Reviews (29)

Snap that mainspring
Of all the whacked-out, loopy, unhinged and nutso stories that have made it to the sci-fi screen, this one takes the cake. It's the ultimate, the greatest science fiction movie ever made in English. Seeing it is what you might expect an episode of schizophrenia to be like: you just get drawn further and further away from reality and you're helpless to resist. H. G. Wells reportedly had a close hand in fashioning this pre-vision of what World War Two and its aftermath might be like and his eccentricity just adds to the enjoyment. Ralph Richardson lets it all hang out as only the English can do when they get unbuttoned, and Raymond Massey is equally fine. His eagle-like profile gazing into the heavens while a choir sings "Which Will It Be?" is an image you won't forget in a hurry.

GREAT movie, LOUSY video transfer
"Things to Come" was the "2001" of its day.

In the late sixties, I saw a clean print of this movie in a New York theatre and it blew me away. Although it is in black-and-white, it is visually spectacular; the story is exciting; and it has a wonderful score. The sound was mono optical sound, but it was crisp and clear and capable of delivering the impact of the Arthur Bliss music.

For years, I've owned a disappointing VHS copy, which looks as if it were made made from a dirty, blurry, over-contrasty 16mm print, and the sound quality is poor. I've yearned to see a clean copy.

So when I got my DVD player, one of the first things I did was to buy this release, which says that it "features a pristine new film-to-video transfer from original source materials."

I am sorry to say it looks EXACTLY like the cruddy old VHS version, and the mushy sound is completely unworthy of the composer and music director.

So, I don't know what to say. If you've never seen the movie _Things to Come_, I recommend the movie highly. But the image quality and sound on this DVD have, alas, that "lousy old 16mm print look."

Eerie, but worthwhile
Okay, enough already about the transfers, let's talk about the film itself.

In a nutshell, this 1936 Brit sci-fi feature deals with war and progress. Everytown (London?) is shown in 1940 about to celebrate Christmas amidst blaring headlines of war (in a nifty bit of symbolism, the children play with war toys around the Christmas tree). Then war hits the city (in an eerily accurate foretelling of the German blitz that DID rock England in 1940). As time goes on, the war drags into decades ending up in a post-apocalyptic society in 1966.

Because of the war, Everytown/London has regressed into a crude, medieval type society without electricity which wastes its resources on senseless wars and is led by a Hitler-type warlord ogre called "The Boss." The world is also famished by a deadly, incurable disease called "Wandering Sickenss" whose victims are shot by the boss (reminds you of Castro's quarantine of AIDS patients). John Cabal (Raymond Massey) is a leader of scientists who return to civilize Everytown/London and establish a scientific technocracy. But the Boss demands the technology to wage more war, which he tells his followers is necessary for the peace (he begins to sound frighteningly like George Bush Jr. during such speeches). Anyway, the Boss and Cabal face off, and I'll leave the rest to your imagination. A moon shot and some anti-progress protesters (simialr to today's anti WTO protesters) play major parts in the latter third of the story.

For those of us who are into history, this film is extremely eerie, yet fascinating and worthwhile to watch. It's scary in that some of what H.G. Wells prophesized did indeed come true in ways that are even more so than what I just mentioned. (Think of some of today's so-called Third World countries whose resources are wasted by boss-like dictators among other things). Basically, this film, despite the overtly speechike dialogue (Raymond Massey's soliloquy about the need for progress near the film's end is a bit hard to take), is an eloquent sermon on the hindrance that war makes on the progress of humanity and the need for education to triumph over ignorance. It would be great for a high school or college history teacher to show and have a discussion with their classes about this film.

An exceptional period piece
This movie, made between the two World Wars, preserves a complex and varied view of its time. The movie opens on a holiday, with family scenes, caroling, and the rest. The background, however, is a constant threat of war, blared from the news media. In an uncomfortable foreshadowing of 1984, the aggressor is never identified clearly, even when the bombs start to fall.

The next scenes were, I'm sure, as horrific a the director could make them, within the standards of the time. The city, the families in it, and the civilization that it stood for were bombed to the ground and the wreckage gassed. This must have had a special horror at the time. WW-I was still strong in living memory, and the veterans crippled by gas were still alive. But this movie's war went on for decades, long after were no more weapons left to fight it with.

The post-war population was slashed by plague - again, something vivid to people who still remembered the deadly Spanish Flu. Society collapsed into village-states, each governed by the biggest bully around.

New hope for the world came from pure technological optimism, the belief that scientists and engineers could create a moral society in their Buck Rogers laboratories and factories. Don't get me wrong - it is not possible to create a humane society without the labs and factories. We now know that it takes a lot more, as well. The arrogance, techno-tyrrany, and 'weapons of peace' in that new order seemed natural, even proper in that era. They chill a modern viewer, since we now know that a lab coat isn't a mantle of moral authority. That technological utopia was not perfect. It carried its own inherent vices, the easy life and the sense of entitlement to every comfort imaginable.

This movie is a time capsule. It recorded the beliefs and hopes of its age, and plays them back for us 60+ years later. I am boggled by what was then the most advanced thinking; it now seems so naive. We've had a chance to the predictions that came true (mostly, the negative ones) and the predictions that failed miserably in practice (most of the positive ones).

The science fiction aspects of this film will seem hopelessly dated to today's effects-junkies. Even the style of acting will seem stilted. No matter, this one is worth watching and re-watching. It makes me wonder which of today's hopes and fears will come true, and how they'll look half a century from now.

Historical pageantry fast-forwarded
The British, for some reason, were obsessed with historical pageants in the 1930s, and this peculiar product (one of the most expensive films made in Britian up to that time) is an odd by-product of that obsession. It plays like Noel Coward's CAVALCADE in reverse. It opens in 1940, when war against a foreign power is declared at Christmastime (these are the best and most famous sequences, and are performed nearly like a kind of pantomime). Then the film advances episodically at first about decade at a time, showing the devastation wrought by war and plague, the barbarian society that becomes built over the carnage, and finally the superscientific cryptofascistic organization that defeats the barbarian power and its own problems.

Aside from Alfred Hitchcock's work, british cinema just wasn't very good prior to the Second World War, and this film shows why: everyone from the evil barbarian dictator and his Lady MacBeth to the children in the street speak with absurdly posh BBC accents, and there's a ridiculous amount of posturing and posing. The film is mostly of interest today as a kind of curio, especially in its relaization onscreen of the popular futuristic fantsies of the period: giant Art Deco turbines, and oversized flying wing aircrafts that sweep the skies. The striking visualization of the Wings over the World society, with its towers and plazas, and its citizenry bedecked in caped togas with plastic tubing (the costumes were co-designed by the Marchioness of Queensbury!) clearly provided the inspiration for DC Comics illustrators in the United States in their depictions of Superman's Krypton for the next fifty years or so. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Often overlooked and I don't know why!
"The Quiller memorandum" is an unfortunately often overlooked Cold War-era spy thriller that is an excellent example of the genre. Set in a divided Berlin, it pits our hero, Quiller of MI-6 (played with world-weary, casual aplomb by the wonderful George Segal) against an evil underground cell of resurgent neo-Nazis, led by Max von Sydow. The beautiful German actress Senta Berger literally glows on the screen and features in an interesting plot twist made all the more disturbing by her on-screen job as a school teacher. The incredible Alec Guiness, in a small but critical role as Pol, epitomizes the faintly creepy, ever-inscrutable British spymaster that one never knows is friend or foe. Elegantly directed on location by Michael Anderson, it stands with "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" as one of the two best 'non-James Bondish" spy films of the late 60's. STRONGLY recommended!!

Thinking Man's Spy Movie
Although it's set in the 60's, it holds up today. Think of it as a period piece and remember it was during the cold war. You have to think Michael Caine turned this down because it's so close to his spy movies. There's no thrilling chases or Bond-type tricks, just plodding pursuit of his quest. However the enemy just lets him go twice and that will spoil it for the real thinkers. Just enjoy it and try to forget George in his "Just Shoot Me" TV role.

