Reviews (13)

THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS--A very memorable war picture!!
My son asked me to purchase some WWII DVD's for him this past Christmas. Sadly, I wasn't able to include the best NAVAL WWII movies which were made by the British. Two of the best of them were The Man Who Never Was and Sink The Bismark. Sadly neither of these titles are available on DVD. Both are better than just about any of the American WWII movies (yes, I'm an American). Both of these movies are based on TRUE stories (Unlike Disney's latest Pearl Harbor movie!!), only the minor characters are fictional. If you ever see the Man who Never Was you will never forget it. The story is about a true scheme which the Brits used to make the Germans believe the southern European landings were going to be in a different location than the real one. They discuss how to do this and come up with the idea of obtaining a body of a young man, which they are going to dress up as an officer with invasion plans for another location than the one intended. The movie spends a lot of time explaining how they got the body, what they had to do to fake all this, including figuring out on which European beach they should have the body wash ashore. Unlike most American movies, you really get an excellent view of what it's really like to plan CIA type operations. Wonderful movie. You will love all the characters, even the villains!! Lots of naval action from the highest to the lowest commands. Buy it.
---UNFORTUNATELY IT IS NOT AVAILABLE ON DVD YET!!!----
Neither is "Sink the Bismark", which I remember seeing in college back in the early '60's. I remember it vividly because the auditorium in which it was shown allowed the audience to "attack and sink" the Bismark using paper airplanes!! This movie is also terrific. It too is VERY British. It too explains why the British Navy was so awesome in WWII. It also has great actors in great roles. Super movie. Both of these movies are the best in WWII movies. Now if I could just remember the name of the British naval movie which tells the story of the naval war off the coast of South America!! Yet another wonderful British Naval movie!!
The Man Who Never Was has scenes which should bring tears to your eyes, if you are the least bit sensitive!! Good movie to get your gal into crying on your shoulder!! (And that actually happened as well ;-)

An exciting World War II movie
I rate "The Man Who Never Was" as an excellent and exciting World War II movie. Why can't movies be made like this anymore? Recent World War II movies are not accurate and place too much emphasis on effects. In my opinion, the more "special effects" a movie has, the more fake it is. Anyhow, "The Man Who Never Was" describes the true events of the British trying to confuse the Germans as to where the Allies will invade - Sicily or Greece. By arranging to have a dead body wash ashore in Spain with top-secret documents, the British cause the Germans to alter their defenses, thus saving the Allies from suffering even more casualties. How the British found a body, the details that they had to come up with to make the Germans believe the body was for real, and the subsequent German effort to determine whether or not the information found on the body was accurate, all make for an exciting story which moves at a swift pace. This is really a great World War II movie.

Great British Naval Movies
I liked this movie very much. It went into great but not overwhelming detail about the British Naval Intelligence Service during WWII. The detail the British went through to confuse the Germans was phenominal and was very adequately portrayed in the movie. David Niven playing the lead did a good job of portraying the methodical British Naval officer in charge of the detail. Another great British Naval movie had two names. The first one was "The Persuit Of The Graf Spee" and then released as "The Battle Of The River Plate". It was filmed in great color and was about the battle off South America between the German pocket battleship Graf Spee and 3 cruisers, two British and one New Zealand: The Ajax, Exeter and Achilles. The Graf Spee was portrayd by the US Navy's heavy cruiser USS Salem and because of the difference in US and British ship construction the look of the Graf Spee was very different from the British ships and therefore much more believable. This movie has been out of print for some time and as of two years ago there were no plans to make it available

A great flick.
I loved the attention to detail on generating the history of the "Man Who Never Was". this had me wondering what they would miss. Would they miss anything?

You'll love it.

One of the finest WW II films of the 1950s
Although the film was a ostensibly a 20th Century Fox production, THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS was filmed in England using primarily English crew and cast (though American leads). It belongs to a tradition of English war films in which aspects of the war are treated slowly, deliberately, and with great precision. While in the US war films tended to feature John Wayne leading Marines into combat, the British tended to focus much more on the preparation and plans of operations. For instance, the very fine film THE DAM BUSTERS features very little in the way of actual combat. And THE MAN WHO NEVER WAY has no combat whatsoever.

The movie is based on a book by the same name about Operation Mincemeat, in which the British attempted to mislead the Germans about the intended invasion spot for D-Day by planting a corpse with fake papers on a beach in Spain, knowing that the Spanish would pass the papers onto the Germans. The entire movie is involved with the formation of the plan, and then creating the man who never was, creating his papers and personal effects. On one level, not much happens in the film, but on another it is one of the most fascinating films ever made about the war, because of the practical problems they deal with in the executing of the operation. Knowing that it was all based upon real events greatly adds to the appeal of the film.

Clifton Webb, who was in fact far too old for the part, turns in a convincing performance as Lieutenant Commander Montagu. In most of his films he comes across as arrogant, but in this one he instead communicates competence and intelligence. Gloria Grahame is excellent as the primary female presence in the film. If you look carefully, you can spot Stephen Boyd in a small role, a few years before he would portray Messala in BEH-HUR. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

The Ultimate Classical Greek Adventure is dishonered.
JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS may very well be THE classic adventure film. Everything about it shines with sheer perfection in the art of entertainment. Spectacular music by Bernard Herrmann, a sweeping story full of suspense and surprise, and some of Ray Harryhausen's all-time greatest effects work. I cannot commend this film enough.

After giving what was probably Harryhausen's worst film FIRST MEN IN THE MOON an awesome DVD treatment, they completely dishoner his good name with this edition of JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS. This is honestly one of the [worst] DVDs I've ever seen! (Hence the four star rating instead of five.) The picture and sound quality are so unbelievably bad!!! I've seen some VHS copies that easily outshine the print seen here. All other titles in the "Ray Harryhausen Signature Collection" sported digitally mastered audio and video, and looked like pure gold. Shame on you, Columbia!

The special features ..., too. Completely devoid of the documentaries featured on other "Signature Collection" DVDs, all we get is a pretty [bad] interview of Ray Harryhausen by John Landis. I guess it would seem interesting, but only for those who haven't seen "The Ray Harryhausen Chronicles", one of the previously mentioned documentaries. That feature is far more insightful than the one here.

JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS is a masterpiece, and this DVD is worth buying only if you absolutely must own it. If you don't, then avoid it at all costs.

greatest film from a special fx master
I love this film. I first saw it when I was twelve and I've loved it ever since. Especially after seeing this wonderful film butchered for television viewing, I couldn't wait to get the DVD. This is a fairly faithful adaptation of the myth; the script is well-written and the cast does a great job -- this has got to be the best Hercules (Nigel Green) in any classical movie.

The wonderful music is by Bernard Herrman (Fahrenheit 451, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Vertigo), and the effects by Harryhausen are superb, maybe his best. I'll never forget the first time I saw the giant bronze Talos turn his head and step down from his pedestal. Seeing the harpies come to life, and the seven-headed Hydra, the skeletons, Triton, the gods on Mount Olympus .... too many great effects to list!

The DVD version is worthwhile. The picture quality here is very good and the sound quality average. Special DVD features include English, French or Spanish language and subtitles; a great 12 minute discussion between John Landis and Ray Harryhausen (1995); a 1963 trailer.

The fight against the triviality!
Mircea Eliade defined the triviality as the absence of physical tension in the human being.
If we agree this concept ; then the argonauts represent the fight against the triviality. Notice for instance the greek meaning of Argos: the white ship. And the white color means purification.
The seek of the golden fleece means the search for the triumph of the truth ; since the gold symbolizes spirituality and the fleece innocence ; the circle is completed.
Besides the mission has one last goal: to fight against the dragon and exterminate it ; because the fleece is its prisoner . The dragon symbolizes the perversity ; so if you want to access to the sublimity . you must to kill the dragon.
This movie is a winner. Ray Harryhausen inspired to many film makers , specially a teenager called Steven Spielberg who confessed this confidence to James Lipton in The actor's studio .
The mythical monsters are the magnificient background all along the movie. A film conceived as family entertainment but loaded of smart clues , who teachs us the huge wisdom who lives beneath the underestimated term myth: wrong choice as you know.
Great special effects ; and from all standpoints a cult movie since its release.!

