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An appealing, free-floating lunacy fuels What's New Pussycat?,and there's enough of it bubbling around to carry the movie past its manydefects. The cast is like a collection of terribly attractive people stumblingover each other at a disorganized cocktail party--they aren't always witty, andsome of them are drunk, but there's enough going on to keep you distracted.Peter O'Toole plays a swinging London womanizer seeking help for his addiction,who makes the mistake of consulting one Dr. Fritz Fassbender (Peter Sellers), ademented psychoanalyst. Woody Allen made his movie debut here and wrote thescript (much altered, to Allen's chagrin, in the filmmaking process). This movieand Casino Royale--which also features Sellers, Allen, Ursula Andress,and a Burt Bacharach song--are overstuffed '60s artifacts, brimming with modchaos. Alas, neither film is as funny as it should be. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (20)

My "What's New, Pussycat?" Review
Now HERE'S an absolutely uproarious 60's comedy featuring Peter Sellers at his peak and Woody Allen's first screenplay to a major motion picture. I also highly recommend Casino Royale, which also features Peter Sellers, Woody Allen, Capucine, and Ursula Andress (great cast, eh?). Although not rated, this film would probably be rated PG-13. It doesn't have much profanity or any nudity, but it contains adult themes that might confuse younger viewers. Woody Allen gets the most laughs in this movie, which came as no suprise to me when I first saw it. Highlights include Peter Sellers and Woody Allen one-on-one, and the ending is golden. I highly recommend this movie.

What's New, Pussycat?
Peter O'Toole, as a troubled fashion editor, visits psychiatrist Peter Sellers for help with his fanciful and complicated love life (Romy Schneider, Paula Prentiss and Capucine). However, Sellers has problems of his own and at time the roles become reversed. Ursula Andress also drops into the fray. Woody Allen is present in what I believe is his first film as both actor and writer. The film shifts back and forth from sophisticated comedy to slapstick. I always liked this funny and outlandish film. The VHS copy is not bad. I did find that the sound level was not consistent.

The Ridiculous and the Sublime
Maybe sublime is too strong a word. This is one mess of a movie. It's like a nerdy kid trying desperately to be cool. Most of the jokes are unbelievably juvenile and even lame, and it's often obvious many of the cast members realized they were in a piece of crap and decided to at least enjoy themselves-- which actually helps.

That said, there are moments (and I mean moments) that make it worth watching. Paula Prentiss steals the show from everyone, there are some laugh-out-loud lines in the picture and some of Peter O'Toole's reactions are priceless. Another good scene is the one Peter Sellers and Woody Allen share. Finally, there may even be one emblematic shot in it too, during the getaway at the end of the picture.

What's new Pussycat is endearingly goofy and AWFUL, but I'm looking forward to it coming out on DVD.

second best movie of the 60s
I consider this to be the second best movie of the 60s. The best is Casino Royal. This is the first comedy movie written by Woodie Allen and it shows great hand crafting with many little details. There are several sub plots that interweave and come together in the last 15 minutes. One of the most amusing parts is the famous homosexual woman, Capucine, playing a heterosexual nymphomaniac.

Sigmund Freud may have enjoyed this "comedy"
An International all-star cast delivers a confusing and rediculous "comedy classic". It's all about 40ish "Casnaovas" with nothing but "sex on the brain". Seeing Peter O'Toole, Peter Sellers and Woody Allen (the 3 LEAST SEXY guys ever to team up sharing the spotlight as leading men) cause attractive women to willingly offer themselves at the drop of the magic word "pussycat", is not funny, but stupid.

The plot (if you can call it that) seems like it is made up as you go. The jokes are sophomorish and lame. Beautiful actresses like the German Sensation Romy Schneider (featured in the GREAT comedy "Good Neighbor Sam" with Jack Lemmon just a year earlier) and the glamorous Italian star Capucine are wasted as "doormats" to nymphomaniac Peter O'Toole.

Credit does go to the fetching Theme Song by Tom Jones. The tune carries through countless mindless scenes, the only reason not to stop watching the dreadful story alltogether. Viewers will eventually tune out the horribly fake German accent delivered by the obscessed "freudian" psychiatrist Peter Sellers. My final diagnosis: Skip this mess of a film!** ... Read more

Amazon.com

Director Jules Dassin (Night and the City, The Naked City) fashioned this breezy and intricate 1964 thriller with a sly comic bent, and it enjoyed international popularity and became an influence for other high-toned European caper films. Peter Ustinov (Spartacus, Death on the Nile) won an Academy Award for his performance as a hapless driver, clueless to the plans of his cohorts, two jewel thieves who plan to steal a priceless dagger from the Topkapi museum in Istanbul, Turkey. Maximilian Schell (Deep Impact, Judgment at Nuremburg) and Melina Mercouri (The Victors, The Gypsy and the Gentleman) play the jet-setting thieves, who choose a motley band of amateurs instead of pros in order to throw off the authorities. But when Ustinov is apprehended by the cops, he agrees to act as a spy in order to thwart the robbery.Eventually, Ustinov must choose between saving his own hide and remaining loyal to the seductive Mercouri as the machinations of the robbery become ever more complex. Sleek and entertaining, Topkapi is filled with intrigue and thrills at every turn. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Great movie, but truly lousy MGM DVD transfer
This '60s heist movie sparkles, dazzles, and charms with its strong international cast, story adapted from an Eric Ambler mystery novel, and typically great direction from Jules (Rafifi) Dassin. Dassin gets a truly captivating performance from his wife Melina Mercouri as a thief obsessed with stealing the Topkapi emeralds, and an Academy Award-winning comic turn from Peter Ustinov. This was my favorite movie of all time when watching it on tv as a child. I waited a while to see it on DVD. Sadly, MGM seems to have transferred the movie through a vat of mud. The source print is faded and looks lousy. The movie is great, as is the theme song.

