Reviews (3)

Both the televison pilot and the first Fleisher cartoon
Volume 1 on "TV's Best Adventures of Superman" has the first and last episodes of the syndicated television series starring George Reeves that ran from 1952-1957. "Superman on Earth" (Episode #1), written by Richard Fielding, tells the story of how the infant Superman was rocketed from the dying planet Krypton to Earth, where he was raised by a kindly couple, the Kents (renamed Sara and Eben for some reason). When he grows up Clark Kent gets a job as a reporter at the Daily Planet, a great metropolitan newspaper, while Superman makes his first appearance and rescues a man from a dirigible. Then in "All That Glitters" (Episode #104), Superman's friend, Professor Pepperwinkle, has figured out how to transmutate base metal into gold. Of course, crooks force the professor to make lots of gold for them, but it seems the professor has an even bigger secret. He knows how to turn any man into a Superman. This final episode, directed by George Reeves and filmed in color, was written by Robet Leslie Bellem and Whitney Ellsworth. Phyllis Coates plays Lois Lane in the pilot while Noel Neill had the role from the second season on, Jack Larson is Jimmy Olson and John Hamilton rules as Perry White. As a very special treat, in between these two episodes is the first Superman cartoon by Dave Fleisher, which was nominated for an Oscar in 1941. The cartoon provides a brief explanation of Superman's origin (this time he is raised at an orphanage), and then we are introduced to what would be the standard format for this cartoons: Lois Lane goes off on an assignment, gets into big time trouble, and is rescued by Superman. Clearly, this first volume is the one to have if you are only going to have one Superman tape in your collection (the "Superman and the Mole Men" two-part episode/movie would be the second).

Wish these were still on TV...
This is it! That great first episode when Superman comes to Earth. Great fun, good fiction, campy directing. Who could ask for more. There is a cartoon between 2 George Reeves episodes. The cartoon is clever but not nearly as much fun.

Must see television !
This stuff is the basis of the 50'S! Reeves was the #1 hero of his generation. You should see this historical footage. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Two more Superman episodes and a Superman cartoon
Volume 3 of "TV's Best Adventures of Superman" offers up a couple of episodes from the syndicated television series starring George Reeves that ran from 1952-1957. First up is "Panic in the Sky" (Episode #38), where an asteroid not only causes floods and earthquakes, it gives Superman amnesia. Then in "The Big Freeze" (Episode #68), crooked politicians led by Duke Taylor (George F. Stone) take over Metropolis and plan on freezing Superman to keep him out of the way. Sandwiched in between the two television episodes is the 1941 Fleischer Studios Superman cartoon "The Magnetic Telescope," in which an astronomer invents this telescope that ends up drawing an asteroid towards Earth. Obviously they picked this cartoon for this particular volume because it matches up nicely with "Panic in the Sky." These are representative episodes from "the Adventures of Superman," but I would not call any of them classics.

The best Superman ever
This movie is only a few eposodes of the best kind of superman series yet the plots are orignal and the story line is great. Trust me this is a great gift and must buy for any superman fan. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Horroriffic!!!!!!!!
I saw this movie only once .... once again being on AMC'S Monster Fest 2000 ... its a good hokey Wartime horror film classic i think Universal shouldve made it though!!!!! bjut its still very atmospheric and a bit of a twist .. bela returns for his 3rd vampiric film after 8 years of absence after the twisted film The Mark of the Vampire where he wasnt a vampire at all ... lol but still a good chiller .... ok back to the Return of the Vampire.... like i said only 69 minutes of playing time but still a good movie ITS WORTH EARNING!!!

My Name Is Drac... Er, Tesla!
Bela Lugosi is Armand Tesla, an amazingly Dracula-like vampire, in this fangy fable. Assisted by his werewolf helper Andreas Obry (Matt Willis), Tesla goes on a reign of terror, only to be stopped by a spike through the heart. Years later, during WWII, we find Andreas reformed of his lycanthropic ways, and working for Lady Jane, the very woman who had helped put an end to Tesla. Well, the nazi's bomb England, unearthing Tesla. Two civil defense guys find his body and one of them pulls the spike out of Tesla's chest! Soon, The bloodsucking begins! Tesla regains his hold on Andreas and hatches his plot for revenge. Tesla now has a vendetta against Lady Jane. He has decided to destroy her by taking control of those she loves. Can Lady Jane stop him before it's too late? You can tell that Bela enjoyed playing this role. He IS Dracula in this movie, no matter what his name is. The acting is pretty good all around, including the wolfman, even if his make-up job is a tad goofy. Worth owning...

