Amazon.com

Although scarcely seen in its original 3-D, and entirely out of sight for a decade and a half after its producer-star died, Hondo has maintained a high rep among John Wayne fans--and it wasn't even directed by Howard Hawks or John Ford. (Actually, Ford did shoot some second-unit stuff while visiting Wayne on location.) Half-breed Hondo, companioned only by an antisocial dog, tends to be more sympathetic toward the Apaches than toward the white society he occasionally scouts for. He falls into uneasy friendship with a New Mexico farmwoman (Geraldine Page) whose husband deserts her for long stretches, and whose son (Lee Aaker) is blood brother to the local Apache chieftain. A good, spare frontier tale--Louis L'Amour via James Edward (Angel and the Badman) Grant--in which danger and solace come in unexpected ways. John Farrow, who did direct, brings it in at a lean 84 minutes. Page was Oscar^®-nominated for this first film role. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Even John Wayne can't save this movie
Hondo has all the makings of a fine movie....great actors and an interesting story line. Unfortunately, it falls short. John Wayne gives a good performance as Hondo Lane, a half-breed Apache turned gunfighter turned Army dispatch rider. However, director John Farrow should have been tortured by the Apaches for turning what could have been a great film into little more than a typical western movie matinee. The scenes are choppy and a couple leave you wondering why they weren't left on the editing floor. Also typical western movie flaws -- John Wayne carrying a 94 Winchester lever action more than twenty years before it was introduced, people setting up horse and cattle ranches on land that could barely support a few goats, Indians patiently waiting for the settlers to circle their wagons and then riding around them like targets at a shooting gallery, and the inside of Geraldine Page's cabin looking like a photo spread from Ladies Home Journal. And speaking of neatness (as one other reader's review accurately pointed out), everything looks too clean. Only actor Ward Bond as Buffalo Baker looked the part. Comments on accuracy aside, this movie gets only two stars for three reasons - bad direction, bad direction, bad direction!

An effective western.
Based on a Louis L'Armour novel this movie contains a pretty standard western plot: a frontier scout risks his life during an Indian uprising. It is notable for the fact this is one of those John Wayne films that is rarely shown on TV, and only became available on video four or five years ago. It also is a western that marks the development of a more sympathetic attitude towards the American Indians by Hollywood. Make no mistake the Duke and the cavalry are presented as the good guys; but their opponents, the Apaches, fight because the whites broke the treaty. The Apache leader,Victorio, mourns the loss of his sons killed by whites, and even Duke's Hondo remarks that the Apache way is a "good way of life."

I have to agree with an earlier review that the direction is a little spotty. The screen sometimes blacks out between scenes which gives the impression that the film is about to go into a commericial break! However, the action scenes are fantastic especially the Duke's barroom brawl, the blood-right duel, and the thrilling chase from the Apaches. The ending, though, is cliched with the settlers circling their wagons and the Apaches obligingly riding around them just begging to be shot. Overall, this is a very entertaining, and fast-paced western.

John Wayne's forgotten western classic
This exciting and colorful 3D film was released over 50 years ago and remains an enjoyable action adventure today. With its distinctive peppermint-striped titles, "Hondo" is John Wayne's film and he is the title character who rides out of the desert to come to the aid of a young woman and her boy at their isolated ranch against the backdrop of Apache smoke signals and war drums. Hondo Lane is drawn to the plain yet steely Angie Lowe who is also interested in the dusty stranger but refuses to leave her ranch, instead choosing to wait for her ne'er-do-well husband who has abandoned them to their fate in Apache land. The film has a matter-of-fact approach in the relationship between Lane and Angie, and although there is tension between them in the beginning, Angie is convinced of the stranger's sincerity and is keenly aware that Johnny enjoys the man's presence on their ranch. Johnny's character is a key part of the film's plot as both Lane and Apache leader Vittorio seek to guide him towards manhood with the values of their very different social mores. The Apaches are presented as a fierce but proud people, as personified by Vittorio, who adopts Johnny as a blood brother because of the bravery and courage he displays in protecting his mother from the menacing sub-chief Silva. The battle scenes are exciting and colorful, with the blue and yellow cavalry colors contrasting with the dusty, brown-skinned calico-shirted warriors mounted on all manner of striking ponies against bright blue skies and thick, fluffy clouds. The sound effects during the battles, of whistling bullets and whizzing arrows striking their targets, are realistic and superb. The movie was filmed in Camargo, Mexico, an arid desert country studded with isolated, cone-shaped mesas, and the music score has a heroic quality that smoothly underscores the action sequences.

Hondo Rules
As the great Al Bundy said "Your life is meaningless compared to Hondo"

Great flick...but this is a flat print of a 3-D movie
HONDO is an excellent western, featuring terrific performances by Wayne and Geraldine Page. The VHS release in welcome, but the film is compromised a bit here since it is robbed of the original stereoscopic 3-D presentation. It is one of the better 3-D movies (in fact, the only one to win an Oscar (G.Page).

Don't confuse the awful red/blue 3-D TV showings in the early 90's with the original polarized (clear glasses) 3-D...it isn't the same thing at all and the TV version looked nothing like the original 3-D did.

