Description

70's action caper about two police detectives in San Francisco - Freebie and Bean. They've been working for months to bust Red Meyers, a local numbers racketeer. Finally there's a break in the case, but before they can arrest the crook, ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Thouroghly Fantastic. Witty, clever and an absolute riot.
This is without the best buddy cop movie ever made. Arkin and Caan make a fantastic team. The only real problem is that it thinks that it is an action comedy wheras it is actually a drama with action and humerous parts. One of the best crime movies of the 70s. Despite it's age it still manages not to be dated. Although it isn't totally PC it reflects how people were and still are. Gay people are still called fags, Caan's racist remarks to Arkin are just between two friends and don't have a real meaning. Some of it is incoherent but this, along with the other flaws are nothing compared to the superb acting talent and script. Arkin and Caan complement each other perfectly and there are nicely acted supporting roles especially from Bean's wife played by Valerie Harper.

Overall a must see film which is worth viewing after viewing. Top stuff!

Freebie and the Bean Is Great Fun
Great and forgotten buddy-cop/action/ comedy movie which is a forerunner for other movies like Lethal Weapon, Running Scared, etc. Good comedic chemistry between James Caan and Alan Arkin in the title roles of two undercover cops trying to nail a mob king pin Red Meyers (Jack Kruschen) and at the same time trying to protect him from a reported "mob hit". Their banter of partners who annoy, but still very much care for each other is done well and seems ad-libbed.The film is an action/comedy, but there are serious moments to add to the film's slight absurdity. This includes a sub-plot in which Alan Arkin is trying to figure out if his wife (Valerie Harper) is cheating on him. Valerie Harper gives an outstanding but brief performance as Arkin's no-nonsense and faithful wife. There is a hilarious motorcycle chase scene through the streets of San Francisco, an incredible stunt of crashing a car off an elevated highway into an apartment building, and a climactic confrontation at the Superbowl game at Candlestick Park. Overall... Very Entertaining! On network TV the movie is edited beyond recognition, but the video has all the scenes restored. Too bad it is not on DVD. Look for Loretta Swit (TV's MASH) in small cameo as the gangster's mistress.

It's a great comedy!
Check this out:

Arkin plays a Mexican-American cop nicknamed "Bean" (I can see now why this movie didn't receive more promotion) who is smart about police work, but so dumb that he can't figure out that his wife is having an affair. Bean believes that phalic-shaped vibrators are for facial massage only, "because that's what the ads say," he remarks offhandedly to Freebie, played by Caan.

Caan plays Freebie, a white cop who, besides being terrifically cynical, is a two-bit con artist to boot. Together, the two make a sort of fantasy partnership, incorporating some slapstick along with some dry humor along the way.

The characters aside, the minute details of the screenplay are the cogs that make this movie work: Caan's spoken fanfare, "Taaa Daaa!", when the pair's car hits the ground after sailing over a moving railroad flatcar. The way the two can't seem to get in sync during an interview with the city's police commissioner. The nonchalance displayed by everyone when the two sail into the apartment of an older couple from a highway overpass.

I saw this at a local theatre after it was released, which was over 25 years ago. In terms of humor, it's much more sophisticated than current films with similar themes that hammer home slapstick gags without any sense of subtlety.

In terms of being an action flick, it's not quite up to that genre, especially when compaired to "The French Connection", "The Seven Ups", or "Dirty Harry", which were all films of that era.

Parts of the screenplay are somewhat weak, and don't exactly contribute to the overall story. However, it is a very funny film that has held up very well over time.

Best cop comedy / Car Chase Movie EVER but HORRIBLE VHS
This movie is dying to get on DVD WIDESCREEN.A TRUE CLASSSIC and one of the best action comedy movies I have ever seen.The very many CAR CHASES in this movie out do ones like "Bullit" & "French Connection" BY FAR! Top notch stunt driving. This is the movie Richard Donnor stole to make "lethal Weapon". James Cann plays the crazy over the top (not overly serious suicidal though) rough cop, and Alan Arkin plays his more relaxed partner. The acting and chemistry between these two great actors is simply outstanding and comical. My ONLY PROBLEM WITH THE MOVIE IS: that whoever put this on VHS Video should be ashamed of himself. It is in standard VHS FULL SCREEN FORMAT that is the absolute worst transfer I have ever witnessed to VHS. Not the picture (the color, ect. is ok), the full screen zoom is the problem and that it's NON Pan & Scan, and throught the entire movie the viewer is treated to senceswhere nothing is in view and zoom up close ups of everything of nothing. WIDESCREEN version is BADLY NEEDED for this movie to be shown correctly or atleast a professional pan & scan copy for vhs.I CAN'T WAIT UNTILL THIS MOVIE IS PUT ON DVD IN IT"S WIDECREEN GLORY and I can view it the way it was when I seen it in the movie theatre when it was first released. Even when on very rare occassion they show it on tv, it is still this bad VHS full screen version that in my opinion is not worht even watching because you DO NOT see much of what is going on and with all the action and stunts the viewer really misses a great movie. See it on this VHS ortelevision and it's like watching a bad movie. See it the way it was intended and anybody (guys anyways) should think this is one of the best cop-action-comedy movies ever made.I'll give this VHS 1 star. Just because IT IS A OUTSTANDING MOVIE.The rest of this VHS COPY stinks.

Please make a DVD copy
Scenes from this movie pop into my head seeming at random for the rest of my life. I saw it 25 years ago, and still love it. The restroom scene with the dropping bullets is just one scene that stays with you! Loved it. Gotta get the VHS and will watch for the DVD version. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Errol Flynn Shines As Legendary Lover!
THE ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN was intended as something of a 'comeback' film for Warner Bros. resident 'bad boy', combining the heroic elements of 'ROBIN HOOD' and 'THE SEA HAWK' with Flynn's well-established (by 1948) reputation as a hell-raising womanizer. Unfortunately, the color production was not a box office hit, but the comic adventure is today embraced by his many fans as one of his best roles!

It was not an easy film to make, as Flynn's carousing and frequent disappearances stretched the filming out by months, and forced frequent reshooting. Director George Sherman, cinematographer Elwood Bredell, and editor Alan Crosland often had to 'cut-and-paste' snippets of many takes to achieve a decent performance from the star, and careful lighting had to be used to play down the increasingly obvious effects of the star's hedonistic lifestyle. (The opening sequence, and closing scene, featuring then wife Nora Eddington, were shot nearly a year before the remainder of the film, and the change in the Flynn's physical appearance is clearly evident.) At 38, the star, who always hated being called a 'pretty boy' (to the extent that his home had no mirrors) was aging rapidly, and badly.

All this being said, Flynn tried to give the film his best he could. It had been a landmark film for his friend/mentor John Barrymore, in the first Warners' film with sound, employed for music and special effects only, in 1926 (THE JAZZ SINGER would introduce 'talkies' a year later). It reunited him with friend and frequent costar Alan Hale, who, at 56, was still a popular character actor, and whose son, Alan Jr., was starting to make his mark around town (he would eventually be best known as the Skipper in 'Gilligan's Island'). The script for DON JUAN passed through many hands, including uncredited help by William Faulkner and Robert Florey, with the end result being marvelously funny, tongue-in-cheek, and swashbuckling, to boot! The score, by the legendary Max Steiner, became an instant classic, and would be reused, years later, in George Hamilton's ZORRO, THE GAY BLADE. This was a film which, despite Errol Flynn's self-destructive lifestyle, had enough talent involved to still stand up as one of the better films of the 1940s.

