Reviews (17)

INCONSISTANT IMAGE QUALITY - A REAL LET DOWN!
"Broadway Melody of 1940" was MGM's final film in a series that began with the original Oscar-winning movie from 1929/30. After nearly a decade of big time hits with Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire made the trek from RKO to MGM to star opposite the best tap dancing lady of them all - Eleanor Powell. The two hoofers are ably assisted in the comedy portion of this fun-loving movie by costar George Murphy and the inimitable Frank Morgan (the wizard from "The Wizard of Oz"), here, playing a bumbling Broadway producer. The plot, generic by any standards, has Astaire mistaken for Murphy and falling in love with Powell. What sets the production apart is a series of mind-boggling dance routines capped off by a mesmorizing set piece to the tune of Cole Porter's evergreen hit, "Begin The Beguine".
Warner's DVD suffers from an inconsistently rendered picture. The opening credits are clear as a bell. So is the opening musical number "Please Don't Monkey With Broadway". But then we get into scene upon scene of low contrast, bad shadow and shutter flickering that creates a distraction impossible to overlook and made all the more evident by more than a hint of edge enhancement and shimmering of fine details. Contrast levels are particularly bad during Astaire's solo "I've Got My Eye On You" as well as Murphy and Powell's art decco dance number "I Concentrate On You". The one saving grace on this disc is that none of the above mentioned problems intrudes on the film's climactic show stopper "Begin The Beguine". It remains an untainted spell-binding display of tap dancing from two professionals at the top of their game. The audio on this disc is mono, as originally recorded, but extremely well represented with low background hiss and little distortion.
Extras: A toss-away featurette hosted by Ann Miller and a theatrical trailer are the only things worth mentioning.
Bottom Line: Disappointing - considering Warners usual sterling efforts for classic movies on DVD. Let's hope that this disc, along with "High Society" and "Kiss Me Kate" are flukes and not what is going to become the norm for a studio with such a rich film heritage, worthy of great pains in preservation.

Nice story, great dancing, good movie.
I admit to being no fan of overblown musicals, but I love this film.

A wonderful little movie, with some big production numbers, Broadway Melody of 1940 revisits the old 'mistaken identity' premise. Our hero Johnny Brett (Fred Astaire) briefly assumes his partner, King Shaw's identity (George Murphy) and misses the opportunity of a lifetime to dance with the wonderful Claire Bennett (Eleanor Powell).

When King is chosen to star in the big new Broadway show instead of Johnny, he gets only support from his slighted partner.

Will Ms. Powell and Mr. Astaire get together in the end? I leave that for you to find out. Look for Frank Morgan (The Wizard of Oz) as Bennett's skatter-brained talent agent, and great dance numbers from all the principals.

A feel good-er, and it's timeless.

The only teaming of the King and Queen of Tap!
One of the last, big B&W musical extravaganzas, BROADWAY MELODY OF 1940 is a joy from start to finish. The incomparable Fred Astaire and the unforgettable Eleanor Powell only made this one film together, but it's one for the ages!

Terrific tunes by Cole Porter make up a nifty score, which comes to a thrilling conclusion featuring Fred & Eleanor's amazing BEGIN THE BEGUINE.

A must-have for film musical fans!

Underappreciated
The art direction in this movie is incredible. It is one of the ultimate "New York as nightlife fantasyland" films (like the 1936 Melody, and Astaire's own "Swing Time"). The DVD replicates the silky B&W images just fine, especially the finale, which looks incredible on a big screen TV. Though Astaire tended to blow this off as "one of those big Metro things", it is a fun movie with a cool Big Band feel and a dream soundtrack, and Eleanor Powell is a revelation--it's too bad she isn't as well known today. Though the silly harlequin ballet doesn't really belong, I'll still take this over the pretentious MGM musicals of the 50s.