BEWARE THE NIGHT FOR THE VAMPIRE STALKS
Any true monster movie fan would have this film on their movie shelf. One of the best Dracula movies ever made in the 1940's.
In this movie there is never a dull moment. Like the eerie cemetery in the beggening to the dark allies of London wher Dracula and his companion,the wolfman, dispose of their victims.
And in the end there is a message to the viewers,I won't give it away. But this film is worth it. Starring Bela Lugosi, Freida Inescort, Nina Foch, Miles Mander and Matt Willis as the werewolf.

SO IT AIN'T VAL LEWTON....
I can't carp about this little 40's spooker with LUGOSI playing Dracula again (finally) even if it IS low-budget and has a funny-looking werewolf/assistant. It's still a curio and features a wartime setting as well as the lovely Nina Foch (in an early role) as a potential victim. It's goofy and weird and not all that bad, really. At least it was a major studio that released it and not one of those hideous poverty row junkfests that were churned out by the truckload around the same time. The class shows through with the acting,camera-work and story coherence. It could have been much worse but it's not and it sits proudly with my other DVDS as an old fashioned reminder of what going to the movies used to be about and how thankful I am that some of these old chestnuts are still around to be appreciated.

"It ain't even safe to be dead, anymore!"
The definitive movie vampire, Bela Lugosi, stars in this entertaining Columbia production. Although mired in a downward career spiral of poverty row clunkers, Bela, ahem, rises to the occasion. Among the familiar vampire cliches, we find a unique character in Andreas (Matt Willis), the wolf man familiar that serves the vampire. This guy looks like Lon Chaney, Jr. in full makeup, but he does not go around howling at the full moon. Instead, he shows great restraint and is quite articulate as he speaks rather than growls. His fiendish appearance tells of the soul's evil and the vampire's spell. After a prologue, that shows the vampire's 1918 horror and dispatch, Andreas escapes the dark side with help from a kindly lady scientist (Frieda Inescort). He falls back into dreadful habits after a WWII bombing raid unearths Bela. The scenes in the London cemetery inflicted with bomb damage are surreal images of foggy darkness and the children of the night. The script suffers from some B picture limitations, but not enough to matter. Lugosi's character, Armand Tesla, is merely Dracula, winking at legal copyright infringements. He catches Nina Foch in his alluring web of unholy desire. The climax in the bombed-out church is done well, and covers a multitude of unlikely plot developments. Character actor and former Mack Sennett star, Billy Bevan, plays Horace, the comic civil defense worker who utters the above immortal dialogue. Some viewers may recognize Bevan as the hapless Whitby policeman, Albert, in Universal's "Dracula's Daughter." Atmospheric sets and a veteran cast add to the enjoyment. Great fun for genre fans and collectors. ;-) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Boy-and-his-dog story aimed at kids, but heavy on the civics
Columbia's "Rusty" series of the late 1940s were small-town dramas centering around Danny (Ted Donaldson, one of the better juvenile actors) and his German shepherd Rusty (a handsome animal). This entry has Danny and his pals encountering a mysterious, uncommunicative stranger in town, and running afoul of the man who owns the land where their clubhouse is. Youngsters will enjoy Rusty (and Rusty's girlfriend, Barb), but some of this plays like an instructional film; the morality-play script spreads the civics lesson mighty thick as the kids learn about good citizenship. The film is well made, like most Columbia's "B" pictures, and the print is gorgeous. A technical note: some copies of this title are in the extended-play mode and may not track properly on all machines. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

James Garner vs. Clint Eastwood in a superb western comedy.
This is required viewing and a unique experience for Clint Eastwood admirers since he has a huge role as a colorful but loathesome gunfighter/villain and plays it sublimely well. Edgar Buchanan (the marvelous character actor that played "Uncle Joe" on "Petticoat Junction") and Abby Dalton round out the guest cast of this sensational episode of "Maverick" with James Garner. Bret Maverick (Garner) and Eastwood are at loggerheads over Dalton and the sequences illustrating Eastwood's quick-draw ability and Garner's reactions to it are extremely funny and perfectly played straight. The saloon fistfight between Garner and Eastwood is riveting and Maverick's gentle friendship with Buchanan's character is beautifully drawn. This was the first episode of "Maverick" to be offered on video and with good reason. No one could possibly be disappointed with this episode of my favorite television series.

