Reviews (339)

A true masterpiece! A 5 star winner and a true classic!
The Wizard of Oz has got to be one of the greatest movies in classical and musical cinema history. For sixty years this movie has been the perfect choice for childeren and adults to watch and enjoy. The story is about Dorthy Gale who lives in Kansas with her aunt and uncle. When Dorthy decides to run away from home because of her feelings being empty a tornado hits and she and her house are taken to another world, the Land of Oz. A place where she finds friends like she never imagined like Glinda the good witch of the north, the beautiful witch who gives her the rubey slippers which posses power like any unknown. The scarecrow, a friendly man of clothing and straw who wants a brian, the tin woodsman, a sweet man made of tin who wants a heart, the lion, a kind and cowardly forest animal who wants courage and the wicked witch of the west, a evil witch who wants the rubey slippers and revenge on Dorthy for accidently killing her sister, the wicked witch of the east. As Dorthy and her friends follow the yellow brick to the emerald city, the place where the great and powerful and mysterious Wizard of Oz lives the magic of this film can tell the rest.

A true masterpiece! Excellent polt, characters, music and more. It holds an emotional presents that will touch everyone's heart and wish they were in the Land of Oz! See it and live through the magic of this timeless classical film of wonders.

An OZ-some DVD Experience
Like most baby boomers, I've watched this film dozens of times in the past on broadcast TV, then VHS tape, then LaserDisc ... but I had never actually SEEN "The Wizard of Oz" until this newly restored DVD came out. It's an amazing transfer. The sepia-tone Kansas sequences are startlingly sharp and clear, and the Technicolored world "Over the Rainbow" is truly dazzling. I found myself fascinated by details I had never noticed before: the glittering corn stalks in the Scarecrow's field; the mirror-like floors of the Emerald City; the polished buttons on the guardsmen's uniforms. Incredibly, even the individual grains of red sand in the Witch's hourglass stood out and glistened! All these minor-but-sumptuous visual details served to heighten the magical spell that the film has always woven, enhancing the performances, the story, and the music.

The DVD extras are a mind-boggling embarrassment of riches. The "Making Of" documentary hosted by the incomparable Angela Lansbury is worth the price of the DVD alone, but there's so much more: an international poster gallery, interviews with cast members, deleted scenes, production stills, radio clips, etc, etc. There's enough material to keep even the most casual viewer fascinated for hours, and a true Oz buff will be occupied for days!

If you only bought a DVD player to watch this one disc, it would well be worth the expense. Treat yourself, and fall in love with this classic film again ... for the first time.

The Wonderful Movie of Oz
I have been enchanted as I now watch the movie as an adult. It is not just a story about a girl from Kansas trying to get back home - actually, that was added into the movie: "There's no place like home" wasn't in the book even. I think it was a story of things that we want, and that we imagine these things may be granted by the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The scarecrow wants a brain, the tinman a heart, and the lion courage. On their journey off to see the wizard, they encounter the wicked witch of the west - who is determined to get the ruby slippers off of Dorothy's feet. Now, the thing I am puzzled by is at the beginning, Glinda is the one who reminds the wicked witch about the shoes. Then she is the one who places them on Dorothy's feet: "There they are and there they'll stay." Had she not had the shoes, her journey to the wizard would not have been so troublesome. Not to mention that the "good witch" sent Dorothy on a journey to a phony wizard. I wonder now if there was some kind of irony in that - since she was also the one who in the end tells Dorothy that all she has to do is click her heels together and say "there 's no place like home." While the movie is totally a classic I love and will watch over and over again, I am wondering about the book: Were the "ruby slippers" (which were silver in the novel) as magical - and - if there was no "no place like home" in the novel then I am wondering how Dorothy got back to Kansas. I think that because each time I watch this film I realize something new, it will always remain one of my favorite movies ever.

The Wizard of Oz is wonderful
The classic film! The Wizard of Oz is wonderful. Judy Garland's breakthrough performance. Beautiful.

Growing Up, Growing On
I knew every line of this as a kid. I loved the books. I even loved the sequel that everyone else hated because I love OZ. I tried to be "over" this movie for a long time as an adult. But every time I see it I re-remember why I couldn't get enough before. The quintessential fairy tale. All kids and all adults should watch it again to remind them that a movie can work without sex, violence or graphic anything really. It's scary -- touching -- and completely engrossing -- more so each year I grow older. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

The Sap Head
This l949 black and white movie still looks good. It has a screenplay written by ultra-individualistic Ayn Rand, based on her classic novel. But other than everyone being complete miscast and the film looking nothing like the book, this is a major dissapoint to this faithful Randist. Director King Vidor initially wanted Greta Garbo as Dominique but of course she refused. John Garfield was mentioned as Howard Roark. He would have been fantastic. Instead, they got laconic, low-keyed, much too old Gary Cooper who always made you think of a straw-sticking-out-of mouth cowboy. Patricia Neal simply ain't no Dominique Francon. Edward Carrere was the production designer, capturing nothing of hte grandeur of over-the-top architecture described in the book. William Cameron Menzies (who had designed Gone with the Wind, King's Row) should have designed this flick. Art direction should have been genius Anton Grot, instead of insipid william Kuehl. (Grot was the genius who designed the now legendary, nearly surreal sets of the Bette Davis/Paul Henreid camp classic, "Deception" with its football sized penthouse of the supposedly poor, struggling Bette--"I had to take in piano students!") Miles Anderson costume designs for "Fountainhead" were uninspired. Why didn't they get--again from "Deception"--the fabulous Bernrd Newman? Max STeiner actually did the film score but you'd never know it? He also created a masterpiece with his musical of Bette Davis' greatest film, the l949 "Beyond the Forest." They should remake this film today, have mature actors in the roles, not the MTV brat pack. Rand supposedly had a bloody time trying to keep her screenplay from being watered down--which it was.

Pressure can have unintended consequences . . .
Is what Howard Roark (Gary Cooper) tells Dominique Francon (Patricia Neal) about her fireplace. They're talking about er...marble.

This is in a scene which occurs shortly after their first encounter, when Dominique spots Roark and his muscular forearm working at a quarry operating a drilling machine into the stone.

After a long and prolongued silence which ranks among the best moments in cinema, she asks, from her height above the pit: "Why are you looking at me?" Roark replies: "For the same reason you're looking at me."

And if you think that's a good moment, wait till Roark's climactic speech to the jury. Over five minutes long. (What! A movie audience sitting still through a speech? Impossible!) and absolutely spellbinding.

The film version of Ayn Rand's bestselling novel was directed by the expressionist master, King Vidor, and the screenplay written by, of all people, Ayn Rand.

Who, during a pre-production party accosted Jack L. Warner and warned him that if he cheapened or otherwise dumbed down her work, she would dynamite his studio. She nmeant it. Jack smiled and gave her a cigar.

The Fountainhead is the story of a hero who wins.

By hero, we mean an uncompromising man of genius and absolute integrity. This seems as far fetched to us as Cyrano fighting a hundred armed swordsmen---and winning! (Rostand was a major influence for Rand ) It's clearly impossible. He's not in Russia, so he won't be shot, it's not that explicit--it's America, he's bound to quietly fade into obscurity and failure. It would be naive to suppose otherwise, so how can this be a triumph instead of a tragedy?

Thematically that's the question that Roark's alter egos Gail Wynand (Raymond Massey) and Dominique Francon ask themselves. Gail is the billionare owner of an "Enquirer" type of news rag who rose from poverty by giving the suckers what they wanted. He lives by the credo "Oppress or be oppressed."

Dominique wants to want nothing, the logical credo of a beautifull woman who is convinced that beauty and greatness have no chance at all in this world. We first meet her as she's destroying of a statue of a Greek god. She's fallen in love with it and can't bear the pain of neeeding it, or anything else.

As usual with Rand, these are tortured giants, not the "folks next door"

Critics of Rand are right in stating that they are improbable beings. (Name a great man or woman of history who isn't).