Wonderfully entertaining, with great Ustinov performance
One of my favorite films, and quite possibly the most entertaining caper movie of all time. A jewell thief (Melina Mercouri) has her heart set on a fabulous emerald-encrusted dagger. The priceless object is being kept at the high-security Topkapi Museum in Istanbul. Mercouri enlists the aid of sometime lover (and professional thief) Maximilian Schell to devise and execute an intricate plan of stealing the dagger. Schell assembles a team that includes Robert Morley as an inventor and electronics expert, and Peter Ustinov as a small-time con man who doesn't realize that he's part of the scheme. Ustinov is persuaded to spy on Mercouri's group by Turkish authorities who think the gang members are terrorists, but he is eventually made aware of the actual intentions of the thieves. The first few minutes of TOPKAPI may lead you to believe that you're in store for one of those hopelessly fluffy "comedies" of the 60's. But don't be fooled. From the moment the jovially frantic music score is played over the opening credits, rest assured that you're about to be treated to a light-hearted, fast-paced movie that expertly combines humor, suspense, and thrills. The international cast is great, but Peter Ustinov is especially delightful to watch in the role that won him the 1964 Oscar for best supporting actor. As Arthur Simpson, a shifty yet sympathetic character who gets used by just about everyone in the film, Ustinov easily steals the movie (although Akim Tamiroff also has his share of funny moments as a drunken cook). This film has all the elements for a first-rate piece of entertainment: an engaging cast, exotic locales, good dialogue, and artful direction by Jules Dassin whose earlier work in RIFIFI partly inspired this movie. TOPKAPI is a wonderfully entertaining motion picture that should appeal to everyone.

DVD Widescreen Transfer Is Perfect
I must elaborate more on the reviewer who said that the transfer to DVD looked like it had been dragged through a vat of mud. I had the movie on VHS tape and knew what to expect of it. The reviewer may have only noted the first 6-7 minutes of the movie which I would call a dream sequence with shades of different colors around the screen. Once this sequence is over, the movie is normal and the transfer to DVD which I rented was perfect. The movie was just as it is on my VHS tape but of better quality, of course.

Topkapi
This is in the end a good caper movie and maybe worth watching because its possible a lot its elements have been emulated in other films like the Pink Panther, Mission:Impossible and Entrapment.
It is a jewel theft caper involving a hypersensitive floor security system, where you drop in from the roof. I am not giving anything away that isn't in the trailer. But it is stuff you have now seen many times before. The gymnastics and plotting of how that is carried out is the variance. There is some pretty good tension in pulling off the crime.
As in any movie like this, whether you like it depends a lot more on whether you like the characters. And this is the point where the film gets a little iffy for me. This is the first Melina Mercouri I have seen. So I don't have the perspective of years prior knowing what a great beauty she was. I am going to get in trouble for calling it as I see it her. Melina Mercouri is an attractive enough older woman but well past her prime and trying and failing to hide it behind hair died from silver gray to blonde and heavy mascara and eyeshadow. But perhaps she is merely past her prime and just unapologetic and sassy about it.
The effect is the same. She is a little grotesque.Maximillian Schell on the other hand is a truly handsome and suave as the organizer of the plot.
Peter Ustinov is cute. As a fairly early role you see him here developing a lot of his most popular affectations that will serve him well in future roles. This production seems a little low budget and doesn't show off his distinctive voice and mannerisms as well as a film with more deft camera direction and better sound can. The stalwart British character actor Robert Morely as the inventor is very good. Also on the team is a brutish strong man who seems to have little purpose in the film who is partnered with an acrobat who cleverly mimes most of his part because he is a mute.
Ordinarily I don't have much trouble making allowances for the style of films of the various decades but Topkapi has a style that to me seems particularly dated and tips the hand of its minimal budget badly. There are many filler shots of the marketplace and locals of Istanbul that aren't particularly interesting and slow the pace of the film down. Also the image and sound is of marginal quality and frequently dubbed though it is an english speaking film.Its not out of synch but it has that odd unnatural feel to it. If you mind has the mental alacrity to make allowances for this its a clever enough film to keep you entertained. But I can't imagine anyone under 25 raised on modern production values not being a little antsy and impatient deciphering some of the slightly muffled heavy accents of the international cast.

Certainly a better film than Entrapment. I think overall the film is merely OK. Either of the Ocean's Eleven films does has a more entertaining ensemble cast and are more fun to watch in this genre.

rififi....
A band of thieves, assembled by a deliciously intent Mercouri, attempts to steal a fabulous emerald-encrusted dagger from the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul. The utimate theft is depicted in a long sequence reminiscent of his earlier heist scene-but this time with considerably more levity. Dassin assembled a flawless cast of charming rogues and charlatans, including Peter Ustinov in an especially humorous performance that earned him the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. If you are not a WT, then it is a very nice movie for you.... ... Read more

Reviews (34)

ORSON IN TOTALITARIANLAND
With an international cast involving Jeanne Moreau, Romy Schneider, Anthony Perkins, Fernand Ledoux and Michael Lonsdale, Orson Welles gave in 1961 a very personal version of Franz Kafka's THE TRIAL. The labyrinthic and anonymous world Joseph K. is living in has undoubtedly visually inspired Terry Gilliam for BRAZIL Look at Joseph K's office or think of the first scene of THE TRIAL when Anthony Perkins is awaking.

The outside scenes of THE TRIAL have been shot in Zagreb or in the middle of the suburbs of Paris, amidst anonymous buildings. The production design is one of the main characters of the movie and one has a little shock the first time Anthony Perkins is getting up from his bed : his head is nearly touching the ceiling. On the contrary, observe the huge doors of the courtroom that are destined to oppress the poor accused people.

The filmography of Orson Welles being so short, you must have this DVD in your library if you're interested in movies. The DVD presented by Image offers as bonus feature a teaser and a little presentation of the movie. No subtitles at all. Good images but a very poor sound.

An Orson W. DVD.