Try to catch this one at a 3-D revival sometime, to experience the movie as intended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

What if you were asked to investigate a murder in which you were the prime suspect? From this seemingly impossible notion comes a grandly entertaining nail-biter. Charles Laughton plays the punctuality obsessed, slave-driving head of a publishing empire who won't let his crime magazine's star editor (Ray Milland) take a day off to spend with his family. The overworked Milland, having just upset a delayed honeymoon trip for the umpteenth time, goes on a sorrow-drowning, bar-hopping bender with a mysterious woman who, it turns out, is Laughton's mistress. Later that night after Milland has gone home, Laughton murders her, and the next day he assigns Milland to investigate, since a number of clues point to her having spent time with another man that night. Milland, then, must not only find the real murderer but sidetrack the investigation away from himself. That both characters are solving the crime in tandem yet unwittingly working toward pinning the murder on each other is at the heart of The Big Clock's labyrinthine brilliance. Helping bring out the dark humor in this adaptation of Kenneth Fearing's noir novel (included in the Library of America's Crime Novels collection) is Elsa Lanchester as a high-strung painter who can sketch the prime suspect (Milland), a time-bomb plot device that only adds to the already unbearable suspense. This is a taut, lean thriller, superbly handled by director John Farrow, who never fails to remind his audience through repeated use of clocks, timepieces, and watches that all too often in our lives that ticking sound is the enemy. This was remade in 1987 with Kevin Costner as No Way Out. --Robert Abele ... Read more

Reviews (17)

The Clock's Ticking!
John Farrow's "The Big Clock" is one of the great noir films of the 40's. The downside is many people have 1) rarely seen it. 2) Many haven't even heard of it! Ray Milland stars as George Stroud a man who as the film goes on will have to track down a murderer when all the clues lead to one man, him! How can he prove his innocence. And how will he get anyone to believe him? These are the interesting questions that arise as you watch this film.
George Stroud (Milland) works for a publication that somehow manages to break cases before the police do. He is also suppose to go on his honeymoon with his wife Georgette (Maureen O' Sullivan) which is long overdue ( they now have a 5 year old son!). But, his boss Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton) wants him to postpone his honeymoon. Claiming he'll give him higher pay and a month's vaction. But George knows his wife will kill him if he's not there ready to leave with her lol. Now, one thing leads to another ( I don't want to give anyway too much of the plot). But George ends up missing his train and spends the night with Janoth's mistress! Later on that night, he finds that Janoth's mistress is dead! Was it murder? Well, all directions point that way since George saw Janoth go into Pauline York's (Rita Johnson) apartment. In an attempt to cover up his actions, Janoth tells George he has to solve the case before the police get involved. "The Big Clock" has a great musical score by Victor Young, nice cimatography by Daniel L. Fapp & John F. Seitz. And, fammed costume designer Edit Head does wonderful work. All of these things give this movie the "classic" noir feel to it. There are good, solid performances by everyone, and nice directing by Farrow. This is a very pleasurable film to watch on one of those rainy, dark nights, that just feels like watching a noir film. One of the best noir films I've ever seen.

Ray Milland and Charles Laughton Together. Enough Said...
As my title reads, this is indeed a captivating film-noir. The idea of a boss trying to blame an employee for murder might not have been a new one even in 1948, however with all its intriguing actors, witty taglines, and outstanding artistic quality, this film is perfect in the mystery world. Everybody should own a copy of "The Big Clock."

THE BIG CLOCK IS A BIG LETDOWN
I remember this movie from years back, and thought it was a pretty nifty noir thriller. A repeat viewing reveals it to be a bit on the trite side. Maybe it's Ray Milland's bland performance, but I had trouble getting through this one. Not all old films are true "classics" and this one is better left on the shelf, in my opinion.

There are many better examples of Film Noir out there. Give me LAURA or OUT OF THE PAST any day over this.

VICERAL NOIR DRAMA TINGED WITH COMEDY
"The Big Clock" is a brilliant labyrinth of dark humor and cyclical twists and turns - rather like riding a funhouse car into the murky blackness of uncertainty but with the nervous expectation that you are about to be frightened out of your mind. The film is a taut, lean thriller that presents a curious predicament for its hero, George Stroud (Ray Milland). He's a star reporter who is assigned to cover the murder of a mysterious woman by his punctually obsessed editor, Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton). There's just one little wrinkle that needs to be overcome; the overworked Stroud not only knows the woman in question but spent the night with her before she met with her untimely demise. There's also something else to consider; the woman was Janoth's mistress. Now the question arises for Stroud: how to accurately cover the scoop, report all the facts, expose the killer and keep his own name out of the proceedings. Both men are feverishly working to solve the crime, unwittingly culminating in accusations that will expose both their prior relationships with the corpse. Elsa Lanchester appears as Louise Patterson, the high-strung painter whose sketch of the prime suspect slowly begins to take on the figure of George Stroud. "The Big Clock" was remade in 1987 as the Kevin Costner thriller, "No Way Out".
THE TRANSFER: The gray scale is very nicely balanced with solid, deep and rich blacks and very smooth looking whites. There are instances where contrast levels appear somewhat low and fine detail seems slightly out of focus, but truly, there's nothing to generally disappoint one from this visual presentation. Occasionally pixelization breaks apart the background information - but only briefly and usually between dissolves. There's also a minor hint of edge enhancement that is barely noticeable. The audio is mono but very nicely cleaned up. There are no extras.

