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Ron Howard's 1989 hit, written by fellow family men Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel (Splash, A League of Their Own), is an original comedy about contemporary life and the eternal responsibilities of raising children. Steve Martin has never been better than as a dedicated husband and father trying (and inevitably failing, as do most of us) to balance the demands of his kids and his job. The actor, like his character, throws himself into the part quite touchingly, never more so than in a scene where a hired clown fails to show up at a children's party and Martin's character unabashedly provides the entertainment. Good as Martin is, this is actually an ensemble piece with numerous actors playing members of the same family, with cross-generational joys and disappointments in the air--and parents in conflict, children in love, and so on. Jason Robards is very good as a patriarch who finally accepts the reality that the son he adores (Tom Hulce) is a major screwup. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (50)

A Wonderful Family Masterpiece
I can't express how much Parenthood is a great film. It's a beautifully crafted story with comedy and drama all woven together in a perfect movie gem. The film centers around a large family who are just going through the trials and tribulations of life. Kids, sex, jobs, relationships, divorce. You name it. Steve Martin headlines this film that has an undoubtedly brilliant unsemble cast. Dianne Wiest stands out in a hilarious and yet, very real performance. She has trouble adjusting to son in law Keanu Reeves. She has a few classic scenes that are undeniably funny and brilliant. The legendary Jason Robards is on hand as the family patriarch. He is solid and wonderful. The remaining cast is outstanding: Mary Steenburgen, Rick Moranis, Martha Plimpton, Joaquin Phoenix, Tom Hulce. You can't go wrong with any of them. Director Ron Howard is a master at putting this film, with different story arcs, together. This is his best work. Steve Martin also shows at how good he can do dramatic parts. If he is deserving of an Oscar, then he should've been recognized for this. Parenthood is a stylish, clever, funny, and teriffic film on family life. See this movie and you'll feel good in the end.

Will have you alternately laughing and crying!
Steve Martin is top billed in this film and he is excellent but the rest of the cast is just as good. This movie is actually divided into four separate parts-four different branch off's of the same family (the father, his kids and their families)-that allows this fine ensemble to portray all the ups and downs of family life. It is a film that teaches without preaching and it's lesson is clearly understood: in life, you can't have the peaks without the valleys. And because of it every character comes to stark realizations about themselves and their relationships with other people. All the characters, that is, except the one played by Tom Hulce. But even that character is correctly written; it just simply isn't the right time for him to realize.The interactions between the father (Jason Robards) and his two sons (Hulce and Martin) tell us much about all three characters' past, present and future. Unfortunately there isn't any interaction between the father and the two daughters, played by Martha Plimpton and Dianne Wiest, but with so many characters to deal with and so many ties to bind, there simply wasn't time. But the time the writers have is well spent indeed. Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel have taken a very basic idea and expanded on it in a realistic and original way. It's no wonder that all the characters are tied together so perfectly in the end.Ron Howard has taken that script and directed these tremendous performers to superlative work. Very seldom have any of them been better. Martin shines in an everyman IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE portrayal of the father of three and the second oldest child of the four earlier mentioned. Not since ROXANNE had he given a performance of such range and depth. Dianne Wiest as his older sister won another Oscar nomination and is just as good as she was in HANNAH AND HER SISTERS. Martha Plimpton as the next oldest child is fine as a mother torn between her high-tech-education-supporter-husband (Moranis, his best work since LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS) and her young childhood deprived daughter. Tom Hulce is the youngest of Jason Robards' four kids and has the toughest role to play. He wasn't given the one-liners the others have. His character isn't likeable. His father obviously favors him at first, which is hard for the rest of the family as well as the audience to understand. But he portrays the character as it should be played-a wanderer with unstoppable dreams who is also to be pitied. Robards' portrayal of the father is one of his best and should have garnered him another Oscar nomination. Through Robards' father character we see how his kids turned out the way they did. And we see him growing and learning as he finds you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. Joaquin Phoenix, here billed as Leaf (River's kid brother as Wiest's youngest) and Helen Shaw as Grandma, the matriarch of the family are also excellent. Keanu Reeves (Wiest's son-in-law) and Mary Steenburgen (Martin's wife) round out the cast beautifully. Randy Newman's score is perfect and the song "I Love to See You Smile" is very infectious.Pulling everything together for a production is not an easy thing. When you couple that with the fact that in this movie, comedy and drama are blended together seemlessly, Howard and his cast and crew have created a true treasure. Being a perfect parent is not easy. Being a perfect person is impossible. If you are anything less, see this movie.

Very Good now
When I first saw this movie about 7 years ago I did not like it. I did not get why it was so funny back then and thought it all rather sad.
But I tried and it was worth it! It is sometimes very gripping in what happens in the lives of people, though it is sometimes a little exaggerated, like in an Irving book.

It is also funny. The things that happen in itself are hilarious, and sometimes also there are some funny things interspersed ("Take Grandma away from the Nintendo").

The part of Keanu Reeves is also interesting. He plays a dumb guy like in Bill and Ted's excellent adventure. There is a touching scene where he talks to his wife's mother about her son's masturbation ("That's why little dude's do"). Even though he is the stupidest, he has the best advice.

Tom Hulce is brilliant as the youngest gambler son. The dad, useless in the beginning, now finally realized what he has to do.

It is a funny movie and sometimes touching. One of the better Steve Martin movies.

Overpriced, no-frills DVD of a wonderful movie
This is a wonderful, heartwarming film that always manages to make me laugh AND cry....that's why I wanted to own a copy. Unfortunately, the DVD lacks any special features to enhance it (especially frustrating since it's a comparatively expensive one!). How tough would it have been for Ron Howard, Steve Martin or any of the supporting cast to offer a commentary track?

That's why I'd recommend it as a rental only. Dianne Wiest and Helen Shaw deliver exceptional performances...Steve Martin's at his most charming...the child actors are superior and it's one of Mary Steenburgen's best performances.

"No widescreen", "NO SALE"!!!!!
This is such a good film that ranks in the top five of Steve Martin films, with such a great supporting cast and a truly original and funny screenplay for them to work with, it just seems a shame that we the consumer had to wait more than a decade for a "Pan-Scan" DVD release of this great family film, I'm sure alot of people would agree with me that it's like watching 1/2 of the original movie. I hope the distributer of this DVD gets copies of all these reviews and then thinks twice about the next movie he "butchers" by releasing it in a "Pan-Scan" format on a DVD because he just lost a lot of sales due to the lack of a widescreen version of this DVD and "I am sad to say I'm one of those lost sales". ... Read more

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The legend of Mississippi blues master Robert Johnson has served as a fountainhead for generations of blues and rock musicians, as well as a powerful fable for the dark, often violent mysteries of delta blues. Johnson's mythic deal with the Devil, in exchange for his extraordinary musical gifts, has become a fixture in blues lore and an example of the enduring pull of superstitions that can be traced back to Mother Africa and Yoruba deities. Producer-director Walter Hill (The Long Riders, Streets of Fire) sought to put this uniquely American mystery on film, but when he was unable to secure a script devoted directly to Johnson himself, Hill bravely decided to proceed with a more oblique, allegorical story that retold the Satanic bargain through a fictionalized drama set in the present day. In this 1986 feature, the hero is Eugene, a classically trained guitar virtuoso pulled toward the earthier powers of blues. When he stumbles across a lost blues legend, Willie Brown (a real blues figure and Johnson peer known for his partnerships with Charley Patton and Son House, among others), Eugene begins an odyssey back to the delta country and the crossroads of the title, where both Willie and Johnson had traded their souls for blues power, to help the surviving bluesman renegotiate terms.

