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Doris Day, the perky, chaste adult star of an odd collection of winking 1960s sex comedies, takes the Irene Dunne role in this remake of the comedy classic My Favorite Wife. As the survivor of a five-year ordeal on a desert island, she returns home the very day her husband has remarried. James Garner, trading his Maverick impish humor and con man cool for a mugging performance of double takes and pratfalls, is her overjoyed husband who is too cowardly to tell his neurotic bride (Polly Bergen). All of this, naturally, leads to a ridiculously complicated plot that combines door-slamming sex farce with mistaken identities (Day poses as a Swedish masseuse) and a goofy sped-up car chase. Chuck Connors, who costars as Day's hunky, he-man island mate "Adam," leads a topnotch supporting cast that includes sassy Thelma Ritter as Garner's no-nonsense mother, Don Knotts as a nervous shoe salesman enlisted by Day to impersonate Adam, Fred Clark at his indignant best, and John Astin and Pat Harrington in early roles. Edgar Buchanan practically steals the film as a gruff, irascible judge who growls through the legal circus that forms the film's chaotic climax. The cast for the most part rises above the tepid script and bland direction and Day sings two songs. Interestingly, this remake was originally developed for Marilyn Monroe and Dean Martin as the never completed Something's Got to Give. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Move Over Darling--the
Classic Doris Day comedy with a supporting cast of the best character actors in the business in the 1960'. These include Thelma Ritter, Edgar Buchanan, John Astin, and Don Knotts. Minor stars Chuck Connors and Polly Bergin also put in great performances as a himbo and and bimbo who have attached themselves to Doris Day and James Garner, respectively. The original movie, Something's Got to Give, was supposed to star Dean Martin and Marilyn Monroe, also with a great supporting cast which included Wally Cox in the Don Knotts role. Fox has restored most of the remaining footage of the original film and this can be seen on Fox's DVD about the last days of Marilyn Monroe, available in a multidisc Marilyn Monroe set. It is very interesting to compare these two films, expecially the different styles of playing the female lead between Doris and Marilyn. Marilyn was clearly not doing well at the time of the filming, but Doris is in top form as she portrays Ellen Wagstaff Arden, the wife and mother who is presumed drown at sea but returns to discover her husband has just remarried and she turns everyone's life upside down.

This Gem Needs a Widescreen DVD Release!
Move Over Darling starring Doris Day and James Garner is a very good movie, it is a remake of the classic 1940's comedy My Favorite wife, starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne and though I slightly prefer the original I still think Move Over Darling is a very good movie that definitely should get a widescreen DVD release. Doris Day plays Ellen Wagstaff Arden a woman presumed drowned at sea in an accident, her husband Nicholas Arden played by James Garner has her declared legally dead after seven years and gets married to this woman named Bianca on the same day he has Ellen declared dead and it becomes very clear that Bianca is a spoiled, high-strung, neurotic woman prone to temper tantrums if she doesn't get her way and boy is she in for a shock! Ellen it turns out isn't really dead but has been living on an island with a a man who also surrived the accident and they have been rescued from the island and on the same day she is declared legally dead and Nick marries Bianca, Ellen arrives at the house where she lived with Nick, sees their children who were very young when she disappeared so they don't know who she is, and she sees Nick's mother, who after recovering from the shock of seeing her tells her Nick has just remarried and you can tell she isn't too fond of her son's new wife, but since Ellen isn't really dead and she is sure Nick has never gotten over Ellen they come up with a plan for Ellen to reunite with Nick. This movie is hilarious, the combination of romantic-comedy and slapstick is perfect! Doris Day and James Garner are both wonderful as Ellen and Nick and Thelma Ritter is wonderful as Nick's mother Grace, and Polly Bergen who plays tempermental Bianca is also wonderful. I highly recommend this movie and I hope it gets on DVD and I also hope My Favorite Wife gets released on DVD!

Doris Day in former Marilyn Monroe part.
In 1962, Dean Martin, Cyd Charisse and Marilyn Monroe were filming "Something's Got To Give". It was going to be a comedy hit. The most memorable scenes were of Marilyn Monroe swimming completly naked. All were happy and swell on the set. Then all of a sudden, Marilyn became ill and either showed up late on the set or called in sick too often. This cost the production to much expense. Ultimatly, Marilyn Monroe was fired and production of the film was shut down. They were going to hire Lee Remick. In a surprise turn of events, the frustrated Dean Martin had a change of heart and said that he would finish the film and then agreed he would do it only if Marilyn returned. All agreed to return to the project. But as bad fate would have it, Marilyn Monroe passed away from an accidental overdose. Only 37 minutes of footage was useful. The project was over.
However, in 2001, American Movie Classics cable network aired a documentary, "Marilyn Monore: The Final Days" for the first time ever. The 37 minutes of footage was professionally put together to make a mini-movie. It was broadcast for the first time on American Movie Classics and it included the nude swimming scenes so beautifully and tastfully done.
Now this "Something's Got To Give" film was brought back together again, but with a new cast and a new title, Move Over, Darling (1963). Some of the original sets were used.
The cast chosen: Doris Day, James Garner, Polly Bergen, Thelma Ritter, Fred Clark, Don Knotts with John Astin, Pat Harington Jr and Chuck Connors. Doris Day plays the former marilyn Monroe part.
James must go to court to declare his wife legally dead. it has been five years since she has been missing. They assumed she drowned in the ocean. Granted so, Jamesalso gets married the same day to Polly bergen. But on this day, the military brings in a woman. It is Doris day his first wife and she is very much alive. With the help of Thelma Ritter, she surprises her husband at his new honeymoon.

Great Movie
I have always loved this movie and was so happy when it was released for the first time 3 years ago on Video.

Ellen Wagstaff Arden (Doris Day) has been trapped on an Island for years with Chuck Connors. She is rescued and brought home to her home in sunny California! When she gets to her home she finds out that her Nick (James Garner) Has gotten married again from her sweet mother in law Eve Ardern (Thelma Ritter) she also finds out that he took his new wife to their hotel that they went to when they were married! Well she gets mad about this and tells him to get rid of his new wife or else she goes but no matter hard he tries he can't tell his new wife this! So they go on with a charade! To go back home Nick fakes breaking his back and when they go back to his home Ellen is faking to be a Sweedish Masseur and she tries to strangle his new wife! Well this movie ends well as do all of Miss Day's Movie! All and all a great movie for the whole family!

I Want This on DVD!!!!
I just voted for this movie to be released out to DVD. I hope the studio will put it on DVD.

Doris Day is at her best and James Garner is good too.

Highly recommended but please vote for this movie to get on DVD! ... Read more

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Ranking No. 21 on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 greatest American films, this 1940 classic is a bit dated in its noble sentimentality, but it remains a luminous example of Hollywood classicism from the peerless director of mythic Americana, John Ford. Adapted by Nunnally Johnson from John Steinbeck's classic novel, the film tells a simple story about Oklahoma farmers leaving the depression-era dustbowl for the promised land of California, but it's the story's emotional resonance and theme of human perseverance that makes the movie so richly and timelessly rewarding. It's all about the humble Joad family's cross-country trek to escape the economic devastation of their ruined farmland, beginning when Tom Joad (Henry Fonda) returns from a four-year prison term to discover that his family home is empty. He's reunited with his family just as they're setting out for the westbound journey, and thus begins an odyssey of saddening losses and strengthening hopes. As Ma Joad, Oscar-winner Jane Darwell is the embodiment of one of America's greatest social tragedies and the "Okie" spirit of pressing forward against all odds (as she says, "because we're the people"). A documentary-styled production for which Ford and cinematographer Gregg Toland demanded painstaking authenticity, The Grapes of Wrath is much more than a classy, old-fashioned history lesson. With dialogue and scenes that rank among the most moving and memorable ever filmed, it's a classic among classics--simply put, one of the finest films ever made. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Ford and Fonda do justice to Steinbeck
Take John Steinbeck's Pulitzer-Prize-Winning Novel. Turn it into a movie and let John Ford direct it, and get Henry Fonda to star. In 1940 you could hardly find a more certain recipe for a cinema classic.