A JAMES BOND IT ISN'T
Milles away from JAMES BOND and other mindless spy spoof ,this entry is a delightful surprize, quite arresting from PINTER who scripted movies like ACCIDENT and THE GO-BETWEEN.Watching GEORGES SEGAL gets lost is always worth seeing(he always gets lost in most movies)Nice cameo by the late ALEC GUINNESS;we didn't have teachers as beautiful as SENTA BERGER in my time.If you must make a spy movie this the way it can be handled ,although some would prefer more action.

Quiller's cut above cookie cutter spy flicks
The Quiller Memorandum is a breath of fresh air that rises above many in the claustrophobic, cookie cutter spy genre of the late 60's. Make no mistake: all the spy flick elements are present in Quiller. There is the villian bent on world domination, the east vs. west theatrics, and the demure dame caught in the middle. Luckily though, the director doesn't play to the lowest denomenator. Instead of relying on guns and gadgets, George Segal's Quiller bags the bad guys and beds the girl (a very sensual girl in Senta Berger) with his brains only. If you don't like a deliberately-paced, believable spy story, don't watch Quiller. On the other hand, if you don't, you're missing a rare gem of the spy flick genre.

great flic. Though not mentioned ih reviw Senta Berger is sp
Von Sydow and Segal are great.Best spy flick ever. All work by performers Berge ... Read more

Reviews (4)

There'll always be an England...
A quirky British comedy wherein the Olympian gods grant miraculous powers to a nebbish from Essex, one Mr. Fotheringay, who at first is quite modest in his use of reality-bending, and eventually succumbs to the temptations of (near) absolute power. The prewar concerns of war, peace and the polite class politics of the UK are at the heart of this film; nice cameo by Ernest Thesiger (of James Whale horror film fame) as Mr. Maydig, a Bertram Russell-style swords-into-plowshares peacenik intellectual who is as quickly seduced by the lure of ultimate power as are his Establishment counterparts. Odd film; worth checking out.

Sledgehammer parable
Roland Young fudges his way nicely through any movie, but to imagine him as a vindictive man with unwieldy power is a bit of a stretch. Ralph Richardson, another man who seemingly can do no wrong, is badly miscast as the threatened retired British officer who becomes flummoxed when his weapons collection is transformed to ploughshares by the title character Young. The movie has a bright attitude, very spry, but the story is tired and the characters aren't able make up for it. A nice conceit but with nothing much to say in the end, other than, "Power draws calamity, well-intentioned or not."

Interesting Thought-Provoking Premise
This is an interesting and very entertaining film, which still holds up well after more than 60 years. The angels decide to bestow miraculous powers upon a common, little man. He can make things change, move, appear, or disappear at will. In addition to providing for some very comedic episodes, it raises some though-provoking questions as to the use of such power.

The special effects are executed quite well, and one can only speculate as to what a remake would be like, given today's cutting edge special effects technology. But don't wait for the remake; this film is well worth seeing.

THE MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES
IF EVER A MOVIE NEEDED TO BE REMADE THIS IS THE ONE.WITH TODAYS SPECIAL EFFECTS AND A TERRIFIC CAST TO EQUAL THE 1937 ENSEMBLE OF GREAT ACTORS IT WOULD BE A SMASH.I FIRST SAW THIS MOVIE WHEN I WAS QUITE YOUNG AND IT IMPRESSED ME GREATLY.NATURALLY YOU WOULD EXPECT A DIFFERENT REACTION WHEN VIEWING IT AS AN ADULT BUT TO MY SURPRISE IT HELD UP AS ONE OF THE MOST IMAGINATIVE FANTASY FILMS I HAVE EVER SEEN.TRY IT ,YOU'LL LIKE IT! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

+1/2. Nice early glimpse at Tyrone Power's charm
This semi-historical drama features a young, rail-thin Tyrone Power in his first starring role, as Jonathan Blake, a fictional English entrepreneur who has a rags-to-riches career at the famed Lloyd's insurance company. He is also the (again, fictional) childhood friend of Lord Horatio Nelson, naval hero of the Battle of Trafalgar, where the British turned aside and decisively defeated the combined armada of Napoleonic France and his Spanish allies. Power is attractive, but a bit stiff; the film is surprisingly engaging, though a bit disappointing due to the liberties it takes with history. Mostly, though, this is good, clean fun, classic 'Thirties fluff. Plenty of good character actors, too!

A Star Is Born
Freddie Bartholomew steals each scene he's in during the first half-hour or so of this lavish production, and then he grows up into Tyrone Power and we forget him until the very last scene.

This was the film that made Tyrone Power a star. With all the costumes and the historical names being used and the moral clash of patriotism and monetary gain, the plot's more than a little leaden at times, and we're left to ponder if the end does in fact justify the means. The plot sometimes lectures, sometimes enlightens, but mostly yawns for two hours.

It takes someone with considerable charm to all but carry such a film, and that's just what Tyrone Power does. The character of Johnathan Blake is that much more likeable and sympathetic because of him. And top it all off with his famous good looks, which the camera made sure to capture, and you have yourself the birth of a star.

This isn't at all one of the best historical movie ever made, but it's worth the viewing for Tyrone Power fans, if only for the close-ups. That's eye candy, to be sure, and then some. Just don't expect a British accent. Nobody's perfect. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Something for everybody.
While not less than the sum of the parts, Tales Of Manhattan really IS just parts. And some of the parts don't quite fit.

But you get your money's worth. A fine and hillarious segment with Henry Fonda and Ginger Rodgers. A brilliant, but desparately sad performance from Edward G. Robinson. A slow, boring and wildly implausible tale with Charles Boyer and Rita Hayworth. But she looks so beautiful, its almost beyond belief.

Rounding it out is a politically incorrect piece with Paul Robeson and don't miss the recently resurected part with W.C. Fields giving a temperance lecture.

As they used to say "You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll experience the entire range of human emotion". Not bad for $20.

And thereby hangs a tale--or five!
Like "The Yellow Rolls Royce", "Tales of Manhattan" is a movie about a single object owned by many different people over time, and how the object plays a role in the lives of those owners, in this case, a formal tailcoat. "Tales of Manhattan" is a virtual Syms clothing store of a movie, chock full of "names you must know": Ginger Rogers, Henry Fonda, Charles Boyer, Rita Hayworth, Charles Laughton, Edward G. Robinson, Cesar Romero, and WC Fields. I think it is about one tale too long--the WC Fields one--and that's why I bobbed this tail down to 3 stars instead of 4. His skit is way too long and frankly rather boring. Otherwise, there's a melodrama, a few get-out-your-hankie pieces, and a comedic romp. Really an omnibus, with something for everyone. Unless you're into WC Fields, fast forward when you get to that one, and you'll be okay.

Lesser-known Hollywood Classic
I became aware of this masterpiece through reading about W.C. Fields and his involvement. Always fascinated by stories of "lost" or "deleted" footage from classic stars (i.e. many Laurel and Hardy segments, Elvis Presley's 1955 movie short, the Three Stooges alternate version of "Malice in the Palice" with a cameo by Curly three years after he retired, etc.), I purchased this tape immediately after discovering that Field's originally removed segment, described as a fairly long, verbal sequence coming at a time when his film career was decidedly in decline, was included in this release.
I was not at all disappointed in the "temperance lecture" scene beautifully executed by the master. (It's somewhat understandable that the bit was cut, as the movie was very long. Too bad that the material could not have been fashioned into a one or two-reeler at the time, as slightly outdated as they were by '42).
Other memorable performances come from Edward G. Robinson (at a class reunion), and Ethel Waters, who is brilliant despite the stereotypical Southern scene.

Stars Over Manhattan!
Tales of Manhattan is a star-studded movie that featured 46 supporting players as well as a main cast including Charles Boyer, Rita Hayworth, Ginger Rogers, Henry Fonda, Charles Laughton, Edward G. Robinson, W.C. Fields, Paul Robeson, Ethel Waters, and Eddie Rochester Anderson. A film like this could never be made today because each star would demand so much money that the budget would be so high.

