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In his book, Robert C. O'Brien called his brave widow mouse "Mrs. Frisby," but Disney escapee animator Don Bluth must have thought kids would laugh the wrong way at that. They renamed her "Mrs. Brisby" for NIMH. That acronym stands for the National Institute of Mental Health, and the rats that live near Mrs. Brisby came from NIMH--they have strange ways. But they're the only ones who can save her house and her children, so Brisby seeks them out with the help of a humorous crow (Dom DeLuise). The magic gets laid on a little thick but this is Don Bluth's most successful attempt to achieve a complete, sincere, animated film. It's often forgotten, but it's a true surprise and a rare treat in the vast wasteland of insubstantial children's fare. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (106)

the ultimate in animated movies
I'd give this movie 10 stars if possible. I watched this movie everyday when I was a kid and when i watch it now, i can still recite it. This is such a great movie. As some of the other reviewers said, this movie is a little more realistic, a little grittier.
This movie truly does have something for everyone. Children will love the talking creatures, the ridiculous crow, Jeremy, (voiced with perfection by Dom DeLuise), and they'll recognize the overwhelming, self-sacrificing love Mrs. Brisby (the mother) displays for her family. Adults will enjoy the more subtle humor as well as the message of pure love conquering all obstacles. This movie (along with my role model mother) formed my image of how mothers should be: loving, strong and self-sacrificing. Even when Mrs. Brisby if forced to face her deepest fears (an owl, the cat), she does it, not without fear, but to save her son's life. This is a touching movie.
Another point of appreciation for this movie is that it does not try to simply dumb things down for kids. I like most Disney movies but this aims a little higher. There are some deep issues, such as death, jealousy, fear and hate, that aren't dwelt on but are brought up and as children grow older, they will grow to understand and love this movie more and more.

An enduring tale of love, courage and trust
Don Bluth's "The Secret Of NIMH," based upon the novel "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH," was released in 1982 and was quickly forgotten at the box office in favour of Steven Spielberg's E.T. (which was released around the same time). I picked this up for less than ten dollars on DVD and I haven't stopped playing it since. It has been at least fifteen years since I had last seen it, and I enjoy it more than ever.

Bluth and close to two dozen Disney animators defected from Disney's studios in favour of having a chance to express and explore their artistic visions and creativity. One of their first animated films was "The Secret of NIMH." Other Bluth films include "Anastasia," and "An American Tail." But no other animated film captures the sense of magic and wonder like "The Secret of NIMH."

Mrs. Brisby, a recently widowed field mouse, tries desperately to protect her invalid son Timothy from Moving Day, when the farmer's plough will destroy their underground home. She is led to a colony of superintelligent rats, ex-subjects of laboratory experiments at the National Institute of Mental Health. They are led by wise old Nicodemus, a friend of Mrs. Brisby's late husband Jonathan, also an escaped lab mouse from NIMH.

The somewhat dark tale does feature light-hearted comedic relief in the form of Jeremy, a trouble-prone young crow voiced by Dom Deluise. The story sticks fairly close to the book version, although several new elements are added and some side plots are cut due to time restraints. The artwork is breathtaking; vibrant backgrounds, clever special effects, the play of light and shadow. The characters are real and you quickly become attached to them. No one breaks into song every five minutes, although there is a very beautiful lullaby on the soundtrack that Mrs. Brisby sings to Timothy.

To me, this film is deeper, darker, and more imaginative than anything that Disney has produced. There are no fancy CGI effects, only the skilful work of animators that love what they do. The film carries a message of courage, love, and trust without being preachy or simple. There are plenty of tense, dark scenes, some of which might upset smaller children. But "Secret of NIMH" is a beautiful, intelligent movie that is so much more than a cartoon or a children's fable.

filled with wonder
As a kid in the 1980's, this was a favorite film of mine. I remember thinking how cool and imaginative this was compared to the sludge of rerun 80's tv cartoons (did anyone else have to suffer through the "USA network cartoon train" as a kid?) like "The Flintstones."

Don Bluth, like Tim Burton, was a very talented artist and animator who broke away from Disney. Both Burton and Bluth could not stand redrawing the same animation cells for other people all day long. Burton found profit, Bluth, sadly, did not. However, that is not to say that Bluth did not create some very fascinating films along the way.

This is a tale of wonder and imagination. Watching this film is almost like seeing the equivalent of an American film with Miyazaki style and presentation. If you have ever seen "Spirited Away" or "Kiki's Delivery Service" there is an obvious similarity here between Miyazaki and Bluth. However, Bluth is very much an American, as is the setting for this imaginative tale.

It is a tale of rats who were experimented on by humans, who became very intelligent, strange, and different as a result of what the humans had done to them. Eventually, these creatures managed to escape their bondage from humans, and formed their own kingdom far out in the country. This is the tale of Mrs. Brisby encountering this strange race of rats, but it is so much more.

Please check it out and experience one of the more unique animated films ever made. This is not Disney, this is a new and different style. Sadly, these films just didn't catch on with the 80's crowd and Bluth was forced to go underground and now, today, makes a living in the straight-to-video kid market (He churns out those Land Before Time sequels just about every month).

Not the same as the book, but just as good anyway!
While this movie is a bit more fantasy-like than the book, I think it's just as good. The first time I saw this was several years ago when Nickelodeon used to play movies on Sundays. Once I saw it, I immediately went after the book, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Told in the style of Poppy or Watership Down, both the movie and the story have the same main plot: A family of mice must move out of their home before the tractor comes for the yearly harvest. The problem is, little Timothy mouse is sick with pnemonia (forgive my spelling) and if he goes out of the house, he will die. Now Mrs. Frisby must look to the Rats, a race of intelligent rodents, to help them to be able to survive the tractor without leaving their home.

A childhood classic
This had been my favorite cartoon movie since I was six years old. I knew every line Mrs. Brisby spoke. This is the stuff that flying dreams are made of and will always be treasured in my heart.

A great tale of bravery and overcoming the odds with a touch of magic. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The most interesting--and entertaining--aspect of this long, episodicWorld War II drama is that it marked the debut of one Justus E. McQueen, who subsequently took the name of the good ol' Arkansas boy he played in the movie: L.Q. Jones. He's only one of eight or nine Marine recruits who divide the screen time with commanding officer Van Heflin and James Whitmore as a lifer sergeant named Mac, "just Mac," who ramrods their squad and also delivers the movie's overbearing narration. Unfortunately, the narration is necessary to maintain continuity as the CinemaScope production galumphs its way from rounding up the melting-pot cast, to seeing them through basic training and sundry, mostly amatory misadventures in San Diego, to further training in New Zealand, and finally to baptism of fire on Guadalcanal.