Movie deserves a better DVD release....
Well, if you look at only the movie, then you get your money's worth. It's done in widescreen with great picture and sound quality. regretfully, Colombia/Tri-Star did not put in many bonus features, such as a more detailed making of featurette to tell how the movie was made and all the wonderful effects work. Instead, Ray is reduced to talking to a not so bright John Landis about the making of the movie and Landis's interviewing skills are about as professional as a nine year old. Maybe one day, they will give this movie a more worthy DVD release. Then this barebones edition.

More Harryhausen greatness
This is a great popcorn movie - swashbuckling, mythic, and a little quaint by today's effects standards. The effects, acting, and visual style all work together well, though. It can't be compared to today's movies any more than Charlie Chaplain can.

Once you allow yourself into its mood, it's great entertainment. Treasure is captured, danger is faced, and other-wordly foes are defeated. Keep it around for a rainy saturday, and make sure you have popcorn. ... Read more

Reviews (111)

A Bit More Cheek Than Usual, Miss Case?
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER marks Sean Connery's return to the role of Bond after the hiatus of ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. It was also his last Bond film to date (except for the swan song NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN in 1983).

The opening precredits sequence involves Bond's hunt for Blofeld, who killed Bond's wife Tracy in OHMSS. The story then develops into a melange of diamond smuggling, Las Vegas casinos, an eccentric billionaire (pork sausage king Jimmy Dean playing Willard Whyte, a sort of cornpone version of Howard Hughes), cheesy funeral parlors, moon buggies and laser beams, cloning, and a girl named Tiffany Case.

In terms of story, this film is one of the weakest of the Bond films,jumping frenetically from one scene to another in an attempt to cram in everything it possibly can. The film editing is awful. There's just no other word for it.

The movie is redeemed by the characters and the nonstop action sequences, all of which are wildly entertaining. Connery is suave and irrepressible in a white tuxedo. Jill St. John, who plays the aforementioned Miss Case, is brassy and sassy, sexy and fun. The two of them seem to be sharing a private joke all the way through the film.

We are also introduced to Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, a pair of openly gay assassins who kill with a creative streak and have a penchant for really bad puns. The appearance of Wint and Kidd and their relationship marks a kind of minor milestone in the Bond canon, showing that the series was moving unselfconsciously into the 1970s.

Minor but important roles are filled out by Bambi and Thumper, a pair of gymnasts specializing in assault, battery, and tumbling routines, and Plenty O'Toole ("Named after your father, no doubt") a casino girl reminiscent of a low-rent Sylvia Trench from the earliest Bond films.

Blofeld is played by Charles Gray. Gray's Blofeld seems more like a disgruntled waiter than a criminal mastermind. His cat does give us an excellent performance.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER never takes itself seriously. This is not the film noir of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. The series was taking its turn here toward the Roger Moore era of cartoon excess and "groaners", a downward spiral which continued until Timothy Dalton rescued Bond from utter obsolescence.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER is Eon's version of an Andy Sidaris film. Sidaris' films are low-budget Bond take-offs, but in this instance, it would be hard to say who inspired whom. Like Baby Back Ribs, this film is sloppy but delicious.

The Special Edition DVD has much to recommend it, including deleted scenes (which to Eon Productions' credit, help make sense of the film) and interviews with some of the cast. There is also an excellent retrospective on the life of Cubby Broccoli. -

Sparkling
"Diamonds Are Forever" is the 7th in the James Bond 007 series from 1971. Agent 007 is assigned to stop diamond smugglers. This movie marks the return of Sean Connery to the role of Bond. He does a decent job here, but afterward he retired again and Roger Moore took over the role. Jill St. John does a good job of playing Tiffany Case, one of the smugglers. Norman Burton does a forgettable job of playing Felix Leiter. (The best Leiter was Jack Lord in "Dr. No" [1962]).

This movie really has two things going for it: an outstanding soundtrack and some of the best villains of the entire Bond series. Shirley Bassey sings the title track. Her's is a return performance, as she also sang the title tracks to "Goldfinger" (1964) and "Moonraker" (1979). The two villains, Mr. Kidd and Mr. Wint, are henchmen of Ernst Blofeld. It is just hilarious how they make deadpan one-liners which parody those of Bond!

This is one of my favorite Bond movies, but I am rating it down one star because it seems to bog down near the end. Ironically, I saw a DeBeers diamond commercial which said "A diamond is forever" while I was preparing this review. Apparently, the movie title has some marketing power to it!

Not as bad as Moonraker
Connery is the only saving grace to this film. The film has a rushed, cheap quality to it. The producers must have been so pleased to have Connery back one last time they forgot about minor stuff like exotic sets (Las Vegas coming on the heels of Japan and the Swiss Alps is a let-down), decent special effects, and a good editor--how did Plenty end up dead? what about the car on two wheels switching sides?--see the movie and you'll understand. Also, someone should have at least tried to get Telly Savalas back as Blofeld for some continuity. Blofeld is 007's Moriarty and while even Savalas didn't quite match the literary Blofeld, he at least had far more presence than Donald Pleasance or Charles Gray. Having Connery back one more time was good, but production values really took a hit in this one. Still, it wasn't as silly as Moonraker.

He deserved the dough
One of my favorite Bond movies. Connery earn his unusual ( for the time ) fee for this role as he hunts for the killer of his wife only to find him behind a mission after he believed he finished the job.

Jill St. John is very hot and does a fine job and the supporting cast follows through well. The cut in the effects budget shows with the parking lot chase but I always felt that Connery as Bond was the attraction rather than the gimicks.

A winner

Making Mud Pies, 007?
The 7th James Bond movie. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER introduced a fascinating character in the series with Willard Whyte, a reclusive billionaire who runs an empire from a Las Vegas penthouse. Whyte is played to perfection by none other than the sausage king himself Jimmy Dean - a legendary tycoon himself during the late 50s and 60s for a series of hilarious commercial and comedy skits. Dean cleverly enthuses the role of Whyte with his own persona. As such, the whole extravagant gambling activities seen throughout the film give a unique appeal for Sean Connery's final apperance as James Bond. The film also showcases memorable action sequences with a more spunky heroine in Jill St. John.

THE ASSIGNMENT: M introduces Bond to the problems of diamond smuggling. Despite apparent air-tight security at South Africa's diamonds mines, a large quantity has recently gone missing. Even more alarming than the larceny is that none of the stolen jewels have found their way on to the world market. Bond is sent off to discover who is stockpiling the diamonds, and why. He begins by impersonating smuggler Peter Franks, and ends up in Las Vegas - and to his shock face to face with Ernst Stavro Blofeld! Blofeld has devised another way to hold the world at ransom - a giant laserbeam generator suspended in orbit around the Earth which uses diamonds to intensify its' energy to the point where it can cause rockets, missiles, and submarines to simply self-detonate. Blofeld is effectively conducting an international auction with nuclear supremacy going to the highest bidder. Who better than 007?

THE VILLAINS: Charles Gray as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Joseph Furst as Professor Metz, and Putter Smith and Bruce Glover as the whimsical homosexuals Mr. Kidd and Mr. Wint.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! BUY IT! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Lust for Life is appropriately titled, for mere passionseems inadequate when describing this superb fictionalized biography (based onIrving Stone's popular novel) of Vincent Van Gogh. In a deservedly Oscar®- nominated performance, Kirk Douglas is physically and emotionally perfect as thetormented Dutch painter, whose life is chronicled from his ill-fated stint as apreacher to Belgian miners in 1878, to his Impressionist-inspired artisticawakening and psychological descent to suicide in 1890. Having triumphed with1952's The Bad and the Beautiful, Douglas, producer John Houseman, anddirector Vincente Minnelli brought vigor and vitality to this blessed project,which centers on Van Gogh's stormy friendship with fellow artist Gaugin(Oscar-winner Anthony Quinn). Minnelli used an outmoded color film process andinnovative camera techniques to vividly recreate Van Gogh's paintings, and hefilmed on the actual Dutch and French locations where Van Gogh's masteryflourished. The artist's lust for life also fed his madness, and this filmdeeply understands the fine line in between. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (16)

THE TERRIBLE LONELINESS OF VINCENT VAN GOGH
One of the greatest films ever made about the madness of creative genius. As films about artists go, I like this film better than POLLOCK and almost as much as BASQUIAT. This is very much an overlooked CLASSIC. I have friends who are fans of Van Gogh's who have never heard of this film. Based on the book of the same title by Irving Stone and for those who love DEAR THEO: the abridged letters of Vincent Van Gogh, a must see. This film absolutely conveys the heartbreaking feeling of this starving misunderstood genius pounding his lifeblood into canvas in a French atelier or countryside while the gallery owners scoff and the painter remains unrecognized and unloved.

