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Director Billy Wilder (Sunset Boulevard) and writer Raymond Chandler (The Big Sleep) adapted James M. Cain's hard-boiled novel into this wildly thrilling story of insurance man Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), who schemes the perfect murder with the beautiful dame Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck): kill Dietrichson's husband and make off with the insurance money. But, of course, in these plots things never quite go as planned, and Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) is the wily insurance investigator who must sort things out.From the opening scene you know Neff is doomed, as the story is told in flashback; yet, to the film's credit, this doesn't diminish any of the tension of the movie. This early film noir flick is wonderfully campy by today's standards, and the dialogue is snappy ("I thought you were smarter than the rest, Walter.But I was wrong. You're not smarter, just a little taller"), filled with lots of "dame"s and "baby"s. Stanwyck is the ultimate femme fatale, and MacMurray, despite a career largely defined by roles as a softy (notably in the TV series My Three Sons and the movie The Shaggy Dog), is convincingly cast against type as the hapless, love-struck sap. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Reviews (80)

"I never knew that murder could smell like honeysuckle."
Double Indemnity is a superb story about an insurance salesman who gets involved with a woman married to a husband she doesn't care for. The murder of her husband is planned perfectly and brilliantly, but it all comes crashing down. The cause was due to themselves (Plot details).

Although it received a total of six Oscar nominations (With no wins), none of the nominations went to Fred MacMurray as Walter Neff ("Insurance salesman, age 35"). Neff is very successful at what he does (He's been at it for eleven years). He visits the home of Mr. Dietrichson to renew automobile insurance but soon finds himself falling in love with his wife Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck), who convinces Walter to have Mr. Dietrichson sign an accident insurance without his knowing it so he can be killed. But it's the Double Indemnity clause that gets them really involved, since they will get double the pay.

Stanwyck provided, for me, a superb performance as the cold, calculating Mrs. Dietrichson, who used Neff so she could get rid of her husband and collect up some money. Meanwhile, Walter finds himself getting involved with her step-daughter Lola. He discovers from Lola that her ex-boyfriend has been seeing Phyllis, suggesting perhaps that Phyllis has plans for him.

One of the most memorable performances in the movie is Edward G. Robinson's Barton Keyes, the claims manager, a brilliant fellow who is by hunches when a claim doesn't seem right. He's the one who figures out that the Dietrichson claim doesn't seem right, but can't quite figure out who assisted. In fact, most of the safeguards put into the plot by Neff were done so to prevent Keyes getting any major suspicions. "I did it for the money and for a woman. I didn't get the money and I didn't get the woman". These words said by Neff form a sense of irony. The murder fell apart not because of the authorities, who were too dumb to figure it all out, but because of themselves. Murder's never perfect.

A film noir masterpiece...
Double Indemnity is a film noir masterpiece - chilling, dark, and very suspenseful. It features a great script with many memorable lines (for instance - "But I was wrong. You're not smarter, you're just a little taller."), an interesting plot with many good twists, and fantastic performances from two classic stars (especially Stanwyck, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of the evil wife).

Basically, Double Indemnity is about a less-than-brilliant insurance salesman, Walter Neff(Fred MacMurray), who falls for a beautiful married woman (Barbara Stanwyck) who wants to use him to get rid of her husband for the insurance money (hence the title, Double Indemnity). Although he resists her at first, Neff soon falls for the scheming woman and decides to help her plan the perfect murder. The movie itself starts after the murder has been completed with Neff leaving a message for his boss confessing what occurred and then goes back in time to the beginning of the scheme.

Double Indemnity is a great film - the idea behind it, interesting in itself, was brilliantly executed by the legendary director Billy Wilder. Consequently, Indemnity is a true film noir classic and must-see!

STANWYCK AND MACMURRAY WERE OSCAR ROBBED
Yes, they deserved the 1944 Academy Award. Both of them. They were robbed. Perhaps its because they played murderers and MacMurray was caught in Stanwyck's spider web. The movie was released during the prime war years (1944) and Hollywood chose to go the sentimental route with "GOING MY WAY". But Ingrid Bergman's performance in "Gaslight" in no way comes close to touching Stanwyck's bravura in "Double Indemnity". It was a close race between them but Bergman won out (inexplicably because her performance in Gaslight is overwrought and over the top). Stanwyck's evil restraint with one look that could burn a house down. And that wig!! That awful unflattering wig on her! Maybe that's why she didn't win?????

Possibly the Best Noir Film of the Era
Starting with an amazing cast and a great plot, this film lives up to anyone's expectations. Life insurance agent falls into the clutches of a woman looking to collect a double indemnity on her husband's death benefits because he died accidentally. One problem - her husband is not dead yet. By ensnaring the insurance agent into a plot to kill the woman's husband and making it look like an accident, everything is in place. I don't want to give much more away, but, even if you are not a film noir fan, you will find this to be a tightly written, wonderfully acted drama. This classic is well worth owning.

GREAT FILM - TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE DVD TRANSFER
Do not purchase this DVD release. Its transfer to DVD is truly horrendous.

Wait for some other distributor to release it.

Wonderful film. Totally botched DVD release.

Wait for it... ... Read more

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Christmas in Connecticut is a holiday film that plays 365 days of the year. Barbara Stanwyck gives a brilliant, sardonic performance as Elizabeth Lane, a columnist for Smart Housekeeping magazine, whose enticing descriptions of the exquisite meals she prepares for her husband and baby on their bucolic Connecticut farm earns her fame as "America's Best Cook." A writer, she is; a cook, she is not. As she types the words, "From my living room window, as I write, the good cedar logs cracking on the fire..." the view is of clothes flapping on the line outside her bachelorette Manhattan apartment. An able supporting cast keeps her lie on life support: her editor, her stuffy and detestable architect suitor, and the wonderful "Uncle" Felix (S.Z. Sakall), an English-garbling Hungarian chef who provides the recipes that fill her column.

Cut to Jefferson Jones, a sailor adrift at sea for weeks after his destroyer is torpedoed. Memories of the food described in Lane's columns are central to his survival. After his rescue, as he's recuperating in a naval hospital, a marriage-minded nurse thinks she might nudge Jones to the altar if he could only experience a real domestic Christmas. And it just so happens that she was nurse to the grandchild of Alexander Yardley, the wealthy and powerful publisher of --you guessed it--Smart Housekeeping magazine. And so, she pens the letter that could unravel Lane's carefully constructed fraud. She writes to Yardley asking that Jones be included in America's ultimate Christmas--the one to be held at the Lane family farm in Connecticut. The pompous Yardley (ably portrayed by Sidney Greenstreet) believes the Lane myth and instantly sniffs a story that will send his magazine's circulation skyrocketing. And staring down a lonely holiday, he decides to join the Lanes for Christmas on the farm, too. Now, all Lane has to do is come up with a farm. And a husband. And let's not forget the baby. Christmas in Connecticut is classic screwball entertainment of the best kind, with its on-target skewering of social convention and house-of- cards-about-to-tumble tension: a perfect farcical vision of domestic blitz. --Susan Benson ... Read more

Reviews (28)

CLASSIC CHRISTMAS CARD.
A picture about Christmas in the country, a wonderfully funny, romantic Christmas. It bubbles over with merriment and radiates good cheer like a Christmas tree with all the lights lit. This is a surprisingly well-known film (they play it on television every year at Christmastime) and it's highly entertaining. Stanwyck is winning as Elizabeth Lane, (Betty Crocker personified) who writes a cooking column for a housekeeping magazine (in actuality, she knows nothing about either subject) When a soldier comes to her home for the holidays, she must either master the ways of housekeeping of reveal her incompetence. Dennis Morgan is very likable here and the creepy Reginald Gardiner is amusing as the man who tries to win over Stanwyck. The plot is thin as air and the direction is rather unsure, the script and pacing could have been better - but just sit back and enjoy this little flick - it never claimed to be a Sturges masterpiece. Also available in digital colorized version.

Stanwyck at her best!
Christmas in Connecticut is a romantic comedy all of you classic movie buffs will enjoy. It centers around a single working girl (Barbara Stanwyck) who writes a cooking column for a ladies magazine. Her writing is so convincing that her boss (Sidney Greenstreet) believes it all--husband, baby, and farm in Connecticut! So he arranges to have a sailor and himself invited to spend Christmas "on her perfect farm." What to do? Here she is, a gal who can "only cook on the typewriter." Well, bring along Uncle Felix to do the cooking. All goes well until she is asked to flip a flapjack. Did she do it? Well, wait and see. This movie is full of fun and romance (the old-fashioned kind). It's a holiday treat for young and old alike.

