Reviews (8)

The Great Caruso..tape..
It took the longest to get here for whatever
reason..I don't know.. I wrote to the seller and he wrote
back..which made me happy.. I love the tape.. Fondly,

Mario Lanza at his Best
Mario Lanza displays his supurb talent in this music filled video and if you aren't already a fan "The Great Caruso" will make you one. The musical selections in this video are unsurpassed. A video you will watch over and over.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge

Lanza, still the best!
I have been in love with this movie since first seeing it in the theater when I was a child. I am watching it again today, and it is still very good. I am moved by his singing like no one else's. The movie has so many musical numbers, it is wonderful. I just wonder why there was never a sound track from the movie, at least I have never been able to find it. The Ava Maria number still brings tears to my eyes!

A wonderful movie!
I really enjoyed this film, and would give it more stars if I could. Mario Lanza has such a beautiful and heavenly voice.

He is also a great actor as well. A great movie about the life of the Great Caruso. Well worth watching.

The perfect introduction to opera
This movie can truly be called life-changing. It certainly changed my life; I was totally ignorant of opera before a chance re-run of this movie introduced me to a whole new musical world. As it turned out, I was in illustrious company. There is not a single contemporary tenor of note who was not inspired by this movie.

Let's be honest from the outset: the movie bears little resemblance to the real Caruso's life, and, yes, it is corny in the grand tradition of Hollywood musicals. But who cares? Lanza's singing is perfection itself, and his vibrant personality overflows in practically every scene. The rest of the cast is good, with top-notch operatic singers Blanche Thebom, Giuseppe Valdengo, et al providing Lanza with some worthy (and rare) vocal support.

Highlights include a superb Vesti la Giubba, a moving Ave Maria and a rapturous Because. In all the movie contains 27 vocal items, with not a dull moment to be found amongst them.

See this movie and revel in a unique vocal talent. In the words of one admirer, Mario Lanza could "outsing the entire Mormon Tabernacle Choir", and the movie is a stark reminder of how bland today's singing idols really are. Viva il grande Lanza! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Cary Grant stars as an advertising executive who dreams of getting out of the city and building a perfect home in the country, only to find the transition fraught with problems. (See the 1980s Tom Hanks comedy The Money Pit for an updated version of the same idea.) The big appeal here are the two leads, Grant and Myrna Loy, who were each in their early 40s and at the peak of their careers. Together with solid support from Melvyn Douglas and a screenplay that might have been tailor-made for their polished brand of comedy, the stars dominate this simple project. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Very funny...
Often imitated but never quite surpassed, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House is a classic comedy about a topic still as current now as it was in the 1940s. Silly but very funny, this movie is really great - featuring the ever hilarious Cary Grant, and Myrna Loy.

Essentially, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House is about a family that decides to move to the country and get away from the overcrowding in the apartment. Instead of making life easier, however, their decision to move causes disaster after disaster. This movie is a hilarious example of how whatever can go wrong will!

Although the topic could have easily degenerated into stupidity, the script, the directing and, most of all, the cast, turn the movie into a classic. The script is witty and very funny, and it is directed with style - but mainly, Cary Grant is terrific! His double takes and reactions will never be equalled...any scene that he is in in pretty much guaranteed to be hysterical. Myrna Loy does a good job of cooling balancing Grant's screwball character, and the supporting cast is good as well.

Anyhow, this is a funny movie for the whole family - it is highly recommended!

Been There, Done That
Cary Grant and Myrna Loy have a very comfortable chemistry together in this comedy about a couple that decides to get out of their cramped city apartment and move out into the country. Through stubborness and sheer ignorance, they end up making a number of expensive errors as they attempt to build their dream house. The story is narrated by their friend and lawyer Bill, well played by Melvyn Douglas, a cynical man who learns it's easier to just let them make their mistakes. Grant is the perfect actor to express the exasperation of the whole process. The man had amazing comedic timing, deceptively making it look easy. The script hits all of the potential problems with building, and the film is smoothly produced. This is the kind of comedy that will appeal to most people, because almost everyone has had the opportunity to experience the joy that is remodelling, landscaping, decorating, or building. There's something in here for everyone to appreciate.

Great movie but...
We were very anxious to get this classic CG movie. but the movie was in black and white. not color as advertized.

The original is the best
"The Money Pit" was based on this movie, but Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Melvyn Douglas cannot be replaced, even by the talented Tom Hanks.This movie is a classic that is the equal to all the great romantic comedies of our day, including "Sleepless in Seattle", and "You've Got Mail".This movie was made just after the 2nd world war, millions were chasing the American dream of a new home, the baby boomers were on the way, and many must have been inspired by this movie to go after that dream with your heart and not your head.

Grant + Loy = Cinema Magic !
What a wonderful DVD to add to your classic comedy collection ! "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" ( "Mr. Blandings" ) was a very timely comedy in the late 1940s, when many young couples were looking to buy a home. When you buy that first house--be it new or "previously enjoyed"--it's amazing sometimes how many unforeseen problems can arise that result in more and more bills ! I'm sure that, even today, many of us can identify with the hurdles faced by the couple in "Mr. Blandings".

Cary Grant stars as advertising whiz, Jim Blandings. He lives in a cramped New York apartment with his wife ( marvellous Myrna Loy ),two young daughters, and live-in maid ( Louise Beavers ). Tired of battling for time in the bathroom, closet space, privacy etc., he decides to look into acquiring a house, preferably out in the country, away from the Manhattan rat race.
He and his wife are shown an old house in the beautiful Connecticut countryside--and--definitely throwing caution to the wind--and--without consulting his best friend/lawyer ( a droll, sardonic Melvyn Douglas )--they buy the place. It would be unfair to reveal more of the plot--let's just say that the house can be described as a "fixer-upper" !

This is a perfect role for Cary Grant--he is, as ever, suave, charming and funny, as well as embarrassed, befuddled and frustrated when facing one problem after another. His reactions, double-takes and expressions of incredulity are priceless. As Mrs. Blandings, Myrna Loy again proves that she is one of the great leading ladies of film--witty, sophisticated, smart and beautiful--her character is a full partner to her husband, rather than just a "rose in his lapel". By all accounts, Ms. Loy would not have had it any other way.
Melvyn Douglas also registers as the Blandings' lawyer, who--just to spice things up even more--was one of Mrs. Blandings old beaux from her college days. Supporting players are all fine, including "B" movie stalwart, Nestor Paiva, and--soon to be the screen's next Tarzan--Lex Barker.

The DVD exhibits a clear B & W image. Extras include quite a few trailers for other Cary Grant films, two radio shows with Cary, and a delightful, colour Tex Avery cartoon, "House of Tomorrow".

So--take a witty script--sharp direction--add Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Melvyn Douglas--and you have a real winner. Highly recommended ! ... Read more

Amazon.com

When the radiation-spawned giant ants of Them! swarmed over American screens to become one the most successful films of 1954, it didn't take long for the rest of the insect kingdom to follow suit. The best of these mutant bug movies is Jack Arnold's giddy Tarantula, with Leo G. Carroll as a scientist whose experimental, radiation-treated nutritional supplements transform the title creature into a rampaging monster. The hungry arachnid graduates from rabbits to cattle to people as it grows and creeps across the barren countryside in search of food, dwarfing the desert hills in simple but unsettling special effects shots. John Agar plays the square-jawed doctor who tries to warn the local populace of the impending menace and Clint Eastwood has a bit as an Air Force pilot called in to bomb the now mountain-sized spider. It's an essentially silly story with plenty of heroic dashing about and monster-movie tropes ("See its mandibles crush cars like a tin cans!"), but Arnold, one of the most talented and thoughtful genre directors of the 1950s (It Came From Outer Space, The Incredible Shrinking Man), creates a surprisingly eerie mood with his austere visual style and winds the film up with his tension-building rapid pacing. Composer-playwright Richard O'Brien liked thefilm so much he immortalized it in the Rocky Horror Picture Show: "Leo G. Carroll was over a barrel when the Tarantula took the hills." The film still straddles the line between nostalgic goofiness and smart sci-fi thrills. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (27)

"Tarantula" Has Plenty Of "Bite"! A Fun "Huge Insect" Film!
Many people categorize 1955's sci-fi film "Tarantula" as a "B" picture or a "cult" flick for just sci-fi buffs. While this may be true to some degree I suppose, I believe this little chiller rises above the average "B" movie, and reaches a loftier status.