As good as the film is, it really should be a companion-piece to Steinbeck's original masterpiece, and if you haven't read it I recommend setting aside enough time to read one of the greatest pieces of American literature ever written.

That being said, the medium of the cinema allows for a visual impact that can't be matched with the written word.

The Grapes of Wrath follows the Joad family during the great depression. That period of economic hardship hit the farmers in Oklahoma a little harder than the rest of the world, at the time of the dust bowl the "Okies" were at the end of their ropes, financially speaking.

Thousands of Okies packed up the house after being foreclosed and moved out to California - many winding up around Bakersfield, at the California end of old US Route 66. (Merle Haggard's family did so and the "Okie from Muscogee" wrote about it in songs like "California Cottonfields".)

Anyway, this is the historical context of the movie. The theme of the movie, and of Steinbeck's book, is the ability of the human spirit to remain intact in these worst of times. The Joads suffer terrible humiliations, one after another, most of them because of their desperate financial status. But as the story proceeds we see that they are fundamentally decent, hard-working people, and every time life knocks them down they get back up, brush the dirt off themselves, and keep moving forward. As a national characteristic, this was an important trait because this was the generation that produced the hard-working, high-minded individuals who did important things like win World War II, followed by America's greatest financial flourishing and the Baby Boom. Tom Brokaw called them "America's Greatest Generation".

The cast is picture-perfect, with Henry Fonda as the spirited Tom Joad and John Carradine as the former preacher with a new social consciousness. Jane Darwell won a well-deserved Best Supporting Actress Award as Ma Joad, and the remainder of the cast is in every way equal to the story and the film.

An American Classic
This is a great movie based on a great novel, and I am surprised by how honestly the film captures the raw humanity of the book. Steinbeck weaved social commentary into the story, and the movie makes many points about the human condition and spirit without being heavy-handed. The story of the Joads and their fight for survival rings very true, thanks to the realistic performances and the atmosphere created by director John Ford. Henry Fonda gives one of the best performances I have ever seen him give, and his "I'll be there" speech is one of the great movie moments. Jane Darwell is also very impressive, and her direct, down-to-earth style of acting makes the quiet strength and the suffering of Ma Joad seem very real. The Grapes of Wrath is an American classic, both as a novel and as a film.

"I'll be all aroun' in the dark."
"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He hath loos'd the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword, His truth is marching on." - Battle Hymn of the Republic.

In 1936, John Steinbeck wrote a series of articles about the migrant workers driven to California from the Midwestern states after losing their homes in the throes of the depression: inclement weather, failed crops, land mortgaged to the hilt and finally taken over by banks and large corporations when credit lines ran dry. Lured by promises of work aplenty, the Midwesterners packed their belongings and trekked westward to the Golden State, only to find themselves facing hunger, inhumane conditions, contempt and exploitation instead. "Dignity is all gone, and spirit has turned to sullen anger before it dies," Steinbeck described the result in one of his 1936 articles, collectively published as "The Harvest Gypsies;" and in another piece ("Starvation Under the Orange Trees," 1938) he asked: "Must the hunger become anger and the anger fury before anything will be done?"

By the time he wrote the latter article, Steinbeck had already published one novel addressing the agricultural laborers' struggle against corporate power ("In Dubious Battle," 1936). Shortly thereafter he began to work on "The Grapes of Wrath," which was published roughly a year later. Although the book would win the Pulitzer Prize (1940) and become a cornerstone foundation of Steinbeck's Literature Nobel Prize (1962), it was sharply criticized upon its release - nowhere more so than in the Midwest - and still counts among the 35 books most frequently banned from American school curricula: A raw, brutally direct, yet incredibly poetic masterpiece of fiction, it continues to touch nerves deeply rooted in modern society's fabric; including and particularly in California, where yesterday's Okies are today's undocumented Mexicans - Chicano labor leader Cesar Chavez especially pointed out how well he could empathize with the Joad family, because he and his fellow workers were now living the same life they once had.

Having fought hard with his publisher to maintain the novel's uncompromising approach throughout, Steinbeck was weary to give the film rights to 20th Century Fox, headed by powerful mogul and, more importantly, known conservative Daryl F. Zanuck. Yet, Zanuck and director John Ford largely stayed true to the novel: There is that sense of desperation in farmer Muley's (John Qualen's) expression as he tells Tom and ex-preacher Casy (Henry Fonda and John Carradine) how the "cats" came and bulldozed down everybody's homes, on behalf of a corporate entity too intangible to truly hold accountable. There is Grandpa Joad (Charley Grapewin), literally clinging to his earth and dying of a stroke (or, more likely, a broken heart) when he is made to leave against his will. There is everybody's brief joy upon first seeing Bakersfield's rich plantations - everybody's except Ma Joad's (Jane Darwell's), that is, who alone knows that Grandma (Zeffie Tilbury) died in her arms before they even started to cross the Californian desert the previous night. There is the privately-run labor camps' utter desolation, complete with violent guards, exploitative wages, lack of food and unsanitary conditions; contrasted with the relative security and more humane conditions of the camps run by the State. And there is Tom's crucial development from a man acting alone to one seeing the benefit of joining efforts in a group, following Casy's example, and his parting promise to Ma that she'll find him everywhere she looks - wherever there is injustice, struggle, and people's joint success. In an overall outstanding cast, which also includes Dorris Bowdon (Rose of Sharon), Eddie Quillan (Rose's boyfriend Connie), Frank Darien (Uncle John) and a brief appearance by Ward Bond as a friendly policeman, Henry Fonda truly shines as Tom; despite his smashing good looks fully metamorphosized into Steinbeck's quick-tempered, lanky, reluctant hero.

Yet, in all its starkness the movie has a more optimistic slant than the novel; due to a structural change which has the Joads moving from bad to acceptable living conditions (instead of vice versa), the toning down of Steinbeck's political references - most importantly, the elimination of a monologue using a land owner's description of "reds" as anybody "that wants thirty cents and hour when we're payin' twenty-five" to show that under the prevalent conditions that definition applies to virtually *every* migrant laborer - and a greater emphasis on Ma Joad's pragmatic, forward-looking way of dealing with their fate; culminating in her closing "we's the people" speech (whose direction, interestingly, Ford, who would have preferred to end the movie with the image of Tom walking up a hill alone in the distance, left to Zanuck himself). Jane Darwell won a much-deserved Academy-Award for her portrayal as Ma; besides John Ford's Best Director award the movie's only winner on Oscar night - none of its other five nominations scored, unfortunately including those in the Best Picture and Best Leading Actor categories, which went to Hitchcock's "Rebecca" and James Stewart ("The Philadelphia Story") instead. Still, despite its critical success - also expressed in a "Best Picture" National Board of Review award - and its marginally optimistic outlook, the movie engendered almost as much controversy as did Steinbeck's book. After the witch hunt setting in not even a decade later, today it stands as one of the last, greatest examples of a movie pulling no punches in the portrayal of society's ailments; a type of film regrettably rare in recent years.