The plot involves roué Don Juan, tossed out of England after breaking up a 'diplomatic' wedding (a VERY funny scene), returning home to Spain to find evil Duke de Lorca (the sublimely nasty Robert Douglas) controlling weak King Phillip, and taxing the population to near starvation, with only the beautiful Queen Margaret standing in his way. Flynn quickly dispatches a de Lorca press gang, earning the Count's hatred, and the Queen's attention...and Don Juan finds himself truly falling in love, for the first time, with the youthful monarch (played by the radiant Viveca Lindfors). Assigned as a fencing master at the Academy, the legendary lover draws the ire of the Queen by stating his feelings for her, then is manipulated into another disastrous diplomatic blunder, involving, of course, another woman. On the run, he discovers de Lorca's ultimate scheme (manipulating the Crown into war), and with the help of the students of the Academy, he must save the King and Queen.

Featuring a great early appearance by Raymond Burr (as a de Lorca henchman), and a stirring final duel between Flynn and Douglas (expanded from the 1926 version, and featuring an astonishing climactic stairway jump, performed by stuntman and future 'Tarzan' Jock Mahoney), THE ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN is a gloriously adventuresome romp. Sadly, it didn't save Flynn's flagging career, but it certainly has earned a place among his classic films!

very good!
Errol Flynn is perfect as the romantic figure Don Juan. This is a must see film with adventure and romance. It's colorful and one of Flynn's best.

The Greatest (Next to Robin Hood)
Errol Flynn's Robin Hood is one of the greatest adventure films ever made. But after you've seen it again and again, you wish you could see the same thing only different. And that's what Don Juan is. We still have the incomparable Flynn at his best, we still have the fights and the swordplay, and a bunch of Flynn's acolytes storming the old castle (this time they're not men in green tights, they're men in black swordsmen tights, but what the hell). It's "almost" a remake of Robin Hood, and that's why it's so terrific. If you loved Robin Hood, you'll like Don Juan. And if you like Don Juan and haven't seen Robin Hood, well, lucky you, you're in for one of filmdom's supreme achievements.

A Classic Swashbuckler
"Adventures of Don Juan" was Errol Flynn's last memorable swashbuckler before his sad decline. A loose remake of John Barrymore's "Don Juan" (1926), this 1949 production is colorful escapism on a grand scale -- abetted by lavish sets, Oscar-winning costumes and a fine Max Steiner score. Flynn's deterioration is somewhat evident, yet this dissipation seems appropriate for the debauched Don Juan. The light-hearted romanticism of "The Adventures of Robin Hood" is replaced by a darker and sometimes brutal tone. Robert Douglas and Raymond Burr are appropriately slimy villains, while Viveca Lindfors' Queen of Spain is not easily won over by Flynn's charm. Admittedly, the film is a bit dialogue-heavy and one can see how Warner Brothers saved a little money through its occasional use of stock footage. However, these flaws are more than compensated by first-rate action sequences and sword duels -- particularly the climactic confrontation between Flynn and Douglas. Though only a moderate success in American theaters, "Adventures of Don Juan" remains a solid swashbuckler and a classic of the genre.

Flynn's Last Great Swashbuckler
"The Adventures of Don Juan" was Warner Brothers' last big investment in Errol Flynn. Their resident bad boy had long ago used up any goodwill he might have had with the studio -- goodwill based primarily on Flynn's power at the box office. But in the late 1940s, Errol Flynn's star was on the wane, and the studio was beginning to take a hard and skeptical look at their one-time box office bonanza.

In an attempt to rekindle some of the old fire, Warner Bros. produced "The Adventures of Don Juan," in which Flynn plays the title role. His Don Juan is world-weary, a man for whom all the loves and swordfights and scandals are beginning to wear him a bit thin. But the most compelling aspect of this Don Juan's character is his sense of humor. Flynn brings a humorous, tongue-in-cheek element to the character that is extraordinarily appealing.

The film is lush and well-appointed. There are times when Flynn shows the effects of years of hard drinking and womanizing, but for the most part he is strikingly handsome. Stunt doubles were used extensively for him, particularly in the final duel scene. In the shot where Don Juan leaps down a long staircase and lands on top of the villain, future "Yancey Derringer" star Jock Mahoney performed the leap.

"Don Juan" did poorly in the United States and fabulously well in Europe. Its cool reception at home convinced Warner Brothers that Flynn was no longer a bankable commodity, and considerably less money was spent on his films in the few years he had left under his contract.

But in the intervening years, "The Adventures of Don Juan" has earned a huge following among Errol Flynn admirers and movie buffs as well. It is a grand, humorous and thoroughly enjoyable jaunt with the King of the Swashbucklers, and one that should not be missed. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

What a disappointment!
This movie was a BIG disappointment! I bought it to show to my 4th grade class after we read the book Hatchet. Well, unfortunately this movie is not suitable for viewing in school. Although the book did not have any profanity in it - the movie definitely does!

It doesn't really deserve any stars.
Okay, I'm in the sixth grade, and we just read this book in class, and then watched the movie. I can't freaking believe that Gary Paulsen consented this, much less wrote the screenplay. It's a horrible movie, and does no justice to the book. I liked the book. For some reason it reminded me of Lord of the Flies, except it was less depressing, cuz there weren't a bunch of kids running around killing eachother. Brian had some character, and there was an intellectual side to the book, but the movie..urgh. It was a mockery.

People, Gary Paulsen wrote the screenplay
The reviewers below state that this movie is not worthy of the excellent Gary Paulsen novel. I hate to break this to you, guys, but Gary Paulsen was one of the two screenplay writers of this film. Of course it's not going to be better than the book; no movie ever is. However, it is a pretty good movie in itself. It can stand on its own, and follows the book pretty closely. The movie is about a twelve-year-old boy whose plane crashes in the Canadien wilderness when the pilot has a heart attack. He is the only survivor, and must fend for himself against the many dangers of the wilderness. In a 90-minute movie, there is not much time for character development, as there was in the hundreds of pages alotted for the book. The only thing that bothered me was why the DVD did not have a time counter. This is the only DVD I have ever viewed in which that was the case.

A travesty --- worse than a waste of time
This video is a travesty. It claims to be based on the excellent children's book _Hatchet_ by Gary Paulsen.
This video adds gratuitous profanity to the story, not in the book's text, which makes it unsuitable for many classrooms and age levels.
The video also butchers the plot of the book, and has Brian doing idiotic things which he doesn't do in the book. For instance, Brian uses the blade of his hatchet to mark days in stone. Brian wildly hacks at the lake's water with his hatchet to catch fish. And Brian adopts orphaned bear cubs, managing to catch enough fish for them to grow up on (which they seem to do in a day).
In one of his author tour appearances, Gary Paulsen himself said that he didn't like this film (I don't recall his exact words).
...
This video is not only a waste of time, but is seemingly written/directed by folks who were intentionally trying to wreck the feeling, sentiment and message of Paulsen's book. This is not a mere jazzing up, or telescoping of events to fit the movie time and format. This is really bad. Skip this piece of junk; get the _Hatchet_ unabridged audio book instead.

