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Why is The Charge of the Light Brigade so rarely even mentioned among Errol Flynn's swashbucklers? It's a terrific movie, something like the peak of spectacular Hollywood action filmmaking and the bravura style of Michael Curtiz. The setting--till the Crimean War climax--is the Indian frontier (impersonated, as so often, by rocky Lone Pine, California), where the 27th Bengal Lancers run afoul of an Oxford-educated slime named Surat Khan (C. Henry Gordon). Flynn and Olivia de Havilland bring real tenderness to two-thirds of a romantic triangle (the other corner is the hero's brother, Patric Knowles). There's the fearsome siege of Chukoti, an unspeakable atrocity, and finally the foolhardy, inspired Charge at Balaklava. The camerawork and editing of that grand sequence never cease to astonish. History (and political correctness) is better served by the 1968 Tony Richardson movie, but for unabashed epic sweep and matchless thrills, this is the one you want. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (22)

"It's a Lie! Lie!! Lie!!!"
That's what Errol Flynn barks at his brother Patric Knowles when that gentleman tells Flynn that his fiancee Olivia de Havilland is now in love with Knowles. As if that were Flynn's only problem,though, in this Crimean War setting. Of course, accuracy-wise there's a bit off: the Crimea really isn't all that close to India, so all sorts of different exotic locations and costumes are mixed up together, but if you don't mind that, well, you'll enjoy "The Charge of the Light Brigade" just fine.

"CoftheLB" boasts an excellent cast supporting Flynn: in addition to the aforementioned Olivia and Patric, there's David Niven, Donald Crisp, and Nigel Bruce, just to name a few stalwarts. Plenty of action, with masscres and horse charges galore, not to mention a rousing score by Max Steiner, and of course, Tennyson's poem gets interspersed with the final dynamic charge.

Noble Six Hundred, indeed--watch it and cheer!

"Into the valley of Death/Rode the six hundred."
From the standpoint of history, artistic license abounds in this classic adventure movie. In fairness, the filmmaker posts a disclaimer of the historical veracity of the film right at the beginning. Errol Flynn is at his flamboyant best as dashing English officer, Geofrrey Vickers. He vies with his brother (Patrick Knowles) for the love of Olivia DeHavilland. Romantic sublplots aside, Flynn and an army of supporting actors hold the thin red line of 19th century British imperialism. C. Henry Gordon is evilly conniving as Surat Khan, leader of the fictional Suristan faction. When England cuts off his money, Surat Khan wages war against the British interlopers. After Surat Khan massacres non-combatants at the garrison of Chokoti (sp.?), India is too hot to hold him. In typical Hollywood fashion, the action shifts to the Crimea at Sebastopol where the British face the Russians at Balaklava Heights. As an inside joke, the Russian commander bears an uncanny resemblance to Joseph Stalin. Who should be collaborating with the Russians but Surat Khan? Vickers, still burning with anger over the massacre of innocents, discovers this and he forges orders for the Light Brigade to attack. Under the direction of Michael Curtiz, the slam-bang action sequences of this movie provide memorable thrills. The fighting at Chokoti is both exciting and unsettling as women and children fall before rebel bullets. The staging of the charge is impressive, if controversial. Many of the horses were destroyed because of injuries from the deliberate tripping. As the lancers charge into the face of roaring canon, to the right of them, to the left of them, in front of them, quotes from Tennyson's poem appear on screen. The shot of the fallen lancer still holding aloft the billowing Union Jack in his lifeless hand is great imagery. "When can their glory fade?" Filmed in glorious B&W, this classic action/adventure film is a good example of the quality product of the Warner Brothers film sutdio at its Depression Era height. Enjoy the old fashioned fun. ;-)

A Classic forgotton by DVD
Here we have one of the ten best Hollywood adventure, historical (with the normal Hollywood bending of the facts) romances of all time. A movie that all later adventure movies, like the Indiana Jones series, owe a dept to and yet you can not find it or 'Gunga Din' or 'The Sea Hawk'etc. on DVD. Every junky movie that lasted only a week in theaters in the past ten years you can find on DVD but hardly any of the CLASSICS from the 30's or 40's. When will Hollywood wake up?

"Cannon to the right of them, cannon to the left of them"
I first saw this (black-white movie) as grad student ca 1968 in New Haven (Lincoln Street Theater, does anyone remember?). Knowing Tennyson's heroic poem, one waits with mounting anticipation until the order is misunderstood and the gallant charge begins. Wild and inspiring! Later, I saw the 1968 remake, was equally good.

The Stars Foretold
To merely gape in wonder at the reviews that are to follow and even to those to follow after is not what the review represents and indeed what came before was long before arrived at so all that might of been said has truly been already expressed.I would be truly surprised if opinions had before and after perhaps even over time where at one point the Charge of the Light Brigade was a new release had not already met some of the demands that I feel compelled to put to paper even today,so many years hence.This is a very good film,truly it enters into the heart with dramatic license that I could not ignore.The English if you will are portrayed as a stuff shirt that ignores terrible problems,things can get very frustrating in particular for Flynn when he questions Englands diplomacy when the Surat Khan is about to lose a stipend of considerable worth.The are many overtures of impending crisis that though perhaps questioned by Flynn they are overridden by superiors.What a truly terrible,terrible event occured when the fort was left poorly manned with only a handful of brave souls to guard her gates.The blood thirsty Surat Khan had no shame even upon the women and the children and even those whose only defense was the inspired word of the Holy Bible.It is one of the defining moments and the catalyst to glory.Forever in the annals of the Light Brigade this will burn till they exact an eye for an eye and gain victory over this monster,the Surat Khan.The film moves into some territory where Flynns brother portrayed as something of a globetrotter in the Service of the Queen stirs up controversy with improper advances toward Olivia DeHaviland,who it turns out is to be betrothed to Captain Vickers(flynn)I do not care for this side light,indeed her Father in the film perhaps had the very right idea about this affair wanting to have this fellow horsewipped.It was uncharacteristic of the events that were about to unfold to have such a weak willed love affair not be forever based.Flynns contribution is in the Name of Her Majesty the Queen and to the glory of the Light Brigade.He is a very capable officer and worthy of the Lead.Perhaps that Affair might learn something from what is most important to us in this world,because Captain Vickers exemplifies that.To borrow from one of the other great films of Errol Flynn,"His men would follow him to hell",and thats what materializes when the Surat Khan is found to be incamped with the Russian forces at the Balakava Heights.The position is thought to be virtually impenetrable.The other area that underpins the heartfelt care I pay to this film came from one of Englands great romantic poets in Sir Alfred Lord Tennyson.Into the Valley of Death rode the 600! Truly great storytelling and a victory over a monster.Long Live Her Majesty the Queen of England and Glory forever be with the Light Brigade.This is one of the very best films with Flynn being worthy as he was so often in his film making career. ... Read more

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Gary Cooper plays the oldest of three brothers who join the French Foreign Legion to cover a mysterious theft, and are soon caught up in high adventures. The opening scene in a fort full of corpses sticks in the memory forever, and Brian Donlevy's role as a sadistic sergeant makes a striking impression as well. Director William Wellman (Wings), a veteran pilot of World War I, drew--as he often did--upon the authenticity of his own experiences in battle to give this film a measure of reality. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (10)

The Wren Classic on Film
This classic movie holds up pretty well to the basic storyline of Wren's novel. A few subtle changes have been made because no movie can ever reproduce a book perfectly, but everything has been done faithfully to the spirit of the original story. Readers of the book will find that the evil sarjeant is named Markov in the movie as opposed to Lajeaune in the book. The name sounds more evil perhaps! A few minor quibbles I have with the movie is that it has that 1930s Hollywood feel to it, in terms of the acting and characterizations. It would have been nice to have heard French commands in the Legion as opposed to flat American voices. Later Foreign Legion movies like "March or Die" provide this kind of detail which this classic lacks. Also, in the attacks on the fort the Arabs look foolish charging with cavalry against walls that are too high. In the book the fort's walls are described as being lower so that someone climbing up from a camel's back could almost succeed with an escalade. In the book John, Digby and their two American friends wander in the desert in Arab guise for several years. This is rather condensed in the film. The impossible shot that kills Digby from horse-back is more realistically described in the book where John relays that the Arab fired from his horse at 30 feet striking Digby as he played his bugle. A more realistic scenerio I find. Of course these are minor quibbles, none of which detract from the beauty and haunting nature of the movie. The music is also striking, in particular the opening scene when we see the dead Legioners manning the fort's walls. That scene is probably one of the most haunting in all movies, and conveys so much without being overly graphic. This is probably the best Foreign Legion movie that will ever be made. All since have been based on it. Since Four Feathers has recently survived another re-make I wonder if Beau Geste is due for another attempt? Arabs, sand and desert battles seem to be compelling these days. I wonder why?

