Reviews (22)

Mini-series king Richard reigns supreme here. . .
I first saw this production in 1975, when I was a senior in high school, about the same time I was writing a paper about the book it's based on. From the time I was a little girl, Richard Chamberlain had made my heart flutter as Dr. Kildare on TV. "Count" was after the filming of Richard Lester's "Three Musketeers", but before such classic mini-series as "Shogun" and "Thorn Birds", which are what this generation associates the Chamberlain name with most readily. This production did a wonderful job depicting Edmond's despair and loss of hope as the years pass and he realizes that his enemies mean for him to rot away in the solitary confinement of prison. Fortunately, while trying to dig out of there, he digs himself into the cell of Abbe Faria, who becomes his teacher, mentor, savior. . .and ultimately, benefactor. (Trevor Howard was marvelous here, by the way).

It takes 20 years, but Edmond finally escapes jail, finds the treasure, engages the best barber and tailor in Paris, and proceeds to make monkeys of his betrayers. Chamberlain was physically right for this part--very thin, as if he'd subsisted on soup and bread for two decades--and capable of moving as smoothly as a panther. Kate Nelligan was excellent as Mercedes--a woman whose heart was equal mixtures of bitterness, regret, and love for her son alone after losing the great love of her life at age 20. I liked Tony Curtis--he'd played so many good guys in movies like Spartacus, and also comedy such as in Some Like It Hot--that it was fun to see him be the villian here.

All in all, this production was an excellent SHORT adaptation of the book. Had it been made five years later, when mini-series became more popular in America, much more could have done more with the secondary characters and little subplots. It would be the French who beat Hollywood to the remake, however, with the 1998 mini-series starring Gerard Depardieu in the title role. I rented the Chamberlain version and watched it again last year after having seen the Depardieu version for the first time. It's as good as it was 25 years ago, and the prison scenes are far superior to the ones in the Depardieu production. Other than that, you can't really compare the two of them. The French had a longer version, bigger budget, etc. The Chamberlain version, however, holds its own among newer English or American versions of Dumas' works. If you love the book, then all the video and DVD versions are worth collecting. I'll be adding this one to my own collection soon:)

A Story With A Strong Moral Lesson
THE COUNT OF MONTE CHRISTO is a film adaptation of the classic story by Alexandre Dumas of three men who conspire to have their common enemy Edmund Dantes sent to prison and the vengeance wreaked by Dantes after his escape many years later. The movie is reasonably faithful to the book. The early part of the film depicts prison life graphically and the mood changes abruptly for the better with the start of the revenge sequence.

Richard Chaberlain gives a good performance and is believable as both the younger and older Edmund Dantes. A strong supporting cast includes Kate Nelligan, Louis Jourdan, Donald Pleasance and Tony Curtis. David Greene is known for his direction of GRAY LADY DOWN and THE STRANGE AFFAIR.

An excellent film, full of rich characterization
This is a top-notch production. Richard Chamberlain, the fine English actor seen in "Shogun" and "Thornbirds", is in top form as the wronged and vengeful Edmund Dantes. The story begins with Edmund content and happy, then betrayed by a rival suitor. He spends 14 years in prison, then escapes and uncovers buried treasure through the directions of a fellow inmate. He resurfaces in Paris as the mysterious count of Monte Cristo and exacts revenge on the people who imprisoned him. The story moves swiftly and is quite engaging. Richard Chamberlain is believable and compelling, both as the young Edmund, before prison, then as the older and cunning Count of Monte Cristo. The acting from the supporting cast is also almost uniformly excellent. The script is well-written, although it is a bit stunted at times. This movie is part of a set of 8 in a series called LITERARY MASTERPIECES. I have also seen 2 others in this series, LES MISERABLES and THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK. These were top-notch productions as well. END

Richard Chamberlain .....IS.....THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO!
Richard Chamberlain gives a commanding performance as THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO. The newer version, with Jim Caviezel is bland and less believable, largely because Caviezel cannot compete with Chamberlain's passion and style. Richard Chamberlain was created to play this role with his long, lean, graceful body and beautifully carved facial features. No one has the ability to wear the gorgeous costumes and capes with such grandeur! Richard Chamberlain can always be counted on to provide stately charm and class when needed. This film will leave no doubt in your mind......Richard Chamberlain ....IS......THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO!

Chamberlain, Count of Monte Cristo
I have always like Richard Chamberlain, but I think this is one of his best works. The story does not bog down and action keeps going. I love movies in this time period and would like to see more of them. The scenery and acting in this movie, not only by Richard Chamberlain, but of all the actors is phenominal. I highly recommend that if you have not seen this movie, take the time to see it. It will be well worth your time. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Good movie, but not quite as good as the book. . .
As with the first Black Stallion movie, I probably would have liked this one better if I hadn't read the book first. There are lots of things that are changed -- for example, the setting for the Black's home is changed to North Africa instead of Saudi Arabia, and Alec ends up going off on the journey by himself, instead of with Henry and Mr. Volence, the owner of one of the horses who ran against Alec in the match race. But these are changes I can handle. The one thing that really irks me is the way Abu Ishak was portrayed. In the book, Abu Ishak was a pretty nice guy. He offered Alec a reward when he came to claim the Black -- legally and tactfully -- and understood how much Alec loved the Black. When Alec and his travelling companions find Abu Ishak's home, Abu Ishak warmly welcomes them. In the film, however the same character is a total jerk. He ruthlessly snatches the Black away after setting the Ramsay's barn on fire to create a diversion, and even ties Alec up at the pier to stop him from following them. And when Alec treks all the way across the desert to find him, Abu Ishak only allows Alec to stay after Alec coerces him into it by appealing to his conscience. Only at the end at the film does he show something resembling kindness. The ending in the film was OK, but I like the book's ending better, when Ishak promises Alec the Black's first colt. I suppose the directors wanted to make sure there wouldn't be another sequel. Cass-Ole's presence was about the only thing that made this film very appealing. I give it two stars.

