with a common plot element of an "innocent" female traveller (Ally Sheedy) who gets jailed in a southern jail on trumped-up charges, raped and beaten and otherwise abused by her captors, until another inmate (David Carradine) steps in (through the cell bars), grabs the bad cop, (who ends up dead) and the escape is on. The Sheriff is the usual dirty cop, who pursues the escapees ruthlessly, with Ally Sheedy's character resorting to more & more crime in her desperation to get away from the hell she's experienced, all the while being helped by, but not quite trusting, Carradine's ex-con. The violent subject matter makes it understandable why no one under 18 is allowed to buy this movie here, but all in all, it's a decent flick of its genre, with good performances by the leads.

Drive-In Classic looks Great on DVD
If you're a fan of low budget film making, the story behind the making of "Macon County Line" is as fascinating as the film itself, perhaps moreso. You'll learn about that in a short featurette that's included on the DVD that features interviews with Director Richard Compton, Actor-Producer-Writer Max Baer, Jr., star Jesse Vint and others. What I really enjoyed is the film commentary offered by Richard Compton during the film. It's actually more of a conversation with Anchor Bay producer Bill Lustig, a pretty good low budget film maker, himself (Maniac, Vigilante, Maniac Cop), about how the film came to be. Listening to the two directors talking about how to get the most out of a small budget (just over $200,000 for the film) is a real education. Lustig is a very good interviewer/commentator and has shown up on other Anchor Bay releases (his own "Vigilante" comes to mind).

The film, itself, is a much better-than-average story about mistaken identities and the tragic consequences that result. The cast is generally good and the acting is a lot better than what one might typically expect from drive-in fare. Max Baer, Jr., in particular, gives depth to a character that could have been played as "Sheriff Jethro Bodine." Baer wanted to break away from his "Beverly Hillbillies" image and, for the most part, he succeeds. Anchor Bay's widescreen edition looks great. I can't vouch for the sound since I don't have an elaborate audio system, but Anchor Bay generally has a reputation for doing good things with the available source material.

Fans of 70's era drive-in movies will really enjoy "Macon County Line."

Macon County Line a video classic
Critical acclaim is not exactly the way to describe Macon County Line. This film, with many of the other 70's classic drive-in features, is an absolute classic but didn't rate highly with critics. Alan and Jesse Vint, although not Hollywood royalty, deserve a place in film history for their parts as brothers who become the victims of horrible circumstances. Alan and Jesse popped up in other films through the 70' and 80's (most notably "Centennial"), but "Macon County" is their opus. It's just a shame that their talents were never showcased like this again. They are outstanding actors. The film has impact, and the DVD version is like watching it for the first time. WOW! What a film. If you are like me, a child of the 70's, and using Amazon and e-auctions to build nostalgic movie and music libraries, put this one in your DVD collection. It's outstanding.

cinema type excitment
Macon County line is a sure thriller.It leaves you with the feeling of "Could this happen to me". Out of his role of Jethro Bodine,Max Baer is truly convincing as the sheriff every small town seems to have. The story is based on fact .Two teens are senselessly murded and another is scarred for life, just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.A true classic,Macon County Line Is a roller coaster ride of thrills and suspense every minute. You WLL ENJOY this film. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

The penultimate crime caper film
Back in the days when Stanley Kubrick was still a relative unknown, he made this gem of a film which has since earned a reputation for being one of the best crime caper films ever made. The film is tightly structured and well-paced with an eye on increasing the tension until the very end. A wonderful movie, and those who have seen "Reservoir Dogs" will immediately recognize the influence "The Killing" had on the latter film. The plot-line is simple - a band of crooks, each with his own motivation, conceive of a plan to rob a racetrack. The plan works fine...until something goes wrong. Kubrick filmed this classic with a minimal budget, but his genius is evidently on-screen in how he arranges the furniture and lighting and actors to get the most out of his limited funds and to augment the clastrophobic sense of suspense. Truly a great film.

I purchased the DVD of this film, and it looks quite good. The picture quality is pristine (unlike in the DVD version of Kubrick's later films, alas). I had no problems with the sound, either, though it is monophonic. There aren't any real extras on this DVD except for a trailer, but the presentation is somewhat cool and adds to the tension of the film. So, I will recommend this DVD of "The Killing" to fans of Kubrick and good crime films.