Bret Maverick faces John Wesley Hardin in a gunfight
In his only Warner Bros. TV appearance, Clint Eastwood guest stars as Red Hardigan, a local tough-guy who is itching to provoke James Garner as Bret Maverick into a showdown. Red is jealous that "Maver-ack" is showing too much attention to Carrie Christiansen, played by Abby Dalton. But Red has to wait in line when notorious gunslinger John Wesley Hardin arrives in Sundown and "calls out" Bret. Episode also features Jack Kelly as brother Bart Maverick. Originally aired: Feburary 1, 1959. (This review is a paraphrase of the WB video release box cover review.) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

How can you possibly rate any Gene Autry NC-17?"
The title speaks for it self

'..ottin', my ol' forty four...'
We bought this, along with other English-language videos, so that our two young sons can keep up their English while attending German schools. After all (as I've observed), TV (not schools) is the reason that English is so widespread and better-spoken in Scandinavia than elsewhere in Europe. This video was played so often (consequently driving one of their older half-sisters nuts) that it should be worn out by now. Both boys soon could sing all the songs in it, in sequence. It was later succeeded in popularity by Melody Ranch. Some other recommendations: Popeye (cartoons and movie), Midway, Lonesome Dove, Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig, and, from the German side, Die Augsburger Puppinkist.

Great Re-stored Movie
Back In The Saddle Again is one of the all time greats when it comes to an Autry film. As usual Autry portrays the role of moral and ethical proportions. The plot is about something we are all familiar with. Pollution of rivers and streams due to copper mining. It has great action and a good moral value is displayed. Along with the wonderful acting and singing of America's Favorite Cowboy, you also have the comedy of Smiley Burnette at His best. They even give you a glimpse of Madison Square Gardens at the beginning of the movie. This, in my opinion could be an actual footage of the personal performance and rodeo's that Autry did when he was the first one to ever play to a sell out crowd at Madison Square Gardens. It also shows what modern film technology can do for these old westerns. I have it from a good source that this film was restored using 7 versions collected from across the country and they did a great job. So if you want to give you children and family something to watch that has plenty of western excitement and a good dose of morals let them watch this movie and they will find that "The Good Guy in the White Hat always wins"! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

reeves was the perfect clark kent
crime wave is probabaly the best episode from the adventures of superman. its clips along at break neck speed, superman kicks bad guy butts, it actually looks grittier in glorious black and white and it has the real lois lane in phyllis coates.
reeves superman may have been padded but he had a grit and non chalance that both the earlier superman (kirk alyn) and the later superman (christopher reeve)lacked.
allans superman was a bit of a goofy jimmy stewart type while christopher reeve overplayed the bumbling nerd part. george reeves kent was a normal, mysterious tough reporter. word was that reeves hated playing the part and if anything it made him give the part an extra dose of efforted dignity it otherwise might have lacked.
too, the first couple of seasons of the adventures of superman were the best. alas, the producers were a little nervous about coate's edgy lane and so they removed her, toned down reeves kick butt attitude and essentialay turned into a little kiddies show. but, even then the series had some decent moments, one of which; the perils of superman, is included here. its a charming homage to the movie serials and deflty directed by reeves himself.
sandwiched in between the two is the incomparable fleischer brothers cartoon mechanical monsters.
appropriately, no celluloid superman best exemplified the fleischer's animated superman better than reeves.

This is the best tape in the Adventures of Superman series
Like the others in this series, Volume 2 of the "Adventures of Superman" series offers up a pair of black & white and color episodes from the syndicated television series starring George Reeves that ran from 1952-1957, along with one of the Fleischer Superman cartoons. "Crime Wave" (Episode #24) finds Superman fighting a crime wave that is sweeps Metropolis only to be exposed to atomic rays. This is one of the absolute classic episodes from this series, but this tape gets even better. "The Perils of Superman" (Episode #103), finds a master criminal planning a series of traps to snare each of Superman's friends: Lois (Noel Neill), Jimmy (Jack Larson), Perry White (John Hamilton, and Clark Kent (George Reeves). Of course, this is a plan that works so well it fails (for obvious reasons). This was the second to last episode of the series and another classic. The Fleischer's Cartoon "The Mechanical Monsters" is from 1941 and the second in the Superman series. The Man of Steel battles an army of giant, flying robots that spew flame in a series of sensational scenes. This is one of the best of the Superman cartoons and the only reason that this best volume in the "Adventures of Superman" series is not #1 is because that tape has the pilot and final episodes on it. But this is the one that will impress you the most from the dramatic opening narration to the final fade out on Reeves and the rest of the cast.

Vintage Superman
Warner Home Video has issued only a few one-hour volumes of television's "Adventures of Superman," but Volume 2 is by far the best -- evoking fond memories of the classic series. "Crime Wave" (1951) and "Perils of Superman" (1957) represent some of the finest b&w and color episodes, with George Reeves in great form as the definitive Man of Steel. Sandwiched between the two episodes is "The Mechanical Monsters" (1941), an excellent Superman cartoon from the Fleischer Studios. Since Warner and DC Comics own the original negatives, the Fleischer short looks terrific. It's nostalgic, fast-paced fun for young and old.