The film begins when a tailor and his assistants bring a tailcoat to the apartment of stage actor Paul Orman (Charles Boyer). They then inform him that the cutter put a curse on the suit, but he assures Mr. Orman¡Çs that it will bring him happiness.

Paul¡Çs next play is a smash hit, but he leaves as soon as he takes his bow. He tells Luther (Eugene Pallette), his servant, to drive him to Ethel Halloway¡Çs (Rita Hayworth) home. He is in love with her, but she is married to John (Thomas Mitchell). He is supposed to go hunting tomorrow in Canada, so the two lovers plan to meet in town. At Ethel¡Çs home, they discuss the plan, but the inquisitive John is always near. He decides to clean his gun when he begins to talk to Paul. While Ethel watches in horror, Paul is shot. But he gives a performance pretending he was missed. Paul manages to get out to Luther, who takes him the St. Luke¡Çs Hospital.

Now that Paul doesn¡Çt need the tailcoat any more, Luther brings it to his friend Edgar (Rolland Young). He is the butler for Harry (Cesar Romero) who is marrying Diane (Ginger Rogers) that evening. While in her own apartment, Ellen (Gail Patrick), Diane¡Çs friend comes and tells her that when she was looking in her husband¡Çs tailcoat, she found a comb with red hair. She knows her own husband has been cheating on her. They both go off the Harry¡Çs together.

While waiting for him to get up, they find his tailcoat just lying on the back of a chair. Ellen coaxes Diane into looking through it. In the last pocket she looks in, she finds a love letter from ¡ÈSquirrel.¡É They read it out loud, and Harry hears them. He runs to the kitchen and calls his friend George (Henry Fonda) to come and get him out of the fix. George comes and says that he accidentally left his own tailcoat at the apartment last night when he came for a party and he gives Harry Paul Orman¡Çs tailcoat saying its his.

There is also a big break for a musician (Charles Laughton) and another vignette in which Edward G. Robinson is transformed from a bum to a classy lawyer attending his college re-union. There is also a great segment with W.C. Fields. It was not included in the original release, but it is included in the new home video version. Finally, the coat falls on a poor sharecropper community with some stolen money in it. It provides the townspeople with a wonderful Christmas! The coat ends up as a scarecrow on the farm, a far way from the tailcoat of a wealthy actor!

This movie has something for everybody. My Dad¡Çs favorite vignette was the Edward G. Robinson episode. He liked it because it was very deep, talky, and ironic. My mom disliked that version because of the very same reason. Her favorite was the episode with Charles Laughton because it was heartwarming and charming. My favorite was the Ginger Rogers/Henry Fonda version because it went so smoothly and all the actors were at their best! All in all, it was a fantastic film, and everyone, not just film buffs, should enjoy it!

A True Classic!
This is the kind of film you buy (as opposed to rent) because you want to share it with your friends. Every person I've shown this film to agrees that it's a first rate classic. When they say, "They don't make films like that anymore," they're talking about this film. Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Many good actors, so-so movie
Yet another entry in my quest to see Warren William movies, "The Private Affairs of Bel Ami" is really a starring vehicle for George Sanders, the definitive cad of Hollywood. He holds special attractions for hosts of women, all of whom he misuses while furthering his own selfish desires. I hated the look of this picture; to me, it seemed like a set from "The Twilight Zone"--very unconvincing-looking Paris. Besides Sanders and William, the cast includes Ann Dvorak, John Carradine, and Angela Lansbury. See it if you want to; I don't figure on seeing it again for a couple of years, if then.

A Rake's Progress ... Elegant, Witty, Superb
George Sanders never gave a bad performance. Here, he's at the top of his form as the charming cad who leaves an array of weeping women in his wake as he relentlessly climbs to the social pinnacle of 19th century France. He comes closest to loving etherally beautiful Angela Lansbury but tosses her aside, too. Love does not conquer all here. The large cast is uniformly top rate. Among Bel Ami's other cast-offs are Ann Dvorak, Frances Dee, Marie Wilson, with Katerine Emery and Susan Douglas as a wealthy mother and daughter who both succumb to his ruthless allure. Of course, he dumps the mother and asks the father for the daughter's hand! Eventually, through the auspices of the women he loves and leaves, he amasses enough money to buy what's he's really wanted all along--an aristocratic title. And therein lies the rub.

The film was directed by Albert Lewin with an ironic European sophistication rarely seen in Hollywood films of the period. The incomparable Russell Metty's photography adds to the splendor. See it. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The first of Alfred Hitchcock's World War II features, Foreign Correspondent was completed in 1940, as the European war was only beginning to erupt across national borders. Its titular hero, Johnny Jones (Joel McCrea), is an American crime reporter dispatched by his New York publisher to put a fresh spin on the drowsy dispatches emanating from overseas, his nose for a good story (and, of course, some fortuitous timing) promptly leading him to the "crime" of fascism and Nazi Germany's designs on European conquest.

In attempting to learn more about a seemingly noble peace effort, Jones (who's been saddled with the dubious nom du plume Hadley Haverstock) walks into the middle of an assassination, uncovers a spy ring, and, not entirely coincidentally, falls in love--a pattern familiar to admirers of Hitchcock's espionage thrillers, of which this is a thoroughly entertaining example. McCrea's hardy Yankee charms are neatly contrasted with the droll, veddy English charm of colleague George Sanders; Herbert Marshall provides a plummy variation on the requisite, ambiguous "good-or-is-he-really-bad" guy; Laraine Day affords a lovely heroine; and Robert Benchley (who contributed to the script) pops up, albeit too briefly, for comic relief.

As good as the cast is, however, it's Hitchcock's staging of key action sequences that makes Foreign Correspondent a textbook example of the director's visual energy: an assassin's escape through a rain-soaked crowd is registered by rippling umbrellas, a nest of spies is detected by the improbable direction of a windmill's spinning sails, and Jones's nocturnal flight across a pitched city rooftop produces its own contextual comment when broken neon tubes convert the Hotel Europe into "Hot Europe." --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (15)

One Of Hitchcock's Best
"Foreign Correspondent" was Alfred Hitchcock's second American feature made in 1940, the same year as his first feature "Rebecca", and surprisingly both were up for "best picture". In fact "Foreign Correspodent" was nominated for 6 Oscars. But even so, the movie is rarely regarded as one of Hitchcock's best, and that's a shame. "Foreign Correspondent" ranks up there with the best Hitchcock films such as "Rear Window", "Psycho", and "Vertigo". The "master of suspense" displays all the talents that have made him one of the finest film-makers of all-time (at least in my opinion).

"Foreign Correspondent" has Joel McCrea as John Jones, an American reporter sent over to Europe to cover the beginnings of WW2. And, as you can probably guess, Jones will stumble upon a big story and soon become a man who knows too much.

Van Meer, a man Jones was sent to interview (Albert Basserman, in an Oscar nominated performance) is on a council to prevent WW2, but he is soon murdered, or is he? He was the only person who knew of a secret clause that was to be written in a peace treaty.

A lot of people speak highly of the assination scene with the umbrellas, and Edmund Gwenn's scene on top of the tower. Most of you will know Gwenn as Santa Clause in "Miracle on 34th Street". But I have to admit some of my favorite scenes deal with the more comedic aspects of the film such as Robert Benchley's scenes, as an on-the-wagon reporter just yearning for one more drink, who has no idea what is going on around him. I also enjoy a scene dealing with George Sanders (Scott ffolliott) as he explains why he his name is spelled with two lower case "f's", McCrea responds with "How do you pronouce it? With a stutter?"

I've always felt Hitchcock's early work sometimes allowed the dry wit to get into the way of his movies. They could be seen as comedy\mystery movies in the vain of "The Thin Man" series. But in "Foreign Correspondent" I absolutely didn't mind. I enjoyed it greatly. Benchley was actually allowed to write his own lines and Ben Hechet, who helped co-write (he wrote the play "The Front Page", as well as two other Hitchcock movies, "Notorious" and "Spellbound") are without doubt why this movie actually does make us laugh. Benchley really is a highlight for me. Please pay attention to his dialogue. It's a shame so many people don't remember him nowadays.