Kubrick Does Noir
An ex-con engineers a race track heist in "The Killing," a taut and suspenseful film noir from director Stanley Kubrick. Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) is fresh out of Alcatraz after five years, and immediately goes to work on a job he figures to be worth upwards of two million dollars. He puts together a gang who are not real criminals, just "Some guys with problems and a little larceny in them." Marvin (Jay C. Flippen) is good for some front money Johnny needs; George (Elisha Cook Jr.) is a cashier at the track, and Mike (Joe Sawyer) is a bartender there; Randy (Ted de Corsia) is a cop with loan shark payment problems. Clay's got it all figured out, a precision plan that can't go wrong as long as everyone does his part and keeps quiet about it, before and after. But George has a wife, Sherry (Marie Windsor), who wants nice things, and he can't resist the temptation to let her know it's all going to get better real soon. Trouble is, Sherry has a boyfriend, Val (Vince Edwards), who has more than a little larceny in him, as well. As it is with all "perfect" plans, there are, after all, imperfections. The presentation of this film is not one of them, however; Kubrick keeps the tension high throughout, working with a tight narrative and an out of sequence chronology through which he dispenses bits of information, building the suspense, until it all fits together in the end like pieces of a giant puzzle (Much the same as Tarantino would do with "Pulp Fiction" many years later). The stoic delivery, coupled with the stark black and white photography of the film, creates an almost surreal, fatalistic ambience that works so well with this material; especially at the end, for it underscores the climax and heightens the drama of the final moment, all of which makes for a truly unforgettable scene. The supporting cast includes Coleen Gray (Fay), Kola Awariani (Maurice), Joe Turkel (Tiny), and Timothy Carey, who makes his detached and indifferent hit man, Nikki Arane, one of the most memorable characters in the film. It must be noted, however, that Elisha Cook Jr. gives what may have been his best performance ever, here. His scene, after it all goes bad for him and he stumbles into his apartment, bullet holes in his face and wide-eyed with acceptance, to confront Sherry, is so cool and underplayed that it becomes one of the lasting impressions of the movie. Kubrick wrote the screenplay (with some help from Jim Thompson with the dialogue), adapted from the novel "Clean Break" by Lionel White. "The Killing" is one of Kubrick's earliest and best films; and it's not just for Kubrick fans or for those who love the "noir" genre. This is an excellent piece of work that will definitely be appreciated by anyone who likes good movies.

Tightly plotted, hamstrung by dialogue.
The Killing (Stanley Kubrick, 1956)

For many years, I have been fond of saying that the only Kubrick film I could stomach was Lolita. While The Killing isn't up to those standards (and certainly doesn't rate a spot in IMDB's Top 250, where it sits as I write this), it's certainly a film with rewatchability potential.

Johnny Clay (The Godfather's Sterling Hayden) has just gotten out after a five-year stint in prison, and needs cash. He concocts a scheme to knock over a racetrack to the tune of $2 million, give or take a few rubles. Putting together a core team of five guys, and with two on the periphery, they plan and execute the crime. That, of course, is when things start getting interesting.

This is good, solid film noir, for the most part. Where it fails to make the cut are in the narration (and Kubrick's bouncing back and forth in time like a pinball, which necessitates it) and the dialogue, written by cult favorite Jim Thompson (The Grifters, The Killer Inside Me, etc). The dialogue has about as much meat to it as one finds in a typical Spillane novel; it's fun, but "timeless" is not a word I'd use to describe it by a longshot. That being the case, it's hard for the actors involved to really get their heads around most parts; they do the best they can with what they have, and in some cases, that's enough to make the characters come alive. Elisha Cook, Jr., is especially good, despite having some of the most ineffectual dialogue ever written for a straight mystery film.

The strongest part of the film, on the other hand, is the ending, a shaggy-dog-story style beauty that would later appear in a different form in Ocean's Eleven (the original, good version, not that overblown Soderbergh piece of trash). It is inevitable, and beautiful.

Worth watching, but don't expect greatness. ***

Kubrick's First Masterpiece
This is the third feature film directed by Kubrick and the one which probably established his eminence, subsequently enhanced by Paths of Glory (1957), Spartacus (1960), Dr. Strangelove (1964), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), and Full Metal Jacket (1987). The title refers to the one last lucrative theft which Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) carefully plans so that he can retire from his life of crime and live happily ever after with Fay (Colleen Gray). Although Kubrick carefully tracks the preparations by Clay and his associates, he seems more interested in what (for lack of a better term) can be viewed as a self-fulfilling negative prophecy. That is to say, there seems to be little (if any) chance that the robbery of a race track will turn out well. In fact, it doesn't. Clay is a world-weary, semi-paranoid leader of losers. Henpecked by wife Sherry (Marie Windsor), George Peatty (Elisha Cook, Jr.) is a reluctant accomplice, obviously motivated to satisfy his financially insatiable spouse. He as well as Nikki (Tim Carey) and Tiny (Joe Turkel) are Keystone Bandits. The quality of acting throughout the cast is first-rate. Kubrick obtains from Hayden in this film and in Dr. Strangelove his two strongest performances. The final scene on the airport tarmac is unforgettable, a fitting and (for me) an inevitable conclusion. If pressed to use one word to describe this film, I would suggest "tidy." Also "compelling." Those who share my high regard for this film are urged to check out The Public Enemy (1931), You Only Live Once (1937), High Sierra (1941), and They Live by Night (1949).