A Romantic Classic
I first saw this movie as a child, and like many others, never forgot the images of the dead soldiers at the fort, the cruelty of Markov, or the gallantry of the Geste brothers. I went on to read the book and its two sequels (which tell what REALLY happened to the Blue Water) which are dated but none the less riveting (and amusing). The author, P.C. Wren, really was an officer in the Foreign Legion, and claimed that everything he wrote was grounded in the experience of people he knew. As for the movie, my only complaint is that such very American actors were chose to play such charming young Englishmen (and were a bit old for their roles), but it is a very minor complaint, since there is nothing to fault in their performances. Otherwise, the movie spoiled me for every other Foreign Legion film I have ever seen. It could perhaps stand a remake - but only in the hands of a great director (as great as the original William Wellman) who respected his source material and didn't try to turn it into a brainless "action" film. (And it has been tried.) As others have pointed out, the wonderfully atmospheric black and white photography and the music add to the film's perfection.

Needs to Be on DVD and Needs to be Updated
The story is great. The treatment is very old and dated. Seems to be sort of a forgotten golden oldie. Purhaps a remake without the silly prank section. At least the DVD should be made. Still a fun movie w the classic battle scene w the mad officer propping up the dead bodies. Great for Cooper fans.

Classic melodrama
Beau Geste, a melodramatic 1939 period piece depicts the comradery of three brothers during Victorian times. It falls short of a 5 star rating as it lacks the high degree of drama seen in similar type classics such as Gunga Din and Four Feathers.

The wholesome Gary Cooper along with Robert Preston and Ray Milland play three brothers, Beau, Digby and John Geste, adopted into the affluent baronial lifestyle of English Lord and Lady Brandon. When the lord threatens to sell the family's most precious possession, the Blue Water, a huge cerulean sapphire, to finance his gambling, one of the brothers absconds with it. In a chivalrous gesture the three brothers flee and enlist in the French Foreign Legion and get shipped to North Africa.

While in the foreign legion they are cruelly commanded by star of the movie Brian Donlevy, who plays the facially scarred, sadistic heavy Sergeant Markoff. The brothers strive to survive the elements, the Arabs and Markoff while they protect the secret of the prized sapphire.

The flick is hopelessly dated but still remains hugely entertaining to a classic movie buff. A youthful and ravishing Susan Hayward plays Milland's love interest, Isobel Rivers, a ward of Lady Brandon in one of her earliest starring roles.

Still waiting for the DVD!
I agree with other five stars comentators/reviewers. Just a small precision, the original Trilogy "BEAU GESTE", "BEAU SABREUR" and "BEAU IDEAL" was completed with "GOOD GESTES" (wich deals with the period of service in the Legion between the separation of the three brothers and the Zinderneuf's tragedy in form of short stories) and "SPANISH MAINE" wich explains what ultimately was the fate of "The Angel of Death" ... Will not tell more for not spoiling the read to those fans as me wich will hunt this small romantic literature treasures in the out of print services... (It took me years to complete my collection of P.C. Wren's FFL novels but was well worth the time...).
Interestingly enough such a Bible on the FFL as Douglas Porch book, mentions the dislike of French Commanders with the Hollywood versions (I do not understand why because as a boy I seriously doubted where to enlist between the FFL and the NWMP as a matter of course...).
Incidentally as other reviewers say get a go at "Morocco", Cooper (younger) and Dietrich... What a pair!. There just don't do films like this anymore... ... Read more

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The swashbuckler had been around long before Errol Flynn drew a cutlass, but the Tasmanian-born bit player reinvigorated the genre with his mix of dashing good looks, haughty insolence, and alluring confidence. Adapted from the novel by Rafael Sabatini (who also pennedThe Sea Hawk), this rousing adventure chronicles the travails of Peter Blood (Flynn), a righteous doctor unjustly sold into slavery for treating the wounds of rebels, a kind of British Dr. Mudd. Sent to a Jamaican plantation where he toils under the brutal whip of Lionel Atwill and seethes with passion for his fair niece (the astonishingly beautiful Olivia de Havilland), he escapes from bondage with his fellow prisoners and becomes the gentleman rogue pirate of the Caribbean. Director Michael Curtiz builds from one set piece to another, including a nimble beachside sword fight with pirate nemesis Basil Rathbone and climaxing with a grand sea battle that belies the film's modest budget. Flynn's bravado and charisma are apparent from his entrance, but once he leaps into action he takes command of the picture, overcoming his still-green dramatic skills with sheer personality. Captain Bloodmade stars of Flynn and de Havilland and catapulted Curtiz to the top ranks of Warner directors. The three reunited for some of the studio's best-loved adventures: The Charge of the Light Brigade, The Adventures of Robin Hood, and Dodge City. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Hollywood Classic
This film starts with the 1685 Duke of Monmouth rebellion. The battle of Sedgemoor rages in the background as Errol Flynn's character is wrongly accused of supporting the rebels. King James II is portrayed as an arrogant prince, something which most Protestants of the day would have agreed with, and which Hollywood does not seem to deny. James, while detached, was not the cold hearted fool we see here. But this is only a minor point. The film has historic interest, portraying England as it does during the 1680s, the reign of James II before the advent of the Glorious Revolution which sees him removed in favor of William III of Orange and Queen Mary. The movie only touches on these political developments, but its interesting to see them as factors in the background.

The rest is pure Hollywood adventure with fiction playing havoc with fact! Still, the movie is so entertaining and classy that we don't mind a few historical gaffes. Flynn is elegant in his first major role, and Olivia Dehavland is strikingly beautiful. Hard to beleive she was only 18 when this film was made. The rest of the supporting cast may be a bit standard for a 1930s production, but they pull their weight well with all the cute touches of the day. The production value of the film appears more impressive than it actually was. The fast pace combined with clever plot makes for a classic of its kind. The French as perenial villins may strike a chord with today! For period swashbuckling, romance and class, you won't find better than here.

Blood! Blood! ......And A Film Legend Was Born
"Classic", is written all over this legendary Warner Brothers production from Hollywood's heyday in the 1930's. A fine literary source in the novel by Rafael Sabatini formed the basis for what was to become easily one of the best loved pirate tales ever filmed by a Hollywood Studio. Many (myself included) believe that "Captain Blood", is THE definitive swashbuckling adventure and contains everything to satisfy the pirate enthusiast, from a dashing leading man fighting for justice in a corrupt world,a beautiful damsel in distress to be rescued by the hero, lively swordplay, brilliantly staged sea battles, and the essential quota of villianous characters to add spice to the drama. "Captain Blood", was as well a "first", in many ways. Firstly it marked the breakthrough role for Tasmanian born Errol Flynn who was perfect for the role of Dr. Peter Blood, a man of good character wrongly condemmed to a life of slavery for helping tend the injuries of a rebel soldier in the corrupt England of James 2nd. Also this film marked the first teaming of Flynn with rising young actress Olivia de Havilland and the two went on to work beautifully together in eight films over the next seven years earning them immortality as one of filmdom's most unforgettable screen couples.