Trouble is, among the recruits only McQueen/Jones (whose job is mostly comic relief) and Aldo Ray (as a brawling lumberjack who's never known family life) have any charisma or acting chops--and that's not forgetting Tab Hunter, whose matinee-idol status at the time does not speak well for the '50s. Battle Cry is also a cardinal example of Hollywood's penchant for buying big, lusty, profane bestsellers (by Leon Uris, in this case) and then euphemizing all the lustiness and profanity to appease the censors. Raoul Walsh, the poet laureate of lowdown gusto, does what he can in the circumstances, and as one of the first guys ever to direct a widescreen movie (1930's The Big Trail), he makes the battle scenes roar. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Battle Cry
This movie is based on Leon Uris' best seller, and while it does not strictly adhere to the plot/timeline, it is still a relatively faithful treatment of the book. For those of you with short attention spans, this isn't the movie for you. It requires an investment in time and emotion to see the characters develop, in the movie and as friends of each other, culminating in the final battle scene, at Saipan. It is enjoybale, believable, and yes...a movie from the Fifties with all its good and bad points.....only a boorish or immature person would judge the movie because of that though....See for yourself, if you enjoy a great yarn, this movie is for you...and...if you don't think this is how barracks life really is.....you aint been in the Corps...Semper Fi

I have a better name for this movie..
Instead of "Battle Cry", how about naming the film "Cry Over My Love Life"! Who made this movie anyway? The same people who made "Pearl Harbor"? This action COMEDY stars Van Heflin as the commander of a company of marines in WWII, from it's early days of basic training through its last battle in the closing months of the war. It's not a bad film actually if you like cheesy acting, boring and overbearing narration, and don't mind that there's only 20 minutes of actual fighting during its almost 2 and 1/2 hour length? In fact, the war seemed to be almost a bother to the makers of this film, who for whatever reason believed that moviegoers would prefer to see exciting moments of a kid cheating on his girlfriend with a woman old enough to be his mother? Of a nerdish bookworm who falls in love with his buddy's weekend plaything? Or a macho lumberjack who considers desertion to make his new war widow wife happy? Sprinkle in a couple more tragic love stories, and you have most of what this long, insufferable movie is about? As for the acting..FORGET IT! And could anyone who grew up in the 50's please explain to me what the big deal was with Tab Hunter? I've seen porn actors do a better job of acting? I've heard it said that this was a box office hit? WOW! lol The bottom line is..if you're buying this movie because you think it's a war movie, you better keep your finger on the fast forward button, because the action scenes are few and totally far in between! I give it 2 stars for what little action actually made it onto the screen? As for the rest..ANNOYING!

Semper Fi !!
Panned by reviewers at the time of it's release, but a box office hit, nonetheless. In some respects, Battle Cry is not much more than a soap-opera type presentation, but a bunch of good acting and sympathetic characters helps sell it.
As pointed out by another reviewer, this movie was ALWAYS in color, and as far as it not running very frequently on TNT or elsewhere, that's because of economics and availability, not content.
James Whitmore turns in a fine job as the stalwart Sarge, and minor roles by Fess Parker, and L.Q. Jones (the character's name, as subsequently actor McQueen's name), and others help make this a worthwhile viewing experience.
Sure, the Danny [Tab Hunter] character is pure mush, but even there, it's probably his best acting and kudos also goes to Aldo Ray, as a hardass lumberjack who finds true love along the way.
Certainly not on the level of From Here To Eternity as a "war" movie, this IS enjoyable viewing.

Battle Cry ¿ there¿s a lot to see here.
It is surprising how a sprawling war film like this contains so little action. But, don't be disappointed. This film focuses on characterization and characters are plentiful be they ever so stereotypical. James Whitmore as Sgt. Mac, Aldo Ray, Tab Hunter, L. Q. Jones and Perry Lopez as Marine recruits and Dorothy Malone, Anne Francis and Nancy Olsen as their love interests all give standout performances. Max Steiner's patriotic and rousing score is in its full glory. This film is high on good old-fashioned sentimental entertainment. By the film's end the viewer comes to realize many of the sacrifices that were made during this time in history and some of the gloss wears off. As an aside, a deceased acquaintance of mine who served in the US Army 1st Division during the Second World War from North Africa, D-Day to Germany's surrender, found this film to be the best representation of W.W.II military life. That was an exceptional compliment and recommendation for this film from a veteran who was not a Marine and one who fought in the European theatre. This is a good film. This VHS recording sounds very good in stereo.

Excellent adaptation of Uris novel
An outstanding motion picture which deserves a widescreen release on VHS. By the way, viewer from Minneapolis, the film was originally released in Warnercolor and CinemaScope not in black and white. (Fox, the owners of CinemaScope, didn't allow black and white releases in the process in 1955) ... Read more

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Anyone who fought in Vietnam can tell you that the war bore little resemblance to this propagandistic action film starring and codirected by John Wayne. But the film itself is not nearly as bad as its reputation would suggest; critics roasted its gung-ho politics while ignoring its merits as an exciting (if rather conventional and idealistic) war movie. Some notorious mistakes were made--in the final shot, the sun sets in the east!--and it's an awkward attempt to graft WWII heroics onto the Vietnam experience. But as the Duke's attempt to acknowledge the men who were fighting and dying overseas, it's a rousing film in which Wayne commands a regiment on a mission to kidnap a Viet Cong general. David Janssen plays a journalist who learns to understand Wayne's commitment to battling Communism, and Jim Hutton (Timothy's dad) plays an ill-fated soldier who adopts a Vietnamese orphan. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Good, But Flawed
Although I have seen this picture well over a dozen times and although I think it's basically a good movie, I must be objective and admit that "The Green Berets" is basically a propaganda piece that at the time of its filming was an attempt to change public sentiment about our country's involvement in Vietnam. For this reason, as well as the healing period our country went through after Vietnam, the movie seems rather archaic and naive today. Those on the far left ridicule it. Those on the far right treat it with the reverence of a Biblical tale. The truth about "The Green Berets" is that it lies somewhere between these two extremes.

The Fort Benning, Georgia filmed training sequences appear to be as real as anything I ever saw while I was in uniform. The combat sequences, however, contained a fair share of errors, most notably the well-known "sun setting in the east" flub. The acting was rather wooden, especially from Wayne as well as Jack Soo, portraying the ARVN officer, and the plot meandered from being quite good in some parts to being downright silly in others.