Best of the TV Show!
Any Superman fan can't go wrong with this one! "Crime Wave" is one of the most gripping tales of the 1951 season, complete with stock footage of all of the great fight scenes from that year! "Perils of Superman" is one of the best color episodes, and proves that George Reeves had a great future as a director! The Max Fleischer cartoon is beautifully animated, but it's the two TV episodes that MAKE this video! BUY IT, and see why Reeves is remembered so fondly as the TRUE Man of Steel! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Iron Trail
Wish that there were more movies like the Cheyenne series on VHS today. They are great movies for the whole family to watch. I'd like to purchase others if they ever are made for VHS. I especially like Clint Walker westerns.

very good western exciting
This video was excellent. I am surprised that more episodes of this series have not been released. But if any one wants to see a good western this is one that is a must see. Dennis Hopper is great as a Billy the Kid type outlaw. Clint Walker is great as Cheyenne. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Karloff helps Lugosi take revenge in the style of Poe
This is the early and more serious of the two films entitled "The Raven" made by Boris Karloff. In this 1935 version, directed by Louis Friedlander, Bela Lugosi plays Dr. Richard Vollin, who is so obsessed with the works of Edgar Allan Poe that he creates a dungeon in his basement with all sorts of torture devices inspired by the stories. The surgeon falls in love with one of his patients, Jean Thatcher (Irene Ware), to the dismay of her father Judge Thatcher (Samuel Hinds) and her fiance Dr. Jerry Halden (Lester Mathews). Now insane, Dr. Vollin vows to make them all pay. That is when the notorious criminal Edmond Bateman (Karloff) arrives on the scene to have his features changed by Vollin. However, the surgery leaves Bateman horribly mutilated and he agrees to help Vollin with his murders for a second operation to restore his looks to normal. Lugosi and Karloff are both adequate in their respective roles, although Karloff's disfigurement gives him the advantage of being the sympathetic one of the pair. "The Raven" is a below average Universal monster movie in terms of production values, which is too bad given the premise of all those toys in the basement. For better variations on the same theme you should check out the Dr. Phibes movies with Vincent Price. As for Poe adapted to the screen, obviously you want to check out Roger Corman's films, except for, ironically enough, his comic-horror version of "The Raven."

If a man looks ugly he does ugly things!
So utters poor Boris Karloff just before he becomes disfigured in a deliberately botched operation by the one and only mad doctor Bela Lugosi. "The Raven" is a famous title for a not so famous classic horror film teaming of two of the greats, Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. It has used the title of a poem by Edgar Allan Poe but there the resemblance ends and what we have is a very chilly tale about a Mad doctor , Dr. Richard Vollin who has an obssession with the writings of Poe and who in his spare time recreates the torture instruments employed in some of his short stories and poems such as "The Pit and the Pendulum". The role of the mad doctor is a field day for Bela Lugosi who has rarely had such a showy part as this after his famous role as Dracula.

The film literally reeks with creepy goings on and Boris Karloff once agin proves his worth as an actor in the role of Edmond Bateman a bearded fugitive newly escaped from San Quentin who comes to Dr. Vollin's in the hope of getting a "new face" but finds much more in the way of sinister dealings. What unfolds is probably the most macabre part of the film whereby the totally insane Lugosi further pulls Bateman into his web of terror by performing a disfiguring operation on his face which literally turns him into a monster. His new "look' is unveiled in a mirrored chamber where his horrible appearance is multiplied 6 times over to his absolute horror and he then goes on a rampage shooting his reflection with a gun to Lugosi's delight from a viewport above. Lugosi states "Your monsterous ugliness creates monsterous hate....I can use your hate!!" Which he proceeds to do. He is forced to assist the mad Lugosi in a scheme to win the hand of Jean Thatcher (Irene Ware) a young woman he assisted after a car accident, by removing any opposition to the match, her father in particular Judge Thatcher (Samuel S. Hinds).

The wonderful scenes of torture by swinging blade and compressing walls of a room are pure hokum but succeed in really giving "The Raven" a startling sort of quality that makes the film stick in your mind. Certainly Bela Lugosi has never been better and his continental accent which served him so well in countless horror efforts over the years really helps add a perfect sinister quality to his character here. Karloff comes across with the by far more sympathetic character and in the end he helps save Lugosi's potential victims at the cost of his own life.

Karloff's makeup throughout "The Raven" really is quite extraordinary and as repulsive as he becomes after the operation, his character still projects a sad quality in much the same way as his superb "Frankenstein" did.

Production values of this effort are ok. The film was not one done with a huge budget but nevertheless the scenes in Lugosi's eerie mansion, the torture chamber and the scenes in the wild storm that take up most of the last half of the films running time make it a very engrossing viewing experience. The unique opportunity "The Raven" offers to see a teaming of two 1930's horror greats in Karloff and Lugosi makes this film a viewing must for all horror fans. Enjoy!

