Amazon.com

You've probably seen comedies that won't make you laugh as hard as this deadly serious soap opera, drawn from the overheated oeuvre of literary shlockmeister Sidney Sheldon. Marie-France Pisier plays a poor little French girl who is seduced and abandoned and seduced and abandoned during World War II--until she finally figures out that she can profit from her body. She sleeps her way to stardom on the silver screen, then reinvolves herself with an American cad (John Beck) and gets him to kill his lovably obtuse rich wife (Susan Sarandon). You'll be howling. The Other Side of Midnight is a movie that defines the term"unintentionally funny." --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A moving story filled with drama and intrigue
I saw this movie over 20 years ago when it was first released and I've read the book twice. I don't care what the critics say, "The Other Side of Midnight" continues to be one of the best movies I've ever seen. A person could easily identify with each one of the characters, especially Kathy and Noelle. Kathy, played by the superb actress, Susan Sarandon, obtains a prestigious job in Washington and somehow falls in love with a man who can only love himself. Noelle is a poor French girl whose father basically "sells" her to assure his survival during World WarII France. How Kathy and Noelle become aware of each other is a dramatic and entwined story. Trust me, this movie is a must see for lovers of the trusting innocent who become involved with powerful people.

Oh....the revenge of a woman scorned
The Other Side Of Midnight.......oh, the great tale of Noelle, a little girl from a small french town that screwed her way to the top to become a famous actress, and torments her first love that was a serviceman (a pilot of all things) that got her pregnant and left her. This film is utter camp -- the scene where Noelle gives herself an abortion with a coat hanger she is straightening out the coat hanger caressing it like it was a substitute vibrator, and the very end, when Noelle goes before the firing squad, the guns blow, and she dies like a graceful forrest gump. the acting was so bad that it was excellent! I was fortunate to see this movie when it first came out at the Pagoda Palace theatre in San Francisco. The Drag queens in the balcony were throwing down hankies when Noelle got executed! I was fortunate to tape this film off of HBO, when HBO gave you a 3 minute intermission because the film was so long. The plot twists and turns throughout, and is great for its excellence and also for such poorness. I would equate this film to Mommy Dearest for its campiness, seriousness content, great and bad acting. A Must have!!!

Noelle is a true heroine
I'm not interested in what the critics say. This is in my top 3 favorite films of all time. For any girl who's ever had a broken heart this is the get even, get the man, wreck his life drama that will leave you proud to be a woman. Set in pre WW11 France, Noelle's father "sells" her to (BOSS HOGG of all people)as a means of ensuring her survival. She is devistated, but discovers her feminine power in the process. She runs and meets Larry and falls madly in love with him. He's a pilot and only there temporarily and has to leave, and promises to return in 3 weeks and tells her to buy a wedding dress. Of course, he never returns. Noelle finds work as a beautiful fashion model, discovers she is pregnant with Larry's child and in an unforgettable bathtub scene terminates the preganacy. I must have been 5 the first time I saw this movie back when my mom would cover my eyes in the bad parts, and I never forgot the drama of that coathanger scene. Awful! She hires private eyes to follow Larry's every move, her modeling leads to acting career and she sleeps her way to the very top all in a measure to control Larry's fate. As the mistress of a Greek Tycoon ( I can't help but see the correlation between this and Jackie O- perfect timing) Noelle has the resources to destroy Larry's flying career. In desperation, he accepts a job piloting Noelle's private plane. If any woman ever had "The Rules" down, it is Noelle. She is horrible, hateful, just awful to Larry and suddenly he realizes that he knows who she is and why. Larry is the classic love em and leave em, and he gets his! Handsome John Beck plays the part, you will see many sights of Paris, beautiful scenery in Greece, and the marble palace that Demeris, Noelle's lover lives in will take your breath away. Susan Sarandon plays Kathy the woeful wife of Larry, ever dutiful and naive. They plot to kill her off, Larry backs out despite Noelle's threats to tell her Greek Eye for and Eye Tycoon. Fate takes over and Kathy is swept out to sea. In the end they both "Live in the name of love, and die in the name of love." I adore this movie and have watched it probably 100+ times.

Trash at it's best!
...The film is 50 minutes too long and it's overproduced and overacted. It's too bad! With a better producer and director, Sidney Sheldon's book could have been great. I've never read the book so I can only imagine that it's better than the movie.

What Love Has Wrought!
The get-even plot of the love-lost heroine is by far UNIQUE. I am captivated by the story line today as I was 20 years ago! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This lush, perfectly cast 1969 drama concerns both a doomed, royal loveaffair and a pivotal moment in British history. Based on Maxwell Anderson's 1948 play, Anne of the Thousand Days concerns the mess that surroundedKing Henry VIII's decision to rid himself of his first wife, Catherine ofAragon (Irene Papas), and marry the young Anne Boleyn (Geneviève Bujold).Anglophiles know what happened next: Henry (Richard Burton) solved hisproblems with the Vatican's condemnation of divorce by having himself named head of the Church of England (see also A Man for All Seasons), whileAnne's perceived problem conceiving a male heir made her vulnerable to plotsby the nefarious likes of Oliver Cromwell (John Colicos). Director CharlesJarrott does a splendid job bringing all of these intrigues to life, though the storyis ultimately about Anne, a naive young woman who prepares herself tonavigate some of the dangers of Henry's court. Bujold and Burton never gave better performances, and this strange, tragic chapter in the history of the kings of England has never been more compellingly told on film. --TomKeogh ... Read more

Reviews (43)

....And My Blood Will Have Been Well Spent
This movie, based on the 1948 play by Maxwell Anderson, owes much of its success to the popularity of the Tudor England film genre of the mid-to late 1960s, of which it is a part.
It is a fine, gracefully portrayed, albeit sometimes inaccurate account of the life of the mother of Queen Elizabeth I. In the title role, Quebequoise Genevive Bujold is the quintessential Anne Boleyn, whose slight French accent comes nicely into play, as Anne had just returned from the French Court when she first appears onscreen. Bujold gives a lot of strenghth and dignity to the role, happily without the neck tumour and extra digit on her right hand like the real Anne. One major accuracy portrayed in the film is that Anne originally wanted nothing to do with Henry.
Richard Burton is a beefy-looking Henry VIII, a bit slimmer than most actors I've seen in the role. With his lovely, lyrical Welsh accent, he captures much of Henry's nuances and temperment, and the scene of him dancing the galliard with Anne is particularly seductive.
Valerie Gearon captures the sense of betrayal and frustration that must have been experienced by the real Mary Boleyn when the King casts her aside, and her story is an interesting footnote in this drama. Sir Michael Hordern, as Thomas Boleyn comes across as both an amoral man willing to sell his wife and daughters into the King's concubinage to advance his position, and also as someone who is a bit intimidated by Henry.
Anthony Quayle's Cardinal Wolsey is a cold, impersonal schemer, and immoral churchman who acts as the King's procurer. Terence Wilton's spurned Harry Percy looks to have been a more suitable match for Anne, but unfortunately, the King thwarted their plans for marriage.
John Colicos'Cromwell is the ultimate snake-in-the-grass lawyer, who succeeds in making the King's power absolute, which would ultimately be to his own detriment.
Solemn Irene Papas bears little resemblance to the real Catherine of Aragon, but emphasizes the spurned Queen's piety and firmness in the face of her ordeal. Nicola Paget as her daughter, Mary has a brief scene at her deathbed. But in reality, when Anne became Queen, the only condition under which Catherine could see her daughter was if she admitted that her marriage to the King was invalid. So mother and daughter never saw each other again.
Another point of interest in the movie was when Anne asked that the lives of Henry's adversaries be spared, she gives birth to a living child; later, when she does the opposite, she gives birth to a still born son.
Things soon come to a head for this noblewoman who became ensnared in the King's lair originally through no will of her own, but who suffered greatly when she finally accepted Henry when the King becomes enamored of Jane Seymour, and Anne becomes a political liabity. The reenactment of Anne's arrest on trumped-up charges of treason is not accurate. But the scene of Anne's final moments with Elizabeth is very poignant.
Gary Bond's Mark Smeaton is a pityable charcter as the court musician tortured into a confession of adultery with Anne. Michael Johnson's George Boleyn, Anne's wrongfully convicted brother, displays a certain gutsiness when he tells off Cromwell during the trial for his life. As was the case with his impregnated daughter, Mary, we see Thomas Boleyn once more turn his back on a teary-eyed daughter in order to keep the King's favor during the trial.
The final confrontation scene between Anne and Henry is fictitious, but it provides a great piece of acting. The speech Anne made before her execution is mercifully deleted; there is no place for her to praise the King who was having her executed in this production.
One wonders about the significance of the theme of Anne's Thousand Days in the years just after the 1,000-day Kennedy Administration ended tragically.
Placed in historically accurate settings, filled with regal pomp and splendor, and costumes in colors that were fashionable at the time of its release, "Anne of the Thousand Days" enthralls a viewer with its story, and Anne's prediction of her daughter's glorious future in her abscence reminds us that destiny, even in the face of the scheming brutality of a powerful King, can be greater than any of us know.