The most important thing to remember about this movie is that it should be taken for what it is...a good war movie. To casually dismiss it as irrelevant or hopelessly out of step with the truth simply doesn't do it justice. In similar fashion, it's rather stupid to portray it as an homage to the American way of life and characterize those who point out this picture's many flaws as "un-American", as one previous review did. This picture is best enjoyed with the viewer's bias, be it liberal or conservative, turned off.

from a patriot who was not afraid.
if John Wayne had made something like this today he would be ostracized from all of Hollywood and from about 2% of this nation. he was a man, a patriot and he wanted to show the good of our struggle. vietnam was a war that was not unlike every other war, the only difference was our citizens. the baby boomers grew up spoiled (founding fathers of the modern left). they didnt understand hard work and what a country need's to do for freedom. the left will today say freedom is a slogan, that we will always be free, they will say bush's war is for oil or some uneducated and clichéd response, but freedom is not just about a war or occupation, it's the freedom to not be afraid to get on a airplane, the freedom to not fear going into tall buildings, the freedom not to fear gathering large groups in public. and for the arab world it means to not be afraid to have your wife drive your car, or wear a dress in public, or to question a religious authority. the whole idea of vietnam was to prevent the spread of communism, it was a war that transcended vietnam itself, it was a war to measure our country and our people's resolve. vietnam taught our enemies (and todays modern terrorists) that if they can scare us, horrify us or kill enough of us that we will cower and not fight. Stalin, Khrushchev, khadafi, Usama, and hussein thought this, and we taught them all a lesson through might.

just because liberal's think war is not the answer it does not mean that our enemies do also. we are not europe, if we do not spend money on our military, flex our muscles, set deadlines and take action no one ele will. we do not have anyone to protect us like europe and the world have us. terrorist do not seek peace, they do not hate us because we are us they hate us because of hollywood, because of our freedom from starvation, our comfort in life and from our belief that we can live life any way we want without regard.

John wayne in his portrayal of vietnam was not "propaganda" it was to boost moral for the country, to support our efforts in defeating communism. i read before someone said john wayne was no patriot, what is a patriot if not to support the united states and to keep it's moral up? john wayne did that, ask any soldier from WWII to the present day. i feel bad for the liberal's they hate everyone, stand for everything while believing in nothing and really do not know anything of history or of humanity.

THE DUKE HAS THE LEFT TIED IN KNOTS
In 1969, John Wayne infuriated the Left with "The Green Berets", a film that made no apologies in its all-out support of America's effort in Vietnam. It was lambasted by critics, but in a very interesting sign, sold out at the box office. It plays today and while it is heavy-handed, there is little about it that rings untrue. The soldiers do not swear, complain or bastardize their uniforms like the actual guys did, but their patriotism and military professionalism was the real deal. The Communists they fight in the film are shifty little pissants. This does not deviate from the essential truth.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

bad propoganda but a couple of gem performances
the performances of david jansaan and jim hutton stand out in this really blatant propoganda piece.
wayne the director and producer is not someone i empathize with but i do believe wayne the actor was vastly underrated.
too many people, myslef included, often let waynes politcs get in the way of acknowledging his acting powers.
this film is that in a nutshull.
his politics are unavoidable but the scen in which he wells up, on the verge of tears, trying to tell the young boy of huttons death is powerhouse acting pure and simple.
try to appreciate it.

A solid, well-made film
John Wayne like any other American had the right to promote his opinion. Period. ...

Now, the film is as accurate as any other Vietnam film made in that last 30 years because films are created to promote an opinion. (I've known Vietnam Vets who were not dope smoking, gun-totting genocidists.)

As far as action and commitment, the Green Berets succeeds as a solid "war film." No one who cares about good film making can argue that, unless they believe in censorship. The film is panoramic and energetic in cinematic quality. The characters are strong male types (like Vets I've known.) The film chose its side and promoted it. There is one strong element that the film brings home. The US military was better at killing, and it had to be. Most US detachments were generally outnumbered, fighting an opposition armed by numerous totalitarian countries from Europe to Asia. That is a historical fact, which interestingly enough, was introduced into a film over 35 years old.

The Green Berets, again, is a solid war-film and interestingly enough, is less fancifully than Platoon. The Green Berets is worth the time to see. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Overblown interpretation of basically good story
This 1953 film stars Rita Hayworth in a loosely adapted version of a Somerset Maugham story. It takes place on a American occupied Pacific Island where the marines, and especially Aldo Ray, are all quite smitten with Miss Sadie Thompson, a tough and sexy lady who loves to party and who is forced to spend some time there because her ship is quarantined. Jose Ferrer, cast in the role of an angry and dour preacher quarantined there too, manages to arrange for her to be deported. He has his own weaknesses, however, which are revealed as the story progresses. The inevitable tragic conclusion has a typical Hollywood ending, but the basic theme is there.

Ms. Hayworth sure looks pretty. She has flaming red hair and wears brightly colored clothes and every movement of her body draws the eye. As she can't sing, though, she lip synchs through several non-memorable musical numbers and her acting abilities vary from scene to scene. Occasionally, the actress in her shines through, but mostly it's just Rita Hayworth, the movie star, mouthing her words. Jose Ferrer fares better in the acting department and so does Aldo Ray, but this film was not made to show off anyone's acting. It was originally released in 3-D and it's the beautiful Pacific Island as well as the producer's attempt to push the envelope on the censorship code that drove this picture. Also, as it was made in the fifties, it reflected the general moral code of the time as well as a dose of pop psychology. I enjoyed the video. It's a good story and there's enough tension and romance to keep it moving swiftly. But, alas, its just a bit too overblown.

daring, bold, exotic
Originally filmed in 3-D, MISS SADIE THOMPSON stars the perfectly cast Rita Hayworth as the sexy nymphet, with Jose Ferrer as the corrupt minister who tries to "reform" her.

Sadie finds herself stranded while trying to get to a "gig", and gets caught up in the rabble of soldiers patrolling the South Pacific. A naive young officer (Aldo Ray) courts the girl while she is being tracked down by the sadistic minister, too weak to practice what he preaches.

This effort to transform the gritty moralistic drama into a semi-musical works somewhat, although Hayworth's vocals were dubbed here. She tries to be grating when she sings, though she's more Mary Poppins than Mayflower Madam, singing with the island children.

Based on the Somerset Maughn story, with direction by Curtis Bernhardt.

Blue Pacific Blues
With the haunting song "Blue Pacific Blues" in the background the beautiful Rita Hayworth portrays a loose woman running from her past in the south sea islands soon after WWII. Aldo Ray, a young Charles Bronson, and Jose Ferrer play out the drama of religion vs love, lust, and loneliness. This is a must-see movie for the person who fantasizes about the lure of the tropics and has a romantic familiarity with the war in the Pacific. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Judy Holliday in pleasant, light drama
I am a big fan of Judy Holliday's romantic comedies from the 1950's and own Born Yesterday, It Should Happen to You (with Jack Lemmon in his first movie appearance), The Solid Gold Cadillac, and Bells Are Ringing (with Dean Martin). I was expecting The Marrying Kind to also be a comedy, and I was disappointed to find out that it consists far more of pathos than comedy. It shows in flashbacks the decline of the 7-year marriage of a couple on the verge of divorce, and nowadays we might call this film a "dramedy." However, once I'd adjusted to the fact that I wasn't watching Judy in all-out comedy, I enjoyed the movie for what it is. Particularly that it centers almost completely around the relationship (and interactions) of the two main characters, Florence (Judy) and Chet Keefer (Aldo Ray). Because they are on stage alone together most of the movie, it really showcases their individual talents as actors, and they work extremely well together as a dramatic pairing.