if you have a tapper at home; don't miss this movie
Right after watching this, my wife and I called our (now) 14 yo dancer in to see it. She in turn had her dance buddies watch it the next time they were over. The look of amazement on ALL of our faces as we watched some of the best there ever was worth the price of admission. Like the commercial says; DVD player; $200, DVD; $15, Watching your daughter work ten times harder on her tapping-priceless. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Not historically accurate, but still good fun.
Robert Alda stars in this odd, melodramatic potboiler which looks at the rags-to-rich (and more riches) rise of one of America's greatest popular composers. The film is hampered by a few small points, one being that Gershwin's life doesn't readily lend itself to dramatic portrayal (until the very end, when he drops dead at a very young age, and your jaw just drops)... The problem is that guy was just too darn successful! He hit a groove and never stopped, moving from one huge critical success to another (with one or two flops in between)... The scriptwriters were obviously aware of this, and insert several belabored sequences wherein Gershwin anguishes over this or that, and a couple of sniffly, symbolic deathbed scenes, just for good measure. Other problems include Alda himself (yes, he's Alan's dad...) who isn't completely up to the role, as well as the weak portrayal of George's brother Ira, a super-brilliant, super-important lyricist, who is here presented as a mere hanger-on and cheerleader for his brother, the big-shot genius. Hello? Excuse me... Ira Gershwin?!? Of the Gershwin brothers? Oh, forget it. Oh, also check out Gershwin's kooky pal Oscar Levant, who plays himself, in a somewhat true-to-life portrayal as George's confidant and stand-in concertizer. Other celebrities who play themselves here include Al Jolson and bandleader Paul Whiteman... and the music, of course, can't be beat.

S'wonderful!
This is a wonderful movie. I am a little upset that is not easily available right now, and I will have to wait for the price to go down before I buy it.

Check out the Gershwinfan.com site if you are interested in Gershwin.

21 minutes, a very important piece.
I discovered this movie back in the early 60's when i use to collect vintage 35mm movie prints. This is the only works i've ever seen of George Gershwin. A pleasant surprise for me was an actress named Alexis Smith. Little did i know that one day i would work with her in "Follies" on Broadway. Pure class Alexis was.But i digress. "Rhapsody in Blue" is one of those great Warner Brothers musicals that have countess number of production numbers in them. One of my favorites is "Blue Monday Blues." The music is beautiful and would also make my eyes tear-up. This is a wonderful classic that you can watch over and over again. With todays technology i only hope that someone will invest the time to transfer it to DVD and maybe rechannel the sound to 5.1? or is that asking for to much.If you can, get this one for your collection, i promise you won't be disappointed especially when they play "The Rhapsody in Blue." Hmmm, now that i wrote this, i think i watch it again.

a classic
I was nine years old when this masterpiece first appeared on our neighborhood screen. I may have missed it cause you know young boys interests were cowboys and indians, and Saturday serials. My parents probably did see it, but it was never mentioned over the dinner table. Now, 56 years later, I have found this classic, and have it my own tape. This is music noone will ever see or hear again. As we grow out of our chilhood years into young adult, we start to appreciate these kind of stories. And, I mus say, made only better in black and white, a standard of that time. Maybe this classic wouldn't have went over in color, maybe it would. But, I will now enjoy this classic all I want. As an aside, when I was that young tot, I had thought that George and Ira were married! Goes to show how much I paid attention. Dumb, heh? Woody Allens' movie "Manhattan" has many of these songs in it's sound track. See it too.....

Nostalgic and Noteworthy!
This movie is the inspiring story of George Gershwin and his music. I adore this movie and I watch it often. To avoid searching for it in the listings, I'm purchasing my own copy. Parents --- introduce your children to George Gershwin's music with a wholesome, entertaining movie! "Rhapsody in Blue" is family entertainment at its best. A tender blend of biography and incredible music, this film honors one of one of America's most beloved composers! ... Read more

Reviews (64)

Mean, moody, magnificent!
MILDRED PIERCE (1945): A downtrodden housewife (Joan Crawford) works hard to become a successful restaurateur in order to accommodate her spoiled daughter (Ann Blyth), leading to betrayal and murder...