Wonderful Performances! Warning: Spoilers
Now, if Henry VIII had looked like Richard Burton, it might have been a little more tempting to be his queen. Both Bujold and Burton are lovely onscreen whereas, their real life counterparts were not. But we can't very well have a Hollywood movie with plain looking leads can we? This a beautiful movie to watch, and both of the leads play their roles very well. The chemistry between them is electrifying and the roller coaster ride that was Henry and Anne's tempestuous relationship is well portrayed here. Yes, there are inaccuracies, but who cares? Once you get engrossed in this film, it won't matter. Bujold brings the fiery and cunning Anne Boleyn to life in a believable and honest way. She is not shy about exposing Anne's faults. Her jealousy, nagging, teasing, and enormous ambition are all laid bare here. And this just makes her human, a real person rather than a footnote in a history text. That is why it is all the more heartbreaking when the film reaches it's tragic end. The last scene shows a small Elizabeth, later to become Queen Elizabeth I, with a voice over by Bujold proclaiming that one day her daughter would be queen, and her blood "will have been well spent." It is a very touching end to a pleasing film.

Applause, applause - now please get this on DVD
A nicely done docudrama regarding the relationship between King Henry VIII of England and Anne Boleyn. Much of the filming was done on location, which adds to the " atmosphere. " Mr Burton played Henry as a strong, but majorly flawed person, as he should have. Ms Bujold was lovely, more than competent and held her own against some of the finest actors of that time. The story is as old as air, but with a twist - it really happened and it changed the course of England. How far would a man go to secure a son ? An heir ? This film lays it out beautifully and it is a eye feast and makes one want to learn more about the woman who helped bring about great social and religious change and also gave birth to one of Englands' most dynamic rulers, Queen Elizabeth I. It holds up very well.

A Wonderful Film
Just thought I would add my comments to those already here. As a small child before Hever Castle was open to the public I spent many happy holidays with friends who were in service to Lord and Lady Astor, and who lived in the Staff Quarters in the Tudor Village adjoining the Castle.

In the absence of Lord and Lady Astor the Castle and the Gardens were my playground - I had complete freedom to roam all over the Castle, and used to enjoy walkng His Lordship's dogs in the grounds.

When the film was released I was delighted to see the places I remembered so well. It's a fine film and I would recommend it to everyone

Movie Freak
A Sensible statement is worth repeating:

Another viewer stated:

PLEASE, September 2, 2003
Reviewer: A viewer from Dayton, Ohio United States
This is gonna be short and sweet. Loved the movie, it is one of my all time favorites. But would one of the studios please, please put THIS MOVIE ON DVD! I think it is about time. My tape is deteriorating fast and I won't buy it again unless it comes out on DVD. Thank you.

--------------

It's now, May 8, 2004, and I still look for this movie on DVD.

Now, I will add my two cents, and say; please, please, please! Put this movie on DVD! Genevieve Bujold was absolutely robbed of an Oscar for Best Actress in this film. When Ms. Bujold is delivering that final speech, you want to stand up and cheer for her as an outstanding actress. Those of us who love period epics have this one in our library, now we want it the way it ought to be seen, i.e., in widescreen, in all it's spectacular glory with all those wonderful words, costumes, lush settings, and incredible acting by an incredible cast. So what do you say? GIVE IT TO US ON DVD ALREADY! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE. There, now I've begged enough. I feel much better now that I got that off my chest. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A pre-Phantom Michael Crawford plays Woody, a goofycartoonist-accidentally-turned-spy in this Cold War-era lark. In Parisvisiting his friend, a CIA "file clerk," Woody is sent on a cloak-and-daggererrand and is mistaken for an operative by his beautiful Russian counterpart.She then contacts the agency with the demand that he, and only he, help her defect. Writer adopts comic book persona and voilà: Condorman! Thiswide-winged hero thwarts the pesky Soviets at every turn. From the oldrun-down farmer's truck he's driving emerges a flashy race car that outruns afleet of Russian vehicles. Later, in a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang moment, thecar sprouts floaters, allowing the pair to escape their pursuers by sea.Barbara Carrera's Natalia--the true spy of the two--is really just alongfor the ride. It's Condorman's show, as confirmed by the ending: ashot-filled showdown off the shores of Monte Carlo.--Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Condorman is a great movie for everyone.
I first saw this movie when I was very young and loved it ever since. Every time I see it on the Disney Channel, I tell myself that if I ever found this movie I'd buy it. All of my friends have to put up with it at least once a year. It's always been my favorite. I think that Michael Crawford is a wonderful actor.

Fun but not very good
I first saw this movie five years ago, as a preteen, with my father. We made jokes about what low-quality it was until I read a year ago that it stars Michael Crawford(Phantom of the Opera). It was still low quality (except the special effects, which are pretty good), but it is definitely worth it for Crawford fans. Crawford plays a cartoonist who, with an amazingly coincidental association with the CIA, acts out the exploits of his hero, Condorman. Not especially funny or thrilling, Condorman is a uniform mock-spy-thriller, with a good supporting cast but bad writing. Would probably be good for younger children (note the PG rating, though), and has gorgeous scenes in the Alps.

This movie changed my life!
It was 1981... I was a poor, young man lost in a cloud of bong smoke, living in some cardboard box on the corner of 1st and Main. I was living a lie. A horrible lie, like that time I told mom that binky the bunny ran away... and then served the family "lamb". Anyway, all I had were comics, graphic novels, if you know what I mean... and my favorite character? The Thing from the fantastic four. Why? He was encased in a shell of stone... just like me. So there I am in my box... and I happen to find $3.25 in canadian pennies one day. Instead of buying a premium bottle of the happy juice, I saw the marquee and it sang CONDORMAN. I was on the edge of my seat with the opening credits. This man... was me. A dreamer who had shed the skin of ambiguity and embraced the true nature of the... ummm... dream. I had no wings. Condorman gave me wings. I love you, Condorman. Whenever you're in my part of town, be sure to stop by... mine's the box where the rabid coyote prince sings his tortured songs of yesteryear. Bring that lady, too... man... I mean... umm... man. And eat meat.