Quite a treat!
"Say what you like, but THE TRIAL is the best film I ever made!" So says Orson Welles of his 1962, underrated masterpiece THE TRIAL, taken from Franz Kafka's legendary novel of the same name, the story concerns Josef K, (Anthony Perkins in a world class performance) a bank clerk arrested and put on trial for an unspecified crime. The liquid tracking shots and receding perspectives familiar from TOUCH OF EVIL are refined here and more at home with the narrative of THE TRIAL. Welles' editing is also more distinctive and expressive, as K's world begins to reel faster and faster out of control, the editing itself transforms from the long takes in the beginning to more frenzic cutting giving certain scenes an oddly affecting flow. The exteriors are notably different from scene to scene, some Italian, some Yugoslavian, some Parisian, but all effective and creepily disorienting. The casting is also a plus: Romy Schneider as a seducing nurse who jumps on Josef t! he first chance she gets, Jeanne Moreau as a world-weary nighclub stripper with whom Josef is smitten, Orson himself as The Advocate, Akim Tamiroff as his client/slave, and Perkins, in a bit of casting that many people didn't understand, is truly a marvel and a revelation. With every facial expression and movement of his body he paints a portrait of man who on the surface strikes a cutting, heroic stance, but in private is really like all other people in his impatience with uncomfortable circumstances. He avoids the tempting opportunity to provide sympathy to K, as his plight grows more chaotic, his demeanor becomes more testy, and that's as it should be. Critics apparently wanted a nullingly straight rendition from the novel, but Welles, Perkins and the rest of the crew thankfully didn't oblige them. They find the perfect balance between a daring cinematic adaptation without sacrificing the spirit of the novel. While it's not his best, this is better than alot of Welles'! films, . 1. The Magnificent Ambersons 2. Falstaff 3. The ! Trial

Samir Roy END

Guilty!
What is Joseph K guilty of? There are a number of possibilities, none of which I will suggest here. I don't want to be guilty of ruining the fun of figuring that out for yourself. This movie is Welles at his brilliant best. Many great directors seem to have a trio of films that represent their greatest work. With Welles, those three seem to be Citizen Kane, Touch of Evil and The Trial. The Magnificent Ambersons wsa murdered by the studio and an editor sent in to hack together a new ending. But the Welles directed part is so good I guess it has to rank with the above mentioned three. Then there is Othello, ruined by poor funding; but is it a wreck of a movie? I guess it belongs with the above mentioned four. Forgive me, I guess I'm guilty of digressing, as well as assuming that one can pick three of Welles's movies that stand out from his other work. What I can say about The Trial is that Welles had enough money to make his ideas work as they should on screen. When a Welles movie has enough money to cover technical costs the movie is usually great. The Trial is no exception. The Milestone DVD is a little costly; but you get an excellent looking transfer, which is all you really need to make this movie worth owning.

A great adaptation of Kafka's book
The Trial is Orson Welles' adaptation of the Franz Kafka novel of the same name. It follows the story of Josef K., a man who finds himself in a nightmarish version of reality he neither understands, nor can escape from. It begins with Josef K. (played by Anthony Perkins) being awakened by police officers, who refuse to tell him the crime he's accused of. He's placed under arrest, but not taken into custody - they allow him to continue his "normal" life. Instead, he is taken away at bizarre moments to appear in court, which is a distorted mockery of the concept of justice. There is no judge, no jury, no stated charges, no burden of proof, no lawyers, and no one that assumes impartiality or responsibility. When Josef K. asks for a lawyer, he's told it's not necessary, since it's an "informal" questioning. After the "court" appearance, Josef K. goes to enlist "the Advocate" to defend him. The Advocate (played by Orson Welles) is portrayed as a demi-god of legal access and information not available to the common man - to be worshiped and feared at all costs, since without him, they are nothing. However, in the end, Josef K. is sentenced and eventually executed for these elusive crimes.
The Trial is a merging of the existential philosophies of Kafka with the cinematic genius of Welles. Josef K. is not a particularly empathetic character - he's weak, morally flexible, and passively pushed along this nightmare. In either ending, (the book or the film), Josef K. doesn't fight against his fate, or meekly accepts it. It embodies the existentialist view that Josef K.'s nightmare prison is one of his own making, and therefore only he is responsible for its injustices. Welles adds his own perspective in the sense that it reflected the subversive tactics of those in power around the judicial system during that time - a very Marxist perspective in the face of the McCarthy era, where the HUAC had frightening similarities to the nightmare court.
Overall, it's a film with many possible interpretations and meanings - that are neither right nor wrong, but dependent on the audience's own observations. Like most of Welles' and Kafka's work - you can either take it at face value, or as an intellectual piece - either way, it's a well done cinematic accomplishment.

Not much into the " noir " style of film making.
This film is dark in more ways than one. My copy was way dark. Of course it is emotionally dark also. Didn't much like the novel in college & my opinion hasn't improved. It was a pain to sit through it. This subject has so much promise but not with a depressive like Kafka. One of Welles lesser films to be sure. But one extra star for Welles portayal of the advocate, the best thing in this film. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

I love the smell of donuts in the morning
A teenage heiress is kidnapped at Orly airport,in France,by a chauffer & smuggled to a remote beach-house where the hazy setting of sand dunes & crashing waves provide a perfect hallucinatory tone for this unusual yet engrossing cult movie. Originally,Stanley Kubrick owned the rights to this film but somehow opted out of making it & sold the rights onwards.

Marlon Brando is superb,as bloody always,& thin!! The great thing about Marlon's performance,here,is that he pushes each other actor to do their very best~(evident with the acting deliverances from both Jess Hahn & Rita Moreno). I would say It's a film-noir fashion-ed piece of film-making,kinda European,maybe a touch Bergman-esque. I hope it makes DVD someday,I really like this picture.

Underated Brando movie is a gem
Surreal motion picture about a plot to kidnap an heiress in France. I've read/listened to mixed reports for years about a film that just has an unusual atmosphere & direction to it & for my 10 cents worth I'll report that This movie,to me alone,is good & lots of fun because It has great acting in it aswell as the marvellous Marlon. That's why I bought it (i wish it were on DVD ,AMERICA...PLEASE!!!!). After having it in my collection for a while I can recommend it thoroughly,i always enjoy viewing it every few months or so.
You won't regret grapping a copy of this special film. Give it a go.

I couldn't stop watching this. Brando's other dark film
I rented this after I found out about Brando's death.
This was one of the only movies I've yet to see of him.
I have never been so mesmerized in years from watching a film!
I can't wait to buy this on DVD.
The only bummer is the weird ending-which is an ok ending if you're stoned! The film is dark and Kubrickian but Brando and the sadistic kidnaper make this film work!
This is a must see.