The Black returns to his homeland.
I watched this movie in the theater when it first came out. It was a great movie. I cried when Abu ben Ishak claimed the stallion from Alec, while Alec was trying to encourage the stallion to gallop away, who refused to move. The book is much different from the movie but both book and movie are great to read and to watch. I would have liked to see Abu go to Alec's home and explain about Shetan(the Black's true Arabian name) being his and that the stallion was stolen from him. (somewhat similar to what the book did.) Instead they had them kidnap the stallion, wrong thing to do, if Alec was smart he would have turned back to the cops that must have been at the house while the barn was burning down and told them that someone was stealing his horse. But he didn't. What he did was run after the thieves and get into the trailer with the Black. But they must have stopped once or twice on the way to the waterfront werehouse. Alex could have easily have escaped with the Black before they reached the werehouse. The whole movie was great, a few things were not by the book but I guess that's how Hollywood wanted the movie to be. I still love both movie and book.

Not up to the original, but not bad for younger viewers
Certainly this is a far cry from the magnificent, magical dream-poem that is the original Black Stallion movie. More of a standard animal/adventure film for younger viewers and if you think about it that way, it's not too bad. Most of the original cast (except Mr. Rooney) return and it was made in a timely enough way that Kelly Reno is still relatively young and charming -- a really non-actorish child actor and part of the whole appeal. I read both books as a little tyke, but didn't remember the second book too well. It seems to me that many of the details were changed but the general idea of the Black being kidnapped back to his original home in an Arabic country is retained.

Alec's adventures chasing his horse are appealing and interesting, and so is the climactic race at the end. But the story just peters out, and we never see Alec return home or what he does without his beloved horse now. (You do have to wonder in a kid's film why there is no resolution with his poor mom (Terri Garr), who had to be frantic when her young son mysteriously disappears for about three months.)

I applied the "11 year old girl who is horse crazy" test to this film, and decided it would definitely pass. That is who it is really made for, despite the male protagonist (and there is a girl rider in the plot, although she gets the heave-ho in favor of the hero). And that girl (me, about a million years ago) would have enjoyed this, although not as much as the original. It would have held my attention and I would have wanted to view it several times.

If your children loved the first film, this much more prosaic sequel would probably be of interest. Just don't expect great art.

The Stallion Returns!!!
Four years after the first film, l983 would usher in this sequel to the The Black Stallion, and Kelly Reno would once again be the one who rescues the Arabian stallion from other thrilling captivities. There are more horses, exotic locations, and thrilling plots here than meets the eye, and the story gets so much better. But of course, it is "Cass-ole" who steals the show - the beautiful black Arabian stallion.

A might fine sequel to a great original film. Highly recommended!!!

one of my favorite all time movies!!!
the black stallion is one of the most magnificent creatures i have ever seen and the desert scenery is quite spectacular in this film... does anyone know how i can get a hold of the music, even just sheet music to this film? it's so beautiful... ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Excellent true life World War II suspense story!
Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer give outstanding performances as Monsr. Hugh O'Flaherty(Peck) and SS Col. Herbert Kapler(Plummer). The action and suspense of the movie keeps it going at a brisk pace. The story follows Peck as a Vatican official trying to save Italian Jews and Allied escaped POW's from the hands of the German SS. Plummers portrayal as Col. Kapler is both chilling and frightening, especially when he personally executes a Catholic priest who was caught helping the Resistance. Peck's portrayal of Father O'Flaherty is very moving to watch. The intelligence and compassion of this man truly shows through and shows how much Father O'Flaherty deserved the awards and decorations he received from the Allies after the war. And the ending is very surprising as well! It is also a plus having the movie shot in Rome where the actual events took place. A truly classic movie. I highly recommend it.

Excellent true life World War II suspense story!
Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer give outstanding performances as Monsr. Hugh O'Flaherty(Peck) and SS Col. Herbert Kapler(Plummer). The action and suspense of the movie keeps it going at a brisk pace. The story follows Peck as a Vatican official trying to save Italian Jews and Allied escaped POW's from the hands of the German SS. Plummers portrayal as Col. Kapler is both chilling and frightening, especially when he personally executes a Catholic priest who was caught helping the Resistance. Peck's portrayal of Father O'Flaherty is very moving to watch. The intelligence and compassion of this man truly shows through and shows how much Father O'Flaherty deserved the awards and decorations he received from the Allies after the war. And the ending is very surprising as well! It is also a plus having the movie shot in Rome where the actual events took place. A truly classic movie. I highly recommend it.

amazon bias
erik reitz review is incredibly bigoted and hostile toward catholics - however i wrote a review pointing this out and incredibly you don't post my review but retain his - another thing i've noticed that amazon allows bigoted views against western civ, christianity, catholicism, anglos, men, heterosexuals etc to be posted & while some people will reply exposing this bigotry amazon runs the double standard of allowing unrestrained bigotry on one side while censoring the other side - you claim to moderate fairly yet what you do is allow left wing bigotry unchecked and the rest censored - amazon has presented a hostile evironment to the above mentioned censored majority of which i am a part - i cringe everytime i shop amazon's reviews that my sensibilities will not only be ignored but trampled and violated

The Scarlet & The Black
Great Job ... Acting, Location & Story. Its nice to see one more positive telling of the Church during the war. Not too many people know that the Chief Rabi of Rome during and immediately after the war, Israel Zolii, was so impressed by the Christians in Rome who tried to protect Jews from nazi persecution, that he was baptised as Catholic shortly after the end of the war. He took for his Christian name Eugene ... the same first name as Pope Pius XII, whom he especially admired as a friend and protector of Jews. He died as a devout Catholic.

One of the best!
This movie never gets enough credit! This is one of the best war time movies ever and with Mr. Peck's passing this is a must see for Peck fans who have not seen this movie. Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer in one of his best roles play a cat and mouse game during WW2. The acting is fantastic and there is a lot of suspense! A must see! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Alexander Ramati's The Assisi Underground
The story of Italian priests hiding Jews in the Chapel of St. Francis and Cloister of St. Clare should have been given better treatment than this poorly done film.

Slashed by almost an hour from its original release, Cross plays a young priest asked by Bishop James Mason to hide some Jews in the monastery and cloister at Assisi. He does, while making friends with thoughtful Nazi Maximilian Schell, as the town commandant. Jews are almost discovered, the war ends, everyone gets a little mention about what happened to them at the end of the film.

