Reviews (3)

My favorite film for good reason
This is a beautiful movie. Innovative, well-written, well-acted: one of, if not the best, soundtrack of all time. (By the way, this was the first movie to use contemporary music as its score... the first real soundtrack.) It's a great screenplay, I've read it... the actors don't just think of these things off the top of their heads, people! The writer, director and Dustin Hoffman together create one of the best-ever characters of the cinema in Ben: very believable, in my opinion. Great cinematography; let me add again AWESOME SONGS; very funny (but somewhat subtly so); and fantastic ending. This is just a beautiful film. If you haven't seen it, do so immediately... or else.

Dustin Hoffman at his very best. Just wonderful!
Very straight forward at times. Suddle at others. The songs alone make this a simply wonderful picture. The ending was breathtaking!

A most spectacular portrayal of sex and confusion in the 60s
I recently saw the Graduate in my Film class. After picking it apart and examining the details, I realize that this film is one of the best portrayal's of awkward youth in any era. ... Read more

Reviews (166)

More Tribute Than Biopic
Jennifer Lopez does a great job of portraying the lovely Selena, even though the only resemblance that Jennifer and Selena have is due to race, not feature. However, this movie isn't about Selena-the-human-being or even Selena-the-star. This the sanitized, Disney view of the life of a young, fast-rising star whose life was cut short in her prime. Now, I'm not saying that this is a rotten movie at all. It's actually a good movie. It's well written, well-acted, and you can't tell that Ms. Lopez is lip-synching. However, you're not going to get a clear picture of Selena-the-person from this movie. I love Selena as much as the next Selena fan, but I would have liked to see a movie named Selena that's actually about Selena, not just what her dad thinks is appropriate. Playing down her murder was not good, because how is someone going to get a clear picture of the mourning that went on all over the United States when they don't see all the things that came out after? How does one get a picture of Yolanda the Fruitcake if they don't see how fruity the woman is? We know what we lost. It would be nice if this movie at least showed us the why. Selena's memory would not have been damaged if this had been in the movie. Like I said, I like this movie as just a movie, but as a biography it falls short.

Lopez at her very best!!!!!!!
I actually didn't see this film until about 6 months ago when it was on tv late one Sunday night. After watching it i was very impressed and went out straightaway the nexy day and purchased a copy on dvd for myself. Jennifer does an outstanding job portraying Selena, so good in fact that whilst i'm watching it i actually forget it's JLO and think it's the real Selena! She perfected Selena's dance moves right down to a T. The Astrodome recreation is perfect and very close to the real thing. I like the film because every scene builds on from the previous one. Every stage of Selena'a life is documented including her most triumphunt moments such as when she won the Grammy, when "Como La Flor" went to number 1 etc. I highly recommend this film to any Selena fans out there- go out and buy yourself a copy right now, you won't be disappointed!!!

Selena
The movie really touched me. Today I'm 26 years old and I didn't know Selena until I watched the movie. Pray for us Selena from up high in Heaven. Selena I think you know what I mean.

Portrait of a superstar
Many know that Selena is my all-time favorite performer and this film is a beautiful (thought not thoroughly accurate) tribute of the slain Grammy-winning Tejano Queen. I don't usually enjoy Jennifer Lopez performances - acting OR vocal - but this being her first breakthrough role she does quite well; this 1997 film came out before her diva-esque image took over and she became a glitzy woman who won't tip bellhops after carrying up some 20-something bags.

the angel selena
this movie makes me sad! selana was a beautiful singer just becoming popular when i was in junior high then she was tragically killed and her star burned out as fast as it came the movie shows the hardwork of her life growing up traveling and singing with her family only to finally hit it big find love marriage and soon a baby but sadly she was killed by a lunatic obsessed fan jennifer lopezs best acting job by far is in this movie she becomes selena from her gorgeous smile to her funny infantile manner and beautiful voice this movie shows u who selena was an angel ... Read more

Reviews (19)

INCREDIBLE FILM
I simply can't believe that this film was made in 1926. My god, it's so stunning, it's impossible to describe. Don't let it being a silent movie steer you away from it. The dialogue and action are more powerful than any actor's voice will ever be. Fred Niblo carved a marvelous film that is at times charming, so exciting, and so moving. It is so beautifully handled, especially in scenes involving Jesus Christ and his encounters with the film's hero, Judah Ben-Hur. Judah struggles to overcome his hardships of being a Jew in a land of Roman rulers, and to find the mother and sister that fate separated him from so long ago. He also seeks revenge on his boyhood friend Messala the Roman, and eventually does in the film's INCREDIBLY exciting chariot race sequence. Just as exciting is a scene that involves two ships in battle. This is a marvelous film, strongly recommendable. Do yourself a favor if you're a real film buff and see this great dramatic masterpiece at least once.

Film at its finest
I am stunned. I am not a fan of silent films, but caught this on PBS (the long version with color). It is simply one of the best films ever made.

Ramon Navarro had to have been one of the greatest actors ever. I have never seen him before, but the honesty he brings to every emotion is as modern as today's actors--if not more so. Especially the scene where he is on a death march in need of water, and his subsequent meeting with a water-giving Jesus, stands out for me. The chariot sequence is fine, and even the heavy-handed melodrama of the mother and sister is enjoyable. The silents are an interesting era, as this film is also given a sexual quality not seen in the Heston version. Here, look for a scene with a femme fatale as she tries to seduce the noble Judah Ben-Hur. Also, I was surprised to see just sitting there in the background of the roman galley slave scene, a naked man seemingly hanging dead. That entire scene, complete with pirates, is most impressive.

The sets, the use of color, the eerie Valley of The Lepers, and the great make-up, help to make this literally a film that has it all. Throw in a nasty Roman ex-friend, and our hero certainly has a lot to deal with--including raising a legion or two to invade Rome to save the life of Jesus (he obviously didn't).

DVD NOW!!!
Wouldn't it be neat if both editions of Ben Hur were availiable in a two pack or even a special edition with extras and compare/contrast commentaries on both? I think these studios are really missing the boat and missing a major moneymaking enterprise by not getting these silent classics out on dvd. I actually prefer this olderr edition. It moves along faster and seems like a greater accomplishment from a filmmaking pov. Both are brilliant, of course, and its just a matter of subtle differences.

Can't Be Topped
Absolutely one of the best films ever made with one of the best action sequences (the chariot race) in film history. Ben Hur is betrayed throughout the film by his supposed best friend and overcomes all odds to regain his humanity and with the help of Jesus, save his sister and mother.

Much superior to the Heston version
Wow! Even if you have little experience with silent movies, even if you erroneously believe that the 1959 Charlton Heston version of this movie surpasses all, you must see this film. It is a cinematic masterpiece, sumptuously photographed, faithful to Lew Wallace's novel and many scenes will quite simply knock your socks off.