The best Christmas movie
Forget all the others that people think are "must sees" at Christmas time. This is the best and, seemingly, the least well known.

It is so funny to watch in light of today's Martha Stewart and other domestic "divas." A lot of the humor was probably risque for the day but, sadly, most youths today would have to have it explained to them.

The movie is a well written comedy of errors. The characters are interesting and not just one demensional as is so often the case in comedies. I found myself very involved with the story...cheering for my favorite characters.

If you only have time to see one Christmas movie this year do make it this one. You won't be sorry.

Great Christmas Fare
I look forward to seeing this romantic comedy of errors each year at Christmastime. Barbara Stanwick is superb, and it's great to see Sidney Greenstreet in a comedy. I just want to know...when is it coming out on DVD?!!

An underappreciated classic on par with "Wonderful Life"
I discovered this movie in my teens and have loved it ever since. It is a classic - capturing the mores of the era and the timelessness of a good farce. It is a shame that this movie has not enjoyed the great appreciation afforded "It's a wonderful life" and "Miracle on 34th Street." "Christmas in Connecticut is every bit as good - if not better, and not nearly as overplayed. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Who Wants to be the Boss?
Avery Bullard, the president of a big furnishing house drops dead on the street. One of his vice-presidents (Louis Calhern) observes this incident, which nearly sends him into raptures from his window. He sells his stock-holdings immediately because he hopes their price will fall - he has the intention to buy them back at a lower price. The news that the body of his boss has not yet been identified gives him a further advantage over his competitors for the top-position: Time-honored Walter Pidgeon, goaded by his ambitious wife, hot-tempered Paul Douglas, probably the next canditate for a cardiac infarction, and eager-beaver Fredric March, who hopes that his subservience will finally be rewarded. As soon as March learns of Bullard's death he makes all the arrangements for the funeral. He is an expert obituary writer, and feels at home in public relations too. He refuses to close the factory even for one day - Pidgeon is incensed at his irreverence - and plans to publish the balance-sheet instead: the stock-price should raise, a plan that does not make Calhern happy.

There is yet another candidate for the head of firm: William Holden, and you can see with half and eye that he is the most qualified of them all: a designing engineer so committed to his task that he rather refuses to attend an important conference than interrupt the development of a promising manufacturing process. He is happily married to June Allyson and likes to play baseball with his son. Pidgeon is willing to endorse him, but Calhern and Douglas are resigned to vote for March, who knows their little secrets: Calhern's illegal speculation, Douglas' affair with his secretary (Shelley Winters)...And there is the human factor: Barbara Stanwyck, the principal shareholder, loved Bullard for 10 years, always hoping he would marry her. Now she is on the verge of suicide. If she sells her stock-holdings it means the ruin of the firm, and one anonymous phone-caller advised her to sell...March and Holden fight for her vote: March promises to cut spending in order to pay the stock-holders their full share. Holden, on the other hand, wants to suspend the disbursement and invest in new technologies and fabricate quality furniture. He reveals that the workers in the factory are ashamed to turn out quick-selling but damaged goods. Who will get Stanwyck's vote? Who would get yours?

EXECUTIVE SUITE is an "important" film. It's seriousness is even emphasized by the lack of a soundtrack - but it couldn't prevent the coming of the throw-away society. The film combines the enjoyably ruthless comic-strip dialogue of series like DALLAS with the coy morals of the fifties - and the result is hilarious. I was not bored for a minute. The acting is very good, you will see many familiar faces, and if you enjoyed it you will also like WOMAN'S WORLD (1954), which has the same story, but this time the wives of the competitors are those who plot and scheme.

Refreshingly unique drama
Considering how much the business of business consumes of America's daily life, it's surprising that there haven't been more films like this one. The great John Houseman helped to put together this project and it's a superb study of a crisis in the life of a corporation, and the ambitions, ideals and practical necessities guiding the enterprise. The cast is fabulously good except for some scenery-chewing by Barbara Stanwyck. It's set in the 50's but anybody who's ever worked for a modern company will recognize plenty.

A great movie that still feels relevant
I have to disagree with the one reviewer here who said he faults the movie for being "too ordinary". That is actually why I like it so much. It feels very true to life. Some of the exchanges early on reminded me of executive meetings I have seen in real life. The VP sales is talking about his golf game with a client. The VP Engineering is being pulled aside to confer with his development engineers on an urgent matter. The VP Finance is rambling on about quotas and margin curves. Yes, some of it is boring, but the lack of over dramatization is what makes it so good. What is at stake in this power game is not the fate of the world-its the fate of a furniture making factory. In one scene, William Holden even talks with his wife about if its worth even fighting the good fight for the company. She urges him to strike out on his own-form his own design company. He ponders this and then decides that he will do that only if he feels there is no way not to be able to do what he wants at the company he is with after investing his energy in it for so long. I have had this same discussion with some of my friends who were thinking of leaving their companies to strike out on their own.
The final scene is great, if a little contrived.

Very Nice Boardroom Drama....
I have watched this excellent picture many times...and never tire of seeing it. I've always found the final scene to be quite gripping. There's nothing super heavy or extra special about this flick. Just really good acting by a great cast. And an above-average script. You will find yourself getting caught up in the story...and enjoying it! Fredric March is exceptionally good here.

A Great Cast and a Great Director are Not Enough
I'm going to swim against the stream of the other reviewiers. EXECUTIVE SUITE proves that a great film must have more than a great cast and a great director. At the beginning of the film, the president of a major furniture manufacturing company dies suddenly. All the junior officers are caught in a power struggle seeking to find a successor among themselves. The movie plays like a soap-opera, only with better acting.

If you think about it, ask yourself why we watch movies? Because they take us to places we normally can't go and allow us to meet people we normally never would. In EXECUTIVE SUITE we meet normal business people experiencing normal business problems (not normally of this magnitude, of course). It's just not very exciting. The film is well made and mostly well acted (except for Stanwyck, who overplays her role), but just a little too ordinary. ... Read more

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"The legend of Union Pacific is the drama of a nation, young, tough, prodigal and invincible, conquering with an iron highroad the endless reaches of the West."This stemwinder of a foreword strikes the pseudo-biblical/American Empire keynote for Cecil B. DeMille's "history" of building the transcontinent railroad.Only the bombast--and Arthur Rosson's second-unit direction--rises to the film's epic mission.The mustache-twirling villainy is right out of 19th-century melodrama, and the romantic triangle of Joel McCrea's railroad troubleshooter, Barbara Stanwyck's aggressively "Oirish" postmistress-on-wheels, and their black-sheep chum played by newcomer Robert Preston is a feeble distraction.Worse, the stars do their stuff on studio sets, in sterile isolation from the locomotives, Indians, and buffalo hovering slightly out of scale on process screens behind them.There's not one but two train wrecks (always a DeMille favorite); in every other department, John Ford had C.B. beat 15 years earlier with The Iron Horse.--Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A Better Than Average De Mille Film
If it's directed by Cecil B. de Mille, you know there's going to be plenty of spectacle, and this film is no exception. Joel McCrea stars as a man hired by the Union Pacific railroad to be a troubleshooter as the build the railroad across the country. Not everyone wants to see it built, so sabotage causes lots of delays. Things get even more complicated for McCrea because his old pal Robert Preston is partnered with Brian Donlevy, one of the men trying to delay the construction. To add to it, Preston and McCrea are both in love with the same woman, an Irish lass named Molly played by Barbara Stanwyck. Train wrecks, Indian attacks, brawls, and other De Mille touches enliven the story. The actors aren't given much to work with, as in most De Mille spectacles, but they do well enough, although Stanwyck's accent is a little hard to swallow. Akim Tamiroff and Lynne Overman, as men hired to protect McCrea, add a lot of humour to the film with their knowing performances. The story moves along at a good pace, and although I like to make fun of Cecil B. De Mille movies, I must admit that I enjoyed this one more than some of the others I have seen. I like the time period and the trains, and in De Mille's hands, it's certainly not boring.