Marlon's Marvelous Mood Movie
"The Night of the Following Day" marked something of a resurgence in Brando's then sagging career. I knew director Hubert Cornfield who told me that Brando didn't take directions, he gave them. In this case his instincts were right on. He and his fellow cast members deliver first-class ensemble acting performances. Particularly memorable is the deliciously evil Richard Boone. Marvelously eerie mood photography of the foggy French seashore adds much to the suspenceful atmosphere. Unfortunately what might have been a masterpiece is marred by a cliche "twist" ending that leaves the viewer terribly disappointed in view of what has gone on before. This is one time when an alternate ending might have saved the movie.

Not That Bad
I was actually surprised when this movie turned out to be somewhat entertaining. I honestly do not think this is a good film by any stretch of my imagination, but it is not that bad. After laboring through some of the other films Brando made at this time I actually found this one sort of refreshing. Brando plays a professional kidnapper who along with a band of similar professionals kidnapps a rich man's daughter. They hold her for ransom in some house by a beach. As time passes things slowly start to go wrong inside the group until they blow up. I found this movie fun for one reason or another, it is kind of off beat. I would only suggest it to serious Marlon Brando fans. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Missing in Action
I have no idea why this film is so hard to find. It's never shown on television, it's unavailable on US DVD, and the VHS version has been cut down from the original. This wonderful film is moving and exciting--and missing in action. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Orson Welles's 1962 take on Franz Kafka's nightmare comedy stars AnthonyPerkins as a twitchy K, a man accused of a crime that is never specified. Thestory has been filmed several times over the years, but not quite with theair of noir fable Welles brings to it. Beginning with an unexpected prologuein which Welles, in voiceover, tells a haunting parable while we look atartwork by pioneer pinscreen animators Claire Parker and Alexandre Alexeieff,The Trial is one surprising and visually startling chapter afteranother. The sense of an unrelieved, labyrinthine passage through anincoherent world--in which a very real but determinedly unclear guiltdogs poor K--is merciless but compelling to see, and resonates profoundlywith Welles's obsession with the power and nature of illusion. A cast heavy onfemale icons from the '60s includes Jeanne Moreau, Elsa Martinelli, and RomySchneider. Welles favorite Akim Tamiroff is also on hand, and Welles himselfplays the Advocate. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (34)

ORSON IN TOTALITARIANLAND
With an international cast involving Jeanne Moreau, Romy Schneider, Anthony Perkins, Fernand Ledoux and Michael Lonsdale, Orson Welles gave in 1961 a very personal version of Franz Kafka's THE TRIAL. The labyrinthic and anonymous world Joseph K. is living in has undoubtedly visually inspired Terry Gilliam for BRAZIL Look at Joseph K's office or think of the first scene of THE TRIAL when Anthony Perkins is awaking.

The outside scenes of THE TRIAL have been shot in Zagreb or in the middle of the suburbs of Paris, amidst anonymous buildings. The production design is one of the main characters of the movie and one has a little shock the first time Anthony Perkins is getting up from his bed : his head is nearly touching the ceiling. On the contrary, observe the huge doors of the courtroom that are destined to oppress the poor accused people.

The filmography of Orson Welles being so short, you must have this DVD in your library if you're interested in movies. The DVD presented by Image offers as bonus feature a teaser and a little presentation of the movie. No subtitles at all. Good images but a very poor sound.

An Orson W. DVD.

Quite a treat!
"Say what you like, but THE TRIAL is the best film I ever made!" So says Orson Welles of his 1962, underrated masterpiece THE TRIAL, taken from Franz Kafka's legendary novel of the same name, the story concerns Josef K, (Anthony Perkins in a world class performance) a bank clerk arrested and put on trial for an unspecified crime. The liquid tracking shots and receding perspectives familiar from TOUCH OF EVIL are refined here and more at home with the narrative of THE TRIAL. Welles' editing is also more distinctive and expressive, as K's world begins to reel faster and faster out of control, the editing itself transforms from the long takes in the beginning to more frenzic cutting giving certain scenes an oddly affecting flow. The exteriors are notably different from scene to scene, some Italian, some Yugoslavian, some Parisian, but all effective and creepily disorienting. The casting is also a plus: Romy Schneider as a seducing nurse who jumps on Josef t! he first chance she gets, Jeanne Moreau as a world-weary nighclub stripper with whom Josef is smitten, Orson himself as The Advocate, Akim Tamiroff as his client/slave, and Perkins, in a bit of casting that many people didn't understand, is truly a marvel and a revelation. With every facial expression and movement of his body he paints a portrait of man who on the surface strikes a cutting, heroic stance, but in private is really like all other people in his impatience with uncomfortable circumstances. He avoids the tempting opportunity to provide sympathy to K, as his plight grows more chaotic, his demeanor becomes more testy, and that's as it should be. Critics apparently wanted a nullingly straight rendition from the novel, but Welles, Perkins and the rest of the crew thankfully didn't oblige them. They find the perfect balance between a daring cinematic adaptation without sacrificing the spirit of the novel. While it's not his best, this is better than alot of Welles'! films, . 1. The Magnificent Ambersons 2. Falstaff 3. The ! Trial

Samir Roy END

Guilty!
What is Joseph K guilty of? There are a number of possibilities, none of which I will suggest here. I don't want to be guilty of ruining the fun of figuring that out for yourself. This movie is Welles at his brilliant best. Many great directors seem to have a trio of films that represent their greatest work. With Welles, those three seem to be Citizen Kane, Touch of Evil and The Trial. The Magnificent Ambersons wsa murdered by the studio and an editor sent in to hack together a new ending. But the Welles directed part is so good I guess it has to rank with the above mentioned three. Then there is Othello, ruined by poor funding; but is it a wreck of a movie? I guess it belongs with the above mentioned four. Forgive me, I guess I'm guilty of digressing, as well as assuming that one can pick three of Welles's movies that stand out from his other work. What I can say about The Trial is that Welles had enough money to make his ideas work as they should on screen. When a Welles movie has enough money to cover technical costs the movie is usually great. The Trial is no exception. The Milestone DVD is a little costly; but you get an excellent looking transfer, which is all you really need to make this movie worth owning.