The film's pace here is dull. The film is nothing more than Nazi extras asking for identification papers and Cross looking like the cat that ate the canary. I half expected him to wink at the camera everytime a Nazi goose stepped into frame. Cross also often forgets his Italian accent. Mason's idea of an Italian accent is to add an "uh" syllable at the end of every word, such as "We-uh must-uh help-uh the-uh Jews-uh." Most of his speeches are completely devoid of understanding, I thought I was listening to pig latin.

The Jews here are not shown as victims so much as that they have been inconvenienced by World War II. They do not come across as stoic and bold, but spoiled and complaining. In one embarassing scene, Cross, loved by all Jews who meet him, does a magic trick, compliments a painting, and comforts Jews like he is the activities director at an adult day care facility.

Maximilian Schell comes off best as the Nazi officer torn between his obligation to the Third Reich and his upbringing as a Catholic. Not enough of his inner turmoil was explored.

The film also features a horrendous soundtrack that sounds like bits and pieces of other war films just thrown into the sound mix. There are a couple of battle scenes, one with obvious stock footage, but this is not good.

"The Assisi Underground" was made by the guys at the old Cannon Group studio, and that was the first mistake if you are familiar with their product. I cannot recommend this film.

This is rated (PG) for gun violence and mild profanity.

Great Movie About The Italian Resistance During World War 2
This is a great film about the Italian - Catholic resistance movement during the NAZI occuppation of Italy. Like its coutnerpart "The Scarlet and the Black" with Gregory Peck and John Gielguld, this movie features an excellent cast that includes Ben Cross and James Mason. When I first saw this movie on television I knew I had to have the video for my library and to share it with others. The others by the way, loved it, also calling it a great movie.

I thought it noteworthy that the movie points out that the Italian Resistance helped save all but 2 percent of Italy's Jews - just the opposite of what happened in all the other Nazi occupied countries. Since I have heard my people called cowards and turncoats all my life, this was especially welcomed.

The Assissi Underground
Although not filled with hi-tech footages and action packed scenarios, The Assisi Underground is based on a small group of Catholic monasteries and convents in Italy that forms an underground railroad that only rivals Harriet Tubman's Underground Railroad of the 19th Century.

Ben Cross plays a young catholic priest who shows us through his eyes the struggle to keep Italian Jews at bay from the clutches of the Nazi regime that has infiltrated Italy. His ease and care of his charges is charming and thoughtfully played. The young priest finds a godsend through a colonel in the German army who is also a humanitarian, and in seeming unknowing ways helps the priest execute his mission.

Slow at times, this film integrates real WWII film and newspaper clippings to keep time with the events of WWII. Ben Cross's performance speaks multitudes of the anxiety and anticipation of the Third Reich's actions during its occupation of Italy.

History enthusiasts should find it intriguing. Although not filled with hi-tech footages and action packed scenarios, The Assissi Underground is based on a small group of Catholic monastaries and convents in Italy that forms an underground railroad that only rivals Harriet Tubman's Underground Railroad of the 19th Century.

Ben Cross plays a young catholic priest who shows us through his eyes the struggle to keep Italian Jews at bay from the clutches of the Nazi regime that has infiltrated Italy. His ease and care of his charges is charming and thoughtfully played. The young priest finds a god-send through a colonel in the German army who is also a humanitarian, and in unseemingly ways helps the priest excecute his mission.

Slow at times, this film integrates real WWII film and newspaper clippings to keep time with the events of WWII. Ben Cross's performance speaks multitudes of the anxiety and anticipation of the Third Reicht's actions during its occupation of Italy.

History enthusiasts should find it intriguing. ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Living tension
For anyone who went to the Sarthe circuit for the Le Mans 24 hour in the 1970s this is the film that captures it all, far better than any home video ever could. The cars are the stars, the PA system with its irregular English update provides the commentary, and the drivers are the hired bit players.

Anyone who bags this film does not understand the tension and drama of most dangerous motor race in the world, and shouldn't be reviewing the film. Most dangerous motor race in the world? Nudging 400 kph at night in a rainstorm is dangerous!

The dialogue is sparse, and so it should be: the racing engine whose deep bellow rises to a crescendo, the tortured tyres that screech at every misguided change in direction and the chilling sound of shattering fibreglass, perspex and composite alloys tell the viewer what is really happening.

How real is this film? The camera car, which is seen in at least one scene entering the pit straight, came ninth outright. One of the drivers lost his leg during a practice shunt that is caught on film. There are fudges in the filming; note when MacQueen destoys his car the back wheels are still spinning long after the Porsche has bounced off a few armco fences. The accelerator was wedged open to prolong the crash.

Steve MacQueen's legacy to the motor racing enthusiast is one of the purest films made.

The Best Ever Racing Movie? Yes.
For the true race car enthusiast, LeMans, after more than 30 years remains the most realistic racing movie ever made. Steve McQueen was a true sports car enthusiast and a racer himself, and he hired director John Frankenheimer to film him (Steve) in the world's most important sports car race -The 24 Hours of LeMans. Real factory race cars from Porsche and Ferrari were used to make the movie, and cameras were mounted in the cars during the race for much of the movie footage. The action was real, the crowds, the location.

The only thing lacking was a story, an afterthought hastily written after the movie was halfway through production. But still, much better than the scripts in more recent films like "Days of Thunder" and "Driven" where we are led to believe an inexperienced rookie (Tom Cruise) and a washed-up has been (Sly Stalone) can roll onto a race track without practice, break the track records, stick quarters to their tires at 160 mph, start CART race cars without starters and race through downtown Chicago at night without lights and not draw the attention of police, and then go out and beat the established champs in the race the next day.

Another old movie like LeMans, "Grand Prix" with James Garner was good. Real tracks like Monaco, real drivers in the background scenes, but the cars were mocked-up Formula 3 cars -not Formula 1, and you could tell. Get LeMans, and get Steve McQueen's "Bullet" for the epic streets of San Frabncisco car chase scene, one of the best chase scene ever (now only recently relegated to 2nd place by the chase scene in "Ronan").

It will bore you indefinitely....
The photography is really amazing, but the movie is simply boring. Al least, at the end the victory goes to Larry Wilson, not for Steve "Michael Delaney" McQueen, what is a good turn to the movie. (The POrsche cars wew driven by pilots such as Jacky Ickx).

The idea of this movie was to document the suspense, drama, power and energy of a 24-hour race at Le Mans (the 1970 edition. It accomplished its purpose, but it's not a great movie experience.