Movie is 5 stars, but dvd is 1 star
I love this movie, and have been waiting for it to be released on dvd. Unfortunately, the dvd was not worth the wait. The dvd has no features whatsoever, not even subtitles. The main menu has two options, play movie and chapter selections. The sound and picture are no better than the video; the only benefits the dvd has over the video are that you can fast forward directly to a specific scene, and you have your choice of full screen and wide screen (double sided dvd). What's the point of making a dvd if it is as bad as this one? Very disappointing....
P.S. This is for the 1999 dvd version. I noticed that a new version was released in 2003. Hopefully that version is better.

Up In The Sky...It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's...Condorman?
Yes, it's Condorman, vulture of the western world and superhero/spy extraordinare! Disguised as mild-mannered comic book writer/illustrator Woody Wilkins (Michael Crawford) by day, Condorman must fight a never ending battle to save the world from the ever growing forces of evil that threaten to engulf it, while at the same time trying desperately to protect his beautiful Russian spy girlfriend Natalia (Barbara Carrera) from the clutches of the villainous Krokov (Oliver Reed)!

Highlighted by a well above average cast and an exciting musical score composed by the one-and-only Henry Mancini, and loaded with tons of adventure, action and excitement..."Condorman" is certainly a very fun movie to watch and is one that can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter how young or old they may be! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

I Would Really Like to see it on DVD!!
I didn't read the Danielle Steele Book Changes but I saw this movie that is based on the book and liked it and I'm hoping that it will be transferred to DVD. Cheryl Ladd who I have liked ever since seeing on Charlie's Angels when I was a kid was very good in this movie and so was handsome Michael Nouri and I recommend this movie but think it should be on DVD! I'm also thinking of going to a used book store to look for the book so I can finally read it.

A Mother From NJ
This movie had everything in it. Cheryl Ladd made me laugh and cry as a mother of 2 twin girls who meet and falls in love with gorgeous Michael Nouri who is a widower with 3 children. The doctor played by Nouri and the newscaster played by Ladd were the typical couple in the end who had a hard time bringing to families together and then adding in two more.(They had twins in the end)

great movie
changes was a great movie.i watched it sevral times and i couldnt get enough of it.

Awesome book, awesome movie!!!
Very heartwarming movie, just like the book, no disappointments what so ever!!! Although the descriptions of the characters differ somewhat in the movie, the movie does not miss a beat and does not take away from the original story. A good movie to curl up on the couch to.

PAM DOES NOT LIKE MEL THAT MUCH
PAM DOES NOT LIKE MEL THAT MUCH/VAL GETS PREGNANT BY MARK AND MADDIE IS 8 HE IS THE YOUNGEST/MEL HAS 2 GIRL TWINS JESS AND VAL AND AT THE END SHE HAS A GIRL AND BOY TWIN BY PETER/PAM TOOK IT THE WORST WHEN THERE MOM DIED. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Just like "Lucky Chances", the book "Lady Boss" is so much
better than the mini-series. I do like the casting of Kim Delaney as Lucky instead of Nicolette Sheridan. The role just suits Kim better. The mini-series is is entertaining but in my opinion not worth purchasing. Get the book or wait till it comes on cable again!

Was this suppose to be based on the book?
A good movie wriitten by Jackkie Collins, but HEY COME ON! This followed the book hardly at all. I must admit, Kim Delaney is much more likable than Nicolette Sheridan as Lucky. Bridgette wasn't in this one just like she wasn't in the first movie (Lucky/Chances). next time Jackie write a mini-series not based on your books..... ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Condorman is a great movie for everyone.
I first saw this movie when I was very young and loved it ever since. Every time I see it on the Disney Channel, I tell myself that if I ever found this movie I'd buy it. All of my friends have to put up with it at least once a year. It's always been my favorite. I think that Michael Crawford is a wonderful actor.

Fun but not very good
I first saw this movie five years ago, as a preteen, with my father. We made jokes about what low-quality it was until I read a year ago that it stars Michael Crawford(Phantom of the Opera). It was still low quality (except the special effects, which are pretty good), but it is definitely worth it for Crawford fans. Crawford plays a cartoonist who, with an amazingly coincidental association with the CIA, acts out the exploits of his hero, Condorman. Not especially funny or thrilling, Condorman is a uniform mock-spy-thriller, with a good supporting cast but bad writing. Would probably be good for younger children (note the PG rating, though), and has gorgeous scenes in the Alps.

This movie changed my life!
It was 1981... I was a poor, young man lost in a cloud of bong smoke, living in some cardboard box on the corner of 1st and Main. I was living a lie. A horrible lie, like that time I told mom that binky the bunny ran away... and then served the family "lamb". Anyway, all I had were comics, graphic novels, if you know what I mean... and my favorite character? The Thing from the fantastic four. Why? He was encased in a shell of stone... just like me. So there I am in my box... and I happen to find $3.25 in canadian pennies one day. Instead of buying a premium bottle of the happy juice, I saw the marquee and it sang CONDORMAN. I was on the edge of my seat with the opening credits. This man... was me. A dreamer who had shed the skin of ambiguity and embraced the true nature of the... ummm... dream. I had no wings. Condorman gave me wings. I love you, Condorman. Whenever you're in my part of town, be sure to stop by... mine's the box where the rabid coyote prince sings his tortured songs of yesteryear. Bring that lady, too... man... I mean... umm... man. And eat meat.

Movie is 5 stars, but dvd is 1 star
I love this movie, and have been waiting for it to be released on dvd. Unfortunately, the dvd was not worth the wait. The dvd has no features whatsoever, not even subtitles. The main menu has two options, play movie and chapter selections. The sound and picture are no better than the video; the only benefits the dvd has over the video are that you can fast forward directly to a specific scene, and you have your choice of full screen and wide screen (double sided dvd). What's the point of making a dvd if it is as bad as this one? Very disappointing....
P.S. This is for the 1999 dvd version. I noticed that a new version was released in 2003. Hopefully that version is better.

Up In The Sky...It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's...Condorman?
Yes, it's Condorman, vulture of the western world and superhero/spy extraordinare! Disguised as mild-mannered comic book writer/illustrator Woody Wilkins (Michael Crawford) by day, Condorman must fight a never ending battle to save the world from the ever growing forces of evil that threaten to engulf it, while at the same time trying desperately to protect his beautiful Russian spy girlfriend Natalia (Barbara Carrera) from the clutches of the villainous Krokov (Oliver Reed)!

Highlighted by a well above average cast and an exciting musical score composed by the one-and-only Henry Mancini, and loaded with tons of adventure, action and excitement..."Condorman" is certainly a very fun movie to watch and is one that can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter how young or old they may be! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

ENTERTAINING BIOPIC...
This 1986 film features a very young, buff and brawny, athletic Nicholas Cage in the role of crude Canadian backwoods bootlegger, Ned Hanlan, who turned into a legendary world class rower. Discovered by an amateur oarsman and self styled entrepreneur named Bill (David Naughton), Ned, using a new style of boat with a sliding seat, is propelled to fame when he wins a race in Philadelphia against a heavily favored contender. His win was a total upset, bringing Ned under the scrutiny of a rich man's betting syndicate, headed by a wealthy man named Knox (Christopher Plummer).