Aside from the acting and the story, there are several other things that I found especially fascinating about the film: first, the use of real New York City locations from the early 50s--it is amazing how much the city has changed in 50 years! Second, the movie's portrayal of working-class, urban marriage feels extremely real and accurate for that era (other than their very roomy apartment), and because of that, it offers an intriguing window into that time period. Finally, I was very taken by the style of the dialogue. Not being either an expert on linguistics or the writing history of playwrights Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon, I couldn't be sure if they were merely being stylistic, or if they intended to offer a very accurate portrayal of a specific New York dialect. Whichever it is, the protagonists speak in a very unique way, with certain words left out in their sentences and others repeated--which gives an entertaining regional flavor to the script.

This movie is not rated, but by today's standards it would be a G--no sex or bad language. However, I believe children would be bored by this movie as would, very likely, most men. This is pretty much a classic "chick flick," since its entire focus is on the courtship and marriage relationship between a man and a woman.

Beautiful
There's not much I can say about this neglected gem (on DVD BEFORE "Bells Are Ringing" and AFTER "Born Yesterday"!) that isn't already in these reviews. It's my favorite Judy Holliday flick, although I saw "Bells" first and first came to love Holliday through that movie. This movie is intimate, warm, realistic, gentle and it has humor (as much as Garson Kanin can muster, I guess, I really do think he, even when working with his wife, is grossly overrated). Holliday's climax to the park scene is certainly well done, but it is also identical to her getting hit in the face in "Born Yesterday." She did it good, she did it great, but she did it twice. And Aldo Ray is perfect as the loving, loveable, earnest, well-meaning husband. I thought he and Holliday were very good together. I loved this low-key little movie, and I think it will please (as it kindly attempts to do) anyone who likes this kind of thing.

Quiet Gem
George Cukor, Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon were the best kind of fans for Judy Holliday; they made it possible for her to create great roles in wonderful pictures. From her carefully-sheparded movie debut in a supporting role in ADAM'S RIB (where Katherine Hepburn graciously yielded the screen to Judy's comic talents) to her Oscar-winning turn repeating her Broadway success in BORN YESTERDAY, Holliday gave us an unforgettable gallery of women, and her work was never finer than in THE MARRYING KIND. Matched with Cukor's protoge (ahem!), Aldo Ray, Judy is remarkable in this role, playing an ordinary housewife whose marriage is on the brink of dissolving. Her big scene in Central Park mid-picture is a perfect example of her unique ability to make you laugh and break your heart in quick succession. Lovely, lovely work from all concerned, and an extremely rewarding small movie that casts a big shadow.

Holiday in New York
The Marrying Kind, starring Judy Holiday and Aldo Ray, is another terrific collaboration between director George Cukor and the husband and wife writing team of Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin. These guys brought you Adam's Rib and Pat and Mike, among other wonderful battle of the sexes smart thoughtful comedies of the 40's and 50's.

The film uses a Rashamon techinique and a flashback structure to tell the story of the courtship and marriage of two middle class New Yorkers (he works for the post office but has big dreams, she's an office assistant but upon marriage, becomes a homemaker and mom)and was shot on location in 1950's New York. It begins in divorce court and proceeds to show you how these two met, fell in love and plain just got by over the period of several years.

It was Judy Holiday's first starring role. She is funny and charming and gutsy and real. The great surprise,,however(though he showed great comic skills as the boxer in Adam's Rib), is Aldo Ray, later the stolid solider in many a WW II epic. Here he portrays the sweet, hardworking, loving dreamer who marries Judy, tries to give her a better life, but continually falls short of reaching those dreams.

The film has an almost American neo-realistic feel about it. It's a sweet, comic, sometimes dramatic, slice of life. Scenes have true comedic power and Holiday and Ray are wonderfully believable together. The dialogue has the unmistakable Gordon-Kanin ring of truth. An excellent and mostly unknown gem. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Seven alone is an awesome family movie
My 11 year old son heard the story read to him in school and they watched most of the movie, when I happened to find it for rent at a local family bookstore, I brought it home, it's one i would definately add to the family collection. It doesn't get more real than this if you're interested in Oregon Trail stories.

A good teaching tool
I used this film to illustrate the dangers of the Oregon Trail to my 8th grade history students. It is an interesting dramatization of the perils of traveling the Oregon Trail. The film does an excellent job of portraying the journey on the trail. It is very entertaining and kept my students interested.

Unfortunately, the film sugarcoats the reality of the result of the Sager's journey. Two of the Sager boys were massacred with the Whitmans instead of going on to a homestead in Oregon, as the film implies. The girls were adopted out.

Seven Alone
This is a true story about seven children who lose their parents while enroute to Oregon in 1843. Their eldest son manages to to complete the trip and fulfill their parent's dream. The movie does take some liberties with the real story such as the death of Henry Saget. In reality he was killed by a buffalo stampede and not a knive wound. It is unfortunate that MickeyTo in Toronto isn't familiar with American history. More information on this true story can be found by researching information on the Oregon Trail.

The musical score to Seven Alone was first rate!
As a family film, Seven Alone provided every element required by a discriminating viewer. I would argue, as a lover of exceptional film scores and a collector of soundtracks, that this film is greatly enhanced by the truly beautiful music of Robert O. Ragland. I give the film an A+ because of the impact the music contributes to it.

A MOVIE TO SEE
I loved this movie it tills a lot about life in the old west.I wish they would of told about them after they had grown up. ... Read more

Reviews (106)

the ultimate in animated movies
I'd give this movie 10 stars if possible. I watched this movie everyday when I was a kid and when i watch it now, i can still recite it. This is such a great movie. As some of the other reviewers said, this movie is a little more realistic, a little grittier.
This movie truly does have something for everyone. Children will love the talking creatures, the ridiculous crow, Jeremy, (voiced with perfection by Dom DeLuise), and they'll recognize the overwhelming, self-sacrificing love Mrs. Brisby (the mother) displays for her family. Adults will enjoy the more subtle humor as well as the message of pure love conquering all obstacles. This movie (along with my role model mother) formed my image of how mothers should be: loving, strong and self-sacrificing. Even when Mrs. Brisby if forced to face her deepest fears (an owl, the cat), she does it, not without fear, but to save her son's life. This is a touching movie.
Another point of appreciation for this movie is that it does not try to simply dumb things down for kids. I like most Disney movies but this aims a little higher. There are some deep issues, such as death, jealousy, fear and hate, that aren't dwelt on but are brought up and as children grow older, they will grow to understand and love this movie more and more.

An enduring tale of love, courage and trust
Don Bluth's "The Secret Of NIMH," based upon the novel "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH," was released in 1982 and was quickly forgotten at the box office in favour of Steven Spielberg's E.T. (which was released around the same time). I picked this up for less than ten dollars on DVD and I haven't stopped playing it since. It has been at least fifteen years since I had last seen it, and I enjoy it more than ever.

Bluth and close to two dozen Disney animators defected from Disney's studios in favour of having a chance to express and explore their artistic visions and creativity. One of their first animated films was "The Secret of NIMH." Other Bluth films include "Anastasia," and "An American Tail." But no other animated film captures the sense of magic and wonder like "The Secret of NIMH."