Make no mistake: This is NOT a movie!
Make no mistake: This is NOT a movie! I'm rating it two stars not because it's bad. It's just because this is almost a doccumentary, not a movie. There is absolutely NO acting, no dialogues. The few times the cast open their mouths arwe for some contrieved and dull dialogues (although they do their best clearly). The movie is an endless line of cars chasing cars and chasing cars. If you're an auto-racing fan (like myself), it's clear you'll enjoy the sequences. But, if you are not biased, you'll notice clearly why this movie bombed at the box office.

It's not a bad movie at all!! It's a GREAT Movie. But, unfortunately, it has no actor nor dialogues.

Essential for ever LeMans fan
Of course how can we forget the studious Steve McQueen. A real LeMans racer. In this video you'll be amazed to the sights and speed of LeMans in the early 70's. Seeing these cars reach 200mph in the 70's is very fun to watch, they slip and slide without any nannying electronics. Leading you think and compare them to the cars of today such as the Audi R8s. These are the dinosaur ages of LeMans. Slipping and sliding the cars of the 70s are very popular indeed. The Porsche 917s are amazing but few would recall it was a bright red one that crossed the finish line first, but hey this is a movie so they had a blue one cross the stripe. Its a great film to see where LeMans was in the 70s and the speed and excitement an endurance race offers. Seeing the Porsches battle the Ferraris for the lead not on the GT class but for the overall lead. The cars in the film are regarded as one of the best and should not be missed. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Tense & very convincing
The story centers around a number of very different men (and their families)...they all have one thing in common - their job. The job is to protect a new judge who is intent on clamping down on the mafia - in Sicily...not quite a regular 9 to 5 job and one which gives plenty of room to bring you to the edge of your seat. The score is excellent and adds wonderfully to the tension which just seems to build and build in a delightfully non-Hollywood fashion that doesn't enable you to predict what is going to happen or when.

A great movie which is well worth reading the subtitles for if you don't speak Italian...too bad its not on DVD yet - a VHS copy will surely get worn out as even knowing the story does not remove the impact that this movie has so there is a good chance you will watch it often.

Don't miss this film
This is a film that Hollywood will probably remake and butcher a la La Femme Nikita. Great, great drama. See the real thing. Ricky Tognazzi is a serious talent. See it.

La Scorta: An Un-Hollywood Thriller
Because Ricky Tognazzi didn't have a Hollywood budget to make this true-crime story work, he relied on the basics: fast action, interesting characters, and genuine tension. Based on the true story of a government prosecutor who stood up to the Mafia in Sicily, "La Scorta" is a good buddy movie and great action movie rolled into one. With little special effects at his disposal, Tognazzi creates tension the old fashioned way: skill. He makes even the most simple moments seem dangerous, as they must have seemed for the real-life escorts whose job it was to protect the prosecutor from assasination. "La Scorta" is vivid proof of great action movies outside of Hollywood.

A Tense, Human Story of Honor and Courage
An engrossing film about a team of Carabinieri (Italian National Police) assigned to bodyguard a crusading magistrate in a Mafia-corrupted city in Sicily. Facing endemic corruption and escalating threats of retribution for their Magistrate's anti-corruption efforts, the "escort" team draws together, determined to protect him in his effort to break the Mafia grip on the city of Trapani. The film effectively portrays the insidiousness of corruption, as tainted politicians and even fellow justice officials seek to obstruct the Magistrate's efforts. Tognazzi creates increasing tension and a sense of foreboding as it becomes clear that the Magistrate and his escort have been targeted for elimination by organized criminal gangs. The film presents an interesting study in group dynamics as the escort team's diverse characters overcome their own bickering, apathy, and (ultimately) fear to protect their charge. The film is strnegthened by engaging performances from its ensemble cast. Tense, thrilling, and inspiring, "La Scorta" is not to be missed. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A classic auto-racing movie starring Steve McQueen, Le Mans puts the audience in the driver's seat for what is often called the most grueling race in the world. The French auto race Le Mans is a 24-hour affair through the French countryside, a demanding ordeal for any driver. McQueen (Bullitt, The Great Escape) plays the American driver, locked in an intense grudge match with his German counterpart even as he wrestles with the guilt over causing an accident that cost the life of a close friend. McQueen is his usual stoic magnetic self, and the racing sequences are among the best ever committed to film. A solid character-driven story combines with raw visceral power to make Le Mans a rich tapestry of action and thrills. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Living tension
For anyone who went to the Sarthe circuit for the Le Mans 24 hour in the 1970s this is the film that captures it all, far better than any home video ever could. The cars are the stars, the PA system with its irregular English update provides the commentary, and the drivers are the hired bit players.

Anyone who bags this film does not understand the tension and drama of most dangerous motor race in the world, and shouldn't be reviewing the film. Most dangerous motor race in the world? Nudging 400 kph at night in a rainstorm is dangerous!

The dialogue is sparse, and so it should be: the racing engine whose deep bellow rises to a crescendo, the tortured tyres that screech at every misguided change in direction and the chilling sound of shattering fibreglass, perspex and composite alloys tell the viewer what is really happening.

How real is this film? The camera car, which is seen in at least one scene entering the pit straight, came ninth outright. One of the drivers lost his leg during a practice shunt that is caught on film. There are fudges in the filming; note when MacQueen destoys his car the back wheels are still spinning long after the Porsche has bounced off a few armco fences. The accelerator was wedged open to prolong the crash.

Steve MacQueen's legacy to the motor racing enthusiast is one of the purest films made.

The Best Ever Racing Movie? Yes.
For the true race car enthusiast, LeMans, after more than 30 years remains the most realistic racing movie ever made. Steve McQueen was a true sports car enthusiast and a racer himself, and he hired director John Frankenheimer to film him (Steve) in the world's most important sports car race -The 24 Hours of LeMans. Real factory race cars from Porsche and Ferrari were used to make the movie, and cameras were mounted in the cars during the race for much of the movie footage. The action was real, the crowds, the location.

The only thing lacking was a story, an afterthought hastily written after the movie was halfway through production. But still, much better than the scripts in more recent films like "Days of Thunder" and "Driven" where we are led to believe an inexperienced rookie (Tom Cruise) and a washed-up has been (Sly Stalone) can roll onto a race track without practice, break the track records, stick quarters to their tires at 160 mph, start CART race cars without starters and race through downtown Chicago at night without lights and not draw the attention of police, and then go out and beat the established champs in the race the next day.