Knox, a man used to having his way by any means necessary, makes Bill an offer he can't refuse. Knox then takes over Ned's future and gets him a professional trainer in order to prepare him for major races. In the meantime, Ned and Margaret (Cynthia Dale), Knox's comely niece, begin a flirtation that ultimately turns into a romance after much angst. When Ned finally gets an opportunity to race against the Australian world champion, he discovers to his consternation and dismay just how much faith Knox has in his ability to win. What follows next causes Ned to be banned from racing in the United States.

A chastened Ned, discarded by Knox, returns home and turns to Walter, the man who invented the boat with the sliding seat. He begs Walter to train him, so that he can enter and race in England on the Thames and vindicate himself. Walter really believes in him, so he gets Knox to agree to race his current boy wonder against his, but not before Walter has proffered Knox his life's dream. When the time for the race finally comes, betrayal, treachery, and skulduggery are the keywords of the day. To find out what happens during this career making race, and to discover what comes of the romance between Margaret and Knox, one should view this film. It will not disappoint.

Christopher Plummer leads the cast with his chillingly portrayal of the rich and unprincipled Knox. Nicholas Cage attacks the role of Ned Hanlan with boyish and engaging enthusiasm, while David Naughton delights with his portrayal of Bill, the former manager and erstwhile friend. Cynthia Dale is charming in the role of Margaret, the niece who finds herself adopting the role that she was pledged to play by her uncle. The rest of the cast is likewise uniformly excellent. This entertaining and informative film about a turn of the century athlete will fully engage the viewer.

NOT BAD
NOT TOO BAD OK CAGE MOVIE, I DONT REALLY LIKE JOCK MOVIE'S YOU KNOW THE SAME OLD MR. JOCK MUST OVERCOME ODDS AND WORK HARD TO COME OUT ON TOP IN THE END WORTH RENTING I WOULDNT BUY IT UNLESS YOU LIKE JOCK MOVIES. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Condorman is a great movie for everyone.
I first saw this movie when I was very young and loved it ever since. Every time I see it on the Disney Channel, I tell myself that if I ever found this movie I'd buy it. All of my friends have to put up with it at least once a year. It's always been my favorite. I think that Michael Crawford is a wonderful actor.

Fun but not very good
I first saw this movie five years ago, as a preteen, with my father. We made jokes about what low-quality it was until I read a year ago that it stars Michael Crawford(Phantom of the Opera). It was still low quality (except the special effects, which are pretty good), but it is definitely worth it for Crawford fans. Crawford plays a cartoonist who, with an amazingly coincidental association with the CIA, acts out the exploits of his hero, Condorman. Not especially funny or thrilling, Condorman is a uniform mock-spy-thriller, with a good supporting cast but bad writing. Would probably be good for younger children (note the PG rating, though), and has gorgeous scenes in the Alps.

This movie changed my life!
It was 1981... I was a poor, young man lost in a cloud of bong smoke, living in some cardboard box on the corner of 1st and Main. I was living a lie. A horrible lie, like that time I told mom that binky the bunny ran away... and then served the family "lamb". Anyway, all I had were comics, graphic novels, if you know what I mean... and my favorite character? The Thing from the fantastic four. Why? He was encased in a shell of stone... just like me. So there I am in my box... and I happen to find $3.25 in canadian pennies one day. Instead of buying a premium bottle of the happy juice, I saw the marquee and it sang CONDORMAN. I was on the edge of my seat with the opening credits. This man... was me. A dreamer who had shed the skin of ambiguity and embraced the true nature of the... ummm... dream. I had no wings. Condorman gave me wings. I love you, Condorman. Whenever you're in my part of town, be sure to stop by... mine's the box where the rabid coyote prince sings his tortured songs of yesteryear. Bring that lady, too... man... I mean... umm... man. And eat meat.

Movie is 5 stars, but dvd is 1 star
I love this movie, and have been waiting for it to be released on dvd. Unfortunately, the dvd was not worth the wait. The dvd has no features whatsoever, not even subtitles. The main menu has two options, play movie and chapter selections. The sound and picture are no better than the video; the only benefits the dvd has over the video are that you can fast forward directly to a specific scene, and you have your choice of full screen and wide screen (double sided dvd). What's the point of making a dvd if it is as bad as this one? Very disappointing....
P.S. This is for the 1999 dvd version. I noticed that a new version was released in 2003. Hopefully that version is better.

Up In The Sky...It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's...Condorman?
Yes, it's Condorman, vulture of the western world and superhero/spy extraordinare! Disguised as mild-mannered comic book writer/illustrator Woody Wilkins (Michael Crawford) by day, Condorman must fight a never ending battle to save the world from the ever growing forces of evil that threaten to engulf it, while at the same time trying desperately to protect his beautiful Russian spy girlfriend Natalia (Barbara Carrera) from the clutches of the villainous Krokov (Oliver Reed)!

Highlighted by a well above average cast and an exciting musical score composed by the one-and-only Henry Mancini, and loaded with tons of adventure, action and excitement..."Condorman" is certainly a very fun movie to watch and is one that can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter how young or old they may be! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

This was the most depressing movie I've ever seen!
I first saw this movie when I was about 40 years old. Thankfully, I was watching it alone because I cried so hard at the end. Whenever I tell someone about the movie, it was so SAD that I could start crying just explaining what the movie was about. It was really good until the end and the ending was so disturbing, I would never watch it again!

a surprising little gem
Its odd how the most underated films can really surprise you. I saw this film for the first time recently, and I regret now not seeing it as a child, I had put off seeing it for such a long time. I did not expect to get too involved about the welfare of a few pit ponies; but honestly the film; inc story; performances and attention to detail are so well done that it almost has a timeless quality about it. Modest as it is; be warned the happy ending only comes with a rather surprising price unexpected for disney in the 70s. Rosemary Anne Sisson,wrote the screenplay also penned 'Ride a Wild Pony' for disney which came out around the same time; also recommended as a companion to this film, hopefully one day that film will be released as well.

A great pit pony film
This film was filmed entirely in the forbidding Yorkshire moors. It tells the story about the small working ponies that have spent their entire lives down in the coal mines and are about to be sold to the slaughterhouse. Although many famous faces appear, the real star of the show must surely be Flash the pit pony. Wrinkles

"Vintage" Disney Classic
This is the sort of quality family fare that will rarely, if ever, be made again. Produced in the mid 70's when 'The Waltons' was popular and America wasn't so afflicted with Attention Deficit Disorder, it earns its place as one of the best in Disney's period piece library. The cinematography is excellent with many colorful landscape panoramas and some choice episodes including a dog racing event in the Yorkshire countryside, visually interesting shots of old-fangled colliery machinery, worklife inside the coal mines, and an honest rendering of family life inside the village homes.

The characters of the story are all cast with competent actors, both child and adult. The films' action derives from the resourceful efforts of the kids to save the colliery ponies whose fate is a grim one in the face of production efficiencies soon to be installed by mine owner Alastair Sim-(played Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol') The film has an innocent charm, although a little dated in both the period of history it covers and its storyline and humor. Even so its charm and quiet drama build to a surprisingly effective climax. There's a sense you've been treated to a unique glimpse of the past with a wide array of period detail providing rich realism. Anyone with patient appreciation for the concerns of children and an interest in the historic difficulties posed by economic/industrial evolution will find a gem in this film. Kids not addicted to video games may also find it enjoyable. Thanks Anchor Bay for a very good transfer to DVD.