It's a very re-watchable film, with some pretty good acting and well-drawn characters. Plus a plot that's not totally off-the-wall. Well, yeah, it's out in left field (somewhat), but not so much as to be considered completely ludicrous in every sense.

Leo G. Carroll does a fine job as the bio-chemist whose experiments with a new "growth formula" on animals (including our menacing friend, Mister "Tarantula") go terribly wrong when the multi-legged beast escapes Carroll's laboratory.

I truly enjoy watching this movie -- no matter how many screenings I give it. The atmosphere, characters, and storyline have me "locked in" from the very start.

And the special effects don't look too bad either -- considering it's from 1955 and well before "CGI" type beasts & explosions.

I even kind of like the rather corny (and, I assume, not realistic) "hissing"/"rattling" noises that emanate from the super-sized spider during the film. LOL!

Also on the humorous side of things -- I've always thought it was mighty cooperative of our giant-sized, venom-spewing beast to "follow the road into town" at the end of the film, thereby making the townspeople's job of setting up the dynamite a great deal easier. (Since when do spiders follow the 'rules of the road'? Oh, well, I guess we'll just assume that our Tarantula here owns a '55 Chevy, and is familiar with the desert highways that surround him. LOL!)

This whole movie is great fun from start to finish. Plus -- There's a fun "Theatrical Trailer" for the film included on this VHS version.

If you like really big hairy spiders, then look no further than 1955's "Tarantula".

CLASSIC SPIDER FILM
It's been almost 50 years since TARANTULA first hit the big screen. Having seen the movie when I was a little kid running around to all the monster double-features, I have to say this one remained with me through all these years. Watching it was like spending time with an old childhood friend. Considering it was 1955, the effects in this movie are pretty frightening, especially when viewing the entire real tarantula that was superimposed. The closeups are cheesy, but we didn't have CGI then. John Agar, Leo G. Carroll (who would go on to be the boss for the man from UNCLE), Mara Corday (Black Scorpion), Nestor Paiva, Hank Patterson (Green Acres), and yes, even Clint Eastwood are around to flesh out the characters. Arnold was smart in doing a lot of the effects at night, giving us a shadow of the spider to boot. This is much better (I think) than THEM or THE BLACK SCORPION, and it deserves to be on DVD, so let's get with it, Universal!
A classic film of the 20th century horror genre!

Ultimate 50s sci fi!
Tarantula is a highlight of the continuous stream of monster B movies produced in the 50s and 60s. This is the story of a lifelong scientist (Leo Carroll), who is attempting to produce technology for the world to benefit from. When he is attacked one night by one of his former partners, a mutated tarantula is set loose in an Arizona town. The town medical doctor (John Agar), realizes that life is at stake, and must find a way to destroy this creature before it is too late. The formula used to mutate the arachnid has produced fatal effects on humans, deforming and killing them in a matter of 4 days.
Jack Arnold's edge of your seat lore did not need to be remade several years ago. If they are planning to outdo the 1950's "Tarantula", they should forget the idea right now. Movies just are not made like that anymore, and it just cannot be equaled by modern technology. Pick this horror film up, and you will discover why so many of these type of films were made in that time.

The original eight legged freak takes to the hills
If you know that Leo G. Carroll was over a barrel when tarantula took to the hills but are not sure exactly what that means, then you simply need to add "Tarantula" to the list of classic science fiction monster movies you need to see that are mentioned in "Science Fiction Double Feature" during the opening credits of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." This 1955 film was directed by Jack Arnold who also helmed "It Came From Outer Space," "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," and "The Incredible Shrinking Man." That means that Arnold is taking the story seriously even if the rest of us are not. Yes, it is hard to believe that a giant tarantula three-stories tall is prowling around the desert eating horses and such and nobody notices (ditto for the giant ants in "Them!"), but that it standard suspense for 1950s black & white monster movies. The special effects are good for the most part, although there are a couple of moments where none of its eight legs are touching the ground, but the big complaint is that there is not enough destruction, which is to be expected when you monster is roaming the desert rather than Tokyo.

The starting point for the fun is a couple of scientists who are playing god by trying to perfect a growth serum. Having had success in making a tarantula the size of sheep (which begs the question of why this would ever be seen as a good idea as opposed to say, oh, I don't know, something that could feed starving people?), Professor Deemer (Carroll) tries the serum on himself. The result is not increased size (like being 50 feet tall works if you are a man instead of a woman) but acromegaly, which is an actual disease caused by the overproduction of growth hormones in the body (you have to admire the idea that somebody did some actual scientific research for this film). Consequently, Deemer ends up looking like a cousin to the Elephant Man. The Professor is doomed to die, but not before the tarantula escapes, goes its own way, and continues to grow larger and larger. John Agar is the hero, Dr. Matt Hastings, and Mara Corday is Stephanie "Steve" Clayton, who shows up to study with Professor Deemer, only to discover he has other problems. Yes, "Tarantula" requires you to take a deep breath to provide the requisite willing suspension of disbelief, but come on: we are talking a giant spider movie here and not just any giant spider movie here. This is the original eight legged freak.

Giant spiders!!!
When I first saw this movie, I thought John Agar was a hunk (still do) so when he has to figure out what is killing people and livestock in his small town and save the girl - well - nothing could be better. With the 'mad scientist' and the giant tarantula and all, what more could you want in a plot. So what if the big spider looks fake sometime and the acting is not Harrison Ford. It is still a fun monster movie and I love watching it. I am on my third copy of this one and watch it often enough that I will have to have another one soon. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This reverential, well-crafted 1951 biopic starring the hulky Burt Lancaster as Native American Olympian Thorpe is hardly the definitive word on one of our greatest track stars, but it does remind us how unfair and demeaning it once was for athletes of color. Concentrating on Thorpe's track and football victories (he also excelled at boxing, swimming, and golf), director Michael Curtiz and screenwriters Douglas Morrow and Everett Freeman (working from Thorpe's autobiography) chart their hero's rise from reservation poverty to Carlisle College track star to 1912 Olympic decathlon/pentathlon winner. Thorpe was stripped of his medals when it was learned that he had taken a few bucks as a football player. Lancaster is even better at playing Thorpe in the depths of drunkenness and despair than in his jock heyday.Charles Bickford is Pop Warner, the legendary coach who encouraged Thorpe to go for the gold, and Phyllis Thaxter appears as the athlete's supportive wife. Thorpe, who served as technical adviser, died two years after this film was released. Thirty years later, the International Olympic Committee overturned the earlier ruling and returned Thorpe's medals to his family. "What does it mean now?" a bitter Lancaster was quoted as saying at the time. --Glenn Lovell ... Read more

Reviews (5)

4 1/4 stars for a great slice of american history
This film certainly has limits: none of the performances are overwhelmingly good, there are too many white people playing natives, and the story sometimes borders on the formulaic. But with that said, do yourself a favor and see it.