...and then there was one - Early Kubrick Classic
This Classic Kubrick Crime Drama is one of the top Hollywood Film Noire entries. The usual "toughs" planning the big heist, the one to retire on. Since Classic Hollywood never allowed the bad guys to win, everyone can predict that all will not be well once the end credits roll.

All of the elements are here: Little guys who never got an even break, a Delilah-like wife of a simpleton, who won't settle for small-time life, a happily married older guy with a wife in need of expensive medical care, a guy just released from prison, who doesn't ever want to go back, and the rest of the usual suspects. Several scenes are quite moving; several times character's are shown saying their goodbyes to loved ones, as though they don't expect to ever see them again, when they are only supposed to "go to work". Watch for another scene in the final third of the film involving a horse-shoe. It makes a powerful statement of conventions in 1950s America.

Very few films have a truly memorable "last line". This is one of them! Of course, I won't give it away, as it requires an elaborate set-up, but you'll agree that it's one of the best last lines ever! As for "The Killing" as a nostalgic Crime Drama and exemplary film noire, I confidently give it 5 stars!***** ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Delicious!
Jerry is an "acquired taste," which I fortunately acquired at a young age! Clean humor is so hard to find anymore, and Jerry's versatility continues to astonish me. This movie showcases that perfectly.

Not Funny Stupid
Jerry Lewis has never seemed very funny too me, he always just seems to want to act dumb. This movie is no exception.

The Story sounds rather interesting, but in reality it isn't exactly elaborated enough. The Story is about a little girl called Donna who is a recently orphaned rich heiress, who has to decide which of her seven uncles to live with. So she is suppoesd to spend 2 weeks with each one, but actually most of the time you only get to see one scene with one uncle. There is really not much elaboration on the uncles, just one little scene. And ALL of them are played by Jerry Lewis.

What Torture, no this movie isn't funny it is just plain dumb. Don't get it! If you want something funny get an 'I love Lucy' or some other comedy. Cause this is not real comedy

7 times the Jerry = 7 times the laughs!
18 years after the making of this gem, he would star with Robert DeNiro as the King of Comedy. Well, this is the King at his finest. Each character is exquisite, though I must admit that Uncle Bugsy is my favorite. The scene where he makes Donna (his adorable young niece) recite an arithmatic problem is classic old school comedy, and classic Lewis. While such classics as "The Nutty Professor", "The Disorderly Orderly" and "Cinderfella" made him a comedy icon, this charming and hilariously funny film is certain to find a place your heart. Superb family entertainment.

A Showcase for the comic genius of Jerry Lewis
This is one of Jerry's last film appearances and undeniably is one of his best. A young heiress must decide which one of her six uncles (all played by Lewis) should get to be her legal guardian. Each one of the seven different roles played by Lewis (the six uncles, plus the chauffer Willard) are diverse and portrayed expertly. The movie is very funny and entertaining as any of Lewis' other films. If you're a devoted Lewis fan, then this video should be in your collection.

A real Jewel!
I love this movie despite the reviews.I think Jerry did a fantastic job playing seven roles.People who criticize this movie should try to accomplish what Jerry did!They would never succeed!He was and still is a genius!The Eddie's airways part of the movie is one of the funniest things he's ever done and man,has he done a lot in his lifetime!Really really worth watching! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Suprisingly Great Film Noir!
I couldn't agree more with the guy from Colorado who wrote the other review on this film, There really isn't much I can add, but If you like movies from this genre, BUY this, It's a forgotten classic. Whoever the actor was who befriended Powell, really adds punch. Outstanding dialoge and magical moments throughout, but the ending is the best (...)

Superb classic
If you enjoy witty dialogue and a tight, fast-paced detective-film noir genre story, with excellent performances by top stars, *THIS* is your movie.

Dick Powell is in top form again (and he's always great!) playing the part of Rocky Mulloy, a bookie who has just been released from prison after serving five years of a life term for a crime he didn't commit. Now he's determined to find out who framed him - and to find the missing $100,000 he was supposed to have stolen.

Nobody wants him to re-open the case, and a cop who is convinced he's guilty is watching his every move, waiting for a slip up that will give him a chance to send Rocky back to prison.

The man who gave him the alibi that got him released from prison shows up and adds a major surprise twist to the story. Although Powell isn't a detective per se, as he was in the equally great "Murder, My Sweet" (another wonderful classic must-have for fans of detective noir films), he has a plan to find out who framed him and why. But then the shooting starts and things get complicated...

William Conrad is superb (if you remember him from the TV detective series "Cannon" or "Jake and the Fat Man," you may be surprised by his appearance and role in this film). Also great: the cop who's hot on Rocky/Powell's trail; the mysterious Marine; the blowsy blonde of questionable morals; and the beautiful Rhonda Fleming as Nancy, Rocky's former girlfriend who is now married to Rocky's best friend, the same best friend who went to prison with Rocky for the same crime but who comes up for parole in six months.

This film is full of unexpected twists and has a great surprise ending.