Pit ponies
This movie was filmed in and around my 77 year old mother's home town of Doncaster, England. Her father was a miner until a mine collapse in the 30's left him permanently disabled. She saw this movie MANY years ago on TV & has been looking for a copy since. She and her sisters used to watch the ponies going down and coming out of the mines. It's a beautiful movie & brings back wonderful memories. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

This was the most depressing movie I've ever seen!
I first saw this movie when I was about 40 years old. Thankfully, I was watching it alone because I cried so hard at the end. Whenever I tell someone about the movie, it was so SAD that I could start crying just explaining what the movie was about. It was really good until the end and the ending was so disturbing, I would never watch it again!

a surprising little gem
Its odd how the most underated films can really surprise you. I saw this film for the first time recently, and I regret now not seeing it as a child, I had put off seeing it for such a long time. I did not expect to get too involved about the welfare of a few pit ponies; but honestly the film; inc story; performances and attention to detail are so well done that it almost has a timeless quality about it. Modest as it is; be warned the happy ending only comes with a rather surprising price unexpected for disney in the 70s. Rosemary Anne Sisson,wrote the screenplay also penned 'Ride a Wild Pony' for disney which came out around the same time; also recommended as a companion to this film, hopefully one day that film will be released as well.

A great pit pony film
This film was filmed entirely in the forbidding Yorkshire moors. It tells the story about the small working ponies that have spent their entire lives down in the coal mines and are about to be sold to the slaughterhouse. Although many famous faces appear, the real star of the show must surely be Flash the pit pony. Wrinkles

"Vintage" Disney Classic
This is the sort of quality family fare that will rarely, if ever, be made again. Produced in the mid 70's when 'The Waltons' was popular and America wasn't so afflicted with Attention Deficit Disorder, it earns its place as one of the best in Disney's period piece library. The cinematography is excellent with many colorful landscape panoramas and some choice episodes including a dog racing event in the Yorkshire countryside, visually interesting shots of old-fangled colliery machinery, worklife inside the coal mines, and an honest rendering of family life inside the village homes.

The characters of the story are all cast with competent actors, both child and adult. The films' action derives from the resourceful efforts of the kids to save the colliery ponies whose fate is a grim one in the face of production efficiencies soon to be installed by mine owner Alastair Sim-(played Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol') The film has an innocent charm, although a little dated in both the period of history it covers and its storyline and humor. Even so its charm and quiet drama build to a surprisingly effective climax. There's a sense you've been treated to a unique glimpse of the past with a wide array of period detail providing rich realism. Anyone with patient appreciation for the concerns of children and an interest in the historic difficulties posed by economic/industrial evolution will find a gem in this film. Kids not addicted to video games may also find it enjoyable. Thanks Anchor Bay for a very good transfer to DVD.

Pit ponies
This movie was filmed in and around my 77 year old mother's home town of Doncaster, England. Her father was a miner until a mine collapse in the 30's left him permanently disabled. She saw this movie MANY years ago on TV & has been looking for a copy since. She and her sisters used to watch the ponies going down and coming out of the mines. It's a beautiful movie & brings back wonderful memories. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

"The Dove" is One-Quarter Whipped Cream
THE DOVE is a formulaic and predictable Hollywoodization of Robin Lee Graham's bestselling book, DOVE. Graham was the youngest male sailor to complete a circumnavigation, in a 24 foot sloop.

"The Dove" suffers from too much saccharine and not enough vinegar. While the location shooting is superb, the film hardly lives up to it's storyline, downplaying the dangers and the risks of singlehanded sailing in favor of overkill on the romantic side. The actual passage becomes a pseudodocumentary, mostly lacking in drama, and secondary to the love story. The Grahams'(Robin Lee and Patti's) love story as shown is sickeningly sweet.

The movie is not helped by the fact that neither Bottoms nor Raffin can act their way out of a paper bag. They are saddled with a poor script and truly maudlin dialogue. Rather than being a theatrical release the film has an "Afterschool Special" feel to it.

Despite it's drawbacks, it is well worth watching if you are (1) a sailing fanatic who can't get enough of boats, (2) stuck inside the house on a rainy day (with or without the kids) with nothing much to do, and (3) a reader of DOVE who is familiar with the story.

THE DOVE is harmless, enjoyable fluff.

sail away
While sappy and saccharin the actors are engaging and the story is compelling (as all sea sagas are to me). Actually i found the clumsey acting part of the innocent charm. I own a Ranger 23 the same boat used in the film ( I believe Graham's real life boat was a 24-footer) so this film is especially wonderful to me. One reviewer summed it up well . A great film for a romantic with a sailing fetish. If you like this read Maiden Voyage by Tanya Aebi. Its both a better sea yarn and a better love story and would make a great film.

Motivation to finish something
Do you have kids who lack motivation? This is a movie that can open many doors to their learning experience. You can follow up with two books about Robin Graham and his voyage. Finishing this circumnavigation took a lot of courage and guts. He wanted to quit several times, yet stuck with his dream.
Even though the movie is Hollywood, you can use it to help your kids see the world. They can learn what Robin did, that people can be happy without all the glitz of wealth. Plus no one in the movie gets shot, blown up, or abused. You can't go wrong with this movie about a real person who sailed around the world in a very small sailboat. You can climb a mountain in a week, but this took 4 years to complete. It's worth a look.

Good circumnavigation movie for sailors
Nice movie, nice scenes, a good watch for sailors

The dove falls short
Sadly disapointing. I have often seen this movie compared to the movie Wind; but, it doesn't even come close. The off-shore storm sailing scenes look really fake, and the dialogue and soundtrack are terrible. The only thing similar to Wind (a movie I love) is the weak love story. Save your money and rent this one first. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Now Isn't This A Questionable Message?
In this film, a young CIA employee (John Savage) sees on television his wife murdered by a terrorist. He then stalks the terrorist and kills him.

But what message does this send? Think of this situation in these terms: John Savage and his wife are a nation. A terrorist attacks that nation and inflicts horrendous damage. The remaining countrymen mount an attack against that terrorist, and simply wipe him out. He is no longer a threat to anyone else, never will be again.

Shouldn't the husband have stopped to be compassionate? Shouldn't he have asked, "Why do they hate us?" His act of simply hunting down the criminal and killing him showed absolutely no compassion, tolerance, inclusion or diversity. At no point did he consult others, such as the United Nations -- he merely acted unilaterally to punish the offender and remove all future threat of recurring terrorism by that offender. He did not dispatch inspectors to examine the guy (and later, give the inspectors more time) -- he simply wanted to erase the terrorist, so that individual would do no harm to anyone else in the future. So killing a terrorist prevents further damage by that terrorist? What sort of message is that?

Suspenseful
This is one of those movies that won't allow you to run to the bathroom or kitchen. It holds your attention for the entire film. John Savage is the perfect actor for the part that he plays. His demeanor and attitude in this film are essential to the part. He did a superb job.

I don't know how I missed this at the box office, but I'm certainly glad I discovered it later. This will be a good movie to watch on a cold winter's night.

ENJOY!!

An intelligent movie with suspense and a true underdog
Though this movie is now nearly 20 years old, it is still extremely watchable. It does not rely on special effects. It, rather, relies on the development of Hitchcock-like suspense.

In the movie, the magazine reporter fiance of a CIA computer specialist is executed by terrorists via random drawing while she is on assignment in europe. This infuriates the main protagonist of the movie -- the CIA employee. He collects enough information on CIA sensitive activities to blackmail the agency into allowing him to go into eastern europe so he can locate and eliminate the terrorists that killed his fiance himself.