Roark does make Conan the Barbarian look like a wimp by comparison. But you see, that's the fun of it. As are her villains, who are NOT romanticized ( forget "Bonnie and Clyde" , "The Godfather" and the rest of zillions of ever so cool bad guys we've been fed by Hollywood for decades) they are chilling parasites, exemplified in the character of Ellsworh Toohey.

I'ts Ayn Rand, people. Teenage girl sexual fantasies out of Danielle Steele combined with the mind of an Aristotle! A strange but wonderfull combination.

And as to Cooper, Neal and Massey, their acting is phenomenal. Perfect casting and flawless directing by Vidor.

A true classic.

You don't need to know about the book to enjoy this film
While it was based on Ayn Rand's book, Ayn Rand personally altered the story to adapt it to film. It is a great movie that really makes the viewer think about many things including individualism, selfishness, and even what is right and wrong. For many people who take these notions as given from a very young, questioning them with an adult mind is a good idea. If you enjoy this movie, be sure to pick up and read some of Ayn Rand's non-fiction.

Absolute Hookum and a pure joy!
As an Architect, my opinion is biased by actual experience in this field, but, this movie made me laugh so hard the first time I saw it, it became one of my all time favorites. No architect I have ever met acted anywhere near as self rightious as Roarke, they'de be working at MickieD's the rest of there lifes, as NO ONE would ever hire them, not even to clean pools. Architecture is about knowing your client needs and providing a solution that meets all the requirements of the client, city, and context. That being said, this movies a HOOT!!!

First off, too all the Rand-ites out there, THIS IS A MOVIE! get over the fact that the book is better, every book is better than the movie, thats the nature of the beast.

For the Non-Rand-ites out there, SEE IT SEE IT SEE IT. This movie is a melodramotic potboiler of bad movie bliss. Dont get me wrong, the production values are excellent, its beautifully shot and the cinematography is terrific. The archtectural projects are really spectacular and completely impossible to build, so they are way over the top. But the script is pure Hooey! and the music is sooooo overly-dramatic. Thats what makes this such a great film too watch. Only Ann Rand could take a good novel and cram it into such a laughably compacted screenplay. I felt I has watching cliffnotes from the novel. In the first 5 minutes a year of the story goes by, and the whole film is like that.

There are some very good moments in the film though, topped by Coopers speech to the jury. But the best sceen is after the "drills in the quarry" scene when Patrica Oneill is thinking of Cooper and in the background are images of drills with this completely campy Xylophone music acompanying it. Its one of the most overtly sexual suggestive scenes ever put of film and it hilarious, and dont forget to wait till the end, when you can see the Worlds Greatest 200 story Phallic Symbol ever created on film in the Wymann Building, with Cooper standing on top of course!

Great!!
If you liked the book... get this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Movie Lover's Delight
While it takes many liberties with the Baum story, it is a great movie. For Oz purists like myself, it would have been nice to see more of the original story in this movie (like Oz being real and not a dream!), but this movie is, on its own, wonderful. With a beautiful score (including "Over the Rainbow"), very funny dialogue, an amazing cast, special effects, and a charming story, who can ask for anything more?
What the movie does not lose is the magic of the Oz books, and it is this magic that has kept the movie fresh for over 60 years. And it almost wasn't this way. The movie, in its planning stages, almost turned into a starring vehicle, with Shirley Temple as Dorothy, and Fanny Brice or a similar commedienne as Glinda, at another time an operetta; in both cases it would have certainly lost any of the original Oz material.
Anyone who likes this movie should purchase the "Making of" video, which sheds light on the creation of this classic, and includes tons of deleted footage, home movies of backstage goings-on, and more! ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Lovely , simply charming and heartwarming
This movie touched my mind in so many ways. One thing it brought to mind was that the most important things in life are still free. The cast was excellent and the cinematoghraphy was beautiful. I truely enjoyed this movie. An excellent choice for those who love history with a lot of romance.

Good Entrainment with a Few Flaws
Great Cast with a great story is not always the best combo, but this DVD is a keeper. Audrey Hepburn as Natasha does the best with her multi expressions & cute dialogue during the many courtships throughout the film. Henry Fonda as Pierre comes in a close 2nd, but at 1st he seems out of place, too passive. Later this lack of emotion or evolvement shines forth as he goes though many hardships as a prisoner of Napoleon. Mel Ferrer as Prince Andrei, then Audrey Hepburn's real husband, has the same problem as Henry Fonda, he drifts in & out of character. I believe the problem with the main male actors is that they played it too straight. The woman who played Prince Andrei's 1st wife did the worst, she over acted like a silent movie star. The supporting cast does a great job, specially the actor playing Nepoleon. This is exactly what I think Nepoleon looked & acted like in the early 19th century. The phyical height & size for the French emperor are perfect, & the letting of free opinion to be express, yet at the same time having the over powering will to bring Europe to his knees. Desite the flaws, this version of "War & Peace" will give you a short stroll, with a "to the point" idea of a western classic with great photography & sound. I try not to watch it too many times because I don't want to wear it out.

the Hollywood version
This film is a bit of a mess, but nevertheless very entertaining, mostly because of Audrey Hepburn...her charisma and enthusiasm make up for a lot of the muddled and mixed performances that surround her in this star-studded production of Tolstoy's masterpiece.

Hepburn's then real life husband, Mel Ferrer, does a pretty good job as Prince Andrei and Henry Fonda is Pierre, who despite sounding like "Young Mr. Lincoln", gives a convincing performance, and has several fine scenes. Nino Rota's score is a curious one, as the beautiful Italian-flavored melodies we're accustomed to hear from him are replaced by Russian folk tunes and battlefield music.

Perhaps too many big names and too many writers (6 of them !) made the heart of the book get lost, but this is Audrey's movie, and she's a delight to watch.

Still The Best
This is an appeal to Hollywood, if anyone's listening.
I first saw this film in 1956, when it first opened in the UK.

I've seen it several times since, but all I can get here across the pond, is a second hand video at an extortionate price of nearly £ 40.

Please can we have it on DVD? SOON!

Hello?
Hasn't anyone ever heard of something called DIGITAL RESTORATION? Why must evryone keep waiting for sudios to release all these movies on proper 3- disc sets with a proper restoration. i mean, look what they did to My Fair LADY, it was so well restored that i couldn' tell the difference. even gone with the Wind hasn't had a proper DvD release yet. ... Read more

Reviews (339)

A true masterpiece! A 5 star winner and a true classic!
The Wizard of Oz has got to be one of the greatest movies in classical and musical cinema history. For sixty years this movie has been the perfect choice for childeren and adults to watch and enjoy. The story is about Dorthy Gale who lives in Kansas with her aunt and uncle. When Dorthy decides to run away from home because of her feelings being empty a tornado hits and she and her house are taken to another world, the Land of Oz. A place where she finds friends like she never imagined like Glinda the good witch of the north, the beautiful witch who gives her the rubey slippers which posses power like any unknown. The scarecrow, a friendly man of clothing and straw who wants a brian, the tin woodsman, a sweet man made of tin who wants a heart, the lion, a kind and cowardly forest animal who wants courage and the wicked witch of the west, a evil witch who wants the rubey slippers and revenge on Dorthy for accidently killing her sister, the wicked witch of the east. As Dorthy and her friends follow the yellow brick to the emerald city, the place where the great and powerful and mysterious Wizard of Oz lives the magic of this film can tell the rest.

A true masterpiece! Excellent polt, characters, music and more. It holds an emotional presents that will touch everyone's heart and wish they were in the Land of Oz! See it and live through the magic of this timeless classical film of wonders.

An OZ-some DVD Experience
Like most baby boomers, I've watched this film dozens of times in the past on broadcast TV, then VHS tape, then LaserDisc ... but I had never actually SEEN "The Wizard of Oz" until this newly restored DVD came out. It's an amazing transfer. The sepia-tone Kansas sequences are startlingly sharp and clear, and the Technicolored world "Over the Rainbow" is truly dazzling. I found myself fascinated by details I had never noticed before: the glittering corn stalks in the Scarecrow's field; the mirror-like floors of the Emerald City; the polished buttons on the guardsmen's uniforms. Incredibly, even the individual grains of red sand in the Witch's hourglass stood out and glistened! All these minor-but-sumptuous visual details served to heighten the magical spell that the film has always woven, enhancing the performances, the story, and the music.