An opening sequence, shot in sepia-toned black and white, dramatizes Johnson's own supernatural encounter, as well as one of the bluesman's historic Texas recording sessions, and Hill's visuals combine with frequent collaborator Ry Cooder's reliably authentic slide guitar to offer a promising glimpse of cinematic conjury. Even the satanic villain--a grinning huckster named Scratch--honors the trickster figure familiar to African American superstitions, rather than a generic devil. Willie Brown (Joe Seneca) is likewise a convincing link to the blues past, but Hill's central casting choice--Ralph (The Karate Kid) Macchio--sacrifices all for marquee value, a Hobson's choice that casts a shadow of unintended parody across the film. Macchio's earlier character, not Scratch, haunts this film, and even a nifty duel between Eugene, his slashing fretwork supplied off-camera by Cooder, and Scratch's ax-wielding henchman, heavy metal virtuoso, and one-time Frank Zappa protégé Steve Vai, can't safely rescue the film. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (79)

Thin plot as an excuse for the best soundtrack I've heard
As a cinematic work, Crossroads is nothing special. Except for Joe Seneca who was great as the aging blues-legend on the run from the devil, the acting is awful. Ralph Macchio is decent, except that he's doing the EXACT same character he did in Karate Kid. The love interest between Eugene and Frances is silly, shallow and simply doesn't work. The screenplay, above all, is terrible. The directing and photography are good, which makes the film at least bearable.

But the film is just an excuse for one of the most amazing soundtracks I've ever heard. Classical guitar, Robert Johnson classic blues, Muddy Waters electric blues and hard blues rock run throughout this film wonderfuly; for bluesmen and guitar lovers, Crossroads is a must. The ending with Steve Vai, above all, is one of the greatest scenes I've seen and makes the whole movie worthwile - and both Vai and 'Eugene' play a KILLER guitar (I think Stevie Ray Vaughan plays Eugene's part). Overall, a very mediocre movie and for many probably boring, but a cult classic and a musical masterpiece.

What a Great Idea For a Film!
...even though it's far from a perfect movie. So why the 5 stars? Because it's so unique, so bold, so unconventional, and so ultimately pleasing. Crossroads is a fun fairy tale that uses an accurate history lesson as its back drop. (i.e., the kind of fim the just don't make anymore.) Not to mention it has some of the best music you'll hear in a movie. And if you're a musician, and especially a guitar player, it's simply a MUST! The plot and performances have already been reviewed but I'd like to add that Macchios "less than confident" portrayal fits perfectly with the character. The biggest flaw is the horrible miscasting of Steve Vai as the resident hot shot blues man. Vai is in no way or form a blues guitarist and would never be accepted as such, and his poser/over the top performance at the end ruins an otherwise classic film moment. I always felt that Johnny Winter would have been the perfect choice for that role and they should have left Steve to do the soundtrack for the electric classical guitar pieces. The bit with the "selling the soul to the devil" was a little forced as well. All in all, Crossroads is is an uneven masterpiece. Try to overlook the bad, appreciate the good and thank all concerned for at least attempting to bring the beauty of some wonderful music to the publics conciousness. Not to mention you'll thoroughly enjoy watching it. This is one of very few films I actually hated to see end.

Just a few corrections.....
Just a couple corrections. Eugene's guitar parts were played by Ry Cooder and Steve Vai. Ry handled all of the delta blues parts, with Vai contributing Eugene's Trick Bag at the end of the film. Arlen Roth was Ralph Macchio's guitar coach.

the best music film ever
this is the most inspiring film ever made it just makes you want to pick up the guitar and play exept you dont wont to miss the film the duel at the end is the best ive ever seen it tells you the story of the misissipi delta blues and the missing song someone said to me that joe satriani played the parts that eugine did but write back and say if he did the film really opened my eyes to steve vai and recently i went to see g3 live i reccamend that as well

Wonderful!
This movie was so great i give it 5 stars! It's a well done and well written movie. I would recommend it to anyone! I saw this with my dad, and we're big movie buffs and this is both our favorite! Ralph Macchio was really good, he couldn't have done ant better! I love this movie and would reccomend this! ... Read more

Reviews (19)

SENSATIONAL--MINUS 20
I've been hearing for years about "Twin Peaks", whether by word of mouth or on the internet. It's popular to mention the numerous pop-culture moments this show created and the fact that so many shows try to imitate, and fail, this landmark show. So after reading recaps of the pilot and first couple episodes, I decided to buy the whole thing.

I took a risk and I'd do it again because this show is one of the greatest achievements of all TV time. The pilot is a perfect intro to the show, establishing the characters and plots, the main one and various subplots, that it's addictive. WHO KILLED LAURA PALMER!? The mix of light and dark, quirky humor, heavy drama, fantastic production values, and so much more! If you haven't seen any of the show, stay clear of the last 15-20 minutes. I heard about the special ending and found out that the original pilot ends at Sarah Palmer's scream after her dream. End it there, watch the rest of the series, then go back and watch the ending.

Other than that, sit back, relax, and ENJOY! And believe me, YOU WILL!

The Best 2 Hours of Film Anywhere!
Twin Peaks is the premier for the greatest TV series ever created. Brought in to investigate the murder of Twin Peaks Homecoming Queen Laura Palmer, Agent Dale Cooper "Kyle MacLachlan" becomes wrapped up in a town full of mystery, murder, damn good coffee and killer cherry pie.

Start here.
This is pretty much what any fan of the show or David Lynch needs to start with. It's the original movie/pilot, and is a great piece of work. The story, the characters, and the whole northwest environment really make for an interesting and sometimes creepy watch. Many cool actors showed up in "Twin Peaks", among them Kyle McLachlan, Lara Flynn-Boyle, Sheryl Lee, Jack Nance, and the sexy Sherilyn Fenn. If you enjoy this, seek out the VHS collectors series, episodes 1-7. Or the DVD first season, which is also episodes 1-7, minus this pilot.

sdrawkcab dneb smra ym
So I'm sitting on this chair, in this house, on mars when this movie comes on. TWIN PEAKS. The first thing I saw was this grotesque factory-mill type place. And then there was this close-up shot of some rusty machine, and it moved...it moved with the music. Sparks were shooting out everywhere, and it was all moving to this other-worldly melody. Then waterfalls, ponds, ducks...in less than one minute, Lynch had sucked me in, shattered me, put me back together (the way he saw fit), and then he dropped me off into TWIN PEAKS.
The whole thing was beatiful. Lynch and Frost had created this soft cloud of a world that was filled shards of glass and rusty nails. It was all like a dream -a dream that you don't want to wake up from. Bobby, Donna, Shelly, Big Ed. I was lost.
"I too have been touched by the devilish one. Ahh, but when I saw the face of God..." This sleek-Norman Rockwell-wrong way on a one way street-imitation silk-nightmare is a mountain top work of art that leads you dead on into the midst of the footstool of the heavens.
-be sure to watch it in the full blossom of the evening, and you just might experience the beatific vision...FIRE WALK WITH ME.