It's hard to imagine nowadays anyone but Errol Flynn in the role of Captain Blood but he was not even considered in the original casting of the film being an almost complete unknown at the time. Robert Donat was set to play the lead but had to withdraw due to illness and Jack Warner took a considerable gamble in casting the untried Australian actor in the lead of one of the studios biggest productions for the year. Once the decision was made however the rest as they say was film history as Errol Flynn swashed and buckled his way to Hollywood stardom in a stunning debut which helped make "Captain Blood", one of the years most successful films and helped gain it a nomination as Best Picture of the year. "Captain Blood", relates the story of Irish Doctor Peter Blood who is called out to tend the wounds of a rebel soldier fighting the corrupt governement of King James 2nd. Caught at the scene Peter is imprisoned as a rebel of the crown and in a sham court hearing is condemmed to a life of slavery in the infamous colony of Port Royal. Suffering brutality under the cruel Planatation owner Col. Bishop (Lionel Atwill in a masterfully evil role) Peter has the chance to escape when Port Royal is attacked by the Spanish. He forms a crew with his men and together they head out to sea on a stolen ship to become pirates with no country to call home. Very soon the name of "Captain Blood" is infamous throughout the Carribean and no ship Spanish, French, or English is safe from his looting. Making an uneasy alliance with French Pirate Capt. Levasseur(Basil Rathbone in a small but effective role) Peter finds his loyalties tested when Levasseur captures Arabella (de Havilland) the niece of Col. Bishop who Peter loves, as she returns to Port Royal with Lord Willoughby (Henry Stephenson). Fighting a duel to the death with Levasseur over Arabella's safety, Peter learns from Lord Willoughby the King James has been driven out of England and the new King William 3rd has not only pardoned Peter and his men but also offered them places in his navy. Returning to Port Royal the men find the port under attack from the Spanish and Captain Blood now fighting for King and Country in a exciting finale manages to defeat the Spanish invasion and save Port Royal from falling into enemy hands. For his great service to the crown King William then makes Peter the new govener of Port Royal much to the distress of his old enemy Col. Bishop but to the utter joy of Arabella who now plans to marry Peter at the happy conclusion.

Errol flynn had no peer when it came to these types of dashing adventure roles. His performance here and in such classics as "The Adventures of Robin Hood", and "The Sea Hawk", certainly saw him in his element being ideally cast. He teamed perfectly with Olivia de Havilland, he all bravado, masculinity and dashing energy, while she was the epitome of the demure refined young lady waiting for love. "Captain Blood", however is peopled with some other great acting talent that must not be forgotten under the bright light of Errol Flynn's screen charisma. Lionel Atwill excels as the cruel Col. Bishop in a tailor made role and character actors Donald Meek and especially George Hassell as the comical gout ridden Gov. Steed are both excellent in their smaller parts that help give "Captain Blood", some of its fine acting moments. Directed with usual high energy by Michael Curtiz, he manages to extract a marvellous performance out of the still largely inexperienced Flynn. Theirs was a definite hate relationship as the two loathed each other but by some miracle produced consistently excellent work together.The visuals of the film are first rate with the superbly staged sea battles unrivalled in their authentic look. Erich Wolfgang Korngold furnished another of his rousing musical scores that succeeds in really adding a high level of excitment to all the action secquences in "Captain Blood".

"Captain Blood", makes for ideal entertainment of the old fashioned kind and is a perfect example of Errol Flynn's great screen presence in a role idealy suited to him. Here we see him and Olivia de Havilland in the full bloom of their youthful vibrance in an exciting tale of adventure and romance,with good winning out over evil. It's Hollywood filmmaking of the old school and it is sure to leave you cheering as the good Captain romances his ladylove and fights against corruption and cruelty on the High Seas. Enjoy!

Simon Davis
Now that I have read Simon Davis' review, I dont have to watch the film?

Actually , I have seen the film a few times..and I can only add that Lionel Atwill pouts as well as any actor I have seen and Mr Rathbone begins his legacy as one of the great screen villians

CP

Shine on
Captain Blood is a great film, let alone a tremendous pirate film. There's something about the plot that has a certain resonance today as much as that of Robin Hood, namely that age-old sense of justice triumphing over rigid law and order, of robbing the rich to feed the poor. Yet Captain Blood is a little rougher edged, a little crueler in its machinations. Peter Blood (Flynn) is a well-meaning doctor who happens to aid the wrong side in one of Britain's innumerable civil wars, and is sentenced into slavery in the outer colonies along with a pack of other unfortunates. Right from the moment you see him level his icy gaze at the consumptive, soon-to-be dead Royal judge who passed the sentence, you know this party is just getting started.

Hollywood has used the 'good-man-wronged' scenario countless times since this movie, but rarely to such effect. Battered, beaten, but never broken, Dr. Peter Blood transforms into Captain Blood, the terror of the high seas that crushes his enemies without ever letting anyone affect his high-minded moral core. It was not his choice to become an outlaw, but if he has to become one, he will be the best one there ever was. Redemption, honor, and love all make their appearances in the fine script enacted by a worthy cast, but at every point Blood is a man in control of, and therefore responsible for, his own destiny. It's a great film and one you definitely should check out.

A great buccaneer epic.
I think that this is one of the greatest action - adventure films and perhaps the greatest adventure-epic film about pirates ,ever made in cinema's history. Adapted from Raffael Sabbatini's homonymous novel, "Captain Blood" introduced 26 years old Australian-born actor Errol Flynn, in Hollywood as a great star and it was the first of a movie-series that granted him the title of "swashbucklers's king".The film also created Flynn's image (solidified in the next years) as the dashing young romantic adventurer hero who always saves the day. Flynn plays the Irish doctor Peter Blood who becomes the handsome gentleman rogue pirate of the Caribbean with bravado and charisma ,appearing his great talent that made him a legend. But here we can locate some historical inaccuracy , (an inheritance of 19th century's romantic literature ) because the real pirates were quite repulsive, poor , illiterate and not fascinating and educated sea knights. The historical background on the contrary is quite accurate and very interesting. The film beggins in 1685 when Duke of Monmouth organised an unsuccessfull rebellion and portrays England during the 1680s, the reign of James II before the advent of the Glorious Revolution which sees him removed in favor of William III of Orange and Queen Mary. An other notable point is that the film portrays pro-catholic King James II as an evil and cruel tyrannical persona ,a fact that might be seen as a film's pro-protestant position on history, yet don't forget that this story is adapted from a novel and this was Sabbatini's view on historical facts.
Curtiz's direction is excellent and impressive,especially at the great terrific sea battle which is amazing. Olivia de Havilland is brilland and adorable as Flynn's sweet love interest ,with astonishing beauty. Even she is only 19 years old ,she plays her role with maturity and high professional capability. Basil Rathbone is perfect as the villain-fond of women French pirate Levasseur (and as swordfighter) using a peculiar french accent . Lionel Atwill as de Havilland's uncle is very convincing as a brutal plantation owner who finally reconciles with Captain Blood (Errol Flynn).You have also to notice the great performances by the actors who compose Captain Blood's crew. They're really charming.
A must-see high entertaining master piece epic. I give it all the stars I can . Enjoy it and love it. ... Read more

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Hollywood made few movies about the desert conflict during World War II--and curiously, two that they did (Five Graves to Cairo is the other) were remakes of films set elsewhere. John Howard Lawson based his script on a prewar Russian film (Lawson would later be blacklisted, incidentally) about a military patrol besieged by Asian bandits. The situation readily lent itself to a wartime parallel and became one of the most engrossing story lines of its era.

A U.S. tank crew and their commander (Humphrey Bogart), separated from the main force, make their way through the desert, accumulating a veritable United Nations of stragglers as they go: a few of Montgomery's tommies (including that old limey Lloyd Bridges) and a towering African (Rex Ingram) and his prisoner--a garrulous Italian (Oscar-nominated J. Carrol Naish) who can't wait to tell his new friends about his relatives in "Peets-a-bourg Pennsylvania." They come upon a ruin, the onetime site of an oasis, and almost immediately find themselves defending it against a small army of Germans who believe there's still water to be had there. Yes and no--there's a biblical wrinkle to this tale--and the standoff between the polyglot democrats and the Nazis who far outnumber them is a fine, sun-baked study in suspense.

For Bogart, this Columbia picture was a rare furlough from Warner Bros., where he always felt embattled. His pleasure must have seeped into his work, because Sgt. Joe Gunn is one of the most sympathetic and heartfelt characterizations the actor ever gave us. This is one good movie. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (28)

SAHARA, Bogart's Desert War Classic now on DVD !
It was 1943 and the United States was at war. Humphrey Bogart had just finished "Casablanca" (considered the #2nd greatest Movie of the last 100 years by the American Film Institute (AFI)1998) with Ingrid Bergman at Warner Brothers.

As the war effort continued Hollywood began to use the power of their stars with patriotic themes, against all odds stories to give Americans and the world hope for victory.

Warner Brothers having the greatest stable of stars lent the services of Humphrey Bogart to Columbia Pictures for the making of the Classic Desert War story "Sahara".