Mrs. Brisby, a recently widowed field mouse, tries desperately to protect her invalid son Timothy from Moving Day, when the farmer's plough will destroy their underground home. She is led to a colony of superintelligent rats, ex-subjects of laboratory experiments at the National Institute of Mental Health. They are led by wise old Nicodemus, a friend of Mrs. Brisby's late husband Jonathan, also an escaped lab mouse from NIMH.

The somewhat dark tale does feature light-hearted comedic relief in the form of Jeremy, a trouble-prone young crow voiced by Dom Deluise. The story sticks fairly close to the book version, although several new elements are added and some side plots are cut due to time restraints. The artwork is breathtaking; vibrant backgrounds, clever special effects, the play of light and shadow. The characters are real and you quickly become attached to them. No one breaks into song every five minutes, although there is a very beautiful lullaby on the soundtrack that Mrs. Brisby sings to Timothy.

To me, this film is deeper, darker, and more imaginative than anything that Disney has produced. There are no fancy CGI effects, only the skilful work of animators that love what they do. The film carries a message of courage, love, and trust without being preachy or simple. There are plenty of tense, dark scenes, some of which might upset smaller children. But "Secret of NIMH" is a beautiful, intelligent movie that is so much more than a cartoon or a children's fable.

filled with wonder
As a kid in the 1980's, this was a favorite film of mine. I remember thinking how cool and imaginative this was compared to the sludge of rerun 80's tv cartoons (did anyone else have to suffer through the "USA network cartoon train" as a kid?) like "The Flintstones."

Don Bluth, like Tim Burton, was a very talented artist and animator who broke away from Disney. Both Burton and Bluth could not stand redrawing the same animation cells for other people all day long. Burton found profit, Bluth, sadly, did not. However, that is not to say that Bluth did not create some very fascinating films along the way.

This is a tale of wonder and imagination. Watching this film is almost like seeing the equivalent of an American film with Miyazaki style and presentation. If you have ever seen "Spirited Away" or "Kiki's Delivery Service" there is an obvious similarity here between Miyazaki and Bluth. However, Bluth is very much an American, as is the setting for this imaginative tale.

It is a tale of rats who were experimented on by humans, who became very intelligent, strange, and different as a result of what the humans had done to them. Eventually, these creatures managed to escape their bondage from humans, and formed their own kingdom far out in the country. This is the tale of Mrs. Brisby encountering this strange race of rats, but it is so much more.

Please check it out and experience one of the more unique animated films ever made. This is not Disney, this is a new and different style. Sadly, these films just didn't catch on with the 80's crowd and Bluth was forced to go underground and now, today, makes a living in the straight-to-video kid market (He churns out those Land Before Time sequels just about every month).

Not the same as the book, but just as good anyway!
While this movie is a bit more fantasy-like than the book, I think it's just as good. The first time I saw this was several years ago when Nickelodeon used to play movies on Sundays. Once I saw it, I immediately went after the book, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Told in the style of Poppy or Watership Down, both the movie and the story have the same main plot: A family of mice must move out of their home before the tractor comes for the yearly harvest. The problem is, little Timothy mouse is sick with pnemonia (forgive my spelling) and if he goes out of the house, he will die. Now Mrs. Frisby must look to the Rats, a race of intelligent rodents, to help them to be able to survive the tractor without leaving their home.

A childhood classic
This had been my favorite cartoon movie since I was six years old. I knew every line Mrs. Brisby spoke. This is the stuff that flying dreams are made of and will always be treasured in my heart.

A great tale of bravery and overcoming the odds with a touch of magic. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

The must see Christmas movie after Miracle on 34th Street
There are several Christmas movies with heart: Going My Way, Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life. All of these movies are shown countless times during the season. We're No Angels is a rarely seen, light comedy, with Bogart, Peter Ustinov, and Basil Rathbone. I only wish the copy I loaned someone would come back.

THE funniest Christmas Movie ever made !
Anytime I visit my local Video store around the Christmas Season,I have to remind the Manager,that besides " Miracle on 34 th. Street " and the usual array of "feel good" movies for the holidays,this one is never on the shelf with the others..but it should be ! The combination of Bogart,Peter Ustinov and Aldo Ray is perfect.Every cliche,like " poisonous snakes always get the bad guy,the good guy can pick it up with his bare hands "...has been met head on,and they work well.All the characters are endearing and the end is wonderful,I see it every Christmas along with " The Bishophs Wife ".Who would not want to sit and have 90 minutes with Bogie & Co. ? Not me !!!!

RELEASE IN DVD
Really fantastic movie, we need it out in DVD and letterbox.
It is a wonderful funny movie.
Please vote for DVD.

top ten holiday season movies
This is a movie for all. It's a delight to watch again and again, each time hearing more of the softly spoken hilarious asides. Zero Mostel and Aldo Ray are great and Humphrey Bogart is wonderful at comedy.

GREAT MOVIE
All you really have to say about this movie is that it is a must see film. The movie is not meant to be historical about Devils Island, it just takes place there. It is just meant to be a fun movie and it does that extremely well. A MUST SEE FOR ALL AGE GROUPS. Good watching!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Brilliant 1980's "B" Horror Movie
Since the first time I saw this, I have been an avid fan of this over looked, would-be "Cult Classic". The story line is typical. A down trodden and geeky youth, sells his soul to the local voodoo priestess, and in turn gains incredible Electric Guitar skills, A fancy house with three other equally cursed women, who also sold their souls for various reasons, and a position in a rising Metal Band, "Spastic Colon". The name of the Band alone is awesome! The catch is, he must feed on the living to keep his powers and immortality. There is a minor dramatic love-conflict, in that he desires "the other Girl", in this case played by Traci Lords. It is a fun movie to watch with a beer in your hand, and to just get your mind off of things.
This movie is hilarious if you approach it with the attitude you do all "B" Horror films.

SEX,DRUGS,AND ROCK'N'ROLL!!!
If you like girls in leather,guitar solos,and gratuitous death scenes than this is the movie for you.It's straight out of the eighties and the thing that surpised me the most was that Traci Lords accualy kept her clothes on!Don't worry though it has lots of groupie scences were they just can't seem to keep their clothes on.The main charector has to eat people to stay alive so it's a cannibalistic gorefest threw most of the movie.I would recommened this film to anyone with a good sense of humor and everyone who has ever dreamed of what it would be like to be a rock star! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Men in War - Cult War Classic and Psycho-Drama
"Men in War" may just be the best pschological study of combat ever made and should be considered a cult classic (and probably is) even if it is a cult of one. Anyone who claims this is a "Standard war film set in Korea" might also claim "The God Father" was a standard gangster movie or "The Wizard of OZ" was a standard children's flick. "Men in War" is a concise, classic study of combat that just happens to be set in the Korean War. Anthony Mann's direction impacts every aspect of humanity subjected to sustained combat. Amid the horror we see from the all-but-doomed patrol kindness, depravity, valor, self-interest, despair, hope, and, finally, relief without joy. In short we see how desperation exponentializes human emotion. The unusual camera angles give it a Film Noir "look" that highlights the conflicts and tragedies played out by the forlorn platoon. Robert Ryan and Aldo Ray are the perfect dueling co-protagonists who show that our toughest fights are not always with the ones defined as the enemy. The movie is all very real, all real personal, and all very difficult to watch sometimes because of the graphic truths, not the least of which is the insight into the final thoughts of several doomed souls. There is no going back with this film. Once you watch it you are hooked. It would be best for some esteemed critics to actually watch it once before reviewing it.