"Ev'rybody might be just one big soul - well it looks that-a way to me. ... Wherever men are fightin' for their rights, that's where I'm gonna be, ma. That's where I'm gonna be." - Woody Guthrie, "The Ballad of Tom Joad."

"The highway is alive tonight, but nobody's kiddin' nobody about where it goes. I'm sittin' down here in the campfire light, with the ghost of old Tom Joad." - Bruce Springsteen, "The Ghost of Tom Joad."

The Grapes--and Apples and Oranges--of Wrath
It's striking how many reviewers here base their comments on a simplisitic comparison between the film version of "The Grapes of Wrath" and the Steinbeck novel on which it was based. For many such a comparison seems to function simply as an excuse to proclaim the inherent superiority of the Steinbeck original--and, by extension, the superiority of their own literary taste values-- when all it really does is highlight the patent silliness of trying to pit different artforms into some sort of evaluative competition. Literature and cinema are two vastly different modes of representation each with their own strengths and limitations, so the framing question shouldn't be which version of "The Grapes of Wrath" is "better"--as if there were a universal yardstick with which to measure such things--but rather how do they perform in terms of their respective mediums? On that count, I think we are extraordinarily fortunate with both the Steinbeck and Ford versions of "The Grapes of Wrath" to have two masterworks that operate consummately at the peak of their respective artforms. What each does well, it does brilliantly. As a verbal medium that unfolds slowly, literature is good at offering rich, layered descriptions of person and place and mapping complicated narrative links and Steinbeck makes the most of this in his novel. Cinema, by contrast, is an expressive medium that works best through registers of visual and aural metaphor, allegory and performance...and it's on this ground that I think the film version of "The Grapes of Wrath" more than merits its classic status. It is a magnificently "cinematic" film that uses the expressive capacities of the medium to produce a richly layered experience that is truly moving and that lingers long afterward, sometimes for years or even a whole lifetime. I first saw "The Grapes of Wrath" on TV one rainy afternoon in my childhood and it left indelible impressions that have impelled me to go back to the film time and again: The haunted eyes of Jane Darwell's Ma Joad as she sits in the truck cabin, lit from beneath, driving into an uncertain future, the winds of history howling oustside; the terrifying collision montage as the monstrous "cats" move in to destroy the Okies' homes; the soulless gas station attendants, standing together in uniforms like corporatized automata, muttering that the Joads are too miserable to be human. It's a film dense with iconic richness and an enduring testament both to the artistry of the many workers that created it, and to the democratic spirit of popular cinema at its very best.

As good a restoration as possible
This DVD restoration is probably as good as possible given that the original camera negative was lost. This is the one to get.

By the way, there is NO widescreen version of "The Grapes of Wrath." This DVD release exhibits the full frame aspect ratio of the original (1.33 to 1 ratio). Essentially, films made between 1917 and 1952 were filmed with a full frame aspect ratio. Standard televisions were proportioned 4:3 to copy the standard cinema ratio. Widescreen (Cinemascope, etc) was a gimmick introduced by Hollywood in the 1950s to compete with television. So if a film was made between 1917 and 1952 don't go looking for a widescreen version of it because there isn't any! ... Read more

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Frank Lloyd's 1935 version of the famous story is broadly superior to later attempts. Charles Laughton is brilliant as the harsh captain of the 18th-century British naval vessel Bounty, and Clark Gable gives an intelligent performance as Fletcher Christian, the first mate burdened with leading a mutiny in the South Seas. This is one of those archetypal stories that seems to invite a variety of creative and moral interpretations (see both the1962 and1984 versions, the latter called The Bounty), but this first shot across the bow still seems truest and least massaged for hidden meaning.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (28)

One of Hollywood's best classic films
Charles Laughton is pure martinet evil, and Clark Cable is a sizzling hunka studmuffin in this classic version of the famous (and famously fictionalized) story of the 1787 rebellion aboard the HMS Bounty. Laughton's Captain Bligh embodies cruelty itself as he terrorizes, tortures and flogs the poor souls toiling under his command, Clark is noble and true to his morals, even as he forsakes his country in order to stand up to the tyranny of the mad ship's captain. This film is magnificently made, filmed in black & white that's as crisp and clear-cut as the plot itself... Best of all, though, is Gable at his most dashing and magnetic -- if you've ever wondered whee his star appeal came from, then check this film out. (For an interesting contrast, try out the 1962 remake, with Marlon Brando, of all people, taking a cool turn at the Gable character...)

It's naval, not navels...
Charles Laughton gives the standout performance in this classic retelling of the Bounty mutiny. Gable appears properly confounded and gives a believable and sympathetic rendering of Fletcher Christian. The movie holds up remarkably well despite some awkward editing and gaps in the story line. Still, at 133 minutes it is a relatively long film but it never drags. In spite of allegations made in other reviews there are no "white girls in blackface" or "boats in a bathtub" scenes. True, navels are concealed but the two female leads are obviously and revealingly topless in several scenes. As for "toy boats in a bathtub" there is only one sequence that obviously utilizes a model and it isn't all that obvious. Laughton is the luminary here and his Bligh stays with you. In fact it has stayed with the culture for sixty-five years. His performance is without fault and repeated watchings bear this out. A couple of sequences bear a closer look: The mutiny montage is startlingly effective and intense. It is a realistic portrayal of sudden violence; short, confusing, and graphic. The Sunday morning prayers on deck sequence is poetic and approaches the sublime. The ship's sails gleam translucent in the sun, the Union Jack floats majestically in the breeze, sunlight reflects brightly on faces as the Captain invokes God's blessings on the voyage. The extreme contrast of light and dark in the black and white print and the metaphorical contrast of good against Bligh, the epitome of evil, is subtle yet effective. It is a beautiful few moments. In every way but gloss this film is superior to the 1962 version. The 1984 "Bounty" with Mel Gibson is a fine film but it fades in the memory. This version lingers in the subconsious.

The definitive version
Skip the 1962-version with Brando or the 1984-effort with Mel Gibson...

THIS is the 1. The production values are very high(of course - it`s from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) and the star performances still survives... With MGM`s "San Francisco", the best b&w melodrama of the 30s... No wonder they called Clark Gable "The King of Hollywood" - here the monarch is at his youthful and masculine BEST:-)

Good Quality DVD of classic adventure!
Okay, so there are some corny MGM movie moments here and there, but on the whole this is a timeless adventure classic with standout performances by Laughton, Gable and Tone. Truly thrilling and gut wrenching, deserving of a place in your collection. A few additional bonus features compliment this Best Picture Oscar winner.

Mutiny on the Bounty 1962 version better
I wish they would release it in DVD, I saw the 3 versions.
I prefer the 1962 version it's a lot better, can't wet
to buy it (The DVD 1962) rate 4 1/2 stars.

michel lebrun
sherbrooke, qué. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

WITH OR WITHOUT BANGS
Dietrich played french ladies of dubious reputation so often, and to such great effect, its no wonder they loved her, and that she died in Paris. Remember her as Bijou Blanche in SEVEN SINNERS?