The Big Clock
Thrilling "Film Noir" type mystery. Ray Milland works for a magazine publisher who commits a murder. All the clues however point to Milland as the killer. He races against time to prove his innocence. First Rate Thriller! ... Read more

Description

Adventure, drama and romance of an outlaw ship and the people aboard her. Based on Andrew Geer's novel. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Duke playing a German......Pretty Neat.
Having John Wayne play a German Ship Captain (and an anti-nazi one at that) in World War Two made for an enjoyable change from his 'usual' roles, and underlined an important, though understated historical fact: that not all Germans in that time period were pro-Hitler, though they fought for their country out of love for country. That was so well shown when Wayne's character threw out the Swastika Flag and raised the World War One German Battle flag when his ship was challenged. This was a prime example of what made it an enjoyable film for me.

Strecthing the Boundaries of Credulity
John Wayne is a great actor who works best in Cowboy and Gung Ho American soldier roles. He is a type casted actor and his role as a German tramp ship captain who hates Hitler is nothing short of funny. Not that the storyline is bad, it is just a situation of miscasting. Although Wayne's acting is good, his American accent and the thought subliminally that a cowboy is playing a German totally destroys the mood of the movie. But the movie is worth watching especially for Wayne fans.

Germans with no accent?
A German commander of a somewhat stolen freighter is in a desperate flight to escape the Nazi grip and find safe harbor in another country. John Wayne and Lana Turner star in this movie with brief shots of James Arness and Tab Hunter.

Amazingly, none of these Germans have any accent other than the American-ized pronunciation of their German names. John Wayne comes across as a cowboy in captain's clothing and just because Lana Turner is blonde doesn't make her performance any more convincing. All five of Tab Hunter's lines were nothing more than very obvious pretty boy cameo shots in an attempt to draw the public into the movie theatres. The cinematography was fairly good though, with some very impressive scenes.

Strange but unforgettable
This is one of those odd movies that have, quite nexpectedly, the quality of masterpieces. It was the best surprise I have ever had in a cinema. Full of images (the smashed lifeboats, the rats, the final storm) and a situation that lingers in the mind. It is a somehow "special" film and a perfect but unconventional sea adventure. Perhaps because of its unconventional plot and narrative it manages to be quite unforgettable. One of John Wayne's best. Some brilliant camera-work.

A surprising engaging movie
The only reason I gave this movie rating 4 stars is that it is impossible to listen to John Wayne's voice and accept the fact that he is cast as a German freighter captain. It fits that he is both patriotic and anti-Nazi in the movie, but he simply doesn't come across well as a German.

It's surprising therefore, that the rest of the movie works so well. Best friends and now political and romantic rivals chase each other across much of the south Pacific. There are spies, secret allegances, and other intruige galore. It's well worth a look, though I'd rate it in the category of B-movies (which I very much like). ... Read more

Amazon.com

Wake Island, a sandbar rising 21 feet out of the South Pacific, wasamong the first U.S. outposts to be hit by the Japanese, virtuallysimultaneously with Pearl Harbor. Wake Island the movie was amongHollywood's earliest responses to America's being attacked and drawn into WWII.The Marine Corps defenders of Wake became instant war heroes, akin to the martyrs of the Alamo. Nothing could be done to rescue or even to reinforce and resupply them, and they fought on through air attacks and naval bombardment for two weeks until, finally overrun, they were wiped out.