This movie had a great ensemble cast which included a very young Llyod Bridges, Bruce Bennett, J. Carrol Naish and Dan Duryea. Filmed in the Mojave Desert near the great Salton Sea in Southern California. The filmed was endorsed by the War Department and the extras were supplied by the United States Army (playing the Germans, Americans and Allies).

"SAHARA" became Columbia Pictures top grossing film of 1943 at a whopping $2.3 million and a very effective propaganda war vehicle.

Summary: Sgt Joe Gunn (Bogart) a WWII tank Commander and his crew (Bennett & Duryea) are surrounded by Germans in the Sahara desert. Their only escape is south into the desert with only their tank "Lullabelle". The race is against time, finding gas, water & their allies before the Germans find them.

This DVD quality is outstanding !! (remasterd video & audio.) FullScreen (before Widescreen) and Black/White presentation. Extras include a picture montage of original lobby poster art, trailers from other WWII movies and star film chronoligies.

This is a "WWII Sleeper Classic Bogart Film". Bogart is a master craftsman, an American Icon Hero. You become very attached to this cast of desert marooned characters in a grand story about unsummountable odds and the pure devoted attitude to succeed!! Enjoy.

Sahara: A Pre-Politically Correct Call For Multiculturalism
By 1943, the war in Europe had been going on for four years, and the United States had been involved for two. The war was far from being won, and Hollywood accordingly presented images of good old-fashioned American virtues of grit that sound increasingly quaint in the light of the modern tendency to downgrade the military. But in SAHARA, director Zoltan Korda involves the viewer directly in the war against fascism by presenting Humphrey Bogart as Sgt. Joe Gunn, in a role as memorable as any that he ever had. He, Dan Duryea, and Bruce Bennet are tankmen lost somewhere in the North African desert just before the battle of El Alemain. They seek to reenter the war and in doing so, pick up a number of equally lost fighters, two of whom are the enemy. J. Carrol Naish is Guiseppe, an Italian infantryman who has long since lost confidence in Mussolini. Kurt Krueger is a downed Luftwaffe pilot who is forced to ally himself with Guiseppe, a man who he is sure is not far elevated, racially speaking, over the Jews who were being tossed into crematoria. Bogart discovers an oasis that provides just enough water to keep his men alive. The plot complicates when an Afrika Korps battalion is short on water and attacks the oasis for its precious water.

SAHARA is typical of the war films of the time in that Hollywood knew that audiences would respond patriotically if the film combined crackling scenes of realistic combat with powerful and believable characters. Bogart as Joe Gunn more than delivers in nearly every scene in which he appears. His craggy face and gravel voice are totally convincing, especially in scenes like the one in which he responds to the not unreasonable question as to why they should risk their lives in battle when to run away seems the more prudent course. Bogie deadpans that delaying the Nazis at every step is the surest way to win the war. Director Korda makes sure that Bogart's tank crew is a multinational ethnic mix of Brits, French, Nigerian, and even Guiseppe, who in one stirring scene, repudiates his Italian Duce by telling Kurt Krueger, "Must I kiss the hand that beats me and lick the boot that kicks me? No! I'd rather stay in this miserable hole than to return to an Italy like that." SAHARA provided just the right note of infectious enthusiasm for a nation to rally around its military, even if today's peace-at-all-cost activists can't quite understand why.

Desert wartime conflict
The incomparable Humphrey Bogart is tough, gritty and determined as Sgt. Joe Gunn commander of the remainder of a U.S. tank crew retreating south from the Nazis into the Libyan desert. His crew including a young Dan Duryea and the veteran actor Bruce Bennett pick up a small group of Allied stragglers on the way. Running low on supplies and water they set out for a well marked on a map. They encounter a British Sudanese sergeant major played by Rex Ingram leading an Italian prisoner played by the versatile and Oscar nominated J. Carroll Naish. Finding the well to have dried up, the rag tag bunch is led by the beautifully spoken Ingram to a distant well by following an old caravan trail.

Little do they know but they are being pursued by a mechanized German battalion of about 500 men also desperate for water. Bogart and his group find a scant supply of water at the second well which is located amid some ruins deep in the desert. They ambush a German scouting party and learn of their quandry. They release prisoners with the false knowledge that there is plenty of water to be found to lure the battalion in. They decide to make a stand at the well to delay the Nazi troops while sending out Bennett in a captured Nazi vehicle for help.

Sahara is an excellent wartime movie which serves as a testimony to the resolve of our troops to defend their country and ideals in the face of deplorable circumstamces. Bogart is terrific as usual. J. Carroll Naish does a superb acting job playing the disillusioned Italian prisoner, a mechanic from Turin, Giuseppe.

Excellent
This little know Bogart movie was an astounding find for me. The story is based on a Soviet Photoplay article about a group of stranded soliers in the Sahara desert who make a stand against an approaching band of Germans during World War II. A bit heavy on the "why can't we just all get along" line (excluding the Germans, of course) but notable for its humanization of all the disparate people involved, their political beliefs and other religions. In addition, it is an entertaining story of clever manipulations by our heroes to assure their survival versus the overwhelming Germans. Has a great ending. Dan Duryea shines, as does Bogart.

A quest for water...
Sergeant Gunn (Humphrey Bogart) is the chief for an American tank in the war against the Nazi's during World War II. As they pull back they come across a group of soldiers consisting of a Frenchman, a South African, and four Brits. These soldiers join the Americans on their retreat, since it is easier to ride on a tank than walking and because they are low on water. As the party journeys deeper into the Sahara desert, they meet a Sudanese soldier who has an Italian prisoner. The Sudanese soldier is great help for the international group of armed forces, since he knows where there is water. The journey becomes a pilgrimage for water and it leads the men into a tough decision, which will most likely lead them to their death. Sahara is an interesting film, since it was filmed during the war and enhanced the support for soldiers that were fighting in World War II. In addition, it has some elements that offer some understanding for different cultures, which was needed in the time of war. Overall, the film offers an adventure for those who seek entertainment, which in the end provides the audience with a good cinematic experience. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

All for one, one for all
Gary Cooper playing Lieut. MacGregor is his strong, stoic self in the 1935 British colonial adventure set in India, "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer". The free spirited MacGregor is too random and impulsive for his straight laced, principled commanding officer Colonel "Ramrod" Stone played authoritatively by Sir Guy Standing. Cooper is compelled to nursemaid Col. Stone's son, a junior officer new to the regiment and fresh out of military school, played by the baby faced Richard Cromwell. The cocky smart aleck Franchot Tone playing Lieut. Forsythe aids Cooper and completes the trio around which the plot is based.

The Lancers are guarding the northern frontier of India and have been menaced by Oxford educated Afghan prince Mohammed Khan. Khan, leader of a large band of rebellious zealots has designs on capturing a huge supply of ammunition meant for the British.
He kidnaps the younger Lt. Stone to force his fathers hand. Cooper and Tone obviously go to his rescue against orders.

"Lives" is a noteworthy B&W period piece from the 30's but is slightly inferior in its scope and magnitude to both Gunga Din and The Four Feathers, which were both unquestioned cinema classics

41st Bengal Lancers, Form Sections Right, Walk March!
A classic 1930s B/W epic of the British empire in India. Sure you have some old fashioned colonial overtones here, but the movie itself is one of the best of its kind. Good character development, solid action, and fine sets. This film provides a really good look at pre-WW2 cavalry life. In fact many british cavalry regiments did not mechanize until 1939! So this film shows a lot of accuaracy in its period details of regimental life. The standard plot is here that we have seen before, distant outpost on the frontiers of Afghanistan, rumbling tribes, conspiracy, and betrayal. All quite well done. Even the usual heroics at the end are believeable and leave one moved with emotion. This film shows that Afghanistan has always been a problem locale. The British knew how to deal with it then. Can the US learn how today?