The movie which netted Joan Crawford her first and only Oscar and revitalized her flagging career is a top-class melodrama, beautifully constructed by screenwriter Ranald MacDougall (from a novel by James M. Cain) and photographed in moody black and white by ace cameraman Ernest Haller (HUMORESQUE, REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE). Aimed at the market for so-called 'women's pictures' which had emerged during the Second World War, the movie contains all the ingredients of a modern day soap opera, piling the agony on Crawford's tragic character until she's redeemed by a moment of happiness at the very end of the picture. Crawford is a tower of strength in the leading role, and she's given strong support by an exceptional cast, including Blyth (KISMET, THE HELEN MORGAN STORY) as her vicious, mean-spirited offspring, character actor Jack Carson as a wily businessman who pursues Crawford romantically and loses out to a succession of unsuitable paramours (including a deceptively suave Zachary Scott in one of his first screen appearances), and Eve Arden in a hilarious turn as Crawford's friend and business colleague who doles out the wisecracks like candy (after being leered over by Carson, she retorts: "Leave SOMETHING on me, I might catch cold!"). Attentive viewers will be amused by some eyebrow-raising dialogue which hints at a lesbian subtext in Arden's character, having somehow managed to elude conservative-minded censors in 1945! By this stage in his long career, director Michael Curtiz was an old hand at this sort of thing (ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES, CASABLANCA, etc.), and he orchestrates the dramatic highlights with visual aplomb - the confrontations between Crawford and Blyth are particularly strong, though Crawford's stubborn devotion to such an ungrateful daughter seems faintly ridiculous at times - and the sumptuous production values represent Hollywood craftsmanship at its finest. Beautiful, doom-laden score by Max Steiner, incorporating a number of cues heard earlier in NOW, VOYAGER (1942), and vivid, expressionist set designs by Hollywood veteran Anton Grot. Butterfly McQueen (immortalized forever in GONE WITH THE WIND) appears uncredited as Crawford's maid.

Warner's region 1 DVD - which runs 110m 40s - reproduces the 1.37:1 frame in full-frame format, and picture quality on this fully restored print is absolutely stunning, with barely a mark on the entire negative. The 1.0 mono soundtrack is clean and forceful, and English captions and subtitles are included. For some reason, Warner has opted for a two-sided presentation rather than dual-layer, which means you have to turn the disc over to access a series of trailers from Crawford's heyday at Warner Bros. (including one for MILDRED PIERCE itself) and a fascinating documentary on Crawford's life and career (86m 58s), produced for the Turner Classic Movies channel in 2002. Contributions from co-stars, family and technical personnel provide a rounded picture of Crawford from her beginnings as a wild party girl to a respected actress whose career hit rock bottom toward the end of the 1960's. The documentary doesn't shy away from allegations of abusive behavior made by her adopted daughter Christina (the basis for MOMMIE DEAREST, book and film), but it also reminds us of her enduring legacy as one of the shining lights of Hollywood's golden age.

Joan's Oscar!
Bette Davis turned down this tawdry tale of a housewife who becomes a tycoon from baking pies and starting a restaurant chain called (surprise) Mildred Pierce. Joan's fantastic as the betroubled mother of two daughters, Kay and Veda. But this brings up the weakest element of this classic film. Veda is such a creamy, hard-boiled monster that you can't believe her (played in an unreal, strange way by Ann Blyth). Nor is it possible to believe Mildred would keep forgiving her for all the horrible things she does. Bizarre as it sounds, I wish Bette Davis could have played the Veda role and oh, boy, would things have exploded. Blyth is much too cool and marbelized while Joan keeps forgiving, forgiving. Still, the movie is wonderfully produced with great sets, photography, and yet another memorable film score by genius Max Steiner.Eve Arden brilliantly portrays Ida, everybody's chum, who says at one point to Mildred: "Alligators have the right idea. They eat their young." After sitting through this, you may also wonder how this movie would have turned out if Bette had taken the role of Mildred--or in our fantasies, the role of Veda. Anyhoo, bravo to Joan who really deserved the Oscar she won.