That searing historical context had a lot to do with the movie's impact in 1942, and the sight of the dark forms of enemy planes coming over the horizon for the first time still carries a shock. Wake Island's a decent film, and it doesn't dishonor its subject with sham heroics and grandstanding. But the New York Film Critics voted John Farrow best director of 1942, and that's a reach. The first half hour sets up the allegory of America as melting pot (there's even a corporal named Goebbels), establishes horseplay as the coin of democratic discourse (especially for gyrenes Robert Preston and the Oscar-nominated William Bendix), and fosters familiar friction between new commander Brian Donlevy and civilian construction supervisor Albert Dekker. Then shortly after a beaming Japanese peace envoy has stopped by for dinner, things get rough.The scenes of warfare are more than adequate, but they'd soon be outdone,sometimes in films much less worthy than Wake Island. --Richard T.Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The Team Behind "Wake Island"
Today, Wake Island remains a lonely outpost and weather station frequented by Japan's Maritime Self Defense Force units on ASW training, semi-annual MSC supply visits, and continued USAF flights from Hickam Field, Oahu. Located in the Oceanic region at Lat. 19.2833 North and Long. -166.6536 East, temperatures rarely rise above 80 degrees Fahrenheit during December. But almost 60 years ago, it was pretty hot for those Warfighters in Dec 1941. Wake Island, a piece of U.S. territory, was practically seen on every USMC Recruiting Station poster and playing at local hometown theaters. Wake Island- the movie- was released to the general public in late Aug 1942 to help boost morale back at home. This epic war film was made as a factual film chronicle, an authentic picturization of America at war- the first of its kind since a Japanese "stab in the back", on 7 Dec 1941, had changed the course of American history. Over 7,000 military personnel and their dependents first saw it when it was premiered all day long at Camp Elliott's base theater (near San Diego, CA), on 24 Aug 1942. In the making of this film, the United State Marine Corps provided Lieutenant Colonel Francis E. Pierce, USMC (later downed 6 confirmed Japanese aircraft, and C.O. of MCAD Miramar, 24 Oct 44-1 Apr 45) as technical advisor, and Lieutenant Colonel W. G. Farrell, USMC, as liaison officer. Never too far away was the supervising officer of the Marine technical staff- Brigadier General Ross Erastus Rowell, USMC (CG 2d MAW; 1884-1947). Additionally, a special weapons detail comprising 60 Marines from Camp Elliott, under the command of Captain Nicholas Pesecans, USMC, manned and received valued training with the various heavy automatic weapons (.30 and .50 caliber machine guns, and a 37-milimeter anti-tank gun), including one 5-inch naval gun. Also, a squadron of eight F4F-3 Grumman fighters (assigned to 2d MAW) from NAS San Diego airfield, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John N. Hart (an old Annapolis classmate of Brian Donlevy, and later C.O. of VMO-251 at Espirito Santo) planned the USMC aerial combat against a group of Ryan SC low-wing monoplanes painted to duplicate the Japanese Nakajima- 96 fighters. They were flown by picture and test flyers led by Herbert L. White, and by Frank Clark- chief pilot of the film unit. Not being outdone, one PBY-5A was shown flown by a naval crew stationed at NAS San Diego. Then, there was the giant Pan American Airways "China Clipper" flying boat (a Martin M-130 with top speed 150 mph and 3,200 mile range), whose pilot dutifully took orders from Brian Donlevy. The three location sites for filming were: the Salton Sea, the Great Salt Lake, and the coastal firing range on Coronado Island's "Strand Beach." With Brian Donlevy (1901 - 1972) depicting Major James Patrick Sinnott Devereux (commander of the Wake Marine Detachment from 15 Oct 1941 - 23 Dec 1941; 1903-1988), there was Walter Abel (1898-1987; depicting island C.O., Commander Winfield S. Cunningham, USN); the comedy team of two USMC privates- Robert Preston Meservey (1918-1987) and William Bendix (this was William's second assignment under the Paramount banner; 1906-1964); Albert Dekker who played the tough civilian construction contractor (familiar to fans in two horror films of 1940- Dr. Cyclops and Strange Cargo); and, young Edward MacDonald Carey (1913-1994) playing the heroic role as in real-life comparison to Major Paul A. Putnam (C.O. of VMF-221 fighter squadron consisting of twelve F4F-3 Grumman fighters). His serious respect for the USMC "Flying Leathernecks" would later get him an assignment with Colonel Walter L. J. Bayler, USMC (then Major Bayler, communications officer of MAG-21, better known to USMC as "the last man off Wake Island"). Thus, the audience of 1942 at all home theaters laughed, cried, and howled as the Marines goofed-off, fought one another, and hit hard the enemy landing force in the final scenes. There was the patriotic Chinese- American, Richard Loo (1916-1975), who portrayed the Japanese special envoy- Saburo Kurusu, on his way to Washington for "peace" negotiations. Who can forget that out of the tomato and carrot fields of Imperial Valley, CA, during the hot summer of 1942, some 150 loyal Filipino- Americans did their patriotic part, too, as they volunteered to portray the invading Japanese forces (now known as the 1,000- strong Maizuru 2nd Special Naval Landing Force). Director John Villiers Farrow (1904-1963) brought more than Hollywood skill to this film. He also brought an intimate knowledge of war. He was a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Canadian Navy until invalided out of service December 1941 after contracting typhus while on duty as executive officer of a Canadian ASW vessel operating in the South Atlantic. Wake Island was his first directing assignment in two years (in 1940 he directed A Bill of Divorcement). And, who would have known that from this film lovely Barbara Britton who played just a brief moment as the wife of the young Marine "Flying Leatherneck" pilot, played by Carey, would shortly after assist a Marine Recruiting Station in Los Angeles, CA. Finally, E. MacDonald Carey soon enlisted into the United States Marine Corps. He was sent to Parris Island, NC, on 7 Dec 1942, for recruit training. Then he was sent to OCS Quantico, VA, for officer training- graduating in April 1943. Would you know it... his first assignment was as a Marine aviation maintenance officer for the Marine Air Group under the command of Colonel W. L. J. Bayler ("the last man off Wake Island") at newly established MCAS Cherry Point, NC. "What a Team!"

In The Days Following Pearl Harbor
Wake Island details the battle for the island in the days immediately following Pearl Harbor. Wake Island was a small, flat piece of nothing in the middle of the Pacific that had strategic importance. When Japanese bombers began attacking, there wasn't much the American Marines stationed there could do, although the battle they put up in the face of hopeless odds was remarkable. Needless to say, the emphasis is on the action here, as it should be, and it is efficiently and effectively played out. There's a number of familiar character actors that give the movie a comfortable feel. The film is competently made, and history lovers and war buffs will no doubt find it entertaining enough.

where is closed captioned?
why not you put on closed captioned and i would buy some of them if that have all of them closed captioned. that would be nice.