The DVD extras are a mind-boggling embarrassment of riches. The "Making Of" documentary hosted by the incomparable Angela Lansbury is worth the price of the DVD alone, but there's so much more: an international poster gallery, interviews with cast members, deleted scenes, production stills, radio clips, etc, etc. There's enough material to keep even the most casual viewer fascinated for hours, and a true Oz buff will be occupied for days!

If you only bought a DVD player to watch this one disc, it would well be worth the expense. Treat yourself, and fall in love with this classic film again ... for the first time.

The Wonderful Movie of Oz
I have been enchanted as I now watch the movie as an adult. It is not just a story about a girl from Kansas trying to get back home - actually, that was added into the movie: "There's no place like home" wasn't in the book even. I think it was a story of things that we want, and that we imagine these things may be granted by the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The scarecrow wants a brain, the tinman a heart, and the lion courage. On their journey off to see the wizard, they encounter the wicked witch of the west - who is determined to get the ruby slippers off of Dorothy's feet. Now, the thing I am puzzled by is at the beginning, Glinda is the one who reminds the wicked witch about the shoes. Then she is the one who places them on Dorothy's feet: "There they are and there they'll stay." Had she not had the shoes, her journey to the wizard would not have been so troublesome. Not to mention that the "good witch" sent Dorothy on a journey to a phony wizard. I wonder now if there was some kind of irony in that - since she was also the one who in the end tells Dorothy that all she has to do is click her heels together and say "there 's no place like home." While the movie is totally a classic I love and will watch over and over again, I am wondering about the book: Were the "ruby slippers" (which were silver in the novel) as magical - and - if there was no "no place like home" in the novel then I am wondering how Dorothy got back to Kansas. I think that because each time I watch this film I realize something new, it will always remain one of my favorite movies ever.

The Wizard of Oz is wonderful
The classic film! The Wizard of Oz is wonderful. Judy Garland's breakthrough performance. Beautiful.

Growing Up, Growing On
I knew every line of this as a kid. I loved the books. I even loved the sequel that everyone else hated because I love OZ. I tried to be "over" this movie for a long time as an adult. But every time I see it I re-remember why I couldn't get enough before. The quintessential fairy tale. All kids and all adults should watch it again to remind them that a movie can work without sex, violence or graphic anything really. It's scary -- touching -- and completely engrossing -- more so each year I grow older. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One is compelled to say, in these Politically Correct times, that Northwest Passage takes a distinctly "unenlightened" view of the 18th-century American colonists' Indian neighbors. Then again, everything about the world portrayed in this early-Technicolor production is harsh: the repressive policies of the Crown-backed Boston magistrates, the expectations Maj. Robert Rogers (Spencer Tracy) has for his guerrilla warrior band, the bloodthirsty war-making by the Abenagi Indians (reciprocated in kind by the colonials), the ferocity of flood-swollen wilderness rivers, and the breathtaking, unforgiving vastness of the virgin forest in which, surrounded by beauty, Rogers's Rangers very nearly starve to death. As an action film, Northwest Passage peaks early with a predawn, retaliatory raid on an Indian village--horrific choreography by the master filmmaker who made The Big Parade. But the grim march back from this mission is too harrowing to call anticlimactic. Robert Young and Walter Brennan costar. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (14)

A wonderful movie
"Northwest Passage," based on the first part of Kenneth Roberts' historical novel of the same name, is an American classic. One of the first Technicolor features, it brings to life colonial America and the brutality of the French and Indian War, which proved to be the training ground for George Washington and other leaders of the Revolution. The fascinating aspect is that the troops of Rogers' Rangers not only have to battle the enemy (Abenaki Indians, who are allied with the French) but also the environment and, at times, their own commander, Maj. Robert Rogers, played by Spencer Tracy as an almost-superhuman leader. (The novel paints a different portrait by its conclusion; there is foreshadowing of this in the film.) Notable are the performances of Tracy, Robert Young (perhaps his best big-screen role) and Walter Brennan. The delightful music of Herbert Stothart completes the picture. As fans of the film would say, "See you at sundown, Harvard."

Top of the line Adventure film
Northwest Passage still holds up after 60 years. Great outdoor locations and excellent color cinematography make this a most watchable classic. Spencer Tracy is perfect as Robert Rogers, the first American commando during the French and Indian wars. Robert Young is also excellent as Langdon Towne, a Harvard failure talked into joining Roger's Rangers. Add the always entertaining Walter Brennan and you have a very good movie, perfect for almost all ages. This film will keep your attention. I'm surprised that this movie hasn't been mentioned more often as one of the better adventure films ever made. Historically speaking, the film follows the Rangers' raid on St. Frances without adding any undo Hollywood hype. I strongly recommend this film for anybody 8 years old and up.

Tracy at his Best
Without a doubt, this is Spencer Tracy's finest performance; and since most of his contemporaries in Hollywood regarded him as the best actor in town it's a pretty high standard. (Clark Gable said it embarassed him to work with Tracy in "Boom Town", his fellow actor was so good). King Vidor's film is based on a portion of Kenneth Robert's historical novel and doesn't soft-pedal for a moment the mutual hatred that existed between whites and reds during the French and Indian War. The movie is about a raid into Canada by a troop of American guerillas led by Tracy, and the fantastic hazards they faced coming and going, with a blood-curdling battle sandwiched in between. That battle action is the most realistic 18th-century warfare I've ever seen captured on film and a highlight of director Vidor's career. Robert Young and Walter Brennan provide stalwart support, but it is Tracy's performance that overawes everything else as the forceful but flawed leader in search of the impossible.

Spencer? Uh, yeah!
I couldn't help laugh about another reviewer complaining about the choice of Spencer Tracy as the star of this movie. He believes that because of World War II most of the "better" actors were in the service and thus the studio had no choice but to hire Tracy. And yet he still questions this casting decision. No offense, but that is a laughably absurd.

Ignoring the fact that the U.S. was not yet involved in World War II at the time this movie was released (1940) and thus none of Hollywood's leading men were in the service, one would be hardpressed to say who was a better actor than Spencer Tracy at this period. The man had just come off two back-to-back Best Actor Oscar wins ("Boy's Town" and "Captains Courageous") and was at the pinacle of his spectacular career when this movie was made. Asking if someone better than Spencer Tracy could be found in 1940 is like asking if someone better than Tom Hanks could be found in 1998 or better than Russell Crowe in 2002.

Spencer Tracy was an amazing actor and he does a terrific job bringing to life the legendary Robert Rogers. As a huge fan of the Kenneth Roberts' book upon which this movie is based, I confess that everytime I read Rogers' dialogue I hear the voice of Spencer Tracy. That's how good Tracy embodies this character. He really demonstrates the courage, determination, and command presence of the man. Tracy's "Major Rogers" is the kind of man you would follow into combat! Yet Tracy also brings out the human side of this legend- hints of Rogers' failings are dropped on occasion and showing his breakdown when he realises that a promise he made to his men will not be kept by reasons out his control. It's a great performance and it truly propels the movie.

The only problem with Tracy's casting in this role was not his talent, the man was at the TOP of his profession in 1940, but his age. The real Robert Rogers was just in his mid 20's when he leaped onto the pages of history and legend. Spencer Tracy was well past age 40 when he made this movie. Yet, most people aren't aware how young some historical figures really were and generally have no problem with middle-aged actors playing these parts. (I noticed this trend in reading reviews for "Glory" and the recently released "The Alamo." Some reviewers complained that the actors who play Col. Robert Shaw in "Glory" and William Travis in "The Alamo" are too young which ignores the fact that Shaw and Travis were both just 26 when they died.)