Best War film of the '50s?
Anthony Mann's "Men in War," along with Sam Fuller's "Steel Helmet," is the most realistic, tough-as-nails war film made in the '50s.

This is ANTYTHING BUT your standard Hollywood treatment. "Men in War," along with Mann's famous Westerns is a demonstration model of the 'vulgar subtlety' with which Mann subverts Hollywood convention to craft a masterpiece.

And what can you say about Robert Ryan? Easily one of the greatest actors of all time, and one of the coolest. Ryan OWNS this film like he owned Ophuls' Noir film "Caught," (even outshining James Mason in that one) and Aldo Ray steps up to Ryan's challenge with a truly phenomenal performance. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A Stark, Unflinching War Drama
"Men in War" makes one wish Anthony Mann had directed more war films. This is an excellent, character-driven story. It is a prime example of the mature, unflinching kind of war film that began to appear after the Korean conflict. Undeservedly neglected, this picture ranks with Lewis Milestone's "Pork Chop Hill" and Robert Aldrich's "Attack". And it is the progenitor of "Platoon" and "The Thin Red Line". with their complex characters and situations.

Every actor seems to give his best, with exceptional moments from Robert Ryan, Aldo Ray and Robert Keith, as a shell-shocked Colonel. And it is always good to see the admirable Pine, Morrow, Persoff and Edwards. The film has a stark, yet pleasing black & white look which is appropriate for the bare bones conflicts the story sets forth. Moreover, "Men in War" features a very fine score by Elmer Bernstein, utilizing an authentic Korean folk song.

Men in War
This has to be one of the most underrated war flicks of all time. Next to Pork Chop Hill with Gregory Peck, this is the best Korean War film I've seen. Robert Ryan was the perfect cast as the war weary Lieutenant trying to lead his platoon back to battalion HQ. Those who rate this movie average must be fans of Rat Patrol. This movie is a must see.

Men in War
Excellent,all the cast perform their parts well, great action sequences and some amazingly tense scenes.The film begins with the troops hiding in a large hollow ,surrounded by tall grass. Wrecked vehicles lie strewn across the area and only the sound of the wind can be heard.Probably the most climactic scenes I will ever see. This is one of my all time favourites. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

i search this...
Hello, i search this movie in the last ten years. i don`t found a video or a dvd in pal- system. please, can everybody help me? i thx for any answers. Edi

What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?
Is this movie available for sale? I want to buy a copy.

What Did You Do In The War Daddy?
This movie was made in the 1960's, and I remembered seeing it then, and thought it was one of the funniest movies ever. I had always wanted to see it again, so I was elated to be able to get the video. When I watched it again it was as funny, if not more so then I remembered. Harry Morgan, is hysterical, and Dick Shawn and James Coburn are great. It is really, as they say, a laugh riot. It is well worth watching, and I reccomend it highly.

James Coburn, just being himself
A by-the-book Captain is ordered to capture a strategic village in Italy. The Italian soldiers are willing to surrender if the can have a festival first. The lieutenant (Coburn) convinces the Captain (Shawn) "Wake Me When It's Over (1960)" this is the only way. Because of aerial reconnaissance they must look like they are fighting. To sort this out an intelligence officer, Potter (Morgan) is sent in and gets lost in the catacombs singing "Peas pottage hot". Mean while the festival gets complicated with the Mayors daughter. Who wins?

COMEDY SPOOF ON WW2 IN ITALY
THIS A COMEDY ON THE ARMY DURING WWII ABOUT A TOWN READY TO SURRENDER AND THE GERMAN'S WHO WANT THE TOWN BUT THE PEOPLE OF THE TOWN WANT TO PARTY. COL POTTER (HARRY MORGAN)FROM MASH IS ALSO MAJ POTTER IN THIS MOVIE. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great movie!!
A handsome hitchhiker(John Derek) is picked up by a beautiful woman(Ursula Andress)and the hitchhiker framed for murder after the woman's husband brutally murders her.This superb 1965 film has a great cast that includes Sammy Davis Jr. and Robert Duvall.Check it out!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Kate plays Pat Pemberton, a college physical education teacher who excels at just about every sport there is. She's also a great athletic competitor, except when her overbearing, worrywart fiancé, Collier Weld, is around. (As Weld, William Ching does an admirable job in a thankless role.) All Pat has to do is see Collier's face on the sidelines and her golf swing loses its power; her tennis game goes haywire. It takes crooked sports manager Mike Conovan (Spencer Tracy, of course) to recognize Pat's outstanding talent. He takes her on as his most important client and handles her with the same loving care that he gives to his favorite racehorse. Naturally, Pat and Mike's relationship is destined to overstep its professional boundaries. The mutual attraction grows from the moment they meet. Watching Pat walk away, Mike comments to his partner, "Not much meat on her, but what's there is 'cherce'."

The film carries a powerful feminist message, especially considering that it was made in the early 1950s: Pat is undone by Collier, who would rather have her stick to being "the little woman" and forget about succeeding. But with Mike in her corner, Pat can have a great career. Her union with him is a true partnership; everything is, as he says, "Five-oh, five-oh." In the end, he's secure enough to be comfortable as "the man behind the woman." The film features terrific comic performances by Aldo Ray as a bone-headed boxer, a young Charles Bronson (before he changed his name from Buchinski) as a small-time gangster, and Our Gang's Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer as a high-strung bus boy. --Laura Mirsky ... Read more

Reviews (10)

"You're a beautiful thing to watch... in action."
PAT & MIKE is the seventh Tracy-Hepburn collaboration, and it stars Spencer Tracy as Mike Conovan, the moneyminded sports racketeer with a heart of gold, and Katharine Hepburn (looking a great deal younger than she did in 1951's THE AFRICAN QUEEN) as his beautiful 'property', Pat Pemberton. Pat is an all-round 'lady athlete', adept at golf and tennis (not to mention shooting, basketball and presumably swimming), but completely frazzled whenever her fiance Collier Weld (a suitably smarmy William Ching) is around and watching her. In a bid to become more in control of herself and her life, she (contrarily) submits to Mike's management and he takes her around the country as a golf and tennis pro. It doesn't take much imagination to realise what happens next--Mike's 'handling' of Pat is the kind of handling she's willing to accept (switch 'Tracy' for 'Mike' and 'Hepburn' for 'Pat' and you get also a description of Tracy and Hepburn's real-life relationship), and before long, Collier is pretty much left in the dust.