Kirk Douglas' finest performance, is fraught with peril. Anthony Quinn, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of Paul Gauguin, is superb. The script, some of which was taken from Van Gogh himself, is sometimes dated but always poignant: "Sometimes the pictures come to me as if in a dream, with a terrible lucidity." BRILLIANT!!

Unfortunately the VHS format is fullscreen which begs the question; WHY IS THIS MASTERPIECE UNAVAILABLE IN WIDESCREEN ON DVD!?! What a cultural wasteland: I could probably find ERNEST GOES TO CAMP on DVD, but try to find this CLASSIC and the clerk at the local HOLLYWOOD VIDEO might say, "LUST FOR LIFE? That would probably be in the Adult Film Section." I hope someone is working hard to preserve this Masterpiece. Anything less would be a shame. My VHS tape has been viewed so many times the magnetic particles are starting to fall off. If the DVD doesn't come out soon I'll be forced to buy another copy on VHS.(SIGH)

A flawed classic
Many people consider this to be the standard when it comes to retelling the tragic story of Vincent van Gogh's life.

The film is very good and there's no question that director Vincente Minnelli put a tremendous amount of work into bringing Van Gogh to the screen. The sets and costumes are wonderful.

I suppose that my main criticism of the film is that its "heart" seems to be more firmly set in 1950's Hollywood than in 1880's Europe. In other words, the film has a very constructed, American flavour to it. This is most glaring when many of the scenes shift from Kirk Douglas on the screen (clearly American) to a narrative reading of his letters to his brother, Theo (read by a British narrator)--very jarring. Kirk's performance, though very good, never quite "clinches" the role--he remains a very good actor on a very pretty set.

But certainly I would recommend this film to anyone with an interest in Van Gogh--not a perfect movie by any means, but there are moments that are quite remarkable.

Starry Night
There haven't been many movies made about great painters, which seems a little odd, but theirs is a static art, hard to capture on film. Producer John Houseman and director Vincente Minnelli do a great job here of placing Van Gogh's life and art before our eyes in a way calculated to whet our interest about the man. His peculiar life was stalked by some kind of mental instability; whether physical or psychological in nature nobody still knows. Kirk Douglas' fine performance is right on in portraying a troubled man trying for both artistic excellence and some kind of normalcy in life; above all a painter who held nothing back from his work. Anthony Quinn, who must have played every nationality under the sun during his career, walked off with an Oscar for his part as the flamboyant and less-gifted Paul Gaugin, destined to play second fiddle to Van Gogh's genius. The film's construction owes something to John Huston's "Moulin Rouge," of four years earlier, a bio of Toulouse-Lautrec.

"I want to create things that touch people"
With an uncanny resemblance to the self-portraits of Vincent Van Gogh, Kirk Douglas is perfect for this detailed and wonderful production of the artist's life; it's a passionate performance of a troubled soul, whose creative urges battled with his mental illness.
The film has an intelligent script by Norman Corwin, based on Irving Stone's biographical novel. It picks up the story around 1879, when Van Gogh was 26 years old, and went to minister (unsuccessfully) to the coal miners of a destitute area, and from there takes us through his many different abodes, his relationship with "Christine", who is well played by Pamela Brown, and the flourishing of his art in his last 15 years of life.

The art direction is superb, and the recreations of the places Van Gogh painted a marvel, among them the famous yellow house he lived in and its bedroom, and my favorite, the pool hall, with its hanging lamps.
The cinematography by Freddy Young and Russell Harlan is terrific, and we get many full screen views of the original paintings, many of them lesser known pieces from private collections.

This was a multi-award winning film, and garnered an Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Anthony Quinn, who is fabulous as Paul Gauguin, whose personality was the complete opposite of his friend Van Gogh; the ego clashes when they attempted to live together are well illustrated in several scenes, and with a little addition to his nose, Quinn has been made to look exactly like Gauguin's famous self-portrait with the snake.
James Donald is excellent as Vincent's patient and generous brother, who was Van Gogh's central means of support for most of his lifetime, both financially and of his paintings.
A tremendous knowledge about art went into this film, and it's one of the best artist biographies ever put to film (another good one also came from a Stone best seller, "The Agony and the Ecstasy"), and is a must-see for artists and anyone with an interest in Van Gogh's genius. Total running time is 122 minutes.

A wonderful Classic!
I'm a painter myself, have done alot of reading about the lives of these artists, and can never get over the superb performances of these actors!----Truly a superb movie classic! Five stars, in my book! ... Read more

Description

The brilliantly droll Alastair Sim (A Christmas Carol) and the imperious Margaret Rutherford (Murder Most Foul) become reluctant allies in this madcap farce about a British girls' school that is accidentally billeted at a boys' school.The Happiest Days of Your Life, which spawned the popular St.Trinian's film series, builds from sweet chuckles to feverish laughter as children fight, teachers romance, and bungling bureaucrats sink into chaos. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

GOOD BRITISH CINEMA
Waiting for a dvd release for this one.
looks dated but still funny.no dorky special effects so the actors and actresses had to act which is something you can't say today.These british films could always put a smile on your face that's why true british culture will always be ours.

One of the very best of British comedies
This is a hilariously funny film, made in the early 1950's during the hey-day of England's Ealing Studios. Set in World War II England, an Academy for Young Ladies is accidentally evacuated to boys' school by the Ministry of Education. The story is a classic, however it is two of the top Ealing actors who make this film so very memorable. Alastair Sim and Joyce Grenfell are incredible as the incompetent headmaster and the never grown-up schoolmistress, respectively, who are gamely trying to cover up the potentially disasterous consequences of the Ministry's error.

For those who love old movies, old British movies at their best, or are just plain fed up with a fare of slick, expensive, plot-less Hollywood movies, I guarantee this will delight and entertain.

One of the best British Comedies
This is a hilarious and funny film set in World War II England, when a girls school is accidentally evacuated to a school for boys. The story is a classic, however it is the top players who make this film so very memorable. Alastair Sim and Joyce Grenfell are incredible.

For those who love old movies, or are just plain fed up with a fare of slick, expensive, plot-less Hollywood movies, I guarantee you will love this. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Star triangle highlights an African safari
A great white hunter finds himself in a love triangle with a lusty, earthy brunette and a prissy, proper blonde who just happens to be married in this beautiful Technicolor adventure filmed on location in several African countries. Clark Gable is in top form as the fearless hunter who knows natives, the jungle and animals but is not as confident when it comes to relationships with women. Gable's Vic spars on good terms with Ava Gardner's Kelly but falls hard for Grace Kelly's straitlaced Mrs. Nordley who smolders inwardly with sexual desire ignited by the virile master hunter. Gardner's likeable Kelly makes a play for Vic but he's too smitten with Mrs. Nordsley to really notice her. The vast, beautiful vistas of the "dark continent" are a viewer's delight and the percussive instruments and plaintive chants of the warriors from the various tribes add realism and urgency to an excellent film.

African love story
Mogambo was essentially a convoluted love story set against the glorious and picturesque backdrop of the African savannah.

A somewhat aged looking Clark Gable in his typical macho style played Victor Marswell a safari leader and procurer of wild animals for zoos and circuses based in Kenya. Arriving at Gable's complex unexpectedly in search of a recently departed maharajah is the raven haired beauty Ava Gardner. Gardner, a wordly chorus girl from New York and Gable imediately hit it off. Things are proceeding swimmingly until the arrival of the next safari clients, the Nordleys. Professor Nordley played by Donald Sinden is an anthropologist interested in gorillas. His wife the prim, proper and lovely Grace Kelly rues her loveless marriage and is smitten with Gable. Gable returns her advances and soon we are in the midst of a love quadrangle.

The heat is turned up as the group goes on safari to gorilla country and passions percolate. All the while they are fleeing from hostile natives, chasing a plethora of wild and exotic animals and travelling through some of the most scenic country imaginable.