Jim Thorpe - All American is a fascinating look at a period of American history (the early 20th century) that doesn't get enough coverage. Thorpe was born just before the death of the Old West (1887 or 88), won a college football championship at the Carlisle Indian School, won gold medals in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, played Major League Baseball before WWI, was a founding presence as an all-star halfback in the early National Football League (and its first commissioner), and went on to a long career as a bit player in such Hollywood films as King Kong and White Heat. On the darker side, over half of his brothers and sisters died in childhood, he was an orphan before 18, his first son (Jim Junior) died at age 2 from pneumonia, he had poor financial habits, wasn't much of a team player, moved around incessantly, had problems with alcohol and tobacco, two wives left him, and he died in poverty.

Director Michael (Casablanca) Curtiz does a wonderful job of keeping the campy 50s to a minimum while moving Thorpe's whirlwind life forward on screen. The real strengths of the film (beyond the historical subject matter) are the wonderful nascent images of early sporting events: the college lettermen's sweaters, old track shoes, baseball uniforms, leather football helmets, etc. Lancaster was quite fit and looks the part of a young athlete very well. He is perhaps best when portraying Thorpe's dark decline; these scenes foreshadow De Niro in Scorsese's Raging Bull. And finally, the scenes from the opening ceremonies of the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles look so real I am sure that Curtiz must have cut actual footage into the film, including an aerial flyover and a speech by then vice-president Charles Curtis (these would have been the first Olympics after the widespread proliferation of sound video recording, in the vibrant young city which created it).

All in all Jim Thorpe - All American is a fine cinematic achievement; this is what movie-making is all about.

Whats wrong with this picture?
Not to long ago an athlete was picked as the best(athlete)in our century...Mohammid Ali. He was a great fighter...but what else? How did this man become the greatest athlete of the century? "Whats wrong with this picture"? Jim Thorpe should have been named as the best as is appearent by his accomplishments in several sports. Did Ali win the decathalon or the Pentathalon...25 total events. Was Ali a champion football and baseball player? How can anyone who excels at only one sport be called the greatest of the century...whats wrong with this picture? The wrongs done Jim Thorpe have not been corrected with this kind of judgement. We have the sports writers to thank for this injustice.

Jim Thorpe: Strong but Bitter
JIM THORPE, ALL AMERICAN is based on the autobiography of the same name, and in the hands of director Michael Curtiz, Thorpe, as played by the athletic Burt Lancaster, comes across as a man beset by a multitude of demons. The film begins with Thorpe as a boy living on an Indian reservation. He runs constantly, almost as if he were trying to outrun the bitter dregs of an anti-Indian racism that he saw as dogging his heels for his entire life. He grows to maturity and attends the Carlisle Indian School on a track scholarship. Much of the film focuses on Thorpe's obvious athletic skills and as long as it does so, Lancaster manages to imbue his character with the pathos of a tragedy that would not disappear. One of the most memorable scenes in a film filled with them (not all of them pleasant) is the one in which he has just arrived as a freshman at Carlisle. He is dressed in his best clothes and shoes, and then suddenly,he is filled with the need to run. He does run, right over and through Carlisle's track team. The track coach looks at his assistant and tells him, "Find out who that is and bring him here." His first years at Carlisle show a relaxed Thorpe. He meets his future wife played by Phyllis Thaxter and excells at every sport of the school. Paradoxically,however, the more success that Thorpe achieves, the more is in unable to handle it. His reaction to fame is colored by his previous reaction to racism. He grows bitter and anti-social. He fails to understand that amateur athletics does not involve money nor does he see that his wife loves him and would continue to do so until his increasing world hate drowns out all else. Thorpe's anger at having his Olympic medals taken away simply justifies his own self-destruction. As the film moves toward the end, it becomes painful to watch a proud and skilled student-athlete inch closer to a self-imposed ostracism from those who truly want to understand and to help. Lancaster is superb as a man who forgets that a world of athleticism cannot compensate for a world of bitterness that no gold medals can heal.

Terrific story about American History
Jim Thorpe was an important man in American history, and I think this film should be shown in schools.

Burt Lancaster is a shining star.

God rest both their souls

Great story, well-told
_Jim Thorpe_ is nominally a story about a great athlete; it is more a complex, bittersweet portrayal of a man whose frustrated ambition threatens to tear him and his family apart. This movie underlines in bold strokes the damaging effects of racism, both external and internalized, and the fact that material success is no compensation for dignity and self-respect. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

WWII betrayal and espionage
Five Fingers is a documentary style recounting of a true story involving espionage in neutral WWII Turkey.

The refined and impeccably spoken James Mason plays the traitorous Ulysses Diello, personal valet for the British ambassador to Turkey. Code named Cicero, Mason photographs precious wartime secrets pilfered from the ambassador's safe and sells them to the Nazis. Mason coaxes the exotic Danielle Darrieux playing the now penniless Polish Countess Staviska, wife of his previous employer, to partake in his ruthless ploy.
Insatiable in their desire for money, both Mason and Darrieux betray their friends and countries to the Gestapo.

Joseph Mankiewicz does a creditable job directing this reprehensible tale based on the book by L.C. Moyzisch, a member of the German consulate and bit player in this drama.

5 Stars for 5 Fingers!
Pardon the awkward pun but "5 Fingers" is a first rate cloak and dagger tale set in Ankara, Turkey during WW2. James Mason is a valet to the British ambassador. Coldly and chillingly self- assured, he decides to make a fortune by stealing war secrets and selling them to a contact at the German embassy. All goes well until "someone" gets suspicious and the film jumps into high gear. "5F" is the type of film where it is quintessentially necessary for a reviewer to not even HINT at the ending. Any plot details must end here. This reviewer can report that the movie's settings are top notch. Documentary backgrounds were shot in Istanbul, Ankara and Berlin to generate realism and solid effect. The supporting cast is excellent, especially those playing the Germans. Michael Rennie, one of the "suspicious" folks, is the only "name" among them. All support Mr. Mason who carries "5F" virtually single-handed. Mason has that certain evil charm to play the semi-likeable villain. (One wonders if people are so cool under fire in real life!) The producers had the foresight to shoot "5F"in black and white. This movie in the "High Noon", "Psycho" and "Casablanca" tradition, should not be colorized. I've read reviews stating that "5F" is too long but this reviewer disagrees. It runs under 2 hours and anyone into suspense, detective or secret agent tales should NOT become restless. Most seem to agree that "5F" was based on a real life incident. If so, there must have been some very stupid, very brave and very treacherous people in Europe during the Big One.

Spy Steals British Wartime Secrets
James Mason stars in this film based on the "Cicero" affair - a World War Two espionage story that involved the British and German intelligence services.
Mason plays Diello, the valet to the British ambassador to Turkey. At great risk, he steals classified secrets from the Ambassador's safe. How? By photographing the documents and returning them to the safe. Then he begins selling the negatives to the Germans.
Diello doesn't know it, but he's come under scrutiny as the Allied invasion of Europe - D-Day - nears.
Stick with this movie for a surprise wind-up.

Britsh Ambassador's Valet Sells Secrets to Germans
James Mason plays the role of valet - yes, a valet - to the British ambassador to Turkey during the Second World War. Mason's character, Diello, hates the British and he begins making photographic copies of British classified documents. He offers them to the Germans, who buy them, but who are skeptical of their value. Thus they failed to capitalize on valuable wartime intelligence.
The espionage and its carrying out are the thing to watch here. One realizes the extreme danger and pressure on Mason's character as he continually provides the Germans with British secrets. The story is based on "Operation Cicero," a real-life account of wartime espionage by German military attache L.C. Moyzisch.