Here, in Renee Clair's confection, she has Ward Bond/Bruce Cabot to play against. Now, whether or not she ever had Bond/Cabot, as she had most of her other leading men, we'll never know. But, from the lack of sparkle in their duets together, probably not. On the other hand... Oh, well. It was wartime, and really sexy, really attractive leading men were scarce.

But, this is a mistaken identity antibellum movie, in which Dietrich plays (or almost plays) two different women. (Not to worry: Nothing psychological. Its all a misunderstanding.) We can tell one from another because one has bangs, and the other doesn't.

What's the difference? Its a parade of costumes. It could just as easily have been a vehicle for May West. Or some off-Broadway concoction for drag queans. It's a vol-au-vent; just a puffed confection made only to make you laugh. Some people enjoy watching pretty women change clothes. Does EVERYTHING have to be serious?

CONFUSED?
Bruce Cabot and Ward Bond were one and the same person. He (or they) had interchangeable careers, but notice, you never saw them together in the same movie, did you?

WITH OR WITHOUT BANGS
Dietrich played french ladies of dubious reputation so often, and to such great effect, its no wonder they loved her, and that she died in Paris. Remember her as Bijou Blanche in SEVEN SINNERS?

Here, in Renee Clair's confection, she has Ward Bond to play against. Now, whether or not she ever had Bond, as she had most of her other leading men, we'll never know. But, from the lack of sparkle in their duets together, probably not. On the other hand... Oh, well. It was wartime, and really sexy, really attractive leading men were scarce.

But, this is a mistaken identity antibellum movie, in which Dietrich plays (or almost plays) two different women. (Not to worry: Nothing psychological. Its all a misunderstanding.) We can tell one from another because one has bangs, and the other doesn't.

What's the difference? Its a parade of costumes. It could just as easily have been a vehicle for May West. Or some off-Broadway concoction for drag queans. It's a vol-au-vent; just a puffed confection made only to make you laugh. Some people enjoy watching pretty women change clothes. Does EVERYTHING have to be serious? ... Read more

Amazon.com

This classic 1963 Disney film features child icon Hayley Millsas Nancy Carey, a teenage girl whose family moves from Bostonto the New England countryside as a result of their father's untimelypassing.Nancy writes to the kindly Mr. Poppem (Burl Ives) andsingle-handedly convinces him to rent the family a charming, if run-down,house for a mere $60 a year. Ever the optimist, Nancy brims withexcitement at the family's new life, but this "perfect world" has itsproblems--notably an absentee landlord who knows nothing about the Careyfamily's rental agreement.Through hard work and Mr. Poppem's continuinggenerosity, the Careys fix up the house and find life in the rural Mainetown quite satisfactory.Things become tense when their cousin Julia arrivesfor an extended visit, but eventually Nancy and Julia grow from oneanother's experiences and become good friends. You'll never guess whathappens when the absent landlord returns unannounced during the family'sHalloween housewarming party!

One section that may sit poorly with modern audiences features Nancy andJulia discussing how to emphasize one's femininity at the expense of hiding the real you--an indication of how much American thinking has changed in arelatively short period of time.Nevertheless, this is a charming talefeaturing toe-tapping ragtime music, wonderful songs by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman including "Summer Magic"and "The Ugly Bug Ball," and the incomparable talents of Mills and Ives.Take a trip down memory lane and don't forget the kids. (Ages 7and older) --Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (24)

wow!!!this really is SUMMER MAGIC
what can i say hayley mills is a disney legend,and this movie is one of her masterpeices beside THE PARENT TRAP,THE MOON-SPINNERS,POLLYANNA...and many other disney films this movie has an excellent plot and a wonderful cast i give this 5 stars!!!

Delightful picture
This picture may not be rich in plot but it has a wonderful air about it that will make you feel good all over.When I was a child I begged my parents to take me to this movie. My parents ignored me and took me to a movie they wanted to see. As it turned out the movie they wanted to see had a sneak preview of Summer Magic. For years I have resisted purchasing this Hayley Mills classic. I don't know why I waited. It is excellent.

Corny
This movie is very corny. It is also annoying. It is a little unrealistic that everything would work out so well for this family. It is horribly corny. It is unbelieveable because Hayley Mills has a British accent and her family does not. Burl Ives's role is also cheesy (what else is new), and the name of the dude who owns the house's name is stolen from the bass player is Aerosmith, Tom Hamilton. The movie glorifies old ideals, such as country being better than the city. U should stay away from this one. It is not worth a stinking penny.

It's really good!
I love the end part when the owner of the house shows up and they dance and everyone just stares at him. Isn't he cute?

Soft Summer Magic
Hi! I'm Becky age 14. I've watched this a couple times, and loved it all the times. It does not include any offensive words, or anything eles concernig PG-13 movies. I wasn't around when Hayley Mills was a huge star or seen the rest of her movies or anything, but she did a wonderful job of acting. The special effects aren't incredably great by todays standards, but include that Disney Magic. Oh yeah, and the plot it great, a little slow in parts, but still great. This got boring after a while, so rent it a video rental store before you by it. Have fun! ... Read more

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This Oscar-winner examines President Lincoln's early years. Even though he was the subject of some 158 films, this movie perhaps defines Lincoln on screen--despite the fact that Young Mr. Lincoln was released in what was perhaps film's finest year, 1939. It certainly endured stiff competition: Destry Rides Again, Gone with the Wind, Gunga Din, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Of Mice and Men, and Wizard of Oz. Young Mr. Lincoln explores Lincoln's budding interest in politics (he accepts a law book as payment at his grocery store), a bittersweet relationship with a girl to whom he shares his dreams, his first law office, and as he meets Mary Todd. The film's highlight is the court trial. Lincoln is successful through a substantiated defense: due to a moonless night, the witness testifying against Lincoln's client couldn't have seen the murder committed. Even in his earliest performances, Fonda easily switched between comedic and dramatic. It's remarkable this was actually one of his earlier films--what an onus of responsibility to play the country's most revered president! Fonda succeeds, and performs valiantly and credibly. His portrayal is kindly, respectful, admirable, and brilliant. No president could ask for more. --N.F. Mendoza ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Paint me an angel
"A narrow Fellow in the Grass
Occasionally rides-
You may have met Him-did you not
His notice sudden is-
...
But I never met this Fellow
Attended or alone
Without a tighter breathing
And Zero at the Bone-"

- Emily Dickinson

Today, Lincoln is a figure of fun, with his top-hat. Sometime in 1965, the top hat acquired more of an association with charlatans, than with old Abe.

In mid-century America you could not go broke writing books about Lincoln, and Edmund Wilson, the mid-century critic, said that he could not think of Lincoln without emotion. Today, the most popular book about Abe deconstructs him as a racist who wanted to send the slaves back to Africa.

I'm afraid, however, that at least one of Lincoln's crimes was his humble background. In a country where mentioning social origins was, in Lincoln's time and ours, impolite, the fact that it is not mentioned makes poor origins on balance a defect in the man.

Didn't Daisy say, "rich girls don't marry poor boys, Jay Gatsby!"?

John Ford usually made Westerns, but in the 1830s, Illinois was part of the frontier. The Oxford History of the American West places the Western frontier somewhere near Amherst, Massachusetts in 1680 around the time of King Phillip's war. Today, the West is a few feet of beach at Half Moon Bay, having failed to ingest Hanoi at the other edge of the big water. There is much of the Western in this film, although the showdown takes place in a court of law.