Ramon Novarro is handsome, boyish and enchanting as Judah Ben-Hur. His performance is infinitely beyond anything Heston is capable of delivering. He plays Ben-Hur as the character was presented in the novel, devoid of ths histrionics, anger and over-acting which plagued the remake. Francis Bushman does overact and give an excessively bravuro performance as Mesalla, but he's not on screen as much as Stephen Boyd would be later on.

And what about the color sequences? Yes, there was actually color movies made in 1927, a fact I did not know. There are several color sequences which stun and fascinate. The chariot scene is epic and among the most stellar scenes ever shot in movie history; the same can be said for the galley scene, where the slaves sit three in a row and are rammed to death by Pirates on the high seas. Again, the 1959 version cannot hold a candle to this version in the epic, grand scenes.

Get this movie and cherish it. I've watched it three times in the past month and am amazed at its scope, depth and power. Beautiful masterpiece! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe are abandoned by a bad guy (Rory Calhoun) who steals Mitchum's horse, forcing them to travel down a raging river (along with Mitchum's son) on a raft. The three refugees, all of them living troubled lives to begin with, have to face the rapids together, and director Otto Preminger's allegory for individual salvation through unity becomes a stirring family drama. This 1954 film features Monroe at her golden peak, though not quite at the apex of her sexual iconography. The result is that she gets to play a character whose beauty is not really part of the story line, a character many other actresses might have played. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Lesser Known Monroe Film Worth A Look
Robert Mitchum plays a practical, no-nonsense farmer recently reunited with his young son, Tommy Rettig. They rescue a young couple (Marilyn Monroe and Rory Calhoun) going on a raft down a river by their homestead, and that's where the trouble begins. Calhoun is out to make a gold claim, and he'll do anything, including stealing Mitchum's horse and gun, leaving Mitchum, Rettig, and even Monroe behind to face the Indians without any defence. So they must take to the raft to survive, and that's where the adventure begins. I liked this film a lot. Mitchum is his usual laconinc self, but it works really well with this character. Monroe gets to act in this film, and she does so very well, playing a saloon singer that wants to defend her man, despite what he has done to all of them. Young Rettig is good too, not cloying and irritating like so many child actors can be. The scenery is beautiful, the title song very effective, and although the direction of Otto Preminger isn't very fluid and sometimes the movie lumbers from one scene to another, the performances and relationships among the characters make up for it. Viewers will enjoy the trip down the River of No Return.

Marilyn Monroe and the Canadian Rockies!
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While this is certainly far from Marilyn Monroe's best performance, it is nonetheless an interesting film to watch.

Amazingly, the somewhat artificial beauty of Marilyn Monroe shown floating on a raft down the "river of no return" with a backdrop of the Canadian Rockies can capture one's imagination and make you forget what a truly awful film this is.

Marilyn steals your attention in every scene, and the sheer beauty of her presence more than makes up for the ridiculousness of the plot.

MM sings a couple of numbers in her dance-hall girl phase of the film, most notably, "I'm Gonna File My Claim", about a gold-digger during the gold rush days.

Any Marilyn fan would have to see this movie just for Marilyn's sake. Anyone else can probably skip it.

MMMmmmarvelous Marilyn!

Sometimes it's peaceful, sometimes wild and free
Marilyn Monroe described this movie as a grade-Z cowboy movie where the acting finished third to the scenery and Cinemascope. Okay, the Canadian Rockies and the rapids were utilized to its best for 1950's film-making, and MM's second film in Cinemascope must have made quite an impression in the theatres for the new aspect ratio.

It's 1875 in the wild Northwest. Matt Calder is reunited with his young son Mark in a saloon town and rather than go the usual route of prospecting, start a new life on a farm bordering the River of No Return. Their life is instantly disrupted by two events. One, gambler Harry Weston, who's one a gold claim under dubious circumstances, is eager to file the claim in Council City to prevent the loser from beating him to it. To that end, he steals Calder's horse and rifle, a capital offense in the codes of the West. Second, a group of Native Americans on the warpath descend on the farm. Both Calders and Kay, Weston's moll who stays behind to look after the injured Calder and his son, flee in time in the raft Weston and Kay arrived in.

From then on, it's a struggle to survive the rapids without any weapons, food, and constantly being drenched by that river whenever it's "wild and free." As Calder tells Kay, "The Indians call this the River of No Return. From here on, you'll find out why." He is so dead set on getting his hands on Weston, he'll risk anything, all the time looking after his two charges.

Conflicts arrive in many forms, the primary two are Kay's torn loyalties between Harry and Matt. She doesn't want Matt to kill Harry once the two meet up, and performs acts that range from desperate to being a seductive vamp, yet she realizes in their travails that he is thoughtful and unselfish, as demonstrated in the scene where he looks after her following her collapse from exhaustion. The other involves the circumstances where Matt had to leave young Mark in the saloon town for five years, and while it's justified, there is a certain amount of stigma in it.

Marilyn gets to sing four songs here, the acoustic guitar tune "One Silver Dollar" and the piano bar tune "I'm Gonna File My Claim", "Down In The Meadow", and one of the best songs she's ever sung, the title ballad. Her costumes aren't bad either, from the garish red dress she wears for the first song, the long green dress for the second tune, and the white blouse and anachronistic Levi's jeans she wears throughout the film. And this is the longest her hair has been in films, albeit it being a blonde wig, of course.

Despite the costumes, it's not a Western in the traditional sense of the word, but River Of No Return pales to others in the genre it's purported to be because it's more drama than action. Granted, this is not one of Marilyn's best films, nor is it that of Robert Mitchum's, Rory Calhoun's, or director Otto Preminger for that matter. Monroe would have to wait until The Seven Year Itch for her next biggest hit. However, both Mitchum and Monroe come off well despite the latter's dismissal of it.

Some of MARILYN'S best acting!! And MITCHUM's superb!
Marilyn doesn't play a dolly-girl in this film. She plays a very human female who has seen hardships and goes through many in the film, and takes it like a toughened woman. I've never seen her quite like this in any of her other films. I love all of her films, but this is a stand-out and unique. I wouldn't rate it as one of her best films, but she IS super in it. It's a Level 2 Marilyn film, not quite up there with How to Marry a Millionaire and The Seven Year Itch, but still pretty darn good!
Robert Mitchum is, as always, superb, and there is a good chemistry between the two. A definite must on DVD for any Marilyn fan. If only somewhat interested get the VHS, but Marilyn fans and Western fans will want the Widescreen DVD.

Revenge and Redemption on a Raging River.
The movie: This is an entertaining movie. Although there are some minor flaws and improbabilities in the script, the film is an exciting blend of action and drama, as Marilyn tries to convince a vengeance-driven Mitchum to spare her boyfriend's life. Marilyn has 4 or 5 songs in the movie, and shows some real talent. This does not detract from the realism of the story, either, because her character plays songs for a living. The ending leaves something to be desired, however, because it never answers a question that the film has set up about Mitchum's character. Still, the movie is fun to watch, and the two leads keep things interesting.