This film is evidently a star vehicle for Tracy and Hepburn, containing next to no artistic pretensions or even any real attempt to press a subtle feminist point (in contrast with other Tracy/Hepburn films like WOMAN OF THE YEAR or ADAM'S RIB). In fact, the film seems to be just a comfortable, familiar joke between actors, writers and audience--we know these characters, we know these actors, we know what kind of relationship they always have (bantering, sparring, and in the end just a perfect fit)... the only thing that's different is the names of the characters. Sam, Adam, Mike--Tess, Amanda, Pat--what's the difference?

To be fair, Hepburn's character of Pat Pemberton is much softer and more vulnerable than either Tess Harding or Amanda Bonner. This character variation doesn't hide the real point of the screenplay though--Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin evidently wanted a chance to display both Hepburn's natural athletic abilities (phenomenal for a non-professional, but possibly not 100% believable against sports stars like Babe Zaharias) and her incredible legs. Well, they did succeed at both of these things, to great effect. It's great fun for a Hepburn fan, having read about her deep and abiding love of any and all sports, to get a chance to actually watch her playing golf and tennis onscreen. (This doesn't mean, of course, that the frequent and long golf scenes don't test one's patience occasionally!)

Spencer Tracy has great fun as Mike as well, the sports agent who originally wants Pat to flub a game and come in second. He claims early on in the film that the trouble with her is that she's got too honest a face--it's only Tracy's ability to make rough-and-tumble characters believably vulnerable at heart that makes his later declaration ("I must have caught something from you" i.e. honesty) acceptable. The chemistry between the two is probably closer to the comfortable rapport they shared in ADAM'S RIB as man and wife than the fireworks that went off between them in WOMAN OF THE YEAR. Whatever the case, it is still always a joy to watch Tracy and Hepburn together onscreen, and it's largely because this film stars who it does that you can allow yourself to enjoy and be taken in by what is evidently a cutesy star vehicle written by the stars' friends (Gordon and Kanin), and directed by the leading lady's best and favourite director George Cukor. (Some of the visual tricks, particularly Hepburn's face appearing on that of a horse, are actually more disturbing than flattering, and I--for one--would prefer not to pursue the metaphor through to its end.) Tracy and Hepburn are also boosted by an excellent supporting cast, particularly William Ching as Pat's obnoxious suitor and Aldo Ray as Mike's dimwitted star protege (until Pat comes along, that is!).

PAT & MIKE is a romantic comedy, but it's also romantic-comedy-*lite*. There are no forced or fake separations that are geared towards wringing tears from viewers before a reconciliation (contrast again with ADAM'S RIB and most formulaic films in recent years). The film is just a little piece of joyful fluff--not taxing at all for either the writers, the actors, or the viewers. For a brilliant comic set-piece, watch out for the scene in which Pat takes on the two seedy sports racketeers and dispenses them with remarkable ease and efficiency. Otherwise, watch PAT & MIKE with the knowledge that this is neither Tracy and Hepburn's best, nor is it their worst. If you keep your expectations down, you'll certainly enjoy watching this film because it aims low (aiming only to please and amuse, and not necessarily to engage and thrill), and fulfils those aims very well. 8/10.

Not a lot of meat, but what's here is cherce!
This film reassembled the same team that put together the classic "Adam's Rib": Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as the stars, Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon writing the script for their friends, and George Cukor as the director. Hepburn plays Pat Pemberton, a gifted athlete who catches the eye of promoter Mike Conovan (Tracy). The inspiration for the film was the fact that Hepburn had always been athletic. She even continued to play tennis for a while after breaking her hip, which I sure suprises no one.

Hepburn's character is a gifted athlete with the Achilles heel that everytime her fiancee Collier Weld (William Ching) shows up she falls apart. The film's best scene is when he arrives during a tennis match and Pat falls apart in a surrealistic scene. The net jumps up to stop her shots, her opponent's racket grows while her's shrinks. In the end Tracy gives her the confidence she needs to succeed, only to see her turn the tables on him.

Among the other memorable scenes in this film, Hepburn saves Tracy from a couple of thugs, one of whom is a young Charles Buchinski (remember him?). Also, there is a nice moment when Pat gives Mike a kiss and after he wipes off the lipstick, he puts the hankerchief away as a momentoe, one of the most romantic moments between the couple in all of their films.

Another nice thing about the film is that as Pat Pemberton the Hepburn character actually plays golf and tennis against some of the best female athletes of the day, including Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Gussie Moran, and Alice Marble.

"Pat and Mike" has one similarity with the next Tracy-Hepburn effort, "Desk Set," in that they are the only pair in the set where Hepburn comes out at top in the end. This is not on the "A" list of films by Tracy and/or Hepburn, but it is a solid member of the "B" list.

For the Hepburn/ Tracy fans
A comedy almost classic. I am more disapointed in this multi pro cameo line up with Katheryn in awe playing with them. Her tennis and golf swings are amusing to watch as the balls dribble off to the sides. Watch this when you are bored and cann't sleep.

Tracy & Hepburn are CLASSIC in this remastered DVD!!!
MGM does a grand job in restoring this 1952 comedy classic to DVD perfection!!! Presented in Black/White, Standard Screen size (4:3 tv aspect ratio - before WideScreen (1953)).

This was Spencer Tracy's & Katherine Hepburn's 7th film together and as always are Classic Team mates!!! Now digitally remastered and on DVD makes it even better. Flawlessly digitalized makes the picture quality absolutely astounding to watch. Hepburns athletism can be more appreciated especially during the golf scenes when she drives the balls into the far distance (only now can we see these tiny spheres in the distance with DVD clarity!).

Summary; Masterfully directed by George Cukor, Athletic Pat (Hepburn) plays a very skillful amateur female sports nut who seems trapped in a rich socialite engaged to be married life. Mike (Tracy) a sports promoter eyes Hepburn in a Pro-Amatuer Golf match & sees a gold mine to be had. Hustling her to turn pro & be his client Hepburn decides this is a way to escape her miserable dominating fiances & to be married life. Hepburn shows hows some amazing athletic talents in golf & tennis. Tracy & Hepburn are a grand pair to watch & Hollywoods 1950's happy ending prevails. This is a keeper and the DVD is a beauty!

Special Features include: Cast & Crew, Behind the Scenes, Theatrical Teaser & Trailer.

Pat & Mike is great family entertainment & Katherine Hepburn shows how women can be independent (wearing slacks), athletic (amazing golfer& tennis player) & feminine (beautiful & vunerable) all in one. Enjoy.