One of TV's best pilots!
If only it were on DVD! This tape contains the classic 2 hour pilot for David Lynch's extraordinary and quirky TV cult favorite, "Twin Peaks". This 2 hour intro is NOT part of the six tape "complete" series collection that has the actual 29 episodes. There is a neat, confusing, untelevised 15 minute ending that was used to "wrap up" the whole murder when this same tape was released in Europe as a made-for-TV movie. Still, it is simply Twin Peaks at its best. ... Read more

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A pioneer of America's first frontier came to life every week for years--now you can relive his adventures with Daniel Boone: Premiere Episode. In "Ken-Tuck-E," Fess Parker as our national hero must take territory from the natives in order to prepare for war with the British.Along the way, we meet his family, friends (including Ed Ames as Mingo), and enemies as "Dan'l" fights, talks, and sings his way through scrape after scrape. Though some of the characterizations might offend modern sensibilities, if viewed in context the show can be seen as respectful (except possibly to the British and raccoons). This classic episode shows why Daniel Boone stayed in living rooms for so long--charm and adventure go a long way in this country. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (10)

THE DAYS OF YESTERYEAR
As several have said, Fess Parker was a better Daniel Boone than a Davy Crockett. Oh well, he was Davy only four or five times, and Daniel about SIX YEARS. Practice does make perfect. This is a good video for nostalgic reasons and fairly believable acting. If you are a historian who nitpicks about accuracy, then don't watch. It was amazing to see Plains TeePees intermingled with East Coast wigwams. Some of the tribal costume was out of place as well. Oh yes, some of the "Indians" needed a little more berry juice for complexion.
Other than that, this is an excellent video. It is very family oriented(Daniel does not take the Indian wife that is offered to him because Becky is waiting back home), his family always runs to meet him, and gets angry if he has to leave again. He tells stories to his children, and sings to the Missus.
Yes, there is some violence and killing and probably excessive, but Dan'l doesn't kill unless it is to protect someone, and tries avoid it if possible.
These things just are not done in films today, and if they are attempted they just don't have the same spirit.
This video(may there soon be more!!) also gives our children a chanced to see a program that excited us when we were young. everyone has seen all the Peanuts cartoons, and odds and ends of famous sci-fi, but this is a simpler life video.
It is also great to see familiar faces we haven't heard from in years like Ed Ames, and did anyone notice George "Goober Pyle" Lindsay up on the stockade wall during the battle?
AHHHH for the days of clean, if very inaccurrate historical stories. Yes we were very prejudiced in those days, but I think things like this were the beginning of racial acceptance.

Dan'l Boone living large on the frontier of Ken Tuck E
"Ken Tuck E" is the pilot episode for "Daniel Boone," which originally aired on September 24, 1964. Fess Parker, who had become famous in the 1950's playing Davy Crockett for Disney, became even more successful as American frontiersman and folk hero Daniel Boone. Technically a "Western," the series was set in the 18th century, right before the American Revolution, when the "west" was the North Carolina-Tennessee-Kentucky! In this pilot episode Dan'l gets his friends, both Indians and settlers, ready to fight the British. Ed Ames co-starred as Dan'l's Indian friend, Mingo, while Patricia Blair played Rebecca Boone, Veronica Cartwright was daughter Jemima, and Darby hinton son Israel. The show also featured Albert Salmi as Yadkin and Dal McKennon as Cincinnatus, the tavern-keeper of Boonesborough. This first episode is certainly representative of the series, which focused on Boone's encounters with friendly and hostile Indians, his pioneering exploits, and his relationship with his family. I know I am not alone in thinking that Parker made a better Daniel Boone than he did a Davy Crockett.

great family entertainment
I agree with the other reviewers, this is great family entertainment that you aren't ashamed of letting your kids and family see. I think all the baby boomers and even some of the kids of today would enjoy seeing this series on DVD or at least VHS.

Please pass this on to the ones who decide what is coming out next on video.

danel boon
simply one of the best tv shows of the 60s down to earth and very entertaining. i have been in search of i think a disney daniel boone when he was not married to rebbeca but was on his way to discover ken-tuck.i seen it on tv in the mid.60s but that was it. so far iam unable to fine.it stared fess parker and ed ames.

Great tape Wonderful Return to the Past
One of the best TV Shows of the 60's. I hope more Fess Parker Daniel Boone shows will be available.This was pure entertainment.I have wondered for years why this program was not out on tape. During those years we watched it every week. Those were heroes you could cheer for. I would like to own all the Daniel Boone TV shows.I hope Amazon.com will be able to offer more of these. Harry at Vidayo did a top notch job getting the tape to us. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great Comedy classic with Sal Mineo
One of the brightest comedies of the 1950's,"The Private War of Major Benson", features brilliant performances by Charlton Heston, Julie Adams, and "scene stealer", SAL MINEO, in one of his first featured roles.Heston is "Major "Bernard Benson. A tough battle-scarred officer whose inappropriate comments to a magazine almost get him kicked out of the service. Instead, as a last resort, he is transferred to the Sheridan Military Academy for boys, aged 6-16. Demanding and unsympathetic is how he seems towards the boys, and they retaliate towards Benson. And the school nurse, Kay (Adams), is concerned that Major Benson's unorthodox methods have much to be desired. Many HILARIOUS moments fill this uproariously funny film. Eventually, nurse Kay falls for the stoic, yet big-hearted Benson. A young SAL MINEO steals the film, as Cadet Colonel Sylvester Dusik. He gains much respect for Major Benson, and has some truly comedic moments. Especially in the scene where Sylvester tells the training troups, in a frenzy, "Does everybody in this school have two left feet? Alright you guys, you're gonna keep on drilling till you do it right!" The delivery of these lines, shows Sal also had a terrific flair for comedy, and shows why he was such a meteoric rising young star! Also notable, is 6 year old actor, Tim Hovey, adorable in the role as Tiger, one of the youngest cadets at the academy. Directed by Jerry Hopper, "The Private War of Major Benson" is a true comedy classic.

Gentle Comedy Scores a Touchdown!
Charlton Heston is generally thought of as the hero of epic-style films. But in this family-style comedy, filmed after The Ten Commandents and before Ben-Hur, he proves he has comedy chops. As a hard-driving Army major, he is "punished" by being sent to work at a boy's milatary school. Perhaps unique to the times, the love interest of this film is not, as Major Benson first supposes, a nurse . . . but a full-fledged doctor, beautifully played by Julie Adams. A trove of child actors from that period, plus wonderful William Demarest and quite a few other recognizable familiar faces (including a very young David Jansen, in the first few minutes) round out the cast. A good script and delightful theme song (used also for another Tim Hovey movie, Toy Tiger) make this a very enjoyable experience.

Never mind Charlton Heston...
It's pretty boy Sal Mineo who's hard to take your eyes from..he was so adorable!..I would've let him keep his shoes under my bed any ol' time!...Handsome Harry From Honolulu

A classic comedy for all time.
Charlton Heston outdoes himself again as the war-hardened, whisky drinking Major who discovers his sensitive side after taking command of an ROTC school in California. Classic lines include: "You'll do it until you get it right." If you love Charlton Heston, you've got to see this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Nick Bianco- True Noir Protagonist
Henry Hathaway's 1947 noir drama Kiss of Death is one of the first films to deal with the subject of criminal informing. An informer, commonly referred among criminals as a squealer, stoolie, rat, or pigeon is often trapped in an earthy purgatory. Shunned by the underworld and suspectly viewed by law enforcement, an informer's life becomes shrouded in self doubt concerning the principles of right and wrong. In Kiss of Death, Nick Bianco's ( Victor Mature) decision to turn informer against a demented, murdering gangster named Tommy Udo (Richard Widmark) is justified by his duty as a father to provide security for his two young daughters. When Nick Bianco's testimony fails to convict Udo, Bianco's safe environment becomes disrupted and threatened by the violence that was once part of his criminal past. Widmark making his screen debut as the cackling Udo is memorable with shaven eyebrows,intimidating drawl, and dark gangster suits. Mature's performance is first rate as the ex-hood who showers his new wife (Coleen Gray ) and children with the bliss of blue collar euphoria. Hathaway's New York filming locations add to the realism of Bianco's plight. Legendary Sing Sing prison in Ossining, "The Tombs" prison cells in NYC, St. Nicholas Boxing Arena in the Bronx, and the gray streets of Greenpoint Brooklyn provide ample imagery to the noir motif. Hathaway deftly and subtlely escorts Udo and Bianco into a private bordello. Most viewers are not aware that the double entry doors manned by the tall, dark figure is a whorehouse. ( Bianco- "What's that smell?" Udo- "Perfume"-camera fades out). The one major flaw is Coleen Gray's fairy tale voice over ending. After being shot at close range, four times with a 45. automatic, why did Hathaway allow Bianco to survive? Hathaway succumbed to the false noble notion that squealers will enjoy long idyllic lives. Not so- has anyone checked on Sammy the Bull, Joe Valachi, or Henry Hill lately?