The DVD: This is the perfect DVD to use with a home theater. It has surround sound (the best I've encountered), and a whopping 2.55:1 widescreen transfer. (In case you didn't know, that means that the widescreen picture is 2.55 times wider than it is high.) The film has panoramic shots of some genuinely breathtaking locations. Perhaps the DVD's biggest fault is the way that the restoration inexplicably CUTS OUT whenever there is a fade-out or fade-in! You'll be watching a scene, and then suddenly, without warning, the restoration will blink out, leaving you with a washed-out-looking unrestored image. Then the picture will fade out, and you will see a fade-in on a new unrestored scene. About 1 or 2 seconds after this fade-in, the screen will blink, and the picture will look pretty good again. This is awkward, and interrupts the flow of the movie. I can't believe that the manufacturer is unable to fix those brief segments.

Overall, this is a fun piece of 1950s Americana. "River of No Return" is far better than 90 percent of the new movies being made today, and I recommend it. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Where Angels Go, Boredom Follows
Although this sequel to THE TROUBLE WITH ANGELS offers Rosalind Russell reprising her role as the Mother Superior of St. Francis and head of the convent's girls school, WHERE ANGELS GO TROUBLE FOLLOWS is a dismal sequel in which the girls make a cross-country outting--and in addition to playing pranks and flirting with boys also find themselves threatened by various unsavory characters they encounter along the way; meanwhile, the conservative Rosalind Russell strives to check the excesses of the ultra-liberal Sister George (played very stridently by Stella Stevens), whose determination to modernize the Holy Orders seems less progressive than just down right obnoxious.

Unlike its predecessor, the movie never strikes a good balance between comic and dramatic elements and the production values seem more akin to a television movie-of-the-week effort than a big-screen production. Russell is the saving grace of the film, a very young Susan St. James proves very attractive, and several supporting performances (including Binnie Barnes) are quite engaging--but they cannot overcome this film's many inadequacies. Miss it.

Pan and scan attrocity
This is one of my favorite movies of all time, and I anxiously awaited its release on DVD. It looks like I will have to wait a while longer until they decide to give us the movie the way it was meant to be seen....in widescreen.

Come on Columbia Home Video, do justice to this and its sister movie "The Trouble With Angels" and release them in "widescreen"!!!! These are such great, vastly underrated movies, it appears even Columbia doesn't think enough of them that they would give them this shabby treatment.

If you get a chance to see them (on Turner Classics), they are WONDERFUL movies....but wait to buy the DVD. Don't buy into these pan and scan attrocities that the movie companies seem determined to thrust upon us.

Sequel lacks the charm of the first movie
I recently acquired a copy of "Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows." Being a fan of "The Trouble with Angels," I was intrigued by the notion that someone had made a thitherto-unknown-to-me sequel to it; however, watching it was a disappointing experience to say the least. Rosalind Russell reprises her role as Mother Superior, and--in contrast with the first movie--is easily the most sympathetic character in the film. The activist nun, Sister George (played by Stella Stevens), comes off as a caustic, spoiled little brat, as does Susan St. James's Rosabelle character. Marvel Ann (again played by Barbara Hunter) inspires less antipathy this time around, but only because she was such a curmudgeon in the first movie. Finally, the bit players brought in to lend the film more star power (e.g., Arthur Godfrey, Van Johnson, and Milton Berle) are given painfully stupid roles.

Thus there are no memorable characters, and the basic premise of the movie--the St. Francis girls' hitting the road to participate in a youth rally of some kind--is eminently forgettable. Even the theme song, penned by Boyce and Hart and sung poorly by other people, is extremely annoying.

I will say, however, that it's interesting to see what Hollywood thought was "hip" or "with it" in 1968. The film definitely has historical intrigue from that standpoint.

Now How About a Widescreen DVD?
Wear Angels Go Trouble Follows may not as good as The Trouble with Angels but I do think it's a good movie and I enjoyed it and thought Rosalind Russell and Stella Stevens were really good though I wish Hayley Mills and the actress who played her friend were in this too reprising their rolls from the first movie. I would like to own this and also The Trouble with Angels on DVD but I don't want to buy edited pan and scan DVDs, I will just wait until widescreen DVDs are released and until than I will just tape the movies from that classic movie network that shows them in widescreen.

Pan & Scan DVD - how disappointing!
Rosalind Russell is without doubt my favourite actress. What a versatile performer and genuinely good person she was. Roz appeared in many great films (she made 51 films in total), of which only a handful is available on DVD. These include "Auntie Mame", "His Girl Friday" and "Picnic". So, when the release of this delightful film and the film of which this is the sequel, "The Trouble With Angels", was announced as coming soon on DVD I was ecstatic. Coming from Columbia Home Video (who released both "Picnic" and "His Girl Friday") I expected the very best in preparation and presentation.
What a disappointment to learn that both films are to be released in pan and scan versions only. My question is...WHY??? In this day and age where widescreen televisions are so popular and where we have come to expect fully restored versions with plenty of bonus features on DVD Columbia offers what is essentially only part of each film. And, at full price! Additionally, "The Trouble With Angels" is regularly shown on cable TV in a widescreen print so one is available! Roz deserves much better!
I for one will not be purchasing this release. My advice: don't buy only part of this film. Columbia Home Video, if you read this review, do right by Roz and release both these films in their entirety! ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A Fine Whistle Blower Movie!
This 1983 film has everything going for it. It is directed by Mike Nichols; written by Nora Ephron and Alice Arlen; and stars Meryl Streep, Kurt Russell and Cher. The movie is based on the true story of Karen Silkwood and brings to mind NORMA RAE, ERIN BROKOVICH and THE INSIDER, as it is about efforts to unionize a plant (Sally Field in NORMA RAE) and whistle blowers' activities where the public's health is at risk.

Meryl Streep with her shag haircut and mini-skirts is perfect as the worker who becomes exposed to lethal doses of radioactive plutonium in a plant in Oklahoma. Apparently there is no role too difficult for her. Cher also gives a great performance and comes into her own as a serious actress here, playing Streep's gay housemate.

This movie will scare your socks off, particularly when the alarm goes off in the plant, indicating that radioactive plutonium has been released and that someone has been exposed to this deadly agent. The film makes a powerful statement about corporate greed versus the safety of workers. Very, very scary.