Better than remembered
Saw this long ago on TV. We had no Saturday morning cartoons then, only seemingly endlessly repeated WWII movies. This DVD isn't bad at all. Yes, we have all the cliché military and civilian types we're supposed to have in movies of this sort. Yes, we have some VERY well done camera work also. William Bendix and Brian Donlevy great. Worth a look, not "Zulu" but worth a look.

Marines Stand Tall
When you consider the timing of this movie and its propaganda value, then weigh it with the reality of what the Marines did on Wake, this is one of the finest and timeliest movies to come out of WW II.

Good acting, good action, but a few technical details missed (such as calling someone "soldier" - doesn't happen in the Marine Corps; also belt buckles, etc. Minor stuff, given the time). Overall, a solid movie and a good cast.

Well worth Seeing by Marines and those who love 'em.

Semper Fi ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Mean and lean entry in the Tarzan series
The Tarzan movies in the Weismuller series are like the Burroughs novels upon which they are based--the early works are impressive ,and as the series developed an air of routine set in .This follows on from the second of the Weismuller movies Tarzan and His Mate ,and while still enjoyable and tautly directed it is a lesser work than its predecessor .In fairness it should be noted that the work as we have it is not the movie as originally shot-preview audiences were reputedly upset by the violence ,reportedly quite graphic for its day ,and the movie was extensively re-shot .
As with Tarzan and His Mate ,this features an expedition sent into the jungle to track Jane ;her sister and her sister's fiance are seeking Jane to advise her of a substantial bequest that needs her to return to London to attend to the formalities.
A white hunter takes charge of the expedition seeking to capture Tarzan.
The trek to Tarzan's lair is very similar to the one depicted in the earlier movie , even down to using some of the same footage in the native attack sequence .

Will Jane leave Tarzan for the bright lights ?Will the hunter's nefarious schemes work out or will right triumph ?

You will have a good time finding out in this tautly directed and actionful movie which is quite intense in atmosphere and moves at a brisk clip .
One interesting aspect is that ,with the Hays Code having come into being after the previous entry ,this is markedly less heavy on exposed flesh -Jane's sleeping attire is decorous and the swimming scenes is minus the tasteful nudity of the earlier movie.On a down side there is unfunny comic relief courtesy of the Cecil Kellaway character and Cheetah -always for me the greatest irritant in the series -has more screen time than I would have liked .

Good fun and a strong entry in the series .

Johnny Weissmuller is the preeminent Tarzan
This is a tough and mean Tarzan movie. Johnny Weissmuller was the best of the loincloth-clad heroes and he gets you cheering in this one. It's good vs. evil all the way. Code of the Jungle. A favorite of mine, this excellent film is a real testament to the notion of "kill or be killed." This is a good hard-hitting action and adventure tale. It contains discriminating effects and ravishing photography. Good supporting cast. Great score. The villains once again meet their match in this realistic drama. A good one.

Fastpaced and violent
Tarzan Escapes! is the most actiondriven of all the MGM productions consisting O'Sullivan and Weissmüller as the rulers of the jungle. It also has its moments of intelligence and ethical challenges, as when Tarzan escapes a trap and is led to believe by the slimy Captain Fry that Jane has decided to leave him in the hands of fateand bad will of his antagonist, incarnated in the body of a greedy safari. Then Tarzan, stricken with grieve over is beloved Jane's alleged betrayal, sadly enters the cage himself. Of course, everything turns out well, with the elephants (the cavalry!) coming to rescue, and the bad men being punished. A rare moment of Christian forgiveness, Tarzan pardons the black servant Bomba when he kneels before him in the climax of the end, when the bill has to be payed. But the stubborn and ill-hearted Captain Fry receives what is deserved upon the unrepentant, a gruesome death in the smoking swamps within the cave of death. Justice is being served, and once again, and thanks to it's monosyllabillic patriarc, the peace of the jungle is being restored.

It was good for a black 'n white
I saw this movie a couple thousand times, maybe more. It was good for a movie made in it's time. Of course I'm sort of a die hard Tarzan fan. If anyone feels the same way I encourage you to go see that new disney movie on June 18th.

Edge-of-your-seat-adventure
It all starts when Jane's cousins come to Africa to get her to go to London and sign a will leaving her a couple hundred grand. Jane must decide whether or not to go. When it was first released it included lizards and other scary stuff, it devastated audiences, it even scarred people for life. Then it was re-worked and re-released-a big hit. ... Read more

Description

The swashbuckling adventures of the 18th century American war hero. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

John Paul Jones
The only movie portrayal done to my knowledge of John Paul Jones. That alone makes it worth while for any American history fan. Robert Stack does a pretty good job as the man and soldier. The movie is fairly historically accurate with some "Hollywood artistic" liberty taken and a bit of swashbuckling too. An entertaining movie all in all.