Classic B&W adventure film
Cary Cooper does a restrained slow burn as an independently-minded but highly capable colonial soldier, stationed in the remote, volatile edges of the far-flung and perpetually shaky British empire. The locale is the rugged, untameable mountain terrain of Kashmir and Afghanistan, where local warlords and would-be kings wreck havoc with the disciplined, top-heavy imperial armies. Sound familiar? Yeah, I thought it might. Anyway, this is a thoroughly enjoyable, good old-fashioned, black-and-white adventure flick, which includes a few interesting character studies inside the barracks walls. Franchot Tone is particularly appealing as the tart-tounged newcomer who antagonizes Cooper, but inevitably becomes his best friend and comrade in arms. Recommended!

a definite classic
I first saw this film as a boy, and it immediately struck me; then I remembered it for years as one of the best films I had ever seen in terms of plot, characters, exoticism, and historic appeal. Twenty five years later I was able to purchase a copy - and saw the magic working all over again, this time with my children. It is a story of friendship, courage, cowardice and redemption. Lieutenants Stone and Forsythe are assigned to the 41st Lancers in Bengal. The tribes under Mohammed Khan are on the verge of rebellion. A Russian spy tries to promote her country's interests in the region. Then Lieutenant Stone is captured and Mc Gregor -played by Gary Cooper, superb as usual- and Forsyth try to find him and defuse the crisis ... One scene of torture (Mohammed Khan inserts burning sticks under the nails of his prisoners one after the other) makes the film unsuitable for younger children -with a traditional education I suppose- as nightmares are likely to follow. Recommended age bracket 10-15 - and older of course ! The film (1935) is of course in black and white - good for your children's artistic education and never a hindrance to their pleasure. What makes the film a classic is that it embodies the spirit of 19th century colonization- the British are of course right, Mohammed Khan is of course cruel and wily. The film can therefore -with older children ?- be used to start a discussion on historical perspective and the use of national and cultural stereotypes. But above all, this is a well-played, attractive, breathtaking film with a superbly moving finale - and good action scenes without the special effects you would expect from much, much later years which too often prove disturbing for children.

Best of Victoriana Action/Adventure
The best of the lot (IMHO much better than Gunga Din). Great action scene, and a pretty good story line. None of the philosophical insight of the original novel, but hey, who watches this stuff for inner wisdom anyway? Watch out for a uncredited appearance of Myrna Loy as a native Pathan Temptress (do I get extra points since this is not in IMDB?) ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Betty Grable...the queen of Technicolor...absent from DVD!
Why doesn't Fox release any of Betty Grable's classics on DVD? This Technicolor blonde is suspiciously absent from the DVD market, and all her movies need to be released NOW. This title, her first starring role, is one of her best. This fun little Technicolor trip down to South America co-starring with Carmen Miranda and Don Ameche is a knockout, and few movies today can come close to that!

Colorful, breezy, nonstop fun!
I thought this movie would have a few fun Carmen Miranda numbers and not much else. It actually has very little of Carmen (but what's there is good), LOTS of goregous scenery, and even more gorgeous horses. Betty Grable is fine, Don Ameche does a Spanish accent surprisingly well, and Charlotte Greenwood adds class, energy, and pizazz as she always does. The plot is predictable but fun, and not entirely typical. Unlike some musicals, where you sit through most of it just waiting for the big production number at the end, this movie is packed with one interesting sight and sound after another, making it fly by in no time. Also watch for the amazing tap dancing by the Nicholas brothers.

Good, but Not One of Grable's Best
This film was originally designed for Alice Faye, but she got appendicitis as the last minute, and Grable was substituted to avoid financial losses. While the film is very good and everything, it is obvious that it was more designed for Faye, the singer, than Grable, the dancer. While Betty has some good dance scenes, they seem to be rather thrown in haphazardly.

The plot centers around super-rich Grable, who is buying horses, and falling in love with Don Ameche, the owner of said horses. There are the usual romantic entaglements and problems, but eventually they wind up together. Charlotte Greenwood is excellent as Grable's aunt and provides most of the comic effect in the movie. Watch for her phrases with double meanings (no, not sexual ones) They're wonderful!

Also, watch for Carmen Miranda's film debut. Fox was a little uncertain about their new south-of-the-border commodity, and they didn't give her the LAVISH screen treatment and dance numbers they did in later films, but she does well as a nightclub singer. She also doesn't have any speaking parts, and her song is in Portuguese, but it features the debut of "Mama Yo Queiro" and "South American Way."

Basically, this film is enjoyable if you are a Grable or Miranda fan, but otherwise, there is little to hold it together. I rather think it would have been better with Faye, even if it did jump-start Grable's remarkable career.

Excellent, beautifull done film!
This film could win just for the costumes alone. It's so colorful and beautiful. The story line is very good, and Bette Grable is more beautiful then ever. The tunes are catchy, and Don Ameche makes a very handsome leading man. It's a film well worth seeing.

A NOSTALGIC FUNFEST
Ricardo Quintana (Don Ameche) brings a group of horses to the States form his ranch in the Argentine Pampas where his father raises the thoroughbreds. Ricardo is supposed to sell the animals to a wealthy New Yorker and her mother. However, when he arrives, he disovers that the two families have a feud of long standing........Originally Alice Faye was to play the lead of Glenda Crawford, but bowed out due to illness; the part was given to Betty Grable, and the role did much to pave the way towards her stardom in Fox musicals. Grable was noted for her pleasant demeanor, peaches-and-cream complexion, shapely legs along with her simple but pleasant singing and dancing talents. This Technicolor delight from 1940 introduced the "Brazilian Bombshell", Carmen Miranda to movie audiences in America and she was a hit. By no means a beauty, she had energy galore and personality plus: here she sang SOUTH i.e."SOUSE" AMERICAN WAY, MAMA YO QUIERO & the forgotton BAMBU. There are acrobatic tap numbers done by the great Nicholas Brothers and the ever delightful Charlotte Greenwood wisecracks and does her celebrated amazing high kicks - which, once seen, are never forgotton! - in her SING TO YOUR SENORITA duet with Leonid Kinsey. ... Read more

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Never before available on home video and unseen on television since1973, the 1950 production of Annie Get Your Gun has achieved somewhat legendary status, most notably for who would inherit the role Ethel Merman had made famous on Broadway in 1946. MGM originally cast Judy Garland, but her ongoing drug and alcohol problems led to her being fired and replaced by Betty Hutton. Fortunately, the bright and brassy Hutton sparkles in this highly fictionalized story of Annie Oakley, the sharpshooter who wins fame in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and wins the heart of fellow sharpshooter Frank Butler (Howard Keel). Dashing baritone Keel was beginning his career as one of MGM's favorite leading men in the 1950s (including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Kiss Me, Kate). Together they make gold of the many Irving Berlin hits--"Doin' What Comes Naturally," "Anything You Can Do," "They Say It's Wonderful," "I Got the Sun in the Morning," and the classic anthem "There's No Business Like Show Business."