Hatchet Vs. A Cry in the Wild
As a professor of Reading Education, I use the book, Hatchet, and this video to demonstrate to teachers-in training that books and videos can both serve a purpose in the classroom. First we read the book. With undergraduates, I read the book to them, one chapter per day. With graduate students, they read the book on their own. After we've read the book, we do a "compare and contrast" comprehension activity. Students are expected to write notes about how the two media are similar and different. Using an "H" compare and contrast page (one leg of the H is for Hatchet, one for A Cry in the Wild -- the horizontal leg is used for common items in the book and movie). Once students see and hear Paulsen's talent for crafting words, the movie always is ranked as a distant second. The video also illustrates what Hollywood must do to command a person's attention. For the modest price of the video, it's an excellent way to demonstrate to students of all ages, the power of books over video. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Robust version of the classic tale
Many people -especially I suspect younger ones -will come to this movie after the lavish Michael Mann version of the book that came out in the early nineties and starred Daniel Day -Lewis .They may find this more modest 1936 black and white picture a bit quaint by contrast but for my money it is an exciting and crisply made movie in its own right.
Randolph Scott stars as Hawkeye ,who escorts the stiff but gallant British officer Duncan Heyward and the two daughters of the regimental colonel ,Alice and Cora ,through the woods to Fort William Henry.They are accompanied by Chingachgook and his son Uncas ,sole surviving members of the Mohican tribe ,and are harried constantly by Magwa ,avicuous and depraved Huron who is allied with the French against the British.
On making it to the Fort it is promptly besieged by the Franco-Huron army and the women captured .Once again the heroes must track them down and rescue them from the clutches of the Huron.

The performances are solid -Scott is a rugged hero and Wilcoxon plays Heyward on the just the right note of stiff upper lip gallantry while Bruce Cabot is a menacing and suitably thuggish villain
Shot in the High Sierras by the cinematographer Robert Planck the movie looks good and moves crisply with some lively scenes of siege and woodland combat

The script intelligently anticipates the war of Independence -a little over a decade away -by emphasising the desire of the "colonials"for self determination in miltary matters .

The casting of white actors as Naative Americans makes for uneasy viewing in patches but that is the only real drawback in a lively movie

A great classic that inspired the 1992 version
My 6 year old French-speaking son loves to watch most of this black and white film in English with his 44 year old daddy.
The 2 of us have a great time on the sofa savouring the pursuits (there's a wonderful canoe pursuit by the way), the attacks and even the love scenes.
It's possible to enjoy this version even better than the 1992 version.
A family delight !
(The 1920 silent version is very good too but more terrifying)

"She die in fire"
That's the fate awaiting Cora and Alice Munro (Binnie Barners and Heather Angel) if they're not rescued by Hawkeye (Randolph Scott) and Major Duncan Heywood (Henry Wilcoxin) first. This is a very enjoyable adaptation of James Fenimore Cooper's classic about the French and Indian War and the clashes between colonials and British foreshadowing the Revolution to come. British Duncan's stiff regulations and refusal to understand his environment contrast with American Hawkeye's common sense approach to life and survival. Yet both must work together if the French and the Huron are to be staved off and the women brought safely to shelter at Fort William Henry. Wilcoxin is a much better actor than Scott, so the movie is easily his. While his politics are wrong by colonial standards, he nevertheless is brave, performing more acts of courage than Scott's Hawkeye, actually. My other favorite actors are the girls' father Colonel Munro and the French marquise and his aide. The aide especially makes the most of a rather small part, as when he opens a dispatch with a great flourish. Bruce Cabot plays Magua, the evil Mohawk Indian--he's a veteran of "King Kong" as is composer Max Steiner, who "borrows" some of his own score from that 1933 movie for a thrilling canoe chase. Downside: Sorry to say that I haven't read the novel, so I can't be sure, but it seems to me that the Mohicans themselves don't get much play in this version. Uncas is lovesick, period, for Alice, while Chingachcook generally scowls and makes a comment about beavers or some such. Enlist some of your friends to watch this fast-paced adventure classic with you sometime soon--you'll be glad you did. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Whatever happened to Allan Musy?
I immediately fell in love with the movie Warrior Spirit. This story was so compelling and moving that I wished it never end. It tells the story of two young boys who face an incredible adventure and they form a friendship that stands the test of time. Revenge,betrayal, and greed take a part whent the two must face hard challanges and descions on their journey to seek a mysterious legend. I really fell in love with the actor Allan Musy and would love to be able to meet him in person. The ending was great but left me feeling a little sad. I wished it would have ended differently and those who see this movie will see why. Maybe its because I never wanted it to end. I just couldn't get enough of Allan Musy.

allan musy we miss you
It follows the story of two young men who meet in school, a poor white boy and an young indian who is ridiculed by the other white students. They form a friendship and later have an adventure, searching for gold. The film deals with greed, as well as honor, and compassion.
I agree with the above reviews, its hard to seperate love for this movie with love for the ultra-fine Allan Musy, and the character of Wabigon. Also stars loveable Lucas Haas.
Whatever happened to Allan Musy?!! Unfortunately, he dissappeared after this movie:(

Warrior Spirit-Cool Movie
I first saw Warrior Spirit on tv and fell in love with it. I don't know if it was just such a cool movie or because I thought Allan Musy was hot. lol. But I do think it is a good movie and is rather entertaining. I'm glad I bought it. So go check it out!

Wonderful!!!
I just had a crush on Allan Musy! What a wonderful story!!! I mean, it's almost part of our history, and I feel almost concerned too cause it has been turn right here, in Canada. I found it full of emotions, and maybe I fall in love with this movie because my crush in life just look like Allan Musy and I'm emotional... So, I recommand it to everyone.. It's maybe an old movie, but me, I liked it very much! Long life to Allan Musy! :P ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A charming movie
Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy together for the first time! "Naughty Marietta" is a charming movie for lack of pretentions. Woody Van DykeÂ's straight but careful style makes everything easy and natural, never stilted. The talented stars have their share, and a very important one, in the success of the film. This talent make us to forgive the excesses like the white wings, because beyond them there is something genuine that is never out of fashion. Eddy would never be so dashing, so attractive again, and JeanetteÂ's Marietta is as lovely as a fairy tale princess, full of joy of living, true and powerful.

"You don't cook a radish, you eat it alive!"
How I love this movie! It's just great. The first in a long line of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy collaberations, it's easily one of the best, and my personal fave. The music is beautiful, the sets and costumes are lush, and the plot is silly fun.

MacDonald is a runaway French princess who is traveling incognito with a shipload of brides bound for N'Orleans. Eddy is the Mercenary Captain who saves her from a band of cutthroat pirates. Songs include "Neath the Southern Moon", "I'm Falling in Love with Someone", "O Sweet Mystery of Life", and "Zing Zing Zing" among others.

There are several great scenes; Eddy marching though the bayous singing "Tramp Tramp Tramp", MacDonald passing off a random drunk as her "uncle" and of course a great sequence where Jeanette unveils her heretofore hidden talent for singing to Eddy.

The sweet, lightheatered spirit of this movie makes it a great introduction to the Eddy/MacDonald cannon for newcomers. If you like this film be sure to also check out "Rosemarie" (generally considered to be their best film) and "New Moon" (containing my favorite movie line of all time: "Do I LOOK like the kind of girl who would marry a moonstruck beachcomber under a coconut tree!?"). "Naughty Marietta" is a happy little movie that is essential for old-movie buffs or anyone who likes a good romance. Highly recommended!