And, there's more more thing I feel the need to comment on. What an amazing cast this film has. I've mentioned some of them already, McCrea, Sanders, and Benchley, but Herbert Marshall is also in this movie as Stephen Fisher, Van Meer's partner. Everyone does a wonderful job.

Bottom-line: Sadly not as popular as some of Hitchcock's other films, but, it deserves to be. It really is one of his best works. Great moments of suspense and wit.

Hitchcock at the top of his game
Despite being nominated for six Academy Awards, including best picture, Alfred Hitchcock's second American film, "Foreign Correspondent," has received little notice through the years. Critics gush, and rightly so, over "Rear Window" and "Vertigo" but scarcely breathe a word about this masterpiece. Released in 1940, the same year as "Rebecca," it has been left to languish in the graveyard of late night television where its very lack of promotion no doubt leads many a Hitchcock fan to believe it must be one of the master's lesser films, something on the order of "The Paradine Case" or "Under Capricorn."

"Foreign Correspondent" is, in fact, one of the director's greatest films, every bit as good as "The 39 Steps," "North by Northwest" and other famous Hitchcock classics and far superior to "Rebecca," a film that Hitchcock himself described as belonging more to Selznick than to him. The Master of Suspense's trademark touches are very evident in this exciting suspense adventure in which Joel McCrea (chosen after Gary Cooper passed on the project), a lightweight reporter for a New York newspaper, is given a plum assignment that leads him into international intrigue involving a kidnapped scientist.

Hitchcock may have been disappointed in McCrea (labelling him "too easygoing") but the often underrated actor is excellent and is aided by one of Hitchcock's most perfect casts. As fellow reporters, George Sanders provides plenty of world-weary wit and the great Robert Benchley, who also wrote some of his own dialogue, adds a light touch in what is otherwise a fairly grim thriller. Herbert Marshall is on hand as the elegant villain, and Edmund Gwenn who would define "warm and cuddly" as Santa Claus in "Miracle on 34th Street" a few years later, exudes evil as an assassin.

There are many standout scenes, all every bit as imaginative as the cropduster attack on Cary Grant in "North by Northwest" or the shower murder in "Psycho." Note the ominous mood in the windmill where the kidnapped scientist is held captive, or the plane's plunge into the ocean just before the finale. The moment when the aged scientist (perfectly embodied by Albert Basserman, an Oscar nominee for his role) is tortured in a hotel room while a helpless Sanders looks on can make you squirm more than anything in "The Birds."

In short, this is Hitchcock at the very top of his game. The only thing "Foreign Correspondent" lacks is the acclaim and notoriety it deserves.

Good.
'Foreign Correspondent' is yet another fantasic mystery from Alfred Hitchcock. Although I don't remember the storyline too much, I remember liking it enough to give it a four-star review.

Not a Bad Propaganda Film
Released in 1940 by the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, this movie (although somewhat fictitiously) explains the beginning of World War II. This is one of Hitchcock's spy thrillers, complete with his man-in-the-middle and MacGuffin storylines.
Huntley Haverstock (Joel McCrea) is a newspaper reporter from New York who is sent to Europe to meet with the Dutch Professor Van Meer, who holds a secret clause in a peace treaty that may avert the coming war. After witnessing Van Meer's death, Haverstock becomes embroiled in an elaborate scenario in which the Nazis play a pivotal role.
In Haverstock's adventure, he meets up with the lovely Carol Fisher (Laraine Day)and her father, Stephen Fisher (Herbert Marshall). Are the Fishers really who they say they are?
The movie has many plot twists and exciting sequences that have become so memorable in Hitchcock lore.
The scene with the windmill's blades rotating backward has become classic, as well as the bobbing umbrellas in the rain as the murderer of Van Meer escapes through them. And also watch for the spectacular plane crash at the end of the film.
And who can forget seeing Edmund Gwenn, the man known forever to film buffs as Santa Claus from Miracle on 34th Street, playing here the sinister hit man, Rowley.
Clearly a great storyline, Foreign Correspondent is a must-see for any Hitchcock fan. This was his second film he made in America after David Selznick brought him over from England, and probably the best piece of propaganda to get the American public more interested in war looming on the horizon.

Another Hitchcock classic!
This movie is great. It deserves five stars. This movie is a wonderful drama and chase movie. Only the Master of Suspense could only direct such a great film. See it! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Classic WWII Adventure
They did a nice job of restoring and putting this on DVD. Excerpts from the movie are shown in a window in the menu. A featurette "A String of Beads" is included. I thought the featurette was a bit slow but the movie is good. Gene Tierney, Bruce Cabot, and Harry Carey all give good performances in Sundown. The movie takes place in Africa during WWII. Bruce Cabot is the commander at a British outpost and he must contend with German gunrunners and rebellious tribes. Gene Tierny as a caravan trader and Harry Carey as a big game hunter come to his aid. If you enjoy older movies like Beau Geste or Casablanca you will probably enjoy this as well. The price makes it well worth owning if you collect classic movies.

But it's missing a scene....
The picture's been restored quality-wise, but a scene present on my otherwise poor quality videotape version is missing here: as the Italian prisoner demands an honor guard to take him to the stockade, the Dutchman arrives outside the bungalow and asks for water, which he dispenses to his native escort. In the dvd, the Italian's tirade ends abruptly and the Dutchman is just in front of the desk all of a sudden. Not much, I know, and probably not even 5 minutes, but it does add a sympathetic quality to the Dutchman which becomes important later.

Avoid the alleged trailer if you haven't seen the movie. It looks like the dvd producers just strung some scenes together to make a digest version of the film. The plot twists are given away.

I do like this movie very much, enough that the this dvd not being perfect annoys me.

A good British War Movie
One of my favorite movies. Good restoration of audio and video. Will you like it? If you liked "Drums", "Charge of the Light Brigade", "Four Feathers", "Gunga Din", and "Zulu", you might want to give this a shot. Bruce Cabot is believable as the Colonial Administrator and George Sanders is just terrific.

A Glowing, Restored SUNDOWN
Poor Gene Tierney! After luring her away from the Broadway stage where she had scored in comedy roles, Hollywood proved at a loss as to how to showcase her acting talent. Accordingly, she was cast in a series of improbable roles in which her chief responsibility was to look ravishingly gorgeous. "Sundown", filmed while Tierney was still just 20 years old, is a prime example of how her acting abilities were wasted during her first couple of years in films. In this patriotic WWII action-adventure set in Africa, she plays an exotic half-caste caravan owner (later revealed to be British!) who helps the Allied forces keep the continent from becoming an Axis stronghold. The plot is confused and silly claptrap, but it's all beautifully photographed by Charles Lang (who would work with Tierney again on "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" at Fox), excitingly scored by Miklos Rozsa ... and Tierney is indeed breathtakingly lovely in her midriff-baring costumes, which is reason enough to watch. (Also pay close attention to catch a very young Dorothy Dandridge in a small featured role!)

The VCI Home Video DVD is definitely the version of this movie to see. The original copyright had lapsed, and the film had fallen into the public domain. As a result, the marketplace was flooded with cheaply produced video copies transfered from grainy, washed-out multi-generational prints. The VCI DVD has been restored and digitally mastered, and the result is a sharp, crisp presentation offering excellent video contrast and vastly-improved sound that has been appropriately copyrighted by the archivists.

The DVD also offers a small, but well-chosen, stills gallery; a newly created video trailer; and well-written albeit flawed cast biographies (Tierney's actual birthdate is November 19, 1920, not November 20 as misreported by "The New York Times" ... and her first film was "The Return of Frank James", not "The Return of Jesse James"). There's also a bonus featurette of Ronald Colman, Angela Lansbury, and Nigel Bruce in the 1954 television adaptation of Somerset Maugham's story "A String of Beads" ... which has nothing at all to do with the feature film, but is a most welcome and entertaining surprise nonetheless. Overall, this edition is highly recommended for Tierney fans, and a fine example of the potential inherent in the DVD format. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Snap that mainspring
Of all the whacked-out, loopy, unhinged and nutso stories that have made it to the sci-fi screen, this one takes the cake. It's the ultimate, the greatest science fiction movie ever made in English. Seeing it is what you might expect an episode of schizophrenia to be like: you just get drawn further and further away from reality and you're helpless to resist. H. G. Wells reportedly had a close hand in fashioning this pre-vision of what World War Two and its aftermath might be like and his eccentricity just adds to the enjoyment. Ralph Richardson lets it all hang out as only the English can do when they get unbuttoned, and Raymond Massey is equally fine. His eagle-like profile gazing into the heavens while a choir sings "Which Will It Be?" is an image you won't forget in a hurry.