The brilliant dialogue crackles with understated humor. If you enjoyed "The Maltese Falcon" you'll love this one - and you'll want to watch it again and again, just to savor the great lines and the superb performances.

Definitely an underrated must-have for fans of this genre. And even if you're not a fan, give this movie a try -- it'll make you a fan. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Marry in Haste.....
"Crime of Passion" is a solid basic film noir. It lacks much of the dark exteriors, night shots, strange camera angles and gloomy interiors of a complete noir film but this is still the real thing. Barbara Stanwyck is a successful newspaper columnist in San Francisco. She impulsively marries an L.A. cop, Sterling Hayden. The suddenness of the marriage might signal some future "problems". The newlyweds settle down to a neat little suburban house, which would appear right at home on an "Ozzie and Harriet" set. Hayden is happy as a clam but not the Mrs! She wants more! She quickly becomes bored with the stilted little dinner parties and catty gossip of the other police wives. Who could blame her! Then Stanwyck over reaches! She has an affair with her hubby's boss. The intent was getting him a promotion. The guy is none other than Raymond Burr, the soon to be Perry Mason of 50s TV fame. Can we imagine Perry getting involved with a hot girl like Barbara? This reviewer is straining not to give away the ending, so I'll just reveal that matters start to unravel. At least one person winds up dead! The gossip columnist is out of her league. Her ploy does not exactly work. The hard-nosed ending is quite satisfying and in line with 40s and 50s cop/noir films. A star is subtracted for the rather sudden "resolution". 2 final notes: True crime fans may be appalled at one especially egregious example of shoddy police work. Does anyone remember the term "protection of evidence"? No wonder O.J. walked 35 years later! Silver and Ward's "Film Noir" states that CP was a prime example of the "malaise infecting suburbia" in the 1950s. While that does not apply to Hayden it certainly does to his conniving spouse. If only she had stayed in San Francisco!

"I hope all your socks have holes in them."
In the film "Crime of Passion", tough, successful career woman Kathy Ferguson (Barbara Stanwyck) abandons her newspaper column and a prestigious new job to marry LA police detective Bill Doyle (Sterling Hayden). She imagines a life of domestic bliss, and soon she's living in suburbia--along with all the other detectives' wives. Doyle is happy plodding along in his career, but Kathy really can't stand the life she finds herself in. The Doyle's social life is composed of dreary evenings with Doyle's co-workers. The men play card games, and the women chatter on about inane subjects. While no unpleasant words exit from the mouths of the detectives' wives, it's quite clear that a strict social hierarchy exists. In particular, one wife, Sara Alidos, is all too happy to carry on at length about her intimate friendship with the Police Commissioner Pope (Raymond Burr) and his wife. Kathy really doesn't belong with these other wives. Try as she might, she just doesn't fit in, and her own lack of conformity drives Kathy to the brink of a breakdown.

But then Kathy has an idea. In Kathy's mind, her husband is superior to the other detectives, and she is cleverer than the rest of the wives. And so Kathy sets out to use her brain to promote her dullard of a husband through whatever means are necessary.

Barbara Stanwyck is excellent in the role of Kathy--a woman who gives up her career and lives to regret it. Kathy is hard and tough, but when she meets Bill, she gives into romance, and in her case, this is a big mistake. Bill Doyle is a good, hard-working man, but Kathy doesn't respect him. Raymond Burr as Pope is the man who sees past Kathy's persona and sees the conniving woman underneath.

"Crime of Passion" contains some extremely interesting comments especially about the roles of women in the 50s. Some of the scenes and comments in the beginning of the film were very revealing. However, I don't think the film went quite far enough with Kathy's character, and so, ultimately, the film was a little disappointing. But for film noir fans, this is a film worth watching--displacedhuman

WHAT SCHEMES MAY COME....
Neat, tidy little B-picture about a woman who tries to push her husband up the ladder of success only to have it backfire on her. San Francisco newspaper writer Kathy Ferguson (Barbara Stanwyck) meets and quickly marries macho LA detective Bill Doyle (Sterling Hayden) and finds herself plopped down in the middle of suburbia. This is all well and good until she finds her role relegated to the living room with the brainless other wives while the "boys" play poker in the kitchen. Being from a newspaper, she's used to being one of the boys and not one of the "little women". She finally snaps after one too many of these evenings and starts scheming to move her husband up in the department so she can be proud of him and mingle intelligently with the upper crust where she feels they belong. Her plans go beautifully until she runs up against her biggest obstacle, Bill's boss police chief Raymond Burr. They become close and one night he shows up at Kathy's while Bill's away and confides that he needs to retire and is looking for a replacement. Kathy siezes the opportunity to sell Bill as the replacement and commits the ultimate sacrifice via a one-night-stand with Burr thinking she's cinched the "deal" for Bill. But Burr has other plans---leaving Kathy horrified and guilty over what she's done. Her next move will be murder. Stanwyck always excelled at portraying strong, driven, ambitious women and Kathy is no exception. But the film has an obvious feminist slant unusual for the time. The director and Stanwyck make it clear what motivates Kathy and why she she goes over the edge. She loves her husband enough to go all out for him but smart enough to know that she will benefit too. She's too strong a woman to just sit around and mindlessly gossip over dresses, diets and phony aspirations. Her aspirations are real because she knows what she wants for herself and her husband. And it doesn't include cream cheese and olives. For Stanwyck fans, this is an interesting addition to her gallery of headstrong women with an agenda. It's not a "great" film but it's good and worth watching.