MOLLIE MONAHAN
Cecil B. DeMille's contribution for that sterling movie year of 1939 was, of all things, a Western; but it's a brawling, two-fisted, action-packed Western. It is the story of the Union Pacific Railway, which was destined to link two oceans and open up the West. It's like a rough-and-tumble heavyweight slugfest-exciting, thrilling, gory and cumbersome. Stanwyck is excellent as the Irish Molly Monahan and as Jeff, Joel McCrea is first-rate - as Dick Allen, Robert Preston is terrific. DeMille's first choice for Molly was Jean Arthur; when she was unavailable, her turned his favourite, Barbara Stanwyck - they had worked together many times on the LUX RADIO THEATRE. The exterior shots were filmed in Iron Springs, Utah and Canoga Park, California (to double for Promontory Point). Interestingly enough, the golden spike used in the movie was the actual one used at Promontory Point. DeMille had it exhumed from the vault of Wells Fargo in San Francisco! Joel McCrea commented that Stanwyck was "Absolutely fearless and has more guts than most men". Also: "I have never worked with an actress who was more cooperative, less temperamental and a better workman, to use my term of highest compliment, than Barbara Stanwyck". - Cecil B. DeMille.

An epic huge-scale western
I hate the way people look at a black and white classic film and automatically think that the movie has to be bad. People only see the poor special effects and the absense of color but never judge a book by it's cover. " Union Pacific " is has a great western backed by a terrific director, great actors, and a large scale plot. Definently a great movie and a true classic.

Carry Your Brains in Your Holster?...
This is artful entertainment; this is Cecil B. De Mille presenting an odd blend of celebration and deconstruction in his portrayal of the burgeoning American empire. Far-sighted statesmen and greedy corporate barons; vigilante "justice," racism, ridicule and praise for the durable Irish immigrants, a bolloxed love triangle, a spunky and noble Irish lass, a dissipated lover, a grim strong and silent type, a comic Mexican thug: De Mille's scriptwriters seem inspired to throw in as many elements to the plot as their imaginations allow; and the result isn't the mess you'd suspect but fascinating fun, some gripping action sequences, and a lovely story of confused love.

Barbara Stanwyck plays a guileful innocent, a warm-hearted dame better than both her suitors in her generous and wise understanding of human nature. Joel McCrea plays a super-stolid hero whose better part is realized by his attraction for Stanwyck's character; and Robert Preston is a flim-flam man, a gambler and crook whose love for Stanwyck's "Molly Monahan" redeems his otherwise unrepentent self.

De Mille plays this beguiling troika against the "canvas of history" and so personalizes the abstraction of history. John Ford's "Stagecoach," also released the same year, 1939, is more accomplished and its story more subtle, but not so much more. De Mille obviously enjoys his broad canvases, and his "history" tends to pompous pronouncement at times, but all history is biography for him, which means that -- just as with Ford -- the individual stories are what is important.

You'll like this movie: you'll love "Missy" Stanwyck, McCrea and Preston -- you'll even forgive its somewhat more than occasional moments of silliness.

One More Reason why 1939 was "The #1 Hollywood Movie Year"
Amidst the glamour of "Gone With the Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz", this b&w Cecil B. DeMille Historical Fiction Classic received its share of eager 1939 movie theatre audiences.

Starring a wholesome Irish immigrant Barbara Stanwyck, a noble law man Joel McCrae and a dashing dare devil Robert Preston, "Union Pacific" delivers a love-triangle centered around the historic 1869 joining of rail road tracks to connect the Western and Eastern borders of the United States. The love story is "formula", but delivers several "moments" where many viewers will fumble for their Kleenex. The climactic final scene showing the pay-off for all of the material and human sacrifices is priceless!

The very last of DeMille's b&w ventures, Union Pacific is one of those gems that endured the test of time, endearing the "glorious black and white" to generations of viewers. I first saw this classic as a child; I loved it then, as I still do today. Of all of the Hollywood movies ever produced, no single year of film-making has ever stood out from the rest like 1939. "Union Pacific" helped solidify this status. A true Hollywood Classic!***** ... Read more

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The Elvis formula was well in place by the time of 1964's Roustabout: a passel of undistinguished songs (anyone remember "Poison Ivy League"?), pretty girls, tight pants, a colorful setting, and a little bit of karate to prove that Elvis really had been studying his martial arts. With that understood, Roustabout is a better-than-average workout for the King--not as peppy as Viva Las Vegas, but a good deal livelier than the sleepwalking It Happened at the World's Fair. Elvis plays a bad-boy singer roaming the highways on his Japanese motorcycle; laid up after an accident, he joins a carnival owned by the feisty Barbara Stanwyck. ("This is not a circus, it's a carnival. There's a big difference.") The cast goes from high to low: both giant-sized future James Bond villain Richard Kiel and tiny Billy Barty are carny regulars, and Raquel Welch has a small role in the opening scene. Teri Garr is one of the carnival dancers behind Elvis. The legendary costume designer Edith Head puts Elvis in a series of snappy windbreakers, but thank goodness he's also in black leather a lot. As if that weren't enough to recommend it, the movie has a sequence involving Elvis riding a cycle inside the "Wall of Death," a huge wooden cylinder with high walls. This bit actually inspired an entire Irish film in 1986, Eat the Peach, in which friends build a similar contraption after they watch Roustabout on tape. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (11)

ROUSTABOUT--ELVIS' MOST ENTERTAINING FILM
Since "Roustabout" debuted in 1965, I've become an expert on it. The cast includes a screen legend as well as recognizable supporting actors. Besides Barbara Stanwyck, there is Pat Buttrum, Sue Ann Langdon, and Norman Grabowski as the cement-headed college student who tries to muss Elvis's hair. Joan Freeman is Elvis' romantic interest. She later co-starred with Don Knotts in "The Reluctant Astronaut". Imagine kissing Elvis in one movie and Don Knotts another. Well, I guess that's why they call it "acting". As for the story, it revolves around Elvis as a temporary carnival worker while aiming for the BIG time. There is a fistfight with Elvis nemesis Steve Brodie, Elvis riding his "bike", Elvis as the saviour of the carnival, and Elvis with a new girlfriend. What more could you ask for? If you can think for yourself, and not be content with "Blue Hawaii" as your favorite, then check out "Roustabout". It's more fun than a circus, "cheap at half the price" AND, you won't have to "bite any heads off chickens".

Can you believe it? A leather-clad drifting biker!
"Roustabout" has Elvis playing a karate-chopping, drifting motorcyclist who is picked up after an accident involving him being knocked off his bike by local carnival foreman Leif Erikson, with his daughter Joan Freeman and owner Barbara Stanwyck. After his bike and guitar are damaged, he is hired by Stanwyck to work as a roustabout in her carnival. Elvis, of course, soon falls for Joan Freeman who is a little reluctant at first. Over time the carnival becomes the local night spot around as Elvis attracts people for singing along the midway. In come the teenagers and crowds in droves. Rival carnivla owner Pat Buttram asks if Elvis is interested in joining his big carnival. He refuses. After some confrontation involving a stolen wallet Erikson is convicted of and Joan Freeman's unhappiness with Elvis, he quits Stanwyck's outfit. Then it's off to the Carver show. Elvis is a hit. Back at the other carnival, business is failing and troubles with the bank build. Joan Freeman tries to bring him back, but to no avail at first. Later Elvis decides to go back, pay off the debt, win Joan Freeman, and make the carnival a swinging place again. Quintessential!

Wheels On Your Heels!
I won't bore you with a plot synopsis or my opinion of the borderline interesting story - this movie IS WORTH SEEING for one jaw-dropping sequence: For the rockingest song in the movie, "Wheels On My Heels", Elvis is driving his own motorcycle on a real location road and lip-syncing at the same time - without a helmet! This is not some lame rear projection process and most of the time the entire bike is shown, so it's not being towed - I just found it amazing, no kidding. I mean, what if he lost his concentration...boom! Brain damage.
Oh and Leif Erickson will make you really uncomfortable in this movie - what a loser slime.