A great adaptation of Kafka's book
The Trial is Orson Welles' adaptation of the Franz Kafka novel of the same name. It follows the story of Josef K., a man who finds himself in a nightmarish version of reality he neither understands, nor can escape from. It begins with Josef K. (played by Anthony Perkins) being awakened by police officers, who refuse to tell him the crime he's accused of. He's placed under arrest, but not taken into custody - they allow him to continue his "normal" life. Instead, he is taken away at bizarre moments to appear in court, which is a distorted mockery of the concept of justice. There is no judge, no jury, no stated charges, no burden of proof, no lawyers, and no one that assumes impartiality or responsibility. When Josef K. asks for a lawyer, he's told it's not necessary, since it's an "informal" questioning. After the "court" appearance, Josef K. goes to enlist "the Advocate" to defend him. The Advocate (played by Orson Welles) is portrayed as a demi-god of legal access and information not available to the common man - to be worshiped and feared at all costs, since without him, they are nothing. However, in the end, Josef K. is sentenced and eventually executed for these elusive crimes.
The Trial is a merging of the existential philosophies of Kafka with the cinematic genius of Welles. Josef K. is not a particularly empathetic character - he's weak, morally flexible, and passively pushed along this nightmare. In either ending, (the book or the film), Josef K. doesn't fight against his fate, or meekly accepts it. It embodies the existentialist view that Josef K.'s nightmare prison is one of his own making, and therefore only he is responsible for its injustices. Welles adds his own perspective in the sense that it reflected the subversive tactics of those in power around the judicial system during that time - a very Marxist perspective in the face of the McCarthy era, where the HUAC had frightening similarities to the nightmare court.
Overall, it's a film with many possible interpretations and meanings - that are neither right nor wrong, but dependent on the audience's own observations. Like most of Welles' and Kafka's work - you can either take it at face value, or as an intellectual piece - either way, it's a well done cinematic accomplishment.

Not much into the " noir " style of film making.
This film is dark in more ways than one. My copy was way dark. Of course it is emotionally dark also. Didn't much like the novel in college & my opinion hasn't improved. It was a pain to sit through it. This subject has so much promise but not with a depressive like Kafka. One of Welles lesser films to be sure. But one extra star for Welles portayal of the advocate, the best thing in this film. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Grand Duel (VHS) distributed by TIMELESS VIDEO INC.
The movie itself (plot, acting, etc.) is good - Lee van Cleef at his usual excellence. But the "quality" of the VHS cassette is below any acceptable standard. On the video side, there are scratches and other blemishes throughout the length of the movie. On the audio side, the sound track is so bad that over half of the dialogue is unintelligble - just a lot of cackle, crackle, and noise. The poor quality of the VHS destroys any enjoyment one would otherwise get from a good western.

False Info in previous review
This movie, "The Grand Duel," is not a new title on the original, "The Big Gundown." I watched "The Big Gundown," during the western channels Lee Van Clef month a few weeks ago, and although they are both spaghetti westerns they are not the same movie. "The Big Gundown" is MUCH MUCH better but doesn't appear to be on video yet.

Energetic Western, Good Music, 1 of Van Cleef's Best
One of the better movies that starred Lee Van Cleef in the late 60s/early 70s. This movie was originally released as "The Big Gundown." Good musical score, good plot twist that is very similar to that of a very good 1958 western Van Cleef had a small role in ("The Bravados" starring Gregory Peck). "Barquero" another similarly obscure Van Cleef western from late 60s/early 70s well worth watching but very hard to find.

Van Cleef the guardian angel eyes!
The Grand Duel is a fairly well made spaghetti western with the usual revenge theme of a man falsely accused of murder.There are some good stunts in the film, along with a lot of gratuitous violence and some brief nudity.Overall a pretty fair example of the genre. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Loved the book, but not the video
The producers of this film managed to take one of Twain's most enjoyable and hilarious books and turn it into a dull and lifeless "movie of the week". Perhaps my expectations were too high, but the humour and spirit of the original work was completely lacking. Not recommended. Read the book, it's wonderful! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Beware ! One woman on the loose !
A western film that stands upside down right on its head. Many thieves and robbers, on the frontier with Mexico, in the midst of the Mexican Revolution, with Mexican soldiers and Mexican revolutionaries, with all kinds of gangsters and other outlaws, with frightened bankers who get held or blown up, with women who are nothing but entertainment. Well, nearly all of them, except one who is a master mind in getting rich on the back of the thieves and robbers, the soldiers and revolutionaries, the gangsters and outlaws, the bankers and cops when necessary. She manipulates all of them men with her charm and flesh and she gets the money when it is ripe, without even making the slightest effort, except at luring all these men into falling into her trap. And you can be sure she never shuts her trap. Brilliant and funny with a Lolobrigida that is coming of age and starting her lovely and enticing career.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

Great Classic Western Comedy
Lee Van Cleef,James Mason along with the incomparable Gina Lolobrigida star in this great,classic western comedy about 2 men attempting to rob the Mexican Governmnt of a million dollars.It's a must see!!

CLASSIC WESTERN STARRING LEE VAN CLEEF & GINA LOLLABRIGIDA
Robber Roy, King loses his wife Alicia, to the revolutionary, soldier, Montero. Despite their rivalry, however, they collaborate in an attempt to rob the Mexican government of $1,000,000. With a great cast, performing at their best, and wonderful original sets, Bad Man's river is certainly a cut river is certainly a cut above the usual western fare. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Don't buy ep-mode garbage !!
A great movie, a great director, big stars - and an awful video-transfer!! This movie was recorded in the strange ep-mode and so it is impossible to watch it. Don't buy it and wait for a better transfer in vhs or DVD.. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

ORSON IN TOTALITARIANLAND
With an international cast involving Jeanne Moreau, Romy Schneider, Anthony Perkins, Fernand Ledoux and Michael Lonsdale, Orson Welles gave in 1961 a very personal version of Franz Kafka's THE TRIAL. The labyrinthic and anonymous world Joseph K. is living in has undoubtedly visually inspired Terry Gilliam for BRAZIL Look at Joseph K's office or think of the first scene of THE TRIAL when Anthony Perkins is awaking.

The outside scenes of THE TRIAL have been shot in Zagreb or in the middle of the suburbs of Paris, amidst anonymous buildings. The production design is one of the main characters of the movie and one has a little shock the first time Anthony Perkins is getting up from his bed : his head is nearly touching the ceiling. On the contrary, observe the huge doors of the courtroom that are destined to oppress the poor accused people.

The filmography of Orson Welles being so short, you must have this DVD in your library if you're interested in movies. The DVD presented by Image offers as bonus feature a teaser and a little presentation of the movie. No subtitles at all. Good images but a very poor sound.