A very good view of the French & Indian War
Northwest Passage is a very good account of the attack on St. Francis. It is very accurate in many ways and I recommend it highly.
Robert Young plays a fictitious character shot though the mid-section and was still able to walk all the way back to civilization. Beleive-it-or-not, it did happen. I believe the real man's name was Lt.Ogdon. He did survive such a wound in that battle.
Spencer Tracy is excellent as usual and the scenery is beautiful.
Some will say that the film is racist and brutal. It was; but this is an historical film and you must view it, or any historical film or book, with the morals of the time in which it is set. You cannot look at it with present-day morals. If you are unable to do so, then, to be an educated person, you need to read more history and learn what things were like and what people thought about the American Indians, and the French for that matter, in the 1750's and 60's. Thus you will learn how far we have come in the last 200 years in our relations with other peoples. We may not be perfect yet, but we're getting there. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Still True Today
Anyone who dismisses silent films out of hand is making a big mistake in passing up The Crowd. This film is every bit as relevant in the 21st century as it was in 1921.

John is an average guy, typical in every way, including his dreams of grandeur, and his parents' ambitions for him. The last is exquisitely expressed in the opening scene.

This is one of those films in which the camera participates in telling the story, always a promising sign in a film. It's particularly true in this film. The ending shot may make you gasp.

This film is heavy, and not a film to watch if you're feeling bad. It's a downer, yet beautifully so; you won't regret its sobering message.

Try to get copy of the film that runs close to two hours. Versions that are under an hour and a half may not simply be missing scenes, the may be too fast. Sound films are shot at 24 frames per second, while silent films are anywhere from 12 to 20 frames per second. Some videotape producers don't take this into account in reproducing the film, and it looks like it's in fast forward.

There are few film I can say without exception will be enjoyed by everyone, but this film is one of them.

waiting for the ship to come in
Made in 1926-27 by King Vidor, with brilliant cinematography by Henry Sharp of huge crowd scenes, often with superimposed layers of film, this is a classic; beautifully acted and scripted, it is one of the best films of the silent genre.
It follows the life of John Sims, born on July 4th, 1900, who is average in every way, with great hopes and dreams, struggling to make a living in New York City. Every scene is full of symbolism, representing man searching for his uniqueness among the masses, and with the eventual acceptance of himself as an individual.
There are quite a few moments of comic relief (the Christmas Eve conversation with the in-laws is hilarious), but most of it is tragic; as he finds out after a death in the family, "the crowd laughs with you always...but it will cry with you for only a day".

This was an experimental film for Vidor, and one of the many risks he took was casting an unknown actor, James Murray, to play John, and the choice was a good one. Eleanor Boardman (who was married to Vidor at the time) is marvelous as John's long suffering wife Mary. Also excellent is Bert Roach, who plays John's best buddy Bert.

There is a famous camera shot early in this film, that was made with the help of a scale model, which seems as though one is going up the side of a skyscraper, through a window, and into an office. It also is a film without a heroic figure, which made the studio hesitant to release it; little did they know it would stand the test of time, and would be still seen by many, 75 years later, and appreciated as a work of cinematic art.
The restoration is excellent, and it is enhanced by an orchestral score by Carl Davis.

In a word: masterpiece
"The Crowd" is quite simply one of the most powerful and moving films ever made. I have had the pleasure of watching it many times over the years, both alone and as part of a "crowd", and its impact has always been the same: leaving me and the rest of the audience breathless with emotion. Directed and co-written by the wonderful King Vidor (surely one of the greatest talents ever to work in the Hollywood system) and featuring extraordinary cinematography from Henry Sharp that still startles 80 years after the fact, "The Crowd" is one of those rare instances where everything comes together to form a perfect artistic whole. An integral part of that artistic perfection is the acting from the two leads, James Murray and Eleanor Boardman, who give riveting, true-to-life performances as the film's symbolic "everyman and woman", John and Mary. Anyone who believes the old chestnut that silent film acting is too artificial and stylized to work for modern audiences should see this film. I know that the term masterpiece gets used far too frequently and lightly these days, especially apropos Hollywood cinema, but IMO "The Crowd" is one instance when it is truly merited. Thanks to the combined efforts of Thames Television and composer Carl Davis (a great talent in his own right and major friend to lovers of silent Hollywood film), we are fortunate today to have a beautifully remastered and re-scored copy of "The Crowd" but sadly it is only available on VHS, and even this is discontinued, or through the occasional cable TV screening. Surely , this is a film that demands a major DVD release...hello, Criterion?

A Truly Amazing Film
Though I have seen more than a few silent films, none engrossed, affected or touched me as much as King Vidor's 1928 masterpiece The Crowd did. I caught it by chance on TCM in June and have found myself thinking about it quite frequently since. Unfortunately, the moment I tuned into The Crowd was not the beginning. What's more unfortunate is that this amazing silent film is unavailable on DVD. With such masterful acting, direction and cinematography, The Crowd is a film so involving that the absence of dialogue is scarcely missed. I was really blown away. Just...wow! The Crowd is absolutely deserving of the deluxe DVD treatment; hopefully it will get just that someday soon because a classic like this needs to be available.

King Vidor's enduring classic of the Amercian silent screen
"The Crowd" is rightly considered one of the enduring classics of the American silent screen. King Vidor's 1928 film tells the story of an average man, John Sims (James Murray), married to the average woman, Mary (Eleanor Boardman, who might be the most beautiful actress I have ever seen in a silent film), told in a naturalistic style (for the most part; there are some obvious exceptions such as the distorted sets and strange perspectives) that enhances its simple truths. Murray had been an extra until Vidor made him a star, knowing that his story would never work with a leading man in the role of the American everyman. John Sims is one of the faceless office workers (#137) in New York City, a dreamer who secretly writes advertising slogans hoping one will be his big break. He finds Mary and proposes, honeymooning in Niagara Falls and then returning to live in a Manhattan flat overlooking the noisy el-train. Years go by and John has made nothing of himself to improve the lot of his wife and two children. The pivotal point in the film comes when the long dreamt for success finally arrives, only to be followed by a brutal tragedy. Yet while the characters find themselves trapped in the depths of despair, the audience will certainly recognize the uplifting ending, especially since it is obviously a reflection of themselves. Still, even with its final sense of hope, the film offers no solutions, an idea audiences would have been uncomfortable with if it had been made more explicit. Vidor was nominated for an Oscar, the first year the awards were given, but lost out to Frank Borzage's "Seventh Heaven," a more popular film that enjoys no where near the reputation of "The Crowd" today. My Top 10 Silent Film list is still being developed, but this one has got to be on it. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Bette Davis longs for live and love in the big city
"Beyond the Forest," the 1949 film noir directed by King Vidor, marked the end of Betty Davis's career at Warner Brothers. Davis plays Rosa Moline, who is bored to tears with life in Loyalton, Wisconsin and her dull but decent doctor husband Louis, played by Joseph Cotton. Garishly decked out in long black tresses, a bunch of pink frocks and too much lipstick, Rosa pursues Chicago industrialist Neil Latimer (David Brian), who represents the big city life he dreams about. Rosa keeps on top of her husband's books, making his patients pay their bills so she can visit Chicago. Finally her husband has had enough and tells her to go and not bother to come back. When her lover rejects her as well, the now pregnant Rosa throws a major tantrum and then gets involved in a murder because of her love for Neil.

"Beyond the Forest" does over step its film noir bounds and descends into camp from time to time, mainly because of Davis's performance. The character does not really suit her and there are scenes where it really shows. The film benefits from Vidor's fast-paced direction and Max Steiner's score, providing above average dosages of violence and eroticism. However, this film is best known today because it has the "What a dump" line immortalized by the opening scene of Edward Albee's play "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf." The answer to Martha's unanswered question is "Beyond the Forest."

Trash kindled into inferno by Bette Davis
This is the much-maligned King Vidor film from 1949 whose opening line, uttered by Davis as Rosa Moline, is "What a dump!" (Edward Albee borrowed it as Martha's opening line in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.) The overheated plot has to do with frustrated passions, adultery and homicide in small-town Wisconsin. Joseph Cotten as Dr. Moline all but vanishes, and David Brian is, well, David Brian (he had but one arrow in his quiver). There are stretches where the only interest lies in gaping at Davis long black wig -- though her excursion to the big bad city is wonderful. But the film's final moments redeem it. Davis, sick with peritonitis from a botched abortion, abuses her Native American maid, gulps gallons of water, slaps on her makeup and finery, and crawls toward a train whose whistle seems to shreik "Chicago, Chicago!" It's an eye-popping, over-the-top cinematic Liebestod.