What A Film Debut!
Kiss of Death is a crime thriller that kept me more involved then I was expecting. Perhaps it's the fact that the Victor Mature character is pretty sympathetic. Mature (a better actor than he was given credit for) plays the internal conflicts of his character with a lot of conviction. The location filming and the straightforward direction help to add a lot of realism to the film. The supporting cast, with the exception of Colleen Gray, contribute good performances. But it's Richard Widmark, in his film debut, that leaves the strongest impression. His giggling, psychopathic killer Tommy Udo is one of the most memorable characters you'll ever see, and the wheelchair scene is justifiably famous. Kiss of Death is a gripping crime drama.

"I wouldn't give you the skin off a grape."
In the film "Kiss of Death", when Nick Bianco (Victor Mature) is sentenced to 20 years in prison for a botched armed robbery, he arrogantly rejects Asst DA Louie DeAngelo's (Brian Donlevy) deal to squeal on his accomplices, and Bianco states that he'll take care of his family "his way". But after a few years in prison and after his wife's suicide, Bianco's two young daughters are stuck in an orphanage. And then Bianco decides to deal with the DA....

"Kiss of Death" includes some stunning performances. Most notable is Richard Widmark as Tommy Ugo ("you know what I do to squealers?"). Widmark is remarkably chilling as the young thug who giggles his way through violence and killing. A few casual scenes with Ugo in a nightclub are convincing enough to anticipate Ugo's ultimate showdown with Bianco. Donlevy is the ethical DA whose hands are tied at crucial moments--he's a man just trying to do a job he believes in. Victor Mature is well cast as Nick Bianco--the man who started off on the wrong path in life, but he loves his children and wants to ensure their safety. The final scene of the film is one of the most suspenseful I've ever seen.

On another note--I was taken by surprise when Donlevy announces that Ugo as a three-time loser will be sent up for life. Apparently the three-time loser thing is not a new idea by any means. Also of interest--some of the film was actually filmed in Sing-Sing. For Film Noir fans, I recommend "Kiss of Death"--it was an excellent film--displacedhuman.

Nick Bianco vs. Tommy Udo
It was a nice December day in Dark City (in this movie, Dark City takes the name of New York City). "Christmas is a happy time - for the lucky ones," we are informed via a voiceover by Nettie, Nick's second wife, played to smarmy imperfection by Coleen Gray. We follow a guy named Nick Bianco who looks like he just ate something that didn't really taste good (Victor Mature) and some of his trench-coated buddies into a huge twenty-story building. We know, of course, that they're criminals. Not only do they look the part, but we have been told rather ominously by Coleen that, "this is how Nick goes Christmas shopping for his kids" after she already showed us Nick's futile attempts to go straight and get an honest job. That just shows you; a clean slate is worth a lot.

Needless to say, they get caught; or, rather, Nick gets caught. His buddies had the brains, at least, not to start pushing past the police after the heist, which is why Nick found himself locked in the slammer on the way to Sing Sing with the district attorney Louie DeAngelo (Brian Donlevy) trying to convince him to squeal on his accomplices in return for a parole.

But Nick doesn't squeal - I suppose because he's afraid he'll get in trouble for breaking the criminal code, or something. Of course, as DeAngelo points out, his wife and kids get a pretty rotten deal out of the whole thing, but Nick doesn't say a word, not even while he's waiting in a local cell with a psychotic gunsel named Tommy Udo (Richard Widmark) who is tittering some dark plans for the warden of the jail.

We think we've seen the last of Tommy after Nick arrives in Sing Sing, but, unfortunately for Nick, there's more to come. His wife has committed suicide because she was running out of money and his children have been sent to an orphanage. ("It's a good one, though," Nick is reassured by Nettie who is visiting him in Sing Sing. This is also one of two scenes where she cries explosively over him.)

One thing leads to another, and Nick finally begins to realize that maybe squealing on his sidekicks isn't such a bad idea after all. At first things seem to be going all right - until Tommy Udo gets involved. Even then, Nick is safe for the moment. One of the top criminals (who happens, by the way, to be Nick's defense lawyer) is worried by the sudden rash of squealing that seems to be going on. Thanks to DeAngelo, Nick is free from suspicion and the defense lawyer thinks that it's one of the guys who was part of the jewel thief. Frantically, he dials up some guy saying that he has to speak to Tommy Udo. The next thing we know, we're following Tommy into an old tenement and we see him not only push an old lady in a wheelchair down a flight of stairs, but giggle the whole time.

And after Nick is used as the primary witness in a murder trial in which DeAngelo is trying to get Tommy convicted for a murder that he committed, he knows exactly who the real squealer is. That would have been all right if it hadn't been that the defense team did their job a little too well and Tommy got away - and that's when the excitement begins.

This movie is classic noir suspense at its best. But anyone who has watched this movie will agree that without Richard Widmark's fantastic performance as the crazy gangster Tommy Udo, this movie would never have achieved its status of 'classic' that it has now. But, though it's hard to believe, the director Henry Hathaway didn't want Richard in the role of Tommy. He thought he looked to intelligent and 'high-brow' for the part. Needless to say, though, not everyone agreed with Hathaway's point-of-view, and Widmark got the part.

Fraternities set up Tommy Udo fan clubs and I suppose you could argue that it was one of those movies that became a cult classic practically overnight. Of course, not everyone was thrilled with Tommy. Some women actually slapped Richard in the face saying, "Take that, you squirt!" - a reaction that doesn't really make sense when you remember how Dan Duryea, whose characters were pretty nasty pieces of work themselves and didn't have any qualms about slapping women around, was flooded with female fan letters.

Perhaps the best description of Tommy should be left to James Agee who described him as "a rather frail fellow with maniacal eyes and a sinister kind of baby talk laced with tittering laughs. It is clear that murder is one of the kindest things he is capable of."

Henry Hathaway
Henry Hathaway,s fine drama with something extra. Real New York locations are seen in this film.....(tombs etc)

Widmark makes his startling first entrance as the psychotic Tommy Udo..Mature fools all of hollwood again with another fine performance..and the supporting cast of Karl Malden, Millard Mitchell and Taylor Holmes are in good form.

"She got her Nick"! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In this Horton Foote (Tender Mercies) adaptation of the William Faulkner short story, an honorable prisoner put to work by the Red Cross rescues a pregnant woman grasping a tree just feet above the turbulent waters of the 1927 Mississippi flood. Having never manned a boat before and wildly off course, the convict (Arliss Howard, Full Metal Jacket) manages to convey Addie (Jeanne Tripplehorn, The Firm) in what amounts to a rowboat to New Orleans and then back home, while she gives birth and recovers on board their vessel. Along the way the pair manages to befriend Cajuns, conquer crocodiles, and fall quietly in love. This Hallmark Hall of Fame production directed by John Kent Harrison is suspenseful, moving, and, while leisurely paced, ultimately quite rewarding. Its lack of sexual content, violence (except to a few of the aforementioned crocs), or rough talk make it excellent family fare. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A flood of emotion
This is one of the best of Hallmark. It's a story of a convict in the 20's in a Mississippi prison. The rains came and he was sent on a mission. Every time you thought things were going to get better, they got worse. This is a tale of two strangers caught in a situation beyond their control, and find the trust and faith that had been lost in their lives. Arliss Howard and Jeanne Tripplehorn were excellent and very true in their portrayals.

Tough and Sensitive a Great story meanders Ole Miss.
What do you get when you have a great story terrific acting and a director who nows about pacing .Well you get a great movie that will stay with you for years. Beatifully filmed this movie has everything . It is fable like and the pace is similar to listening to a great folk tune or folk story . It is just right. It really captures your attention and subsequently you care for these characters. Arliss Howards strong quiet lead and country looks pull this film above chick-flic status.
I feel Old Man is a companion piece to the Cohen brothers "O Brother where art Thou". See them both as a twinbill !