I wish I could rate this movie 10 stars!
Naughty Marietta, winning the Oscar for Best Sound Recording in 1935, is the crown jewel of the Eddy/MacDonald films, holding a special place in anyone's heart that has ever had the pleasure of seeing it. It is esteemed as one of the best-loved operettas of all time, and that's saying a lot about this film.
Made in 1935, and starring Hollywood's 'Singing Sweethearts', Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald put on a grand performance, rapt with romance, drama, and comical antics. No two persons could have played the part better, and with such chemistry.
Jeanette MacDonald shines in her role as the French Princess Marie who runs away incognito as her servant Marietta, to escape her arranged marriage to a Spanish duke. Passing herself off as a casquet girl, she shows herself a kind-hearted woman to the girls around her, who are on a ship bound to New Orleans to become wives to the colonists. Almost at their destination, they run into pirates and all of them are abducted. Captain Warrington (Nelson Eddy) and his mercenary scouts just happen to be in the bayou neighborhood when Marietta calls for help, and he comes to the aid of the women. It is during this part that Eddy sings one of my favorite songs, 'The Owl and the Bobcat' (I just love watching him sing!)
Of course, this being Nelson Eddy's movie-starrring debut, there are moments in the movie where he appears a bit stiff, but those moments are few and far between. The very handsome baritone pulled off his performance near to perfection. I just know the little quibbles because of some research I did. I'm now a die-hard fan of their films. It is now one of my favorite films of all time. I hope it becomes one of yours too.
Other performers in the movie: The governor of New Orleans is wonderfully played by Frank Morgan (The Wizard of Oz), who struggles with words and is constantly harangued by his wife. He's a real treat to watch in this movie. Some other comic reliefs are Warrington's two right-hand men, Abraham and Ezekiel.
Well, I won't go into every little nit-picky detail, but just this much should wet anyone's musical appetite. Naughty Marietta won't disappoint anyone who enjoys the classic musicals of the 30's. It's rich with singing and beautiful orchestrations. And let's not forget Victor Herbert's immortal love aria, 'Ah, Sweet Mystery Of Life', sung by a very teary-eyed, vivacious princess and her love-struck captain at the zenith of the movie.
It is worth the price wherever you buy/rent it. It struck a chord with me. I'm not a big musical fan, but on the other hand, I'm a chump for romance. This film keeps me satisfied in that area! Take some time out of your busy schedule, cuddle up with some popcorn (and maybe some hankies), and enjoy a monumental Eddy/MacDonald film.

This is a Great Movie!
This was my first 'old' movie and I thought that it was certianly one of the best ones I have seen. Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy make the perfect team in this film as they combine their superb talent of singing and comedy. The music in 'Naughty Marietta' is beautiful. Also, the plot is interesting and even a little bit funny.I would definatley reccomend this to anyone, either young or old.

Simply Perfect
One of the two greatest "operetta" films (MAYTIME being THE greatest) ever made. Jeanette - and the entire production - is radiant and, of course, the singing is both fun and magnificent at the same time, culminating in that most glorious moment at the Governor's ball. Simply perfect. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Al Pacino cuts a noble figure in this very enjoyable drama by director Brian De Palma (Scarface), based on a pair of books by Edwin Torres. Pacino plays a Puerto Rican ex-con trying hard to go straight, but his loyalty to his lowlife attorney (a virtually unrecognizable Sean Penn) and enemies on the street make that choice difficult. Penelope Ann Miller plays, somewhat unlikely, a stripper who has a romance with Pacino's character. The film finds De Palma tempering his more outlandish moves (think of Body Double or Snake Eyes) just as he did with the popular Untouchables and Mission: Impossible. But while Carlito's Way was not commercially successful and never rises to the level of greatness, it is a genuinely compelling movie graced with a fine performance by Pacino and a surprising one from Penn. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (92)

Realistic, Gritty Crime Tale
In one of his best performances ever, Al Pacino is the engine that keeps "Carlito's Way" moving from beginning to end. Recently-released from prison, Carlos Brigante (played marvelously by Pacino) is a former Puerto Rican drug lord who ruled New York City's drug world during the 1960's and 1970's. Assisted by his lawyer (Sean Penn) Pacino is determined to stay out of the trade that landed him in prison in the first place. However, as usual trouble always lurks in every corner.

Deciding to buy and operate a Latin nightclub from an owner who is seriously in debt (played by the famous Argentine comedian Jorge Porcel, who had a cult following throughout Latin America due to his sexually-charged comedy skit show "A La Cama Con Porcel; he is know as the Latin-version of "Benny Hill"). Yet as old faces reemerge onto the scene, newer faces have also started to take a foothold in Brigante's former empire, especially Benny Blanco (played by the ever-wonderful John Leguizamo).

Directed by Brian de Palma ("Carrie"), this is one of the most realistic, and historic accurate pictures of life in New York City's urban jungle during the late 1970's/early 1980's. Penelope Ann Miller ("Adventures in Babysitting" is great as Brigante's love interest, and Luis Guzman always is a scene-stealer playing Pacino's right-hand man.

The DVD version contains production notes, cast biographies, and the original theatrical trailer and the sound and picture quality are excellent. Pacino (a Bronx native) masters a perfect Puerto Rican accent in the same way he mastered his Cuban-emigre accent in "Scarface". "Carlito's Way" is guaranteed to keep you entertained due to thrilling performances by the entire cast, amazing cinematography, great directing, and most importantly, incredible realism. Destined to become a modern urban classic.

scarface with a twist
When the guys that brought you Scarface team up again what bad
things can happen.Brian De Palma and Al Pacino two of the biggest
stars on their film duties in Hollywood today.This movie really
has the 80's,disco feel scarface as but as the De Palma plot turn
and twists seen in Snake Eyes,Body Double,and Raising Cain so it'
s all very entertaining.Along with another De Palma regular Sean
Penn(Casualties Of War) plays the coke addicted wacko lawyer to
absolute perfection.This film not as violent as Scarface as more
plot twists which makes it almost more entertaining with a great
cast including John Leguizamo and Penelope Ann Miller Carlito's
Way is one of Pacino's,Penn's,and De Palma's best films ever so
if you like a mixture of The Usual Suspects and Scarface give
Carlito's Way a watch it's great.

What is so Wonderful about this movie?
This is not that great of a movie. I dont know why people are making such a big deal out of this movie. I saw it, I tryed to understand it, I just thought it wasnt one of Pacino's best....sorry

Pacino and Penn give great performances
almost a sequal to scarface..Carlito Brigante is Tony Montana after doing 15 yrs and having a change of heart...I cant beleive there wasnt some thinking on those lines from the actor and director of both movies...Sean Penn nearly steals this movie as David Kleinfeld Carlitos lawyer is more crooked than the crooks he defends..and Luis Guzmán as Pachanga shows why hes one of the best character actors working today...