Roustabout
Elvis plays opposite Barbara Stanwyke (The Big Valley) this time out and is in awe of his co-star. It is reported he worked hard on this film to live up to Ms. Stanwyke's professional standards.
Unfortunately, the scriptwriters were less demanding of themselves, and the film suffers from banal dialogue and predictable plotting. Elvis stars as Charlie Rogers, a drifter with a chip on his shoulder who lands a job as a roustabout (handyman) with a down-and-out carnival operated by strong-willed Maggie Morgan, played by Stanwyke. When Charlie breaks into song on the midway one day, throngs of young people flock to hear him sing (which may be believable were they all penned by Lieber & Stoller). As news of his talent spreads, Maggie's carnival begins to turn a tidy profit. Charlie's good fortune continues as Cathy, a young and pretty carnival worker played by Joan Freeman, takes a romantic interest in him. However, after a misunderstanding involving a customer's missing wallet, Maggie and Cathy chide Charlie for his selfish attitudes. The embittered young Charlie quits Maggie's outfit to work for a rival carnival. When Maggie's carnival starts to go under, Charlie returns with enough money to ward off the creditors. His unselfish act wins Maggie's respect as well as Cathy's heart.

With a cast of big-name stars, including Barbara Stanwyke, Leif Erickson, and Jack Albertson, Roustabout was one of Elvis's better films from this period.

Elvis would later says that working with Stanwyke made him a better actor.

Starring Elvis and his amazing man-eating leather belt
Pleasant enough Elvis time-killer with a cotton candy soundtrack, pairing him with Hollywood veterans who should have known better. The story:

Elvis plays Charlie Rogers, a brooding loner (you can tell by his semi-comatose expression) eking out a living doing a bad impression of, well, himself at a dive called Mother's Tea House. (Look fast for Raquel Welch at one of the tables.) One night, he unwisely taunts some middle-aged college boys with a witty ditty called "Poison Ivy League," gets in a fight, loses his job and sputters off on his dinky motorbike. Happening upon a jeep, Charlie is run off the road by short-fused carny Joe Lean (Leif Erickson) for flirting with his virginal daughter Cathy (Joan Freeman, who, tellingly, later became a nun). Unhurt, Charlie signs on as a roustabout in their two-bit carnival, run by Barbara Stanwyck as Maggie Morgan, a woman of backbone and bite (sorry, wrong show), until his bike can be repaired. Maggie recognizes Charlie's teen appeal after his impromptu performance of "It's Carnival Time" causes a sensation on the midway. Soon Charlie is packin' 'em in, and the carnival begins to turn a profit. On top of the world, Charlie steps up his romancing of Cathy while fending off the advances of an amorous fortune teller (the usually fetching Sue Ane Langdon in a hideous black wig) until a fracas with a boorish customer causes him to get ants in his pants again. His cycle fixed, Charlie dons his outrageously tacky, must-be-compensating-for-something, foot-wide studded-leather belt and accepts the generous offer of the owner (Pat Buttram, the immortal flimflam man Mr. Haney from TV's "Green Acres") of a big-time rival carnival. In the flick's most excruciating sequence, Charlie sings "Little Egypt" to a bevy of skanky exotic dancers (one of whom might be Teri Garr). Meanwhile, with Charlie no longer there to pull in the crowds, Maggie's carnival is about to go belly up, and it's up to Cathy to lure him back. She does, of course. Charlie collects his loot from Mr. Haney and returns to Maggie's show just in time to pay off her creditors. Suddenly everybody loves Charlie, his macho belt and his money, even Joe, who forgets all about protecting his daughter's chastity and his former habit of beating the stuffing out of Charlie for no good reason. Roll credits. Please. ... Read more

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Coper is at his Low key best as a naive homeless man whose declaration to kill himself to protest world conditions, causes a media frenzy an unwanted celebrity status, along with some life affirming moments. ... Read more

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Gary Cooper as the American Everyman in Capra's classic
"Meet John Doe" is clearly the most political of director Frank Capra's "Capracorn" films, even more than "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" or "State of the Union." Newspaper columnist Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck in a rare "good girl role") is fired and prints a phony letter in her final column about a man who is going to commit suicide on Christmas Eve to protest the misery and corruption afflicting the county. The letter is signed "John Doe." The letter causes a sensation and it becomes necessary for Ann to produce "John Doe." She basically holds auditions and settles on Long John Willoughby (Gary Cooper), a starving bush league pitcher whose arms has gone bad. Ann continues to write article in the name of John Doe, calling on everyone to love their neighbor and the like. This only increases the fan mail and the best scene of the film she writes "John Doe" a speech to read on the radio, inspired by the words of her father.

As "John" himself gets caught up in the speech and its response, Ann is totally enraptured by the moment. This all might be a giant con game, but Ann is a true believer. Then the powerful publishing magnate, D. B. Norton (Edward Arnold), throws his support behind the John Doe clubs because he wants them to hold a convention where "John" will nominate him as a third party candidate for the presidency. Obviously Norton is some sort of American fascist, and when "John" refuses to play along, Norton publicly exposes him to the mob. All that is left to "John" is to fulfill the original promise of the first letter and commit suicide on Christmas Eve.

Cooper and Capra had enjoyed success before with "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town," but this is the much better film. Cooper's performance in this 1940 film is certainly Oscar worthy, but his next film was "Sergeant York" and that was the film that won the actor his first Academy Award. Stanwyck's performance is just as good, proving she could do more than film noir bad girls. Like most of Capra's great works, including "It's A Wonderful Life," the mythic structure is clearly that of the crucifixion and resurrection (think about it). The symbolic "death" of John Doe is arguably the most painful in any of Capra's films and the character's "resurrection" is definitely the most believable. Capra originally had a darker ending than what was provided, but we all know that really would have gone against his grain. Again, the supporting cast for Capra's film is absolutely stellar, with Edward Arnold, Walter Brennan, James Gleason, Spring Byington, Gene Lockhart, and Steling Holloway all getting the most out of Robert Riskin's screenplay. "Meet John Doe" is definitely a classic Frank Capra film.

Gary Cooper as the American Everyman in Capra's classic
"Meet John Doe" is clearly the most political of director Frank Capra's "Capracorn" films, even more than "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" or "State of the Union." Newspaper columnist Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck in a rare "good girl role") is fired and prints a phony letter in her final column about a man who is going to commit suicide on Christmas Eve to protest the misery and corruption afflicting the county. The letter is signed "John Doe." The letter causes a sensation and Ann gets her job back, but it becomes necessary for her to produce "John Doe" to the skeptics. She basically holds auditions for the role and settles on Long John Willoughby (Gary Cooper), a starving bush league pitcher whose arms has gone bad.

Ann continues to write article in the name of John Doe, calling on everyone to love their neighbor and the like. This only increases the fan mail and in the best scene of the film she writes "John Doe" a speech to read on the radio, inspired by the words of her father. As "John" himself gets caught up in the speech and its response, Ann is totally enraptured by the moment. This all might be a giant con game, but Ann is now a true believer in the fiction she has created. But at that point the powerful publishing magnate, D. B. Norton (Edward Arnold), throws his support behind the John Doe clubs because he wants them to hold a convention where "John" will nominate him as a third party candidate for the presidency. Obviously Norton is some sort of American fascist, and when "John" refuses to play along, Norton publicly exposes him to the mob in a devastating fashion. All that is left to "John" is to fulfill the original promise of the first letter and commit suicide on Christmas Eve.

Cooper and Capra had enjoyed success before with "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town," but this is the much better film by far. Cooper's performance in this 1940 film is certainly Oscar worthy, but his next film was "Sergeant York" and that was the film that won the actor his first Academy Award. Stanwyck's performance is just as good, proving she could do more than film noir bad girls. Like most of Capra's great works, including "It's A Wonderful Life," the mythic structure is clearly that of the crucifixion and resurrection (think about it). The symbolic "death" of John Doe is arguably the most painful in any of Capra's films and the character's "resurrection" is definitely the most believable. Capra originally had a darker ending than what was provided, but we all know that really would have gone against his grain. Again, the supporting cast for Capra's film is absolutely stellar, with Edward Arnold, Walter Brennan, Spring Byington, Gene Lockhart, Sterling Holloway, and especially James Gleason as Ann's newspaper editor, all getting the most out of Robert Riskin's screenplay. "Meet John Doe" is definitely a classic Frank Capra film.

weak
This movie was a weak effort by Capra, who directed it, and the star, Gary Cooper. It's a good story, just poorly directed (Capra can't hit a home run every time). I found the acting very wooden and the movie seemed to just drag on and on. And no extra features on the dvd, at least none to speak of.