Bette Gone Bad!
I rented this a few years back & instantly fell in love! It is right up there with Liz Taylor's "Boom!" and Joan Crawford's "Berserk."
Bette stars as bored hothouse Rosa Moline who longs for a better life "beyond the forest." To achieve this, she steamrolls over her weakling husband and has a torrid affair with an out-of-town doctor. What makes this film even more fun is the pre-production backstory. Davis had long been a thorn in the side of her studio & Jack Warner finally wanted her gone. He, personally, dug through a mountain of scripts to find the worst of the worst & VOILA!...he chose this film. To make it even more agonizing he chose King Vidor to direct Bette with the following instructions: "let her chew it to pieces! And she did!!!

Always the survivor, Bette was back a year later with All About Eve!

All In Good Fun...
There has been so much buzz about this film and it's placement as Bette's worst role (she even hated it). This film is just a camp classic on many levels. It may be that ridiculous black wig that Bette wears, or maybe the fact that she is in her early '40s, and playing a character in her early '30s. It could be that over-acted court room scene, or maybe even the way Bette puffs on those cigarettes and rolls her eyes (as if she is mocking herself!) Whatever it is, I absolutely love this movie for those reasons listed above! Also, there is a rumor that Bette purposely turned out that performance to mock her studio because she fought to NOT play this role. Needless to say, this film ended her contract with the Warners studio. It may not be a classic, it may not even be a good film, but it is definitely amusing and an absolute must-see!

WHAT A DUMP!...
Yes, this film carries that immortalized line, "What a dump!". This is, however, about all it does. This was the end of the line for Bette Davis in terms of her career at Warner Brothers. I cannot imagine that she voluntarilty did this film, however, as she is made to look ridiculous. With an unbecoming, long, black, gypsy wig plastered to her head, tight fitting youthful clothing on her by now matronly form, and garish makeup, all she is missing is a crystal ball, Ms. Davis tries to make the audience believe that she is the town femme fatale for whom all men hunger, and all woman envy. Unfortunately, this is one of the few times that she fails to succeed.

Here, Davis plays the amoral Rose Moline, a lusty, small town gal in Loyalton, Wisconsin, hankering for the big city life in Chicago. Married to small town general practitioner, Dr. Lewis Moline, a regular Casper Milquetoast, played with long suffering saintliness by Joseph Cotten, Rose lives in the best house in town, has a maid whom she verbally abuses, and lacks for nothing, except the excitement to which she feels entitled. In her eyes, her husband is nothing more than an albatross around her neck, a serious impediment to her life's dream. They simply do not speak the same language, and the viewer is left to wonder what it was that ever made them get married in the first place.

Rose ends up having an affair with hunky Chicago millionaire, Neil Latimer (David Brian), thinking that he will marry her and take her away from all this. Rose will literally stop at nothing to secure this one chance to leave her past behind and begin the life for which she has always hungered. Davis, however, never succeeds in convincing the viewer that her romance with millionaire industrialist Neil Latimer has any realistic chance of success. In fact, the scenes of Rose in Chicago, pleading her case with Latimer as he makes it clear that he is spurning her, are the best scenes in the entire film. When it later appears that he intends to marry her, after all, it is patently not believable, and the film descends into the ridiculous. When a monkey wrench is thrown into her plans on the brink of success, a desperate Rose will stop at nothing, even murder, to ensure her heart's desire.

Davis plays her role with utter abandonment, and the viewer has to wonder whether her over the top, cartoonish performance was her pay back to Warner Brothers for making her do this film. While Davis often has been lauded for her over the top performances, this is not, unfortunately, one of her more notable ones. Moreover, the ending of the film is heavy handed and mawkish, sending the viewer the age old message that evil will not triumph in a most melodramatic fashion. Still, fans of Bette Davis will enjoy this film, as will lovers of classic, vintage films. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Massive Biblical Epic From A Bygone Era Of Filmmaking
United Artist's "Solomon and Sheba", for undeserved reasons often finds its way onto those notorious "Worst Fifty Films of all time", lists compiled by who knows who. Nowhere near as well known as that other great epic of the same year "Ben Hur", this film is a visual feast for the eye and displays all the trademarks of the old school of Hollywood filmmaking, lavish costumes, breathtaking sets, superbly staged battle sequences, unbridled romance and fiery sword play. I'm always impressed by the sincerity that was put into productions like "Solomon and Sheba", in the 1950's where you can see the total commitment to what they were doing by cast and director. Like alot of these epics the polished look on screen often hides the sometimes chaotic goings on behind the scenes. Just a few weeks into production star Tyrone Power suffered a fatal heart attack on set during a sword fight with costar George Sanders. The filming was thrown into disarray as a replacement was frantically sought. Yul Brynner, no stranger to the lavish types of epic productions was quickly cast to take over the role of Solomon, king of Israel. A better choice really couldn't have been made and he combines well with the beautiful Gina Lollobrigida who is ideally cast as the alluring Queen of Sheba.

In the original Bible stories only scant mention was made of the Queen of the mysterious land of Sheba and it revolved around a state visit she made to Israel. The producers have used that one mention to fashion an intriguing story of power, passion and rivalry in the Court of King Solomon. The story of "Solomon and Sheba", begins in the dying days of the life of King David (Finlay Currie) and the growing rivalry between his two sons, warlike Adonijah and studious Solomon . Always his father's choice to lead the 12 tribes of Israel, Solomon is elected King upon David's death which worsens relations between the two brothers. Solomon's great reputation for wisdom and fairness over bloodshed soon earns him the respect of the people but arouses the fears of his neighbours, in particular the Pharaoh of Egypt who fears what Solomon's real plans are, never understanding that a man can be by nature peace loving. To infiltrate Solomon's kingdon the Pharaoh sends his own ally the beautiful Queen of Sheba to spy on him and to achieve by her favours what no army would be able to do, ie, the destruction of everything Solomon stands for. Despite her well laid plans which involve getting Solomon to sacrifice everything he believes in for the pleasure of possessing her the Queen finds her own feelings changing as she begins to see the selfish plans of Pharaoh and the truly great character that Solomon possesses. His love for the foreign queen however inflames the leaders of the twelve tribes to opposition to his leadership as they see Solomon betraying their cause at the feet of a enemy queen and her Pagan Gods. The discontent also inflames the frustrations of Adonijah, long harbouring resentment towards Solomon for being passed over in the succession on their father's death. With support dwindling to almost nothing Solomon then faces the forces of Pharaoh who invades Israel only to be beaten by the much smaller armies of Israel who come together for the sake of the twelve tribes and destroy Pharaoh's armies by the ingenious method of reflecting sun off their brightly polished shields causing the Egyptians to fall into deep ravines on the battlefield. In the final confrontation after the mob attacks the Queen of Sheba with stones, Adonijah fights Solomon in the ruins of the famed temple and is killed, finally freeing Solomon from his heinous interference. In the final fadeout by a magical transformation the Queen is returned to life unmarked by her battering with stones and vows to return to her own land to try and introduce some of the wise policies and way of thinking possessed by Solomon.

Being the last directoral effort of veteran King Vidor and boasting a larger than usual budget the viewer is treated to a sumptuous production. The acting so often dismissed as hokey in these types of films is uniformily fine here with Yul Brynner excellent as the pacifist Solomon. He had great ability with handling "biblical dialogue" as was already seen in his commanding performance in De Mille's "The Ten Commandments". George Sanders, always excellent with villianous characters is also ideally cast as the ambitious Adonijah, who's life work is to steal Solomon's throne. Gina Lollobrigida makes a memorable Queen of Sheba and she is both majestic and seductive, in particular in the at times over the top orgy scene where she lures Solomon into the pleasures of the flesh. Production values are top rate with breathtaking on location photography in Spain passing for parts of the Holy Land. Special effects also play a prominent role in the stunning visuals of "Solomon and Sheba", from the outstanding battle scenes showing the destruction of the Egyptian army, to the destruction of the Temple by lighting.