An average flick about a fascinating subject.
I found the film entertaining only because I find the topic absolutely compelling. Streep, Russell and Cher turn in very average performances, but in all fairness they were portraying very average people. The big mystery is not who killed Karen Silkwood but how did Meryl Streep get an Oscar nomination for this? Musta been a slow year the the movies. I found it ironic that the lead character in the film was so concerned about the carcinogenic dangers of plutonium while she chain smoked through the entirety of the film. As I have said, the story is compelling. The movie doesn't parallel the events very closely as they really took place, and when it does follow fact it barely scrapes the surface. I have just finished the *excellent* book "The Killing Of Karen Silkwood" by Richard Rashke and I heartily recommend it to any Silkwood buff who is interested in the whole story. It'll scare the daylights out of you.

thought provoking
Silkwood was fantastic. Streep's performance of Karen Silkwood accompanied by Russell was supurb. This film was thought provoking whilst tear jerking in its realism of capitalism over-riding human natures passion for a better world.
And how can you forget the films rendition of "Amazing Grace".

Radioactive Thriller!
Meyrl Streep's performance as Karen Silkwood was excellent. She is just a worker at a neucular power plant who is exposed to plutonium and goes to the press to report unsafe working conditions. Cher and Kurt Russell play Silkwood's room-mate and boyfriend who also work at the plant and are exposed to the radiation and plutonium leak. They are told that they will develop cancer and other life-long heath problems. I couldn't imagine working in a neucular power plant. The extreme dangers on top of the risk of being contaminated would be too scary! Plus, if you were contaminated they sprayed you down with scalding hot water and vigerously scrubbed you until your skin was beet red! All against your own will! You were forced. Nope, I couldn't imagine it.

NEVER work in a plutonium plant!
This movie blew me away when I saw it the theater when it first came out...Cher is amazing, and you never think, while you watch the movie, that this IS Cher. Kurt Russell and of course, Meryl Streep, are fantastic, very high caliber performances. The setting, the plant and the other workers, all lend an air of depression and danger, the plant is a place no one in their right mind would ever want to work, no matter how high the salary. As Drew (Russell) explains to Karen (Streep) those aren't Post Toasties you're workin' with..." underlining the extreme danger of working with these substances. When they go to see Karen's children, living with their father and his new wife, it is SO depressing I could hardly watch; I cannot imagine living in such a place and under such conditions...I once went to a place in California called the City of Industry, and it reminded me of that. A real nightmare of industry, right in your front, back and side yards. The workers try hard to have an air of normality, but really, under such hazardous conditions, it is not possible. The gradual, increasing deliberate contamination of Silkwood is so vile, so insidious and so tragic, it is horrifying...better to shoot someone to death, than that prolonged agony and horror she must have endured before they finally succeeded in killing her. Streep's singing, a capella, of "Amazing Grace" over the end credits is heartbreaking, and she does a great job with it...it is an evocative song to begin with; under these circumstances it is dreadfully sad to hear. It is a true nightmare journey into a world where people earn a living exposing themselves to contamination every day, and those who work in nuclear plants, I take my hat off to you...you are truly brave souls. Excellent story, partly because it is true and partly due to the excellent acting, and a real emotional experience and window into another world... ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Give me a smoke an a brew and make it snappy.
This movie is an all-time classic!!! Filled with wonderful characters and classic one-liners. The first time I saw this in the 80's, I hated it. But years later I saw it on T.V. and had a completely different viewing experience. I saw the movie for what it was, a hilarious, cheesy, 80's, horror-comedy classic. If you grew up in the 80's and liked metal and monster movies, then trust me, see this movie, it's totally unique.
Every line in this movie is funny. My friends and I still use quotes from this movie in our conversations. Just rent it or buy it and you'll see what I mean. I envy anyone who can see this for the first time. Most of all, enjoy the brilliant, kooky, almost cartoon-like characters. Enjoy.

A Little Cheese Goes A Long Way
This movie is honestly of the best 80's cheese horror/comedic films of all time. Where else could you get Medusa and A big mess that comes out of the TV to kill you? LOve It Love It

Terrorvision ROCKS!
GERRIT GRAHAM (NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CLASS REUNION) stars in this wacky science fiction horror about a high-tech television satellite that tunes in real-life horror!
Television will never be the same for the Putterman family. Stanley Putterman (GRAHAM) installs a state-of-the-art satellite dish in his backyard. Through a cosmic accident, a wayward monster's energy is beamed across galaxies, into the satellite and onto the Puttermans' television set. The Puttermans don't notice any changes, only better reception and a strange monster continually appearing on the screen. But when the monster leaps off the screen and into the Puttermans' living room-terror erupts. The monster needs to feed on humans for its survival.
Don't touch that dial...TERRORVISION has just begun!

very good
It's a very very good movie. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

unbiased and informative
This series, presented by Walter 'most trusted man in America' Cronkite is good for anyone one wanting to view an unbiased account of the Vietnam war. There is no Barber's Adagio over the footage, no critical narration - it lets the footage and facts speak for itself - boo-koo information as a VET would say. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nicholson directed and starred in this Western spoof about an outlaw who is saved from hanging by a young widow (Mary Steenburgen) who puts him to work as an indentured servant. She has a gold mine that no one knows about and she wants him to help her get the gold before anyone else finds out. But, of course, his old gang--who gave him up to the law in the first place--finds out about the mine and wants a piece of it. This was filmed in the late 1970s, when drug use was rampant (and not particularly frowned upon) in Hollywood; keep that in mind when you listen to Nicholson's stuffy-nose delivery. Alternately amusing and flat, with a cast that includes Steenburgen in her first movie role and John Belushi in a tiny part as a member of the gang, also making his film debut. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (12)

humorous redemption
GOIN'SOUTH is a funny movie about a humorous redemption. Jack Nicholson is the redeemee and lovely Mary Steenburgen is the redeemor. Jack, the low-life criminal, finds that marriage with obedience to Mary is the price he has to pay for going straight. Mary finds that the price of getting cheap gold miner labor through marriage to Jack includes all of the vows, conjugal and otherwise. They actually strike gold and GREED enters into the plot. Greed is a dandy comedy catalyst. The writers gave this movie excellent dialogue. Casting was terrific. What can telegraph a better joke than Nicholson's devilish leer? Mary Steenburgen fit the role of a prim, greedy reformer to a Tee. Even the cover on the box sets the comedy mood of this film with Jack's leering face framed by a noose, saying if I may, "Hey! This is going to be a funny, funny, movie."

A DEFINITE LAUGHER
This was the first incarnaction of Jack reading the phone book: You don't care what's being said because Jack's saying it. GOIN' SOUTH is so pointless it can't help but be funny. The scene where Jack devours the boiled chicken is hysterical (then dead panning to Mary Steenburgen, "How about a little DE-sert?"). I wonder how much of this film was off the script and how much was improved. GOIN' SOUTH isn't ground breaking comedy, but it is a definite laugher.

Give me more
Jack rocked this. He played his part perfectly. I laughed myself silly watching this movie. It was predictable but hell we all like a movie that touches home base every once in a while don't we. If you rent this movie you will probably want to buy it so just buy it first and watch it with style. A clear picture is worth an extra few bucks. VHS is fading away in front of your eyes.