Another old movie like LeMans, "Grand Prix" with James Garner was good. Real tracks like Monaco, real drivers in the background scenes, but the cars were mocked-up Formula 3 cars -not Formula 1, and you could tell. Get LeMans, and get Steve McQueen's "Bullet" for the epic streets of San Frabncisco car chase scene, one of the best chase scene ever (now only recently relegated to 2nd place by the chase scene in "Ronan").

It will bore you indefinitely....
The photography is really amazing, but the movie is simply boring. Al least, at the end the victory goes to Larry Wilson, not for Steve "Michael Delaney" McQueen, what is a good turn to the movie. (The POrsche cars wew driven by pilots such as Jacky Ickx).

The idea of this movie was to document the suspense, drama, power and energy of a 24-hour race at Le Mans (the 1970 edition. It accomplished its purpose, but it's not a great movie experience.

Make no mistake: This is NOT a movie!
Make no mistake: This is NOT a movie! I'm rating it two stars not because it's bad. It's just because this is almost a doccumentary, not a movie. There is absolutely NO acting, no dialogues. The few times the cast open their mouths arwe for some contrieved and dull dialogues (although they do their best clearly). The movie is an endless line of cars chasing cars and chasing cars. If you're an auto-racing fan (like myself), it's clear you'll enjoy the sequences. But, if you are not biased, you'll notice clearly why this movie bombed at the box office.

It's not a bad movie at all!! It's a GREAT Movie. But, unfortunately, it has no actor nor dialogues.

Essential for ever LeMans fan
Of course how can we forget the studious Steve McQueen. A real LeMans racer. In this video you'll be amazed to the sights and speed of LeMans in the early 70's. Seeing these cars reach 200mph in the 70's is very fun to watch, they slip and slide without any nannying electronics. Leading you think and compare them to the cars of today such as the Audi R8s. These are the dinosaur ages of LeMans. Slipping and sliding the cars of the 70s are very popular indeed. The Porsche 917s are amazing but few would recall it was a bright red one that crossed the finish line first, but hey this is a movie so they had a blue one cross the stripe. Its a great film to see where LeMans was in the 70s and the speed and excitement an endurance race offers. Seeing the Porsches battle the Ferraris for the lead not on the GT class but for the overall lead. The cars in the film are regarded as one of the best and should not be missed. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Excellent true life World War II suspense story!
Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer give outstanding performances as Monsr. Hugh O'Flaherty(Peck) and SS Col. Herbert Kapler(Plummer). The action and suspense of the movie keeps it going at a brisk pace. The story follows Peck as a Vatican official trying to save Italian Jews and Allied escaped POW's from the hands of the German SS. Plummers portrayal as Col. Kapler is both chilling and frightening, especially when he personally executes a Catholic priest who was caught helping the Resistance. Peck's portrayal of Father O'Flaherty is very moving to watch. The intelligence and compassion of this man truly shows through and shows how much Father O'Flaherty deserved the awards and decorations he received from the Allies after the war. And the ending is very surprising as well! It is also a plus having the movie shot in Rome where the actual events took place. A truly classic movie. I highly recommend it.

Excellent true life World War II suspense story!
Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer give outstanding performances as Monsr. Hugh O'Flaherty(Peck) and SS Col. Herbert Kapler(Plummer). The action and suspense of the movie keeps it going at a brisk pace. The story follows Peck as a Vatican official trying to save Italian Jews and Allied escaped POW's from the hands of the German SS. Plummers portrayal as Col. Kapler is both chilling and frightening, especially when he personally executes a Catholic priest who was caught helping the Resistance. Peck's portrayal of Father O'Flaherty is very moving to watch. The intelligence and compassion of this man truly shows through and shows how much Father O'Flaherty deserved the awards and decorations he received from the Allies after the war. And the ending is very surprising as well! It is also a plus having the movie shot in Rome where the actual events took place. A truly classic movie. I highly recommend it.

amazon bias
erik reitz review is incredibly bigoted and hostile toward catholics - however i wrote a review pointing this out and incredibly you don't post my review but retain his - another thing i've noticed that amazon allows bigoted views against western civ, christianity, catholicism, anglos, men, heterosexuals etc to be posted & while some people will reply exposing this bigotry amazon runs the double standard of allowing unrestrained bigotry on one side while censoring the other side - you claim to moderate fairly yet what you do is allow left wing bigotry unchecked and the rest censored - amazon has presented a hostile evironment to the above mentioned censored majority of which i am a part - i cringe everytime i shop amazon's reviews that my sensibilities will not only be ignored but trampled and violated

The Scarlet & The Black
Great Job ... Acting, Location & Story. Its nice to see one more positive telling of the Church during the war. Not too many people know that the Chief Rabi of Rome during and immediately after the war, Israel Zolii, was so impressed by the Christians in Rome who tried to protect Jews from nazi persecution, that he was baptised as Catholic shortly after the end of the war. He took for his Christian name Eugene ... the same first name as Pope Pius XII, whom he especially admired as a friend and protector of Jews. He died as a devout Catholic.

One of the best!
This movie never gets enough credit! This is one of the best war time movies ever and with Mr. Peck's passing this is a must see for Peck fans who have not seen this movie. Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer in one of his best roles play a cat and mouse game during WW2. The acting is fantastic and there is a lot of suspense! A must see! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Emanuelle Nera
This is by far the best Emanuelle film out there. If you are a fan of Laura's then you have to watch this film. If you just heard about the film and aren't sure, then just get it, it is worth just seeing Laura Gemser in it.

Soft-core art in cinema
Among the "Emmanuel" films that had come before the original, "Black" is the king of the soft-core porn genre. It's goes beyond corny 70s wham-bam-thank-yo-ma'am type of soft-core cinema. If you want to see erotisim at it's best, check out this film filled with interracial, bi-sexual, and very erotic film.