"Solomon and Sheba", is a personal favourite of mine and has so much more of interest in it compared to alot of modern epics. It also still contains the eerie last minutes of Tyrone Power's life preserved in the climatic sword fight scene between Solomon and Adonijah where if you look closely enough some long shots of the actor are present. For all lovers of large scale epic productions "Solomon and Sheba", is unsurpassed entertainment.

A MOVIE OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS...
I must say that this film was a very pleasant surprise. It was released in 1959 when biblical epics were at their zenith. Starring Yul Brynner, Gina Lollobrigida, George Sanders, and Marisa Pavan, this film is not lacking in star power. It is a lush, compelling story.

The film details the rivalry between Solomon (Yul Brynner) and his older brother, Adonijah (George Sands), the warrior. It was a rivalry that grew out of the fact that Adonijah was passed over for succession to their father David's throne upon his death. It was Solomon who was chosen to rule Israel. This was to cause a rift in their relationship that would be irreparable.

The film also details the love affair between the beautiful Queen of Sheba (Gina Lollobrigida) and Solomon, wise in all things except love. It shows how an affair that started out as a political maneuver on the part of the Queen of Sheba would turn into a selfless, passionate love of the heart. It was a love that would almost rend a nation asunder.

Yul Brenner, as the viewer has probably never seen him (with a head of hair), is excellent as the idealistic and tolerant ruler. Gina Lollobrigida turned out to be a much better actress than I had imagined. She is sensational as the beautiful, exotic, voluptuous Queen of Sheba. She also has a figure that must have been the envy of every woman at one time. It is a perfect hourglass figure that shows off her striking and seductive costumes to perfection.

George Sands is compelling as the envious Adonijah, who sought to take what was not his by any means, fair or foul. His desire for the throne would compromise the very existence of Israel and lead to a climactic finale. Moreover, his hatred for the Queen of Sheba was as great as that of his hatred for his brother. This wellspring of emotion was to have great repercussions for all.

Despite a pagan orgy scene that is so over the top as to be laughable, this is a spectacular biblical epic that will keep the viewer riveted to the screen.

Mikka's Review
I loved this movie because i was young when it came out. Also because at that time movies were made with some class and dignity. Now that i have matured alot i referr back to the good old movies. Remakes of these old movies just don't seem to make it exciting anymore, too much special effects and not al;ot of storyline.

The Wisest Man That Ever Lived?
Yul Brynner's role reminds me quickly of his role in The Ten Commandments as he and a half-brother are rivals for the throne. He pulls off the part quite nicely and the scene in which he judges which of two women is the true mother of a child is well done. The rivalry makes sense, but the involvement of the Pharaoh of Egypt seems contrived and gimmicky. There is suspense building up steadily and it is easy to like Solomon and to sympathize with his dilemma. This Bible movie does not have as much scriptural content upon which to base a plot and therefore has more of a challenge in production than a story of King David or of Samson might have; nevertheless, a believable plot is offered and the work is admirable. On the negative side, I thought the Prophet Nathan was too young and that the beauty of the temple was greatly minimized.

This Wasn't A Comedy?
Yul Bryner with hair? Gina Lollobrigida as the Queen of Sheba?

Yeah, Liz Taylor's "Cleopatra" was a stretch, but "Solomon and Sheba" is beyond belief!

When I saw it over thirty years ago, I thought it was a turkey, then! My original appraisal has not changed ! ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Sprawling western, silly plot
Duel in the Sun was supposed to be the next Gone with the Wind for David O. Selznick. The hyped film boasts an all star cast: Jennifer Jones, Gregory Peck, Joseph Cotton, Lionel Barrymore, and Lillian Gish. The acting is over the top, especially Jennifer Jones' sultry Pearl. Gregory Peck seemed to enjoy his change of pace role as Lewt and enacts the role with gusto. It was a change from his heroic characters that he played in his earlier films. Joseph Cotton is the virtuous brother, Jesse, who does not choose to "forget" that he catches Lewt with Pearl, much to Pearl's hearbreak.

The ending of the book had Jesse and Pearl vanquishing the evil Lewt and riding off into the sunset. Looking at the over the top finale of this movie, I wish the producer had stayed with the ending of the book. The lines are laughable ("You know I had to shoot you," cries Pearl. "Yes, dear, I know you did," answers Lewt.)

There are many cliches: Lewt catching Pearl swimming in the nude and not allowing her to leave the water and get her clothes. Pearl throwing herself at another man to make Lewt jealous. Pearl's transformation, where she decides to become a wanton, her facial expression changing to reflect this.

I understand the "dance of the sump" was left out of the film, where Pearl dances for Lewt. It was supposed to be "indecent" but in retrospect might have been a source of amusement to contemporary audiences.

If you are looking for representative films from the Selznick studio, consider the following instead: Gone with the Wind, A Star is Born, Portrait of Jennie, and The Prisoner of Zenda. For MGM, Selznick produced such standout films as David Copperfield and Anna Karenina. For better films pairing Jones and Cotton, look for the films Love Letters and Portrait of Jennie. The two are at their best in those.

Epic, Sprawling Horse Opera (Roadshow Edition Review)
Sweeping! Magnificent! Corny! Romantic! A west that never existed is splashed across the screen as only David O. Selznick, the master of such gargantuan Hollywood classics as "Gone With the Wind", "Since You Went Away" and "Rebecca" could give us.
This is not the revisionists west of the 1990's, nor that West of the gritty operatic glamour of Sergio Leone's "Once Upon A Time In The West." You will not find the spare clean and lean beauty of John ford's West. What we have here is the epic telling on a screen that screams to be stretched into widescreen and spills out over the audenience the lush and romantic horse Opera of Pearl Chavez, the McCanles clan and the coming of the railroads in the 1880's.
From the moment the overture replete with unneeded narration begins you know you are in for a melodrama of purple emotions and blood red vendettas. The opening scene is set in a saloon on a scale of a modern Vegas casino. There amidst the wild gunfire of overheated cowboys and insanely spinning faro wheels we are introduced to the Scarlett O'Hara of the West, half-breed Pearl Chavez. As played by Jennifer Jones she is just about the hottest tamale to ever hit the pages of a screenplay expressly written to drive men mad, turn brother against brother and defy a "Sinkiller". What Jane Russell was supposed to be in "The Outlaw" we get in Technicolor spades in the form of Miss Jones.
She takes huge hefty bites of the massive sets and chews them to a fare thee well and in the process creates a wanton nymphomaniacal character of such charm, heat and passion that she is truly a motion picture original. This is the best thing Miss Jones ever did because it is so out of control and beyond the pale of her more subdued performances. Of saints, teenage war brides and ghosts of lost love.
As Lewt McCanles we get the hottest, meanest, most excitingly nasty performance Gregory Peck ever was allowed to give. And what an irresistible bad boy he is. He was never sexier or more wonderful than in this departure from the Peck norm.
Even the usually dull Joseph Cotton manages to rise above his typically dry rolls, but not too much, in the thankless roll of the good brother. He seems a little too old for the part and a little too polished. Someone like Charlton Heston might have been more on the spot.
Lillian Gish steals every scene she is in with quite assuredness and only finds completion from the ever-prissy Butterfly McQueen. In her final scene with Lionel Barrymore Miss Gish makes off with the scene so quitly that you are hit with it's impact only after the fact. Barrymore creates one of his most beloved curmudgeons as Senator Jackson McCanles full of sound and furry and ultimately signifying less than nothing. His introduction to Pearl topped by a sneeringly shocking racial slur that encapsulates his character and time and place.
Another highlight is the cameo by Walter Huston as "The Sinkiller". What can be said of him is only this, pure cinematic magic.
The film unfold with such a sense of grandeur and awe that it sweeps you along to its incredible ending on the wings of epic pure camp poetry. The Dimitri Tiomkin score is a masterpiece and much famed over the years for the incredible call of the bells set piece.
The three cinematographers involved, Hal Rosson, Ray Rennahan, and Lee Garmes paint movie memory after memory with the palate of hot dusty hues that have long been forgotten by audiences of today. To see it now is perhaps more exciting and thrilling than it was in 1947.
All of this mad mixture of melodrama, mush and music was orchestrated by the master showman of his time, the ultimate huckster of smoke and mirrors and consummate barometer for just what we wanted in our early epics of the America that never existed, David O. Selznick, who added the "O" to his name just because it looked better on the marquee. When they say that off heard lament "They don't make'um like they used to." Both Mr. Selznick and "Duel In The Sun" are what they are talking about. If they still made them like this then something would be terribly wrong. Thank god they did make films like this once upon a time and we still have them to lose ourselves in a dream of what never was and what will never be again.