Good
Robert Stack is good as John Paul Jones. It is a better movie than Maltin's review suggests ... Read more

Reviews (3)

5 Came Back: The Best of the B's
Hollywood occasionally tells the tale of a group of travellers stuck within an enclosed arena against which they must contend with opposition externally and internally. In 5 CAME BACK, director John Farrow places some surprisingly well-known actors (Lucille Ball, John Carradine, Chester Morris, and C. Aubrey Smith)in an airplane that is caught in a storm and crash lands in the head-hunter jungles of Brazil. What makes this film click is the unexpectedly successful melding of fine acting with a gloomy and dense jungle backdrop that serves to bring out the best and the worst of the passengers. Lucille Ball is a floozy that nevertheless can rise to the challenge of surviving in a forest and still look good enough to find romance with the co-pilot. John Carradine plays Crimp the bounty-hunter who determines to bring in his prisoner for the reward. But the one who steals the show is veteran character actor C. Aubrey Smith, who has made a career of playing the distinguished English upper crust gentleman who knows how to die with the same style as how to live. This is no film of special effects; in fact one can even see the blatant rubber undersides of the planted "trees" against which the head-hunters appear from the ankles down. 5 CAME BACK is however the ancestor of such future films as STAGECOACH and THE BREAKFAST CLUB. What makes movies like this resonate even with the cheesiness of the production values is the odd way that locked in strangers must confront their inner demons even as they must face their outer ones. 5 CAME BACK is a fine example of this genre.

Great classic film find!
I'll admit I started watching this film because I'm a big Lucy fan, but before long I found myself engrossed. I couldn't wait to see who came back.

The film is not as predictable as you might think. Spoilers follow...

What a powerful ending!

Who could have seen the twist coming when Vasquez alone picks those who live and those who die. I watched the film assuming it would turn out to be a "lifeboat" situation, full of justifications and categorizations. Instead, Vasquez chooses based on logic and morality. This would be a wonderful conversation starter!

And the surprises just kept coming -- I audibly gasped when we see only two bullets in the gun. I suppose there is a concept, then, that justice is finally served as Vasquez alone is left to the hands of the natives.

Frankly I didn't think Peggy (Lucy) had a chance of surviving as the woman with a questionable reputation, and yet she redeems herself when she becomes Tommy's mother.

My only gripe with the film is that it ends prematurely, literally with their fate up in the air. We have to assume they all make it back safely, but even a quick sequence of the plane landing or even seeing safety ahead would have sufficed. Perhaps the director and writers were telling us that the real drama was not on the plane at the end but on the ground. Is Vasquez the central character then? I'll have to watch it again and think about it some more.

Full of complex characters and wonderful performances, "Five Came Back" is a classic worth watching again!

LUCY FANS WILL APPRECIATE IT.
First of all, this minor cult classic was made in 1939: if it was made in any other year, it would have garnered more attention rather than to have gotten lost in obscurity. In LA, nine passengers board the SILVER QUEEN, a plane piloted by Bill Brooks bound for Panama City. On board, passengers include Peggy Nolan (Lucyball) a lady of the pavements (!), Crimp (John Carradine) a ruthless detective determined to bring back his prisoner, the anarchist Vasquez (Joseph Calleia) for a $5,OOO reward - among other assorted colourful characters. The plane is force landed during a nasty storm in a dense jungle - and there are native drums threatening attack....when the plane is fixed - at long last - it can only take back 5 passengers. Directed by John Farrow, father of Mia and husband to Maureen O'Sullivan, this taut little "B" thriller from RKO is still quite enjoyable. Dated, to be sure, it nevertheless entertains with its GRAND HOTEL - like storyline both on a plane & in the jungle. The supporting cast is excellent: Wendy Barrie, C. Aubrey Smith, Patric Knowles & Alan Jenkins. Lucy's leading man is Chester Morris - as Bill. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Copper Canyon is a quirky little Western with nothing distinctive to accomplish and more stylish talent on hand than it needs to get the job done. Director John Farrow, writer Jonathan Latimer, and star Ray Milland had recently collaborated on a pair of suave Paramount thrillers (The Big Clock and Alias Nick Beal). Here Milland plays a trick-shooting frontier vaudevillian who, under another name, may have been a Confederate war hero--and a bit of a rascal. He isn't admitting anything. But he does pitch in to help some ex-Rebels, now copper miners, who are getting shafted by a sanctimonious Yankee smelter operator, a lady gambler (Hedy Lamarr in her next-to-last Hollywood film), and a murderous deputy sheriff (Macdonald Carey). The action comes in fits and starts, but Milland's out-of-place urbanity, Charles Lang's Technicolor camerawork, and those great red-rock formations around Sedona, Arizona, make 84 minutes pass agreeably. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Likeable western.
I like Copper Canyon, it's one of my favorite westerns. Admittedly the plot is somewhat convoluted and the acting is merely adequate. I think I mainly like the cast. Hedy Lamarr is gorgeous -- as always, Mona Freeman was one of Hollywood's prettiest blondes, and Ray Milland is the suave, dashing hero. Copper Canyon was just another western ground out during Hollywood's Golden Age. But at least it was fun to watch, which I can't say about most movies made these days. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Epic WWII Action/Drama in the Far East
Ah yes, this is what your looking for; Action, adventure, personal drama, great story with some early WWII era homefront morale boost without being boring. It has all the elements.
Alan Ladd, Loretta Young, Wm Bendix (who's great) and best of all, a great supporting cast including the best of the war pictures type, the great's; Philip Ahn & Richard Loo.
Fine action and touching drama; Loretta Young is as always excellent. Alan Ladd in his second lead picture ever the fine athelete you'll like a lot. A good story for the times and usually overdone patriotism prone pictures. Well done; I really like it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Two Years Before the Mast
This is a great old movie that is never shown on television any more. I wish they would release it on DVD.