Annie Get Your Gun is unquestionably a product of the 1950s. Keel's relentless chauvinism and Hutton's constant fawning over him grow tiresome (though she does stand up to him in a battle of the sexes), and the Indians wear full headdresses and face paint, say "Ugh," and destroy modern conveniences. (In the name of political correctness, the 1999 Broadway revival starring Bernadette Peters removed "I'm an Indian Too" and received its own share of criticism from purists.) Quibbles aside, the excellent cast and immortal score make Annie Get Your Gun a classic musical. It's great to have it back. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Betty Hutton scores a triumph as Annie Oakley
At last the 1950 movie muscial "Annie Get Your Gun" is finally available for a whole new generation and fans who fondly recall seeing it years ago to experience the magic of America's greatest composer,Irving Berlin(who in addition to the great score of this film brought us"White Christmas", God Bless America" and hundreds of others)dynamic stars, Betty Hutton, Howard Keel and a first rate supporting cast perform in one of Hollywood's greatest and at the time most expensive musical. The technicolor has been preserved in such a manner that the colors are a joy to behold and the meticulous detail of the great photography of Charles Rosher and the costumes by Walter Plunkett("Gone With The Wind")and Helen Rose, who did the exquisite western costumes for Betty Hutton are truly a feast for the eye.This film showcases Betty Hutton at her best. She may not have "voice of the century" like Judy Galand who had to bow out of the role due to illness and other problems but she adds a tremendous gusto to the role plus an almost child like innocence to her early scenes as the backwoods, uneducated Annie. She is especially touching in several scenes in addition to her special gusto (toned down here from some of her earlier roles). Betty Hutton was one of the top stars in Hollywood when this film was released. That same year she made the cover of Time magazine and the film went on to be one of the top grossing movies that year. She went on to sing and dance with Fred Astaire in "Let's Dance" and then won the coveted starring role in Cecil B. DeMille's oscar winning film(for best picture of 1952)"The Greatest Show on Earth"in which she did most of her own stunts in her role as a trapeze performer in a circus.(both of these films are available on video Her last big film was "Somebody Loves Me" in 1952. She left Paramount Pictures due to a dispute over having her then husband direct her next film. She later made one more film in 1956(released in 1957 called "Spring Reunion" a small black and white film produce by Kirk Douglas'company co-starring Dana Andrews. Miss Hutton gave a sensitive performance in this drama about an unmarried career woman in her 30's ,lonely and living with her parents. Once the most popular girl in high school, she meets and old classmate at a reunion. The film gave Miss Hutton a chance to really show that she was a actress fo considerable depth. It is a small film but quite affecting. It is not available on videobut has been aired on TCM) Also in "Annie Get Your Gun", Howard Keel made his movie musical debut and it was an auspicious one indeed. The first of many great parts showcasing his magificient baritone voice, natural acting ability and his strong, handsome ,masculine prescence.Mr. Keel later reached his peak in MGM musicals in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and especially "Kiss Me Kate" (both available on video and probably DVD)The theatrical version of "Annie Get Your Gun"had several songs that were not included in the film. One "I'm a Bad Bad Man" would have been fun to have had Mr. Keel perform and two sung by Annie were a ballad"I Got Lost In His Arms"(beautifully done recently by Bernadette Peters in the broadway revival) and the delightful "Moonshine Lullaby" sung by Annie to her little brother and 3 sisters with an assist by them . It would have been nice to have had Miss Hutton do these in the film. Most of her songs except "They Say It's Wonderful" are of the exuberant variety. She is a standout doing the show's greatest number "There' No Business Like Show Businesss" in which she sings with her co-stars, later a reprise by herself and a again with Mr. Keel. Before the film, it is enjoyable to see the original trailer(or coming attraction promotion) for the film, a short introduction and brief history of Annie Oakley and her various incarnations by broadway/television star, Susan Lucci. Shown are outakes made by Judy Garland before she was let go for the film. After the film 2 completed numbers by Miss Garland are shown. She appears rather tired in them but her voice is just great and fine natural acting ability is evident as always. Finally a lovely number that unfortunately was later deleted from the film before it was released is shown for the first time.It is called "Let's Go West Again" with Betty Hutton. It is a good number , beautifully shot, sung in a more low key manner by Miss Hutton. Another interesting sideline, some of the original lyrics by Mr. Berlin were considered a little too "racy" for movie censors in 1950. For example in "You Can't Get a Man With A Gun",The lyric "a man's love is mighty he'll even buy a nighty for a gal who he thinks is fun, but they don't make pajamas for pistol packing mamas" was altered for the movie to "a Tom, Dick or Harry will build a house for Carrie when the preacher has made them one" Although a minor complaint it did cause a few of the songs to lose a little of their "bite".The film won 2 Oscars for sound recording and musical adaptation and it is obvious by the smooth , clear arrangements which give great justice to Irving Berlin's genius as both a composer and lyricist. I highly recommend this film for the entire family, especially if you are tired of the current films that offer nothing more than extreme violence, car chases, boring performers, gimmicky special effects, blatant sexuality etc. run and get this film. Betty Hutton was recently interviewed by the brilliant Robert Osborne on TCM(the Turner Classic Movies cable channel) and if they see my review I want to say "Bravo" to both of you for an outstanding one hour conversation about Miss Hutton's life and career. I hope that Betty Hutton will continue to give future interviews and lectures . She is a remarkable "survivor"who gives so much of herself to her audience.It is not surprising that she got her start on the Broadway stage and after her movie career continued appearing all over The USA and Europe in concerts and and theatrical productions to sellout audiences until personal problems in the 1960's caused her to stop performing until she made a brief return to Broadway in 1980(filling in for Alice Ghostley) in the role of Miss Hannigan in "Annie" ( muscial based on Little orphan Annie)

Worth the wait?
Well, it`s here at last. The long-awaited VHS of this smash hit Broadway musical.
I remember seeing it at the movies when it came out and thinking - what went wrong?
The tunes are great - the start is excellent but there`s no heart.
It`s too clean I guess and one-dimensional. Poor Howard Keel has not got into his stride as a movie actor and his Frank Butler is stodgy and quite unpleasant.
Our girl, Betty does her nut as usual but as she gets prettier so does her character diminish and she too appears brash and unsympathetic.
Of course, the songs are block-busters but I really missed Moonshine Lullaby which would have gone a long way to redeem Betty Hutton`s portrayal of Annie Oakley.
My favourite line is when Chief Sitting Bull says:
"Keep bow tight, keep arrows sharp AND NO PUT MONEY IN SHOW BUSINESS."
Unfortunately the movie degenerates into montage sequences of little moment and a conclusion that depends on the woman being subservient to the man and 'letting him win'.
Based on a true story, it starts so well........but finishes like a damp squib.
In all fairness, Judy Garland couldn`t have cut it as Annie, as we see in a couple of her numbers before she was sacked from the production.

There Really Is No Businesss Like Show Business!
Annie Get Your Gun is my favort play.And now it is my favort movie. I loved being in that play even though i was only 11 years old i still loved doing it.As I got older I found out that there was a movie and when I got the movie I could not stop watching it, and now my future goal would Be Palying Annie Oakley. And I think Annie would be proud.

There Really Is No Businesss Like Show Business
Annie Get Your Gun is my favort play. I loved doing it even though i was only 11 years old is till loved doing it.As I got older I found out that there was a movie i could not stop watching it. And My Future goal in life would Be Palying Annie Oakley. And I think Annie would be proud.

One of the most fun films ever made!!
Betty Hutton is sooo good in this musical. Even in pigtails, freckles, and rags she's totally loveable and her backwoods accent is hysterical!!
Annie Oakley (Hutton) and Frank Butler(Howard Keel) are two of the best gunshots in the world, but Oakley, who doesn't know a thing about being a lady, falls hopelessly in love with the handsome Butler. After accepting an offer to work with Butler in Buffalo Bill's western show, Oakley takes pains to become a beautiful lady and win Butler's heart. Unfortunately for Oakley, Butler can't take her being a better shooter than him, so a big rivalry ensues and so does all the fun.
Most memorable performance is Hutton and Keel's adorable number with the song "Anything You Can Do."
The quality of this DVD is great. Picture's bright and clear, sound is excellent, and so are the extra features like Susan Lucci's intro and about four outtakes, two of which contain Judy Garland's only two finished performances. Enjoy!! ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Rio Grande finest of much vaunted "Ford Cavalry Trilogy"
Rio Grande, shot in glorious black and white, is in a way the most colorful of the three cavalry movies that John Ford made with John Wayne. As in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" Wayne is in the starring role but a fetchingly mature Maureen O'Hara is able to hold her own with Wayne and become as powerful a figure in the story. Much of the fun of watching this picture is the on screen chemistry of Wayne and O'Hara, they are totally believable as lovers and as equals. It must be duly noted that they are supported by the John Ford stock company and they are seldom showcased as well as this. Of particular note are superb efforts by Harry Carey, and Ben Johnson who carry their parts in an easy and natural style, and Victor Mclaglen who reprises his Sgt. Quincanon from "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon". The DVD edition was digitized from the original negative and it is indeed beautiful. The soundtrack is also clear although a trifle shrill at times. Wayne, with mustache and crumpled hat never looked better, Victor Young's score is rousing, and Ford is at his sentimental and poignant best in this "must see" western classic.

A John Wayne Western Only A Woman Could Love
The director John Ford and the actor John Wayne made three of the most remarkable Westerns ever made. Critics refer to them as the "Calvary Trilogy and they center on the life and times of horse soldier Nathan Brittles, who "Never apologizes because it's a sign of weakness" but does manage to make amends to the wife he wronged (O'Hara) in spectacular style. The chemistry between Wayne and O'Hara is amazing, all the more so because they kiss only twice in the film. Both are middle-aged when they meet again, but communicate a passion and sexuality which puts any modern screen pairing in the shade. The film is remarkable because O'Hara is truly Wayne's equal, a feminist in hoop skirts and even more suprising, not the only one in the film. Rounding out the cast are Ford's "stock company" a group of some of the finest character actors ever to grace the screen. If you're female and you've never been able to get into Westerns, this is the one that will get you there. It's funny, touching and features a female lead who is far from passive and years ahead of her time.