Bela at his best..without a shadow of a doubt!
'The Raven'...along with 'Son of Frankenstein'....are Lugosi's two best films....by far in my opinion! We need to forget literary allusion here. We also need to overlook other cinematic criteria such as...other members of cast, production values, makeup...even dare I say it? Plot. The film refers and alludes to Poe...(ie. the torture chamber, the talismanic stuffed crow, the 'Lenore' stuff and also perhaps even a very subtle reference to Poe's own personal demons)....invoked in the Vollin character? Who knows?. For me the 'Black Cat' simply left me cold....too wordy, and nowadays feeble as horror. Its biggest letdown was not featuring Lugosi's talents. Karloff is technically a masterful actor...but he simply does NOT exude menace! Thus any film which gives Karloff the beefier part is doomed to fail. I actually fell asleep during the Black Cat. 'The Raven' is...by the country mile....a much superior vehicle for both Bela and Boris. We have here the perfect blend of both talents. Karloff bringing sublime pathos to Bateman.....(he brought a tear to a glass-eye with that....'hey i'm ugly but i really do have a heart routine'). A fantastic performance from Boris... I rank it one of his best. Ultimately though we are left to critique Lugosi playing the 'ultimate megalomanaical fruitloop'. And he does it like no other! I am very much a Lugosi fan but this video Rocks. Its simply his best..along with his Igor from Son of F. One scene in particular will be indelibly etched on my brain....prolly word for word. "Ill soon be krid of myee tortuure......krid of it".... then the eyebrows raise and the eyes become ecstatic. "THEN....ill be the sanest man who ever lived". Cue the maniacal laughter that only really Lugosi can do. Many have tried to emulate....there are none though like Lugosi are there? This film is simply a classic. Seminal viewing for horror fans and....although locked into the Universal themes of the day.....it's one worth buying and cherishing. It has set a standard for me. Go buy it NOW!!! Bwuhahahahahahah....lol.

One very spooky movie
Never mind the acting or the plot in this short hair-raising exercise.

There are at least 4 elements in The Raven that contribute to its being one of the most frightening movies ever made, terrifying not so much for their immediate impact as for their subconscious effect.

1. The idea of going to a plastic surgeon to change your face & having him horribly disfigure you & using that to manipulate & control your behavior.

2. The idea of an elegant & comfortable bedroom actually being an elevator that is locked & lowered into a dungeon chamber.

3. The scene where the fiance goes to rescue the woman in the bedroom, only the bedroom is gone & he nearly drops into nothingness.

4. The walls of the elevator/bedroom closing in to crush the occupants trapped inside.

I'm glad no one took me to see this when I was 8 years old. Disappearing bedrooms in particular would have taken years of expensive therapy to expunge from my dreams.

A Great Ol' Flick!
This movie, along with THE BLACK CAT, are two of the best movies that paired Lugosi and Karloff. As THE BLACK CAT had Karloff as the evil one and Lugosi as the hero (but not a typical one indeed!), this film reverses their roles. Lugosi goes completely over the top with his portrayal of the mad Dr. Vollin. He chomps the scenery big-time, but it's all part of the attraction of this film for me.

Outside of a few moments of forced attempted comedy, this movie is a classic! Highly recommended for classic horror fans, along with THE BLACK CAT! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Erich von Stroheim, the quintessential icon of Prussian severity and aristocratic decadence, brings a touch of class to The Mask of Diijon, although this low-budget genre film is already classier than most poverty-row thrillers. Diijon (Stroheim) is a haughty, humorless magician whose given up the stage for more "important" pursuits, namely the study of hypnotism. When he suspects his lovely young wife (Jeanne Bates) is having an affair with a chummy American musician, he puts his powers of hypnosis and elaborate magic tricks to work in a scheme of revenge. The plot is pure pulp and the picture tends to drag in the middle, but director Lew Landers, an efficient if modest craftsman, kicks off the film with a startling bit of Grand Guignol theater (a neat little trick with a guillotine shot in oppressive close-ups) and jolts the picture back to life with an action-packed conclusion and a deliciously dark sentence of poetic justice in the final scene. Unfortunately, the source material for the Image release is a well-worn TV print that's scratchy and full of splices; at times the flaws become unforgivably distracting. The film may not be a masterpiece, but it deserves better than this substandard presentation. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Master Diijon
Though intended as crime drama, this offbeat offering has as much to do with horror as noir. Von Stroheim, with his sinister squint and creepily cocked fedora, seems a preternatural presence as he skulks through the story, somehow hypnotizing the hapless into uncharacteristic performance. Modern viewers may find themselves tottering toward helpless tittering as he uses flicks and flashes from a lighter to mesmerize his foils. In the mid 40's, though, such a premise probably seemed less preposterous, and von Stroheim's Prussian mien must have exuded a milieu that tweeked the xenophobic. Seen from this perspective, the film may be of interest as a sort of period piece--and, regardless, it does have Erich von Stroheim...and a noirishly nifty finale!