An Orson W. DVD.

Quite a treat!
"Say what you like, but THE TRIAL is the best film I ever made!" So says Orson Welles of his 1962, underrated masterpiece THE TRIAL, taken from Franz Kafka's legendary novel of the same name, the story concerns Josef K, (Anthony Perkins in a world class performance) a bank clerk arrested and put on trial for an unspecified crime. The liquid tracking shots and receding perspectives familiar from TOUCH OF EVIL are refined here and more at home with the narrative of THE TRIAL. Welles' editing is also more distinctive and expressive, as K's world begins to reel faster and faster out of control, the editing itself transforms from the long takes in the beginning to more frenzic cutting giving certain scenes an oddly affecting flow. The exteriors are notably different from scene to scene, some Italian, some Yugoslavian, some Parisian, but all effective and creepily disorienting. The casting is also a plus: Romy Schneider as a seducing nurse who jumps on Josef t! he first chance she gets, Jeanne Moreau as a world-weary nighclub stripper with whom Josef is smitten, Orson himself as The Advocate, Akim Tamiroff as his client/slave, and Perkins, in a bit of casting that many people didn't understand, is truly a marvel and a revelation. With every facial expression and movement of his body he paints a portrait of man who on the surface strikes a cutting, heroic stance, but in private is really like all other people in his impatience with uncomfortable circumstances. He avoids the tempting opportunity to provide sympathy to K, as his plight grows more chaotic, his demeanor becomes more testy, and that's as it should be. Critics apparently wanted a nullingly straight rendition from the novel, but Welles, Perkins and the rest of the crew thankfully didn't oblige them. They find the perfect balance between a daring cinematic adaptation without sacrificing the spirit of the novel. While it's not his best, this is better than alot of Welles'! films, . 1. The Magnificent Ambersons 2. Falstaff 3. The ! Trial

Samir Roy END

Guilty!
What is Joseph K guilty of? There are a number of possibilities, none of which I will suggest here. I don't want to be guilty of ruining the fun of figuring that out for yourself. This movie is Welles at his brilliant best. Many great directors seem to have a trio of films that represent their greatest work. With Welles, those three seem to be Citizen Kane, Touch of Evil and The Trial. The Magnificent Ambersons wsa murdered by the studio and an editor sent in to hack together a new ending. But the Welles directed part is so good I guess it has to rank with the above mentioned three. Then there is Othello, ruined by poor funding; but is it a wreck of a movie? I guess it belongs with the above mentioned four. Forgive me, I guess I'm guilty of digressing, as well as assuming that one can pick three of Welles's movies that stand out from his other work. What I can say about The Trial is that Welles had enough money to make his ideas work as they should on screen. When a Welles movie has enough money to cover technical costs the movie is usually great. The Trial is no exception. The Milestone DVD is a little costly; but you get an excellent looking transfer, which is all you really need to make this movie worth owning.

A great adaptation of Kafka's book
The Trial is Orson Welles' adaptation of the Franz Kafka novel of the same name. It follows the story of Josef K., a man who finds himself in a nightmarish version of reality he neither understands, nor can escape from. It begins with Josef K. (played by Anthony Perkins) being awakened by police officers, who refuse to tell him the crime he's accused of. He's placed under arrest, but not taken into custody - they allow him to continue his "normal" life. Instead, he is taken away at bizarre moments to appear in court, which is a distorted mockery of the concept of justice. There is no judge, no jury, no stated charges, no burden of proof, no lawyers, and no one that assumes impartiality or responsibility. When Josef K. asks for a lawyer, he's told it's not necessary, since it's an "informal" questioning. After the "court" appearance, Josef K. goes to enlist "the Advocate" to defend him. The Advocate (played by Orson Welles) is portrayed as a demi-god of legal access and information not available to the common man - to be worshiped and feared at all costs, since without him, they are nothing. However, in the end, Josef K. is sentenced and eventually executed for these elusive crimes.
The Trial is a merging of the existential philosophies of Kafka with the cinematic genius of Welles. Josef K. is not a particularly empathetic character - he's weak, morally flexible, and passively pushed along this nightmare. In either ending, (the book or the film), Josef K. doesn't fight against his fate, or meekly accepts it. It embodies the existentialist view that Josef K.'s nightmare prison is one of his own making, and therefore only he is responsible for its injustices. Welles adds his own perspective in the sense that it reflected the subversive tactics of those in power around the judicial system during that time - a very Marxist perspective in the face of the McCarthy era, where the HUAC had frightening similarities to the nightmare court.
Overall, it's a film with many possible interpretations and meanings - that are neither right nor wrong, but dependent on the audience's own observations. Like most of Welles' and Kafka's work - you can either take it at face value, or as an intellectual piece - either way, it's a well done cinematic accomplishment.

Not much into the " noir " style of film making.
This film is dark in more ways than one. My copy was way dark. Of course it is emotionally dark also. Didn't much like the novel in college & my opinion hasn't improved. It was a pain to sit through it. This subject has so much promise but not with a depressive like Kafka. One of Welles lesser films to be sure. But one extra star for Welles portayal of the advocate, the best thing in this film. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

DELIGHTFUL ACTION ADVENTURE
The legendary Jean-Paul Belmondo stars as 18th Century swordsman, thief and rogue Bourguignon, alias CARTOUCHE. But when he meets the beautiful bandit Venus (the luscious Claudia Cardinale), they launch a series of scandalous raids that rock the Parisian aristocracy. The most wanted man in France is about to discover that true love may be the most dangerous caper of all.

The great Phillipe de Broca co-wrote and directed this sumptuous and surprising adventure. No extras, but in this case, the movie is more than enough. Recommended.

"Robin Hood" translated to France + Claudia Cardinale
I only take off a point because the color and sound are not quite as good as I would have hoped for a mid-'60s film and it's a tad overlong at 1 hr 55 min.

Otherwise, a very entertaining story (NOT a copy of Robin Hood, despite my allusion) combining humor, romance, and some tragedy, well-acted. Claudia Cardinale has never looked or sounded better and is convincing in her role to boot.

cartouche
When this movie was shown in my native country of Cuba in 1967 three years after being filmed, it was a sensation. Claudia Cardinale and Belmondo were great together, I have searched for this film, together with La Ragazza con la valigia and That man from Rio. Belmondo was a true James Bond in the adventures of the Amazone. Great films for the adolecents. They bring nostalgic memories of days gone. Belmondo and Cardinale are immortal.