A classic!
A fantastic movie! Beautifully directed, wonderfully acted, and a great story!

If you enjoyed the movie, read the original by James Cain. There are a few things about Mildred that the movie didn't tell - it may surprise you!

Ultimate Crawford
Here is the story of your average post-World War II housewife who believes that nothing is too good--or too much--for her two precious daughters. By the time this great soap opera is over, she has buried one child, experienced the murder of a cheating, mooching sleazeball of a husband, sent the other daughter off to prison, and gone into bankruptcy. But at least Eve Arden's character is good for a few laughs. At the end, though, she seems to reconcile with her first husband, whom she kicked out of the house in the first reel for losing his job. It's nice to know one can sometimes start out all over again.

Essential for Old-Movie Fans
Everyone who has a weakness for old movies should have this one in his/her collection.
Steely Joan Crawford evokes sympathy as an abandoned, financially-strapped wife and mother, though you know all along that Mildred will make it somehow.
Make it she does, stumbling into the restaurant business and making a success of it in spite of the fact that men find her so darned irresistible that she has to stop and peel one off every few steps.
Adding to Mildred's troubles is the fact that oldest daughter Vida(played by dewy-eyed young beauty Ann Blyth) has become an insufferable snob somewhere along the line, in spite of her middle-class upbringing. Mildred worships Vida, in spie of the fact that Vida is moody, verbally abusive, and impossible to please.Vida wants to be "rich", but when Mildred makes lots of money, it still doesn't suit Vida because her mother worked (ew, yuck) for it. You wish that Mildred would shake her, or at least ground her.
Eve Arden, one of my all-time favorites, is her usual wonderful self as Mildred's shrewd secretary and loyal friend.
Butterfly McQueen gets wasted once again in the role of the family's maid.
Even if you're not a Joan Crawford fan, buy this one; it makes terrific rainy-night viewing. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In 1933, RKO Pictures had the bright idea of pairing Dolores Del Rio and Gene Raymond for their new musical blockbuster, Flying Down to Rio. The film was a smash, but not for the reasons anyone expected. The fourth- and fifth-billed stars were an RKO bit player and a Broadway man breaking into Hollywood. Their names were Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, and their pairing in this and eight subsequent RKO films would rewrite cinematic history. Most of Rio's screen time is spent on a humdrum romantic triangle involving Del Rio, Raymond, and Raul Roulien, but Fred (as Fred Ayres) and Ginger (as Honey Hayes) are still able to establish many of the trademarks of their later films. Ginger fronts the band (with Fred on accordian!) in the saucy "Music Makes Me," and Fred does some solo tap, then sings and leads the band for the spectacular airborne finale featuring chorus girls perched on the wings of biplanes. The heart of the film is "The Carioca," a company dance extravaganza that would be imitated by "The Continental" and "The Piccolino" in later films. Here Fred and Ginger take the floor together for the first time; their eyes meet and their foreheads touch. Their dance lasts only a few minutes, but it was the highlight of the film and audiences wanted more. The most prophetic moment occurs toward the beginning of the dance, when, after watching for a while, Fred grabs Ginger and tells her, "I want to try this. Come on, Honey." She declares, "We'll show 'em a thing or three." They did indeed. It was magic, and it was only the beginning.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Astaire and Rogers shine in their first film together
I am a huge Astaire& Rogers fan and though that this movie was swell. Though the stars of the film were supposed to be Gene Raymond and Dolores del Rio, Fred and Ginger stole the show- as usual-! Ginger's solo, 'Music Makes Me' is very well done, the 'Carioca', which makes you want to hop on screen and dance, is superb, and the bevy of girls dancing on the wings of a plane for the finale is true cinematic gold!