Certain "feminist" critics have renarrated the plot line of this film, wherein Lincoln establishes "the patriarchal order of the frontier."

The best of these feminist critics leave it, at that. At that point they have done us all a service, having renarrated, accurately. But some prose on to invite us to speculate that this is a bad thing.

The Oxford history narrates the West in a like fashion, showing how in fact the individual condottieres of the Wild West were members of paramilitary groups who were fighting the Civil War well into the 1880s, establishing a Republican patriarchal order as against Democrats, Ku Kluxers, Mexicans and other scalawags.

The question raised by John Ford's film is whether Lincoln's victory is, as some "feminists" might claim, a Bad Thing. For, of course, the Illinois frontier circa 1830 was no feminist paradise. It was instead dominated, in the absence of a defined patriarchy, by scalawags, slave-runners, and, I fear, Democrats.

Indeed, Lincoln's early success, as seen in the film and in histories of his early life, was based on the fact that Lincoln was part of this system, and, prior to the death of Anne Rutledge, a bit of a scalawag, himself. The film portrays a change in Lincoln's life, the sort of change only truly great men and women can endure; for we may owe Lincoln's depression over the death of Anne Rutledge for the strong words "with malice towards none, with charity towards all."

Today, of course, depressed people are considered first and foremost to be at-risk for not being able to pay their bills and are given various drugs. This neatly short-circuits one solution to depression, and that is to discover a new life at the bottom of whatever hole one is in.

Ford's Lincoln in the courtroom is seen by the perceptive viewer to be a lanky angel of righteousness. The scene where he emerges to the light and the cheers of the crowd is shown by Ford to be an acceptance of his destiny.

This we know is myth. Good myth.

But it is the final scene, where Lincoln has been transformed to the Lincoln at his Memorial, that returns me to the modern-day historian, who sez that Lincoln was a racist. This is because it is of course that my country's biggest problem then and now was race, and in the right light (let's say a dark and rainy, post-September 11 Washington afternoon) Lincoln looks like a man of color, like Booker T. or Phillip Randolph.

More precisely, in the suffering contours of the face as filmed by Ford, one sees the best destiny of my country, which is to forget "race." The shadows of the crags as drawn by suffering that we know must have been genuine (for it was Lincoln who had to write that letter, to that mother, who lost those five boys) rather overwhelm skin tone. Old men, white and black, get children, and wrinkles which cast like shadows, of sorrow.

We can compare say Trent Lott or indeed any Senator whose dress and bearing constitute boundaries, which announce "whatever else I am, by God, be I twice forsworn in divorce, I am, and I remain a WHITE man, and if you (all) follow me you shall also be white men again, like yore daddy was."

Lincoln and a few other American politicians of national repute, like "Fighting Bob" LaFollette of Wisconsin, John Peter Altgeld, Adlai Stevenson, Upton Sinclair, Martin Luther King, Malcolm, JFK, Sen. McCain, said instead, or wanted to get around to saying instead "whatever else I am in the sight of God I am and I remain a FREE man."

Or, more precisely, our image of JFK, our image of Dr. King, and perhaps their own self-image, said this thing. Ford's image of Lincoln says like an old folk-song, "paint me an angel, that flies from Montgomery, make me a poster from an old rodeo." Pictures of Clinton, or Elvis, or Wayne Newton are limned on black velvet "maybe down in Mexico, or a picture upon somebody's shelf", in Dylan's words, because Big Trent needs a reminder of some Jack of Hearts, some inside straight, to keep him somewhat honest.

Hell, the man so limned needs hisself an image of what he might have been in order to act right on a daily basis, and perhaps draw an inside straight.

I too, cannot think of Lincoln without great emotion.

Young Abe
Young Abe Lincoln is an excellent film about one of the most popular presidents of our country in his earlier life. Henry Fonda's portrayal is astounding and he also looks the part. Abraham Lincoln's life is highly unusual in itself, being self taught in a log cabin by candle light, becoming a lawyer and trying over a thousand cases in his life prior to becoming President and leading our country through the most difficult period of it's existence. It has been noted in history at one time that a mystery woman appeared to Abe's mother and father during his mother's difficult breach delivery when the doctor and midwife could not be located and delivered him. The mystery woman for payment required that he be named Abraham.

ABRAHAM FONDA
At 34, Henry Fonda was a most inspired choice for playing the title role in YOUNG MR. LINCOLN. A much simplified film, the movie very sensibly confines itself to what is implied in its title -- the period when he was becoming enough of a local dignitary to be called something other that plain old "Abe" yet before he reached - even in the eyes of his admirers - what could be called maturity. John Ford couldn't have his Dublin fog, he could have torch-lights and misty river vistas to suit his taste for the picturesque. His lovely outdoor scenes do a lot to create a young America for young Mr. Lincoln to live in. The film would have been improved by more roughness and uncouthness. The log cabin where the Clays lived, the people listening to the campaign speeches at the country store, the country people thronging into Springfield for the parade day, are all too neat and gentle to prepare for the free-and-easy courtroom scene, which, mild though it probably is in comparison with the realities of Illinois in the 1830's seems over-done and played for laughs because the key for behaviour of these rough folks who have hardly emerged from the backwoods stage has not yet been set. This refining has gone a bit into the portrayal of Lincoln himself. Nature did a lot to make Hank Fonda a natural choice for the part--his lankiness, his laziness, his drawl, so that a crafty touch from the make-up man was enough to re-create any number of the younger Lincoln portraits. (The camera-man was fatally conscious of this--whevever Mr. Fonda got into a typical Linconesque pose, the camera lingered and lingered over it!). The other folk are largely background, some of them vivid and colourful, some of them - like Stephen Douglas - pure phoney. The usually excellent Alice Brady didn't convince us too well that she was a log-cabin person (Abigail Clay); the clothes worn by the Clays weren't lived in - they were from the wardrobe department and, therefore brought no magic with them. All in all, however, its a lovely, picturesque, if a little inaccurately done film which was done with the very best of intentions.

"Well, this is mighty generous of you, Ma'am"
The reviewer below criticizes the movie's historical inaccuracies which is certainly valid. I am in his/her debt to have learned the real story.

However, I do feel the movie was true to Lincoln's character and I can forgive Hollywood for adjusting the story to fit their idea of Lincoln. After all, it's not as if they claimed he got away from the Ford Theater and hid for several years.

Anyway, as a movie it is beautifully told, Fonda is brilliant and all the characters in the little town are nicely drawn.

A nicely-paced, humorous, touching and most importantly, entertaining movie. Great courtroom scenes also!

Abraham Lincoln as Matlock
I fear that many people, with an aversion to stories of the Civil War, will turn away from this film assuming it's about politics and, or about events leading up to that war. That's a shame, for this film is about Lincoln's early life and about a case he became involved with during his younger days as a lawyer. Not knowing the particulars of the case, I don't know fact from fiction, however the film is very entertaining. It allows for Lincolnesque bits of business and presents Henry Fonda in one of his finest roles. Colorful characters are replete throughtout, and there is an endearing rapport between defense attorney Lincoln and the mother of the 2 young men accused of murder. She is skillfully portrayed by Alice Brady. Aspects of the ribald and rough society of rural Jeffersonian America are perfectly realized in this colorfully woven screenplay. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

A WONDERFUL MUSICAL
You've never seen a musical quite like "Brigadoon". Charming and rich and amusing and romantic, it's a musical that seems to have everything: colorful songs, marvelous dancing, and a unique story. And with Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, and Cyd Charisse as the stars of the show, you know you're in for great entertainment. And with Vincente Minnelli as the director, you know you're in for something that's just beautiful.