Belmondo at his best
I have seen Cartouche a long time ago, when I was a kid. It was my favorite then, and it still is.

CARTOUCHE
A very elegant and impressive movie with an excellent music and scenery. Several too excessively performed scenes won't discourage me from such a high rating. Surely one of the best historical adventurous movies! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Quite a mix
This particular DVD version of "The Stranger" would have been much better without several of the so-called "extras." First, that annoying Delta logo that pops up in the lower right hand corner every so often. That should be the first to go. Second, the bizarre introduction and endnotes from Tony Curtis. What is that about? Lastly, the puny "Orson Welles On Film" documentary left a lot to be desired. It was mostly still photographs of Welles in various poses and long movie clips with some bland narration. For a much better documentary of Welles' career, I recommend "The Battle Over Citizen Kane."

You may wonder why I mentioned all this before talking about the movie itself...well, all the bells and whistles were distracting. However, I did enjoy the movie itself. Edward G. Robinson does a fine job as the Nazi hunter who has tracked down a fugitive (Welles) to a small Conneticut town. Orson Welles gives a quietly sinister performance as Rankin/Kindler; even his little "Mm-hms" are chilling, and when he scowls and glares, it's pretty intimidating. Loretta Young gets a little shrill as Rankin's dim bulb wife, but gives an adequate performance.

In summary: the film is well worth watching, especially for fans of Orson Welles. If you're going to buy it for keeps, however, you may want to look for another version that is better quality.

Aptly Titled
'The Stranger' is certainly an appropriate title. The film IS a strange one for director/actor Orson Welles ' it was uncharacteristically completed on time and under budget. It is also a fairly straight-ahead thriller that just barely has the 'Welles touch.' In fact, compared to Welles' other work, it seems'well, ordinary.

Welles plays a Nazi war criminal who has found refuge as a professor in a sleepy college town. This is the type of town where nothing much ever happens and the owner of the town's general store knows everyone and everything about them. When Edward G. Robinson comes to town looking for 'antiques,' suspicions are aroused, especially Welles'.

The best parts of 'The Stranger' are the cat-and-mouse game between Welles and Robinson as well as the relationship between Welles and his new wife Loretta Young. The film still holds up as a good thriller, but not a great one. The second half of the film feels too manipulated. You might say, 'But Welles was a MASTER of manipulation,' and you'd be right. But the difference here is in the manipulation of supporting characters who aren't given sufficient room to develop or to think.

The commentary track by Jeffrey Lyons is, unfortunately, unremarkable. Lyons spends much of his commentary giving us a resume of each film the actors made, rather than discussing the merits and qualities of the film. I was hoping that someone with the knowledge and expertise that Lyons possesses would give us more.

Although not as good as other Welles films, every film lover should watch the film to catch glimpses of greatness from Welles, Robinson, and Young.

95 minutes

Well worth the admission price
A neat thriller from Welles. Perhaps his least ambitious film, but a good story well-told and well-acted.

Welles is the nazi war criminal hiding out in a small Connecticut town where he has become a valued member of the community.

Edward G Robinson, playing a good guy for a change, is the detective who tracks him down, and then has to prove who he is.

It isn't up there with Citizen Kane, or the Magnificent Ambersons, it isn't a movie that will have your jaw dropping at its extravagant brilliance and fire-work, box-of-tricks direction. But it is solid, it is entertaining and it is well-scripted.

Certainly any project with the Orson Welles stamp is worth watching and this, on its own terms, is a well-honed and interesting minor classic.

Welles is superb in the lead role. There's a wonderful bit of dialogue when his professorial nazi character is fielding questions on the German character. Somebody asks him about Karl Marx to disprove a point.

"Ah, but Marx wasn't a German, he was a jew," comes the telling response, delivered with such arrogance and conviction it makes you seethe.

Well worth the admission price.

Well-paced thriller, atypical of Welles' style
The quality of this DVD is adequate: more watchable than the other Welles "Laserlight Classics," but nowhere near as sharp as, say, the recent DVD releases of "Citizen Kane" or "The Third Man." The bizarro Tony Curtis introduction is perhaps worth the price of admission alone! The bonus documentary is fairly perfunctory, but does contain some interesting and rarely seen trailers of Welles films.

On to the movie itself: In a scenario reminiscient of (but far less effective than) Hitchcock's "Shadow of a Doubt," Edward G. Robinson pursues the title character (Welles), who may or may not be an escaped Nazi, through a sleepy Connecticut town. Although "The Stranger" illustrates Welles' concerns that World War II did not spell the end of fascism, the film is by his own admission more of an attempt at profitable Hollywood product than an artistic statement. Despite this and the film's failure to live up to the inevitable comparison's with "Shadow of a Doubt," "The Stranger" remains a well-paced thriller, more enjoyable when considered apart from the rest of Welles' oeuvre. The trademark Welles style is evident in the South American prologue and the drugstore scenes, and the film achieves genuine suspense during the "paper chase" scene and the grand finale.

A very good film-noir
This is a very good film and one of the lesser-known film-noirs. Orson Welles is an escaped Nazi war criminal named Franz Kindler who hides out in a bucolic Connecticut town under an assumed name. He believes he can finally put his dark past behind him since nobody knows his true identity. He becomes a teacher at a prep school for boys and marries the headmaster's pretty but very naive daughter Mary, played very well by Loretta Young. Edward G. Robinson is also terrific in his role as a war crimes commissioner on Kindler's trail who shows up in town as an antique dealer. Welles and Robinson's characters play a cat & mouse game that ends in a dramatic climax atop the town's clock tower. At times Welles' performance comes off as over the top and the film can seem slightly melodramatic, but I believe those factors enhance the dense and brooding atmosphere. This is a good film with a simple plot and on cue performances that allow us to see the characters' motivations without being distracted by unimportant details. Richard Long and Martha Wentworth also star. Recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Loved the book, but not the video
The producers of this film managed to take one of Twain's most enjoyable and hilarious books and turn it into a dull and lifeless "movie of the week". Perhaps my expectations were too high, but the humour and spirit of the original work was completely lacking. Not recommended. Read the book, it's wonderful! ... Read more

Reviews (34)

ORSON IN TOTALITARIANLAND
With an international cast involving Jeanne Moreau, Romy Schneider, Anthony Perkins, Fernand Ledoux and Michael Lonsdale, Orson Welles gave in 1961 a very personal version of Franz Kafka's THE TRIAL. The labyrinthic and anonymous world Joseph K. is living in has undoubtedly visually inspired Terry Gilliam for BRAZIL Look at Joseph K's office or think of the first scene of THE TRIAL when Anthony Perkins is awaking.