Have you ever heard of WW II?
I just want to add a comment to the only two reviews [ Canada and Connecticut] I have read. It's maybe not the best Mankiewicz [ I would vote for "Sleuth"], maybe not the best James Mason, but what is appalling in the reviews is that people talk about a talented thief operating in foreign embassy. God! You've never heard of the German spy whose code name was Cicero? This man has really existed, and the movie makes an accurate summary of his life. A thief! Sorry, it is not Cary Grant in "How to catch a thief". It is a real story. Maybe one day you'll come to believe that Anna Frank used to be a talented "foreign" writer only known for her diary. Sad. America won WWII, please educate yourself with "Trial at Nuremberg", "The Odessa File" and this very good movie about Cicero the spy. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A fluffy costumer from Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott and John Wayne star in PITTSBURGH, a very entertaining yarn set against the backdrop of coalmines and WW2.

Josie Winters (Marlene Dietrich) inspires Cash Evans (Randolph Scott) and Pittsburgh Markham (John Wayne) to leave their dull and exhausting lives of working the coalmines, and to make their mark on society and big business.

Josie at first finds love with Pitt, but as he grows more big-headed and more snobbish, she finds solace in the arms of Cash.

An accident involving Josie taking a faulty elevator down the mine to break up a fight between Pitt and Cash almost ends in her death, and forces Pitt to finally see the folly of his ways.

A great story, one that everyone will enjoy.

Available seperately or in a box set with SEVEN SINNERS and GOLDEN EARRINGS.

I love you, Cash, so help me Hannah , I love you.
One of my all-time favorites, great cast, great story, and really great music. Good to see John Wayne as the heel for a change and lose a fist fight to my favorite hero, good-guy Randolph Scott. A must for all fans of John Wayne or Randolph Scott. ... Read more

Description

World War II drama about a Quaker naval officer. At first he is reluctant to take part in the wartime activities because of his beliefs. But the officer eventually makes up for this by leading a perilous mission that takes him into the thick of things. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This is not typical Alan Ladd performance
This is a movie about a Young man who has a Naval Reseverist and a Quaker and is called up for duty onboard a Destroyer at the beginning of World War 2. The biggest play of the movie is how Alan Ladd reacts to the way that the crew treats him when he shows his Quaker background at various times when a life or death decision is called for. There is also a love story sub-plot going on but it doesn't seem to fit real well with the main plot.

Overall this movie doesn't make much sense when you watch it. For each of the scenes of the Destoryer being in action the only thing that seems to tie them together is the characters being shown and the ship being shown. Also the director and producer seem to have two major climaxes which is confusing. Overall, this seems more like a cheesy training film produced by the Navy from around that time and just happens to start Alan Ladd. This is defeninatly not one of his best movies. This is better for a rental instead of a purchase.

Besides the Alan Ladd this movies has all your typical stock characters from World War 2 flicks from the 50's, James Whitmore William Bendix, Keenan Wynn, etc. Also look for Joey Bishop of Rat Pack fame playing a typical sailor Sterotype. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A romatic yet cynical look at the nature of 'Revolution'.
I really enjoyed this film directed by Elia Kazan with a screenplay by John Steinbeck (his only credited screenplay). Their vision of the Revolution is at once both impossibly romantic as well as bitterly cynical. The romance lies in the pure-hearted desire of Emiliano Zapata to bring justice and land reform to 'the people'. The cynicism is expressed in the constant betrayal and manipulation of the Revolution by men who are either weak, self-seeking, or who have absolutely no commitment to justice or to 'the people. Then there is the character of Fernando, deliciously played by Joseph Wiseman, the professional revolutionary who will never be satisfied with the attainment of objectives but only in incessant foment and agitation (in real life, Kazan detested doctrinaire Stalinists). Brando gives a brooding performance as the illiterate Zapata who inwardly burns at his inability to read. Anthony Quinn won an Oscar as Zapata's older brother, Eufemio. Virtually all of the characters in 'Viva Zapata' are ground down by the realities of constant struggle of revolution. We are not to have illusions about the nature of Revolutions. And yet, Kazan and Steinbeck still leave us room to believe that the ideals of revolutionary struggle in themselves can be endowed with nobility and worthiness. The cinematography by Joe MacDonald is tasteful as is the music score by Alex North.

Viva Kazan!!
A great film directed by Elia Kazan, written by John Steinbeck and scored by Alex North. These are the ingredients of a great film. Brando plays the brooding Zapata in fine style. Joseph Wiseman a standout as a corrupt revolutionary and Alan Reed as Villa.

Anthony Quinn shows us all how to win an Oscar when your screen time is so little. Quinn, as Zapata,s, brother takes the viewer to another world of acting a role, his performance is a knockout.

Louis Gilbert has a soul for the times..and this is a good chance to see " Margo" in one of her later films.Quinn,s execution scene is one of the best two minutes put on film in a very long time. No video collection should be without this film.

Visually opulent in Black a White CP

Revoulationary spirit lives on
I've read the screenplay by John Steinbeck and recently watched this movie again and I have some problems with it. The casting was not the best but I guess names sell movies. I know all the reviews are glowing 5 stars but I was less than convinced that Brando was Zapata. First of all that wimpy mustache has got to go. The real Zapata had a mustache for the ages. On the other hand the actor who played Porfirio Diaz at least looked a bit like him.Brandos terrible "Mexican accent" made me cringe throughout the movie. I know everyone says his acting was great but his crediblity was damaged right out the gate for me. If a movie is in English just speak English. Is the "Mexican accent" supposed to make it more authentic? I don't think so. Anthony Quinn would have probably made a better Zapata but instead he was relegated to the supporting actors role. Anthony Quinn, who spoke with such fervor and eloquence throughout the movie stole many of the scenes. The script by Steinbeck was much better and the movie adaption was loosely followed and often out of sequence. These personal observations aside I did think it was a good movie. The film is a romanticized version of Zapata(and Pancho Villa)and is full of interesting cinematography. One of my favorite scenes is when Zapata is brought into an ambush and later his lifeless body is left in town for display. As the dead Zapata lies in the plaza beneath him the water is flowing out of a pipe; the symbolism of water as the basis of life continues to flow, meanwhile the dialogue centers around how the man is not dead but will continue to live in the hearts and minds of the people. There are many memorable moments in this classic movie that compensate for the poor but prosperous Hollywood casting. All in all it is worth seeing again and could serve well in a film study class.

Amazon has lost it here
This is a CD of the movie soundtrack and all that are posted below are movie reviews.