Outstanding Performances/Great story!
Arliss Howard and Jean Tripplehorn, two of America's greatest, but little known acting talents shine brightly in this quiet, intelligent film. It gets its Southern setting just right, with plenty of story, suspense and heart. Best of all is Howard's nearly wordless protrayal of a convict who has a profound sense of honor and loyalty. For fans of Les Miserables, Cool Hand Luke, Horton Foote and Shawshank Redemption. The best HHF produced yet! Highly recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Classic That Touched Us All
This movie is one that you can truly say has everything.
The dialogue is fabulous. It defines the era well, makes the characters believable, and will keep you rolling with laughter. The songs are pleasant and fun and have become standards and the choreography is wonderful. The story is as exciting as it is heart warming. There's a pleasant mix of suspense, adventure, humor, and sentiment.
Even with so much already going for it, the highlight of the movie is the characters, and the actors who portray them. Carol Burnett is hilarious as Miss Hannigan. She delivers a very memorable performance, and makes one of the most loveable movie villains ever. Albert Finney does a perfect job with Daddy Warbucks, and its great fun to watch him tranform from a stern business man to a father with a heart of gold. There's also a strong supporting cast that all add to the flavor of the movie.
This movie is good fun for all ages, and no matter how many times I've watched it, I've never gotten sick of it... in fact I've only found more things to appreciate about it over the years. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With a nod to Preston Sturges's classic dark comedy Unfaithfully Yours (about a man who fantasizes about murdering his possibly philandering wife), this 1980 cotton-candy-feminist-vendetta film concerns a monstrous boss (Dabney Coleman) whose more capable underlings dream of ways of punishing him. That much of the film is particularly fun, but the rest of it descends into silliness when the women stumble onto a real-life opportunity to teach him a lesson. Fonda, the biggest star in the film at the time, takes a back seat to Parton's and Tomlin's showier roles. Written and directed by the late Colin Higgins (who made a lot of people happy in the '70s with his script for the beloved Harold and Maude). --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Before
"9 to 5" remains a favorite comedy of mine 24 years after its release. I first saw it in the movie theaters back in 1980. I thought it was hilarious then and I still think it is hilarious now. Dabney Coleman was the perfect evil boss. He was a sexist, bigoted jerk of a human being who treated his employees like dirt. Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, and Dolly Parton rounds out the cast as the disgruntled employees. Although we use computers now, office antics remains unchanged in the 21st century. Who hasn't dreamt of killing their boss? "9 to 5" really epitomized just how funny, if not torturous working in an office can be. I know from experience. Thankfully I never encountered a male supervisor who sexually harassed me like Dabney Coleman did to Dolly Parton in the movie. My personal favorite moment in the film was when the women were at Dolly's home kicking back on some wacky tobaccy. The fantasies were hysterical. They still crack me up to this very day. I personally loved Lily Tomlin's fantasy as Snow White. The longer I work in an office environment, the more I can relate to films like "9 to 5" and "Office Space". Talk about life imitating art.

Do you do M&M's?
I hope this is a fantasy movie. Dabney Colman plays Franklin Hart Jr. (...) Mr. Hart can not understand what is happening to him. It seems that everything he does backfires. Violet (Lily Tomlin) gets upset because he promotes someone that she trained, around her. After making overtures to the married Doralee (Dolly Parton), she threatens to turn him from a rooster to a hen with one shot. At one point Violet fantasizes about and may have put “Rid-a-Rat” in his coffee, which leads to a great hospital scene. Violet says, “I'm no fool. I've killed the boss, you think they're not gonna fire me for a thing like that?!” He eventually spends time literally hanging around Judy’s (Jane Fonda) house while the Trio of women get the goods on his side business of pilfering from their company. Dabney Coleman outdoes himself in the hunting scene. (...)

For Every Office Worker Who's Wanted to Bump Off the Boss...
Saw this movie over 15 times before it even hit video, let alone DVD - saw it in a theatre when I was younger, and it quickly became one of my favorite comedies.

The casting is brilliant. Lily Tomlin plays Violet, an office manager with a sexist-egotistical-lying-hypocritical-bigot of a boss, Mr. Hart (Dabney Coleman), who she is trying to put up with because she's in line for a promotion (even though she's had her share of seeing men SHE TRAINED promoted above and before her). Dolly Parton is Doralee, buxom secretary to the lecherous Mr. Hart, who put up with his advances and pinching and staring because she needs the job (little does she know, thanks to him and his mouth, she's also - behind her back - known as the office floozy). Jane Fonda is Judy, a newly divorced woman who's husband left her for his secretary - she's just started at Consolidated, and is having a hard time adjusting to office life.

In one bad -- really bad -- day, Mr. Hart manages to push all three of these women to the breaking point ... and that night, over good barbecue and an even better joint, the women fantasize about what it would be like to kill their boss; each woman has a unique and juicy way of doing him in that is both funny and suitable.

The plot changes drastically from here, when each woman systematically -- and accidentally -- puts a variation of her plan to action (or so she thinks), leading to all sort of misunderstandings, uncovering of big business schemes, kidnapping -- even a change in office decor!

The casting is ideal; this was Dolly Parton's first film, and she positively glows as Doralee. Jane Fonda, playing against type, is terrific as the mousy Judy, who finally finds her backbone after dealing with her husband's abandonment. And Lily Tomlin is awesome as Violet, a widow with four kids who's just trying to give her family a good life ... even if it means dumping her boss's body to do it (don't worry - this doesn't give the film away!).

It's rare to find someone who hasn't seen this great comedy -- anyone who's ever worked in an office can relate to it especially. It's funny, watching it now and seeing all the old typewriters and other office machinery that has now been replaced by computers in 2004 -- kind of dates the movie, in a way, but also adds to its charm. One of the best comedies of the 1980's, "Nine to Five" is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon - and a satisfying tale of justice served for every one of us who's had a hellacious boss.

Not your average working stiff movie.
It is no secret that there are many managers in this world who are nothing more than tokenheads of their departments. The real movers, shakers, and go-getters are the underlings that work for the manager.

And so is the case of Franklin M Hart, Jr., (perfectly played by Dabney Colemna) a vice-president at Consolidated. Oh sure, he was nice enough as he worked his way to the top of this male-dominated firm. But once he got there, he started stepping on everyone below him, including Violet Newstead (the ever funny Lily Tomlin), the office manager. As if that wasn't bad enough, Mr. Hart continously tries to seduce his unavailable, and equally unwilling, secretary, Doralee Rhodes (Dolly Parton, making her movie debut). And when the new girl, Judy Bernly (Jane Fonda), accidentally makes a mess in the copier room, Mr. Hart tells her like it is.

After a while, the three put-upon women become friends, and after smoking a single joint together, start fantasizing about how they would put Mr. Hart in his place. Soon, however, fantasy becomes reality when Mr. Hart finds out that Violet accidentally put rat poison in his coffee.

In an attempt to stay out of jail, Violet, Doralee, and Judy take Mr. Hart hostage while they formulate a plan. Soon they discover that Mr. Hart has illegally made a profit at Consolidated's expense, and set out to get the evidence needed that will keep Mr. Hart from going to the police. But it will take nearly three weeks for the home office to send them the information. Will they be able to keep Mr. Hart under lock and key until then? Better yet, can they fool the office into thinking that Mr. Hart is still at work even though he's not?

"9 to 5" is one of those movies that you can't help but to enjoy. Funny, witty, and smart, anyone who has ever worked for a manager that didn't deserve to be a manager will enjoy watching fantasy become reality (at least, in the movie).