The interplay among the main characters as well as the supporting cast was very amusing. The settings and cinematography was first rate. The satisfying conclusion ties up the plot into a neat little package.

Simply wonderful!
Mogambo is a must-see! I didn't think it was going to be so great, I was just going to see the film because Clark Gable was in it. But Ava Gardner was magnificent, she was sexy and beautiful. Grace Kelly was great for the role as the married gal. Clark Gable was of course the hunk that everyone loves! The film keeps you in your seat from the first scene to the last. Just watch it, you'll love it!

African adventure with Gable and Grace.
If Clark Gable had not been a star before Mogambo, he would have been afterward. This is the kind of stuff that creates action heroes. You name it, it's got it ... adventure, romance, and intrigue. Sadly, it's the kind of picture which could never get made today. The characters in this story are the real thing ... the plot doesn't have to develop their personalities. It's a bigger-than-life scenario with ole big ears as the great white hunter, and the future Princess as the impressionable wife of an anthropologist. The only twist is that before the dashing couple arrives, another flame ignities our hero's fire. When they throw the whole gang into an ill-timed safari, all you-know-what breaks loose. The action doesn't interfere with the plot, and vice versa. Just about the time you think it might becoming a love story, it's action time. The movie keeps you interested from the first shot to the happy ending. What would you expect from a Gable and Grace movie? ... Read more

Amazon.com

Joshua Logan's 1967 film of the hit Broadway musical about the love triangle between King Arthur (Richard Harris), Guenevere (Vanessa Redgrave), and Sir Lancelot (Franco Nero) is strong on star emphasis and weak on such fundamentals as story and sets. Except for a handful of solidly dramatic scenes--such as Guenevere grieving, late in the film, for the ruination she and Lancelot have caused--there's not a lot to get excited about. (The story's theme of a lost, great society, however, certainly struck a chord in the 1960s.) The Lerner-Loewe songs ("If Ever I Would Leave You," "Camelot") pretty much sell themselves, even if they are, at best, only proficiently performed in this movie.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Pure Emotion
Camelot made an impression on me over 30 years ago, and today, watching the remastered video, all the songs and lines come easily to me, yet I probably only saw it twice. Most reviews treat this film version unkindly, but I quite prefer Richard Harris as Arthur. In my mind, it's the greatest thing Harris has ever done, and his almost impish Arthur is appropriate for a boy-turned-king. He's neither too regal nor too arrogant, like some who have performed the role. He inhabits Arthur. I'd not have chosen Redgrave but she turns out to be luminous: by turns innocent, lusty, loving, and decent. Marni Nixon's dubbed singing works through her. Franco Nero's Lancelot is a sculpted icon of steel-eyed beautiful purity. Nero may not the greatest actor in the world, but he is endearing as Lancelot, and his physical loveliness in muscle, jaw, cheekbone and eye is probably unmatched for this role. The costumes are brilliant and gorgeous enhancements. (although a bit more real fur could have been used, back in the 60s!) The fact is, the score could not be more magnificent; the "natural" style singing is charming. Rather than focusing on "great" voices, we instead hear the intended core of each scene through "real" characters expressing themselves. These actors portray their roles gamely and truthfully as three people in love with each other. The entire production is a lush, bittersweet escape that infuses me with the sheer emotion and passion of ideals imagined and dashed. Love both lavished and betrayed is a sweet torment that this film tenderly displays to this viewer. I think it's highly underrated.

Drama tops everything
I enjoyed this movie. It seems to pale in comparison with the play, but i never saw the play, so I viewed it without anything to compare it to. I thought it was good. The songs were good, though not great or espicially memorable (they seem to have been better in the play), the sets and costumes were good, and many of the performances, espicially Richard Harris', were great. Harris sings well (assuming he wasn't dubbed), he's great at playing the boy-turned-king, though he looks 40 (he was 35), and he handles the film's drama perfectly. Vanessa Redgrave is good, too, easily turning from innocent bride to flirtatious married woman to passionate lover. And it's quite obvious that, even though she saves her passion for Lancelot, she still loves Arthur. Franco Nero isn't as good, but he's suitably passionate. (Whose idea was it to have Lancelot and Guenivere making love in the pool? They wouldn't have done it, just like they wouldn't have done most of the "loverly" things shown, and the scene in the pool's too From Here to Eternity!) Over everything tops the film's dramatic scenes, the ones in which Arthur confronts the love between his wife and best friend, both of whom he loves and both of whom love him. As I've said, Harris really shines here, really showing us his character's torment. Redgrave holds her own, too, espicially in the scene where she cries at the thought of never seeing Arthur's forgiving eyes again. Maybe it would have been better if they'd cast Richard Burton and made better use of the songs, and it would have been interesting seeing Julie Andrews have an extramarital affair, given as how she was still considered sugary-sweet at the time. Still, this movie was good.

ugh!!!!!
This is the worst movie musical ever made.It's hard to believe
that this piece of junk was made by the same producer who did
the magnificent "My Fair Lady".I've read that Jack Warner spent
$18 million on the production.Yes,it looks good.But the script
is terrible-not that the show was great,anyway.And the entire
cast overacts badly.One critic called it "an appalling film with
only good orchestrations to recommend it".Well,he's right.At
least Alfred Newman and Ken Darby did a great job with the score.
Their work makes the soundtrack listenable.Other than that,a poor
script,atrocious direction(Vincente Minnelli and George Cukor
weren't available???),and SEVERE MISCASTING add up to a complete
misfire.Forget it-listen to the soundtrack CD or the Broadway
cast album and watch "My Fair Lady " or "Gigi" instead.

AWFUL!!!!
Awful, awful, awful. Overacting run amok in a silly, unnecessary movie. The worst part was that it looked like a lot of effort went into this film and how horrible was the effort. What a waste of time. AWFUL.

Legendary Musical Falls Flat
This is a magnificent musical. It SHOULD HAVE been made with Julie Andrews, Richard Harris and Robert Goulet. Vanessa Redgrave looks wonderful, but her character seems depressed most of the time and the woman can't sing a note to save her life. Franco Nero was handsome, but looks Italian, not English... fortunately they found a very English voice to dub his songs. The other problem with this film, which bothered me when I first saw it was that it has the most cardboard looking stage sets for some scenes I have ever seen, and worse, the cameras move about exposing the painted backdrops even more. I do believe in the late 60s when this movie came out they had cameras that could be transported to real locations. My hope is that this beautiful musical will eventually be re-made with a SINGING cast using real outdoor locations.... please!! ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Good Movie
"The World of Suzie Wong" is much under-rated. I think it is a well-acted, enchanting movie. William Holden and Nancy Kwan are both wonderful. I noticed another reviewer compared it to "Pretty Woman." I had not thought of it, but that is a good comparison. And the location shots in Hong Kong are "way cool." Want a good love story? Get this film.

gentle drama
THE WORLD OF SUZIE WONG is a gentle, heartfelt, human drama of two lonely people looking for love. It's sublime.

Robert Lomax (William Holden - THE COUNTRY GIRL, SUNSET BOULEVARD), is an American artist in Hong Kong struggling to make a decent living doing what he loves. One day while sitting on the Kowloon-Hong Kong ferry, he meets "Mei-Li", whom he is strangely attracted to.

Soon, however, he discovers that "Me-Li" is really Suzie Wong (Nancy Kwan - FLOWER DRUM SONG), a good-time girl with delusions of grandeur. Romance soon blossoms, but not until Suzie reveals a big secret and tragedy strikes...

Also featuring Sylvia Syms (CONSPIRACY OF HEARTS), and Michael Wilding (THE GLASS SLIPPER, STAGE FRIGHT), THE SECRET WORLD OF SUZIE WONG is a colorful romance set against the stunning backdrop of Hong Kong and the simple human passion of a lifetime.

Of Its Time, but Better Than the Sum of Its Parts...
American William Holden, as former architect turned struggling artist, Robert Lomax, a cynic who's "pushing forty," arrives in 1960 Hong Kong to make a valiant effort for his art. He's never been there and has no idea what to expect. On the ferry boat to Kowloon, he has a sort of altercation with the very young & attractive Nancy Kwan, who claims to be named "Mei Li," a very proper young lady about to enter into an arranged marriage set up by her wealthy father. Shortly before reluctantly introducing herself, she also almost manages to have Robert arrested by claiming he's a purse snatcher, which, judging from her mirthful expression, she does for the sheer entertainment value of the situation.