Sevengali + Mad Magician ¿ A Budget= Barely Watchable.
I almost gave this 3 stars, then I remembered how turgid the buildup to the supposed climax was, and how contrived, improbable and lazily directed (by Lew Landers of Return of the Vampire) the "poetic justice" ending was, and so I took a star away.

This is a cheap movie which spins the tale of an angry and paranoid Von Stroheim, a formerly-great magician who now sits and broods and makes intense eyes at his wife while reading books on hypnotism. This is actually endurable for quite a long time, as the many close-ups of Von Stroheim's mug give him ample opportunity to utilize his many subtle yet weird facial expressions. His forehead alone is capable of 496 different wrinkle patterns, denoting fear, resentfulness, jealousy, disappointment, hate, dislike, intense dislike, detestment, amusement, and constipation, to name but a few.

But this movie is padded, and belongs to the school of thought which believes that slow in and of itself equals suspenseful. It will come as no surprise to even unsavvy viewers that Diijon (note the exotic second 'i') believes his wife of carrying on with the piano player where he made a semi-disastrous one-night comeback. (Actually, I thought his act went OK; I mean, he basically levitated a woman. So what if she fell after a while? Let's see your hoity-toity piano player do make a chick float!) Anyway, Von Stroheim's jealousy drives him to murder.

There is an interesting scene as V.S. walks down a foggy street hearing mocking laughter and seeing jeering faces. One can wonder if this at all parallels his real feelings, after his fall from grace in Hollywood, before his role in Sunset Blvd., when this Poverty Row material was all he could land. I'm not suggesting of course that he was behind any murders, but the glint of insanity in his saddened, sunken eyes was abnormally convincing.

Anyhoo, he learns he can hypnotize people with his cigarette lighter and his forehead, and succeeds spectacularly at this with a robber and a newsstand operator. How he got the notion to try his cigarette lighter in his moment of greatest doubt, the screenwriter leaves to the imagination of the audience. Some other stuff happens. Then Von Stroheim hatches his main plot to get his wife to shoot the piano player, if I may borrow the title of a movie from a more famous director.

This occurs with about 197 minutes left in the film, which explains the slooowww buildup I mentioned earlier. There's lots of walking and talking and a momentum-killing song. Then she shoots. But alas, the best laid plans of mice and men and magicians who also happen to be men... (She had grabbed a gun full of blanks. D'oh!)

Then there is a fast-paced but ultimately stupid chase and shootout and the villain meets his demise in the most unlikely way I can think of without introducing giant spiders into the plot. Actually, it makes some sense, but it's just so badly done.

Too slow to be much fun in many places, too predictable, and too phony at the finish to really recommend... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Robert Redford in an early appearance as a cowboy.
Robert Redford put in an extremely early appearance in this fine episode of "Maverick" featuring Jack Kelly as the title character's brother Bart. This one's a very good straight western involving a cattle drive and a character whose hand was amputated by Indians and casually uses an iron prosthetic to crush the skull of an argumentative associate. Redford has an oddly baby-faced look here, with ample cheeks and a hint of his famously acne-scarred complexion visible. Fast paced and well acted, this is an excellent example of a 50s TV western and an intriguing curio for Redford admirers. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

the best of maverick
maverick is a gambler and this is truer to the story line and is very entertaining it's clean fun to watch and maverick gets a taste of his own medicine buy it enjoy it!

Okay but not great...
The cover is misleading it shows Bret (James Garner) with his brother Bart (Jack Kelly), but Bart's not in this episode. The show is okay, but not as enjoyable as "Shady Deal at Sunny Acres."

A superb episode of James Garner's classic 50s TV series.
If someone asked me to choose one episode of "Maverick" that superbly illustrates my favorite television series' strengths, this might be it. James Garner's fascinatingly complex character Bret Maverick is on full display and Diane Brewster as Samantha Crawford, Maverick's primary female nemesis, is introduced in this episode in all her slipperiness and duplicity in a plot that revolves around a New Orleans riverboat gambling contest that hinges on an obscure poker rule of the day. The principals later segue by stagecoach to a western town with a crooked casino, where they encounter Leo Gordon as Mike McComb, Maverick's strapping Irish ally. Jodie Foster's character in the recent Mel Gibson movie version was based on Samantha, and Ms. Brewster's performance is a revelation, forcing the viewer to bemoan the policy of that period preventing most television actors from moving into theatricals. Warners' unsung but mesmerizing stable of character actors are peppered throughout the show to good effect, as is always the case with this series, and this episode has a classic feel, with lustrous lighting and photography and fascinatingly nuanced performances. This is one to watch repeatedly and serves as a superior companion to the movie version.