The story follows two hunters, Tommy Albright (Kelly), and Jeff Douglas (Johnson), on a joytrip to Scotland. The men lose their way and accidentally stumble onto the animated Scottish land of Brigadoon, bustling with boisterous merchants, cheery townsfolk, and beautiful women. When Tommy meets the beautiful Fiona Campbell (Charisse), it's love at first sight. But to his dismay, Tommy realizes that they may be forced apart when he learns that Brigadoon is a magical land that appears only once every century. In making his decision, Tommy realizes that "if you love someone enough, anything can happen... even miracles."

Beautifully photographed by Minnelli with his artist's eye, and bubbling with a rousing and wonderful musical score including the title song, and many others: The Scots singing and dancing to the boisterous "Go Home With Bonnie Jean", Kelly and Charisse waltzing through "The Heather On The Hill", Kelly's marvelous (very 'Singin' In The Rain'-esque) rendition of "It's Almost Like Being In Love", and the film's incredible "Wedding Dance". And the cast couldn't be better: Kelly has never been more likable, Charisse never more appealing, and Johnson never quite as cynical. And a great supporting cast including Barry Jones, Virginia Bosler, Albert Sharpe and Hugh Laing add extra flavor to the show.

Timeless and fresh after almost fifty years, "Brigadoon" is a movie to be treasured, and enjoyed, by every generation, and stands as one of the last great achievements of the MGM musicals.

Once in the "Highlands"
Vincente Minnelli's film of Brigadoon suffers greatly from its reliance on studio recreations of the Scottish Highlands. Instead of shooting on location, MGM provided very fake-looking scenery and landscapes, and although these perhaps add to the image of Brigadoon as a mythical town, they nevertheless rob the film of its potential grandeur. Additionally, the score is mutilated; 6 songs were cut from the original Broadway score, including the rapturous "Come to Me, Bend to Me", the lovely 2nd act duet between Tommy and Fiona ("From This Day On"), and the 2 'naughty' songs for Meg, the town squeeze. Gene Kelly is outstanding as Tommy, and the very flexible Cyd Charisse makes a wonderful leading lady, despite her dubbed singing voice. Their dance sequences are the film's most beautiful moments. Van Johnson provides some welcome humor that counteracts Kelly's dreamy and relaxed manner, and the cast as a whole performs with zest and folksey charm. Still, the film, despite its widescreen splendor and expert direction, is overall an underwhelming presentation of one of the musical theater's great shows.

awesome
My Life, and a great song called Come to Me Bend to Me. Almost Like Being In Love is in the Campbell house, and Waitin' for My Deary isn't. Tommy and Jeff aren't in Bonnie Jean and there's more to Meg Brockie than what they have in the movie. And the Campbell family is actually the McLaren family. There's a sword dance before the reel and Tommy and Fiona don't do as much dancing as they did.
But enough of the differences between stage and movie. It is an awesome movie, full or great, catchy songs and great dancing. My friends and I who were in it always got Bonnie Jean stuck in everybody'shead and who couldn't like Gene Kelly singing "Almost Like Being in Love"? If you just watch the movie and not the play, then it is awesome. It shows true love is out there, you just don't know where you'll find it. And that "the hardest part in life is giving up everything, but that's the only way you'll get everything."

Brigadoon is out of this world!
I thought that "Brigadoon" is one of Gene Kelly's best films. As you watch "Brigadoon", you will be transformed into another world, both beautiful and mysterious. The scenery and dances are very impressive. "Heather on the Hill", "Go Home With Bonnie Jean", "Almost Like Being In Love", and the wedding dance are all brilliant and breathtaking. This film also shows how true love conquers all, even the spell of Brigadoon. A must-see.

One of my favorite movies
When I first rented BRIGADOON from the public library last spring, I immediately fell in love with it. Just added the DVD to my collection yesterday. It is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. It is a 1954 film adaptation of the 1947 Broadway musical. The Lerner and Loewe score is one of the greatest ever written for the stage (or screen). The great cast includes Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, and Cyd Charisse. Although certainly not the greatest singers in the world, Kelly's and Johnson's singing is more than adequate and is really quite lovely. Charisse's singing voice is dubbed for this film, and she works great as well.

When Brigadoon made the transition from Broadway to Hollywood, a good chunk of its score was dispensed with in order to make room to highlight the dancing abilities of its stars. This is, in fact, where many people find fault with this film; the lack of the rest of the Broadway score. To these people, I have this to say... ---This movie is not the Broadway play. It is a **film adaptation.**--- This is also the common complaint about MGM's "Show Boat" from 3 years earlier. Another common complaint about "Brigadoon" is that it was obviously shot in soundstages on the MGM lot in Culver City instead of the highlands of Scotland. This was due to the fact that producers were working with smaller budgets than they had been just 3 or 4 years earlier. This, coupled with the unpredictable weather in the British Isles, necesitated that the film be shot at the studio. This is also evident in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" from the same year. Although the sets are obviously painted backdrops, they are nicely done and work well. IMO, they do not demerit the film.

Brigadoon more than makes up for the missing songs by adding some spectacular dance numbers. "Heather on the Hill" is one of the most sweeping dance numbers I have ever seen in any film. Kelly's and Charisse's gracefulness really hits the spot.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the DVD, with its lush color, clear picture, and stereo sound. If you haven't seen "Brigadoon," you should see it. At the very least for some of the greatest dance numbers you will ever see. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The highlight of Mutiny on the Bounty is undoubtedly Charles Laughton's bracingly evil performance as Captain Bligh, a man so mean that he insists on having a dead sailor flogged. Bligh pushes his men beyond physical endurance, slashes their rations for his own profit, and drastically cuts down their frolicking time with scantily clad Tahitians. Finally, the moment everyone has been waiting for arrives: first mate Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable) hits his limit and all hell breaks loose. Gable holds doggedly onto his American accent through the entire movie, but in a way it makes Christian come off as a Regular Guy in opposition to Bligh's institutionalized cruelty. Once you get past the hurdle of his diphthongs, Gable makes an excellent Fletcher Christian--strong, fair, and noble, and he effectively conveys the struggle of a man who loathes the idea of mutiny but can't stand see his men mistreated. And Charles Laughton is just superb. His Bligh is thoroughly appalling, yes, but it's far from a one-note performance--when he is cast adrift on the open sea in a lifeboat and tries to make an impossible journey to land, you can't help but root for him. Mutiny on the Bounty won the 1935 Academy Award for Best Picture and picked up a Leading Actor nomination for each of its male leads. Check it out or be tied to the mizzenmast. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (28)

One of Hollywood's best classic films
Charles Laughton is pure martinet evil, and Clark Cable is a sizzling hunka studmuffin in this classic version of the famous (and famously fictionalized) story of the 1787 rebellion aboard the HMS Bounty. Laughton's Captain Bligh embodies cruelty itself as he terrorizes, tortures and flogs the poor souls toiling under his command, Clark is noble and true to his morals, even as he forsakes his country in order to stand up to the tyranny of the mad ship's captain. This film is magnificently made, filmed in black & white that's as crisp and clear-cut as the plot itself... Best of all, though, is Gable at his most dashing and magnetic -- if you've ever wondered whee his star appeal came from, then check this film out. (For an interesting contrast, try out the 1962 remake, with Marlon Brando, of all people, taking a cool turn at the Gable character...)