GREAT movie, LOUSY video transfer
"Things to Come" was the "2001" of its day.

In the late sixties, I saw a clean print of this movie in a New York theatre and it blew me away. Although it is in black-and-white, it is visually spectacular; the story is exciting; and it has a wonderful score. The sound was mono optical sound, but it was crisp and clear and capable of delivering the impact of the Arthur Bliss music.

For years, I've owned a disappointing VHS copy, which looks as if it were made made from a dirty, blurry, over-contrasty 16mm print, and the sound quality is poor. I've yearned to see a clean copy.

So when I got my DVD player, one of the first things I did was to buy this release, which says that it "features a pristine new film-to-video transfer from original source materials."

I am sorry to say it looks EXACTLY like the cruddy old VHS version, and the mushy sound is completely unworthy of the composer and music director.

So, I don't know what to say. If you've never seen the movie _Things to Come_, I recommend the movie highly. But the image quality and sound on this DVD have, alas, that "lousy old 16mm print look."

Eerie, but worthwhile
Okay, enough already about the transfers, let's talk about the film itself.

In a nutshell, this 1936 Brit sci-fi feature deals with war and progress. Everytown (London?) is shown in 1940 about to celebrate Christmas amidst blaring headlines of war (in a nifty bit of symbolism, the children play with war toys around the Christmas tree). Then war hits the city (in an eerily accurate foretelling of the German blitz that DID rock England in 1940). As time goes on, the war drags into decades ending up in a post-apocalyptic society in 1966.

Because of the war, Everytown/London has regressed into a crude, medieval type society without electricity which wastes its resources on senseless wars and is led by a Hitler-type warlord ogre called "The Boss." The world is also famished by a deadly, incurable disease called "Wandering Sickenss" whose victims are shot by the boss (reminds you of Castro's quarantine of AIDS patients). John Cabal (Raymond Massey) is a leader of scientists who return to civilize Everytown/London and establish a scientific technocracy. But the Boss demands the technology to wage more war, which he tells his followers is necessary for the peace (he begins to sound frighteningly like George Bush Jr. during such speeches). Anyway, the Boss and Cabal face off, and I'll leave the rest to your imagination. A moon shot and some anti-progress protesters (simialr to today's anti WTO protesters) play major parts in the latter third of the story.

For those of us who are into history, this film is extremely eerie, yet fascinating and worthwhile to watch. It's scary in that some of what H.G. Wells prophesized did indeed come true in ways that are even more so than what I just mentioned. (Think of some of today's so-called Third World countries whose resources are wasted by boss-like dictators among other things). Basically, this film, despite the overtly speechike dialogue (Raymond Massey's soliloquy about the need for progress near the film's end is a bit hard to take), is an eloquent sermon on the hindrance that war makes on the progress of humanity and the need for education to triumph over ignorance. It would be great for a high school or college history teacher to show and have a discussion with their classes about this film.

An exceptional period piece
This movie, made between the two World Wars, preserves a complex and varied view of its time. The movie opens on a holiday, with family scenes, caroling, and the rest. The background, however, is a constant threat of war, blared from the news media. In an uncomfortable foreshadowing of 1984, the aggressor is never identified clearly, even when the bombs start to fall.

The next scenes were, I'm sure, as horrific a the director could make them, within the standards of the time. The city, the families in it, and the civilization that it stood for were bombed to the ground and the wreckage gassed. This must have had a special horror at the time. WW-I was still strong in living memory, and the veterans crippled by gas were still alive. But this movie's war went on for decades, long after were no more weapons left to fight it with.

The post-war population was slashed by plague - again, something vivid to people who still remembered the deadly Spanish Flu. Society collapsed into village-states, each governed by the biggest bully around.

New hope for the world came from pure technological optimism, the belief that scientists and engineers could create a moral society in their Buck Rogers laboratories and factories. Don't get me wrong - it is not possible to create a humane society without the labs and factories. We now know that it takes a lot more, as well. The arrogance, techno-tyrrany, and 'weapons of peace' in that new order seemed natural, even proper in that era. They chill a modern viewer, since we now know that a lab coat isn't a mantle of moral authority. That technological utopia was not perfect. It carried its own inherent vices, the easy life and the sense of entitlement to every comfort imaginable.

This movie is a time capsule. It recorded the beliefs and hopes of its age, and plays them back for us 60+ years later. I am boggled by what was then the most advanced thinking; it now seems so naive. We've had a chance to the predictions that came true (mostly, the negative ones) and the predictions that failed miserably in practice (most of the positive ones).

The science fiction aspects of this film will seem hopelessly dated to today's effects-junkies. Even the style of acting will seem stilted. No matter, this one is worth watching and re-watching. It makes me wonder which of today's hopes and fears will come true, and how they'll look half a century from now.

Historical pageantry fast-forwarded
The British, for some reason, were obsessed with historical pageants in the 1930s, and this peculiar product (one of the most expensive films made in Britian up to that time) is an odd by-product of that obsession. It plays like Noel Coward's CAVALCADE in reverse. It opens in 1940, when war against a foreign power is declared at Christmastime (these are the best and most famous sequences, and are performed nearly like a kind of pantomime). Then the film advances episodically at first about decade at a time, showing the devastation wrought by war and plague, the barbarian society that becomes built over the carnage, and finally the superscientific cryptofascistic organization that defeats the barbarian power and its own problems.

Aside from Alfred Hitchcock's work, british cinema just wasn't very good prior to the Second World War, and this film shows why: everyone from the evil barbarian dictator and his Lady MacBeth to the children in the street speak with absurdly posh BBC accents, and there's a ridiculous amount of posturing and posing. The film is mostly of interest today as a kind of curio, especially in its relaization onscreen of the popular futuristic fantsies of the period: giant Art Deco turbines, and oversized flying wing aircrafts that sweep the skies. The striking visualization of the Wings over the World society, with its towers and plazas, and its citizenry bedecked in caped togas with plastic tubing (the costumes were co-designed by the Marchioness of Queensbury!) clearly provided the inspiration for DC Comics illustrators in the United States in their depictions of Superman's Krypton for the next fifty years or so. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Ancient Roman Antics
This is my favorite Esther Williams film. Based on a 1920's play
called The Road to Rome, the idea was to spoof biblical and ancient
times epics that were popular inthe 1950s. Esther's two major swim
sequences (one with male statues in an underwater grotto coming to
life; the other a thrilling underwater chase/battle) are amazing
and beautiful to behold. George Sanders is always a welcome presence, and Howard Keel is he-man yummy in his body armour. Marge
and Gower Champion lend excellent support, and check out those
technicolored elephants at the end. This film had production troubles and forced Esther to give up her contract at MGM, which is a shame because she and Howard make a great team (both are
physically gorgeous in this) and should have made more films together, but the era of original studio musicals was at an end.

fine Williams musical
This was Esther Williams' last film under her MGM contract, and what a send-off! This unique musical is set in ancient Rome, with our heroine romancing Hannibal and saving the fair city of Rome.

Amytis (Esther Williams) is a fair Roman maiden betrothed to the boring Fabius (George Sanders), whom she can't seem to learn to love. In the song "I Have A Dream" she sings of what she wants in life and love. Fabius is not a part of her ideal world.

One day she and her handmaiden (Marge Champion) decide to investigate the camp of Hannibal (Howard Keel), who at first is repelled by her and then falls for her. When Hannibal decides to storm Rome and de-throne Fabius, she uses herself as a bargaining tool to save her home.