Robert, completely lost and not particularly wealthy, soon makes his way to the Wan Chai district, and, in his naivete as American abroad, fails to realize he's entered the main prostitution district in the city. His journey to the seedy hotel where he sets up shop as artist would be one of the highlights of the film: Robert's amazement and confusion at the bustling, vibrant city that has become his new home come across nicely. In many ways, the brilliant cinematography and camera work turn the city of Hong Kong itself into the unacknowledged third star of the film. However, it's a very different Hong Kong than now: very much a British colonial post, and, in segments of the neighborhoods, almost a Third World city.

Unfortunately, once Robert reaches the hotel, the movie loses much realism, and we've plainly entered a 1950's Hollywood set version of Hong Kong (although this happens to be a British film), complete with cartoonish prostitutes and Brit sailors on leave. It turns out that prim-and-proper Mei Li's none other than "very popular" Wan Chai "girl" Suzie Wong. There are some very dated scenes that follow, although actress Jacqui Chan's charming in an off kilter way as bar girl Gwennie Lee. Nancy Kwan vamps and spouts much pidgin English and says "for goodness' sake" about 500 times in a row. There's also a scene that made me cringe with a cheap dress getting ripped off Suzie by Robert. Fortunately, Robert, Suzie, and the camera eventually hit the streets of actual Hong Kong again.

Then, something odd happens with this film, bit by bit. The movie focuses more and more on Robert and Suzie as a couple, and, bit by bit, Suzie becomes less of a stereotypical bar girl and more and more of a human being who behaves unexpectedly. It turns out that she has developed a persona for herself, a very manipulative, successful one, that's given her an edge in a very harsh city for abandoned young women. She has an active fantasy life, that's enabled her to separate herself psychologically from the more sordid aspects of what she's done in order to survive. Robert too, becomes less and less Joe Gillis, Jr. (for those of you who've seen Holden in SUNSET BLVD. from a decade earlier), a one-note, crabby cynic with a paternalistic attitude towards Suzie, and more and more a human being who's in love. He shows this most plainly when he finds out that Suzie has an infant son, and Robert accepts little Winston affectionately as his own. In a complex way, Suzie, and also little Winston, act as muses for Robert, and his own art becomes more inspired and interesting because of them. Suzie also benefits from her love for Robert and shows some real emotion for him rather than her usual play acting.

This is where I find the movie interesting, as it depicts, much more realistically than one might expect in 1960, the dimensions of a biracial, bicultural couple's life together. Although Robert has made contact with the British elite in the city and needs them for patronage for his art, he's never really comfortable with them or their patronizing, mildly racist way of observing the Chinese. Kay O'Neill (actress Sylvia Syms), the daughter of a well-placed British banker, falls for Robert, but he doesn't really feel any emotion for her as he does for Suzie. Of course, she can't believe Robert would really prefer Suzie to her. When he announces he's thinking of marrying Suzie, Kay's father says that, of course, he could never hire someone in those circumstances. The rest of the Brits more talk around Suzie than to her whenever she's present. Likewise, most of the Chinese, while polite with Robert, don't know quite what to make of him, either, and he seems to do better either with Suzie as intermediary or because her friends help him along. It's obvious too that sometimes cultural miscues cause Suzie and Robert to misunderstand one another. This leads to the beginning of the climax of the film, which is somewhat tragic.

No doubt, this has been a controversial film. In the past, many Asian-American studies professors seemed to grow livid at the mention of it. This was supposed to be the ne plus ultra (or maybe the nadir, instead) for stereotypical portrayals of all Asian women as submissive little China doll characters or bar girls. There is some of that there (although much less than in most other 1950's-early 1960's American films), but, as I'd noted, the interesting thing's how the stereotype turns out to be a fake, something created for the advantage (if that's the word) of the heroine for relating to foreigners. It's also interesting how the genuine romance, one based on a sort of mutual respect between Robert and Suzie, becomes more important. Most interesting of all's the portrayal (that mostly rings true) of a biracial, bicultural romance between two human beings. As someone involved in such a relationship for many years, I found myself giving the film an extra star for this "rightness" alone. Finally, both Holden and Kwan are good in their roles and the way their characters interact. I just couldn't see France Nuyen and William Shatner (from the stage play version) evoking the same level of emotion and empathy for Suzie and Robert. It's even more remarkable that Kwan was only in her early twenties when she portrayed Suzie.

Plus, if nothing else, this movie's a terrific time capsule/travelogue of Hong Kong, as it was never so brilliantly captured elsewhere on screen in that era.

A True Human Expeience
'The World Of Suzie Wong' the romanticized story of a Hong Kong prostitute and an American artist is for some, a simplistic racist view of Chinese, for others, a guilty pleasure. Yes, it is both of those things but it is even more. It is a fine and tender love story of two people from very different worlds who overcome pride and prejudice and embark upon a true human experience. Forty four years after its release this film along with 'Flower Drum Song' are being re-evaluated and embraced by the Chinese American community. Why? Because beneath the surface of each film they share the common job of telling the story of their time and place with honesty and true humanity and in the case of Suzie Wong, the story is not such a happy one.
At first we are presented in 'Suzie Wong' a stereotypical view of happy little hookers in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong. But as the story unfolds the veneer of this portrait cracks open to reveal through Suzie just how desperate the lives of these women are. In a city of over three million crammed onto the island city it is a case of do what you must to survive. In Suzie's case she must compartmentalize her feeling into body, love, and soul and thus protect herself by pretending that she is the daughter of a rich merchant rather than a Wan Chai bargirl. Though her relationship with Robert they both learn the meaning and cost of love in a world of narrow view and prejudice.
The film is very adult and honest in dealing with the subject of the flesh trade and racism in 1960 must have been a bit shocking on several levels. This film must be credited with opening the door to telling more honest stories of Asian's with Asian actors in the major roles. After all, not too many years before we had Jennifer Jones playing a Eurasian in 'Love Is A Many Splendored Thing'. She did a fine job, but still she was miscast. Here we have Nancy Kwan creating a memorable character, as it should be, by someone of Asian descent.
Nancy Kwan is luminous in the role of Suzie. This was a star making turn for her and led to other good roles over the years. She is sexy, with a street-smart veneer that covers her open and trusting heart. She rises to the many emotional challenges of Suzie and succeeds in carrying the viewer through the film as only an accomplished actress can. The camera falls in love with her, as does the reluctant Robert.
William Holden is perfectly cast as the "pushing forty" American who has come to Hong Kong to pursue his dream of being an artist. He is a pro who give the role just the feeling of wonder and discovery it needs blended with a certain worldliness that it requires. Together, Kwan and Holden are an intoxicatingly romantic couple that share a chemistry on screen most films of this genre aspire to but few achieve.
The supporting cast is filled out by standouts such as Jacqui Chan as Gwennie Lee, Andy Ho as Ah Tong, Michael Wilding as Ben Marlow and Sylvia Simms as Suzie's rival, Kay O'Neill.
Geoffrey Unsworth also known for his work on 'Becket', '2001 A Space Odyssey' and 'Cabaret' stunningly photographed Hong Kong for the film. His use of light and color is unsurpassed in capturing the long gone look of the city in 1960. The art direction of John Box is superb. He is best known for his work with David Lean on 'Doctor Zhivago' and 'Lawrence of Arabia'.
It is all expertly helmed by director Richard Quine who is also responsible for 'Bell, Book, and Candle', 'Strangers When We Meet' and the delightful 'How To Murder Your Wife'.
Of special note are the stunningly beautiful paintings of Miss Kwan by artist Liz Moore. They are indeed wonderful and one wishes there had been an addition to the DVD of slides of this artist's painting for the film.
'The World of Suzie Wong' is a film that holds both an important place in film history and the hearts film buffs and romantics around the globe. So on that rainy Saturday afternoon when you need a little romance, drama and travel to a far off land pop in this new DVD of 'Suzie Wong' and be carried away.

A Romance for guys, not a chick flick
Today there are many "chick flicks," but The World of Suzie Wong is the quintessential "romance for guys."