THE TRILOGY'S SUNSET RIDE
RIO GRANDE nicely finishes off the John Ford Cavalry Trilogy. While not as intense as FORT APACHE, or touching as SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON, RIO GRANDE earns its stripes with the trademarks of the trilogy: luminous direction, straight forward story telling and solid work from The Duke, Maureen O'Hara and of course, Victor McLaglen, who steels the first 20 minutes of the film. "Welcome home, darling," he bows to O'Hara as she's escorted into the fort by The Duke, to which she replies: "I see you still have that ox with you." Pappy and The Duke have the regular Ford/Wayne troop still with them and it works. The Sons of the Pioneers offer a new song book, but the band still plays "The Girl I Left Behind Me" when the cavalry marches out. There's a lot to be said for the old ways.

A Trilogy Completed
This is the third of Ford's films which focus on the U.S. Cavalry and its violent encounters with the Apache. Wayne's role in each is quite different. He is a subordinate officer in Fort Apache, a commanding officer about to retire in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and again a commanding officer in this film but estranged from his wife Kathleen (Maureen O'Hara), and son Jeff (Claude Jarman, Jr.) among the men he commands. Lieutenant Kirby Yorke (Wayne) resembles Woodrow F. Call in Lonesome Dove (played by Tommy Lee Jones) who refuses to show any favoritism or even affection whatsoever to his son. (In fact, Call denies his fatherhood.) Of course, Ford ensures that husband and wife are reunited by the end of the film; also, that father and son become close after Trooper Yorke plays a key role in helping to rescue children captured by the Apache and thereby earns his commanding officer's (and father's) respect. A similar relationship exists in Red River except that the conflict is resolved without a brawl. Personally, I would have preferred less reliance on Irish ballads, the focus on Yorke's marital conflicts, and what I view as the macho element of which Ford was so fond. Nonetheless, Wayne's performance is outstanding and the sequence by which the children is rescued is brilliantly portrayed. In additional to much improved sound and image, this DVD version also offers several excellent supplementary features which include a scene-specific commentary with Maureen O'Hara, a mini-documentary "Along the Rio Grande with Maureen O'Hara," and "The Making of Rio Grande" hosted by Leonard Maltin.

John Ford's Triumphant Conclusion to Cavalry Trilogy!
'Rio Grande', the last of director John Ford's 'unofficial' Cavalry Trilogy, has often been unfairly judged the 'weakest' of the three westerns. Certainly, it lacks the poetic quality of 'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon', or the revisionist view of a thinly-disguised reworking of the events surrounding the death of George Armstrong Custer ('Fort Apache'), but for richness of detail, a sense of the camaraderie of cavalrymen, an 'adult' (in the best sense of the word) love story, and a symbolic 'rejoining' of North and South conclusion that may have you tapping your toe, 'Rio Grande' is hard to beat!

It is remarkable that 'Rio Grande' ever got to the screen; Ford hadn't planned to make it, but in order to get Republic Pictures to agree to his demands for 'The Quiet Man' (he wanted the film to be shot on location in Ireland, and in color), he had to agree to do a 'quickie' western that would turn a quick profit for the usually cash-strapped studio. This is, perhaps, a reason why the film is held in less esteem than it deserves. 'Rio Grande' may have not been born with high expectations, but with John Ford in the director's chair, and John Wayne and the Ford 'family' in the cast and crew, the potential for something 'special' was ALWAYS present!

A few bits of trivia to enhance your viewing pleasure: Yes, that IS Ken Curtis, singing with The Sons of the Pioneers, in the film...while uncredited, he made a favorable impression with Ford, and soon became a part of his 'family'...Ben Johnson, Harry Carey, Jr, and Claude Jarman, Jr, actually did their own stunts while performing the 'Roman Style' riding sequence (Carey said in interviews that they were all young, and didn't think about the danger of it; a production would lose their insurance if they 'allowed' three major performers to do something as risky, today!)...Did you know that O'Hara, playing Jarman's 'mother', was barely 14 years older than her 'son', and was only 29 at the time of the filming?...Harry Carey barely had any lines in the script; most of what you see in the film was ad-libbed!...the popular ditty, 'San Antoine', sung by Jarman, Carey, Johnson, and Curtis, was, in fact, written by Mrs. Roy Rogers, herself, Dale Evans!

Whether you're viewing 'Rio Grande' for the first time, or have sat through many viewings, the film has a richness and sense of nostalgia for a West that 'may never have existed, but SHOULD have'. It would be a proud addition to any collector's library! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

One of Tyrone Power's best --- needs to be on DVD
This 1941 masterpiece, a remake of the 1922 Valentino classic, starring the legendary Tyrone Power in the Valentino role, with Linda Darnell and, in one of her first big roles, Rita Hayworth. The Technicolor cinematography of this masterpiece is absolutely stunning, the colors practically leap off the screen. You can't get that look in modern movies anymore; all movies today are too bright or too dull.

Anyway, its time for Fox to release this title on DVD, along with The Black Swan, Captain from Castile and others. Tyrone Power is a trully excellent and underrated actor, and his movies must be released on DVD.

Death In The Afternoon
"Blood and Sand" based on the novel by Ibanez and presented by 20th Century-Fox is a masterpiece of old style Hollywood filmmaking. Director Rouben Mamoulian pulls out all the stops to present this Technicolor flushed romantic story of Juan Gallardo who is portrayed by the impossibly beautiful Tyrone Power. Juan grows from a poor boy dreaming of glory in the bullrings of Spain to the epitome of arrogance and ignorant of the cost to his soul of his fame.
The three principals of the story are, Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell as his childhood sweetheart Carmen, and Rita Hayworth as the seductive and hollow Dona Sol.
Tyrone Power presents us with a marvelous, energetic portrait of a young, brash and over confident Juan. His first close-up bursts the edges of the screen and burns in the colors of Goya. Tyrone Power was made for the movies and cinematographers Ernest Palmer and Ray Rennahan film him with as much care as they do the two female leads. Thus this overpoweringly beautiful close-up sucks the viewer into the world of Juan and one is swept away by his charm and bravado. Mr. Powers's performance is almost overshadowed at first by his physical presence but as the story progresses his talent as a film actor takes over and sustains the viewer to the end.
Linda Darnell, a great beauty of the movies and by her own admission, not much of an actress, turns in a very good performance as Juan's discarded wife Carmen. I do not agree with Miss Darnell's opinion of her talents. One only has to look at "Letter to Three Wives" to see what an accomplished screen actress she was. And here too she takes the thankless role of Carmen and makes one care about the poor girl.
Then we have Rita Hayworth who here in "Blood and Sand" sets the standard for the great-lost beauties of the silver screen. Her Dona Sol is everything we hope for in the empty shell of a femme fatale.
It is said of her, at one point in the film by a newspaper critic of bullfighting, as he points to the ring: "Gentleman, if this is death in the afternoon, then she is death in the evening." And Miss Hayworth lives up to every inch of his description in this her breakout performance.
In the garden scene where she performs the "Toro!" seduction and sings to her victim Juan, she is utterly captivating and irresistible in her Travis Banton gown and cascading titian hair. Here we see the birth of Rita Hayworth and the demise of Rita Cansino.
Also worth mentioning are Anthony Quinn as one of Juan's boyhood friends, Manola De Palma and the wonderful silent star Alla Nazemova who is heart breaking as Juan's mother.
The music by the masterful Alfred Newman sets the tone and emotion of the film. Lush and full of the sounds of Spain it is one of his best.
Darryl Zanuck believed that story was everything in film. Without a good story you had nothing to build a film on. In "Blood and Sand" the head of Fox proves his point and gives us a great movie presented in the grand style of Hollywood's golden age.

Certainly not a masterpiece.
I'm not a Tyrone Power fan but I don't denigrate him either.
It is just that Blood & Sand is one of his lesser movies. For one thing he is just to damn pretty. The techicolor is marvelous & gets a star.
There are several actual bull-fighting scenes in the movie. When they go into the studio to do Power's close up it is obviously fake. the whole effect is rather cheesy.
The good news is that this is the break-out film for Rita Hayworth. Linda Darnell is beautiful as she always is. It was fun to see a young Anthony Quinn in a supporting role

Great
I bought this for my mother in law. She loved it. I was very pleased with the quality of the tape and price bought from a merchant. We are very satisfied.