Soft-core's true heroine
"Black" is soft-core porn with a sexy hero in Emmanuel--a beauty searching to shed away her inhibitions as well as her clothes. To say the least, it is a sexual journey of a young woman in a strange place. Involved are her friends, which are affected by Emmanuel's hunger for sex. It is an classic to the erotic genre, but fresh in its sexual antics and erotica. It is a film breaking away old sexual taboos such as bi-sexuality and even interracial love affiars. This film is a rebel and I enjoyed it a lot. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Intriguing idea, mediocre ending
The idea of an official Roman investigation into the theft of Jesus' body is a stroke of genius, but the filmmakers flubbed their premise with a boring almost-romance between Taurus and Mrs. Pilate, and a silly end act as Taurus goes undercover as a Jew to find Jesus. Heartfelt but flawed film.

A very memorable, but underrated film
I saw this film in a cinema in Rome, on its initial release. I remember it for the effect it had on the audience. After it had finished, the auditorium was in deep silence, for a substantial length of time, before people started moving to the exit. The atmosphere was stunned and one of deep thought. This film touches a nerve as it questions the balance of forces between the clear, rational search for understanding of the central character, the Roman investigator, and the power of faith, no matter how irrational, in the minds of those who believe. It is a masterstroke of Damiani and his mentor in this film, Ennio Flaiano, that the figure of Jesus is obliquely presented, solely through the perspectives of others, which alone marks this film out from most examples of the 'biblical' genre. I know of no-one who has seen this unusual film who has not had cause for deep reflection afterwards.

Thought Provoking Drama
This is one of those films that gets off to a slow start, but builds inexorably on an engrossing premise to end on a powerful note. The story draws you in to the inquiry of the title,never giving away the surprising twists and turns of the plot.

What I appreciated most about this film was the presence of a good story line and plot that kept your interest as the inquiry progressed into the unknown. The sense of mystery was heightened by the sparse locale and simple sets. The dialouge requires you to engage your mind.

Harvey Keitel is perfect as a suspicious Pontius Pilate. His performance alone makes this worth seeing for anyone who is a fan. Carradine is good, but it isn't till the end of the film, when he is mistaken for the person he is looking for, that his performance transcends to become truly memorable.

I found myself thinking about this story and the questions it raised long after I had seen it. This film stays with you, and to me that is the mark of a successful production. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Good movie, but not quite as good as the book. . .
As with the first Black Stallion movie, I probably would have liked this one better if I hadn't read the book first. There are lots of things that are changed -- for example, the setting for the Black's home is changed to North Africa instead of Saudi Arabia, and Alec ends up going off on the journey by himself, instead of with Henry and Mr. Volence, the owner of one of the horses who ran against Alec in the match race. But these are changes I can handle. The one thing that really irks me is the way Abu Ishak was portrayed. In the book, Abu Ishak was a pretty nice guy. He offered Alec a reward when he came to claim the Black -- legally and tactfully -- and understood how much Alec loved the Black. When Alec and his travelling companions find Abu Ishak's home, Abu Ishak warmly welcomes them. In the film, however the same character is a total jerk. He ruthlessly snatches the Black away after setting the Ramsay's barn on fire to create a diversion, and even ties Alec up at the pier to stop him from following them. And when Alec treks all the way across the desert to find him, Abu Ishak only allows Alec to stay after Alec coerces him into it by appealing to his conscience. Only at the end at the film does he show something resembling kindness. The ending in the film was OK, but I like the book's ending better, when Ishak promises Alec the Black's first colt. I suppose the directors wanted to make sure there wouldn't be another sequel. Cass-Ole's presence was about the only thing that made this film very appealing. I give it two stars.

The Black returns to his homeland.
I watched this movie in the theater when it first came out. It was a great movie. I cried when Abu ben Ishak claimed the stallion from Alec, while Alec was trying to encourage the stallion to gallop away, who refused to move. The book is much different from the movie but both book and movie are great to read and to watch. I would have liked to see Abu go to Alec's home and explain about Shetan(the Black's true Arabian name) being his and that the stallion was stolen from him. (somewhat similar to what the book did.) Instead they had them kidnap the stallion, wrong thing to do, if Alec was smart he would have turned back to the cops that must have been at the house while the barn was burning down and told them that someone was stealing his horse. But he didn't. What he did was run after the thieves and get into the trailer with the Black. But they must have stopped once or twice on the way to the waterfront werehouse. Alex could have easily have escaped with the Black before they reached the werehouse. The whole movie was great, a few things were not by the book but I guess that's how Hollywood wanted the movie to be. I still love both movie and book.

Not up to the original, but not bad for younger viewers
Certainly this is a far cry from the magnificent, magical dream-poem that is the original Black Stallion movie. More of a standard animal/adventure film for younger viewers and if you think about it that way, it's not too bad. Most of the original cast (except Mr. Rooney) return and it was made in a timely enough way that Kelly Reno is still relatively young and charming -- a really non-actorish child actor and part of the whole appeal. I read both books as a little tyke, but didn't remember the second book too well. It seems to me that many of the details were changed but the general idea of the Black being kidnapped back to his original home in an Arabic country is retained.

Alec's adventures chasing his horse are appealing and interesting, and so is the climactic race at the end. But the story just peters out, and we never see Alec return home or what he does without his beloved horse now. (You do have to wonder in a kid's film why there is no resolution with his poor mom (Terri Garr), who had to be frantic when her young son mysteriously disappears for about three months.)

I applied the "11 year old girl who is horse crazy" test to this film, and decided it would definitely pass. That is who it is really made for, despite the male protagonist (and there is a girl rider in the plot, although she gets the heave-ho in favor of the hero). And that girl (me, about a million years ago) would have enjoyed this, although not as much as the original. It would have held my attention and I would have wanted to view it several times.

If your children loved the first film, this much more prosaic sequel would probably be of interest. Just don't expect great art.

The Stallion Returns!!!
Four years after the first film, l983 would usher in this sequel to the The Black Stallion, and Kelly Reno would once again be the one who rescues the Arabian stallion from other thrilling captivities. There are more horses, exotic locations, and thrilling plots here than meets the eye, and the story gets so much better. But of course, it is "Cass-ole" who steals the show - the beautiful black Arabian stallion.