The best film of Brian de Palma
The facts derivated from the story put us before a man who wants to get away his destiny , but (in a mgnificent shakesperian mood), nobody can escape from his past.
There's no doubt that this film has multiple virtues. Sean Penn grew up like actor al least two thousands steps. His role is so well made like the sinister lawyer without a drop of scruples, and this is the fate's arm that literally takes to Tony Montana and throws to hell.
In my personal view, I think Sean Penn deserved an Academy award by this role.
It's a sinister view about the redemption given by Montana since he leaves the jail.
Pacino gives one of his more relevant roles all along his career.
He gives us that crude sensation of walking in the edge of the knife through all the film. Will it be necessary to say that in this film like in others, Pacino is much more than an actor, he is a nature's force and elevates the standard performance of every one of his partners?.
Watch for instance one of my favorite beauties of the cinema: Penelope Ann Miller. Her role is so well made that this film literally gave to David Lynch the final decission for including her in Mulholland's drive.
There are several unforgettable sequences in the film. The first of these belongs to that claustrophobic situation in which we find Carlitos, when he decides to rescue the money of his beloved friend. In his honor code, Carlitos can not give a "no" like answer. And that's the road to his perdition.
The other anthology scene is that made in the hospital when he visits to the lawyer by last time. The slow camera describes all the movements of the false police who revenges to his father and we can see how the bullets are released by Carlitos just before.
The final shots camera in the chase when Carlitos has planned everything and runs with the clock dictating its final minutes. The angles of camera and the tension produced in the train station for me is above his tribute to Potemkin in "The untouchables".
Carlitos way is a cult movie. But also you can consider like the shakespeare spirit made present in what I would design together with Road to Perdition , the most original "film noir" movies in the last fifteen years. ... Read more

Description

Sylvester Stallone creates another sports hero with heart in the Rocky mold, a big-rig trucker using his armwrestling talent to rebuild his shattered life. Year: 1987 Director: Menahem Golan Starring:Sylvester Stallone, Robert Loggia, Susan Blakely ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Better the Secound Time
When I 1st saw this movie I was sooo disappointed...being the HUGE Sylvester Stallone fan that I am I was expecting most of what I saw but it seemed to pathetic to begin with...how realistc is it that a truck driver would also be a professional arm wrestler? The main story of Sly trying to win over the love of his son is heartfelt and sweet but with consideration to the movie I decided to watch it for a secound time and realized that it's a better movie the secound time you see it. You become more open-minded to the odd plot and you accpet the flaws that appear throughout this family film.

Sure its bad
The plot is crazy the kid is annoying but you can kind of cheer for the hero...and at least we don't see any shots of Stallone in a diaper. We have to wait for Stop! Or my mom will shoot (the great epic of 1992) for that.

Painful
Sylvester Stallone arm wrestles for the custody of his child...Need I say more?

A masterpiece of bad cinema
Sylvester Stallone plays an arm wrestler and the law won't give him custody of his son. A laugh riot, especially the scene when Sylvester plows down the gate of a mansion with his truck. There are the little details that makes this movie great too like how Sylvester is supposed to be making a truck run to California but the Grand Canyon and the Sahara Desert are in the background. Also weights in his truck and how come turning his hat on backwards makes him magical? Every time I see this I laugh so hard I cry. This needs to be on DVD.

over the top
I love this movie. i was at school when it came out and have seen it countless of times. Cant seem to find it on sale anywhere, and would love to see it again with the family. I'm just surprised its not out on DVD. A typical Sly stallone feel good movie, thats a must for all generations ... Read more

Amazon.com

Director John McTiernan (Die Hard) does an underwhelming job with this potentially interesting story of a research scientist (Sean Connery) who discovers a cure for cancer in the Brazilian rain forest, but then can't retrace his steps in creating the potion. Added pressure on his work is coming from developers burning down the forest, while an American bureaucrat (Lorraine Bracco), who holds the purse strings on the grant, has arrived to give him a bad time. The crucial chemistry between the stars just isn't there (Bracco can be hard to take at times), and, despite the added exotica of local witch doctors and seeing Connery swing through the trees, the elements just don't come together in this well-meaning but disappointing movie. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Every civilization needs a medicine man
Dr. Campbell (Sean Connery), a biochemist who has been doing extensive medical research for years in the lush rainforests of the Amazon, has found what just might be a MAJOR medical breakthrough. But that's not to say that he wouldn't enjoy just a little bit of help. Dr. Crane (Lorraine Bracco), a fellow biochemist comes to the aid of Dr. Campbell to help him as much as she can.

Will Dr. Campbell and Dr. Crane be able to find this miracle cure that could be just over the horizon? Will they be able to set aside their differences and actually be able to get along one of these days? These are the major questions that watching "Medicine Man" will answer for all the viewers who watch this great movie.

"Medicine Man" is one of those movies that doesn't need a bit of special effects to make it an unforgettable movie. It's a film that is real compelling and interesting to watch from start to finish without ever getting boring. With Sean Connery as the lead character, you know there will be great acting included.

If you're a fan of great movies, I definitely recommend to not miss out on your chance to watch and even own "Medicine Man."

Maligned Minor Masterpiece
The critics really blew it on this one. (Leonard Maltin must have been having a really bad day.) Some of the reviews are absolutely bewildering - as if they saw some other movie.

"Medicine Man" is the rare action/adventure film with something more than car chases and shootouts on its mind, a passionate parable of the rampant destruction of the rainforest and the miracles of nature now threatened by "progress".

Sean Connery gives one of the best, most nuanced performances of his career, almost certainly the definitive "mature" Connery role, and Lorraine Bracco is a perfect foil as the sharp-tongued but endearing "Dr. Bronx" - their conflict thoroughly understandable and its resolution none too easy.

The breathtaking beauty of the rainforest and the haunting images of the native tribes driven from their homes (or decimated by the white man's diseases) are punctuated by thrilling aerial sequences high above in the jungle canopy - "the top shelf in the pharmacological superstore".

Forget the critics. This is an almost perfectly realized film, one that just gets better with each viewing, one that stays with you long after it's over.

For Connery fans, I also recommend one of his early (and nearly forgotten) films, "The Hill".

For Medicinal Purposes
Before Medine Man, I didn't think of director John McTiernan, as someone who would put a "message" into his films. After all Die Hard, Predator, and The Thomas Crown Affair remake, are not exactly known as "thinking people" movies. I am an admirer of his action work very much and like Connery too. I was impressed with the way Medicine Man was able to combine enough action and message without going overboard in either direction.

Totally removing himself from modern society, Dr Robert Campbell (Connery), has become a Medicine Man to the people of the Amazonian village, in which he now calls home. Thanks to an unforeseen mishap, Campbell has discovered that the cure for cancer can be derived from a chemical found in a Brazilian flower. Dr. Rae Crane (Lorraine Bracco), a fellow scientist from the states, tracks down the elusive Campbell in an effort to monitor his progress. The two doctors are practically at odds from the moment they meet. When a villager becomes sick, Campbell wants to use only remaining bit of cancer curing serum, to save the native's life. Rae isn't sure if that's a good idea. As if battling each other, weren't enough, the doctors find themselves having to also deal with a group of loggers who pose a danger to the village and to the cancer cure.

Shot in Mexico and Brazil, director McTiernan delivers the goods and the theme of conservation is delivered but not on a soapbox using a bullhorn. Also gone is the gore from McTiernan's other films, but the action is exciting to watch just the same. The sparks and chemistry between Connery and Bracco are intense. They are evenly matched in the film. Campbell is as memorable a character for Connery to play, as his turn as Malone was, in The Untouchables. Mention must also be made of composer Jerry Goldsmith's very fitting score to the film and how it adds flavor to the mix.

Medicine Man deserves to have a special edition DVD release. The bonus material is, to say the least, lacking. Aside from the forgone theatrical trailer, the disc also has an EPK style, and all too brief production featurette. Unfortunately, the featurette is even less interesting than watching paint dry.