Perfect choice to know the best TV of the period
I saw this when I was younger and liked it then. It is ahead of its time. It instructs patience in the face of setback. Maverick loses badly to a woman, something that doesn't happen to a western hero, but Maverick takes it in stride, never missing a beat stays focused on his final outcome. There are lessons in morality, justice and determination. The best of its kind

Bret Maverick meets his match...
It's one thing for Bret Maverick to lose a poker game, it's another thing to lose to a woman, it's even worse when she beats him by invoking an obscure rule from Hoyle's Book of Games. But Bret's adventure with Samantha Crawford, played by Diane Brewster, is just beginning -- as he discovers when he follows her in an attempt to get his money back.

Originally aired: October 6, 1957 ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Garner started a new genre
Maverick is at his best as the cowboy - gambler who is the smartest guy in the room but used quips instead of arrogance to make his points. He is almost the anti-hero, because he isn't the fastest gun and knows it. He uyses his brains and sense of humor to win the day. He also has a strong sense of right and wrong, which was probably odd for a professional gambler.

I love all the garner Mavericks and wish they would release more.

Given that these were had in the 50's, they are all family friendly.

maverick-point blank
i got the maverick serouis years ago and its a great western to watch it differant than most becuse its funney and adventous and enjoyable to watch i recomend it to anyone its a good story and so are the rest! columbia movies? i think offers the conpleat searous of tapes thats how i got mine!check it out, it also offers have gun will travel great show i have almost all of them!

Good Maverick, not the best
I thought this was more of a standard western than other Maverick episodes. If you like the series, you'll enjoy adding this to your collection. if you haven't seen the series, I'd suggest starting with "Shady Deal at Sunny Acres" or "According to Hoyle."

The Maverick episode written first and meant as the intro.
This was the first episode of "Maverick" to be written. Roy Huggins had intended it as the first one to be broadcast as well but the studio insisted on using a rewrite of a story that they already owned instead, so that they wouldn't have to pay Huggins the creator fees. Standard policy for the period. 29-year-old James Garner is superb in delivering the complex and mature characterization of Bret Maverick and a young Mike Connors, who later played TV's "Mannix," is the episode's guest villain. The show has a verve, energy, and intelligence that set the tone for the run of the series. It is by definition an excellent start for experiencing "Maverick." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

White Warrior
Again, I love Cheyenne westerns and I think Michael Landon did a great job too! Wish there were more of the Cheyenne series on VHS.

The tallest and hadsomest cowboy the GREAT Clint Walker
Cheyenne series starring Clint Walker was probably the greatest cowboy star who through his personality dominated the screen .He was even a bigger star than Clint Eastwood.Just wathing him sitting on a horse is satisfying .This is one of his best westerns and I thoroughly enjoyed it .The print is excellent.Worth preserving as a classic.I dont know why warner Bros cant release a Gift Box containing 6 episodes of this great series.

Cheyenne - White Warrior
A fine entry in the long-running Cheyenne series, from Warner Bros. This episode features Clint Walker as a wagon train boss who rescues a young white man, played by Michael Landon, soon to star in Bonanza, who has been captured and brought up by the Indians. Not all the pioneers are happy with this, and led by B-western veteran, Morris Ankrum, they challenge Cheyenne. Beautiful print and Dolby B sound. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Roger Moore replaces James Garner as Maverick.
"Maverick" had suffered a steep decline from its glory days by the time this episode was filmed, but it's still a good show. Roger Moore replaces the absent James Garner as Maverick in this one, a task about as enviable as his replacing of Sean Connery in the role of James Bond years later. Moore did some extremely good episodes, though, one in particular written and directed by Robert Altman, but this isn't one of them and this isn't it. Jack Kelly as Bart Maverick and Moore as his cousin Beau work hard at it but the script in this one just isn't quite up to snuff, and Kelly plays the material a bit too broadly, something that would have been inconceivable in his work with Garner. It's worthwhile to dyed-in-the-wool Maverick adherents (like me) and Roger Moore admirers (you won't believe how young he looks in this, shot long before his later series "The Saint"), but this one should only be ordered after you've experienced the classic earlier episodes with Garner and Kelly. It's easy to see why Moore was chosen to replace Garner, though, since the resemblance between the two actors throughout the 60s is eerie. Later in the same season the studio went that one better, though, by hiring Garner lookalike Robert Colbert, dressing him in Garner's signature black outfit, and calling his character "Brent." ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great opener to a great series
I especially like the Maverick episodes that emphasize humor, and this one has many clever scenes. The highlight for me was seeing Bret sway the election to the ex-judge. However, I have to side with Phineas in the poker game at the beginning--No way I let Maverick bet with a sealed envelope.