It's My All Time Favorite
This, in my opinion, is Capra at his best. If you liked (or even loved) 'It's A Wonderful Life', then this will not disappoint you. The end is the best, as in all of Capra's films, depicting the endearing belief in the goodness of the common man. He could not have ended this movie any other way, it was a perfect end to a perfect movie. Gary Cooper is superb in this role, a man pretending to be something he is not, then beginning to believe he is the part he is playing. You can't help but feel the same way. You can't help but loathe the sinister character, and you hope the girl will come to her senses, and get the guy, as well. It is very heartfelt and touches on the golden rule in the most endearing way. This is a must see, for those who need help with and for those who truly do love their neighbor.

Great Movie--BAD copy
The movie (story, actors, actresses, etc) was SUPER! Another great Capra movie but the quality is awful. Don't expect good, clear Turner Classic Movie Channel quality. In some spots the background is so bright you can't even see the faces of the actors. I'm going to buy a good version of this eventually because it is worth the extra money! BUY BETTER QUALITY!! ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Cooper and Stanwyck in the classic screwball comedy
This classic screwball comedy offers a nice twist on the tale of Snow White, Prince Charming and the Seven Dwarves. Gary Cooper plays Professor Betram Potts, who is writing the definitive treatise on slang for an encyclopedia. Towards that end he elicits the help of burlesque stripper, Sugarpuss O'Shea, played by Barbara Stanwyck in her second Oscar-nominated role. Sugarpuss knows all about slang and moves in with the professor and the seven distinguished professors (Oscar Homolka, Henry Travers, Z. Z. Sakall, Tully Marshall, Leonind Kinskey, Richard Haydn and Aubrey Mather) helping Professor Potts with his research. Of Sugarpuss sets the stuffy household on its head, with the result that the professors are all totally smitten with her and the lady has to rethink marrying her gangster boyfriend (Dana Andrews) because she, of course, has fallen for Potts.

This is a first rate screwball comedy and it is hard to believe that Cooper and Stanwyck had played opposite each other in Frank Capra's classic "Meet John Doe," since there is quite a difference between Capracorn and screwball comedy. For me, it is the seven dwarves, er, professors who steal the show with their ensemble responses to everything Sugarpuss says and does. Originally called "The Professor and the Burlesque Queen," Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder's Oscar nominated screenplay was based on an original story by Wilde and Thomas Monroe called "From A to Z." This 1941 film was directed by Howard Hawks, produced by Samuel Goldwyn, had Gregg Toland of "Citizen Kane" fame as the photographer and featured an Oscar nominated score by Alfred Newman. The song "Drum Boogie" was written by Gene Krupa and Roy Eldridge. Watch "Ball of Fire" as a double-bill with "Bringing Up Baby" and you can enjoy the two best screwball comedies ever made at one sitting.

Delicious Screwball Farce
BALL OF FIRE is one of the classic screwball farces. With a wonderful script from Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett, smart, spot-on direction from Howard Hawks, great B&W cinematography from Gregg Toland, elegant set design from William Cameron Menzies (wait'll you see the wonderful Manhattan town house!) BALL OF FIRE turns Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on its head. Here, the seven dwarfs -- led by a terrific Gary Cooper -- are taught the ways of the world by Snow White -- an equally terrific Barbara Stanwyck. This is sheer, unadulterated fun, from beginning to end. Has any actor in the history of film had a year like Cooper had in 1941? Besides BALL OF FIRE, he also starred in two other critical and box office smashes -- Capra's very disturbing MEET JOHN DOE, and a second Hawks film, SERGEANT YORK, for which Cooper won his first Academy Award. Not bad for an actor whom some have claimed was wooden and only played himself! Buy this, most definitely.

Great 40's comedy
For anyone who only associates Barbara Stanwyck with television's "The Big Valley" series, this movie should provide some good insight into just how talented this actress was. Barbara Stanwyck was a top star during the forties, and her versatility was amazing. "Ball of Fire" showcases her marvelous comedic talents. It also gives viewers a glimpse of just how wonderful these "old" movies really are. Gary Cooper and Stanwyck had a great on-screen chemistry. But the most surprising thing is how sexy Barbara Stanwyck was on that screen. She was positively luminous. See this movie and judge for yourself. Today's movies are positively sordid by comparison.

Worth the wait.....
I never had the opportunity to watch this classic film, neither on tv, nor on vhs format....Having watched so many times Capra's "Meet John Doe", also starring Cooper and Stanwyck, which I love....I had always wanted to see this second and last pairing of this wonderful screen couple.

When I bought my dvd player, three years ago, this one was of the first movies I wanted to buy....but when I tried to, the dvd edition was already out of stock or out of print....and sadly for us, this HBO 1998 dvd edition, is being sold at very high prices at Internet Stores. So... I had lost all hopes when I had the luck of finding it at a very convenient price in an unknown small store in Raleigh, North Carolina, while on vacation there.

This wonderful, classic comedy...deserved the long wait....'cos Stanwyck is really fantastic as cabaret stripper and singer Sugarpuss O'Shea, at first using Gary Cooper for her own selfish purposes, but in the process (not unexpectedly), falling for his naive, clumsy Professor Potts ("Pottsy" for her).

By the way, professor Potts works on an encyclopedia project with seven fellow experts, on different areas of knowledge, all of them bachelors or widowers, living by themselves in a big house...with the only female presence of the elderly housekeeper, Miss Bragg (played by Kathleen Howard), who doesn't live there (she wouldn't dare to!!).

While researching more information on current slang (for their encyclopedia project), Cooper meets Stanwyck at a nightclub, where she sings with legendary Gene Krupa! (nothing less!!) immediately trying to persuade her to meet him at his home (with other fellow "users" of slang: the garbage man, the newspaper boy et al), in order to try get all of the existing slang words into the encyclopedia.

His seven fellow -much older than Cooper- co-workers and professors, are sort of like the seven dwarfs kind of characters, trying to play matchmaker between sexy-woman-of-the world Sugarpuss O'Shea and reluctant, prudish Professor Bertram Potts. Some of them are played by the best of character actors: Richard Haydn (his debut on screen), S.Z. Sakall, Henry Travers, Oscar Homolka, Tully Marshal, et al.

Also, noteworthy performances by Dana Andrews (as Stanwyck's underworld boyfriend) and Dan Duryea, as one of his "boys".

Hilarious scenes, very funny moments and witty dialogue, thanks to a great script by the Charles Brackett-Billy Wilder team, and Howard Hawks' deft direction.

The dvd edition is good, pretty crisp and sharp...featuring the original mono audio and a remastered-stereophonic one.

1941 was an excellent year for both actors, besides this one and "Meet John Doe", Stanwyck starred in the very, very funny Preston Sturges' movie "The Lady Eve", with Henry Fonda, and Cooper starred in Hawks' "Sergeant York", and Oscar winning role.

This one was remade in 1948 by Hawks, as "A Song is Born" with Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo, a funny movie, but not up to the original.

Sugarpuss and the Seven Dwarfs
Rollicking satire is what is dished out in this superb 1941 valentine to 40's jive and slang. Rarely have written words and actors to deliver them ever experienced a happier marriage than here as the wonderful Barbara Stanwyck adds another triumph (and another Oscar nomination to boot!) to her list as the jive talking, flashy show girl come mobster's gal Sugarpuss O'Shea. Playing opposite her is frequent co star Gary Cooper as the upright and very proper Prof Bertram Potts in the Billy Wilder written, Oscar nominated screw ball comedy hit "Ball Of Fire".

Directed by veteran Howard Hawks this terrific screen confection is loosely based on the idea of Snow White and the Seven Dwarf's in its telling of a group of mostly elderly professors, led by the younger Cooper who have been hired to write a new encyclopedia containing all the up to date slang terms used in society. Into their tightly academic and isolated world waltzes the flashy woman of experience Sugarpuss O' Shea on the lam from the vice squad who needs a place to safely hide out in till the heat gets off her and her crooked fiance . In a delightful way she proceeds to turn the professors snug little world upside down with her gangster connections, sassy language loud music and free and easy manner with all of the professors who all become quite smitten with this rare bird who has flown into their nest.