Dreadful sound transfer
The dvd image is great, the soundtrack transfer is horrible: drops in volume and the dialogue is often distorted.

POINTLESS REISSUE OF ALREADY AVAILABLE DVD
Producer David O. Selznick never thought small. Dreaming of a magnum opus on the same grand scale as "Gone with the Wind" and, perhaps a little bit self-conscious of the fact that his recent affair with Jennifer Jones had yielded only one stellar performance from the starlet - and not even in a film he had produced - Selznick's driving ambition to make Jones a star on par with the likes of Vivien Leigh, led him to handcraft "Duel in the Sun." This was to be an extravagant Technicolor epic about a doomed mulatto, Pearl Chavez (Jones) and her rabid lust for, Lewton McCanles (Gregory Peck, in the uncharacteristic part as the villain), the ruthless son and roguish playboy of retired senator and bigoted rancher, Jackson McCanles (Lionel Barrymore). After Pearl's father, Scott (Herbert Marshall) murders her mother, Pearl is sent to live with Jackson and his wife, Laura Bell (Lillian Gish) on their sprawling ranch, Spanish Bit. Pearl is determined to live purely and plainly, but her incendiary disposition leads into the arms of Lewton. Jesse McCanles (Joseph Cotten), the good son, is forced to leave Spanish Bit, returning years later to find that his brother has become a ruthless tyrant and outlaw. Buttressed by a fiery backdrop about the colliding sensibilities of old West morality and the true Northern ambitions to tame it, "Duel In The Sun" ultimately became an overblown melodrama that seemed almost a garish lampoon of "Gone With The Wind" rather than its successor. It did respectable box office at the time but very little to advance Jennifer Jones' career into the echelons of super stardom. Prior to its release a sensual dance sequence that Pearl performs around a tree stump for Lewton was deleted because the censorship of the period found its sexual implications...well, shocking. Selznick's usual attention to craftsmanship and story design also seem to be absent from this occasion. He repositions Butterfly McQueen (Prissy from "Gone With The Wind) as the Prissy-esque house maid, Vashti, who is even dumber than Prissy and, Selznick muddles the supporting cast with oddities of all sorts, including Walter Huston as a religious zealot, determined to rid Pearl of her sexual demons, and Charles Bickford, as an over-the-hill farmer who offers Pearl his hand in a loveless marriage. Because of its sexually charged subject matter (there is, after all, a rape, a murder and the prospect of lovers committing suicide in the mountains) "Duel In The Sun" acquired the rather unflattering moniker of 'Lust In The Dust.'
"Duel In The Sun" had previously been made available from Anchor Bay in a stunning road show edition. MGM's reissue is the truncated theatrical version - also made previously available through Anchor Bay. On all three DVD incarnations, colors are well balanced, though on this new version they seem a tad more dated from the rich and vibrant colors on the Anchor Bay version. Black levels are good but fine detail is lost in many darkly lit scenes. There's also more noticeable film grain on this version than the Anchor Bay edition. The audio is remixed to stereo but only marginally appealing, sounding rather forced and re-channeled. There are NO extras.
There's nothing to stand up and cheer about here. If you are a die hard fan of this film, or westerns, then you will definitely want to look up the out of print copy from Anchor Bay, rather than this reissue. Aside from being longer, the Anchor Bay version also tends to be a better visual presentation overall.

Don't know why this movie has such a bad rap.....
It is WONDERFUL!!! What more could one ask for from the Golden Age of Hollywood: Producer David O. Selznick(he did a little something called "Gone With the Wind" - you may not remember that one....), beautiful Jennifer Jones, a young Gregory Peck, stalwart support from Joseph Cotten, a crotchtedy Lionel Barrymore, a luminious Lillian Gish, supendous 3-strip Technicolor, a decent story for a western(my least favorite movie genre), and a history that would equal Selznick's other "little movie" - GWTW. The DVD of this does the film justice, although some commentary or other supporting features would have been fantastic. I have the Anchor Bay releases of this film and just got this MGM release-they seem to be taken from the same source material, which is very, very good. This film's reputation needs to be defended - sure it was shocking in 1947, but in 2004, they could probably touch on these topics in an "Waltons" or "Litte House" episode. Judge for yourself - get this movie - you won't be disappointed!! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A VINTAGE MASTERPIECE.
King Vidor, this film's director was vitally interested in social issues: here he wanted to show the rest of 1929 America what the black man was going through. This early talkie was the first all-black feature film and indeed one of the boldest pictures ever made - M-G-M knew it wouldn't get much of a release in the deep Southern states of the U.S. Using many amateurs - for instance, Harry Gray - who played the Parson - was a janitor at a Harlem newspaper - Vidor proved his genius by elicting performances from the melange as good as might be seen in a seasoned troupe. Shot on location in Tennessee, every frame is redolent with authenticity: it's a huge film and no expense was spared to recreate various eras. The love scenes are realistically and believably executed, and the film doesn't date nearly as much as one would suppose. In my opinion, Nina Mae McKinney was a fascinating performer who should have had more to do in films: here she plays Chick, a vibrant beauty among lowlifes. Some of the picture gets overly dramatic - with Holy Roller meetings, a wake, cabarets and various Plantation scenes -but its filled with humanity and a true understanding of the way it was back then. Tunes include AT THE END OF THE ROAD, SWANEE SHUFFLE by Irving Berlin and nearly every well-known spritual ever written. Originally filmed as a silent, the sound was added in post production.

A unique glimpse of black music in the 1920s
I would broadly agree with the Maltin review quoted here; but it's worth commenting on the musical side. The film gives, in some sections, a remarkably authentic representation of black entertainment and relgous music in the 1920s, which no other film achieves. Unfortunately some of the sequences are rather Europeanised and over-arranged. For example, the outdoor revival meeting, with the preacher singing and acting out the 'Train to hell', is entirely authentic in style until the end, where he launches into the popular song 'Waiting at the End of the Road'. Similarly, an outdoor group of workers singing near the beginning of the film are saddled with a choral arangement of 'Way Down upon the Swanee River'(written by Stephen Foster, who never went anywhere near the South) - no black workers would sing that!. The best sequence is the dancehall, where Nina Mae McKinney gives a stunning performance of 'Swanee Shuffle' - just the right sort of popular song; although actually filmed in a New York studio using black actors, the sequence gives the most accurate representation I've ever seen of a low-life black dance-hall -part of the roots of classic jazz. Nothing else on film comes near this: most Hollywood films sanitize black music out of all recognition; and later, in the 1930s, when black artists began to show their real styles, jazz had moved on to become more sophisticated and the whole style of behaviour had changed. All this makes the film a unique document: and it's worth adding that the soundtrack is a remarkable achievement, given the primitive equipment available at the time, using a much wider range of editing and mixing techniques than is generally thought to have been used so early on in talkies. (Reviewed by Roger Wilmut)

a magnificent milestone
The first all-African American feature film ever made, "Hallelujah !" was also King Vidor's first "talkie", and one that he was willing to forfeit his salary for in order to make.
Those who might be troubled by "racial stereotypes" are failing to see the exquisite beauty of this film, and its place in cultural history; it is an astounding film for all Americans, especially those of African descent, to watch and be proud of.
A melodramatic morality tale, it is about a naive cotton farmer who falls into the net of a pretty but corrupt girl, and his rocky road from sin to redemption.
It also shows the hardship of the life of a sharecropper; the wrenching poverty and backbreaking labor, as well as the faith to survive it all.