The first episode is a strong introduction to James Garner.
This is the first episode of "Maverick" and is a marvelously written and photographed introduction to James Garner in his signature role of Bret Maverick. This program had to compete with the Ed Sullivan and Steve Allen variety shows, then considered impregnable, and understandably knocked them for a loop, with neither of them ever completely recovering their former standing in the ratings for a continuous period. Garner and his role are so striking that it's easy to see why; in an era of flat and colorless western heroes, he played a much more adult, complex and chronically fascinating character, making an electrifying impression on viewers of the day. Even though set in the Old West, "Maverick" has as urban a feel as anything on film. All the elements of the character are quickly established and Garner's performance is practically perfected out of the gate, with only a few minor changes made later: in this one Maverick wears a bow tie with his usual black broadcloth gambler's suit and hasn't yet figured out that he basically wears his hat on the back of his head (something Garner forgot when the series was revived in the eighties) but aside from that everything else is in place. Garner is also noticably thinner than he ever was before or since in anything, since he had an uncharacteristic bout with dieting and working out at the gym immediately before the filming of this episode. To kick off the series with a splash, this installment is a kind of rolling extravaganza of everything, with Maverick saving an entire town from the clutches of an mining baron in spite of the townspeople's fears. It is a television masterpiece. If that sounds anomalous, watch it and see if you don't agree. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Standing the Test of Time
I was about eight years old when Maverick was popular but I remember my family sitting around the television in the evening and watching the original episodes. When I found the Maverick video website I ordered two immediately. I looked forward to their arrival with great anticipation. At the same time I wondered if the program would live up to my recollections. I was astounded to find that it did, and we all laughed out loud at Shady Deal at Sunny Acres and the other videos I have purchased. The writers and producers of Maverick put a lot of time into these scripts and it shows. Its great to enjoy them again.

Best Maverick episode I have seen
If you are a fan of the 1950's TV series Maverick, starring James Garner and Jack Kelly, and have not seen this episode, then buy this video, and prepare yourself to be blown away. "Shady Deal..." is quite an excellent installment (among very many) of Maverick. What I love most about this particular episode is that it expresses quite well the foolishness of greed and of selfishness when it shows Mr. Bates, a dishonest banker, steal Bret's money and then immediately lunge into another man's monetary affairs, unaware that he is about to be conned out of his shoes. The episode makes me laugh when I see Bret just sitting and whittling, acting as if Mr. Bates' dishonesty does not worry him in the least. And above all, when I realize that brother Bart, Samantha, Gentleman Jack, Cindy, Dandy Jim, and Big Mike--quite a roster--have all assumed false identities, I am reminded that no one messes with the Mavericks and gets away with it. This episode was written unbelievably well, with the sharp, diligently collated plan carried out by Bart and his friends, and with Bret's laid back, subtle sense of humor, which portrays him as just an easy-going person and gives the show an amiably comical atmosphere--a quality that seemed to disappear from Maverick after Garner left the show. "Shady Deal at Sunny Acres" is sure to be esteemed among the greatest installments of the Maverick TV series. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

WHAT A GREAT SHOW!
I'm apparently a little young to remember this show when originally broadcast. I bought this one 'coz I love James Garner, and now I'm hooked on it. What a great show! It's got a solid plot, wonderful and well-executed characters, a good balance between humor and compassion, and the good guys win! What more could you ask for? I recommend this video even if you're not a great fan of the western genre.

The most fondly remembered episode of the best TV series.
This is the quintessential episode of "Maverick," the one that everyone remembers first and the one that sticks in everyone's mind. The entire supporting cast of running con-artist characters is featured, including the perfect Diane Brewster as Samantha Crawford, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. as Dandy Jim Buckley (his most winning role), Richard Long as Gentleman Jack Darby, and Leo Gordon as Irishman Big Mike McComb, among others, with John Dehner as the sublimely execrable villain of the piece ("If you can't trust your banker, whom can you trust?"). Jack Kelly as Maverick's brother Bart runs a complex con that is the forerunner for the film "The Sting" while James Garner as Bret Maverick spends most of the show sitting in a rocking chair and whittling, telling scoffing townspeople that ask how he intends to recover a stolen $15,000 within a self-imposed two-week deadline that he's "working on it." Somehow the image of Garner rocking and smiling and whittling is one of the three most memorable television images of the 1950s, along with Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan Show and Fess Parker as Davey Crockett on Walt Disney's Disneyland series. If you can't understand how this can possibly be the case, see for yourself.

Quintessential Maverick
I think this gem is my second-favorite Maverick episode (behind "A Fellow's Brother"). Some of the Mavericks were basic westerns, but this great sting episode showed the genius and humor of the show. John Dehner is once again great as a comedic villian. Definitely makes me wish that more Maverick episodes were available. ... Read more