A huge fresco of Mexican Revolution.
Actually it was this film that triggered my interest on the Mexican Revolution. I've seen it many times and always found new details to take into account. As I read more and more on the subject my appreciation of this movie increases.
It presents the viewer with a big fresco of the Revolution that convulsed that country for more than ten years.
I admire the strange capacity of the film to show condensed in each scene, many key issues of why and how the Revolution exploded and continue growing along the years, with an immitigable fire.
The first shot, showing a very accurate characterization of President Porfirio Diaz (Fay Roope), gives an inkling of the type of ruler he was. Francisco Madero's (Harold Gordon) personality and idealistic naïveté is also depicted with very few strokes. Huerta's (Frank Silvera) wickedness and treachery too. Above all Emiliano Zapata's figure impersonated by an inspired Marlon Brando stands with an epic height. His ideals, stubbornness, charisma and internal sorrows leading him to the final sacrifice, are shown convincingly. A special mention must be done of Anthony Quinn's superb performance, that entitled him to win the Oscar. He not only has the physique du role, but an internal conviction to give flesh to Eufemio, Zapata's brother, a semi cultured and brave centaur, product of his times and environment. Josefa (Jean Peters) the fiancée and later wife of Emiliano shows all the traits of a high middle class woman romantically requested by a rural hero. The scene played with Brando in the church's atrium is wonderful. The only character that gives a discordant note is the fictional Fernando, representing an addict to revolution for revolution in itself.
The black and white photography is very beautiful. Steinbeck's screenplay has a solid internal coherence that shows along the film.
A Classic not diminished by the more than fifty years passed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman were so successful in Douglas Sirk's Magnificent Obsession that they reteamed for this, his first melodrama masterpiece. Young hunk Rock is a strapping son of mother nature, a gardener who woos middle-aged, middle class widow Wyman to the snooty disapproval of her conservative social circle and embarrassment of her self-centered children. Wyman discovers a new life with his open-armed friends and back-to-nature lifestyle, but struggles with life-changing decisions in the face of social pressure and vicious gossip. Living the Henry Thoreau dream, Rock inhabits his personal Walden in a rustic country cabin by a bubbling brook, a dream house lit by a giant picture window overlooking an idyllic countryside where deer pose just outside the window. Wyman's elegant but sterile suburban home transforms into a tomb when she sacrifices her love for the "good name" of her children, and the lonely widow sees her future in the pale, colorless reflection of her TV screen. But don't despair just yet: Sirk's heroines are dynamic and resourceful and no Sirk melodrama ends without a heart-tugging, over-the-top twist. German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder, who championed Sirk as a master and a mentor, remade the film as Ali: Fear Eats the Soul decades later. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (22)

An elegant, classy sudser from director Douglas Sirk
Reuniting from the previous year's hit, "Magnificent Obsession", Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson play lovers torn apart by small town hypocrisy. Wyman is wealthy widow, Cary Scott. She falls in love with her gardener, Ron Kirby(Hudson),and is chastised by her community and loathed by her two grown children. Great, elegant melodrama from director-extraordinarre Douglas Sirk. The film starts off a bit slow, but the dramatic payoff is highly worth the wait. The cinematography, muisc, and dialogue all come together for a beautiful film event.

the perfect dvd? this could be it
Watching one of Douglas Sirk's 50's melodramas is slightly akin to visiting another planet. Everything about the Sirk reality is a bit askew: the people are basic and sincere, while their surroundings are heightened, beautiful and artificial (we know certain exterior scenes are filmed on sets, but the sets themselves are so big and elaborate they boggle the mind). It's a strange mix -- simple characters in an exaggerated world, almost like a David Lynch movie in which the only violence that occurs is emotional.

But if you give Sirk's movies time and attention and allow yourself to be taken in by the strangeness, they are surprisingly easy to accept on their own terms.

Sirk's 1955 film, "All That Heaven Allows," tells the story of the romance between a well-to-do widow and a young, dreamy, non-conformist gardener. It's the oldest problem in the world: they could be happy and in love if only it weren't for the other people around them.

I think the key to the success of this film is the performance of Jane Wyman as the widow. Her character is so fragile, yet also surprisingly strong. She says no more than she has to, but what she does say speaks on many levels. She's kind, but she's also after something she clearly wants very badly. Wyman is able to communicate these contradictions and complications with a calm, almost effortless stoicism.

The Criterion DVD is a marvel of technology. It has quickly become my favorite disk and there are a lot of disks that I like -- the picture and transfer are unbelievably crisp, the colors are richer than wet paint, the movie is restored to its proper aspect ratio, and you also get Fassbinder's essay on Sirk (he remade this movie in thoroughly different form with a film called "Ali: Fear Eats the Soul"), and there's also a long, fascinating interview with Sirk himself -- I'd never seen or heard any footage of the director until I saw this and the interview alone made it worth buying.

If you're a fan of Sirk, you're going to love this disk. And if you're not familiar with his work, this is the place to start.

............legends .............
..... women still wore tight corsets and just had to conform .... talk about Stepford .......

this one's a brilliant peek into Ike and Mamies USA - post WWII

SIRK, WYMAN .... HUDSON ...... brilliant trio.....

As Wyman's on screen son spats "You're just seeing a good looking bunch of muscles" - referring to Rock ... Yeah so what?

It's brilliantly lensed, costumed and directed by DIETLEF SIERCK [retitled Doug Sirk when he ventured - without English into the American movie-mill]. He certainly saved Universal's bacon back then ...........

The rest? The movie has inspired so many imitators and GOOD imitators - down to the Julianne Moore version recently ...

Rock, or rather Roy? Have to dwell on this one .... he rescued the studio so many times, especially later with the Day/Hudson comedies ... and more or less had the 'Lylah Claire' exit.

[There was even the rumor that all of his existing costumes were to be burnt - for fear of contamination - after his passing ..... sad little town!]

Elizabeth Taylor is currently too tired to hold his torch ...isn't it time for a Hudson retrospect?

Proceed!

[Great support by Agnes Moorehead as the clockwork 'friend' and the brat of a daughter Gloria Talbot .... whatever happened to HER?]

.... as for the rather obsolete Country Clubs .....

African American actors appear - briefly - but Sirk's indelible comment is quite there!

A good drama and New England scenery

Format: Black & White, Color
Studio: Universal Studios
Video Release Date: February 17, 1998

Cast:

Jane Wyman ... Cary Scott
Rock Hudson ... Ron Kirby
Agnes Moorehead ... Sara Warren
Conrad Nagel ... Harvey
Virginia Grey ... Alida Anderson
Gloria Talbott ... Kay Scott
William Reynolds ... Ned Scott
Charles Drake ... Mick Anderson
Hayden Rorke ... Dr. Hennessy
Jacqueline deWit ... Mona Plash
Leigh Snowden ... Jo-Ann
Donald Curtis ... Howard Hoffer
Alex Gerry ... George Warren
Nestor Paiva ... Manuel
Forrest Lewis ... Mr. Weeks
Tol Avery ... Tom Allenby
Merry Anders ... Mary Ann
Alan DeWitt ... Stationmaster
Jim Hayward ... John
David Janssen ... Freddie Norton
Anthony Jochim ... Mr. Adams
Paul Keast ... Mark Plash
Joseph Mell ... Mr. Gow
Vernon Rich ... Bill
Paul Smith ... Tom
Donna Jo Gribble ... Miss Taylor
Helene Heigh ... Ann
Eleanor Audley ... Mrs. Humphrey
Gia Scala ... Manuel's Daughter
Edna Smith ... Miss Edna Pidway
Rosa Turich ... Rozanna
Lillian Culver ... Mrs. Taylor
Helen Andrews ... Myrtle

Widow Cary Scott (Jane Wyman) is in love with Ron Kirby (Rock Hudson) who is 15 years her junior, but her two children and some of her acquaintances 0bject to their marriage. In order to mollify others, she puts off the marriage, until she finds that her friends and children are selfish and really don't care about her.

This is a good film, well acted and with beautiful New England scenery.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

a nice film with a great theme
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

This movie follows the story of a widow (Jane Wyman) who falls in love with a much younger man (Rock Hudson) and risks alienating her adult children when she wants to marry him.

The movie has a great theme of family relations and the concern siblings have for a parent. This film was later remade by Rainer Werner Fassbinder as "Ali Fear Eats the Soul" which was also released by the Criterion Collection.