Criminal Intent
This movie might have single-handedly brought on woman's lib. When middle-aged San Francisco reporter Kathy Ferguson (Barbara Stanwyck) meets hunky middle-aged LA cop (Sterling Hayden), she chucks her career for love. This lands her in the San Fernando Valley in the dining room listening to the unbearably grating chatter of her husband's cop buddies wives. Naturally, this drives Kathy completely bonkers (If I heard the words "cream cheese and olive" one more time, I might have gone bonkers with her), and she becomes determined to get her husband to the top at any cost! Naturally, mayhem ensues.

This movie is only saved by the performance given by Barbara Stanwyck. She manages to make Kathy Ferguson a real person; she shows the real longing, desire (Barbara eyes Sterling Hayden like the prime slab 'o beef he is, and makes her intentions very clear), and smarts this woman has, and how frustration at being sidelined by society can bring out fierce competition in someone (today she'd be called manic-depressive). What's funniest about this movie is that it's so subversive. On the surface, we are supposed to be shocked, shocked I tell you, that Kathy does what she does in the name of her husband's career. On the other hand, life in the valley in the 50's is painted as so soul-destroyingly vapid, you wonder how she managed not to go on a killing spree. A really seldom seen gem that any fan of film noir should check out.

crime of passion
Good Noir. Good Stanwyck. Middle-aged love affair that goes wrong. What can happen to someone from San Francisco, if they move to LA. Well the valley that is. Stanwyck plays Kathy Ferguson, a reporter for a major newspaper who gets married, and has only one ambition, to make her husband move up in the ranks of the LA police Dept. And she will do anything to do it. You know there will be trouble. The acting is crisp and the pace is quick and watchable. I beleive Raymond Burr gets his only screen kiss that I know of. Fay Wray is terrific in a supportive role. Its great to see her and Stanwyck together.

Watch this with chips and CreamCheese and Olive dip. ... Read more

Description

Raw and violent, steeped in the film noir tradition, this cult classic ventures into the seamy gangster underworld, oozing with seediness and low-life characters. Far ahead of its time, "The Big Combo" takes a dark, disturbing look at the battle between Leonard Diamond (Cornel Wilde), a good cop, and Mr. Brown (Richard Conte), a sadistic crime boss--and the cool blonde who gets caught in the middle (Jean Wallace, married to Wilde in real life at the time). With the help of the gangster's ex-girlfriend, Diamond is determined to bring down the cunning gangland kingpin. But the gangsters are ruthless. They savagely pummel Diamond and conduct gut-wrenchingly brutal acts of torture that were unusual on screen at the time of the film's release. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A Forgotten Masterpiece Remembered!
First and foremost I would like to congratulate and say thank you very much to IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT for having the sense to make available a great overlooked, and underappreciated classic on VHS and DVD. "The Big Combo" is one of the best film noirs ever made, and one of the best films of the 1950s. It is one of the most brutal films both visually and in its depiction of the violence that lies beneath the surface of society. It also has many great performances by Richard Conte, Cornel Wilde, and Conte's two psychopathic aids Lee Van Cleef and Earl Holliman. This is definitely a must-see for either fans of dark, violent films, or for fans of great artistic films also. I congratulate, applaud, and thank very much, IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT for remembering and making "THE BIG COMBO" available on DVD and VHS as it should be. Here are some forgotten classics that aren't available on video or need a better transfer, that definitely should: NIGHT AND THE CITY (1950), GUN CRAZY (1949), BIGGER THAN LIFE (1956), NIGHTMARE ALLEY (1947), CRIME WAVE (1954), WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS (1950), TROUBLE IN PARADISE (1932), EDGE OF DOOM (1950), SCARLETT STREET (1945), THE RED HOUSE (1947), DETOUR (1945), CAUGHT (1949), THE RECKLESS MOMENT (1948)

Tough, Muscular Film Noir
This is tough, muscular film noir delivered by a master of the genre, director Joseph Lewis, whose master touch in low budget mystery gave us the unforgettable "Gun Crazy." The camera work is excellent in this epic about a large city at night, when two obsessive men do battle for turf control, giving us a microscopic view of its fierce underbelly and the ferocious mobsters who tenaciously seek to control it.