Recommended until a better version comes along.

Really terrible casting....
When film historians look back at the early 90's, they will remember it as the decade that Hollywood started running out of ideas on how to do good movies. This film might have worked but the casting was just not there. The director should have seriously looked for the right actors to play the parts. The ones choosen here did not and could not pull it off, and it looks more like an infomerical.

Great Tree Hugger Flick!
If you are into anthropology or the environment, then you will definitely love this flick. It's hard to describe the movie without giving away the story, but it has a very interesting twist ending. I must admit that it could be taken as a bit of a propaganda movie for environmentalists...but for me, that just adds to its charm.

The casting, acting, and staging are all very well done. The movie is from 1992 but brings up an issue that is very pertinent in today's world.

As with many older movies that have been switched over to DVD, the special features can be considered weak/non-existent. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Dreams for a Better Day
I remember watching this movie over and over when I was younger, but I haven't watched it in years. I popped it in the other day, and was reminded of just how much I loved it. Sure, it may seem a little hokey compared to some of todays entertainment. It's a nice, "down home" story about kids growing up in a little town where everyone knows everyone. The boys are put of The Buttercream Gang, a group that's been around as long as the town. They're nice boys who help out in their community and have fun fishing, swimming, playing baseball, and riding their bikes. One of their friends moves away to Chicago, and comes back visibly changed. They suspect he might have been in a gang and try to help him out, show they still accept him. The movie gives a nice message about what unconditional love is, and how it's not that easy to love your enemies, but you should anyway. What's so wrong with that?? We need more movies like this, nice wholesome movies you can watch with your whole family. I would highly reccomend this movie to anyone, especially those looking for a movie they can watch with their kids. Some reviewers mentioned that their VHS was wearing out--"The Buttercream Gang" (and it's sequel) are both available on DVD-just go to the Feature Films for Families website: www.familytv.com

The Bc gang
WE are the offical fan club of the buttercream gang movie featurette. And we can quote this movie up and down like quakers do the bible. Scott (scooter) is my hero. He is so brave. He rescues old widows and gives back stolen treats. He really made an impression on me and my cousin when we first watch the movie , my cousin was pretty moved by the way he confronted Pete. We also cherrished Elvin. He will always hold a very private place in our hearts. He is a pretty slow bike rider in movie but he is such an inspiration because he always trys. If you know a Fat kid this movie would do wonders for their self esteem b/c Elvin is PHAT...one cool cat.

Brilliant Modern-Day Psychological Thriller
Allow me to first point out that "Lanny" (pronounced "Lenny") is NOT REAL. I have viewed this extraordinary film countless times, and find it surprising that none of the other Amazon reviewers have commented on this fundamental issue. "Lanny's" non-existence is demonstrated on countless occasions, and it is worth noting that only the other Buttercreamers (and young children) acknowledge his presence. Even the kindly Mr. Graff has grown too old and hardened in his ways. The real heart of this film lies in Mr. Baker's ability to present a story through the mind of an obviously psychologically troubled protagonist, and to convince us that "Lanny," or, as it were, "Lenny," is a living, breathing human being. A directorial virtuosity of this kind as not been seen since 1947's "Miracle on 34th Street," and perhaps not even then.

To discover the far-ranging implications of "Lanny's" creation, it is necessary to do some forgrounding, and witness his "birth" in the collective minds of Scott, Eldon, and yes, Pete. The question of who actually invented "Lanny" has baffled scholars since the film's release. However, a careful study of the film will reveal to the discerning eye that Eldon is the only possible candidate. While Scott has learned to live a life not wholly reliant on "Lanny"s existence, and Pete seems to have openly rejected it, Eldon relies heavily on the presence of such a figure to face the world. The "need for Lanny," as Buttercream scholars like to call it, was based on Eldon's realization of the coldness and harshness of the world around him. He needed a warm friend to turn to in his times of trouble. The fact that we never see Eldon's parents or family illustrates the fact that he is almost completely dependant on his "friend's" unfailing ability to provide comfort (for, in fact, it is Eldon's inner self that is providing the much needed comfort). Eldon is starkly alone without "Lanny."

The terrifying truth lurking beneath "Buttercream's" warm and friendly surface, is the fact that Pete, though hardened by the world and it's cruelties, has ultimately discovered himself, while Scott and Eldon have merely sought refuge in a non-existent being. "Lanny" is the measurable sun (son?) within each of us.

THE WORLD NEEDS MORE MOVIES LIKE THIS :)
MAGIC. That is the first word that comes to my mind when I think back to the first time that I sat down to watch the Buttercream Gang well over a decade ago...the MAGIC has only grown brighter with every time that I have viewed it since. This movie deeply and intimately shaped my boyhood with the truths and virtues of friendship, forgiveness, redemption, and endless other great fruits of the soul, which seem to be unremorsefully slipping away in our present world. I am sad to see the negative reviews posted for this film. It only proves what the human soul has turned its back on within the ambitiously growing age of technology and "spiritless-ness". I have watched this movie seemingly infinite times since I was a boy (I pop it in the VCR as soon as Spring arrives every year), and even now, in the years of my manhood, the MAGIC is still ever so present. The heart of this story deeply shaped my own heart with these great and enchanting truths and challenged me as a young boy to be good to others and do my best in all that I do in life. Its simple and heart-gripping message is one that I shall take with me for all of my life. To the makers of this movie, I tip my hat and say thank you from the deepest part of my soul for bringing these lessons and adventures into my Home and the home of so many others (whom I am sure are very grateful as well). I have never forgotten what it means to be a Buttercreamer. (***Please release "THE BUTTERCREAM GANG" on DVD!!) :)

GOOD Moral Video
Although this video may seem a little "uncool" to some people, i think it's a very good way for children to learn some moral values. I appreciate this video, and reccomend it to parents wanting to teach their kids good ethics. It teaches forgiveness, and other such things i would want my children to have. I show this movie to kids when i sit them, and they like it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Fun adventure
This movie was light and entertaining. The scenery was lovely and the acting was good. Lambert Wilson the love interest for Brooke Shields is gorgeous and someone I wouldn't mind being caught in Saudi Arabia with.

Excellent!!!
I enjoyed the funny antics, the mystery, the adventures,and the racing in the desert of Saudi Arabia. It made you feel like a noble nomad of the desert. The actors were awesome!! It was definitely worth having, especially for the 80's. Old and very interesting to watch over and over, again.

cute romantic but action pack adventure...
I truly like this cute romantic action movie. Very different role for Brooke Shields, Strange twists and turns in this movie but overall something for the family to enjoy.... ... Read more

Reviews (13)

STORYBOOK CLASSIC.
The film opens in a rough pub on the sea coast. Cooper meets drunken Barrymore who has a great secret in the form of a treasure map of an island in the Caribbean where there is supposedly trove left by a well-known pirate...A beautiful production, good music by Herbert Stothart, and a strong Mahin script all come together to make this a respectful filmed version of Stevenson's story. Jackie Cooper had been a child star, and here at the ripe old age of 12, he began to demonstrate his manhood in this film. Beery, who was known to chew the scenery with his hamminess, was kept in check (more or less) by the great director Victor Fleming. Few people got along with the frankly rude and gruff Beery in real life, and little Cooper was no exception (they had made THE CHAMP together in 1931). Although Fleming's direction is perhaps a bit flagging in spots, it must be noted that this man directed two timeless and legendary films: GONE WITH THE WIND & THE WIZARD OF OZ. Shot four times previously as a silent, this first talkie version of the classic Stevenson tale perhaps pales slighty when compared to the 1950 Disney version - in production values and authentic English actors - but this version has enough going for it to merit viewings for young and old alike.