SHIPS & WHIPS
This movie is based only loosely on the Richard Henry Dana book. It basically uses that book's 19th-century-sailing-ship setting for a traditional story about the rich boy who "grows up" when thrown into the rough-and-tumble reality of life.

Alan Ladd plays the "rich boy" who finds himself forced to assume sailor duties on a ship bound from New England around the tip of Cape Horn. At one point he's stripped to the waist, tied to ropes, and given a flogging in a sequence which everyone who's watched the movie seems to remember. It seemed to embody the slightly-masochistic tone which runs through many of Ladd's roles and it's far superior to the flogging scene in his later "Botany Bay."

Black-and-white photography limits the movie's visual appeal and makes it play like an "oldie" to modern audiences.

Weak Story Line -- Hollywood Fluff
Alan Ladd plays the shipowner's son who learns about the brutality of the 19th century merchant marine -- the floggings, the poor food, and the general bad conditions for the sailors. The story line is weak, however, and the "Hollywood" character of the movie is evident. For example, Ladd's character receives a lashing with the cat-o-nine tails without making a sound, but cannot stand to have his wounds tended afterward. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A boring sea adventure.
Based on a novel by the team of Nordhoff and Hall, this dreary film was an obvious attempt to duplicate the success of MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY, also based on a novel by the same duo. Since, like its predecessor, it involves a long sea voyage with a sadistic captain, it can't miss, right? Unfortunately, the resulting film is very dull and is only partly redeemed by good performances, but even James Mason cannot quite save it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

this movie was made in 1942 off Vancouver Island
This movie was made in 1942, and made use of the HMCS Prince David which was on leave from thrashing around in the Aleutians looking for the Japanese. My father was an officer on that ship at the time, and thoroughly enjoyed the cast, especially Sir Cecil Hardwicke. I've watched the movie, and of course it is propaganda, it was made in 1942. That is part of its charm. Remember that at the time, no one knew who would win the war. Vancouver Island makes a good stand in for Norway, and Paul Muni is some brave! It is superior propaganda and a fun experience.

Muni, WWII & Tommy-Guns; what more could you want!
This WWII film does have a certain aspect of propaganda to it, but the tense storyline is riveting and will keep you glued to your chair until the last scene (which isn't exactly what you'll be expecting). Muni puts in a fine performance, as always. Overall, an enjoyable war drama.