Goin' South
I have watched this movie many times and never get tired of it. I have shown it to many of my friends and they all enjoy it. Jack Nicholson cracks me up every time. No-one could carry this part off as well. Watch this movie and be entertained as you want to be.

Missing some scenes and lines.
My wife and I both agree that the DVD seemed to be missing some scenes and lines, particularly "We don't need no stinkin' batches" by Belushi. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

MUSCLES & SASS!
HERO provides viewers with the all too familiar but well-done here tale of a troubled youth who falls in with the wrong crowdfrom day one. We're treated throughout to a young black boy's total disrespect for the system. There's plenty of non-conform-ity everywhere- sass at home, in the classroom & on the streets as well. And oh yeah Benji not only gets into drugs but deals them 'round school. Our 13 year old lead is played by Larry B.Scott who most of us first came to recognize in the NERD MOVIESthen more recently in a spoof of rap music in FEAR OF A BLACKHAT. For me, Larry's always been a joy to gaze at- spec-ially when he's san shirt. The shirtless scenes here are few & tho his arms resemble toothpicks with slight bulges, it's easy to visualize his muscular potential down the road. His chest is full & well-defined & he's already sportin' well-layered ripped abs.When our little dynamo is standing in the bathtub stark nakedwith his cheeks a-blazin' I'm more than ready to step in, take the lad under my wing & try to pound some sense into him. After this film, Scott obviously picked up the pace with weight training & exercizing-cause in later rolls he had filled out rather nicely. For instance, his guns are huge in REVENGE OF THE NERDS. Oh I almost forgot,the flick ends with Benji hangin' out with the right crowd & swearin' off drugs for good. More importantly for me, Larry B. realized early on he should hone & tone his bod for the long haul 'cause that would be his mealticket to meatier roles. BOTTOM LINE: L.B.S. delivered with lots of moxie & flashed just enough flesh tosatisfy this fan's curiosity. Sure be nice to get this title on DVD. My zoom would draw his muscles even closer to my face. And now I'm ecstatic to report the DVD version is inmy hands. Boy am I ready to break this baby down inch byinch!

Misses a lot of the spirit of the book
This is one of those book adaptations which leave the viewer wondering why the screenwriter (here, the book's author), made the changes that were made.
The 1973 book describes the life of 13-year-old Benjie Johnson, an African-American who lives in an apartment with his mother Rose, grandmother, and mother's boyfriend Butler, in an apartment house with "dark, stinky hallways" in a "tough block." For Butler to take Rose out by taxi is "their fine way of going out." The pusher's (Tiger's) apartment is "one fine-lookin place" because it has "a good record player and a TV" plus wall-to-wall carpet and drapes at the window. A crisis occurs when Benjie steals Butler's good suit for drug money.
By the time the 1978 movie was released, the setting had changed. Benjie and family are living in a middle-class single family home, and their own car. Benjie and friends frequently take walks on the beach. It's just a quick walk, apparently, to the walk-up graffiti-covered apartment roof where Benjie first smokes marijuana. Tiger's apartment now has wood paneling, two aquariums, an inlaid coffee table, a treadmill, rowing machine, and weights. The crisis is now Benjie stealing Butler's inherited sapphire-and-diamond cufflinks.
And, a happy ending, not present in the book, is glommed onto the last scene in the movie. There's a unnecessarily-protracted scene showing the nude Benjie being put into the Indigo Blue bath.
It's natural, and beneficial, for a movie to telescope some of the book's plot, and eliminate marginal characters. Yet, the sudden relative affluence of Benjie's family takes away from the immediacy of the many pressures facing the family, just as the "happy ending" validates the fear the school's principal expressed in the book: when an ex-addict is portrayed as a heroic figure, some students may see drugs as something to use and then bravely give up, because the speaker doesn't mention that he is the one in a hundred to be able to kick the habit.
Some of the language (although appropriate in context) and some scenes are more intense than the usual PG movie.
I recommend that folks stick to the excellent book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Up in Arms not only introduced Danny Kaye to moviegoing audiences, but marked his first (of several) ventures with producer Samuel Goldwyn. In this 1944 musical set in contemporary time, a hypochondriac has wartime adventures while trying to impress a pretty nurse. With its lush cinematography in vibrant colors that still leap out, the film will nonetheless still have the politically correct police Up in Arms--the portrayals of the Japanese are stereotypical and cringingly embarrassing. Most notably forgettable is a scene in which Kaye's Danny Weems impersonates a Japanese officer and emerges a hero. But remember, the film was released at the height of war--and of American patriotism. Overall, Kaye's talent shines--he performs the lyrical work of wife Sylvia Fine, one of five contributors to the still catchy, still singable songs. And for those who remember Dinah Shore only from either her TV talk show or the popular golf tournament that bears her name, here's a revelation: she was a super talent. She sings, dances, and lights up the screen. Costars Virginia Merrill and Dana Andrews have the thankless roles of straight persons to the charismatic Kaye and Shore, who have a phenomenal dance number that'll leave you humming the tune long after initial viewing. Look for Kaye's subsequent frequent costar Virginia Mayo in a blink-and-you'll-miss-her Goldwyn Girl role. --N.F. Mendoza ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Remake of " Whoopee"
This film was Danny Kaye's first as a star for Goldwyn. Kaye plays Danny Weems, a hopeless hypochondriac who finds himself drafted into the army. While a passenger on an overseas transport ship, Danny is obliged to hide his girl friend Mary Morgan, who has accidentally stowed away on board, from the authorities. The plot (what there is of it) contrives to have Danny and Mary, together with Virginia playe dby the very talented Dinah Shore, who's in love with Danny, and Joe, who's in love with Mary, arrive simultaneously on the same South Sea island. After numerous comic and romantic complications, Danny emerges as the hero of the hour by capturing a whole bunch of Japanese soldiers. The film shows signs of post-production tampering-an offscreen narration, and abrupt ending-indicating. Despite its erratic editing and uneven scenario, Up in Arms contains some priceless moments, including Kaye's rapid-patter songs "The Lobby Number" and "Melody in 4F", both written by Sylvia Fine (Danny Kaye's wife) and Max Liebman. There are also a few cute "inside" jokes referring to the illogical nature of the plotline

Up In Arms
If you love or loved Danny Kaye's zany face and body language, you will love the scene in which one of Danny's so-called buddies catches him using his record player ...I literally fell of the couch laughing and breathing heavy!

DANNY KAYE'S TECHNICOLOR FILM DEBUT
Redheaded David Daniel Kaminsky became a well-known player along the "Borscht circuit" playing in the Catskills of upstate New York in the late thirties. Kaye later played in the successful Broadway show "Let's Face It" which co-starred Eve Arden and Vivian Vance in 1941. Goldwyn's faith in the 31 year-old Kaye was justified; the newly peroxided Kaye made his debut in this remake of Eddie Cantor's "Whoopee", and became a household name.Danny plays a confirmed hypocondriac who's so frightened of maladies that he's secured a job as the elevator operator in a medical building! The scene in the cinema lobby is brilliant and he's got the lovey Doris Dowling and the rather unphotogenic Dinah Shore around him while he wreaks havoc in this screwball comedy which made him an instant star.