Released in 1980, this movie earned over $100 million (a relative rarity back then). It also earned Dolly Parton an Oscar nomination (Best Music - Original Song), three Golden Globes nominations (Best Motion Picture Actress - Musical/Comedy; Best Original Song - Motion Picture; New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture - Female), and a Grammy nomination (Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special). She also won a People's Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture Song.

The success of the movie resulted in two short-lived TV series (first one from 1982-1983; second one from 1986 - 1988), both of which starred Dolly Parton's sister, Rachel Dennison.

If you've ever dreamed of watching your manager get his or her just desserts, then this movie will provide you with plenty of laughs (and possibly an idea or two).

The Sane Mutiny
What happens when a group of women working as secretaries for a big company get tired of their tyrannical, chauvinistic, not-very-competent boss? The answer is lots of laughs, if the women are Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, and Jane Fonda, and the boss is the deliciously despicable Dabney Coleman. At first, the women just daydream and chat about silly revenge plots. Then, a golden opprtunity for real revenge comes along, and they take their shot at realizing their daydreams.

Jane Fonda was the bigget name in the cast when the film came out, but she, while okay here, is outshone by Tomlin, Coleman, and Parton. The first half of the film is funnier and better than the second half, but it's a worthwhile watcher. To buy it? Only if you get a good price on a good used one. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

"You're caught in a Temporal Paradox!"
A World Peace conference is in jeopardy! World War III is imminent. Mercinaries from the future are here to kill Sir Reginald Styles, and how are the Daleks tied into it? Not too bad, the regulars are good, which makes it a shame that the Daleks aren't! The Ogrons are more fun to watch in this story, as the Daleks barely even leave there cubby at their headquarters. The time paradox idea is the only thing that really saves this one. Location footage isn't that bad, and the story is, at least, interesting. Who fans had to wait a long time for the Daleks to come back since "Evil..", and they would have to wait more, since the next "decent" Dalek story wouldn't make its appearance until "Genesis...". It doesn't even feel like a true Dalek story. Tolerable.

It's Just another day
Nice tight story this without much of the waste that characterised a number of the Pertwee third Doctor Stories.

I like this adventure quite a bit despite the obvious shortcomings. It begins with a mysterious military figure disappearing into the night and scaring the wits out of our fearless diplomat. UNIT gets involved due to the impending demise of the peace conference but the Doctor does not want to know despite his affected noncholant view of politicians.

Soon he and Joe are caught up in an inter-temporal assassination attempt with the diplomat Styles attaining notoriety as the harbringer of a nuclear holocaust where the reality is quite different. The slimy, smooth canniving controller in the future dupes Joe into providing information which he then passes on to his Dalek masters.

There are some digs here too. The slave population of the future are housed in tower blocks which is a very nice touch considering the social problems they were to be held responsible for in the ensuing years. The off the cuff remark made by the Doctor too about the well stocked larders of the political class uis well made as is his use of the same.

The temporal paradox causes a bit of confusion but not half as much as the Dalex ownership of a method of time travel again.

On the whole though there are some redeeming features notably the controller's recantation of his help to the Daleks. It moves along well and keeps the attention. One of the better adventures.

They're baaaaaaaaaaaaack!
Five years after the fall of the Daleks on Skaro in Evil Of The Daleks, the Daleks reappeared on the small screen in Day Of The Daleks, which was also their third time in colour, counting the two Aaru films.

The international situation from The Mind Of Evil has gotten worse, to the brink of World War III. However, Sir Reginald Styles, vain to the point of arrogance, is the last hope in reconciling the Russians with the Chinese. While working late one night, a guerrilla from the future tries to kill him, and that's what draws UNIT in. The man is later attacked by a brutish Ogron, one of many ape-like humanoid servants who are "as loyal as they are stupid." A trio of other guerrillas try to succeed where their comrade has failed, and capture Jo and the Doctor, who have spent the night at Styles' place. Of these, Anat, the leader, while sharing the fanaticism of her comrades, is civilized. When Boaz, who looks a bit like Tony Curtis, tries to shoot Jo and the Doctor, she says, "We're soldiers, not murderers."

Jo Grant is wearing what I consider a classic Jo Grant outfit--plaid red and blue blouse, red tie, denim skirt, and white go-go boots. As this was the first story of the ninth season, maybe Katy Manning had a few weeks on the beach in the interim. She appears tanner here and more radiant as a result. It also extends to her good charity when sneaking Sgt Benton some wine and cheese.

The Doctor is seen as quite a gourmet, as he helps himself to Sir Reginald's Gorgonzolla cheese and a red wine which he describes as "good humoured... a touch sardonic, not cynical. A most civilized wine."

Although not specifically stated, the Controller's monotone female staff may be a vast improvement on the Robotization process (Dalek Invasion Of Earth).

The notable guest star here is Aubrey Woods (the Controller), who played the goldsmith in The Abominable Dr. Phibes but is probably best known as the candy store owner Bill in Willy Wonka. His defense to the Daleks that "for every guerrilla cell that's destroyed, another takes its place" reminds me of what Israel faced in the 1980's against the Palestinians.

One goof in Episode 1 is where the Gold Dalek talks slower, enunciating each syllable. Fortunately it gets better in the remaining episodes--maybe he hadn't taken his Dalek pep pills then. BTW, one Dalek speaks in a lower register (not a goof) while the others are more shrill. Maybe he sings bass in the Dalek choir.

Another is the guerrilla Shura putting his gun down and trying to contact headquarters. When an Ogron jumps him, his gun is back in his holster.

A third is the Doctor and Jo seeing their future selves while the Doctor is fiddling with the TARDIS. Hopefully, the ending would have had them seeing their past (when they were fixing the TARDIS.) It is included in the novelization, but I guess there were time constraints.

A classic Daleks story, and the first of three Dalek encounters by the Third Doctor. UNIT maintains its credibility as an effective fighting force, and Jo Grant has never been any prettier than here. Be sure and tell your friends if you like this video, and don't forget to tell it to the marines.

INTELLIGENT PREMISE
Although somewhat dissapointing in the realization of the Daleks, this is a very intelligent story on the paradox of time travel and changing history. On the positive side, apart from the story, you have Jon Pertwee, Ogrons (my favorite baddies, I don't know why), the Brigadier, and that wonderful 70's sci-fi electronic music (really sets the mood). On the negative side, you have a bit of overacting (the Controller comes to mind), minimal sets, and of course the minimal involvement of the Daleks. As others have noted, this is not the best Dalek story or Pertwee's strongest episode, but it is still enjoyable nonetheless, with some genuinely scary moments to boot.

"'Boney,' I said, 'an army marches on its stomach.'"
An incredibly ambitious and overrated story that suffers from the inclusion of the Daleks themselves. Had the Daleks NOT been included, and the production team just invented a new alien/monster and/or villian, it might have been more of a success. The main cast is just fine, with a little UNIT humor thrown in for good measure, "Rank has its priveledges..." The Controller isn't too bad, but why does he and his girl assistants have an unhuman glow on their faces? Certainly can't be from stress. And then the Daleks. These Daleks are probably the worst in the entire series, with the most aggravating voices, the silliest staging, and the most pathetic line of formation when they attack Aubrey House. Believe it or not, the Ogrons are better realised in this story than the Daleks. Incredibly disappointing, though it's not without merit, "The Day of the Daleks" is only infamous for nostalgiac reasons. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Not short on murder, mayhem, or any other screwball '70s conventions, Foul Play is a wonderful vehicle for Goldie Hawn. She plays Gloria, a librarian "ready to take a chance again," who ends up the target of an assassination ring. Chevy Chase, fresh off of Saturday Night Live, does the closest thing to real acting he would ever achieve (okay, maybe Fletch) as Tony, the cop assigned to protect Gloria. Dudley Moore made an indelible impression on American audiences as Stanley Tibbets, a surprisingly kinky symphony conductor. But it's the quirky things that make this film: the grandmothers playing Scrabble with expletives, Burgess Meredith's snake Esme, the old Japanese couple in the back of the careening limo. From the opening credits with Barry Manilow crooning the title song, this is a fond trip down memory lane. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (29)

"...You've attacked an innocent dwarf!"