A might fine sequel to a great original film. Highly recommended!!!

one of my favorite all time movies!!!
the black stallion is one of the most magnificent creatures i have ever seen and the desert scenery is quite spectacular in this film... does anyone know how i can get a hold of the music, even just sheet music to this film? it's so beautiful... ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Good movie, but not quite as good as the book. . .
As with the first Black Stallion movie, I probably would have liked this one better if I hadn't read the book first. There are lots of things that are changed -- for example, the setting for the Black's home is changed to North Africa instead of Saudi Arabia, and Alec ends up going off on the journey by himself, instead of with Henry and Mr. Volence, the owner of one of the horses who ran against Alec in the match race. But these are changes I can handle. The one thing that really irks me is the way Abu Ishak was portrayed. In the book, Abu Ishak was a pretty nice guy. He offered Alec a reward when he came to claim the Black -- legally and tactfully -- and understood how much Alec loved the Black. When Alec and his travelling companions find Abu Ishak's home, Abu Ishak warmly welcomes them. In the film, however the same character is a total jerk. He ruthlessly snatches the Black away after setting the Ramsay's barn on fire to create a diversion, and even ties Alec up at the pier to stop him from following them. And when Alec treks all the way across the desert to find him, Abu Ishak only allows Alec to stay after Alec coerces him into it by appealing to his conscience. Only at the end at the film does he show something resembling kindness. The ending in the film was OK, but I like the book's ending better, when Ishak promises Alec the Black's first colt. I suppose the directors wanted to make sure there wouldn't be another sequel. Cass-Ole's presence was about the only thing that made this film very appealing. I give it two stars.

The Black returns to his homeland.
I watched this movie in the theater when it first came out. It was a great movie. I cried when Abu ben Ishak claimed the stallion from Alec, while Alec was trying to encourage the stallion to gallop away, who refused to move. The book is much different from the movie but both book and movie are great to read and to watch. I would have liked to see Abu go to Alec's home and explain about Shetan(the Black's true Arabian name) being his and that the stallion was stolen from him. (somewhat similar to what the book did.) Instead they had them kidnap the stallion, wrong thing to do, if Alec was smart he would have turned back to the cops that must have been at the house while the barn was burning down and told them that someone was stealing his horse. But he didn't. What he did was run after the thieves and get into the trailer with the Black. But they must have stopped once or twice on the way to the waterfront werehouse. Alex could have easily have escaped with the Black before they reached the werehouse. The whole movie was great, a few things were not by the book but I guess that's how Hollywood wanted the movie to be. I still love both movie and book.

Not up to the original, but not bad for younger viewers
Certainly this is a far cry from the magnificent, magical dream-poem that is the original Black Stallion movie. More of a standard animal/adventure film for younger viewers and if you think about it that way, it's not too bad. Most of the original cast (except Mr. Rooney) return and it was made in a timely enough way that Kelly Reno is still relatively young and charming -- a really non-actorish child actor and part of the whole appeal. I read both books as a little tyke, but didn't remember the second book too well. It seems to me that many of the details were changed but the general idea of the Black being kidnapped back to his original home in an Arabic country is retained.

Alec's adventures chasing his horse are appealing and interesting, and so is the climactic race at the end. But the story just peters out, and we never see Alec return home or what he does without his beloved horse now. (You do have to wonder in a kid's film why there is no resolution with his poor mom (Terri Garr), who had to be frantic when her young son mysteriously disappears for about three months.)

I applied the "11 year old girl who is horse crazy" test to this film, and decided it would definitely pass. That is who it is really made for, despite the male protagonist (and there is a girl rider in the plot, although she gets the heave-ho in favor of the hero). And that girl (me, about a million years ago) would have enjoyed this, although not as much as the original. It would have held my attention and I would have wanted to view it several times.

If your children loved the first film, this much more prosaic sequel would probably be of interest. Just don't expect great art.

The Stallion Returns!!!
Four years after the first film, l983 would usher in this sequel to the The Black Stallion, and Kelly Reno would once again be the one who rescues the Arabian stallion from other thrilling captivities. There are more horses, exotic locations, and thrilling plots here than meets the eye, and the story gets so much better. But of course, it is "Cass-ole" who steals the show - the beautiful black Arabian stallion.

A might fine sequel to a great original film. Highly recommended!!!

one of my favorite all time movies!!!
the black stallion is one of the most magnificent creatures i have ever seen and the desert scenery is quite spectacular in this film... does anyone know how i can get a hold of the music, even just sheet music to this film? it's so beautiful... ... Read more

Reviews (6)

And I think the ending is still charming!
I, too, had only seen the American "video" version (not sure what version that would be, as I understand there to be more than "two" versions of this film) and was all jazzed by the final meeting in the airplane ending. But let me say that I think the "future" ending that everyone is all riled up about is quite charming and harmless. I mean, the set design is most impressive and there must be a cast of hundreds. And the music by Francis Lai is most appropriate: a show-y, operatic, future opus played out in its entirety without dialog.
So, vote one viewer here who thinks the "future" ending is darn cool and a welcome "addition" (though, again, I am not sure that this is even an "addition", but part of the original French version, which should be preferred).

DVD Version Disappointment!
My absolute all-time favorite film, which I've watched countless times over the last 20 years (taped from a televised version from the Bravo channel). Nothing could surpass the story of the inevitable meeting of the two primary characters of the film. And when they finally do meet - it has been a moment that has always given me the cold chills (in a good way).

With that said, this new DVD release is a thorough disappointment. Claude Lelouch, with all his lifetime of experience of film making has inexplicably chosen to restore nearly 20 minutes of footage that was edited out of the version that was generally released on video tape years ago. Thus making this current DVD version an over-bloated affair, ending in a mind-numbing 10 minute "life-in-the-future-unless-we-do-something-about-it-now" sequence. Sure, you can give some allowances that this film was a product of its time (originally released in 1974). But for Lelouch to self-indulgently insert back footage that completely destroys the momentum of what should be that "cold-chill" scene - well, I think I've said enough. Suffice it to say, a good film editor is worth his or her weight in gold.

Other "restored" scenes are fairly short, and don't really detract from the film; however the new English subtitles supplied with this release are questionable.

So, if you plan to buy this version (since the old video tape version has not been available for years!), make sure you know French, turn the subtitles off, and be ready to hit the fast forward button at the very end of the film.