Cornell Wilde is a tough, uncompromisingly honest cop who is belittle by his equally determined adversary, Richard Conte, for being so bright yet ending up with such a small paycheck at the end of the week. Wilde has two reasons for bringing down the cocky Conte, that earlier expressed of seeking to make the city a more decent place with the mobster's loss of influence. The other is that he holds a passionate love for the beautiful blonde controlled in such a tight vise by Conte that she attempts suicide. The blonde is Wilde's real life wife, Jean Wallace, and Wilde is determined to pull her away from the egomaniacally dominating Conte before she is destroyed.

For a large part of the film Conte laughs at Wilde, taunting him over his ineffectuality, telling him he is wasting his time attempting to put him away. This is largely a bluff, though, since he recognizes Wilde's zealousness and competence. At one point his henchmen kill a lovely young stripper going with the policeman, intending to terminate Wilde instead.

Wilde is able to crack the case when he learns about the existence of Conte's wife, thought to be dead, played by Helen Walker. When Wilde gets the goods on the mobster and is ready to arrest him Conte begs his adversary to kill him. Wilde will have none of it, telling Conte that he will instead be tried, convicted, and sent to prison, where he will be a man devoid of power. Wilde knows that this is a much sterner punishment to Conte than death by execution.

Mr. Brown.
Quentin Tarantino owes his career -- or what's left of it, anyway -- to Joseph L. Lewis' *The Big Combo*, from 1955. Fans of *Resevoir Dogs* will be surprised to see that the villain of the piece (a hissable Richard Conte) is named "Mr. Brown" (which was Tarantino's color-coded name in his own film). They will also be shocked to discover that Tarantino is something of a rip-off artist when they see the scene here where Conte and his goons torture a cop tied to a chair. In 1955, force-feeding someone booze, splashing it all over him, and cramming a hearing-aid into his ear with the other end attached to a radio was considered sufficient torture. In 1992, our sensibilities required the removal of the ear and splashes of gasoline. Progress. At any rate, my point is that *The Big Combo* was a very influential film noir among connoisseurs. It still packs a wallop. I take issue with the fellow from Canada below on several points. As for his sniping about the low budget here . . . yeah? So? If anyone can name a classic film noir that had an extravagant budget to play with -- with the possible exception of *Double Indemnity* -- I'd be interested to know about it. And my answer to his complaints about the dialogue is to suggest that perhaps he has confused *The Big Combo* with, well, *Double Indemnity*. I personally find the dialogue to be compact, lean and mean, and reasonably free of superfluous verbiage. (Unlike in Wilder's "classic", wherein insurance agents talk like lifelong Hell's Kitchen hoods, to say nothing of nattering voice-over narration.) There are certainly no page-long, single-space monologues in this movie. In any case, the absolutely stunning cinematography provided by the master John Alton should mute any misguided criticisms. This will be one of the best-shot black & white movies you will ever see. It ranks with the Expressionist milestones of Murnau and Welles. The pulsing alternation between shadow and sudden clarity is particularly impressive. A word of praise also goes to the performers: Jean Wallace is a walking blonde veneer steaming with sexual degredation beneath the surface; her real-life husband Cornel Wilde is the quintessential New York City detective. The supporting players are great, too. [The DVD is not so great. No extras, but who cares? -- it's the transfer that's really lacking. *The Big Combo* needs, and deserves, a thorough clean-up, in the Criterion tradition. We're still missing the entirety of Alton's photographic achievement with this product.]

The Combo Is Fine, It Just Needs Another Script
Fans of the Noire B-Picture can learn a lot from this movie. Joseph Lewis (the magnificent "Gun Crazy") helms it, John Alton ( "T-Men", "Railroaded", and the astounding "Raw Deal") photographs, and the cast includes Cornel Wilde, Richard Conte, Brian Donlevy, and the young Lee Van Cleef and Earl Holliman.

Film students take note:

There's obviously no money to spare here: the sets are all recycled from other B-pictures. What's impressive is how Lewis uses the same locations for multiple shots without and significant re-setting, he keeps his angles down and holds the long take. Alton helps with the right atmosphere and his wonderfully graphic compositions, and the cast get on board for the ride. You can almost see another "Gun Crazy" or "Raw Deal" emerging.

But the script is awful. In B-Movies, "Talk Is Cheap" - much cheaper than action, or scene changes. That's why Reservoir Dogs spends so much time in a warehouse (the similarities don't end there: in a scene of remarkable brutality Wilde is taped to a chair and tortured via a hearing air placed near his EAR!). But one of the problems with shooting few locations fast, is you need the dialog to fill the scenes.

It's just not here. The speeches (there isn't any conversation here, just hard-line pronouncements) are all tough-guy cliché: "he's the kind guy that blah blah blah, and blah blah, but blah blah, because mark my words, blah blah". They're not very good and they always go on for a few sentences -- or a page -- too long. Someone's always trying to stretch the analogy, or extend a metaphor, or get with the poetry of the streets. Nothing they say has anything to do with character. This the kind of juvenile dialog that turns up in parodies of old noire B-pics. It's a shame, because while this is a very capable cast worthy of better material, they just can't save this.