+1/2 Old-fashioned Hollywood drama
An early Technicolor melodrama, featuring Tyrone Power as Juan Gallardo, a boyish, beaming matator who starts life as a brash country bumpkin and rises to the top of his profession, then loses it all when he falls for the wrong woman. Linda Darnell co-stars as his faithful, good-girl wife, and Rita Hayworth is the wicked Other Woman. With clenched jaw and rigid posture, Hayworth is mysteriously unappealling and surprisingly unsexy in her role as a high-society vamp, while Power is entirely believable as a good-natured but uneducated jock who doesn't think with his head. The script is slow-moving and obvious, but does give a glimpse into Spain's toreador culture, and features one nice bullfighting sequence which gives a good sense of the balletic excitement -- and brutish cruelty -- of the sport. Quite enjoyable if you're in the right mood. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Kind of silly, but entertaining
If not for Peter Lorre, this movie might be too silly to sit through. But Lorre turns in a grand performance, along with G. Carroll Nash as the detective.

If you can not laugh when 'THE HAND' starts crawling around, then you are indeed a serious horror movie fan!

Recommended for Lorre's performance.

Give Peter Lorre A Hand!!
This is a well-titled, but bizarre horror film from Warner Bros, a studio not known for producing horror films. Victor Francen stars as a renowned pianist living in one of those dark creepy movie mansions/castles. One hand is useless, so he uses his other hand to play. He relies heavily on his nurse, Andrea King, shuns his secretary, Peter Lorre, and sometimes seeks the company of Robert Alda who helped adapt the music for one-handed playing. When Francen dies (violently) and leaves his estate to his nurse, this sets off a series of strange events as everyone is terrorized by his disembodied hand!!

Sound bizarre? Well the film certainly is strange, establishing a foreboding mood early on and then taking the story in "unusual" directions. The characters are not well defined, especially the nominal leads Alda and King. It's one of those films where the characters need a slap to the head since they act so stupidly at times (or maybe it's the writers who should have been slapped around a bit). Only Peter Lorre really establishes a presence and performance here, going all the way in his characterization of the decidely strange secretary. It's perfect casting for the role and he capitalizes on it.

Director Robert Florey does establish some mood and atmosphere, but the outright silliness and illogic of the whole story hurts the film. It's fun to watch at a certain level, but with a better script and director it could have been a much more effective chiller.

The creeping hand...
Victor Francen, a very wealthy man, is unable to cope with the fact that his stunted hand has robbed him of his greatest pleasure: piano-playing. He feels nothing but contempt for the sycophants who beleaguer his house: Legacy-hunters and permanent resident Peter Lorre who "studies" in his library - they all sponge on him. Imagine the indignation of his relatives when his testament is opened and his nurse (Andrea King) is his sole heiress! They contest the will and Lorre fears the loss of "his" beloved books. But soon they realize that they have more to fear than just the loss of their inheritance: Francen's hand displays its individual existence, creeps around the house and strangles everybody unreasonable enough to stay...

Why is everybody standing petrified while the hand is climbing up their body? Why don't they simply decamp? The film is neither as eerie as it should have been, nor as funny. The part with the testament drags on and the leading actor looks like a stage-villain with his beard. On the other hand it has a feeling for the 1890ies italian atmosphere and Peter Lorre plays with great gusto. With his haircut he could replace Demi Moore in G.I JANE every minute and he enjoys himself when he casts the horoscope of his supporting players and describes with glee the pangs of death that await them. The star player however - Francen's severed hand - needs some acting lessons: its performance is better than that of Michael Caine's hand in THE HAND (1981, directed by Oliver Stone), but not as good as Conrad Veit's hands in ORLACS HÄNDE (1924).

his Bach is worse than his bite
In their Hollywood in the Forties book, writers Charles Higham and Joel Greenberg attest that director Robert Florey disowned the studio cut of his film. Florey shot the story as seen through the eyes of Peter Lorre as an assistant to a disabled pianist whose hand it is believed is responsible for murder. Florey was confident the audience would be smart enough to realise that what we were seeing is not objective reality but rather Lorre's tormented vision. What survives is only redeemed by Lorre's hallucinations with the disembodied hand, his own manic intensity, handprints in the dirt, and the professional mourners hired to chant for the dead pianist. Otherwise we get stuck with a sappy romance between Robert Alda as a local fake antique sealer and big-haired Andrea King as the pianist's nurse, and static scenes of talk. The screenplay by Curt Siodmak gives Lorre an interest in "the secrets of the ancient astrologists, lost since the burning of the Alexandrian library", and the logic that someone could have been playing the piano other than the hand in "because nobody's ever heard you play, that doesn't mean you can't". The special effects of the hand require some getting used to since one naturally expects it to be a fake and therefore is looking at the mechanics, as in darkened sleave or blocking that can cheat the shot as when the hand is supposed to grab someone's throat behind a door or we get a hand POV shot. However there are moments where disbelief is suspended. The film's most bizarre... image is the disembodied hand, extending it's ring finger for Peter Lorre to replace the ring the pianist used to wear.

A creepily atmospheric horror tale.
Altho nominally based on a short story by W.F. Harvey, this film uses only the title (a great title!) and the basic gimmick of a living disembodied hand. A bit too slow-moving, but with several memorably scary scenes that have that perfect atmosphere you can only get with an old black-&-white horror film. The final "evil plot and hallucinations" payoff is not really satisfying, but Peter Lorre is at his unique best as a revenge-crazed madman. He dominates the film, despite his third billing. The scenes involving the living hand are technically excellent, and probably could not be improved on today. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hit the lights! An all-star cast and plenty of big numbers make this classic 1955 musical a blast. Russ Tamblyn, Vic Damone, and Tony Martin are three wacky sailors on leave. Debbie Reynolds, Jane Powell, and the immortal Ann Miller are three girls ready for romance. High jinks ensue. Miller's character, Ginger, is a nightclub singer, allowing for maximum dance numbers and costume changes. Yes, it's a big, silly MGM musical with plenty of songs, jokes, and splashy colors, and it's quite a bit of fun. Fred Astaire choreographer Hermes Pan provided the at-times hilariously elaborate dance numbers, and "Hallelujah," the big finale, is presented in all its original widescreen glory so you won't miss a cannon. It's enough to make you want to enlist. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (8)

1950's Fun in Uniform
It's big, it's silly, and it's a fun 1950's musical with lots of great stars. This movie won't solve the mysteries of the universe, but it will entertain with lots of great dances and songs. Ann Miller, Jane Powell, and Debbie Reynolds are at their best. Jane in the Penguin number, and Ann in the "Thinking of You" number are standouts. Some VHS copies may have a sound problem. They should bring this out on DVD

The ship sank
This was one of MGM's worst musicals. It's amazing because it had a lot going for it the casting of three beautiful talented women: Ann Miller, Debbie Reynolds, and Jane Powell. The script isn't too good. Vic Damone and Tony Martin have too much of the same persona. I think the movie would have been balanced with Dean Martin cast. There is one scene that sticks out and it's a weird one with Jane dancing with a penguin.

Very underrated
This may have been made in the dying days of MGM musicals (no Sinatra or Kelly), but it has some spectacular classic songs by Vincent Youmans & 2 of the finest voices of all time singing together: Tony Martin & Vic Damone. Plus superior musical arrangements & Russ Tamblyn dancing.

They do not make them like this any more for sure.

So enjoy it! Great musical!!

Great Stars and Talent - Very Disappointing Quality
I looked forward to seeing this since I saw it in the theatre in the '50's. It was sad to see the poor quality of such a great musical. I was disappointed and doubt if I will purchase more musicals from the same people who put this out. They did a diservice to a fine musical, not only with poor sound quality but by not putting the whole movie in widescreen, not just the end number.

Hit The Deck
Hit The Deck, is my favorite musical, with Jane Powell. The music is fantastic, and she was my favorite singer and actress in musicals. The movie is about sailors & girls and a musical production. All the actors are great, and the singing and dancing wonderful. I would reccomend this for everyone who likes musicals. It is well worth viewing. I hadn't seen this movie since it came out in 1955, as it never was on TV, that I could see. Thanks, Amazon, for making it available. It is a spectacular film. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Nifty action western
This 1954 western benefits from beautiful scenery, a good cast topped by Alan Ladd, a director who knows how to keep the action moving at a brisk pace [Raoul Walsh] and an interesting stor