There are two parallel themes in this film: 1) the "Pygmalion" theme, which was old when George Bernard Shaw's play first appeared in 1913. Pygmalion, in classical legend, was the king of Cyprus who fell in love with his own sculpture. Hence the theme of beginning with a raw material (in this case a woman of no great position or education) and to some degree transforming her into she whom you might adore.

Some may object to this theme carrying racist overtones, but in my view the reverse is true. The essence of the message is an absence of racism. The very fact that in this type of romantic union the protagonists are of unequal social position means that the man is attracted to the woman because of her human qualities, not because of any advantage she can provide to him in terms of social status or wealth. In fact, a man who loves such a woman is often looked down upon socially, which is present in this story. The object of Robert Lomax's love is Suzie Wong for who she is as a woman and how she makes him feel, and he gladly, even cynically disregards the disparagements of those who do not approve.

2) Theme number two is the enchantment of the East. This is magic stuff for those so smitten, which includes your humble correspondent. In this way, this wonderful story (novel and film) is understated. It is barely believable that Lomax's attraction to Suzie would start from nothing and grow so slowly to compelling strength. Lomax must be a man of Quixotic romantic notions or he would not be trying this alternative life style of professional painting. This mixture of desire and fascination is more likely to stormily seize a man's heart, but "Robert meets Suzie-falls crazy in love-marries Suzie" would make for a ten-minute film, and that just wouldn't do, would it?

It's also an interesting commentary on the film makers of this approximate vintage that when they wanted to tell the story of interracial romance they often seemed to think they had to attenuate the effect. Both Nancy Kwan and France Nguyen (in South Pacific), for example, were of mixed parentage, (but the Asian love interests in The Sand Pebbles and Sayonara were not).

The World of Suzie Wong is so very romantic, and the themes explored here are enduring. I love the novel -- I love the film. I can't imagine anyone but William Holden playing Lomax (although William Shatner [believe it or not] played the stage role). This role belongs to Bill Holden. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sink the Bismarck! recounts one of the most famous battles in thehistory of naval warfare. Shot in semidocumentary style, the black-and-whitefilm covers all sides in the famous hunt for the powerful German warship thatterrorized the sea for eight days. The story and combat are rendered asfaithfully as possible to C.S. Forester's novel. There are a few historicalerrors and some other minor liberties taken for dramatic license, both of whichthe viewer will easily be able to overlook. The only major addition tohistorical fact is a fictional romance between leads Kenneth More and DanaWynter, which never gets in the way of the action. Edward R. Murrow cameos, andone of the founding fathers of movie magic, Howard Lydecker, assists with thespecial effects. The film is a compelling wartime drama that deserves a viewing.--Mark Savary ... Read more

Reviews (37)

An all time favorite
I'm not entirely sure why I like this movie so very much, but I have loved it from the very first time I saw it more than 20 years ago and still watch it often. It is a dramatization of the true story of the short-lived first cruise of the German battleship "Bismarck", of the destruction it wrought and of the hunt to find and ultimately destroy it. Yes, there are some inaccuracies in the details of which ships took part in the hunt, as well as in the portrayal of German Admiral Gunther Lutjens, but the fact that this is a British movie, made while the scars of war were still a strongly living memory, should be borne in mind in this regard.

Among the things that make it worth viewing are: the presence of Edward R. Morrow recreating the atmosphere of his wartime London radio reports, the recreation of the Naval command center underneath the Admiralty building and the highly believable performance of Kenneth More (himself a wartime naval officer) as the deeply wounded Captain Shepherd. Dana Wynter also gives a delicately nuanced performance as Second Officer Anne Davis. The moment when she enters Shepherd's office and realizes that he is crying is beautifully done.

The highly restrained romantic undercurrent doesn't interfere with the main story line and is very believable for wartime professionals. One comes away from this movie knowing that a great menace to the eventual survival of Britain has been eliminated and that there may be hope for both the UK and for two lonely people.

The inclusion in the new DVD of some newreel footage of the actual event is a nice little bonus. The subject of the hunt for and destruction of the "Bismarck" has also recently been the subject of some recent documentaries. The story retains its impact, even after more than 60 years.

Honorable Men in Desperate Battle
Honorable Men in Desperate Battle

In May 1941, Britain stood alone against Nazi tyranny. The German blitz had devastated much of the English industrial base. The lifeline to America across the North Atlantic was critical to England's survival. In an effort to cut this lifeline, Hitler built the Bismarck, the fastest and most powerful battleship the world had ever seen. "Sink the Bismarck" is the story of a desperate 6-day naval engagement to find and destroy the German battleship. The British initially dispatched the pride of the Royal Navy, the H.M.S. Hood, to intercept the Bismarck. A single shell from the Bismarck penetrated a magazine on the Hood, instantly destroying the British ship.

The film depicts the subsequent efforts of the Royal Navy to locate and attack the Bismarck with overwhelming fire power. As often happens in war, the most unpredictable bad luck was counterbalanced by miraculous good fortune. The film evokes the grim resolution, the desperate gambles, and the professional skills of the British command to bring the Bismarck to bay. Kenneth More is well-cast in the role of Captain Jonathan Shepard, a man who conveys both iron will to duty, yet vulnerability to personal human loss in his pursuit of the Bismarck. The film teems with excitement and suspense as it records one of the great naval battles ever fought.

Classic 1960 film tops most war films
1st of all Dana Wynter is a real "looker".
For all you losers who think the 1969 film The Battle of Britain is a good film, well, you are total easily manipulated fools. This film tells all. Nuff said.

A Great Movie About the Hunt for the Bismarck
This fine film, made in 1960, does a fine job of re-creating the events surrounding the search for and eventual destruction of the pride of the German navy: the Bismarck. Veteran British actor Kenneth More stars as Captain Jonathan Shepard, a new officer who gets placed in charge of the hunt for the Bismarck in Britain's Naval Operations center. Shepard has a personal stake in seeing the Bismarck sunk. Bismarck's commander, Admiral Gunter Lutjens, played by Karel Stepanek, sunk Shepard's vessel earlier in the war. Dana Wynter stars as 2nd officer Anne Davis, an assistant to Capt. Shepard. A fictional implied but never shown romance develops between Shepard and Davis throughout the course of the film. Carl Mohner stars as Bismarck's Captain Lindemann.

The battle scenes are excellent. One must remember when viewing this film that the special effects are from the 1960's, but that does nothing to detract from the excitement of the ship-to-ship combat scenes. The fight between the HMS Hood and Bismarck is the high point of the film. It was exciting to see the ships being straddled by the other's shells, and seeing the Hood blow up was especially thrilling.

The historical correctness of the film was excellent except for a few minor details. For example, during the attack on the Bismarck by the British Swordfish torpedo planes, the movie shows two being destroyed when in reality none were lost. Also, the movie depicts a British destroyer being sunk by Bismarck. This is also incorrect as the Hood was the only British loss. Finally, the movie depicts Admiral Lutjens as being a staunt supporter of the Nazi party. This is also false. Lutjens was against Naziism, and refused to give the Nazi salute, instead preferring to use the old German navy salute. The movie also depicted a rather close relationship between Lutjens and Lindemann. This was also not the case. In reality, the two German commanders disagreed on many topics, and at one point during the heat of battle, Lindemann said to Lutjens that he refused to sit by while his ship was shot out from underneath him. Aside from these points, the historical aspect of the movie is very well done.

I highly recommend this film. The acting is excellent and the battle scenes will keep you on the edge of your seat. Watch this great movie and experience the hunt for the most feared ship in the German navy.