Picture and sound quality are good (Image Entertainment is an excellent DVD label), but unless your a student or serious film buff this is nothing more than a curiosity.

Bad DVD
Great movie and one of the best examples of film noir but this release is awful. The image quality is terrible and it looks like it is copy off an old print with bad scratches, milky contrast and clicking and popping on the track. I hope a reputable company like Criterion gets the rights and they can do a restoration and new transfer. Meanwhile don't waste your money on this version, ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not for the squeamish
Max Baer's friendly fascist is one reason, but not the only one, to catch this disturbing 1974 film. In fact, Baer's smiling, upright sheriff seems a blood brother in some twisted sense to Mayberry's Andy Griffith. Based on fact, the movie portrays the misadventures of real-life brothers Alan and Jesse Vint, as they frolic through the 1950's South on their way to a date with the Army. Bad luck and Sheriff Baer however turn their joyride into a nightmare that finally ends in tragedy. The last scenes are a suspense-filled stunner. This is Baer's production and he uses it to observe the effects of gun culture, brutality, and race prejudice in fairly subtle fashion. Except for Geoffrey Lewis's overdone station attendant, the acting is first rate, with Joan Blackman a long way from her frothy Elvis movies. Special recognition should go to the casting of the two southern lowlifes who are the most convincing and sinister drifters I've seen, and are guaranteed to put chills up the spine. At times the script seems too deliberate, as though there are explanations for everything. Still, this is a first-rate thriller that deserves its cult status, and is ultimately a long, long way from the bucholic ideal of Sheriff Andy's Mayberry.

Classic David Carradine
An intense adult drama, with a common plot element of an "innocent" female traveller (Ally Sheedy) who gets jailed in a southern jail on trumped-up charges, raped and beaten and otherwise abused by her captors, until another inmate (David Carradine) steps in (through the cell bars), grabs the bad cop, (who ends up dead) and the escape is on. The Sheriff is the usual dirty cop, who pursues the escapees ruthlessly, with Ally Sheedy's character resorting to more & more crime in her desperation to get away from the hell she's experienced, all the while being helped by, but not quite trusting, Carradine's ex-con. The violent subject matter makes it understandable why no one under 18 is allowed to buy this movie here, but all in all, it's a decent flick of its genre, with good performances by the leads.

Drive-In Classic looks Great on DVD
If you're a fan of low budget film making, the story behind the making of "Macon County Line" is as fascinating as the film itself, perhaps moreso. You'll learn about that in a short featurette that's included on the DVD that features interviews with Director Richard Compton, Actor-Producer-Writer Max Baer, Jr., star Jesse Vint and others. What I really enjoyed is the film commentary offered by Richard Compton during the film. It's actually more of a conversation with Anchor Bay producer Bill Lustig, a pretty good low budget film maker, himself (Maniac, Vigilante, Maniac Cop), about how the film came to be. Listening to the two directors talking about how to get the most out of a small budget (just over $200,000 for the film) is a real education. Lustig is a very good interviewer/commentator and has shown up on other Anchor Bay releases (his own "Vigilante" comes to mind).

The film, itself, is a much better-than-average story about mistaken identities and the tragic consequences that result. The cast is generally good and the acting is a lot better than what one might typically expect from drive-in fare. Max Baer, Jr., in particular, gives depth to a character that could have been played as "Sheriff Jethro Bodine." Baer wanted to break away from his "Beverly Hillbillies" image and, for the most part, he succeeds. Anchor Bay's widescreen edition looks great. I can't vouch for the sound since I don't have an elaborate audio system, but Anchor Bay generally has a reputation for doing good things with the available source material.

Fans of 70's era drive-in movies will really enjoy "Macon County Line."

Macon County Line a video classic
Critical acclaim is not exactly the way to describe Macon County Line. This film, with many of the other 70's classic drive-in features, is an absolute classic but didn't rate highly with critics. Alan and Jesse Vint, although not Hollywood royalty, deserve a place in film history for their parts as brothers who become the victims of horrible circumstances. Alan and Jesse popped up in other films through the 70' and 80's (most notably "Centennial"), but "Macon County" is their opus. It's just a shame that their talents were never showcased like this again. They are outstanding actors. The film has impact, and the DVD version is like watching it for the first time. WOW! What a film. If you are like me, a child of the 70's, and using Amazon and e-auctions to build nostalgic movie and music libraries, put this one in your DVD collection. It's outstanding.

cinema type excitment
Macon County line is a sure thriller.It leaves you with the feeling of "Could this happen to me". Out of his role of Jethro Bodine,Max Baer is truly convincing as the sheriff every small town seems to have. The story is based on fact .Two teens are senselessly murded and another is scarred for life, just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.A true classic,Macon County Line Is a roller coaster ride of thrills and suspense every minute. You WLL ENJOY this film. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Liv Lindeland is NOT is this movie!
You get what you pay for, and if you get a laugh out of the weirdly bad, the price is right. Comes in a boxed set with another early Jeff Bridges movie, the whole thing meant to be sold by the picture of Bridges on the case, I guess.