Keel and Williams have a great chemistry (they also starred together in PAGAN LOVE SONG and TEXAS CARNIVAL). Full of lilting romance and splendid costumes, JUPITER'S DARLING also stars Richard Haydn, Norma Varden, and some gorgeous Hermes Pan-choreographed numbers with Marge and Gower Champion.

Off-beat and spoofy
This is such an odd-ball film that I couldn't tear myself away. I think the film makers knew exactly how corny the premise of this film was and captalized on it by spoofing the material. Howard Keel chews the scenery and Marge and Gower Champion are one of the greatest dance teams ever. Esther is Esther, tongue firmly placed in cheek as usual. Best if seen in the letterbox format, which is not available on video, but can be seen on Turner Clasic Movies.

Sizzling chemistry between Howard Keel and Esther Williams
This has got to be one of Howard Keel's finest displays of machismo on the screen. I've seen many of his films and have never witnessed the sizzling he-man that he portrayed as Hannibal. For a movie made during an era of conservatism on screen, this film oozed sex-appeal, but in good taste. Not only between Keel and Williams, but Marge and Gower Champion as well. Well done!

boring
I had a tough time staying awake for this one.There was one underwater scene that was probably the best segment of this drawn out spoof. Sorry, but I would not recommend this movie to my worst enemy. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Christie Meets Hitchcock
This was a pleasant surprise. I've always liked Agatha Christie's unusual 1968 novel, but I'd never seen this 1972 British film version. Many critics (and fans) have given the movie high marks over the years, so I bought the DVD. Now I'm a fan, too.

ENDLESS NIGHT isn't your typical Christie "whodunnit," but a dark, creepy psychological suspense story. Writer/director Sidney Gilliat, who worked with Hitchcock on THE LADY VANISHES and also made the wonderful GREEN FOR DANGER, was obviously influenced by the Master in his approach to it. The result is like a dream collaboration between Christie and Hitchcock, the two giants of suspense. We have the sinister house in the sinister small town, the Hitchcock blonde (a surprisingly good Hayley Mills, of all people), the flashbacks to childhood trauma, and the shocking twist ending. On top of that, we have one of the final musical scores from Hitchcock's favorite composer, Bernard Herrmann.

Hitchcock students, pay close attention to those flashbacks at the icy lake (SPELLBOUND), the scenes in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (VERTIGO), and that wooden sign with the big eye painted on it that reads "Thou, God, sees't me." And check out the final scenes in the hospital (PSYCHO).

No, ENDLESS NIGHT isn't as wonderful as any of those films, but it's one of the better "homages" to Hitchcock I've ever seen, and one of the better Christie adaptations, too. Try it.

Shameful
what a waste of time and money, dame Agatha would be spinning in her grave for this cheap boring movie! Not even worth saying any more.

TWISTS & TURNS
Mike Rogers is a dreamer. His tastes are expensive and he is adept at pretending that he is more than a chauffeur. Then a young woman enters his life and the two fall in love and marry. She happens to be the sixth richest woman in the world but who cares? She is in love and Mike can now see his dreams come to pass. We see a happy couple. Yet strange things begin to happen that upsets the nest of the newlyweds.

Endless Night takes you on a road of twists and turns in the relationship of two mismatched lovers. Friends and relatives appear to drive a wedge in their marriage but Mike and Ellie are determined to hang on in there regardless of family interference and the appearances of a crazy woman.

Hayley Mills stars in this mystery and delivers a competent performance as the naive love struck American. You will find that the story begins to drag but then piece by piece the tension builds. You're kept in suspense as numerous incidents occur that lead you off base. Endless Nights is full of suspense, mystery and at times borders on horror. You will be kept on your toes as you try to figure out the intentions of Mike as well as Ellie's family.

BUY IT FOR THE SCORE ALONE
Before I discuss the film itself, I have to mention Bernard Herrmann's classic score. At a time in his career when mainstream Hollywood turned its back on Herrmann, smaller, independent or British films embraced this veteran of the studio system days. And here, in "Endless Night," Herrmann did some of his best, most mature work. The score is amazing, a symphony of synthesizers and orchestral music as only Herrmann could put together. And who could forget Shirley Jones (dubbing for Hayley Mills) singing the title song adapted from the William Blake poem? It is a lovely piece and deserves to be sung in concert venues. Alas, this brilliant score--reflective of Herrmann's maturity and mastery of film music--is unavailable on CD. So here, on DVD, you can hear it in the best form it has been available in for a long time.
As for the film itself, it doesn't ever reach the level of pathos and sad beauty of Herrmann's score, but it does have a memorable style all its own. The script is competent, even inspired at times, and the whole thing feels less like Agatha Christie and more like the murky thriller territory Hitchcock worked in. Hayley Mills is charming and lovely in her role; her presence here makes one wish to see more of this actress as an adult. She has been criminally underused in film, but she adds grace and warmth to these proceedings (the warmth being especially welcome in this somewhat cold film). Hywel Bennet is competent in his role, and Britt Ekland is less out-of-place in this movie than in others I've seen her in. (Is it just me or does dear Britt always seemed dubbed in every film she's in? Do they have to loop every one of her lines?) The movie is a complex, intriguing mystery that is only somewhat undermined by the dated trappings of the sets, particularly that garish seventies house that is depicted as a dream home. Overall, however, the film is shot quite stylishly and even if you figure out, as most discerning viewers will, the plot ahead of time, it still remains a solid character study and psychological thriller. The dvd itself has few extras, but the transfer is the best I've seen and all in all, it confirms the fact the for mystery fans this is something of an overlooked gem.

Not Hayley's best film
This was probably not the best choice of movies for the extremely talented Ms. Mills. She deserves far better material.Still, the material is interesting. There are enough twists and turns in this movie to keep you watching.The only mistake that I feel they made is the dubbing of her singing voice. It just didn't sound even close to Ms Mills actual voice and was rather out of place in the film. The film was worth watching. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Great follow-up from the first!
"A Shot In The Dark" finds Peter Sellers' Inspector Clouseau on the case of a murder at the Chateau. Maria Gambrelli (Elke Sommer), a resider, is accused. Clouseau has fallen in love with her and is willing to free her of any charge by watching her every move and masquerading, which finds him going to the police station 4 times in a repeated paddy wagon sequence which is absolutely the cream of it all. Streaking through a nudist colony is another great sequence that is a quite a shocker on film. When the climax is about to occur, Clouseau questions a group of bickering people who've comitted dirty sinful deeds, plus Dreyfus (Herbert Lom) is out to eliminate Clouseau. He did, of course, fail to do so. The outcome is surprising. You'll have to see for yourself. It's not better than "The Pink Panther Strikes Again" as it is called by many the best. It comes close, though. This is the only Pink Panther movie that does not have the Pink Panther in the title and the theme song in the movie, but is definetly worth seeing. There's no question about it. You'll laugh so hard you'll fall. Don't fall to hard, otherwise you'll receive a "bemp" on the head!

"I Seem To Have Stabbed Myself With A Letter Opener."
This is one of the very rare films where the sequel is better than the original. This movie is absolutely a letter perfect comedy: suave yet silly; understated yet over the top; pompous yet reserved. You get the idea. A perfect film. I wouldn't change one thing about this movie, even if I could. Peter Sellers defines the bumbling Clouseau as an individual better here than in the original, and I think the supporting cast is stronger as well. Elke Sommer is perfect as the beautiful, naive murder suspect who Clouseau goes to any ends to defend, while George Sanders is wonderful as the great scoundrel millionaire, Benjamin Ballon. Introduced for the first time in the series are Bert Kwouk as Kato (later spelled 'Cato'), Graham Stark as Clouseau's (extremely) patient assistant, Hercule, and my favorite of all the Panther supporting characters, the great Herbert Lom as Inspector Dreyfus. Watching Lom go through the phases of psychosis in this film is one of the greatest experiences and delights a person can have as a movie viewer. (I particularly like his performance in the closing scene, and when reading the newspaper with trembling hands and twitching eye.)