THE CARIOCA
A rather dated and corny but undeniably fun confection with a really redeeming quality: the introduction of Astaire and Rogers. Orchestra leader-aviator Roger Bond (Gene Raymond) and his performers, including the dance team of Honey Hale and Fred Ayres (Guess Who?) earn a big break by being hired to perform at a posh resort hotel in Rio de Janeiro. The dramatic ORCHIDS IN THE MOONLIGHT is heard along with the title tune and the incredibly bouncy, fresh and fun 22 year-old Rogers sings a campy jump tune entitled MUSIC MAKES ME. The exquisite Mexican actress Dolores Del Rio was unfortunately hampered by her rather limited acting ability and a heavy accent but her luminous beauty is showcased here. Rather accidentally, the film established several ingredients that would become standard fare in future Astaire-Rogers outings: glorious art-deco sets by Van Nest Polglase and choreography by the great Hermes Pan. The infectious CARIOCA number (the title refers to a native of Rio) is presented at the Carioca Casino. Ginger and Fred are fascinated by this avante garde (a variation of the samba) which demands partners dance with foreheads touching. They try out the intricate steps and soon have the dance floor to themselves...........And the rest is HISTORY!! THE CARIOCA is also vocalised by the great black songstress, Etta Moten. A glorious Hollywood holiday - 1933 style - which paved the way for the teams succession of RKO films from 1934 (THE GAY DIVORCEE) to 1949 (THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY).

The First Pairing.
"Flying Down to Rio" is a memorable movie because it was the first screen pairing of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, who would make 10 movies in all together. This is my least favourite of all of their 10 screen pairings. That is not to say it is not good. I think all 10 of their movies are brilliant.

The problem I have with this movie is that Fred and Ginger are not the main stars. That part goes to Dolores Del Rio and Gene Raymond. Usually I wolud not have a problem with those two stars, but in this case, I do. I really just wanted to see Fred and Ginger together for the whole movie. But it is interrupted by a love story going on between Dolores Del Rio and Gene Raymond.

The plot has it that Del Rio's uncle has been prohibited from having a floor show at his lavish hotel because of a Rio city ordinance. Fred Astaire and Gene Raymond save everything by staging the "Flying Down to Rio" number thousands of feet in the air, with hundreds of chorus girls doing different kinds of things while strapped to the wings of a fleet of airplanes. Its an amazing musical number, and a great way to finish a movie.

The highlight for a lot of people in this movie is the "Carioca" scene. I personally think it goes on just a little too long, and its not the kind of thing I am used to. I like the "Flying Down to Rio" part at the end of the movie, with the girls on the planes in the sky, and also, it is only a short part of the movie, but I like Ginger singing "Music Makes Me" (which was amazingly not a track on the Rhino/Turner 2-Disc CD release "Fred and Ginger at RKO"). So overall, for any Fred and Ginger fan, you have to see it. Even if you may get slightly bored during the non Fred and Ginger scenes.

early success
I love this movie for 2 reasons.
1: The friend relationship that Fred and Ginger have. They get along so well and that helped to heighten the chemistry.
2:Ginger's wisecracks. SHe still has that wisecracking-second-lead-chorine type attitude that she would lose in coming pictures. she sings "music makes me" with an adorable smile and swiveling hips.
the best scene is in the cafe, where ginger can't take her mind off food.
"OOH, cookies"
"I'd rather split a banana split 3-way"

"Wanna cookie? Take your choice!"
This is just an early sampling of the greatest dance teams magic.

orchids in the moonlight.
Hi, yes I do agree that Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers are great together,but in my opinion in this film I just loved the dancing and the music by the dance troupe especially when they danced the tango to the tune orchids in the moonlight.WoW! what a tune so romantic.Delores Del Rio & Gene Raymond to me also made the film for me a hit. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Stunning tribute to some of Irving Berlin's very best
"Alexander's Ragtime Band" is wonderful entertainment in so many different ways and its chief fame rests undoubtedly on the fact that it provided a perfect showcase for almost two dozen Irving Berlin tunes that have gone down into musical history. Who can forget the magical "Blue Skies", and of course the celebrated title tune "Alexander's Ragtime Band". Twentieth Century Fox pulled all the stops out with this 1838 production not only providing Irving Berlin with a stunning showcase for his musical genius but with an opulent no expense spared tribute to the enduring talents of lead performers Tyrone Power and Alice Faye.