He is the amateur in a professional's game. The plot is believable, the suspense is tangeable, and the story line not predictable.

I promise that if you like suspense movies, you will love this one! The acting, from main and supporting characters, is good. I particularly enjoyed the character who played the father of the murdered fiance. CIA officers and execs also play their roles (though perhaps a bit stereotyped) quite well.

5 stars.

one not to miss
if you want a great movie some night get this one. kind of lost in the shuffle, its a dramatic movie with john savage going after the killers of his girlfriend. one of those sleepers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As costume dramas go, this is a passionate and feisty one, keyed by the ever-luminous Vanessa Redgrave in the title role and the sharp-edged Glenda Jackson as her jealous cousin, Queen Elizabeth I (who knew a thing or two about palace intrigue). Mary, who was raised in France as a Catholic, claims the Scottish crown from her mother upon her death. But she runsup against religious prejudice, both from the Protestant Elizabeth (who had encountered anti-Protestant bias before she took the throne) and from Mary's Protestant half-brother James Stuart (Patrick McGoohan). Elizabeth, whose own reign is shaky (given a strong Catholic presence in her country), is nervous about her Catholic cousin--and made more so by Mary's seeming inability to appreciate the political niceties of the period. Redgrave received an Oscar nomination for her performance. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (16)

gripping drama, if slightly embroidered
"Mary, Queen of Scots" is an enthralling and colorful film, with strong performances by Vanessa Redgrave in the title role and Glenda Jackson as the formidable Queen Elizabeth I. Regretfully, the filmmakers couldn't resist the temptation to embellish history by staging a face-to-face meeting between the two monarchs (which never actually occurred), but that's the only complaint I would offer. If you're interested in the intersecting fortunes of the Tudor and Stuart dynasties, played out against a backdrop of court intrigue and explosive passions, then this is a film you won't want to miss.

I note some inaccuracies, however, in the reviews posted by Amazon.com's Marshall Fine and customer Katharine Williams. For example: Mr. Fine writes that Mary "claims the Scottish crown from her mother upon her death," which gives the false impression that Mary's mother was the previous sovereign (whereas Mary's mother was simply Regent of Scotland until Mary reached the age of majority; Mary officially became Queen of Scotland during her infancy, as the only surviving legitimate child of King James V of Scotland). Also, Mr. Fine states that Mary, a Catholic, "runs up against religious prejudice" from her Protestant cousin, Queen Elizabeth I of England (not true; Elizabeth tolerated both Catholics and Protestants in her realm, and she did not engage in religious persecution). Rather, the enmity between the two queens stemmed primarily from political considerations (after all, Mary fomented instability in England by encouraging the plotters who wanted her to seize Elizabeth's crown!) and also, inevitably, from the personal rivalry that existed between the only two female sovereigns of the day: Mary and Elizabeth, related by blood and presiding over neighboring kingdoms, were naturally curious about -- and intensely competitive with -- one another.

Finally, Ms. Williams, in her otherwise very intelligent and thoughtful comments, describes Mary as "Queen Regent" of Scotland (no such title ever existed: one may be Regent, or Queen, but not both simultaneously). Instead, Mary was "Queen Regnant" -- meaning that she was a monarch in her own right, as opposed to being a king's consort. Also, Ms. Williams says that Mary was "Queen Claimant" of England -- again, there has never been any such title. (Clearly, Mary DID attempt to claim Elizabeth's throne, so one should simply describe her as a "claimant" -- a statement of fact, but not a title in itself.)

For anyone who wonders about the basis for Mary's claim to the English crown, Mary was the granddaughter of Margaret Tudor (sister of England's notorious King Henry VIII, who was Elizabeth's father). The kingdoms of England and Scotland were finally united at Elizabeth's death, when Mary's son (already King James VI of Scotland) became King James I of England.

A really great movie, though not entirely accurate. SPOILER
This is a great movie, which describes Mary Stuart's life as queen of Scotland. And after watching this movie, the viewer feels nothing but sympathy for Mary. Her husband dies suddenly of a strange illness, her illegimate brother, James Stuart(played by Patrick McGoohan) works against her because of their different religions. She marrys a man(Timothy Dalton) sent by her enemy Queen Elizabeth(Glenda Jackson). Soon the viewer finds out that he is bisexual and is involved in a plot to kill her. Her child is taken away from her, and she is imprisoned in England "for her own good." Finally, at the end, Mary is taken to a trial for plotting against Elizabeth and is executed. Mary's life was not a happy one. And though this movie is somewhat inaccurate(Mary and Elizabeth never met in real life) it shows the hardships that Mary went through in her attempt to rule her country. Once again, it's a great movie. In some parts, it kind of drags, but overall, it's entertaining and interesting.

See it for the Score
I was checking this movie out because I was interested in buying the DVD. How disappointing to see it's not available.

The movie itself is extremely interesting, but I wanted it just for the soundtrack. This is one of John Barry's best scores. I guess I'll just have to go listen to Moviola again...

The life, loves and tragedy of the beautiful Queen of Scots
"Mary, Queen of Scots", despite its occasional diverging with historical fact has always been a favourite history drama of mine. Being as fascinated by Tudor and Stuart history as I am I was always bound to love this lavish production but it is the lavish production, beautiful location photography in France and Scotland, exquisite costumes and historical attention to detail that always intrigue me. They all come together in an engrossing chronicle of the story of the tragic young Mary, Queen of Scots from her early years of a priveledged existence at the refined French court, through her years of personal rule in Scotland to her abdication and then her nineteen lonely years as Queen Elizabeth's "unofficial" prisoner in England till her execution for treason. Here is a historical legend if ever there was one.

The production boasts a stellar cast of seasoned British acting greats and in particular alot of the film's majesty comes from the brilliant playing of the two leads in their only meeting on screen Vanessa Redgrave who plays Mary and Glenda jackson repeating her Emmy Award winning interpretation of Queen Elizabeth 1 from her earlier stunning BBC mini series "Elizabeth R". Nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actress for her performance here Vanessa Redgrave has never been more luminous than in her playing of the romantic young Queen torn from her comfortable surroundings at her beloved French court for an uncertain future in the Protestant dominated far north of her native Scotland. She is at turns innocent, wily, stunningly beautiful, and unfailingly brave and optimistic, in short a perfect representation of the fascinating real life historical Queen. Glenda Jackson matches her every step of the way as her rival and enemy and ultimately her goaler and executioner. Her's might be the smaller of the two roles but she is magnificent in her scenes and makes all the recent portrayals of Queen Elizabeth seem very pale in comparison. I wont spend alot of time debating the fictional events that are woven into the story here but I will say that this film must first be viewed as part fact, part fiction, and there is no point in getting upset of some of the scenes included here. First and foremost a lot of discussion is always spent around the two meetings between Mary and Elizabeth in the film. As any avid reader of the history of this period will know, despite the fact that both women's lives were torturously intertwined for many years they never actually met. That said and done these two scenes in "Mary, Queen of Scots", showing the two women meeting are superb and the sparks ingnited between Vanessa Redgrave and Glenda Jackson add up to wonderful acting and drama. Here are two extremely gifted actresses in roles totally suited to their characters and they achieve memorable work together.