Pat and Mike
Pat and Mike is a lovely story of a star athlete, played by Katharine Hepburn, who is discovered by a sport's manager, Spencer Tracy. Hepburn's character realizes that she is going to be watched every minute of every day while in training. This companionship between athlete and manager finally turns to love.
In Pat and Mike, Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy again play opposite each other. Hepburn also gets to show off the skills in sports and physical agility, which she posesses in real life. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Terrifying And TRUE Story!!!
The home of Jack and Janet Smurl in West Pittston, PA was the scene of a horrific and terrifying haunting from 1985-1987. They moved into the average duplex in the middle-class town in 1975 after hurricane Agnes flooded much of North-Eastern Pennsylvania. The Smurls took the right side apartment and Jack's parents took the left side. They immediatly began fixing it up for the inside was a mess. But as they tried to repair and remodel, tools mysteriously disappeared and stains re-appeared on the walls after being painted over several times. The next 10 years were happy ones for the Smurl family as they had twins giving them now a total of 4 daughters. But in 1985 things took an unexpected turn into a nightmare world for the Smurls. Jack's mother had a heart attack and rarely left the house and Jack and Janet were struggling financially. The electrical wireing and plumbing had to be repaired constantly and their 2 oldest daughters were going through puberty. It seems the stress in the household triggered something evil to emerge from deep within the house. Janet began hearing voices and whispering, footsteps, doors slamming, pounding on the walls, and fingers touching her at night in bed while Jack was asleep. Since nobody else heard the noises Janet feared she was losing her mind. But Jack's mother was experiencing the same things over on her side of the duplex. Things only got worse when the noises increased and apparations began appearing and floated through the house. Jack's mother witness the ghost in her living room and almost had another heart attack. Janet hired a crew of psychic invesigators who said there were 3 sprirts and a powerful demon in the house. The spirits began terrorizing the entire household as an act of revenge. The demon appeared to Jack one night as a hidious woman with red eyes and rotted teeth. We he asked who she was, she grabbed him and threw him across the living room. Before he could get up the incredibally strong woman was on top of him trying to rape him. Shouting for her to get off, Jack says it's head turned into a pig's head before disappearing. Several exorcisms did no good and only made the spirits more angry and vengeful. Janet was levitated 6 feet above her bed and hurled into the wall on the other side of the bedroom. One of her youngest daughters was levitated out of her bedroom and thrown down the stairs. Many more frightening occurences forced the family on camping trips but the spirits would follwing them. When they would return the neighbors would be hysterical saying there was howling, screaming, lights flashing out the windows, huge crashes like a china cabinet falling and sludge hammers against the walls. The couple could not afford to move and went to the press. This caused even more chaos when reporters and curious residents invaded their front yard for several days. Their final attempt to rid their home of evil was an exorcism performed by the Sacred Heart. All hell broke loose but miracously the incidents stopped and the house was quiet from then on. The smell of roses occasionaly filled the house and the Smurls finally felt at peace. But in 1987 they moved into a new house and the same things started all over again. The spirits must have followed them again. Finally, an exorcism ended their ordeal. There have been no futher incidents reported by the family.

The Haunted, a True Story
This movie is titled 'Haunted' starring Aldo Ray, but the description is for the movie 'The Haunted, A True Story' which was a made for TV true story based on the Smurl family, starring Sally Kirkland and Director Robert Mandel. Just wanted to clarify this so people know which movie they are buying. P.S. If anyone has this movie available, please list it.

THE HAUNTED
One of the finest examples of a psychological haunting to be brought to film, this movie does great justice to the ghost genre. Many movies that are adapted from novels often are not as entertaining and do not have the same depth of storyline. However, THE HAUNTED defies this precedent by giving a chilling onscreen portrayal of the events described by the Smurl family in their biographical novel. Perfect for a Saturday evening at home when you want to give yourself a little scare, this movie is well worth having! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Pushing The Limits
Perhaps one seeing this film for the first time, in this day and age, will not realize just how racy this picture was when it was produced (in 1958). I watch it now, and I still can't believe that they "got away with it". The picture, a yarn concerning a Georgia hayseed family, took the "Ma And Pa Kettle" concept to new heights!

The gist of the story is that Ti-Ti, and his strapping sons, are digging for his pappy's gold, which, legend has it, is buried somewhere on their Georgia farm. They've been digging in the ground for fifteen years.....and haven't found anything yet. The characters seem, to me, to be the basis for the Clampetts on the Beverly Hillbillies........especially Darlin' Jill (who surely was the model for Ellie Mae).

The picture includes one of the hottest forbidden love scenes to ever be committed to celuloid (between Tina Louise and Aldo Ray). This was back in the days when things had to be creatively SUGGESTED (to avoid censorship). Things are different today, when anything goes and a "love scene" is thrown in for mere titillation, showing yet another improbable, sexual acrobatic endeavor between two participants. This scene between "Griselda" and "Will" has actual BEARING on this story. Those were the days.

It might seem quite campy (it is!). It certainly is hilarious, and even tragic at times. I recommend "GOD'S LITTLE ACRE" highly!

ugh, what drivel
I'm a big Mann fan, and i even enjoy his not very good non noir or western films, thunder bay for instance. a great director, but this one stinks. i can't even get up the enthusiasm to criticise it

One of my FAV Tina Films!
I have a lot of Tina Louise's Movies, but I have to say to me this is at the top of my list!( with "Friendships Secrets and Lies" in first place) the plot is terrific and exciting and Tina's role as Griselda proves what a true chameleon she is!! she can play any role and do it beautifully! the acting from everyone in this movie was great! and all of Tina's scenes are touching and powerful. Especially the one tragic scene, and if u see the movie, you will know what scene I am talking about! this is for any die hard classic movie fan! so check it out, and see TINA LOUISE in one of her best roles EVER!!

*TINA*
TinaLouise4ever!!

They don't make movies like this anymore!
Review are you kidding, they just don't make movies like this anymore. Two plots going on at the same time the main being a treasure hunt which causes men to test what their true treasure is and the love story which for its time was almost scandelous. This is a good old fashhion movie. Did I say good. I mean great. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Seven alone is an awesome family movie
My 11 year old son heard the story read to him in school and they watched most of the movie, when I happened to find it for rent at a local family bookstore, I brought it home, it's one i would definately add to the family collection. It doesn't get more real than this if you're interested in Oregon Trail stories.

A good teaching tool
I used this film to illustrate the dangers of the Oregon Trail to my 8th grade history students. It is an interesting dramatization of the perils of traveling the Oregon Trail. The film does an excellent job of portraying the journey on the trail. It is very entertaining and kept my students interested.

Unfortunately, the film sugarcoats the reality of the result of the Sager's journey. Two of the Sager boys were massacred with the Whitmans instead of going on to a homestead in Oregon, as the film implies. The girls were adopted out.

Seven Alone
This is a true story about seven children who lose their parents while enroute to Oregon in 1843. Their eldest son manages to to complete the trip and fulfill their parent's dream. The movie does take some liberties with the real story such as the death of Henry Saget. In reality he was killed by a buffalo stampede and not a knive wound. It is unfortunate that MickeyTo in Toronto isn't familiar with American history. More information on this true story can be found by researching information on the Oregon Trail.