Director: Colin Higgins
Format: Color
Studio: Paramount Studio
Video Release Date: June 2, 1998

Cast:

Goldie Hawn ... Gloria Mundy
Chevy Chase ... Tony Carlson
Burgess Meredith ... Mr. Hennessey
Rachel Roberts ... Delia Darrow/Gerda Casswell
Eugene Roche ... Archbishop Thorncrest/Archbishop's brother
Dudley Moore ... Stanley Tibbets
Marilyn Sokol ... Stella
Brian Dennehy ... Fergie
Marc Lawrence ... Rupert Stiltskin
Chuck McCann ... Theatre manager
Billy Barty ... J.J. MacKuen
Don Calfa ... Scarface
Bruce Solomon ... Bob Scott
Cooper Huckabee ... Sandy
Pat Ast ... Mrs. Venus
Frances Bay ... Mrs. Russel
Lou Cutell ... House manager
William Frankfather ... Whitey Jackson
John Hancock ... Capt. Coleman
Barbara Sammeth ... Sally
Queenie Smith ... Elsie
Hope Summers ... Ethel
Irene Tedrow ... Mrs. Monk
Ion Teodorescu ... The Turk
Janet Wood ... Sylvia
David Cole ... Theatre Usher
Bill Gamble ... Dickinson
Cyril Magnin ... Pope Pius XIII
Michael David Lee ... Limo driver
Neno Russo ... Luigi
Rollin Moriyama ... Japanese man
Mitsu Yashima ... Japanese woman
M. James Arnett ... Truck driver
Jophery C. Brown ... Cop
John Hatfield ... Security guard
Joe Bellan ... Man in phone booth
Chuck Walsh ... Newscaster
Connie Sawyer ... Screaming lady
F. Jo Mohrbach ... Fat lady
Garry Goodrow ... Henpecked husband
Enrico Di Giuseppe ... Nanki-Pooh, the Son of the Mikado of Japan
Glenys Fowles ... Yum-Yum, a schoolgirl, betrothed to Ko-Ko
Kathleen Hegierski ... Peep-Bo, a Schoolgirl
Sandra Walker ... Pitti-Sing, a Schoolgirl
James Tomlinson ... Pish-Tush, a Noble Lord
Richard McKee ... Pooh-Bah, Lord High Everythingelse
Jane Shaulis ... Katisha, an Elderly Lady of the Mikado's Court
Shirley Python ... Esme

A newly divorced Gloria Mundy (Goldy Hawn) picks up a hitchkiker, Bob Scott (Bruse Solomon) on California's Highway One north of San Francisco. He is being followed. He makes a date with Gloria for the theater that evening, and gives her a pack of Marlboros into which he puts a roll of film without her knowledge to hold for her. He shows up at the theater, collapses in the seat beside her and dies, after telling her to "beware the dwarf" and that there would be a murder. When she goes for help, the body disappears.

Enter Detective Tony Carlson (Chevy Chase), whom she had met previously at a party. The bad guys try to kill her a couple of times, and to get the pack of smokes, unsuccessfully.

This is an excellent story with a great cast. Pity the dwarf Bible salesman, poor unlucky Stanley Tibbets (Dudley Moore) and the owners of all of the cars wrecked in the chase across town.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

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

San Francisco at its Best!
Once you see the lead in to the movie with Barry Manilow singing "Ready To Take a Chance Again" and sweet and pretty Goldie Hawn driving south on Highway 1 to downtown...you are hooked.
The view of the coast with the Pacific Ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge is so beautiful it can make you cry. Believe me, it is even more beautiful when you are there. Everything is here in one movie - action, comedy, satire, thrills, car chases, etc. Chevy Chase is young, dashing and handsome while a good supporting actress is Goldie's sidekick at the Library where they work. She advises Goldie to give it to them "right in the nuts" with a knuckle duster. Beware, her handbag has more weapons than cosmetics. Burgess Meredith is superb as a compact ex-US Marine turned anthropologist. He is old but a helluvaa tough guy and.. he's a Karate expert to boot. Dudley Moore is hilarious with his beaver trap apartment complete with piped in Bee Gees music. You'll never hear "Staying Alive" again without remembering this scene and Dudley's hilarious gyrations. Watch this movie and you'll be happy you did. I loved it.

Finally This Will be On DVD
I love this movie. Finally a dvd release date : Nov. 16, 2004. Thank you GOD

always a great film to see
I have always loved this movie. Its great from start to finish. I hear the DVD release date for this movie will be November 16, 2004. Too bad its even that far down the road, and not sooner. Oh well.

This Movie Needs To be Put on DVD!
Foul Play is a hilarious movie and I can't believe it hasn't been given the DVD treatment yet! Seems Like Old Times which Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase made after Foul Play is on DVD and that is also a funny movie but Foul Play is funnier and really should be on DVD. I would love to have either a Letterbox widescreen DVD or an anamorphic widescreen DVD! ... Read more

Description

Sing, Hoot & Howl with the Sesame Street Animals! Come hear the call of the wild as Big Bird leads a musical menagerie in some of the funniest and silliest songs ever.You’ll want to sing, hoot and howl along with these twelve terrific tunes by animals, for animals and about animals.There’s Ernie’s immortal "Insects In Your Neighborhood," the timeless "Cluck Around The Clock" and many, many more.The beastly beat goes on and on with this Kooky collection of hits! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

This is my toddler's favorite video
My son has been watching this video since he was around 6 months old, and still loves it (he's now 15 months old). He watches it almost every day, and never seems to get tired of it. As soon as we put it in, and Old MacDonald comes on, he starts bouncing up and down and making excited noises. The songs are very catchy, the length is perfect (30 minutes, just enough time to make dinner), and it's educational. My son is learning all about the different sounds that animals make. Somehow, our tape got ruined, so we are buying a new one. We can't live without it!

Great video...
Especially if you love 'Gladys The Cow' (one of my favourite muppets). She was hilarious on this video. The problem was that there weren't enough Muppet songs. there was some, but the others just showed real animals. they could have shown some more Gladys songs or maybe even some songs Kermit The Frog or that Animal Orchestra featuring Placido Flamingo and Seiji Ozawa

Real Sesame Street animal numbers
This is my very, very favorite Sesame Street video, because it contains the clips I love best; the live-animal clips with goofy songs like "I'm a working dog," "I'm an aardvark," "Which came first, the chicken or the egg," and "I love being a pig." It also includes muppet classics like "We are all earthlings," and, my personal favorite, "Baa Baa Bamba." It's a half hour of shoe-tapping, hand-clapping fun - my toddler and I both love it!

Not like other Sesame Street videos.
My 20 month old son loves Sesame Street and all the puppets, but this video shows too many live animal videos. It doesn't keep his interest like the other videos.