The film is rich with other stunning performances as well. Ian Holm is first class as the tragic Riccio, Mary's private secretary who pays the ultimate price for his loyalty to her. Timothy Dalton an actor who I have long admired excels as the vain and beastly Darnley, Mary's second husband who helps lead Mary to her eventual ruin. Nigel Davenport plays the Earl of Bothwell more as a roguish cavalier than as the uncouth adventurer that Bothwell was in real life. Nevertheless his acting with Vanessa Redgrave in the scenes just prior to Mary's abdication are matchless in their romantic passion. Patrick McGoohan plays James Stuart the wily illegitimate brother of mary with just the right levels of malice and superficial grace. At the English court the British acting talent is just as much on display with veteran Trevor Howard portraying a superb Sir William Cecil, Elizabeth's cunning Chief advisor and Daniel Massey, who just prior to this role had made a great impression portraying Noel Coward in "Star!", plays Robert Dudley, Elizabeth's supposed lover for most of her reign.

The production is blessed with sceneic views that will take your breath away and the overall production has a wonderfully lavish look about it as befits such a sweeping historical saga. I've always enjoyed this drama and if you appreciate fine acting despite the divergence from historical fact then this production cannot be bettered. Certainly it gives a sympathetic view of Mary's life and career but I feel where possible all the elements of her fascinating character have been included. I highly recommend this very dazzling production of "Mary, Queen of Scots", to all lovers of history and those that admire fine acting.

4 good stars... for 2 Greater Stars
Although the figure of Mary Stuart has always been distorted by Hollywood, this is a good movie which is actually an attempt at giving us a glimpse at the women, not the Queens, in their historic context.

Unfortunately, even this one is a bit sweet with Mary and goes on hard on Elizabeth.

The players are all first class, starting with a Clash of Titans between Vanessa Redgrave and Glenda Jackson. Two female screen giants fighting out in front of our own eyes. What a feast.

Then come the other giants: Trevor Howard, Ian Holm, Patrick McGoohan, Harry Andrews and many more othe British Screen legends. A real treat in Stardom and a who's who in this movie.

Just for that it is highly recommendable.

Now two points of woe.

First: in all these years (the movie dates back to 1971) do you think that Universal Pictures could have released at least one Widescreen version of it? Noooooh, the Gentlemen went on producing other insignificant stuff, but never cared on re-releasing this one in Letterbox format.

Second: although I liked it when it was released, especially for its cast and more than beautiful music scored by John Barry, why wasn't an attempt made at remaking it in a more true to history perspective?

After all Mary was not as innocent as depicted by Katie Hepburn or even Vanessa Redgrave. This is Folk Lore not History!

Mary was raised in France in exile, but pretty soon took a keen interest in politics and started plotting all by herself to take possession of the English Crown.

These were not the figments of the imagination of Elizabeth, but a hard and harsh reality that the English Crown and the Parliament both took immediately very seriously.

Mary tried it with whomever would have listened to her and would have granted her protection in doing so. She tried to drag the French on her side at first. When this didn't work, she tried the Italians, through the Pope. then came the Spaniards and ultimately the Scots. And they all fell for her.

The reasons for her mad conviction of being the only true Queen of England were inculcated into her by her family due to some contentions they had already back in Henry VIII's Reign.

All this though was certainly not enough to make her the legitimate Queen of England and she should have contented herself by already being Queen of the Scots.

Anyway, she remains a pathetic and sad figure in History and well deserves a movie such as this one as a remainder that at times it is better to be happy with what one already has, rather than wanting the whole pie.

In this instance Mary truly was too immature and too arrogant to admit defeat even if it loomed right in front of her eyes.
And arrogance as we all know, gets so often repaid with a harsh punishment. In her case she lost her head over it.

Some may say that she fought for religion's sake. Is any religion a valid justification for human sacrifice? Especially of other people, rather than your own. Of course not, and yet Mary never hesitated in sending innocent people to be slaughtered in her name.

Some may pity her, some may condemn her, but the fact still remains that she was an intriguing figure wonderfully portrayed by Vanessa Redgrave. And right or wrong, she did exist and should therefore be depicted in at least one movie.

Between Katie Hepburn and Vanessa, I still prefer Vanessa. Glenda Jackson reprises her role Elizabeth R in this one and she's one strong butch of a woman, a hard nut to crack. No wonder that men lost their heads (in more than one way) for her.

Anyway, this one with Elizabeth and Elizabeth R, should be movies to be bought and cherished dearly like good wine. After all it is seldom they make movies like these.

And if you're interested by more Tudor Lore, try also "Henry VIII and his Six Wives", "Anne of the Thousand Days", the filmed Play by Robert Bolt "A Man For All Seasons".

The King is dead, long live the Queen... ... Read more

Reviews (16)

gripping drama, if slightly embroidered
"Mary, Queen of Scots" is an enthralling and colorful film, with strong performances by Vanessa Redgrave in the title role and Glenda Jackson as the formidable Queen Elizabeth I. Regretfully, the filmmakers couldn't resist the temptation to embellish history by staging a face-to-face meeting between the two monarchs (which never actually occurred), but that's the only complaint I would offer. If you're interested in the intersecting fortunes of the Tudor and Stuart dynasties, played out against a backdrop of court intrigue and explosive passions, then this is a film you won't want to miss.

I note some inaccuracies, however, in the reviews posted by Amazon.com's Marshall Fine and customer Katharine Williams. For example: Mr. Fine writes that Mary "claims the Scottish crown from her mother upon her death," which gives the false impression that Mary's mother was the previous sovereign (whereas Mary's mother was simply Regent of Scotland until Mary reached the age of majority; Mary officially became Queen of Scotland during her infancy, as the only surviving legitimate child of King James V of Scotland). Also, Mr. Fine states that Mary, a Catholic, "runs up against religious prejudice" from her Protestant cousin, Queen Elizabeth I of England (not true; Elizabeth tolerated both Catholics and Protestants in her realm, and she did not engage in religious persecution). Rather, the enmity between the two queens stemmed primarily from political considerations (after all, Mary fomented instability in England by encouraging the plotters who wanted her to seize Elizabeth's crown!) and also, inevitably, from the personal rivalry that existed between the only two female sovereigns of the day: Mary and Elizabeth, related by blood and presiding over neighboring kingdoms, were naturally curious about -- and intensely competitive with -- one another.

Finally, Ms. Williams, in her otherwise very intelligent and thoughtful comments, describes Mary as "Queen Regent" of Scotland (no such title ever existed: one may be Regent, or Queen, but not both simultaneously). Instead, Mary was "Queen Regnant" -- meaning that she was a monarch in her own right, as opposed to being a king's consort. Also, Ms. Williams says that Mary was "Queen Claimant" of England -- again, there has never been any such title. (Clearly, Mary DID attempt to claim Elizabeth's throne, so one should simply describe her as a "claimant" -- a statement of fact, but not a title in itself.)

For anyone who wonders about the basis for Mary's claim to the English crown, Mary was the granddaughter of Margaret Tudor (sister of England's notorious King Henry VIII, who was Elizabeth's father). The kingdoms of England and Scotland were finally united at Elizabeth's death, when Mary's son (already King James VI of Scotland) became King James I of England.

A really great movie, though not entirely accurate. SPOILER
This is a great movie, which describes Mary Stuart's life as queen of Scotland. And after watching this movie, the viewer feels nothing but sympathy for Mary. Her husband dies suddenly of a strange illness, her illegimate brother, James Stuart(played by Patrick McGoohan) works against her because of their different religions. She marrys a man(Timothy Dalton) sent by her enemy Queen Elizabeth(Glenda Jackson). Soon the viewer finds out that he is bisexual and is involved in a plot to kill her. Her child is taken away from her, and she is imprisoned in England "for her own good." Finally, at the end, Mary is taken to a trial for plotting against Elizabeth and is executed. Mary's life was not a happy one. And though this movie is somewhat inaccurate(Mary and Elizabeth never met in real life) it shows the hardships that Mary went through in her attempt to rule her country. Once again, it's a great movie. In some parts, it kind of drags, but overall, it's entertaining and interesting.