The story and acting carry you
In this era of elaborate SFX, a 1960 B&W movie of the war at sea might be expected to come up poorly. But the superbly crafted story and steady acting carry you along. While history has been modified here and there, the main points are solidly grounded (reality is almost always more compelling than fantasy: compare the struggle for Tarawa with Helm's Deep). Even though all but the brain dead know what the outcome will be, the level of tension achieved during the hunt for Bismark is remarkable. Viewing this film ought to be compulsory for all directors - story and acting are far more important than SFX. ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Pure Emotion
Camelot made an impression on me over 30 years ago, and today, watching the remastered video, all the songs and lines come easily to me, yet I probably only saw it twice. Most reviews treat this film version unkindly, but I quite prefer Richard Harris as Arthur. In my mind, it's the greatest thing Harris has ever done, and his almost impish Arthur is appropriate for a boy-turned-king. He's neither too regal nor too arrogant, like some who have performed the role. He inhabits Arthur. I'd not have chosen Redgrave but she turns out to be luminous: by turns innocent, lusty, loving, and decent. Marni Nixon's dubbed singing works through her. Franco Nero's Lancelot is a sculpted icon of steel-eyed beautiful purity. Nero may not the greatest actor in the world, but he is endearing as Lancelot, and his physical loveliness in muscle, jaw, cheekbone and eye is probably unmatched for this role. The costumes are brilliant and gorgeous enhancements. (although a bit more real fur could have been used, back in the 60s!) The fact is, the score could not be more magnificent; the "natural" style singing is charming. Rather than focusing on "great" voices, we instead hear the intended core of each scene through "real" characters expressing themselves. These actors portray their roles gamely and truthfully as three people in love with each other. The entire production is a lush, bittersweet escape that infuses me with the sheer emotion and passion of ideals imagined and dashed. Love both lavished and betrayed is a sweet torment that this film tenderly displays to this viewer. I think it's highly underrated.

Drama tops everything
I enjoyed this movie. It seems to pale in comparison with the play, but i never saw the play, so I viewed it without anything to compare it to. I thought it was good. The songs were good, though not great or espicially memorable (they seem to have been better in the play), the sets and costumes were good, and many of the performances, espicially Richard Harris', were great. Harris sings well (assuming he wasn't dubbed), he's great at playing the boy-turned-king, though he looks 40 (he was 35), and he handles the film's drama perfectly. Vanessa Redgrave is good, too, easily turning from innocent bride to flirtatious married woman to passionate lover. And it's quite obvious that, even though she saves her passion for Lancelot, she still loves Arthur. Franco Nero isn't as good, but he's suitably passionate. (Whose idea was it to have Lancelot and Guenivere making love in the pool? They wouldn't have done it, just like they wouldn't have done most of the "loverly" things shown, and the scene in the pool's too From Here to Eternity!) Over everything tops the film's dramatic scenes, the ones in which Arthur confronts the love between his wife and best friend, both of whom he loves and both of whom love him. As I've said, Harris really shines here, really showing us his character's torment. Redgrave holds her own, too, espicially in the scene where she cries at the thought of never seeing Arthur's forgiving eyes again. Maybe it would have been better if they'd cast Richard Burton and made better use of the songs, and it would have been interesting seeing Julie Andrews have an extramarital affair, given as how she was still considered sugary-sweet at the time. Still, this movie was good.

ugh!!!!!
This is the worst movie musical ever made.It's hard to believe
that this piece of junk was made by the same producer who did
the magnificent "My Fair Lady".I've read that Jack Warner spent
$18 million on the production.Yes,it looks good.But the script
is terrible-not that the show was great,anyway.And the entire
cast overacts badly.One critic called it "an appalling film with
only good orchestrations to recommend it".Well,he's right.At
least Alfred Newman and Ken Darby did a great job with the score.
Their work makes the soundtrack listenable.Other than that,a poor
script,atrocious direction(Vincente Minnelli and George Cukor
weren't available???),and SEVERE MISCASTING add up to a complete
misfire.Forget it-listen to the soundtrack CD or the Broadway
cast album and watch "My Fair Lady " or "Gigi" instead.

AWFUL!!!!
Awful, awful, awful. Overacting run amok in a silly, unnecessary movie. The worst part was that it looked like a lot of effort went into this film and how horrible was the effort. What a waste of time. AWFUL.

Legendary Musical Falls Flat
This is a magnificent musical. It SHOULD HAVE been made with Julie Andrews, Richard Harris and Robert Goulet. Vanessa Redgrave looks wonderful, but her character seems depressed most of the time and the woman can't sing a note to save her life. Franco Nero was handsome, but looks Italian, not English... fortunately they found a very English voice to dub his songs. The other problem with this film, which bothered me when I first saw it was that it has the most cardboard looking stage sets for some scenes I have ever seen, and worse, the cameras move about exposing the painted backdrops even more. I do believe in the late 60s when this movie came out they had cameras that could be transported to real locations. My hope is that this beautiful musical will eventually be re-made with a SINGING cast using real outdoor locations.... please!! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

FEY SCOTTISH TALE
I remember watching this little gem on television in Concord, California around 1964! I loved this film as a child and just got my kids the video last night for a peek after some 37 (!) years. It's every bit as charming as Disney's earlier GREYFRIAR'S BOBBY (with Donald Crisp), and, thanks to a strong cast led by Patrick McGoohan and Susan Hampshire, infinitely more enjoyable! The film tells the story of a Scottish veterinarian Andrew MacDhui and daughter Mary, whose affection for a beautiful cat named Thomasina comes between them. When the cat is seriously injured, Mary's father "puts the cat to sleep" but Thomasina is disovered by Lori MacGregor, who nurses the cat back to health. Her love and understanding finally reunite father and daughter in the touching climax. Although the film wasn't a huge box-office success, it was considered one of the best foreign productions released by the Disney studio in the sixties.

Paul Gallico's endearing fable turned into a Disney classic
Paul Gallico's charming little story "Thomasina" is turned into an equally lovely little Disney film from 1964 directed by Don Chaffey ("Greyfriars Bobby"). Veterinarian Andrew MacDhui (Patrick McGoohan) is a widower who is raising his young daughter Mary (Karen Dotrice) in Scotland in 1912. Andrew has no empathy for the townsfolk who love their pets and when Mary's beloved cat Thomasina is injured he quickly decides the animal should be killed. Mary is distraught and Andrew simply cannot understand why the logic of the situation is not clear to the girl. Mary and her friends prepare an elaborate funeral for Thomasina, at which point Lori MacGregor (Susan Hampshire) shows up. The children think she is a witch, but in truth she lives in the woods and nurses injured animals back to health using love and common sense. Lori recognizes the cat is not dead and takes it home to help it recover, during which time Thomasina goes to Cat Heaven in a marvelously fanciful sequence. Andrew has a bad reputation with the locals because he killed his daughter's cat and they start taking their pets to Lori. Andrew finally goes to see her and is not so busy being impressed by her healing skills that he fails to fall in love with her. But then Mary sees Thomasina walking outside her house and chases after her in a driving storm and ends up catching pneumonia. The doctors hold out no hope to the frantic Andrew, and Lori tells him that only he can help Mary recover using the power of love.

Lots of Disney movies have a cold-hearted adult transformed into a human being, and "The Three Lives of Thomasina" is one of the best of this type of film, even better than "Pollyanna. " This is mainly because it has the virtue of a first-rate cast, from McGoohan, Hampshire and Dotrice as the three principles to Finlay Currie and Laurence Naismith standing out in the supporting cast. Elspeth March supplies the voice of Thomasina, who gets to comment on the action from time to time, and Matthew Garber, who went on with Dotrice to play the kids in "Mary Poppins," also has a small role. But at the heart of this film is Paul Gallico's endearing fable. I think this is just a nice little film and I am not even a cat person.

The Three Lives of Thomasina
My all time favorite movie! This movie is perfect for all ages!

The best live action Disney movie EVER!!!
I am so excited that this movie is finally coming out on DVD! "Thomasina" is one of Disney's lesser-known films, but it's definitely one of the best. It's a very touching story about a young girl's relationship with her widowed father and her beloved cat. I will be first in line to purchase this DVD on the day it is released!

Paul Gallico's enduring classic turned into a Disney classic
Paul Gallico's charming little story "Thomasina" is turned into an equally lovely little Disney film from 1964 directed by Don Chaffey ("Greyfriars Bobby"). Veterinarian Andrew MacDhui (Patrick McGoohan) is a widower who is raising his young daughter Mary (Karen Dotrice) in Scotland in 1912. Andrew has no empathy for the townsfolk who love their pets and when Mary's beloved cat Thomasina is injured he quickly decides the animal should be killed. Mary is distraught and Andrew simply cannot understand why the logic of the situation is not clear to the girl. Mary and her friends prepare an elaborate funeral for Thomasina, at which point Lori MacGregor (Susan Hampshire) shows up. The children think she is a witch, but in truth she lives in the woods and nurses injured animals back to health using love and common sense. Lori recognizes the cat is not dead and takes it home to help it recover, during which time Thomasina goes to Cat Heaven in a marvelously fanciful sequence. Andrew has a bad reputation with the locals because he killed his daughter's cat and they start taking their pets to Lori. Andrew finally goes to see her and is not so busy being impressed by her healing skills that he fails to fall in love with her. But then Mary sees Thomasina walking outside her house and chases after her in a driving storm and ends up catching pneumonia. The doctors hold out no hope to the frantic Andrew, and Lori tells him that only he can help Mary recover using the power of love.