The plot concerns Clouseau's infatuation with a wrongly accused murder suspect, and the chaos that develops from that unlikely situation. The film is filled with a degree of nuance seldom seen in a comedy, and is probably the best crafted of all the Panther films (although I have to admit that the way over the top "Pink Panther Strikes Again" is my personal favorite.) The physical comedy that Sellers could make totally natural (watch the "spinning globe" scene for an excellent example) is still unrivalled, and the nuanced interplay with other cast members is better than in any other comedy that I can think of (to see what I mean watch the "curved pool cue" scene and the interaction of both Monsieur Ballon and the butler.)

I highly recommend this film. The DVD print is good, though there are few extras (the original trailer is very amusing and a tad on the weird side.) It is slapstick, but it is very refined slapstick done by the master, Peter Sellers. If only they still made movies like this today. I give it five stars only because Amazon won't allow more!

Pretty funny, though I'm still not a big Clouseau fan
I gotta be honest: before watching this movie, I had seen clips of this and one or two other Inspector Clouseau movies on TV, and I've never really found him all that funny. I'd usually wince more often than I'd laugh at his idiotic physical behavior. Now that I've watched A SHOT IN THE DARK, though, I see a perspective of his classic comedy character that I didn't see in those short clips. I still can't say I'm a big fan of Clouseau, but, at the very least, A SHOT IN THE DARK made me laugh pretty heartily at times---more than I expected.

I dunno...I've just never truly responded to these films' brand of slapstick. Those constant falls and accidents of Clouseau's always seem to irritate me more than amuse me. I know Clouseau is stupid, but did he really need to be THIS stupid? That last sequence at the Ballon household, for instance, seems to go on forever because this cop carelessly keeps stepping on people's toes and falling down from couches and doors, etc etc. It's not funny; it's simply repetitive, and it annoyingly slows down the film at certain points.

Fortunately, Inspector Clouseau's idiocy isn't totally physical. There are, for instance, a few funny jokes involving Clouseau and his assistant Hercule. Clouseau recites all the facts of a case ("Facts, Hercule, facts!...Without them the science of criminal investigation is nothing more than a guessing game"), asks Hercule what he makes of the facts, and when Hercule responds with the most obvious conclusion to be drawn from them, Clouseau cries out "You idiot! Only an amateur detective would say something like that!" Amusing indeed. That's the kind of satirical humor I responded to most in A SHOT IN THE DARK, and there's enough of it that saves this movie from simply being asinine.

That, and some genuinely funny sequences: Clouseau's scenes with Cato, his inadvertently going undercover in a nudist colony, and the sequences involving the unlucky assassin. There is a brilliantly filmed sequence in the prologue, leading up to the movie's first murder; and the animated credits (without a pink panther in sight) is always fun to look at. Herbert Lom is also pretty funny as the increasingly crazy Inspector Dreyfus, who is slowly going mad b/c of the mess Clouseau is making of the Ballon case. As for Peter Sellers, he's admittedly very good in the role of the bumbling inspector, but his full comic brilliance can be glimpsed elsewhere (Kubrick's DR. STRANGELOVE, for example).

All the good elements help make A SHOT IN THE DARK a fairly entertaining, pretty funny time. To me, though, it is not the comedy classic everyone says it is. If you want to see truly funny exploits of an utterly incompetent cop, see Leslie Nielsen in the NAKED GUN movies. You'll laugh a lot longer and harder at Lt. Frank Drebin's brand of comic stupidity than you will at the occasionally irritating Inspector Clouseau here.

THE BEST OF THE PINK PANTHERS!!
THIS MOVIE IS THE VERY BEST OF THE WHOLE SERIES. IT HAS MANY GREAT LINES AND SLAPSTICK COMEDY.THIS IS HOW I WOULD RATE THE REST.
1. THE PINK PANTHER- GOOD MOVIE PROBABLY 31/2 STARS BUT SELLERS ISNT IN IT AS MUCH AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT IS A LITTLE TOO SERIOUS IN PLACES.
2. A SHOT IN THE DARK- THE BEST. HILARIOUS.
3. RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER- 2ND BEST. VERY FUNNY.
4. PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN- THIS ONE IS PRETTY FUNNY BUT A LITTLE CORNY WITH A SUPERLASER KIND OF DEAL.
5.REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER-THE FINAL TRUE MOVIE WITH SELLERS. AND IT IS A GOOD ONE.
6. TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER- BAD MOVIE BUT.... I SORT OF ENJOYED IT BECAUSE IT SUMS THINGS UP A BIT IT PROBABLLY DOESNT GET QUITE AS BAD AS A RAP THAT IT DESERVES.
7.CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER -THIS MOVIE IS NOT A BUNCH OF OUTTAKES LIKE THE PREVIOUS ONE. IT HAS AN AMERICAN DETECTIVE SEARCHING FOR THE INSPECTOR. NOT TERRIBLE BUT WAY BETTER THAN THE TRAIL AND THE SON OF THE PINK PANTHER.
8.THE SON OF THE PINK PANTHER- THIS MOVIE SHOULD NOT EVEN BE RELATED TO THE ORIGINALS. THE WORST. BELIEVE IT OR NOT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIKE THIS ONE. IM NOT ONE OF THEM. SO TO SUM IT ALL UP, THIS IS THE ORDER FROM BEST TO WORST-SHOT IN THE DARK,RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER, PINK PANTHER, REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER,PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN, CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER, TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER, AND FINALLY SON OF THE PINK PANTHER.

Brilliant
A chapter in the myriad of Pink Panther films, this film is one of the best crafted and most hillarious in the series. Unlike the other films in the series, this film does not focus as much on the Pink Panther as on The Svejk-like inspector Clouseau himself. Valuable to a fan of the series it takes the time to provide a deeper insight into the character of the infamous and clumsy inspector. Investigating a murder in the house of the multimillionaire leads Clouseau to brilliantly farcical adventure, unexpected romance as he tries to defend his lovely object of affection from false accusations and yet a more unexpected conclusion to his case.
Clouseau's developed persona and the mishaps attached to it may be the highlight's of the film, but they do not compensate for the 2-dimensionality of the rest of the characters. There is little to the films secondary protagonist, Maria Gambrelli, as her only feature is a magnificent talent to attract bad luck and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yes, having a well-developed character, Clouseau in this case, is very good, but it seems that there should be more Clouseau's in the film.
So, this dramatic production seems to have spread out a bit too thinly as it tries to focus on Clouseau, the case, and the sparked romance. If the director could perhaps chose a more defined focus, this film could have been improved greatly. Having said that, this film does a far better job in the field of comedy than most modern films that audaciously bear the title of "comedy". Highly recommended ... Read more

Amazon.com

This moody little sci-fi classic has it all over the competition when it comes to possessed tykes with telekinetic powers. Midwich's mysteriously hatched brood bores into the subconscious both with their eyes and with their creepy Hitler Youth-like presence. Based on John Wyndham's 1957 novel The Midwich Cuckoos, and starring George Sanders as the most skeptical of the "miracle" parents, Village gets off to a rousing start when the isolated town of Midwich is cordoned off after some invisible knockout gas descends from above. A few weeks later, every female of childbearing age is pregnant. Much anger and consternation ensue, especially in those families for which the blessed event isn't a blessing.

Nine months later: a town full of blue-eyed, golden-haired cherubs with telekinetic and telepathic powers. The kids mature at an alarming rate and travel the streets in packs. Anyone who looks at them sideways meets with a violent accident. Barbara Shelley, Sanders's wife, is scolded by her child; a motorist who is deemed a threat winds up driving into a wall.

The film is especially refreshing in these days of computer- generated visual effects. Director Wolf Rilla, working from a script cowritten by Stirling Silliphant, generates unease the old-fashioned way: through clammy atmosphere and character development. The opening sequence, in which the military attempts to figure out the extent of the Midwich epidemic, is especially unsettling. --Glenn Lovell ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Magnificent film version of THE MIDWICH CUCKOOS
John Wyndham is today remembered primarily for his two excellent English Sci-fi classics THE MIDWICH CUCKOOS and THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS. Both were made into enduring Sci-fi films, but VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED is by far the better of the two (as well as the better of the two film versions of Wyndham's books). There are several reasons this movie stands out.