Barbara Stanwyck was born to play Sugarpuss and had already teamed beautifully with the lanky Gary Cooper in "Meet John Doe". Barbara was as expert in comedy as she was in the hard hitting dramas she is probably better known for. In "Ball Of Fire" she has the perfect screen teaming with Cooper contrasting her tart and breezy mobster's moll character with Cooper's sound and respectable academic with no experience of the opposite sex. Of special delight are Sugarpuss's wonderful exchanges with the elderly professors (expert character actors like Henry Travers, S.Z. Sakall and Tully Marshall among them in truly delightful performances).By employing her considerable feminine wiles and smart talk she manages to not only convince them to let her stay with them in the house but also dupes them into literally becoming her personal bodyguards when her fiance (Dana Andrews in an early performance) starts to cause her trouble. Prof. Potts finds himself attracted to her worldly manner and proposes marriage with a minisule diamond ring that pales beside the vulgar nuckle duster given to her by her mobster fiance. Sugarpuss also finds herself falling for the prim Professor's sincerity and what ensures is a mad race to the altar complete with interfering mobsters, machine guns and the professors taking on the mobsters at their own game.

Under Hawk's breezy direction this madness all works beautifully and the film is unique in containing a very complete catalogue of all the early war time slang expressions which are a delight to listen to and are as fresh and funny today as they were back in the forties. Edith Head's designs for Stanwyck are wonderful as always and Cooper's shock at Barbara's gold lame show costume slit right up the sides in their first scene together is priceless.

"Ball Of Fire' is fast, sexy and great fun all round with the stars at their absolute peak. I always laugh at Barbara's reactions to the stuffy professors, the gem being when S.K Sakall is stroking her hand repeatedly and Barbara simply states "Do you mind if I have that back?" Great stuff delivered with relish and it's evident that they were all having as much fun filming this piece as the audience has watching it. Simple and extremely innocent it indeed is but what's wrong with that? It easily beats many of todays so called attempts at a heart warming comedy. Enjoy Barbara and her beloved Coop at their best in "Ball Of Fire". ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Best of the Titanic movies!
I don't remember when I saw this the first time,But I much prefer it to its highly hyped 1997 successor. I rented the video the other night and still sniffled at the end. I would imagine most viewers don't know that it won an Oscar.(For best screenplay,I think.) My mother was just thrilled with the very young Robert Wagner. Does anyone know what happened to Audrey Dalton??? One of the best "minor" characters had to be Richard Basehart as the defrocked priest. and wasn't that Edmund Purdom(uncredited) as "Mr Lightoller? Barabara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb were excellent too. Characters much more clearly drawn than in the 1997 version. Class distinction is not as hokey as Jack and Rose. Was Thelma Ritter supposed to be "Molly Brown"? I think the effect of the film in black and white works very well(NO COLORIZATION PLEASE!)

OSCAR should have been aboard THIS ship......
One of my all-time 10 favorite movies (along with ALL ABOUT EVE, GONE WITH THE WIND, AUNTIE MAME, Jane Wyman's THE BLUE VEIL, Garland's A STAR IS BORN, CABARET, Lana Turner's career highlight in MADAME X, 1939's THE WOMEN, and 1953's SO BIG) THIS is the only version of TITANIC anyone should want to keep in their collection of classics. This is the one that should have been an Academy Award champion.....and it is a sin that Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck not only didn't win 1953 Oscars, but were not even nominated. Ditto the wonderful performance of the greatest supporting actress in movie history, Thelma Ritter, as the indomitable Unsinkable Molly Brown. I will never forget the hysteria in Barbara Stanwyck's voice as she screamed "Norman! Norman!" when she realized her young son had slipped out of their life-boat to remain with his dad as the ship sank.....nor the tears in Clifton Webb's eyes when he told the boy what pride he felt for him as the end drew near. Please, don't anyone tell me there was an ounce of reality in the blockbuster, phony '97 version.....This simple black & white movie told the REAL story of the very rich and the very poor suddenly equalized in the face of disaster. And I dare you not to smile as millionaire John Jacob Astor reassures his young, pregnant, second wife with the immortal words "My dear, God himself could not sink THIS ship"......and I defy you not to cry when old Mrs. Strauss refuses to board a life-boat, saying "I've been with Mr. Strauss for more than fifty years....I don't intend to leave him now." This is a classic. This is THE classic. And these people, brilliantly portrayed by brilliant actors, become the ones who were really aboard the TITANIC in 1912.

Literary License Keeps Movie Afloat
We know the ship is going to sink, and we can read the committee reports, history books, and other sources to find out the details of what happened in 1912. This movie presents an innovative plot line that keeps our attention. Importantly, the film also preserves the essential truth of the Titanic disaster: 1,500 people died needlessly on account of arrogance and overconfidence.

THe Best Titanic Film Ever
Aside from the great acting, the special effects, music and staging are supurb. It is much more believable than the most famous Titanic movie and will be remembered long after any others. Buy it and Enjoy

Titanic with heart
I remember crying over this film as a kid, and sitting absolutely unmoved during James Cameron's feelingless epic. True, "A Night To Remember" is more accurate, but if you're one of those people who want to count the windows on the promenade deck, buy a documentary. Unlike some reviewers who can't possibly understand the character's actions during the sinking, it is about dignity and courage, something missing from other depictions of the story. The cast are flawless, and the story of a shallow family's realization of meaning brought about through tragedy is age-old and timeless. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Meow! The Fur Flies in "Walk On The Wild Side"
Last evening, I skipped the traditional televised holiday fare and watched Edward Dmytryk's "Walk On The Wild Side" (Columbia Pictures, 1962). Let's just say that the next time you're having friends over for melba toast and you're looking for the perfect over-the-top extravaganza to project on to the living room wall, this should be the featured attraction. Barbara Stanwyck is the lesbian owner of a New Orleans brothel known as "The Doll House." Glamorous Capucine (a 60's version of Garbo)is the most popular call girl since Holly Golightly and coveted by both her butch madame and a drifter named Dove (not kidding) played by the inscrutable Laurence Harvey. Add a youthful Jane Fonda (in her bulimic period) and a miscast Anne Baxter as a Mexican diner owner (cascading dark wig, inauthentic accent and all) and you've got one mesmerically curious flick. Oh, did I forget to mention that the entire thing kicks off with a title sequence in which two felines (one black, one white) engage in a vicious catfight punctuated by Elmer Bernstein's pulsating jazz score? Meow! They sure as hell don't make e'm like this anymore! - Mark Griffin ("Genre" Magazine)

DOVE & the "DOLL HOUSE".....
It's been said that nobody deliberately sets out to make a bad movie. Based on a novel of the same name and with character names like Dove Linkhorn and Kitty Twist, "Walk on the Wild Side" kind've makes me wonder. Set in the "early thirties", it tells of Texan Dove (Laurence Harvey) on the road to New Orleans to find his lost love, sculptress Hallie (Capucine). He hooks up with been-around runaway Kitty Twist (Jane Fonda). They meet good-hearted cafe owner Teresina (Anne Baxter---with a not very convincing Mexican accent) and Dove discovers Kitty is a thief so he ditches her. Teresina gives Dove work and helps him with a newspaper ad to locate Hallie. After a suspicious phone call (that sounds like Kitty) tips Dove off to Hallie's whereabouts, he finally finds her. She's living off brothel owner/vice queen Jo Courtney (Barbara Stanwyck) and works in Jo's "Doll House" in the French Quarter. But good ole boy that he is, he doesn't catch on. Kitty turns up as a new "doll" and things begin to unravel leading to scandal and tragedy. The performances are rather good even if Capucine seems a bit too classy and patrician to be a fallen woman. The dialogue is ripe and I loved one line a drunken street preacher shouts at Capucine, "You hip-slingin' daughter of Satan!" I can't really call this a bad movie. I enjoyed it despite the obvious plot contrivances and recommend it to those who enjoy somewhat trashy but interesting melodramas. The title sequences by Saul Bass are cool and Brook Benton sings the title song performed in the "Doll House". For some, this will be a good DVD find.

"A Walk on the Mild Side"
You will find yourself liking this movie in spite of the stiff performances. You'll may even feel compelled to watch it twice. "Chick flick" will be your husband's first remark. Yes, it is, and in marvelous black and white. What was wild in the early 1960's is considered mild in this century. But I still wouldn't want to explain this plot to a pre-teen. If you like this movie, you may also like other movies about sublimated or hidden desires, such as, "Reflections in a Golden Eye", or "Separate Tables" or "Night of the Generals".