The outside scenes of THE TRIAL have been shot in Zagreb or in the middle of the suburbs of Paris, amidst anonymous buildings. The production design is one of the main characters of the movie and one has a little shock the first time Anthony Perkins is getting up from his bed : his head is nearly touching the ceiling. On the contrary, observe the huge doors of the courtroom that are destined to oppress the poor accused people.

The filmography of Orson Welles being so short, you must have this DVD in your library if you're interested in movies. The DVD presented by Image offers as bonus feature a teaser and a little presentation of the movie. No subtitles at all. Good images but a very poor sound.

An Orson W. DVD.

Quite a treat!
"Say what you like, but THE TRIAL is the best film I ever made!" So says Orson Welles of his 1962, underrated masterpiece THE TRIAL, taken from Franz Kafka's legendary novel of the same name, the story concerns Josef K, (Anthony Perkins in a world class performance) a bank clerk arrested and put on trial for an unspecified crime. The liquid tracking shots and receding perspectives familiar from TOUCH OF EVIL are refined here and more at home with the narrative of THE TRIAL. Welles' editing is also more distinctive and expressive, as K's world begins to reel faster and faster out of control, the editing itself transforms from the long takes in the beginning to more frenzic cutting giving certain scenes an oddly affecting flow. The exteriors are notably different from scene to scene, some Italian, some Yugoslavian, some Parisian, but all effective and creepily disorienting. The casting is also a plus: Romy Schneider as a seducing nurse who jumps on Josef t! he first chance she gets, Jeanne Moreau as a world-weary nighclub stripper with whom Josef is smitten, Orson himself as The Advocate, Akim Tamiroff as his client/slave, and Perkins, in a bit of casting that many people didn't understand, is truly a marvel and a revelation. With every facial expression and movement of his body he paints a portrait of man who on the surface strikes a cutting, heroic stance, but in private is really like all other people in his impatience with uncomfortable circumstances. He avoids the tempting opportunity to provide sympathy to K, as his plight grows more chaotic, his demeanor becomes more testy, and that's as it should be. Critics apparently wanted a nullingly straight rendition from the novel, but Welles, Perkins and the rest of the crew thankfully didn't oblige them. They find the perfect balance between a daring cinematic adaptation without sacrificing the spirit of the novel. While it's not his best, this is better than alot of Welles'! films, . 1. The Magnificent Ambersons 2. Falstaff 3. The ! Trial

Samir Roy END

Guilty!
What is Joseph K guilty of? There are a number of possibilities, none of which I will suggest here. I don't want to be guilty of ruining the fun of figuring that out for yourself. This movie is Welles at his brilliant best. Many great directors seem to have a trio of films that represent their greatest work. With Welles, those three seem to be Citizen Kane, Touch of Evil and The Trial. The Magnificent Ambersons wsa murdered by the studio and an editor sent in to hack together a new ending. But the Welles directed part is so good I guess it has to rank with the above mentioned three. Then there is Othello, ruined by poor funding; but is it a wreck of a movie? I guess it belongs with the above mentioned four. Forgive me, I guess I'm guilty of digressing, as well as assuming that one can pick three of Welles's movies that stand out from his other work. What I can say about The Trial is that Welles had enough money to make his ideas work as they should on screen. When a Welles movie has enough money to cover technical costs the movie is usually great. The Trial is no exception. The Milestone DVD is a little costly; but you get an excellent looking transfer, which is all you really need to make this movie worth owning.

A great adaptation of Kafka's book
The Trial is Orson Welles' adaptation of the Franz Kafka novel of the same name. It follows the story of Josef K., a man who finds himself in a nightmarish version of reality he neither understands, nor can escape from. It begins with Josef K. (played by Anthony Perkins) being awakened by police officers, who refuse to tell him the crime he's accused of. He's placed under arrest, but not taken into custody - they allow him to continue his "normal" life. Instead, he is taken away at bizarre moments to appear in court, which is a distorted mockery of the concept of justice. There is no judge, no jury, no stated charges, no burden of proof, no lawyers, and no one that assumes impartiality or responsibility. When Josef K. asks for a lawyer, he's told it's not necessary, since it's an "informal" questioning. After the "court" appearance, Josef K. goes to enlist "the Advocate" to defend him. The Advocate (played by Orson Welles) is portrayed as a demi-god of legal access and information not available to the common man - to be worshiped and feared at all costs, since without him, they are nothing. However, in the end, Josef K. is sentenced and eventually executed for these elusive crimes.
The Trial is a merging of the existential philosophies of Kafka with the cinematic genius of Welles. Josef K. is not a particularly empathetic character - he's weak, morally flexible, and passively pushed along this nightmare. In either ending, (the book or the film), Josef K. doesn't fight against his fate, or meekly accepts it. It embodies the existentialist view that Josef K.'s nightmare prison is one of his own making, and therefore only he is responsible for its injustices. Welles adds his own perspective in the sense that it reflected the subversive tactics of those in power around the judicial system during that time - a very Marxist perspective in the face of the McCarthy era, where the HUAC had frightening similarities to the nightmare court.
Overall, it's a film with many possible interpretations and meanings - that are neither right nor wrong, but dependent on the audience's own observations. Like most of Welles' and Kafka's work - you can either take it at face value, or as an intellectual piece - either way, it's a well done cinematic accomplishment.

Not much into the " noir " style of film making.
This film is dark in more ways than one. My copy was way dark. Of course it is emotionally dark also. Didn't much like the novel in college & my opinion hasn't improved. It was a pain to sit through it. This subject has so much promise but not with a depressive like Kafka. One of Welles lesser films to be sure. But one extra star for Welles portayal of the advocate, the best thing in this film. ... Read more