Romance in a Time Capsule
From the opening shot, in black and white with titles, at the turn of the 20th Century, showing a cinematographer shooting with a windup camera on a tripod, (meeting and courting the grandmother of our soon to be female lead, Martha Keller) to the final color image 75 years later, we're enchanted watching through three generations as our two hope-to-God will-be-lovers, are being prepared through history, war, and the process of failing, overcoming, succeeding, and living through those years (1899 to 1975) to eventually, hopefully become the two mature adults who will someday meet, when they will be ready for each other. The filmmaking itself changes to conform with movie making history. When sound quickly follows, it follows in our film; in the forties, we have color, and on and on. One of the joys of rewatching this film is to notice how our peoples' paths cross, unbeknownst to them, throughout the film. You're like a kid, pulling for them to meet. I have seen this film 20 times and it's always brand new. This was Claude LeLouche's movie after "A Man and a Woman" and I'm always surprised most people have never even heard of it. It's a wonderful trip and my favorite film of all time. I was a working actress at the time I first saw it and if I could have, I'd have happily carried cables or props on any Claude LeLouche set. See it, by all means, and pretend you're going to see a 3 star movie so you won't be disappointed -- you know how THAT goes. I'm happy to share it with you. Post Script added after I actually viewed the DVD -- they've included an ending different from anything I've ever seen before, and you know I've seen it 20 times. Suddenly we're in some futuristic Stanley Kubrick/Buck Rogers world which they've apparently extropolated from an earlier scene with a futurist. It's long and tedious, possibly 5 minutes long, before it finally gets back to the ending with which I'm familiar. So, 5 stars with the old ending; only 3 as they're playing it out now. Sorry about that.

A Film Lovers Feast...
Where to begin...it is a story about love at first sight where the principles do not meet until the screen credits are rolling...it goes back three generations to show who and what made these two so perfect for each other...it is a history of the development of film...there are scenes and film techinques used that were the first of their kind at the time...there is just soooo much story here...enjoy and prepare to love this film,it is a film lovers feast. Bravo Claude LeLouche!!!

"And now, my love" - Synopsis
The first scene: a photographer and a pretty lady falling in love at first sight. The second scene: the lady giving birth to a son. The third: a letter arriving to the front - it is the First World War - and a soldier looking for the letter's addressee. He finds him. The letter is read. The reader shouts: "it is a boy!" and then a bomb falls and kills him. The forth scene: the war is over. A train brings back survivors. The lady and the boy, a few years old child, are left alone at the train station. Their beloved doesn't come back. Then they appear dressed in black and they get a medal.

Then a parallel story begins: a dancer, who is having a love affaire with an officer, marries his superior, the general. She gives birth to a girl. Her husband discovers who is the girl's father and kills the dancer.

A gap in time. A train appears - full of people coming back from concentration camps. HE and the photographer (remember the first scene?) are similar like two drops of water. SHE and the dancer look the same. HE is sitting in front of HER. They exchange names. They fall in love at first sight and get married. They have a baby girl. The mother is still very weak from concentration camps life. She dies while giving birth.

With the appearance of that train you suddenly discover that the photographer and his wife and the dancer and her husband, the general, were Jewish. This detail was unimportant in France at the beginning of the century until the Second World War. It becomes a crucial detail with this war.

The film shows that girl, Sarah, who was born after the war, growing up. Her father is very successful and becomes very rich. Every year, in her birthday party, we are told about the age of the State of Israel.

The girl is given everything she wants. She is terribly spoiled - a princess. At her 17th Birthday she wants her father to bring Gilbert Becaud, the singer, to sing at her birthday party. She falls in love with him. The singer leaves her very soon; she is left with a broken heart and tries to commit suicide by crashing with her car. She survives and her father takes her to a trip around the world. The father is a person of great life experience and special wisdom. During this trip he talks a lot to her. One of those chats is dedicated to Jerusalem, the heart of all monotheistic religions and the center of much conflict.

The girl appears as a typical member of the bourgeois post war generation: she doesn't find herself. She doesn't appreciate the trip. She doesn't give a dime for her father's wisdom and she is pretty nervous with him.

But after the trip she starts writing. First about her roots and then about what is happening to her. About boredom of life. About search for love - she doesn't find a suitable partner; she has many love affairs and even marries. But she gets divorced a few days after marriage.

At that time we are introduced to a new hero: a young boy. He has no background story because he is an orphan and he grew in public institutions. So his story starts when he is a boy - a small thief. He steals and runs away from the police but one day he is caught and goes to jail. In jail he - and we - are introduced to a group of very interesting people.

This boy runs away from jail hidden in a garbage truck but while he is rushing with a stolen car he clashes with the girl that was committing suicide. He is brought back to jail. After jail, a grown up man, he starts his way in the film industry. And he becomes a man of special wisdom.

He is seen fighting for survival and searching for love. He looks for a girl that sweetens her coffee with three teaspoons of sugar (as someone in jail said he must). When he likes a girl, it is the first question he asks her. But no one does.

The paths of our hero and heroine cross many times during the film. But they finally meet while sitting on two adjacent seats. The airplane is on its way to New York. She obviously asks for the third teaspoon of sugar and they fall in love at first sight

And he tells her how he imagines the future, how he plans to describe it in his next film: it is 2000. Children are born sick because of air pollution. Couples are allowed to have children only if they go to a special place that looks like heaven. It is a place full of couples that show much love one for the other. And our heroes appear there as one of the couples.

The film ends on the airplane. Our heroes plan to meet again. Love at first sight, didn't I say it already? ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a high 5 plus another 100 stars!!!!!!!AMAZINGLY GOOD!!!!!
this is so far the best action thriller i've ever seen. better than 'heat' or any other action packed thrillers!!! it'll grab you like tiger's knawing jaw and won't let you go for even one second. every player in this movie has perform so shockingly well. good directing, good screenplay, good settings, good editing, good--- good----you name it, man!!!! now i think it's time to shove aside of those disgusting cliched formatted hollywood deadbeat action movies and turn to the european movie industry and those great movie makers, screenwriters, directors and actors. now i think everything out of hollywood is just a mixture of crappy junks, completely unnecessary overkilled, overdone explosions, stunts, graphics, computer generated garbages with bunch of high-school-drop-out-like actors and actresses. so pretentious, so out of the reality. get this movie whatever you think you have to pay or to do, just don't miss it!!!! i salute to all of those people who got involved in this great movie. and thank you for giving me a thrill viewing experience. ... Read more