I wish this black and white movie was on DVD!
I watched this version of Treasure Island in black and white on one of those classic movie channels and I liked it and thought Wallace Beery was a great Long John Silver, the rest of the cast was great too, including Jackie Cooper as Jim Hawkins, Lionel Barrymore as Billy Bones and Charles "Cic' Sale as Ben Gunn. I liked the movie so much I searched Amazon.com hoping to find it on DVD but unfortunately it hasn't been transferred to DVD and I was disappointed to find that the video that has the movie in black and white seems to be out of stock and it appears that the colorised version is the one that is being sold new and I wish they would restore the old black and white film instead of just colorising it. I could buy a used black and white video but I would really rather have the movie on DVD!

Treasure this Version
I enjoy most versions but to me this is the best. The great cast, sets, music, screenplay, and directing made it a wonderful adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson book. A pity it wasn't done in color only because I think it would gain more recognition with todays youth. Many still appreciate this wonderful adventure with pirates, sailing, and treasure hunting. The battle scene at the stockade is very exciting. One of the best family movies you can find these days. Any fan of Disney adventure movies will probably enjoy it.

Like really living it
I liked this movie way more than Pirates of the Carribean. It makes you feel like you are really watching actual Pirates. OK so they are not as hot as Johnny Depp..but this movie scared me and and gave me a feeling of adventure.Why are modern movies so boring? I loved this movie!!

The best Ben Gunn ever!
The often ovelooked character, Ben Gunn is the true hero of Treasure Island. "Nobody minds Ben Gunn," yet he'd done them all, including the fearsome Long John Silver. Sure, he's strange, but "a man who has been three years biting his nails on a desert island, Jim, can't expect to appear as sane as you or me. It doesn't lie in human nature."

Charles 'Chic' Sale creates the best image of Ben Gunn in the history of cinema. His Ben Gunn is hilarious and believable. The scene near the end with a huge wheel of cheese is a great find. Very inspirational performance, and definitely an influence on the Ben Gunn Society...

Overall the film is good too, pretty well rooted in the book. Some new dialog falls in quite nicely with the source, and Jackie Cooper delivers a few great lines, like the parodical "says them, says he, says I." The relationship of Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver is the main emphasis of this production, and the ending diverges a bit from the book, but that doesn't spoil the story. Another winner from the great Victor Fleming. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

this episode
This video has two episodes that are highly ranked of my favorite episodes. The seal is my second favorite. BUY THIS DVD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tense, as usual
Of the two episodes in this video, the best is The Seal. It is always great to watch the IMF in action. In The Seal, an ancient and sacred seal has been stolen from an obscure country and in the interest of obtaining their favor in the Cold War, it is the team's duty to return the seal.

While this is an earlier episode, you can tell the show was hitting its stride. All the elements are there: timed sequences, the fake accents, a magician, hiding in equipment to gain entrances, fake ids and what is always best - watching the team psych out their prey.

I do not recall having seen this episode and I was surprisingly tense watching this show...there is so much going on and you know there is always the unexpected surprise. This show had everything including a trained cat! Don't miss it. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

REAL FUN
I know that many critics or fans will not be agree, but I think this is the best film by mr. De Mille. It is real cinema. The cast is terrific. Not only Loretta Young or that gorgeous Henry Wilcoxon, but C. Aubrey Smith, funny Alan Hale and so on.

De Mille knew how to create tension, but also intimate scenes. True that from an historic point of view is not a very good film. but the spirit is there. The spirit of what a film must be.

Today when epic films are so "in", I recommend to some directors to watch films like this. He was a craftsman who needed few special effects to make a film interesting. And spent no time in long , boring speeches or interpretations to make the audience connect with his heroes.

Rousing Epic Production from the great Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil B. DeMille has always been an unfairly regarded Producer and Director with the majority of his work dismissed as lavish hokum with no real value as cinema art. I believe that is a very unfair judgement on the man who really made the "Epic Production", his own in a long series of films stretching from the silent era right through to the mid 1950's. His role call of magnificent cinematic efforts is in my opinion an illustrious record and none shines better from that list than his lavish production of 1935, Paramount's "The Crusades" starring Loretta Young and DeMille regular Henry Wilcoxon.

Judged as hopeless history and romantic froth I appreciate this wonderful film from the point of view of its romantic story, terrific recreation of medieval times, costumes and superbly staged battle scenes,pagentry, and respectful dialogue that never once really belittles the serious and dark times this story is set in. "The Crusades", focuses in actual fact loosely on the third crusade that involved most of the major powers of Europe in a joint struggle to try and free the Holy Land from the clutches of the dreaded Saracens. The central story of the film while certainly fictionalised, is nevertheless well told and deals with King Richard (the Lion Hearted)of England who to avoid an unwelcome marriage to the Princess Alice (Katherine DeMille) of France and spurred on by a determined hermit (C. Aubrey Smith in a terrific performance) who is instilling the fighting spirit in all the countries of Christendom, takes up the sword to lead the crusade to the Holy Land. On the journey in order to feed his starving men he reluctantly agrees to a sham marriage with Berengaria, Princess of Navarre. What starts out as a hate at first sight relationship softens into a real love for both Richard and Berengaria in particular when after doing battle with the Saracens at the gates of the city of Acre Berengaria is captured by the besotted Sultan of Islam, Saladin (Ian Keith in another of his very fine supporting performances). Faced with loosing the one who's life now means everything to him Richard goes through a change of heart and rather than using the crusade as just an excuse to get away from more serious matters really begins to see the real reason for the campaign and the true value of those around him.

Henry Wilcoxon as King Richard and Loretta Young as Berengaria are both in top form here and indeed Wilcoxon, a DeMille regular in such great films as "Cleopatra", the previous year has never been better than here as the first uncouth head strong King who gradually develops a real soul and feeling for others. Loretta Young has a most untraditional character for the times to play. Her Princess is at times a feisty, determined, and brave young woman who creates a new life for herself with Richard despite the unpromising person she first encounters on the way to Jerusalem. Resplendant in medieval flowing robes and long blonde wig Loretta Young has one of her best roles of the 1930's decade and really blossoms under DeMille's direction. No DeMille production would be complete without a sterling supporting cast and "The Crusades", is no exception. The always excellent Ian Keith is Saladin Sultan of Islam, and he has a most interesting character who is depicted as a cultured man of feeling and not simply a bloodthirsty warrior out to kill and plunder. Katherine DeMille is suitably icy as the spurned Princess Alice of France and the always superb Joseph Schildkraut has one of his best 1930's roles as the devious Conrad, Marquis of Montferrat who through his treachery with Richard's brother John pays dearly for his disloyalty at the hands of the Arabs. Alan Hale is suitably boisterious as Richard's friend and musician Blondel and much of the comic interludes in the story are centred on his bluff character.