See it for the Score
I was checking this movie out because I was interested in buying the DVD. How disappointing to see it's not available.

The movie itself is extremely interesting, but I wanted it just for the soundtrack. This is one of John Barry's best scores. I guess I'll just have to go listen to Moviola again...

The life, loves and tragedy of the beautiful Queen of Scots
"Mary, Queen of Scots", despite its occasional diverging with historical fact has always been a favourite history drama of mine. Being as fascinated by Tudor and Stuart history as I am I was always bound to love this lavish production but it is the lavish production, beautiful location photography in France and Scotland, exquisite costumes and historical attention to detail that always intrigue me. They all come together in an engrossing chronicle of the story of the tragic young Mary, Queen of Scots from her early years of a priveledged existence at the refined French court, through her years of personal rule in Scotland to her abdication and then her nineteen lonely years as Queen Elizabeth's "unofficial" prisoner in England till her execution for treason. Here is a historical legend if ever there was one.

The production boasts a stellar cast of seasoned British acting greats and in particular alot of the film's majesty comes from the brilliant playing of the two leads in their only meeting on screen Vanessa Redgrave who plays Mary and Glenda jackson repeating her Emmy Award winning interpretation of Queen Elizabeth 1 from her earlier stunning BBC mini series "Elizabeth R". Nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actress for her performance here Vanessa Redgrave has never been more luminous than in her playing of the romantic young Queen torn from her comfortable surroundings at her beloved French court for an uncertain future in the Protestant dominated far north of her native Scotland. She is at turns innocent, wily, stunningly beautiful, and unfailingly brave and optimistic, in short a perfect representation of the fascinating real life historical Queen. Glenda Jackson matches her every step of the way as her rival and enemy and ultimately her goaler and executioner. Her's might be the smaller of the two roles but she is magnificent in her scenes and makes all the recent portrayals of Queen Elizabeth seem very pale in comparison. I wont spend alot of time debating the fictional events that are woven into the story here but I will say that this film must first be viewed as part fact, part fiction, and there is no point in getting upset of some of the scenes included here. First and foremost a lot of discussion is always spent around the two meetings between Mary and Elizabeth in the film. As any avid reader of the history of this period will know, despite the fact that both women's lives were torturously intertwined for many years they never actually met. That said and done these two scenes in "Mary, Queen of Scots", showing the two women meeting are superb and the sparks ingnited between Vanessa Redgrave and Glenda Jackson add up to wonderful acting and drama. Here are two extremely gifted actresses in roles totally suited to their characters and they achieve memorable work together.

The film is rich with other stunning performances as well. Ian Holm is first class as the tragic Riccio, Mary's private secretary who pays the ultimate price for his loyalty to her. Timothy Dalton an actor who I have long admired excels as the vain and beastly Darnley, Mary's second husband who helps lead Mary to her eventual ruin. Nigel Davenport plays the Earl of Bothwell more as a roguish cavalier than as the uncouth adventurer that Bothwell was in real life. Nevertheless his acting with Vanessa Redgrave in the scenes just prior to Mary's abdication are matchless in their romantic passion. Patrick McGoohan plays James Stuart the wily illegitimate brother of mary with just the right levels of malice and superficial grace. At the English court the British acting talent is just as much on display with veteran Trevor Howard portraying a superb Sir William Cecil, Elizabeth's cunning Chief advisor and Daniel Massey, who just prior to this role had made a great impression portraying Noel Coward in "Star!", plays Robert Dudley, Elizabeth's supposed lover for most of her reign.

The production is blessed with sceneic views that will take your breath away and the overall production has a wonderfully lavish look about it as befits such a sweeping historical saga. I've always enjoyed this drama and if you appreciate fine acting despite the divergence from historical fact then this production cannot be bettered. Certainly it gives a sympathetic view of Mary's life and career but I feel where possible all the elements of her fascinating character have been included. I highly recommend this very dazzling production of "Mary, Queen of Scots", to all lovers of history and those that admire fine acting.

4 good stars... for 2 Greater Stars
Although the figure of Mary Stuart has always been distorted by Hollywood, this is a good movie which is actually an attempt at giving us a glimpse at the women, not the Queens, in their historic context.

Unfortunately, even this one is a bit sweet with Mary and goes on hard on Elizabeth.

The players are all first class, starting with a Clash of Titans between Vanessa Redgrave and Glenda Jackson. Two female screen giants fighting out in front of our own eyes. What a feast.

Then come the other giants: Trevor Howard, Ian Holm, Patrick McGoohan, Harry Andrews and many more othe British Screen legends. A real treat in Stardom and a who's who in this movie.

Just for that it is highly recommendable.

Now two points of woe.

First: in all these years (the movie dates back to 1971) do you think that Universal Pictures could have released at least one Widescreen version of it? Noooooh, the Gentlemen went on producing other insignificant stuff, but never cared on re-releasing this one in Letterbox format.

Second: although I liked it when it was released, especially for its cast and more than beautiful music scored by John Barry, why wasn't an attempt made at remaking it in a more true to history perspective?

After all Mary was not as innocent as depicted by Katie Hepburn or even Vanessa Redgrave. This is Folk Lore not History!

Mary was raised in France in exile, but pretty soon took a keen interest in politics and started plotting all by herself to take possession of the English Crown.

These were not the figments of the imagination of Elizabeth, but a hard and harsh reality that the English Crown and the Parliament both took immediately very seriously.

Mary tried it with whomever would have listened to her and would have granted her protection in doing so. She tried to drag the French on her side at first. When this didn't work, she tried the Italians, through the Pope. then came the Spaniards and ultimately the Scots. And they all fell for her.

The reasons for her mad conviction of being the only true Queen of England were inculcated into her by her family due to some contentions they had already back in Henry VIII's Reign.

All this though was certainly not enough to make her the legitimate Queen of England and she should have contented herself by already being Queen of the Scots.

Anyway, she remains a pathetic and sad figure in History and well deserves a movie such as this one as a remainder that at times it is better to be happy with what one already has, rather than wanting the whole pie.

In this instance Mary truly was too immature and too arrogant to admit defeat even if it loomed right in front of her eyes.
And arrogance as we all know, gets so often repaid with a harsh punishment. In her case she lost her head over it.

Some may say that she fought for religion's sake. Is any religion a valid justification for human sacrifice? Especially of other people, rather than your own. Of course not, and yet Mary never hesitated in sending innocent people to be slaughtered in her name.

Some may pity her, some may condemn her, but the fact still remains that she was an intriguing figure wonderfully portrayed by Vanessa Redgrave. And right or wrong, she did exist and should therefore be depicted in at least one movie.

Between Katie Hepburn and Vanessa, I still prefer Vanessa. Glenda Jackson reprises her role Elizabeth R in this one and she's one strong butch of a woman, a hard nut to crack. No wonder that men lost their heads (in more than one way) for her.

Anyway, this one with Elizabeth and Elizabeth R, should be movies to be bought and cherished dearly like good wine. After all it is seldom they make movies like these.

And if you're interested by more Tudor Lore, try also "Henry VIII and his Six Wives", "Anne of the Thousand Days", the filmed Play by Robert Bolt "A Man For All Seasons".

The King is dead, long live the Queen... ... Read more