Charming movie
Up in Arms is very funny. It has all the wit and charm of the one and only original Danny Kaye.

The Century's Greatest All-Around Entertainer
Now that the year 2000 is upon us, it's quite arguable that Danny Kaye is perhaps the greatest all-around commedian and entertainer to grace the stage and screen in this century.

While others could equal his performances in their own areas of specialty, Danny Kaye was a master of all of these specialties, singing, dancing, comic monologues, even romantic leads which were breathtakingly convincing and not forced.

He could dance nearly as well as Astaire, was the equal of Durante in comic dialogues, could sing as well as any of the best popular vocalists of the day, and could do impersonations and accents in a way unsurpassed by anyone on the stage.

He was as handsome as any leading man of the time and moved with incredible body grace. He was a joy to watch and Up in Arms was again, arguably, one of his best and funniest features.

If such a competition exists, I'd be proud to nominate Danny Kaye as the best all-around entertainer of the Century. Frank Pierce ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Ray Liotta plays a 1950s jingle composer whose wife dies, leaving him to raise their grieving young daughter (Tina Majorino) alone. Dad hires an African-American housekeeper (Whoopi Goldberg), who helps fill the gap in the child's life--and then Dad's life--and soon an interracial relationship crossing the social mores of the era is underway. Written and directed by Jessie Nelson, the film is a spot-on recreation of '50s suburbia without gratuitous kitsch. Liotta is perfect as a working man of the day, given to white shirts and narrow ties; Goldberg gives one of her finest performances as the levelheaded Corrina; and little Majorino is heartbreakingly effective. But the film entirely bears the stamp of one person, and that's Nelson, who has a wonderfully witty eye and a sophisticated but sensitive approach to the crosscurrents of emotion at play in this story. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Whoopee!! It's Whoopi!
I am a Whoopi Goldberg fan, but most of the films I've seen her in have been comedic efforts. This movie bowled me over. Goldberg's acting is superb with so many different levels and nuances. She is perfectly cast as Corrina, the new housekeeper/angel who is hired to care for a recently widowed father and his withdrawn daughter. Her gentleness, no nonsense attitude, spirit, and intelligence make her a nearly perfect character. The complexities of an interracial relationship in the 50's are dealt with wonderfully as are themes of discrimination and tolerance. Ray Liotta is wonderful in his role as the jingle-writing dad and brings a depth and a realness to the role. Tina Majorino, as his daughter, is able to handle the roller-coaster of emotions of a girl who is confused and depressed about the loss of her mother; and yet she retains a spunk and a liveliness that slowly appears thanks to Corrina's understanding and influence. The movie is pure magic and shows the evolution of a family's grief from sorrow to hope. "Corrina, Corrina" is a must have.

Complete Classic- The Movie is Filled With Magic...
This movie is beautiful from start to finish.

Whoopi Goldberg is perfectly casted as Corrina, a black (well, duh) nanny who is employed by a white Jew (very well played by Ray Liotta), to take care of his daughter Molly (again excellently played by Tina Majorino).

The plot. Manny Singer's (Ray) wife has just died leaving him and his 7 year old daughter (Tina) behind. Molly is a little lost after this and she doesn't speak a word to her father or anyone else. After employing a plethora of disastrous nannys Manny finally comes to Corrina, who is perfect. One problem: She's black, he's white, and this is 1959 segregated America.

After a little while Molly begins to talk again and is generally uplifted by Corrina, who seems to have this miraculous way of bringing people back to their feet, including Manny. Corrina and Manny fall in love against all odds, and what you get is a beautiful interracial romance that at that time is classed as wrong, even abnormal. No one approves apart from Molly and her Grandfather (Don Ameche).

One down side to this film, and I will add that it is the only down side, is the ending - you don't really know what happens. If I hadn't done a little research then I wouldn't have known that director Jessie Nelson had based this film on her true life story. She's black and her now husband of 40 odd years was white. This story is her story. They got married and lived happily ever after - but we have to guess. So the ending could have used a little bit more work. But that's it!! The movie is just wonderful. It's uplifting, heartbreaking, humorous and romantic.

Captivating Corrina, Corrina
I have only seen about 4 or 5 feature movies starring Whoopi Goldberg and even less with Ray Liotta. Of these few, Corrina, Corrina is my favorite. Corrina, Corrina is a movie with so many heartwarming moments. It is also in the rare category of movies made in the last 2 decades which actually teaches a number of lessons. The lessons in Corrina, Corrina deal with loss, love, giving, hope, faith, art, beauty, optimism, racism, and forgiveness.

After Manny Singer's wife's death, he and his young daughter Molly are left alone to cope with their loss. After interviewing a number of unsuitable and eccentric applicant's as for the job of nanny, he chooses Corrina Washington. Corrina is far too qualified for the job. She is a college graduate with dreams of writing liner notes for jazz albums. But she is born too early, for she is an African-American woman, and it is 1950s America.

Being an optimist with a strong faith, Corrina becomes Molly's nanny. In the process, she changes the lives of both Manny and Molly. Love blooms effortlessly between the three. Molly sees Corrina as a new mother. Corrina and Manny see beyond one ano-
ther's skin color. They listen to one another. Their tastes in music and their outlook are similar. They fall in love to Molly's glee. But their families and 1950s America is not ready for their romance.

All of the actors in this movie were attractive. Whoopi Goldberg never looked better. Ray Liotta's looks and whole demeanor took my breath away. I think it was very courageous to cast Goldberg and Liotta together as love interests. Seeing them together in the film, made me wish that they were a couple in real life. Tina Majorina was precious, and one of the best child actors I have ever seem. I have been waiting to see her in more films ever since I first saw her in Corrina, Corrina.

Corrina, Corrina is a nearly flawless film for the whole family.

Charming Genre-Defying Film
Liotta & Goldberg are an unlikely but perfect match in this heartwarming bittersweet story of interracial love. Thoughtful direction, cinematography and casting enhance this highly watchable film which sends some subtley important messages on love, grief and family.

One of my favorite movies of all time.
I've been wanting to buy this movie on DVD for myself for such a long time, and I finally did the other day. I just watched it tonight. It's still as great as it was the many over times I've watched it.