It's naval, not navels...
Charles Laughton gives the standout performance in this classic retelling of the Bounty mutiny. Gable appears properly confounded and gives a believable and sympathetic rendering of Fletcher Christian. The movie holds up remarkably well despite some awkward editing and gaps in the story line. Still, at 133 minutes it is a relatively long film but it never drags. In spite of allegations made in other reviews there are no "white girls in blackface" or "boats in a bathtub" scenes. True, navels are concealed but the two female leads are obviously and revealingly topless in several scenes. As for "toy boats in a bathtub" there is only one sequence that obviously utilizes a model and it isn't all that obvious. Laughton is the luminary here and his Bligh stays with you. In fact it has stayed with the culture for sixty-five years. His performance is without fault and repeated watchings bear this out. A couple of sequences bear a closer look: The mutiny montage is startlingly effective and intense. It is a realistic portrayal of sudden violence; short, confusing, and graphic. The Sunday morning prayers on deck sequence is poetic and approaches the sublime. The ship's sails gleam translucent in the sun, the Union Jack floats majestically in the breeze, sunlight reflects brightly on faces as the Captain invokes God's blessings on the voyage. The extreme contrast of light and dark in the black and white print and the metaphorical contrast of good against Bligh, the epitome of evil, is subtle yet effective. It is a beautiful few moments. In every way but gloss this film is superior to the 1962 version. The 1984 "Bounty" with Mel Gibson is a fine film but it fades in the memory. This version lingers in the subconsious.

The definitive version
Skip the 1962-version with Brando or the 1984-effort with Mel Gibson...

THIS is the 1. The production values are very high(of course - it`s from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) and the star performances still survives... With MGM`s "San Francisco", the best b&w melodrama of the 30s... No wonder they called Clark Gable "The King of Hollywood" - here the monarch is at his youthful and masculine BEST:-)

Good Quality DVD of classic adventure!
Okay, so there are some corny MGM movie moments here and there, but on the whole this is a timeless adventure classic with standout performances by Laughton, Gable and Tone. Truly thrilling and gut wrenching, deserving of a place in your collection. A few additional bonus features compliment this Best Picture Oscar winner.

Mutiny on the Bounty 1962 version better
I wish they would release it in DVD, I saw the 3 versions.
I prefer the 1962 version it's a lot better, can't wet
to buy it (The DVD 1962) rate 4 1/2 stars.

michel lebrun
sherbrooke, qué. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

He Was Her Man
A simple movie that can be enjoyed by all ages. (Which is rare today) The songs and great looks of Elvis make this one enjoyable.

Change of pace in time for Elvis!
"Frankie and Johnny" is based on the old song about two lovers where Johnny is on a losing streak and decides he can change his luck with Nellie Bly. A jealous Frankie shoots her man because "he was doin' her wrong". This movie is sort of based on the song. Everything is true except the shooting part in the end, but it comes very close to actually happening. "Frankie and Johnny" is quite enjoyable no matter how "obscure" you people might find it. It's a real top-notch and every Elvis fan must see it. By the way, we need more reviews on Elvis' movies and music please.

Frankie and Johnny
Elvis appeared in this lighthearted musical based on the folk song, "Frankie and Johnny". In the original song, the title characters are lovers whose romance goes awry when red-headed Nellie Bly steals Johnny away from Frankie. Frankie gets revenge by shooting Johnny dead. The movie lightens the tone of the tale by adding a few details and changing the downbeat ending. In the film, the song has been especially written for riverboat performers Frankie and Johnny, played by Donna Douglas (The Beverly Hillbillies) and Elvis Presley. Johnny is a gambler whose bad luck changes when dancer Nellie Bly, played by Nancy Kovak, joins the troupe aboard the riverboat. Each night, the three perform the number "Frankie and Johnny" onstage. As Johnny's interest in Nellie increases, so does Frankie's jealousy. One night, someone loads real bullets into Frankie's prop gun, and Johnny is shot during the performance. As luck would have it, Johnny is saved by a charm that he wears around his neck.

The film did benefit from the juicy secondary roles played by a seasoned cast of character actors which keep the film from being any less interesting. Harry Morgan, who later gained recognition on the TV series M*A*S*H played Cully the piano player. Robert Strauss, the burly villain in many crime dramas, played Blackie, the boss's stooge and Sue Ane Langdon portrayed Mitzi, the girl who is always edged out in the romance department.

Produced for United Artists by Edward Small. Released March 31, 1966. Color.

Boy what's wrong with you people?
Like other Elvis Presley movies, he gets into fights. But he seems to have lost his luck in most of the 60's then he had starting in the mid to late 50's. As the movie opens, Johnny (Elvis Presley) is a riverboat singer and gambler nad his sining partner named Frankie (Douglas) won't marry him until he gives up gambling. So Johnny decides to end his losing gambling ways by getting help from a fortune teller. She tells him to get a lucky red head. And Johnny does find one in a redhead (Nancy Kovack).

Typical mid-60s Elvis musical
FRANKIE AND JOHNNY is better than the previous two films (TICKLE ME and HARUM SCARUM), but that doesn't mean that it succeeds on all levels.

Elvis looks quite comfortable in the costumes he wears in this picture, but the lousy dialogue and dumb plotline are anything but brilliant.

The songs are okay, but nothing outstanding. Only "Please Don't Stop Loving Me" could succeed on it's own.

It's not as bad as some of the other Elvis pictures of the era, but it's not an essential addition to anyone's collection. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Horsin' Around
Below par Abbott & Costello film. Would be good a very good movie on it's own standing but not quite as good as other Abbott & Costello flicks. The picture has one of the better stories and in my opinion is one of the pictures they've done that the whole family could watch together. There are very funny parts as with all Abbott & Costello pictures but it certainly could've been better. I would not recommend this is a purchase...if you want a good Abbott & Costello picture try "Time Of Their Lives", "Buck Privates" or "Hold That Ghost". This one you can skip.

Basic Good A&C Fun
One of Abbott and Costello's better excursions, this film was out of ciculation due to legal entanglements. Whatever circumstances allowed its video release, Universal MCA certainly didn't involve itself, and that is a shame. Their print would have been clean and fresh, as indicated by their other Abbott and Costello releases. The current video copy of "It ain't Hay" is a muddied, multi-generational print. To be fair, it still is very watchable (no splices). I recommend it.

it aint hay....nay
Not one of Abbott@ Costello's best. They seem to be going through the motions...routines are too short... Costello tries pathos with mixed results....Abbott is really mean to Costello when he slaps his face.... The music and dancing is grade z.......................Disappointing! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Frank Sinatra spends most of his time in Come Blow Your Horn looking like he's waiting for director Bud Yorkin to infuse some inspiration into the film. Sinatra doesn't get his wish, but he works like an old pro in this Neil Simon comedy about a playboy getting pressure from his conservative, Jewish father (Lee J. Cobb) while simultaneously feeling threatened by the man-on-the-make moves of his competitive younger brother (Tony Bill). The film is fun and everyone in it is fine, but the production lacks the snap it ought to have. Sinatra seems especially good-natured in scenes where the cocky Bill treats him like yesterday's papers. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (3)

neil simon's 1st is also one of hisfunniest
This movie IS under-rated! Everyone was magnificent.Tony Bill's performance as the"kid brother" could not have been more appropriate.