Guilty pleasure!
"A Walk on the Wild Side" is a well made, intriguing soap opera set in sultry, steamy New Orleans. When the audience sees the opening credit sequence in which a sensuous black cat is photographed in closeup as it prowls along sidewalks and alleys of the Big Easy, viewers are hooked. This startling and ingenious introduction as well as the juicy end credit sequence were conceived by the brilliantly inventive graphic artist Saul Bass.

The rather sordid plot revolves around a good-looking Texas drifter named Dove, superbly underplayed by Laurence Harvey, who hitchhikes his way to New Orleans in search of his long lost love, Hallie. Hallie is portrayed by the elegant and ravishing Capucine. (Capucine bears an uncanny resemblance to both Sophia Loren and Audrey Hepburn. No wonder everyone was crazy about her!) Enroute to the Big Easy, Dove encounters a runaway juvenile delinquent, Kitty, performed with sass and vigor by Jane Fonda. She tags along with Dove until he leaves her behind after he discovers that she is a thief and a liar.

Following an anonymous tip, Dove locates Hallie who is living and working in a high-class brothel. At first he does not realize that she has followed a primrose path. When he does find out, he is understandably shocked. Eventually he forgives her and proposes marriage. Complications and tragedy follow.

The cast of " A Walk on the Wild Side" are uniformly excellent. Barbara Stanwyck is especially memorable. She gives a fearless, ferocious performance as the calculating, possessive lesbian madam, Jo, who is hopelessly infatuated with Hallie. Other palatable ingredients in this movie: the solid direction by Edward Dmytryk; the crisp, evocative black and white photography of Joe MacDonald; and the bold, brash jazz score composed by the great Elmer Bernstein.

No it's not Shakespeare, but "A Walk on the Wild Side" is a very watchable, well-crafted, guilty pleasure.

'shudder'
What an unpleasant film this is. Barbara Stanwyck was incapable of giving a bad performance, but participating in this undertaking must have been hard on her. Ann Baxter as a Mexican hash-slinger? That endlessly moaning New Orleans blues music? Moody Capucine as a call girl pursued by her madam? Not uplifting stuff. In fact,I have to believe that the only reason Miss Stanwyck appeared in this monstrosity was because she was a workaholic. She certainly didn't need the money. Granted, if I were wired differently, I don't think I could resist her advances...she was that charismatic. But this movie leaves a bad taste in the mouth. (...) ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Best of the Titanic movies!
I don't remember when I saw this the first time,But I much prefer it to its highly hyped 1997 successor. I rented the video the other night and still sniffled at the end. I would imagine most viewers don't know that it won an Oscar.(For best screenplay,I think.) My mother was just thrilled with the very young Robert Wagner. Does anyone know what happened to Audrey Dalton??? One of the best "minor" characters had to be Richard Basehart as the defrocked priest. and wasn't that Edmund Purdom(uncredited) as "Mr Lightoller? Barabara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb were excellent too. Characters much more clearly drawn than in the 1997 version. Class distinction is not as hokey as Jack and Rose. Was Thelma Ritter supposed to be "Molly Brown"? I think the effect of the film in black and white works very well(NO COLORIZATION PLEASE!)

OSCAR should have been aboard THIS ship......
One of my all-time 10 favorite movies (along with ALL ABOUT EVE, GONE WITH THE WIND, AUNTIE MAME, Jane Wyman's THE BLUE VEIL, Garland's A STAR IS BORN, CABARET, Lana Turner's career highlight in MADAME X, 1939's THE WOMEN, and 1953's SO BIG) THIS is the only version of TITANIC anyone should want to keep in their collection of classics. This is the one that should have been an Academy Award champion.....and it is a sin that Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck not only didn't win 1953 Oscars, but were not even nominated. Ditto the wonderful performance of the greatest supporting actress in movie history, Thelma Ritter, as the indomitable Unsinkable Molly Brown. I will never forget the hysteria in Barbara Stanwyck's voice as she screamed "Norman! Norman!" when she realized her young son had slipped out of their life-boat to remain with his dad as the ship sank.....nor the tears in Clifton Webb's eyes when he told the boy what pride he felt for him as the end drew near. Please, don't anyone tell me there was an ounce of reality in the blockbuster, phony '97 version.....This simple black & white movie told the REAL story of the very rich and the very poor suddenly equalized in the face of disaster. And I dare you not to smile as millionaire John Jacob Astor reassures his young, pregnant, second wife with the immortal words "My dear, God himself could not sink THIS ship"......and I defy you not to cry when old Mrs. Strauss refuses to board a life-boat, saying "I've been with Mr. Strauss for more than fifty years....I don't intend to leave him now." This is a classic. This is THE classic. And these people, brilliantly portrayed by brilliant actors, become the ones who were really aboard the TITANIC in 1912.

Literary License Keeps Movie Afloat
We know the ship is going to sink, and we can read the committee reports, history books, and other sources to find out the details of what happened in 1912. This movie presents an innovative plot line that keeps our attention. Importantly, the film also preserves the essential truth of the Titanic disaster: 1,500 people died needlessly on account of arrogance and overconfidence.

THe Best Titanic Film Ever
Aside from the great acting, the special effects, music and staging are supurb. It is much more believable than the most famous Titanic movie and will be remembered long after any others. Buy it and Enjoy

Titanic with heart
I remember crying over this film as a kid, and sitting absolutely unmoved during James Cameron's feelingless epic. True, "A Night To Remember" is more accurate, but if you're one of those people who want to count the windows on the promenade deck, buy a documentary. Unlike some reviewers who can't possibly understand the character's actions during the sinking, it is about dignity and courage, something missing from other depictions of the story. The cast are flawless, and the story of a shallow family's realization of meaning brought about through tragedy is age-old and timeless. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Stanwyck and Capra outdo themselves
This was the first film to open at Radio City Music Hall in 1933, and it was so far ahead of its time it was a popular failure. It will probably remind of you nothing like Frank Capra's later films, but it's probably his most lyrical and sensitive work--there's no question that it's a masterpiece. Set in China during the "warlord period" of the late 20s and early 30s, the film concerns the strange abduction of a New England missionary (played by Barbara Stanwyck) and a cruel but highly cultured Chinese general (played by a Nils Asther, of all people, a Scandinavian). As the general tries to woo the missionary, her conflicted feelings for him come to the forefront--while all the while the warlord's political fortunes begin to crumble.

Stanwyck was never so subtle as she is here--she plays Megan as moral, tender, and conflicted, but not in the least bit prissy (she is that rarest of creatures, a genuinely virtuous woman). As Asther manages to breathe real depth into what could have otherwise been a racial caricature: although the film still wince-inducingly reminds us, at times, that it is a product of its period in some ways (as in its depiction of the treacherous Mah-Li), nonetheless it confronts head-on the racist stereotypes of white colonialists in China. The final scene between the two leads is absolutely stunning--you won't be prepared for where the film takes the characters, and yet in a strange way it all makes a wondrous kind of dream-like sense. Do yourself a favor and watch this film--it's really one-of-a-kind.

A very different Frank Capra film...
Frank Capra's groundbreaking story of an interracial romance between a Catholic missionary in wartorn China (played by a gorgeous young Barbara Stanwyck) and a cruel, haughty Chinese warlord, played -- in the style of the time -- by a white guy. It's a very unusual film, and much different than most other Capra classics. To begin with, the story takes place outside of the director's usual Middle-America tromping grounds, and his dramatizations of the bloodshed and chaos taking place in Asia are pretty amazing... Hard-hitting stuff for a still-isolationist nation to sit through, but material Capra would sucessfully revisit in his WWII propaganda films. The main story, though, is about two people struggling to bridge a deep racial divide -- although the film is rife with sterotypes, Capra clearly meant to project a progressive image onto his characters. It may be a little difficult for modern audiences to passively sit through some of the dialogue, but the film's still a fascinating snapshot of its times, worth considering on a variety of levels. The cinematography and set design are also both quite stunning.

Capra's unforgettable masterpiece!
The Bitter Tea of General Yen is one of the greatest love stories to ever come out of Hollywood. Moody and mystical. Haunting and poetic. Sensitive and seductive. Unpredictable and utterly unforgettable. Nils Asther gives the performance of a lifetime as the arrogantly gorgeous and sophisticated General Yen. If only there were more men in the world like this. Sigh. Barbara Stanwyck as the lovely missionary Megan Davis never looked as innocently beautiful again as she does in this film. Capra fills the screen with lavish sets, dreamy lighting and rich romantic action. His very best film ever! My favorite movie of all time! Watch and be enchanted!