Corrina, Corrina is a heartwarming film that's heartbreaking romantic, and all around a joy to watch. Whoopi Goldberg plays a nanny who is hired by an Athiest (Ray Liotta) to look after his 7 year old girl, Molly. It takes some time getting used to Corrina and her religous beliefs (because she'd tell Molly that her mother, who had recently passed away, was in Heaven and the father told Corrina not to be telling Molly such things because he and his deceased wife were Athiest), but in the end, the father comes to accept Corrina's intentions and find what's best for his daughter. There are some heartbreaking moments in the film that will have tears running down your cheeks, but there are also moments where you'll be laughing your sorrow away. This movie is pretty much perfect. When Molly's mother died, she became miserable and wouldn't talk to anyone. She wouldn't say one word. But, when Corrina came into her life, Molly slowly became her fun old self and she began glowing once again. This is a great film to watch over and over again and you'll never grow tired of it. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

They defnitly dont make em like this anymore!!!!!
Growing up watching two of Hal Needems best movies "Cannonball 1 & 2" and "smokey and the bandit 1, 2, 3" Ive mayured into realising that they just dont make them like this anymore! As said during the commentary, the script was no "gone with the wind" but who cares? These movies are for fun. And its great to see so many actors get together and have a great time making this fun, funny, action, car race accross the USA from sea to shining sea!

With such a great cast, its somthign you dont see too often with the amount of actors that where put into this movie! Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Farrah Fawcett, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jnr, Roger Moore, and so many other great cameos and actors in this film! Including the introduction role to introduce Jackie Chan into the American market! This was Jackies first English speaking movie!

This whacky car race accross the states, involves some of the best stunts caught on film! Hal Needham sure knew what he was doing when he put this classic together!

Unfortunalty it dosent come with much of a bonus feature selection, theres an Audio Commetry with a couple of insighfull things about the movie. And the usual cast and bio thing. But it would have been great to see deleted scenes, but they probably dont exsist anymore? but that dosent drag this great fun for all action ride!

I recomend you buy it with Cannonball 2. As I think Cannonball 2 is one of the rare seaqulls that was just as great as the original! And if they ever release Speed Zone (known as Cannonball Fever in other places) I'd recomedn getting that one too!

If you like whacky ,over the top, crazy, action, comedys with alot of great stunts with vehicles, then this is the top of the list for anyones collection!

Fast paced and funny from sea to shining sea.
In this first movie to actually carry the word "Cannonball" in the title, was penned by the genius of Brock Yates, who in 1971, organized and raced in the first "Cannonball Run." Burt Reynolds in his comedic element as "J.J. McClure" who decides to make this trip to California in the guise of an ambulance driver. At his side, is Dom DeLuise who occasionally drifts out of reality when the going gets tough into a self-contrived super hero named "Captain Chaos."

Other stars joining in the challenge are Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, driving a Ferrari dressed as priests.

Adrienne Barbeau and Tara Buckman provide some stimulating appearances as Marcy and Jill in a Lamborhini that looks somewhat like Darth Vaders personal space ship.

There's an hillarious fight scene towards the end of the film featuring Peter Fonda and Jackie Chan that will keep you smiling for days.

Even after twenty years, still wonderfully refreshing and entertaining. Don't miss it. :)

CAN'T COMPARE WITH "The Gumball Rally".
I bought this movie on DVD because it was on sale and "The Gumball Rally" DVD was no where in sight (because it's not on DVD). I have never seen this movie until now but having watched I would happily take my $8.00 back if offered.

The best part of the movie is the opening session, one sleek black Lamborghini tearing up the road. The rest is ridiculous and corny.

More emphasis should have been placed on the cars rather than the actors, actresses, and corny stuff. "The Gumball Rally" did a better job with two lovely cars and serious acting mixed with just the right amount of comedy; not corny and ridiculous antics.

Scenes of beautiful actresses in this movie are nice but who needs it if there are beautiful cars and who wants to see an ambulance go cross country, that killed me. Buy "The Gumball Rally" instead if it ever comes out on DVD. If you still have a (soon to be antique) VHS player then your lucky and can buy it now.

If you really want this movie though buy my copy for four bucks so I can take back 50% of my loss. It's only been used once and I won't use it again.

I am Captain Chaos!
Well seeing this for the first time has changed my alter ego to "him" AKA Captain Chaos on the IRC. Too bad the two good looking chicks didn't get more time though.

The second movie was so so the chimp making phun of people was kinda dumb..will there be a third? who knows.

/me gets a captain chaos costume a bunch of friends ready to drive cross country (with cameras) walla Cannonball Run 3.. Fort Walton Beach, FL to Hawthorne, CA.

(It would be fun)

-
Rob
--

http://www.robfwb.com

They dont make movies like this anymore
Whatever happened to movies that were just plain FUN?

This is a hilarious movie that never gets old, despite the fact that it was released in 1982. Big name starts (at the time) Burt Reynolds, Dom Deluise, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Farrah Fawcett, Terry Bradshaw, Mel Tillis, Roger Moore, Jamie Farr, and...some unknown guy named Jackie Chan, all race against each other in The Cannonball Run, a race from sea to shining sea.

This movie is way better than its sequel, the Cannonball Run 2.
Fans of Smokey and The Bandit, also starring Burt Reynolds, will love this movie for the cars, the women, and the laughs. Buy this movie! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

great performances
5 stars just because the performances in this movie are so good. Uma Thurman especially. She plays it soooo well. Juliette Lewis has a boring part but still she makes it look interesting. The mother character (whoops whats her name?) Is really good too. The story is of two women trying to find love in bars in New Jersey, set in the 80s. Uma is really screwed in the head and has a habit of hurting those who care about her. Shes really high strung. Juliette Lewis is her sweet friend. Uma lives with her mother (?) Who is also sweet and sensible.

BRILLIANT...
This movie was unsettling and hard to watch...I mean that in the best way. Uma Thurman in particular was so pathetic, so clueless and vulnerable....just desperate for acceptance...it was hearbreaking. Watching her character feign happiness and mold herself and her ideals to whatever man happened to be paying attention to her at the moment had me riveted. I have never been so impressed with Uma Thurman...FABULOUS STORY...watch it.

A Major Bummer
Hysterical Blindness centers around three New Jersey women's search for love. Deb Miller (Uma Thurman) has major insecurity issues because her father abandoned her and her mother when she was thirteen, which made her really needy, neurotic and loose. Beth (Julliette Lewis) is a high school dropout and became an unwed mother at sixteen. Deb and Beth hang out at Ollies Bar, a seedy meat market where the guys are only out for one thing. They foolishly think that the man of their dreams with walk through its door. Beth's daughter Amber is more adult that she is and clearly the kid cramps her style. Deb's mother Virginia (Gena Rowlands), a waitress at Skyways Restaurant, finally finds love with Nick Piccolo (Ben Gazzara) only to loose it when Nick dies of a heart attack.

Director Mira Nair claims that this movie was a dark comedy however I found nothing comedic about it though it certainly was dark and very depressing. It ends with no real climax the characters just go with their lives as before. The best part of the movie was the romance between Gena Rowlands and Ben Gazzara. I think the actors did a good job in their roles but the director just didn't come across with the story. If you must, rent it don't buy it!