The DVD has numerous special features including a theatrical trailer, a slide show of lobby cards for the film, an illustrated essay about several of Douglas Sirk's films by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and a rare BBC interview with the director Douglas Sirk. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Suspenceful,and very hilarious Bud and Lou in fine form.
This is undoubtedly one of the best they have ever done. However I can truly say all Abbot and Costello is great. In this story the pair inherit a mansion from a dying gangster Moose Manson. He always told his associates he kept the hiding place for his money "in my head". They are joined in this movie by three actors who help move the story at a good pace. The dialogue is never slow or boring and always exciting and funny.One of my favorite parts is a dance sequence with Lou and his female companion kind of a satirical waltz.And of course when they find the money alot of things come together. Don't let the title scare you this is a great movie for the entire family. And like all of the pairs films it has a happy ending. They just don't make'm like this anymore my collection will contain all that these two ever made before too long. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did. B.A.& J.A.

GREAT FUN
Abbott and Costello at the height of hilarity. With Joan Davis on hand to buoy the merriment, the Andrews Sisters providing a touch of camp, and a better-than-average number of well-wrought thrills, this film remains one of the best examples of that rarely successful subgenre, the horror farce....A creepy, haunted house setting, the playground of a good many comics since the advent of the movies, provided the perfect setting for Abbott and Costello's second 1941 feature - HOLD THAT GHOST, which is, in my opinion, the team's greatest movie. The lines are clever and witty and the supporting cast is very good. The pair got plenty of competition in the laughs department from Joan Davis. Active in show biz since infancy, the klutzy comedienne's broad antics provider her with a welcome respite from the moonlight and roses schmaltz of playing second banana, for instance, to Sonja Henie in her films. Complimenting each other's uninhibited zaniness, Davis and Costello share some great moments. The couple perform a fractured rendition of the BLUE DANUBE WALTZ; Davis also contributes immensely to the amusement of the famed moving candle sequence. Evelyn Ankers is good to look at (in her first exposure to the genre in which she would be forever associated); her she's go a crush on the blandly versatile Richard Carlson - amusingly portraying a 1941 health nut.

Great service and very quick
This is one of my favorites , I would deal with them a lot more. sorry it took me so long to write this feedback.

Entertaining, But Thwarted By Weak Story and Script
Abbott and Costello were among the most popular comic teams in Hollywood history, and 1941's HOLD THAT GHOST is generally considered one of their better early films. Like most Abbott and Costello movies, the film exists exclusively as a set up for the pair's comic routines. By an absurd twist of fate, two gas station attendants fall heir to an isolated and decaying inn previously owned by a gangster--and, as in the usual manner of such films, find themselves stranded at the inn with a sinister guide, a silly scientist, a blonde beauty, a dizzy dame, and a host of half-seen "ghostly" characters who are out to find the dead gangster's loot. Walls slide open, bodies fall from behind curtains, beds unexpectedly turn into craps tables, and candles float in midair. It's all as broad as Abbott and Costello's comic style.

Abbott and Costello are, well, Abbott and Costello: bigger than life, over the top, and never eschewing the obvious if they think it will get a giggle. If you're in the market for sophisticated wit, you're in the wrong store--but at their best and armed with top rate material they could be extremely entertaining. Unfortunately, the script is weak, and you won't find anything here to compare to such classic turns as "Who's On First;" even so, the duo gives it everything they've got, and they manage to lift this excursion from the purely silly to the mildly amusing.

The supporting cast is quite solid here. Evelyn Ankers, best known as the ingenue in the horror classic THE WOLFMAN, is the blonde beauty of note; although the script offers her little, she's an attractive performer. While the motion picture industry gave her little more than occasional character roles, Joan Davis would go on considerable 1950s television fame with the series "I Married Joan," and her broad comic style is a perfect match for the Abbott and Costello brand of comedy--and when she pairs with Lou Costello to dance "The Blue Danube" the result is pure magic. There is also a brief cameo by "Stooge" Shemp Howard. HOLD THAT GHOST also offers a few musical moments, and film fans will find them particularly interesting, for they give a glimpse of the now-forgotten Ted Lewis performing his classic "Me and My Shadow" routine and early footage of The Andrews Sisters, who perform the seldom heard "Sleepy Serenade" and "Aurora." It's all in good fun, but while mildly amusing this really isn't one of Abbott and Costello's more memorable films. Recommended, but to hardcore fans only.

--GFT (Amazon Reviewer)--

The funniest Abbott and Costello movie ever
This is by no doubt the funniest of all movies ever made. I also liked this movie because of Richard Carlson's performance. I remember him from CREATURE OF THE BLACK LAGOON and he's really good in horror and comedy movies. My review's not going to what happens in the movie, like a summary, but I'm going to give you my impression of this movie.

First of all, when Costello slides down a railing, I laughed the hardest I ever did in my life. I just kept talking about that. And also, Costello's performance in the whole movie is funny. What Costello does with a gun is funny, his waiter job part is funny, and when he falls from the bed when the room transforms is so funny. Well, I don't want to say any more except that I think that all fans MUST see this one. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

"Say, he looks like an actor," says the platform conductor. Andwith that introduction, Gene Kelly steps off the train and into his film career. After starring on Broadway in Pal Joey, Kelly made his film debut inFor Me and My Gal opposite Judy Garland, with the pair playing vaudevilleperformers who team up to find success and, of course, romance. But just whenthings are looking up, World War I intervenes, and Kelly has to take drasticmeasures to keep a promise and avoid the war, at least temporarily.

Bad move, Gene. Filmed in 1942, For Me and My Gal vigorously supports thewar effort, including teaching Kelly the error of his ways. The old-time settingalso allows for a basketful ofnostalgic charmers, including "After You've Gone," "Oh You Beautiful Doll,"and "Ballin' the Jack," and Kelly and Garland's crooning and tapping of thetitle tune is pure joy. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (35)

A Musical Masterpiece
"For Me And My Gal" was one of the first musicals I saw, and one of the first I bought on video. Judy Garland is great in her first "adult" role. This is also the splashy debut of Gene Kelly to movie audiences. Movie hoofer and later politican George Murphy rounds out the love triangle. It's interesting to note the difference in the stars ages though. Garlandwas 20 when the movie was made. Kelly was 30. And Murphy was 40.

Most movies of the 1940s, let alone World War II movies, dealt with serious issues, but this musical is full of them. Some of the issues include draft dodging and the horrors of war among others.

The music portion of the movie is the highpoint. My personal favorite is Garland's teary rendition of "After You've Gone". Reportedly, she filmed it the day after her divorce from bandleader David Rose. Another memorable scene is the famous Garland-Kelly duet of the title track. The musical numbers are countless and timeless and add to the movie's greatness. If you are looking for a great musical, with dramatic moments, and a tearjerking ending, then "For Me And My Gal" is for you...

Gene Kelly's film debut
Judy Garland plays Jo Hayden, a Vaudeville performer who has big dreams to reach the top along with her partners Jimmy Metcalf (George Murphy) and Sid Simms (Ben Blue). But then Harry Palmer (Gene Kelly) comes along with a great duo act. A Vaudeville performer himself, Jo finds that he too has big dreams, to be able to play at the Palace. This is the tale about how these two team up and through hardships and the war effort, reach out for their dreams and to their surprise, find love.

I'm a big fan of all musicals so hearing that this was Gene Kelly's first film, I knew I had to see it. And though I didn't enjoy it as much as I do other superior musicals, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

Judy Garland is one of the most wonderful actresses, a one in a million. Every note she sings is pure perfection and she is one talented actress. "For Me and My Gal" is more of a musical/drama than a musical/comedy, so expect Garland to have many scenes where her eyes are full of tears. And this being in black and white, these scenes come out simply beautiful since Judy Garland is a stunning actress.