The companion piece, In Search Of America is a made-for-TV movie about a TV stereotype family (and I mean stereotype, Carl Betz, Vera Miles, auntie Ruth McDevitt, and young Jeff)confronting the then-current Age of Aquarius with uncreasable plastic blandness. Still, like all unintentional camp of this kind, it's only fitfully funny, just dreadfully boring, and for some reason the color has all shifted into the green and purple. You will not finish seeing this.

The Yin and Yang of Mr. Go is more interesting. Also an EP transfer, it still retains a decent picture quality. Unlike In Search of America, which was obviously written by a committee of no-talents trying to do something "serious and contemporary" without testing the envelope of the blandest prime-time family show, Yin and Yang was obviously trying to be original and entertaining. It's a convoluted comic-book adventure-intrigue plot set in and around Hong Kong, James Mason does have a sizeable role, Burgess Meredith did direct, a statue of Buddha does narrate, deranged "Love-American-Style" type theme songs and mind-bendingly superfluous scenes with other aging stars have been inserted to thicken the mix. It is truly bizarre, and maybe worth 6 bucks if you like that sort of thing.

But if you arrived at this movie through a search for the wondrous Liv Lindeland, whom Amazon shows in the cast list, SHE IS NOT IN THE MOVIE. She is not in the movie's own listing of the cast at the end of the movie, she is not mentioned in the box copy, I can't imagine how her name got attached to this by the time it reached Amazon. These things happen, but don't make my mistake. I went through it frame by frame.

LIV LINDELAND IS NOT IN THIS MOVIE!

The Honorable Mr. Go
James Mason gives an excellent performance as Mr. Go in this strange little tale. I can't think of another film that quite comes across as not intended for general viewing as Mr. Go, in spite of some good work by the cast. I enjoyed it, but that's me. I especially enjoyed the scenes with Broderick Crawford and Robert Shayne, which were apparently added later, Crawford referring to China as "the jolly red giant" at one point. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not for the squeamish
Max Baer's friendly fascist is one reason, but not the only one, to catch this disturbing 1974 film. In fact, Baer's smiling, upright sheriff seems a blood brother in some twisted sense to Mayberry's Andy Griffith. Based on fact, the movie portrays the misadventures of real-life brothers Alan and Jesse Vint, as they frolic through the 1950's South on their way to a date with the Army. Bad luck and Sheriff Baer however turn their joyride into a nightmare that finally ends in tragedy. The last scenes are a suspense-filled stunner. This is Baer's production and he uses it to observe the effects of gun culture, brutality, and race prejudice in fairly subtle fashion. Except for Geoffrey Lewis's overdone station attendant, the acting is first rate, with Joan Blackman a long way from her frothy Elvis movies. Special recognition should go to the casting of the two southern lowlifes who are the most convincing and sinister drifters I've seen, and are guaranteed to put chills up the spine. At times the script seems too deliberate, as though there are explanations for everything. Still, this is a first-rate thriller that deserves its cult status, and is ultimately a long, long way from the bucholic ideal of Sheriff Andy's Mayberry.

Classic David Carradine
An intense adult drama, with a common plot element of an "innocent" female traveller (Ally Sheedy) who gets jailed in a southern jail on trumped-up charges, raped and beaten and otherwise abused by her captors, until another inmate (David Carradine) steps in (through the cell bars), grabs the bad cop, (who ends up dead) and the escape is on. The Sheriff is the usual dirty cop, who pursues the escapees ruthlessly, with Ally Sheedy's character resorting to more & more crime in her desperation to get away from the hell she's experienced, all the while being helped by, but not quite trusting, Carradine's ex-con. The violent subject matter makes it understandable why no one under 18 is allowed to buy this movie here, but all in all, it's a decent flick of its genre, with good performances by the leads.

Drive-In Classic looks Great on DVD
If you're a fan of low budget film making, the story behind the making of "Macon County Line" is as fascinating as the film itself, perhaps moreso. You'll learn about that in a short featurette that's included on the DVD that features interviews with Director Richard Compton, Actor-Producer-Writer Max Baer, Jr., star Jesse Vint and others. What I really enjoyed is the film commentary offered by Richard Compton during the film. It's actually more of a conversation with Anchor Bay producer Bill Lustig, a pretty good low budget film maker, himself (Maniac, Vigilante, Maniac Cop), about how the film came to be. Listening to the two directors talking about how to get the most out of a small budget (just over $200,000 for the film) is a real education. Lustig is a very good interviewer/commentator and has shown up on other Anchor Bay releases (his own "Vigilante" comes to mind).

The film, itself, is a much better-than-average story about mistaken identities and the tragic consequences that result. The cast is generally good and the acting is a lot better than what one might typically expect from drive-in fare. Max Baer, Jr., in particular, gives depth to a character that could have been played as "Sheriff Jethro Bodine." B