Tyrone Power has the lead role of Nob Hill raised Roger Grant ne: Alexander, an earnest young conductor in 1911 San Francisco committed to the elevation of swing as a musical force in its own right. The story covers over 3 decades as we see his rise and fall and rise again as his fortunes change with each passing decade. In particular the focus is on his love/hate, on again/off again relationship with the band's lead singer Stella Kirby (Alice Faye)a brassy saloon singer from the Barbary Coast with no refinement but alot of energy and a great talent. Their's is a tumultous relationship which sees them unwillingly thrown together in their work, through a veiled attraction to each other, to separation by war, to Stella developing refinement and then finding fame in New York as a solo singer through to her unhappy marriage to a member of the Band Charlie Dwyer (Dom Ameche in another underrated performance) Of course the resolution at the conclusion is a happy one with the pair being finally reunited in a rousing rendition at Carnegie Hall of, you guessed it "Alexander's Ragtime Band"!

Having just previously worked together in Fox's classic "In Old Chicago", Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, and Don Ameche were by this stage a well oiled team of professionals that were as effective in period dramas as they were in this production. Alice Faye in particular has a real showcase in this production with her development from the loud saloon singer into a world acclaimed artist in her own right.Her unusual deep smoky singing style in particular really suits the tunes she performs here. In particular her rendition of "Blue Skies" is unforgettable and really is the most memorable song used here. Tyrone Power was just reaching his peak when "Alexander's Ragtime Band", went into production. His stylish good looks often hide the fact that his was a fine acting talent and he certainly proves it in his playing of the determined young band leader who encounters all kinds of difficulties in his climb to the top in swing. His onscreen chemistry with Don Ameche and with Alice Faye in particular works wonderfully and he would work with her rather sadly only one more time in the next year in "Rose of Washington Square". Also of great interest in this film is a rare early appearance by the legendary Ethel Merman as Jerry Allen who comes in as the replacement singer when Stella leaves the band. Merman was a formidable talent but somehow with the exception of her classic "Call Me Madam", never really became a successful movie actress. Her great stardom came fittingly on Broadway where her name became legend. Merman is best in her musical numbers in this film where her terrific vocal range and delivery are evident. Her rendition of "Blue Skies" is also one of the films show stoppers.

The Beauty of "Alexander's Ragtime Band", also lays in the great attention to period detail employed here. Fox went all out as befitted a Darryl F. Zanuck production with lavish sets, stunning costumes and brisk energic direction by the legendary Henry King who always worked so well with Tyrone Power. Indeed the look of this film is really eye stopping and it was Fox's most expensive production that year. All the effort resulted in a stunning six Academy Award nominations including one for Best Picture, it being a rare honour for a musical to be included in that category.

For anyone looking for a musical feast for both the ears and the eyes "Alexander's Ragtime Band", is unsurpassed entertainment from the old school of movie making. Knowing that so many of Irving Berlin's signature tunes came from this production certainly reserves it a special place in musical history. For those that love his work, and admire Tyrone Power and Alice Faye at the peak of their success and beauty then you can't go past this film rendition of Irving Berlin's "Alexander's Ragtime Band".

A joyous musical
Alice Faye has never been better. Ethel Merman shines in a supporting role. Don Ameche shows why he should have been a lead, and then there's Tyrone Power who simply ravishing. The music is superb, and the script is solid. This is one of the best musicals. A real treat. Don't miss it.