Daniel L. Haynes is extraordinary as Zeke. Had he been born 50 years later, he would no doubt have been a major world superstar. Incredibly handsome and charismatic, he was also blessed with a marvelous voice, and great acting ability. Thank goodness this film exists, as a remembrance of his enormous talent.
The other members of the cast are also excellent, with Nina Mae McKinney as the seductive Chick and Fanny Belle DeKnight, as Mammy Johnson, Zeke's mother who never gives up hope for her wayward son. The scene where Mammy holds the children in her arms and sings a lullaby is one that moves me to tears; this is a film that expresses much love, and the best of human characteristics.

The music is glorious, combining spirituals like "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" with songs like Irving Berlin's "Waiting at the End of the Road", and there are also some superb dance numbers. I was particularly delighted by the short but well executed sand soft shoe in the bar scene, a style that started in the early 1910s during the minstrel shows. Tap dancing has its roots in slavery, and the history of this unique American art form is fascinating; anyone interested in the evolution of American dance will love this film.
The b&w cinematography by Gordon Avil is crisp and uses stark contrasts, and for the most part, there is little evidence of its age. Coming from the same era, and with similar themes of good and evil, this film shares a kinship with the DuBose Heyward and Gershwin versions of "Porgy and Bess". Total running time is 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Well done!
This was the second talking feature featuring Black Americans ("Hearts in Dixie" w/Stepin Fetchit seems to be MIA). But it's very good. Oh sure, the story's a tad hackneyed (Country boy goes to the big city and is bamboozeld by city gal), but the execution of it all makes it worthwhile. Daniel Hayes is good as the country boy (wait til you see the "train sermon") and Nina Mae McKinney makes me proud to be a South Carolinian. You'll really enjoy the climactic scene, which is remarkable considering the primitive state of sound films in those days. But enough of that-see and enjoy.

Nina Mae McKinney Is The Best! Lena and Dorothy-Forget It
For awhile I heard of Nina Mae McKinney, I read she was married to the same man Billie Holiday would marry. Not much is said, but when you see this film you'll fall in love with her and wonder how come she's forgotten. Nina Mae McKinney was the first black beauty on the screen, she was a raw beauty, down-to-earth beauty. After one big movie, Nina Mae McKinney starred in movies as a maid, another film I suggest is a film short "Pie Pie Blackbird". Nina Mae deserved more then what she got from MGM. MGM could of made her into what Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, and Greta Garbo was to whites. Even though she was a hell of a performer, she had a little bad attitude which cost her a lot of work. But a lot her films are around, they may be hard to find, but their around. I hate how people she paved the path for Lena Horne and Dorothy Dandridge, she may have, but people often say Nina Mae was their role model, not really. If you ask me I think Nina Mae McKinney was better then all of them but she wouldn't kiss the white man's [bottom]. This movie is the ultimate black movie, telling about black southern life. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Money Isn't Everything
Robert Donat, an excellent actor who made too few films, stars as a young English doctor who enters the profession with many ideals and dreams, but loses them along the path of his life. Rosalind Russell stars as the schoolteacher he marries that loves his ideals, while Ralph Richardson and Rex Harrison are doctors he befriends at different points in his life. Richardson believes in helping the regular man and that money is not important, while Harrison treats wealthy hypochondriacs in between fancy lunches and golf games. The message of the film is pretty obvious, and there are some slow parts. But the acting is fine, with special praise to Richardson who has a number of showy moments. It's one of those stories that reminds us that money isn't everything.

Fine medical melodrama, very heartfelt.
This is a wonderful screen adaptation of the classic novel that deals with a Doctor in Great Britain as he struggles with the entrenched medical establishment. The film is dated, of course, and may be a bit slow for modern tastes. The lead actors are mostly fine in their roles, although Robert Donat as Dr. Manson seems to be somewhat conflicted in his motivations. Rosalind Russell gives an excellent performance as Dr. Manson's highly-principled wife. Ralph Richardson does a great supporting turn as a flawed physician desperately trying to reclaim his humanity. His impassioned plea to Dr. Manson to join him in a preventative care group is one of the highlights of the film. A very young Rex Harrison does a nice job as a society doctor. Overall, this is a highly watchable film with a delighful cast and a relevant storeyline. I would highly recommend this film, especially to anyone in the medical profession.

A Doctor's struggle with morality in the world of medicine.
This is a moving and beautifully acted film about a doctor who attempts to be a courageous and moral man in his practice. Robert Donat is superb as Andrew Manson-- a man who begins his career with dreams of healing people without any compromises, then later is challenged by the material temtations of his profession. This film is a great story and has an incredible scene at the end, reminiscent of the ending bridge scene in "Its a Wonderful Life". I recommend this movie highly! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

give it five
a charming, moving, funny, excellent movie. a masterful piece of film making featuring a wonderful performance by marion davies. watch her here and it is impossible to believe the myth that the only reason she was a movie star was the super-heated sponsorship of william randolph hearst. this movie is almost like a funny version of a star is born, with a happy ending. william haines shows why he was one of the great stars of the late silent era. a good, happy evening of old movie watching.

Total delight that gets better with time
"Show People" is an experience not to be missed. Even if you are not a fan of silent cinema you could not help but be won over by this production. It has the unique distinction of being one of the very rare examples of both Marion Davies and William Haines work on video. I have never seen any of the other films of either artist but I'm sold on them after purchasing my copy of "Show People"

Marion Davies is a revelation in the lead role of Georgia born Peggy Pepper who arrives with her pushy father to "crash Hollywood" and become a "great dramatic actress" only to find herself dumped into slapstick comedies where she spends her days being sprayed with water and throwing custard pies!!

For too long Marion was kept a prisoner of William Randolph Hearst's effort to turn her into a dramatic queen of the movies when in reality she was a superb commedianne. "Show People" showcases her in a superb role ideally suited to her comic talents and she runs away with the film. The classic "audition" scene is absolutely priceless where she is asked to display different "emotions" like sadness, anger etc while raising a hankerchief up and down from her face .It still convulses me every time I see it. For that scene alone the film is worth seeing.

The great William Haines, while taking a back seat quite rightly to Marion in this instance, is also wonderful in his role of the slap stick star who firstly helps Marion and then finds her "going Hollywood" and looking down on him and his craft. He displays a great cheeky quality as well as a pensive other side to his nature which is just perfect for the role.

The film gives us as modern viewers a unique look into the Hollywood of the 1920's. I love the scenes showing how the director led the acting of the principals while filming was going on and the wonderful comic bits that are similiar to Keystone Cops really make you feel a sentimental pang for those far off days of filmmaking.The film has many scenes displaying remarkable Hollywood landmarks and its wonderful to see how MGM looked in the late 20's. Many distinguished actors and actresses make cameo appearances including John Gilbert, Douglas Fairbanks and in a very funny little scene Charlie Chaplin asks for Marion's autograph with her not knowing who this little man is!!

Marion gets to run the gamut of emotions in this production and has a marvellous time spoofing everthing from the Hollywood pecking order to vamping it up and doing a beautiful send up of class "A" drama queen Gloria Swanson. The scenes after Marion becomes a great dramatic actress are really interesting when she is teamed with a "Latin Lover" type popular in this era in Hollywood. The actor in question is a dead ringer for another of my favorite performers Ramon Novarro and he is terrific as the stuck up Ladies man who very much believes his own publicity!

All in all "Show People" is a memorable viewing experience that I would recommend to anyone. I believe, from what I know of her as an individual, that this role really showed the fun person that Marion was in real life. No wonder then that she was loved by practically everyone in Hollywood for all her great qualities, her warmth and her great capacity for friendship. Enjoy!

Marion Davies' Best!
Out of the entire film legacy tha