A mysterious, hauntingly beautiful film ahead of its time
This film will always mystify me as it doesn't seem to fit into any real period of Hollywood history. Barbara Stanwyck herself said in later years that the whole idea of the film was years ahead of its time upon release. This does go part of the way towards explaining why it was banned in England and Australia upon release and strongly criticised for its content. Time has luckily redeemed this wonderful production and today it is much more respected for its own merits.

I appreciate the film not only for the very very daring subject matter that it tackled for the time but also for the absolutely beautiful sets and costumnes . Indeed the whole production has a rich, other worldly quality to it that makes the film a memorable viewing experience.

The cast of this production is top notch. Barbara Stanwyck, always one of my favorite actresses has one of her very early memorable roles as the young missionary abducted by the mysterious and sensual General Yen, played by silent star Nils Asher. He is particularly effective in his role turning Yen from being just a one dimensional villian into someone who you almost start to feel for. Asher didn't seem to do too much work in the sound era but he is very effective in this characterisation.

Like the other reviewers I was stunned by the very original dream sequence which first reveals Stanwyck's secret passion for General Yen. Considered shocking in it's time today it simply strikes me as being very originally done and very different to anything that would appear in a film of that time.

"The Bitter Tea of General Yen" is a lyrical, hauntingly beautiful production that continues to intrigue me. I strongly recommend it as a great piece of early 30's film making done on a very adult and sensitive level

STANWYCK AND CAPRA
Stanwyck plays her victimized role with aplomb and shines most brightly in the dream sequences where she envisions Asther as her lover. The subject of interracial love was taboo when Capra made this unusual film; miscegenation was a real bugbear then. It was unthinkable for a white woman to wind up in the arms of a Chinese even one as sophisticated as Asther portrays. This film was banned in England because of it's racial issues and Asther, once a silent star, did very few films and none of any consequence after this one. Walter Connolly, who is seen on crutches, played with them because he actually broke his leg when he fell out of a boxcar during production! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

...Did you ever see a dream walking?
"Together again!" blurted the ads for this William Castle thriller. The ads meant, of course,former husband and wife Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck, who had a rather acrimonious divorce in the early 1950s. "Everyone probably thought we were going to beat each other up", said "Missy" Stanwyck, when asked about how their screen reunion went. Well, they didn't beat each other up, but gave good performances in this Robert "Psycho" Bloch-scripted film, one of William Castle's best. "The Night Walker" is the tale of attractive Irene Trent (Stanwyck), who is married to blind, jealous and abusive scientist Howard Trent, played by Hayden Rourke (He was "Captain Bellows" on TV's "I Dream of Jeannie"!). Marriage to Howard, in Irene's words, "Is like a nightmare!" In her frustration, she dreams of a young, handsome and attentive lover, and talks in her sleep. Howard accuses her of having an affair with their attorney, Barry Morland (Taylor). They quarrel,(Stanwyck's tirade is a masterpiece of vitriol!), she runs out of their gloomy old mansion, and Howard is incinerated in a mysterious explosion in his laboratory. Irene, feeling uncomfortable living in the house, moves into the small apartment behind the beauty parlor she owns. Her dreams of a dream lover continue, (Are they dreams? Are they real?) and then they become terrifying nightmares. She sees Howard, his face hideously burned, and her "dream lover" (Lloyd Bochner) marries her in a positively frightening ceremony in an abandoned chapel. Irene begins to doubt her own sanity...Surprisingly, "The Night Walker" was a box-office dud. It is a very entertaining film, with a great cast, which includes familiar old faces such as Rochelle Hudson, Marjorie Bennett, Jess Barker, and Tetsu Komai (he was one of the manimals in "Island of Lost Souls"). "Missy" Stanwyck looks great, though she possessed one of the most unmelodious screams ever heard on screen (it sounds like a foghorn!), but she gives, as always, a believable performance. She was great. Robert Taylor is good, though he was never one of my favorites, and his once-handsome face had not aged well, and his bad facelift did not help matters. The musical score is rather noteworthy. It was composed by Vic Mizzy, who has, to his credit, "The Addams Family", "Green Acres", "The Pruitts of Southhampton", and a quartet of Don Knotts comedies, including "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken". It is a very entertaining, catchy score, praised by Bernard Herrmann! The picture quality on this tape is excellent, and the original teaser trailer is loads of fun ("Do you dream of SEX?") So, for an enjoyable 85 minutes, curl up with a bowl of popcorn and "The Night Walker"! Pleasant dreams....

Yes, even Robert Bloch can write a bad movie script
The best part of "The Night Walker" is the opening sequence, which consists of an expressionistic montage all about dreams and nightmares. The story offers Barbara Stanwyck in her last theatrical role as Irene Trent, who blind husband (Hayden Roarke) is killed in an explosion. Irene starts to have lots and lots of nightmares haunted by both a mysterious handsome guy (Lloyd Bochner) and her husband, who appears to be alive. Of course, as the nightmares progress it becomes more difficult to tell the difference between the dreams and the real world (YOU THINK?). Next thing we know, Irene is screaming "I CAN'T WAKE UP! I CAN'T WAKE UP!"

Now, a movie starring Barbara Stanwyck and written by Robert Bloch ("Psycho") certainly seems promising enough, but then "The Night Walker" was directed by William Castle. As you can tell from the "revised" title of the film, when William Castle does a film there is nobody bigger involved in the production than William Castle. After all, this is the guy who brought us "The Tingler" and a host of other campy horror films. Every once in a while as director Castle tries some "arty" stuff involving angles as such, most of which do not work. The production values are pretty good for a Castle film, but that works against what is essentially his usual brand of camp. The dream sequences are the best part of the film, but Bloch's simply (and surprisingly) script falls apart at the end. Stanwyck's performance is okay, but in this film she utters some of the worst screams in movie history. Paul Frees is the distinctive voice providing the narration and the music by Vic Mizzy is above average. "The Night Walker" is going to lose most viewers before it gets to the end, which I do not think works, but it has some pretentions at evincing ambition which warrants a look.

The one and only William Castle
I absolutely love William Castle. The man was an original and made the most fun and unique films. So what if they weren't considered classics, they were the perfect late-night-slumber party movies: lots of cheap thrills, but nothing to damage your psyche. I just hope this gem, along with other great Castle films, like "Macabre" and Let's Kill Uncle," make it to DVD soon!!!

Howard, is that you?
I saw this movie when I was a kid and it scared the s*** out of me! This is a great horror classic. It's a shame it's not on DVD in widescreen format. The first ten minutes or so are a bit hokey but once the story kicks in the suspense builds. It's in black and white but it is great cause they utilize shadows and fog to create suspense; and the music totally fits the genre. I can hear the music in my head as I write this; da da da da dum. My nephew once bragged how he could watch any horror movie. I put Night Walker in for him to watch. By the end of the movie he was watching it with his baseball hat tilted over his head and his hands over his face. He couldnt sleep that night, he was so scared. We wound up spending the night playing Nitendo. Yeah, it's definitely a B-movie but one of the greatest B-movies I've ever seen. It's a tradition in our home to watch it at least once a year. I've seen the other Castle films but to me this one is the true classic.

Barbara Stanwyck's last theatrical release
"The Night Walker", following on the heels of her 1964 collaboration with Elvis Presley in "Roustabout" marked rather sadly the last cinema release in Barbara Stanwyck's long and very acclaimed film career. After this film she moved full time into television and scored herself a triumph (and an Emmy Award into the bargain),as the firm but fair lead in the classic western series "The Big Valley". It was a shame she didn't continue in leading film roles because here Barbara has never been better in her later years than as the widow tortured by recurring dreams so alarmingly vivid that that seem frighteningly real.

Produced by the infamous William Castle who's speciality was having skeletons fly across cinemas on wires during performances, it would seem at first glance that the material here which has a slightly incredible premise was not very promising. But in reality it is actually one of the better of the "shock cinema" offerings of the 1960's which found veteran actresses of the 1930's and 40's appearing as deranged or menaced mature women in low budget offerings that still drew audiences on their weight of their names. "The Night