I have great admiration for all of the work of Cecil B. DeMille. He was without a doubt the great showman of movie legend and "The Crusades" like all of his epic productions is full of stirring speeches, lavish sets, enormous crowd scenes involving huge numbers of extras, and battle scenes on a scale that literally dwarf the story they are depicting. This all adds up to top notch entertainment of the very best kind that Hollywood could offer at this time. For exciting story telling on an epic scale DeMille is unsurpassed and "The Crusades" is unique in being both rousing entertainment and surprisingly quite poignant drama in it's quieter moments. If you enjoy movie making on a grand scale with every scene literally a feast for the eyes then you need go no further than Cecil B. DeMille's epic 1935 production of "The Crusades".

DE MILLE SPECTACLE.
A holy man known as The Hermit arouses all the kings and princes of medieval Europe in a crusade to wrest the dominion of Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulchre from the Saracens. Richard the Lion-Hearted, King of England, having spurned the French princess Alice, accepts betrothal to Berengaria, whom he has never seen, in return fo subsistence for the Crusade, and she is formally married to his sword..................Synonymous always with all that the name DeMille stands for in relation to mighty, colourful pageantry and spectacle, massive settings and accoutrements, it tells a story of several of the early crusades. In 1935, DeMille was peerless in bringing the panoplied splendour of the past into torrential life upon the screen. As a picture, THE CRUSADES is historically worthless, didactically treacherous, artistically absurd. But none of those defects impaired its entertainment value. There are three main features which distinguished it from previous DeMille dillies: It was the noisiest, the biggest AND it had no bath scenes! As a footnote, Loretta Young was pregnant here with her daughter by Clark Gable, Judy Lewis; they had an affair during the making of CALL OF THE WILD earlier that year - the results of the affair was one of Hollywood's best-kept secrets.

True Love and True Cross come together well
I rented this movie because my three-year-old nephew has a fascination with suits of armor, but I came away a fan myself! Henry Wilcoxin makes a great Richard, a young Richard who only goes on crusade to evade one arranged marriage, and then enters into another only to gain cattle for his band of soldiers. The movie concerns how Richard slowly comes to respect marriage and to understand "the true meaning" of the crusades, but only at the ultimate cost for his pride and his heart. Of course, I think anyone would come to respect marriage pretty darn quick if they learned the lady in question was Loretta Young, resplendent in her blond wig. She turns in an undated performance as a woman who loves one man but appreciates another, in this case a sexy Saracen who knows how to compliiment women. One of my other favorite characters was The Hermit aka The Holy Man, played by C.Aubrey Smith. I especially liked his staff, which has a rather unique crucifix carved into it. The Hermit is probably the bravest character in the movie, defying the Saracens even though it eventually costs him his life. And of course, then there are the lusty battle scenes, replete with boiling oil and flaming catapults. So, if you want to watch an excellent old spectacle, you won't be sorry to go on this "Crusade" with Wilcoxin and Young.

This movie is a must watch!
Many of us have watched Demille's 10 Commandments because of its constant re airings on ABC, yet The Crusades is one of many of his works that deserve equal if not more attention. O.K. Its not historically accurate by todays standards of realism. It portrays chivalry with bravado and romanticism when in reality it was barbaric and crude. The beginning of the movie shows some very anti Muslim themes. Yet despite all this, the beauty of the film, the vistas, the thousands of extras in romantically filmed battle scenes,the characters and plot are very beautiful. Each shot if it were a still frame is worthy of being admired for its photographic beauty. For all you 10 Commandment fans, the same panoramic beauty shots, elegant costumes and romanticism of that movie is in this one too. The most wonderful thing I loved with this movie is that the real hero of the film is Berengaria. She is only one who really seems to want the right thing done, and is willing to make a stand to see it gets done. Even better, her beauty and femininity in no way took away from the dignity and intelligence of her character. This was such a delight and so refreshing considering the time period the movie was made and the historical era it portrays. As far as I can tell, this was the first attempt to put a heroine in a major production that was shown to be smarter than the male leads! This was also perhaps the first film to show thousands of extras in battle sequences. Braveheart, and Spartacus and so many other large epics owe Demille for breaking the ground in this area. Despite the politically incorrect aspects of the film, consider that the main characters are Christians, and that their anti Muslim views are to be expected considering their situation. Despite this, I think the message of the movie (and you will have to watch the entire movie to understand this) will convince everyone that the message of the film is that everyone, despite their religious differences should be respectful to all. ... Read more

Reviews (219)

Nostalgia for children of the 80's
Let's face it. Most of us who rate this movie highly do so because it invokes all those rosy-hued memories of our childhood decade. One only has to bring it up to another Gen-Y-er, or whistle a few bars of the opening theme song, to see eyes light up with recognition amid wistful sighs for a more innocent time.
It is the characters and rich settings that pull this film off.
Leads Barret Oliver and Noah Hathaway are both on the verge of being too beautiful to be boys. They display a rare depth for young actors, Oliver's over-dramatic portrayal being unbelievable only for those who are never around play-acting children. Hathaway's subtle facial expressions are riveting, and he deserves respect if for no other reason than for nearly carrying the entire movie. The breathtaking Tami Stromach as the Childlike Empress was every young girl's dream character before the era of the Disney Princess, and she played her enigmatic role with suitable poise and mystery. Who of this generation did NOT, sometime in their childhood, convene with schoolyard cronies to "play Neverending Story" and then argue about who would "be" the Empress, Atreyu, or Bastian? Obviously these characters strike a chord with kids.
The story bears a somewhat faint resemblance to the book on which it is based, though the original author was so dissapointed with the result that he did not want his name associated with the film in any way. I have read the book, and found it to be rich in imagination, depth, and dare I say it, moral psychology, much of which contrives to be muddy and confusing to very young readers. The film simplifies it rather starkly, but in a way I think is satisfying. Classic themes of identity, of an underdog's triumph, of imagination empowering reality, are clearly emphasized. Complaints that the movie ends halfway through the book are valid, but the truth is that the book almost becomes two stories, with the second half diverging wildly from the pacing and characterization of the first, and to try and fit it all into a two-hour film would have done neither film nor book proper justice.
Special effects were groundbreaking for the time, some more successful than others. I didn't realize until several years ago that Engywook and Urgle were supposed to be tiny gnome-like creatures! I always assumed, even as a child, that they were exactly what they are - normal sized people shot in skewed perspective with Atreyu. It wasn't until noticing that they used different sized props between them and Atreyu that I realized the perspective was actually deliberately forced! Ah well...it was a long way to Lord of the Rings.
A few complaints: some sets seem cramped. The scene in which the "ambassadors" from all over Fantasia approach the Ivory Tower sets it up as an enormous landmark where masses of representatives from every one of the no-doubt vast peoples are to convene, yet when we are given an internal view of the structure, we see a claustrophobic ballroom in which a handful of creatures loiter, and in spite of their various weird and fantastic appearances, we are given no more than a brief glimpse of a few. Costumes of the leads are simple and convincing, though.
Altogether, an enjoyable movie, and one I will definitely show my own children. There are some dark moments for kids not yet jaded by too much modern special-effects violence, so use caution. And please, please, spare anyone else from the appalling sequels...part II had little merit and was vaguely eerie, and part III was not only frankly awful as a film but downright blasphemous from the literary perspective.

Probably the best fantasy movie of all time!
"The Neverending Story" is a great fantasy movie from the 80s about a boy named Bastian (Barret Oliver) picturing a story unfold as he reads it from a book called "The Neverending Story." In t