Being a musical, expect to see some great musical numbers. All the dance scenes are well choreographed. Most favorite is probably the "Ballin' the Jack" where Garland and Kelly share a number. But since this is Kelly's first film, don't expect him to do any of his famous outstanding solo tap numbers. He does get a short number towards the beginning which gives really only a glimpse of his talents. He tap dances... with huge rubber shoes worn by clowns!

Another character is in this movie called Eve Minard played by Martha Eggerth, a beautiful operatic singer. Though I'm not a big fan of opera type music (Kathryn Grayson is the only one I love in the movies), I must admit that Eggerth has an astounding voice.

As I said, there is a lot more drama than comedy in "For Me and My Gal". But don't worry, the end is terrific, and my only reason for giving this movie four stars is that I do have other musical favorites which I think are a bit superior to this one.

To see Gene Kelly REALLY show off his tap-dance talent, watch:
*SINGIN' IN THE RAIN* - If you claim to be a fan of all musicals and STILL haven't seen this one... well, tsk tsk tsk on you!
*COVER GIRL* - Kelly has this one amazing number where he dances... with himself! VERY cool!
*ANCHORS AWEIGHT* - Great number where he dances with the cartoon, Jerry the Mouse! Also a scene where he plays a matador.
And just in general, watch any of Kelly's films, they won't disappoint!

I liked it too
I greatly dislike and resent reviewers who give away plots and endings. Why do they do it? This is one of my all-time favorite musicals. It is not a flag-waver and it does not sugar-coat war (rah-rah-America!), though as one reviewer mentioned, there is a note at the ending saying that war bonds would be sold in the lobby. War is hell. Everyone in it was wonderful, Garland actually kept right up with Kelly in the dancing, and she came across strong, professional and abundantly talented, all of which she is. (Incidentally, before Pal Joey, there was a straight play by Saroyan called The Time of Your Life which I think was Kelly's first big break (he danced), and before that a part in the chorus of a Porter musical called Leave It To Me, more than that I don't know.) The movie is singing and dancing from stem to stern, all wonderful, all Garland and/or Kelly, and I loved every minute of it. The directing was also good, though I'm no judge of that kind of thing, but it struck me as inventive and original while I watched it. I totally abhored Murphy's bit in France when he makes a sap out of the poor dumb foreigner with the fake money. And then his men have a good laugh. I thought it stunk. And on the subject of George Murphy (whose career in movies was about as stellar as Ronald Reagan's), Tom Lehrer said (sang, actually), "Gee it's great! At last we've got a senator who can really sing and dance!" That's about the size of it, folks. And I didn't think he did either of those particularly well. If he'd gotten the girl, I wouldn't have watched the movie a second time. One last note. I cried during this movie when Danny left for duty. And I really cried at the end.

Watching the Easter Parade
There is apparently a shortage of the Great Easter Parade film, one of the truly GREATEST musicals (of which not enough have been released). I don't know what is available RIGHT NOW, but a wonderful copy came out several years ago on Lasar Disk, so IT HAS BEEN RELEASED.

BLACK & WHITE....not color!
So many have done such a great job reviewing this movie I won't rehash....but Amazon.com taking their cue from Warners (on the DVD box) say this is color and it is NOT....its in its glorious original Black and White and a beautiful print at that! Didn't want anyone out there afraid this masterpiece had been colorized! Yiiikes
Kelly / Garland......please this should be a no-brainer! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

That's What Makes Paris PAREE!"
This picture was made when Doris Day was "Doris Day", that fresh-faced, delightful blond singer who lit up the silver screen with her beautiful smile and glorious singing voice.

"April in Paris", directed by David Butler was a colorful, joyous romp for Doris Day and Ray Bolger. Mr. Bolger has been criticized for not being a suitable co-star for Miss Day, but I felt he did a credible job in the picture. No, he was not handsome, like Rock Hudson, but Rock couldn't DANCE like Bolger!

And dance up a storm, he does! I enjoyed his acrobatic dance routines in "I'm Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight" and the politically-themed dance with former Presidents' portraits, coming to life to dance with Bolger.

Doris Day, as Ethel "Dynamite" Jackson, a Broadway chorus girl, who is mistakenly chosen, instead of Ethel Barrymore, to represent America at a Paris Festival, is energetic and bouncy and mostly delightful. Her rendition of "April in Paris" was hauntingly beautiful and the highlight of the film. It was also a hit record for Miss Day.

The nicely staged, "It Must Be Good" also showcased Miss Day's wonderful singing voice and dancing skills as did "That's What Makes Paris Paree".

Claude Dauphin lugubriously reprises the title tune in a side-walk cafe with the wind blowing bitterly while he sings the song to Doris.

To my knowledge, this is the only occasion in which Doris Day engages in an all out fist fight on the screen! If you can believe it, she was battling over Ray Bolger with Eve Miller, who also had the illusion that Bolger was "Clark Gable".

In the aforementioned "I'm Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight", Doris Day opens the number with some rousing singing and later joins Bolger for some fancy footwork.

If you love Doris Day, you'll like this film. As usual, there was able support by veteran actors like Paul Harvey, who later played "Henry Miller", proprieter of the Golden Garter Saloon in "Calamity Jane".

A slightly Drizzly "APRIL"
When it was released in 1952, "April in Paris" proved to be another box-office winner for star Doris Day. She was the reigning box-office "Queen" in the world and this film further solidified her ranking with the public.
The main reason to see this film is Doris Day and in every scene in which she appears you watch her and only her - the true sign of a Star of the first magnitude. In scenes in which she doesn't appear, you eagerly await her return.
Miss Day's co-star is Ray Bolger, hot off a tremendous Broadway success in "Where's Charley". The nimble and long-legged dancer had been a favorite for nearly two decades, being especially fondly remembered for his 1939 turn as the Scarecrow in the classic, "The Wizard of Oz". Unfortunately, he and Miss Day has virtually no on-screen chemistry and their dancing styles don't especially mesh either. They move nicely together in several numbers but there is none of the on-screen magic that Miss Day and Gene Nelson displayed in their dancing numbers together previously.
Doris Day plays "Dynamite" Jackson, a performer who is brassy and a bit loud. It is somewhat reminiscent of Miss Day's debut role as Georgia in "Romance on The High Seas". She is a delight, getting full opportunity to display her incredible comic timing and skill which even then was well ahead of any other actress making films. She is also vulnerable and endearing and renders the title tune better than it has ever been rendered, before or since. She looks like a dream in lush technicolor and sings the film's other songs in her inimitable voice. Especially lovely is "I Know a Place" and she nearly stops the show with the rollicking "I'm Gonna Ring the Bell Tonight" which also lets her have full rein with some zesty dance steps.
Ray Bolger reminds one of Icahbod Crane, with his lanky frame and gawky way of performing. He's enjoyable and gets to show his talents in several scenes but again, the lack of chemistry between him and Miss Day makes some of their scenes together a bit awkward.
The plot line, condensed, is that Miss Day is accidently sent to Paris to represent the USA Theatre. The invite should have gone to Ethel Barrymore. Bolger works for the US Government and must go attempt to clear up the mistake.
The rest of the cast are pleasant and Claude Dauphin lends a "Chevalier-esque" touch to the proceedings.
Warner Brothers has dressed up the film with some nice production values that make the time pass tunefully and pleasingly.
One wishes that Miss Day had been able to venture over to the MGM lot around this time, when musicals were still making quite a splash. That pairing in the early 50's might have resulted in a string of additional classics to add to Miss Day and Leo the Lion's long list.
However, there are few moments sweeter than Doris singing the title song, and while possibly not transporting the listener to Paris, she takes us instead to that lovely, peaceful and serene place that only this superstar can take us by the sheer magic of her being.