Not our favorite Sesame Street video
Okay, usually I rate the S.S. videos high, but we bought this video last week and my daughter has watched it only a handful of times. Hosted by Big Bird and a barn full of animals, there are several songs that you will know. "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" and "We are all Earthlings" are two that we knew right away. Some of the clips are really old and didn't hold my daughter's attention (or mine, for that matter). She walks out of the room five minutes after this video comes on...every time! I can't say that I think much of it either, as I usually pray for this video to be over with. A better choice would be one of the Elmo's world videos, Sing Along, or Let's Make Music. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

When it comes down to naming the best Western of all time, the list usually narrows to three completely different pictures: John Ford's The Searchers, Howard Hawks's Red River, and Hawks's Rio Bravo. About the only thing they all have in common is that they all star John Wayne. But while The Searchers is an epic quest for revenge and Red River is a sweeping cattle-drive drama ("Take 'em to Missouri! Yeeee-hah!"), Rio Bravo is on a much more modest scale. Basically, it comes down to Sheriff John T. Chance (Wayne), his sobering-up alcoholic friend Dude (Dean Martin), the hotshot new kid Colorado (Ricky Nelson), and deputy-sidekick Stumpy (Walter Brennan), sittin' around in the town jail, drinkin' black cofee, shootin' the breeze, and occasionally, singin' a song. Hawks--who, like his pal Ernest Hemingway, lived by the code of "grace under pressure"--said he made Rio Bravo as a rebuke to High Noon, in which sheriff Gary Cooper begged for townspeople to help him. So, Hawks made Wayne's Sheriff Chance a consummate professional--he may be getting old and fat, but he knows how to do his job, and he doesn't want amateurs getting mixed up in his business; they could get hurt. This most entertaining of movies also achieved some notoriety in the '90s when Quentin Tarantino (director of Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, and Jackie Brown) revealed that he uses it as a litmus test for prospective girlfriends. Oh, and if the configuration of characters sounds familiar, it should: Hawks remade Rio Bravo two more times--as El Dorado in 1967, with Wayne, Robert Mitchum, and James Caan; and as Rio Lobo in 1970, with Wayne, Jack Elam, and Christopher Mitchum. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (70)

What a bunch of characters
Characters make the movie. Boring character can ruin a good story and interersting characters can make a dull movie fly. Rio Bravo enjoys both a good story, and good characters, with a bunch of fine performances thrown in.

John Wayne gives his usual fine western performance as the Sherif Chance, but it is the people around him that make this movie great. Walter Bermnan as Stumpy does a great job, A very young Angie Dickerson is frankly hotter than she ever was yet she also remains a strong character who stands up for herself and plays off Wayne well. Ricky Nelson is believeable as a young man with more sense than any that has come before him. All of them round the movie well.

Dean Martin as Dude however steals the show. In my opinion this is the movie that makes him a serious player. Dude is clearly the most interesting character of the lot, his own battles with Chance, Stumpy, Burdette and most of all himself makes the movie much more than other westerns. It is clearly superior to El Dorado which takes some doing, and superior to Rio Lobo which doesn't.

Other than his early pairings with Maureen O'Hara I would recommend this picture as the best example of John Wayne in a pure western.

Hawks and the Duke come up with their own "High Noon"
Director Howard Hawks made 1959's "Rio Bravo" because he refused to believe the citizens of a Western town would refuse to help their sheriff protect the town as happened in 1952's "High Noon." So when John Wayne's character of Sheriff John T. Chance needs help in Tucson, Arizona to keep the brother of the local bad guy in jail, he is able to whip up support in the form of his former deputy Dude (Dean Martin), just coming off a two-year bender, Stumpy (Walter Brennan), an ornery old cripple, and Colorado Ryan (Ricky Nelson), a young gunslinger. To add a touch of elegance to the proceedings is Feathers (Angie Dickinson), who knows how to wield a razor and provides the Duke with a little bit of romance. Even though the bad guys capture Dude so they can exchange him for the jailed man, Chance and his comrades are able to save the day, with a little help from some dynamite.

"Rio Bravo" is a significant western in movie history for two reasons. First, this classic film marks the end of the psychological westerns such as "High Noon" and "Shane" which had dominated the 1950s. The point of "Rio Bravo" was to provide entertainment and that it certainly does. Second, it added elements of humor to John Wayne's on-screen persona for the first time. For the rest of his career, most movies with the Duke will find his character having a humorous side (e.g., "McClintlock"). As you can well imagine, there is some singing to be done in "Rio Bravo." Martin does the title tune, sings "My Rifle, My Pony, and Me" with Nelson, who in turn gets to sing Cindy with Brennan. Wayne does not do any singing. In 1967 Hawks and Wayne essentially remade "Rio Bravo" with their film "Eldorado," with Robert Mitchum, Arthur Hunnicutt and James Caan providing the support. While I consider it an enjoyable film, in does suffer in comparison to the original.

Bravo, Rio Bravo
One of the best westerns made at the time. Others have been made more recently that use modern technical skill, but for the time and place, Rio Bravo was the epitome of the western genre and still holds up today. Period!

A Western for everybody.
It seems like I meet a lot of people who don't like John Wayne, and just about as many who don't care for Westerns.

Well, whether you love John Wayne and Westerns, or are lukewarm on both counts, this movie might appeal to you anyway.

A lot of it has to do with Howard Hawks' direction. This classic came from the same guy who gave us "Bringing Up Baby," "The Big Sleep," and "His Girl Friday."

That means quick, witty dialogue, fun characters, and an overall stylishness in the proceedings (the cinematography is alarmingly crisp and colorful).

A cowboy, a crooner and a rockin' teen idol-- these three, Wayne, Dean Martin (in one of his earliest roles after leaving Jerry Lewis), and Ricky Nelson, come together in a way that feels symbolic. To fight off the imminent danger-- and in this film one senses it is hopelessly imminent-- the good guys need to stick close. Dean Martin plays the underdog, a drunk, with just the right touch-- humorous like so many Vegas shows, but with a bit of sadness too. Ricky Nelson looks a little uncomfortable in the saddle, and his lines are a little shaky, but the contrast of his usual persona with this fast-shooting kid makes him fun to watch.

Angie Dickinson is more beautiful than ever in this film and has very good chemistry with John Wayne.

Of course, what really adds the frosting to the cake is the incomparable Walter Brennan, just about the grumpiest old buzzard you'll ever lay eyes on. The spontaneity of Hawks' direction makes him even funnier, and I think Brennan alone moves "Rio Bravo" a notch higher than the successful remake-of-sorts "El Dorado."

I happen to like John Wayne, and a lot of Westerns in general, but I prefer The Duke's persona in this setting rather than those of John Ford. At any rate, it doesn't matter if your favorite film is "The Searchers" or "High Society" (that's mine, actually), "Rio Bravo" is sure to win you over.

Ole Stumpy, The Fellow I Left Behind!
This is, without a doubt, one of John Wayne's best.....the character development just builds and builds throughout the movie until a thrilling climax.
The all-time show stopper in this movie has to be Stumpy (Walter Brennan)...every scene in which he is involved, the scene is essentially stolen from the other players (re-watch and you will see). He is at his best when whining about being stuck in the jail yet always is cowed eventually into doing exactly what Chance (Wayne) wants him to do....except at the end of the movie when he unexpectedly shows up and helps the good guys (hence, the title of this review)!

This is just a fun and feel-good movie pitting good vs. evil and along the way throws in a little humor for relief. This is the first of the trilogy by this director and is the best of the three...but El Dorado is not far behind and Rio Lobo is not anywhere near as bad as it has been depicted. I have all three and when I am needing a John Wayne fix, I can't go wrong with one of these. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A spoonful of Draino helps the medicine go down!
Oh, wow. You definitely DO NOT want to miss Bette Davis as The Nanny! Fran Drescher and Julie Andrews, eat your ... hearts out! Bette is the real deal, 100% "proper" and willing to go that extra distance to help out her charges. And if that includes killing a few people here and there, well, hey, so be it! Seriously, The Nanny is high-octane entertainment, fueled by a truly frightening (and intense) Davis performance. This film came at a time when our Bette was enjoying a comeback, thanks to Baby Jane and Dead Ringer. She'd just made another hit, Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte, and then took off for England and Hammer Studios. The Nanny offered her a different kind of character. Gone were the bombastics, the wild-eyed theatrics. Instead, she chose to approach the role cautiously, meticulously, and it's a believable, touching characterization. Sure, she's completely insane, and you certainly don't want her around when you're in "the bath." But given the circumstances, you can understand why The Nanny went bonkers. Could happen to anyone...even you! Sty