limp war drama
Poorly, poorly directed WWII drama involving the invasion of Norway by Germans and how it affected a small Norwegian town whose sort-of burgermeister is played sympathetically enough by Paul Muni. He escapes to England by boat to marshall commando forces to liberate his town and destroy a planned airfield. A Hollywood Norwegian is something to hear and see, women in embroidered bonnets and shawls and men with bleach blonde hair talking about the miracle of spawning salmon. The action scene, the destruction of the airfield, had enough pyrotechnics to be exciting, but the director chose to sit way back and watch it, making the whole enterprise impossibly dull. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The Team Behind "Wake Island"
Today, Wake Island remains a lonely outpost and weather station frequented by Japan's Maritime Self Defense Force units on ASW training, semi-annual MSC supply visits, and continued USAF flights from Hickam Field, Oahu. Located in the Oceanic region at Lat. 19.2833 North and Long. -166.6536 East, temperatures rarely rise above 80 degrees Fahrenheit during December. But almost 60 years ago, it was pretty hot for those Warfighters in Dec 1941. Wake Island, a piece of U.S. territory, was practically seen on every USMC Recruiting Station poster and playing at local hometown theaters. Wake Island- the movie- was released to the general public in late Aug 1942 to help boost morale back at home. This epic war film was made as a factual film chronicle, an authentic picturization of America at war- the first of its kind since a Japanese "stab in the back", on 7 Dec 1941, had changed the course of American history. Over 7,000 military personnel and their dependents first saw it when it was premiered all day long at Camp Elliott's base theater (near San Diego, CA), on 24 Aug 1942. In the making of this film, the United State Marine Corps provided Lieutenant Colonel Francis E. Pierce, USMC (later downed 6 confirmed Japanese aircraft, and C.O. of MCAD Miramar, 24 Oct 44-1 Apr 45) as technical advisor, and Lieutenant Colonel W. G. Farrell, USMC, as liaison officer. Never too far away was the supervising officer of the Marine technical staff- Brigadier General Ross Erastus Rowell, USMC (CG 2d MAW; 1884-1947). Additionally, a special weapons detail comprising 60 Marines from Camp Elliott, under the command of Captain Nicholas Pesecans, USMC, manned and received valued training with the various heavy automatic weapons (.30 and .50 caliber machine guns, and a 37-milimeter anti-tank gun), including one 5-inch naval gun. Also, a squadron of eight F4F-3 Grumman fighters (assigned to 2d MAW) from NAS San Diego airfield, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John N. Hart (an old Annapolis classmate of Brian Donlevy, and later C.O. of VMO-251 at Espirito Santo) planned the USMC aerial combat against a group of Ryan SC low-wing monoplanes painted to duplicate the Japanese Nakajima- 96 fighters. They were flown by picture and test flyers led by Herbert L. White, and by Frank Clark- chief pilot of the film unit. Not being outdone, one PBY-5A was shown flown by a naval crew stationed at NAS San Diego. Then, there was the giant Pan American Airways "China Clipper" flying boat (a Martin M-130 with top speed 150 mph and 3,200 mile range), whose pilot dutifully took orders from Brian Donlevy. The three location sites for filming were: the Salton Sea, the Great Salt Lake, and the coastal firing range on Coronado Island's "Strand Beach." With Brian Donlevy (1901 - 1972) depicting Major James Patrick Sinnott Devereux (commander of the Wake Marine Detachment from 15 Oct 1941 - 23 Dec 1941; 1903-1988), there was Walter Abel (1898-1987; depicting island C.O., Commander Winfield S. Cunningham, USN); the comedy team of two USMC privates- Robert Preston Meservey (1918-1987) and William Bendix (this was William's second assignment under the Paramount banner; 1906-1964); Albert Dekker who played the tough civilian construction contractor (familiar to fans in two horror films of 1940- Dr. Cyclops and Strange Cargo); and, young Edward MacDonald Carey (1913-1994) playing the heroic role as in real-life comparison to Major Paul A. Putnam (C.O. of VMF-221 fighter squadron consisting of twelve F4F-3 Grumman fighters). His serious respect for the USMC "Flying Leathernecks" would later get him an assignment with Colonel Walter L. J. Bayler, USMC (then Major Bayler, communications officer of MAG-21, better known to USMC as "the last man off Wake Island"). Thus, the audience of 1942 at all home theaters laughed, cried, and howled as the Marines goofed-off, fought one another, and hit hard the enemy landing force in the final scenes. There was the patriotic Chinese- American, Richard Loo (1916-1975), who portrayed the Japanese special envoy- Saburo Kurusu, on his way to Washington for "peace" negotiations. Who can forget that out of the tomato and carrot fields of Imperial Valley, CA, during the hot summer of 1942, some 150 loyal Filipino- Americans did their patriotic part, too, as they volunteered to portray the invading Japanese forces (now known as the 1,000- strong Maizuru 2nd Special Naval Landing Force). Director John Villiers Farrow (1904-1963) brought more than Hollywood skill to this film. He also brought an intimate knowledge of war. He was a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Canadian Navy until invalided out of service December 1941 after contracting typhus while on duty as executive officer of a Canadian ASW vessel operating in the South Atlantic. Wake Island was his first directing assignment in two years (in 1940 he directed A Bill of Divorcement). And, who would have known that from this film lovely Barbara Britton who played just a brief moment as the wife of the young Marine "Flying Leatherneck" pilot, played by Carey, would shortly after assist a Marine Recruiting Station in Los Angeles, CA. Finally, E. MacDonald Carey soon enlisted into the United States Marine Corps. He was sent to Parris Island, NC, on 7 Dec 1942, for recruit training. Then he was sent to OCS Quantico, VA, for officer training- graduating in April 1943. Would you know it... his first assignment was as a Marine aviation maintenance officer for the Marine Air Group under the command of Colonel W. L. J. Bayler ("the last man off Wake Island") at newly established MCAS Cherry Point, NC. "What a Team!"

In The Days Following Pearl Harbor
Wake Island details the battle for the island in the days immediately following Pearl Harbor. Wake Island was a small, flat piece of nothing in the middle of the Pacific that had strategic importance. When Japanese bombers began attacking, there wasn't much the American Marines stationed there could do, although the battle they put up in the face of hopeless odds was remarkable. Needless to say, the emphasis is on the action here, as it should be, and it is efficiently and effectively played out. There's a number of familiar character actors that give the movie a comfortable feel. The film is competently made, and history lovers and war buffs will no doubt find it entertaining enough.

where is closed captioned?
why not you put on closed captioned and i would buy some of them if that have all of them closed captioned. that would be nice.

Better than remembered
Saw this long ago on TV. We had no Saturday morning cartoons then, only seemingly endlessly repeated WWII movies. This DVD isn't bad at all. Yes, we have all the cliché military and civilian types we're supposed to have in movies of this sort. Yes, we have some VERY well done camera work also. William Bendix and Brian Donlevy great. Worth a look, not "Zulu" but worth a look.

Marines Stand Tall
When you consider the timing of this movie and its propaganda value, then weigh it with the reality of what the Marines did on Wake, this is one of the finest and timeliest movies to come out of WW II.

Good acting, good action, but a few technical details missed (such as calling someone "soldier" - doesn't happen in the Marine Corps; also belt buckles, etc. Minor stuff, given the time). Overall, a solid movie and a good cast.

Well worth Seeing by Marines and those who love 'em.

Semper Fi ... Read more

Reviews (2)

John Paul Jones
The only movie portrayal done to my knowledge of John Paul Jones. That alone makes it worth while for any American history fan. Robert Stack does a pretty good job as the man and soldier. The movie is fairly historically accurate with some "Hollywood artistic" liberty taken and a bit of swashbuckling too. An entertaining movie all in all.

Good
Robert Stack is good as John Paul Jones. It is a better movie than Maltin's review suggests ... Read more