This film is a cure for insomniacs.
Ray Bolger works in a very small office. Somehow the invitation meant for celebrity, Ethel Barrymore gets sent to a blonde chorus girl in New York (played by Doris Day). So Ray Bolger must fly to New York as quickly as possible to straighten out this mess. Doris truly believes that as the letter states, the government wants her to represent the American theater at an Arts exposition in Paris, France. Well, Bolger goes to New York and tells her the foul-up. Disappointing indeed. But Wait! This is a Doris Day movie and something good is bound to happen. Doris Day movies always have a happy ending.
This film is a cure for insomniacs. Fluff up your pillow. You will get tired.

April In Paris is Very Cool
April In Paris was put out in 1952 and was rated one of the top grossing films of the year!

The reason is not strange either. Doris Day and Ray BOlger play to people who fall in love with each other. Doris is Dynamite Jackson and Ray Bolger is a stuff guy! They all have a lot of fun together and get married. Ray hires Doris to represent the USA at a Music Program thinking that she is the all time famous Ethel Jackson but when he meets her he finds out he is wrong! He throws her out but is then told by his soon to be father-in law that she was a regular Saloon Girl and he says that is the best thing for us to do ! Get that girl! So Ray gets her and they go to Paris catch Doris singing the classic song "Were Going To Ring The bells Tonight" this movie is full of great songs and funny lines! I highly suggest this to anybody who wants to watch a funny movie!

Very delightful, good morals and values..
A vary delightful movie,good for the family to watch. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Guy Williams is the BEST
The Sign of Zorro is one of my favorite films. I have watched it so many times I almost know it by heart. Don Diego De la Vega comes home from Spain to see military force had taken over california. Diego with his faithful servant Bernardo and his trustworthy horse tornado becomes zorro the fox. Who rides to save the people from harm in the dark of the night, while pretending to be interested only in books and music during the day. But when his father gets in trouble and covers not in sight zorro must risk his life to save his father.
Nobody played zorro like Guy Williams. This flim is worth much more than you will ever pay for it.You will never regret buying it.

Zorro Returns!! A Little Late Though
The movie is pretty good. The only bad part about it is that it pretty much drags you through the entire 1st seasons main points on a leash. Anyways, it's 1821 Spanish-California, and Diego de la Vega is returning unexpectadly from a university in Spain. Along with him is Bernardo, as usual. They both make up a secret character for themselves. Bernardo pretends to be deaf, and Diego is a weakling durring the day, and the dashing hero at night, El Zorro, the Fox. When Diego finally gets home, things are worse than he expected. The Comandante is ruling the Pueblo de Los Angeles with an iron fist, and one man can stand up to it. Alejandro thinks that if they fight with a band of Cabellero's, they would win, but Diego tries to protest, saying that if they write a letter to the governor, that would work. Alejandro turns him down, and Diego must don the mask of Zorro. An official arrives into town, and the Commandante is convinced that Diego is the Fox, but Diego's played his weak part so well, the town is convinced he's not. Neither is the official, so he's let go. The movie ends with the ending of the episode "Most Akward Swordsman Alive." All in all, this is a rainy day movie fit for good memories.

The fox so cunning and free still makes the sign of the Z
During the 1950's, there was only one way to see Zorro: on Disney television. Tyrone Power's classic, the Republic serials and Fairbank's original had not yet been restored. Guy Williams's dashing smile, the clever servant Bernado, the hilarious moron Sargent Garicia, and the image of Zorro rearing on his horse Tornado were in the minds of many during the 50's.
Diego de la Vega (Guy Williams) is ordered home by his father Alejandro (George Lewis). The top fencer in Madrid, Diego abandons his former life and plays a poet, while his friend and servant, the mute Bernado (Gene Sheldon) plays the deaf dummy.
Upon arriving in California, Diego meets the tyrant, the commandante Capitan Monastario (Britt Lomond) and the innocent fool Sargent Garcia (Henry Calvin). He also learns his neighbor has been arrested and ready for hanging. From his father, he learns that the peons and ranchos are taxed to poverty. Unfortunately, to live up to his new life, Diego reluctantly refuses the take action with his father. But in secret, he rides alone as the fox, Zorro. After bringing his intelligent horse Tornado back home and designing his disguise, Zorro rides to free the people of the pueblo de Los Angeles from Monastario's evil rein.
The Disney Zorro offers the closest thing to Zorro since Tyrone Power. Guy Williams offered a playful, heroic figure as Zorro. The theme song is still echoing from the Disney Channel. I don't believe Zorro can ever die. One generation after another have taken in the fox like they have taken in Robin Hood and Planet of the Apes. Zorro is immortal, and there will be an audience as long as the fox so cunning and free still makes the sign of the Z. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

When will we see Can-Can restored on DVD
I have to say that I rmember seeing Can-Can in its origional roadshow presentation in Los Angeles in my younger days. It was a great time at the movies, and I remember the scope of the widescreen and all those Can-Can dancers. I hope that we will soon see a DVD with the fully restored format in Letterbox, With Ovature and Intermission etc. While not the best musical every filmed I remember it fondly and would like to see a DVD that presents this move as it should be seen. Widescreen format, stero sound et al.

Can-Can
I believe this is a second release of this film, which cuts out all the intermissions and some of the original breaks. This takes away from the authenicity of the film on the original release. Please, this is like watching a movie in rerun format with chops and stops. IRRITATING. I borrowed my mother's copy of the original release and I hope that if this is released on DVD that this the original is the one they put on disk.

Tribute to the Vintage Years of The Moulin Rouge
Shirley MacLaine is a delight as the owner/operator of an 1895 Paris Night Club. The problem: A new, "disgusting" dance craze called the "Can Can" has swept Paris, and Shirley's night club seems to be the only place that dares to perform it nightly.

Money man Frank Sinatra, who also is the on-again-off-again fiance of the owner, attempts to bribe the authorities to turn a blind eye to what's going on at the club. Law man Louis Jourdan also falls for Shirley, while an ever-wise Maurice Chevallier tries his best to play cupid.

The musical numbers are wonderful, especially Shirley MacLaine's solo "Come Along With Me", The MacLaine/Sinatra duet "Let's Do It" and the grand finale "Can Can". -- This film cost 6 million dollars to produce, which was a lot in 1960. I'm glad they went through with it, because this is one of my favorite film musicals. They don't come much better than this!*****

The parts exceed the sum.
If on a rainy day you are in an isolated country house that has a video collection and you stumble across this movie, by all means give it a try. If, however, you have other things to do with your time then this one can be missed.

You certainly want to like Can-Can---with a combination of Paris, Frank Sinatra, Shirley Maclaine, Maurice Chevalier,the Can-Can dancers and a Cole Porter score you really should like it. But truth be told the movie is silly and overlong. Shirley Maclaine comes across as yet another one of the good time girls she frequently played in the early 60s, but she is not the Parisian spitfire that the setting requires.

A Dazzling,Dizzying Romantic Romp!
If you can,get the Todd-AO version,with the tacked-on Overture and Intermission/Entr'Acte sequence.

Shirley MacLaine is hilarious as Simone Pistache,with Frank Sinatra as Francois.

Juliet Prowse is a delight as Claudine,and the whole film is a beautiful picture of Monmarte at the turn of last century.

Cole Porter's music can't be beat,with 'Can Can','Come Along With Me','C'est Manifique','Maidens Typical Of France','You Do Something To Me','I Love Paris','Let's Fall In Love'and 'Monmarte'.

The Broadway version featured Lilo as Simone,Gwen Verdon as Claudine and Hans Conreid. ... Read more