Hard to buy
Sinatra, who plays the son, is 4 years younger than Cobb who plays the father. Tony Bill, who plays the kid brother is 25 years younger than Sinatra. It was all too hard to buy.

If you haven't seen many Sinatra movies, see this one.
I have recently been getting more into Sinatra movies and I think this is one of my favorites. Here is a sneak at it...Sinatra is a business man which has a little brother he takes in to his home. His brother ends up getting caught up in the "high-life", which Sinatra has to deal with. They also end up having some little fights with their father. This movie makes you laugh, it's great. Sit down one night and have a glass of wine with it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Provocative, Sexy,Sensuous delight!!
One of Jayne Mansfield last films and certainly the most unrestrained was this outrageous sex romp on an ocean liner.The plot,involving bed-hopping and mistaken identities,served as an excuse for her patented infamous nude scenes.This Provocative,sexy,sensuos delight was quite controversial back in the early 60's which the original version was banned in many cities and replaced by a much edited version.When Playboy published a group of still shots from the movie including one described as Jayne"writhing seductively in bed" that issue of Playboy was banned by many cities across the country.Overall,this movie is a Provocatve,Sexy,Sensuous delight that's very well worth watching especially in it's original,unedited movie version!!

Beware of this Poor Quality "EP" VHS
It's disturbing when a subpar VHS Dub ruins an otherwise decent movie. Why the dreaded "EP" mode is used for recording movies is beyond me. That tells me that quality is of no concern to the vendor, which in this case is Simitar Entertainment. I would be ashamed if I were selling these to unsuspecting customers--apparently they are not. SP should be the industry standard. Let's face it, if you are buying this movie, its because you want to see Jayne Mansfield. A good quality VHS is all anyone can ask for, and this isn't it. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

He Was Her Man
A simple movie that can be enjoyed by all ages. (Which is rare today) The songs and great looks of Elvis make this one enjoyable.

Change of pace in time for Elvis!
"Frankie and Johnny" is based on the old song about two lovers where Johnny is on a losing streak and decides he can change his luck with Nellie Bly. A jealous Frankie shoots her man because "he was doin' her wrong". This movie is sort of based on the song. Everything is true except the shooting part in the end, but it comes very close to actually happening. "Frankie and Johnny" is quite enjoyable no matter how "obscure" you people might find it. It's a real top-notch and every Elvis fan must see it. By the way, we need more reviews on Elvis' movies and music please.

Frankie and Johnny
Elvis appeared in this lighthearted musical based on the folk song, "Frankie and Johnny". In the original song, the title characters are lovers whose romance goes awry when red-headed Nellie Bly steals Johnny away from Frankie. Frankie gets revenge by shooting Johnny dead. The movie lightens the tone of the tale by adding a few details and changing the downbeat ending. In the film, the song has been especially written for riverboat performers Frankie and Johnny, played by Donna Douglas (The Beverly Hillbillies) and Elvis Presley. Johnny is a gambler whose bad luck changes when dancer Nellie Bly, played by Nancy Kovak, joins the troupe aboard the riverboat. Each night, the three perform the number "Frankie and Johnny" onstage. As Johnny's interest in Nellie increases, so does Frankie's jealousy. One night, someone loads real bullets into Frankie's prop gun, and Johnny is shot during the performance. As luck would have it, Johnny is saved by a charm that he wears around his neck.

The film did benefit from the juicy secondary roles played by a seasoned cast of character actors which keep the film from being any less interesting. Harry Morgan, who later gained recognition on the TV series M*A*S*H played Cully the piano player. Robert Strauss, the burly villain in many crime dramas, played Blackie, the boss's stooge and Sue Ane Langdon portrayed Mitzi, the girl who is always edged out in the romance department.

Produced for United Artists by Edward Small. Released March 31, 1966. Color.

Boy what's wrong with you people?
Like other Elvis Presley movies, he gets into fights. But he seems to have lost his luck in most of the 60's then he had starting in the mid to late 50's. As the movie opens, Johnny (Elvis Presley) is a riverboat singer and gambler nad his sining partner named Frankie (Douglas) won't marry him until he gives up gambling. So Johnny decides to end his losing gambling ways by getting help from a fortune teller. She tells him to get a lucky red head. And Johnny does find one in a redhead (Nancy Kovack).

Typical mid-60s Elvis musical
FRANKIE AND JOHNNY is better than the previous two films (TICKLE ME and HARUM SCARUM), but that doesn't mean that it succeeds on all levels.

Elvis looks quite comfortable in the costumes he wears in this picture, but the lousy dialogue and dumb plotline are anything but brilliant.

The songs are okay, but nothing outstanding. Only "Please Don't Stop Loving Me" could succeed on it's own.

It's not as bad as some of the other Elvis pictures of the era, but it's not an essential addition to anyone's collection. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Laurel & Hardy & The Three Stooges.
You will find very few movies with Laurel & Hardy & The Three Stooges in them but this one has both the legendary comedy teams. Although the movie isn't that good both the appearance by the Stooges and Laurel and Hardy made it a worthwhile purchase for me and would probably for any Stooges or Laurel & Hardy fan. The appearance by the Stooges comes with their original leader Ted Healy. The funniest bit in the movie is a "kissing" scene...and Laurel & Hardy have a very amusing egg fight scene as well. Overall the movie isn't really good but if you are a Laurel & Hardy or die hard Stooge fan...this movie is worth the time. If not...don't waste your time.

An average Laurel & Hardy routine, but not much else here
This 1934 Musical Comedy review does not have much to offer besides a below average Laurel & Hardy routine. Although their are songs by Rodgers & Hart, Gus Kahn and Arthur Freed, the writing does not take advantage of the few MGM stars that managed to make it into the film. Jimmy Durante and the Three Stooges you will recognize, as well as Lupe Velez who co-stars with the boys in their egg-breaking routine, but do the names Charles Butterworth, Eddie Quillan, Jack Pearl, Polly Moran and Ted Healey ring any bells out there? Laurel & Hardy's routine is done in good old fashion silence, and was included in 1964's "MGM's Big Parade of Comedy."

Laurel & Hardy steal the show in this crazy hodgepodge
M-G-M applied the all-star format of "Grand Hotel" to this jumbled musical-comedy feature, so we have vignettes with comedy stars instead of dramatic stars. The parts are definitely greater than the whole, with outstanding contributions by Laurel & Hardy (who don't show up until the last 20 minutes or so), Lupe Velez, Jimmy Durante (as a would-be movie Tarzan), Charles Butterworth (as a droll tycoon), and George Givot (as a dialect-challenged lover). Don't look for a plot, and you'll enjoy this crazy-quilt of a movie.

A hodgepodge as only MGM could do it!
HOLLYWOOD PARTY is one of those films that started out as a really great idea: a musical starring all of MGM's comedy stars. The production was troubled almost from day one, so the end result is somewhat less than great. But it's still passable entertainment that's too short to become tedious. The Rodgers and Hart score is lively, but not very memorable. Incredibly, Rodgers and Hart submitted "Blue Moon" for use in HOLLYWOOD PARTY, and it was rejected! But there are some pearly moments: an animated sequence supplied by Walt Disney is one, a funny scene with Ted Healy and His Stooges, (you know them better as The Three Stooges) is another. Best of all, are two scenes featuring Laurel and Hardy. Despite the brevity of their appearance, Stan and Ollie get top billing in the credits. Not one of the film's numerous directors receives any credit! ... Read more

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