Quiet Desperation.....
The performances in this movie are brilliant, but, it also gave me the creeps. I say this because it was so dead-on accurate in portraying the neighborhood I grew up in, and, the lives of "quiet desperation" that many there lived. At the time in which this movie takes place, I was working in a factory in upstate New York. The mentality displayed in this picture, of "you're born, ya work, ya party...." is how most of the people I was around at that time unquestioningly and comformingly lived their lives. I am not crazy about most actors today, but, Uma Thurman and Juliette Lewis have always been two of the few exceptions. In this made for HBO film, they immerse themselves so totally in their co-dependant characters that there is not a sign of a *star*, nor that they are performing...they simply "are" the two lost, searching souls with nowhere to go, and no way to get there if they did. The '80's were such a tacky decade, and these girls have it all "down". Watching them flounder, knowing that they want more out of life than their circumstances have thus far allowed, but not having a clue as to how to begin change, is painful to behold. As are their sad attempts at intimacy and self validation with disinterested men who want nothing more than quick sex. Watching Uma Thurman almost beg a creepy, cavalier one night stand who's just using her to "talk to me..." is heartbreaking. When she asks the bartender "what's wrong with me?", it is not a casual comment, but, a cry from the depths. Gena Rowlands is wonderful also as Thurman's waitress mom, who probably was an early training ground for her daughters bad habits, and lack of self esteem. These are not bad people, but, they want desperately to connect, and just don't know how. Also watching Thurman's character, after another night of rejection, crawl into bed with her mother in a desperate and pained reaching out for unconditional comfort, is a very emotional moment. This movie is about depressing lives, but, is ultimately hopeful, and shows that change, growth, and possibilities can sometimes begin with something as simple as a new living room set. And, the slow realization that, while we're all vulnerable, true happiness begins from within, and, with knowing thyself. I happened upon this movie by chance, and it surprisingly and completely cast its spell on me. A wonderful character study, made into something very special because of the portrayals of Uma Thurman and Juliette Lewis. Watching actors like this is almost an honor. If this sounds like a too extravagant appraisal, it is also because it is so rare. A wonderful experience.

Just great
If you grew up in the 80s and want a little nostalgia this movie is it.The girls in this story makes you feel ashmed to be watching them they are so out of touch with anybody else in this world.We all know people like this and wonder how they keep existing.The acting is excellant.The story gets a little slow at times but you won't be able to stop watching. ... 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

Amazon.com

Set mainly in the Ireland the tourist board didn't tell you about,Into the West is the story of a "traveling" family who have given up their traditional life of roaming, and find themselves trying to make it in the gritty, violent projects of Dublin. Gabriel Byrne is excellent as Papa Reilly, a once-proud father and leader whose grief over his wife's death has turned him into a booze-sodden has-been. His two sons, Tito (Ruaidhri Conroy) and Ossie (Ciaran Fitzgerald), escape the projects on an apparently magical white horse, Tir Na Nog, which leads them back to the West. After being forced to steal the horse back from a wealthy and ruthless horse dealer, they are pursued across the increasingly beautiful landscape by virtually all the policemen in Ireland. The much-loved actor David Kelly (Waking Ned Devine) does a nice turn as the grandfather, and Ellen Barkin is a surprising but believable choice as an old "traveling" friend of Papa Reilly. For better or for worse--mainly better--this is not the story Disney would have told: redemptive and uplifting at the end, it's realistic to the point of ugliness on the way there, with a style of cinematography that the Magic Kingdom has never been able to stomach. The younger brother, Ossie, is supposed to be 7, but the story itself is perhaps more appropriate for somewhat older children. Entertainment Weekly's best family video for 1994. --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A magical family film that brings Ireland home....
"Into the West" is an underrated jewel of Irish filmmaking that follows a rather unconventional storyline: a down-and-out father, Papa Reilly, (Gabriel Byrne), leads a miserable existence in a Dublin slum along with his two young sons. The poverty and bleakness is overwhelming and not what one would expect from a Disney film (which it is). Starving children sing on streetcorners for money, fathers drink away the welfare money, and education and sanitary conditions seem alien. This is not the Ireland of "The Quiet Man" or even "The Secret of Roan Inish."

Papa Reilly is a traveller, or gypsy, although he has forsaken the old ways after his wife's death. His father-in-law tries to convince him in vain to return to the roads, but Reilly stands firm, insolently refusing all help. His two sons Tito and Ossie fall in love with a mysterious white horse that has followed their grandfather's caravan, and the two claim Tir na Nog as their own (but the horse had claimed them first). The lines between fantasy and reality are blurred, and this is not just a children's film, nor is it solely for an older audience. It is hybrid of mythology and magic much like "The Secret of Roan Inish," another Irish fairytale of a film that also dealt with magical animals (in that case seals).

The rest of the movie requires suspension of disbelief, including several improbable chase scenes, but the heartwarming stories of the two boys coming to terms with their past (their mother's death, their father's alcoholism) and forging stronger bonds of brotherhood, and the grieving father and widower coming to terms with his loss and resolving to start a new life with his sons as the king of the travellers once more, truly make this a touching and unforgettable film.

The scenery is beautiful, from the bleak, grey Dublin slums to the gently sloping western mountains, spectacular craggy cliffs and crashing seaspray. The soundtrack is a blend of Irish music old and new, with contributions from Black 47, the Rankin Family and Clannad. Patrick Doyle ("Shipwrecked") composed the score, which uses Irish instruments and haunting Irish Gaelic vocals to build atmosphere.

There are several tense moments during action sequences which may prove frightening to younger children, but nothing overly objectionable in "Into The West." Younger children may find it a bit slow and hard to follow, but patience is truly a virtue in the case of this magical film.

A film between myth and reality
Someone, I've forgotten who, was reported to have reacted to the death of President Kennedy with the words "To be Irish is to know that the world will break your heart." This is true, but it is also true that to be Irish is to know that the world is not always as it seems. This is a story which resonates with both sentiments. The harsh contrast between the fantasy worlds of cowboys and Indians and Celtic mythology and the heartbreaking ugliness of life in council-house Dublin, the greed which can arise in the new "Celtic Tiger" Ireland and even the friendly but harsh life of the travellers make this tale of two small boys and their father and the effect on them of a white horse resound with mythic overtones. This truly beautiful horse belongs to the realm of Celtic myth, a classic example of a shape-changer, in this case very benign. That the horse is more than it seems is delicately conveyed by clever camera shots as well as by the storyline. If you fell in love with "The Secret of Roan Inish" you will probably like this, I certainly did.

This is a wonderful film for all - not just the horse crazy
I love this film. Although I originally rented it for my horse crazy daughter, I have watched it many times and always it makes me smile. It is a tale of Irish travel