Lots of Disney movies have a cold-hearted adult transformed into a human being, and "The Three Lives of Thomasina" is one of the best of this type of film, even better than "Pollyanna. " This is mainly because it has the virtue of a first-rate cast, from McGoohan, Hampshire and Dotrice as the three principles to Finlay Currie and Laurence Naismith standing out in the supporting cast. Elspeth March supplies the voice of Thomasina, who gets to comment on the action from time to time, and Matthew Garber, who went on with Dotrice to play the kids in "Mary Poppins," also has a small role. But at the heart of this film is Paul Gallico's endearing fable. I think this is just a nice little film and I am not even a cat person. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Massive Biblical Epic From A Bygone Era Of Filmmaking
United Artist's "Solomon and Sheba", for undeserved reasons often finds its way onto those notorious "Worst Fifty Films of all time", lists compiled by who knows who. Nowhere near as well known as that other great epic of the same year "Ben Hur", this film is a visual feast for the eye and displays all the trademarks of the old school of Hollywood filmmaking, lavish costumes, breathtaking sets, superbly staged battle sequences, unbridled romance and fiery sword play. I'm always impressed by the sincerity that was put into productions like "Solomon and Sheba", in the 1950's where you can see the total commitment to what they were doing by cast and director. Like alot of these epics the polished look on screen often hides the sometimes chaotic goings on behind the scenes. Just a few weeks into production star Tyrone Power suffered a fatal heart attack on set during a sword fight with costar George Sanders. The filming was thrown into disarray as a replacement was frantically sought. Yul Brynner, no stranger to the lavish types of epic productions was quickly cast to take over the role of Solomon, king of Israel. A better choice really couldn't have been made and he combines well with the beautiful Gina Lollobrigida who is ideally cast as the alluring Queen of Sheba.

In the original Bible stories only scant mention was made of the Queen of the mysterious land of Sheba and it revolved around a state visit she made to Israel. The producers have used that one mention to fashion an intriguing story of power, passion and rivalry in the Court of King Solomon. The story of "Solomon and Sheba", begins in the dying days of the life of King David (Finlay Currie) and the growing rivalry between his two sons, warlike Adonijah and studious Solomon . Always his father's choice to lead the 12 tribes of Israel, Solomon is elected King upon David's death which worsens relations between the two brothers. Solomon's great reputation for wisdom and fairness over bloodshed soon earns him the respect of the people but arouses the fears of his neighbours, in particular the Pharaoh of Egypt who fears what Solomon's real plans are, never understanding that a man can be by nature peace loving. To infiltrate Solomon's kingdon the Pharaoh sends his own ally the beautiful Queen of Sheba to spy on him and to achieve by her favours what no army would be able to do, ie, the destruction of everything Solomon stands for. Despite her well laid plans which involve getting Solomon to sacrifice everything he believes in for the pleasure of possessing her the Queen finds her own feelings changing as she begins to see the selfish plans of Pharaoh and the truly great character that Solomon possesses. His love for the foreign queen however inflames the leaders of the twelve tribes to opposition to his leadership as they see Solomon betraying their cause at the feet of a enemy queen and her Pagan Gods. The discontent also inflames the frustrations of Adonijah, long harbouring resentment towards Solomon for being passed over in the succession on their father's death. With support dwindling to almost nothing Solomon then faces the forces of Pharaoh who invades Israel only to be beaten by the much smaller armies of Israel who come together for the sake of the twelve tribes and destroy Pharaoh's armies by the ingenious method of reflecting sun off their brightly polished shields causing the Egyptians to fall into deep ravines on the battlefield. In the final confrontation after the mob attacks the Queen of Sheba with stones, Adonijah fights Solomon in the ruins of the famed temple and is killed, finally freeing Solomon from his heinous interference. In the final fadeout by a magical transformation the Queen is returned to life unmarked by her battering with stones and vows to return to her own land to try and introduce some of the wise policies and way of thinking possessed by Solomon.

Being the last directoral effort of veteran King Vidor and boasting a larger than usual budget the viewer is treated to a sumptuous production. The acting so often dismissed as hokey in these types of films is uniformily fine here with Yul Brynner excellent as the pacifist Solomon. He had great ability with handling "biblical dialogue" as was already seen in his commanding performance in De Mille's "The Ten Commandments". George Sanders, always excellent with villianous characters is also ideally cast as the ambitious Adonijah, who's life work is to steal Solomon's throne. Gina Lollobrigida makes a memorable Queen of Sheba and she is both majestic and seductive, in particular in the at times over the top orgy scene where she lures Solomon into the pleasures of the flesh. Production values are top rate with breathtaking on location photography in Spain passing for parts of the Holy Land. Special effects also play a prominent role in the stunning visuals of "Solomon and Sheba", from the outstanding battle scenes showing the destruction of the Egyptian army, to the destruction of the Temple by lighting.

"Solomon and Sheba", is a personal favourite of mine and has so much more of interest in it compared to alot of modern epics. It also still contains the eerie last minutes of Tyrone Power's life preserved in the climatic sword fight scene between Solomon and Adonijah where if you look closely enough some long shots of the actor are present. For all lovers of large scale epic productions "Solomon and Sheba", is unsurpassed entertainment.

A MOVIE OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS...
I must say that this film was a very pleasant surprise. It was released in 1959 when biblical epics were at their zenith. Starring Yul Brynner, Gina Lollobrigida, George Sanders, and Marisa Pavan, this film is not lacking in star power. It is a lush, compelling story.

The film details the rivalry between Solomon (Yul Brynner) and his older brother, Adonijah (George Sands), the warrior. It was a rivalry that grew out of the fact that Adonijah was passed over for succession to their father David's throne upon his death. It was Solomon who was chosen to rule Israel. This was to cause a rift in their relationship that would be irreparable.

The film also details the love affair between the beautiful Queen of Sheba (Gina Lollobrigida) and Solomon, wise in all things except love. It shows how an affair that started out as a political maneuver on the part of the Queen of Sheba would turn into a selfless, passionate love of the heart. It was a love that would almost rend a nation asunder.

Yul Brenner, as the viewer has probably never seen him (with a head of hair), is excellent as the idealistic and tolerant ruler. Gina Lollobrigida turned out to be a much better actress than I had imagined. She is sensational as the beautiful, exotic, voluptuous Queen of Sheba. She also has a figure that must have been the envy of every woman at one time. It is a perfect hourglass figure that shows off her striking and seductive costumes to perfection.

George Sands is compelling as the envious Adonijah, who sought to take what was not his by any means, fair or foul. His desire for the throne would compromise the very existence of Israel and lead to a climactic finale. Moreover, his hatred for the Queen of Sheba was as great as that of his hatred for his brother. This wellspring of emotion was to have great repercussions for all.

Despite a pagan orgy scene that is so over the top as to be laughable, this is a spectacular biblical epic that will keep the viewer riveted to the screen.

Mikka's Review
I loved this movie because i was young when it came out. Also because at that time movies were made with some class and dignity. Now that i have matured alot i referr back to the good old movies. Remakes of these old movies just don't seem to make it exciting anymore, too much special effects and not al;ot of storyline.

The Wisest Man That Ever Lived?
Yul Brynner's role reminds me quickly of his role in The Ten Commandments as he and a half-brother are rivals for the throne. He pulls off the part quite nicely and the scene in which he judges which of two women is the true mother of a child is well done. The rivalry makes sense, but the involvement of the Pharaoh of Egypt seems contrived and gimmicky. There is suspense building up steadily and it is easy to like Solomon and to sympathize with his dilemma. This Bible movie does not have as much scriptural content upon which to