First, there is the incredible contrast between the everyday, matter-of-fact attitude of all the village's inhabitants and the rather amazing children who are born to its female residents. The village is so utterly average and unspectacular. The matter-of-factness extends to the visual style of the film as well. Some of the more compelling scenes occur early on when no one is able to enter the village without passing out. There is no milking the scenes for effect, such as when an airplane flies over the village, and slowly plunges to earth, the pilot having apparently fallen into a trance. The way several people experimentally explore the edges of the village serves to intensify the mystery.

A second reason the film stands out are the way in which the children themselves are conceived. They are genuinely creepy, with their vacant expressions, blonde, Nazi-like demeanor, and strikingly clear eyes.

Finally, the movie succeeds because George Sanders does his usual magnificent turn as the lone person the children seem to trust, and the one person who does not seem to fear them. Both his character, and the manner in which he interrelates with the children are crucial the overall success of the film.

Although more Sci-fi was produced in Great Britain in the 1950s and early 1960s than many might realize, this is probably the finest of the bunch. Not merely that, it is one of the finest Sci-fi films of the era.

A "Must-Have" for Classic Sci-Fi Fans!!!
British science fiction at its absolute best. I agree with another reviewer: there should not have been a remake and I've avoided the remake because this movie is such a great classic.

As you've probably gathered from other reviews, a whole group of fast-growing blonde children with extraordinary powers are born in a British village. The children are a little skittish and a bit unforgiving when given milk (as a baby) that's too hot, or when one of the villagers nearly hits one with an automobile. It's probably not a good idea to engage them in a game of dodgeball, either. Oh well, there are always their academic pursuits, and that's what they're most interested in anyway.

The black and white gives the film that classic creepy feeling and the special effects are appropriate for the time period. I'd like to see a DVD with additional info, perhaps a trailer, and other extras produced. The mono sound works well, but I'd also ask for a psuedo-stereo expanded sound track if possible on a potential DVD.

The film may be too intense for younger children, but the filmmakers had the good taste to not include excessive gore but rather chose to leave such things to the viewer's imagination; a far more effective and discreet technique that Hollywood has thrown completely out the window, in favor of heavy-handed shock value (unfortunately). Such discretion involves the viewer *in* the film, rather than just treating the viewer as a mind-numbed spectator. See "Village of the Damned" to understand what I mean.

Buy, rent or borrow this video, you won't be disappointed if you like classic sci-fi!!!

P.S. I think this film gave the British rock group "Pink Floyd" the idea for "The Wall" album, IMHO. Those familiar with the album will see some interesting parallels.

Superb SF classic
Don't even think about watching John Carpenter's ill-advised 1995 remake of this brilliant science fiction film. The 1960 original is subtle, tightly scripted, and superbly plotted.

In the lead role of Gordon Zellaby, George Sanders is, though a bit stuffy, mostly well cast, as is Barbara Shelley as his wife. She, and every other female of child-bearing age in the small, obscure village of Midwich, England, gives birth to a baby who grows far more quickly than is normal. In addition, these births all happen on the same day, a couple of days after a very strange blackout period lasting several hours when all residents of the village lapse into unconsciousness, and then just as suddenly pull out of it (shades of unknown viruses lurking everywhere).

This blackout period is, in my estimation, one of the very best sequences in any science fiction film of any era. It is completely strange, completely unknown as far as origin goes, and completely unexplained. The word "alien" is never used in the course of the entire film, nor is there any overt reference to visitors from other planets, although there is an indirect reference or two to this possibility, but only in one scene. The remarkable subtlety that underlies the film's tone is what makes it so resonant.

The babies demonstrate unnaturally high intelligence at a very early age and mature frighteningly quickly. All have golden blond hair and eyes that usually appear normal, but which change color when the group of children--who live and move together at all times--are disturbed enough to direct their unified powers against the one(s) who have disturbed them. This hive mentality pre-dates the Borg from Star Trek by two or three decades and is terrifically done, a tribute to both the writer (John Wyndham) of the original novel on which the film was based, and the director, Wolf Rilla.

One of the premier science fiction films of not only the 1960s, but of the 20th century, this more than deserves a DVD release. Very highly recommended.

The Village: Terrific Acting + Gripping Camera Work
By the time the 50's came to an end, Hollywood had unleashed a legion of threats, monsters,and alien invasions on the earth. These films usually involved direct assaults on cities and terrified populations by lumbering beasts (Godzilla) or flying saucers (WAR OF THE WORLDS). Yet, political events of the mid fifties began to suggest that the next threat to humanity might be more insidious, less obvious. VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED was England's reply to the continuing question to the ending posed by THE THING (1951): "Tell the world. Watch the skies." Director Wolf Rilla took the novel by John Wyndham and rephrased it to look within at the least obvious source of danger--our own children. In Midwich, England, an entire populace faints for several hours. No reason or cause is found. The townspeople awaken and life goes on as before. But not quite. Every woman of childbearing age is inexplicably pregnant. The menfolk are understandably puzzled and not a little distrustful of their wives' chastity, while the women are depressed and fearful. All the women give birth to physically perfect children, but regardless of the parents' looks, all the babies are dark eyed blondes. As these Children grow, they show evidence of telepathy, mind control, and a hive gestalt personality. What one knows, the others know. Gordon Zellaby (George Sanders), the father of the Children's leader David (Martin Stephens), is a scientist-philosopher who tries to inculcate a sense of a humanity that he knows is missing in them, even as he denies it for years. His wife Anthea (Barbara Shelley), loves her son but is terrified and helpless when she realizes that the Children are nothing less than a threat to the continuing survival of the human species. David starkly admits to his parents that either he and his fellow Children must rule earth or humanity must kill them. One of the most significant themes of this film is the Right to Survive. Humanity, over the millenia, has obliterated any species that threatened its own survival. Now for the first time, it finds itself on the receiving end of that same threat. What the Children propose seems even more shocking since their words emerge from the lips of a golden-haired angel whose very innocuousness belies the danger of his message. Many critics of this movie have pointed out the similarities of the Children to the Hitler Jugend who resembled them in looks even if not in seeming mildness. Such an interpretation made sense since memories of the Second World War were still fresh in the audience's minds. Yet, in a startling sense of cinematic foresight, director Rilla pictures a hive mentality that is more suggestive of the Borg Collective from Star Trek: "We are the Children. You will be assimilated. Resistance is useless." The Children suggest that world conquest will be gradual with the establishment of other colonies. The Children, in effect, have thrown down the gauntlet to an embattled humanity. Fight or die. Most of humanity chooses to fight. One colony of Children is born to Eskimos, who promptly kill both mothers and children, instinctively recognizing the threat to their own survival. A second colony in Russia is similarly eradicated by a nuclear device. It is only in the third and final colony in England that the rights of the Children to survive are weighed against the right of humanity to survive. Much of THE VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED is full of such pontificating. Even when the Children bluntly tell anyone who would listen that earth cannot house two competing species, the English Powers That Be refuse to accept the solution offered by their Eskimo and Russian colleagues. The solution that Zellaby offers as a compromise--to isolate the Children--is ultimately seen as ineffective. What is needed is the Darwinian survival of the fittest: kill the threat or be killed by that threat. Such a politically incorrect message could not now emerge from any Western film center, but in the curiously innocent decades following the depredations of the real Hitler Jugend, the PI message that was truly Darwinian in scope rang clearly then. I am quite sure that the Zellaby solution of "Think of a brick wall" would have been lambasted by those who identified with the scientist from the 1951 THE THING who insisted that the plantman menace in the Arctic had the right to live, even at the cost of humanity's similar right. Zellaby, of course, proved them wrong.

Cosmic Rape!
Subtly horrifying, this is a science-fiction classic. Eleven-year-old Martin Stephens is very scary as an unhuman child, and Wolf Rilla directs the film with intelligence. Check it out! ... Read more