Ragtime Showtime
If you like ragtime and Alice Faye's voice, and if you love the classic old musicals and how Tyrone Power looks, then this is the movie for you.

Beautiful songs performed with all the style and glamour of that era, charming people to cheer for and hurt with, the universal element of true love . . . all this makes for a classic.

One of the nitpicks, of course, is that none of them age a day throughout the entire movie. And the eerie feeling you get from the taxi driver seems better suited for a mystery or a suspense, not a musical such as this.

Alice Faye (spunky and sincere) and Ethel Merman (smooth yet practical) both singing to Tyrone Power (handsome as ever) is rather amusing. The songs, including "Blue Skies" which both lead ladies sing, are some of Irving Berlin's best.

THIRTIES GEM
A beautiful example of a high-gloss production of the thirties, ALEXANDER'S RAGTIME BAND is slick, well-edited and backed by stunning sets and costumes. Chock full of Irving Berlin ballads, this movie takes us from 1915 to 1938 and it's great fun throughout. Alice Faye is amusing as a rather risque floozie and although Merman is rather unphotogenic, she comes off with a better performance (in all actuality, when seen in close-ups, young Tyrone Power is more beautiful than either!)

Excellent movie. Great for couples and families.
This wonderful old musical will even captivate your children. The songs are thrilling, and the acting superb. Modern movies can't compete! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

BETTY GRABLE , HELLO DOLLY (SISTERS)
BETTY GRABLE, this is 1945 Betty is Queen of Technicolor
Fox want to make a biog of the DOLLY SISTERS, Alice Faye is family bound Alice got a raw deal from Fox with Fallen Angel so she did a runner, Rita Hayworth was busy at Columbia so Betty had to settle for June Haver as co-star Haver was 10 years younger than Grable but it was Betty,s movie in Technicolor

Very promising but doesn't live up
Look alike June Haver and Betty Grable star together in this movie as two blonde sisters. The first hour was very entertaining with several silly songs. June and Betty make a great team. Their voices sound pretty good together.
But the last hour is such a drag. Like "For Me and My Gal", it destroys itself by entering war into the picture. My main complaint however is John Payne's character. He criticizes Jenny's (Betty Grable) career and comes across as a real jerk.
Reading up on what happened to the real Dolly Sisters, it wouldn't have much mattered if the war part was edited out anyway as this was very fictionized.
The only thing I gained from this movie was an appreciation more of Betty Grable's talents. It made me realize there were valid reasons for her success. June Haver is almost as appealing as Betty too. I'll be checking into their other movies. More like 2 1/2.

Great Musicals
One of the top musicals of the 1940s so what's taking so long to get it released on DVD format! More of Grable's films should be made available to enjoy, films like Mother Wore Tights, The Diamond Horse Shoe, Coney Island, I Wake Up Screaming (DVD).

Everything is great
The opening scene with turn of the century New York, the 2 little girls playing the Dolly sisters as youngsters breaking into an "impromptu" dance in the Hungarian cafe, dancing to Gypsy music, the cut to the adult June Haver and Betty Grable doing the same thing in more filled out peasant dresses and showing a lot of "million dollar legs"...Not too many actesses would want to be in an immediate comparison for cuteness with pretty little blond girls, but these two carry it off flawlessly.

The other songs, the scenes in Paris, the story of the romance with John Payne, how they showed the conflict (albiet a bit corny, but believable) of how both of them wanted to assert their individuality and still be together...

This is one of the best musicals I've ever seen. Family values and an adult story tastefully done.

In the "forgotten" old musicals category, I'd also recommend The Perils of Pauline with Betty Hutton, Cover Girl with Gene Kelly and Rita Hayworth.

Jaw-dropping eye candy
The movie shows that Fox was often right up there with MGM when it came to musicals! Surely one of the most brilliantly designed, staged and costumed backstage musicals ever made. The two stars strut their stuff in enough feathers to eradicate several endangered species - and then get it on with a zest and verve that make you instantly fall in love with them. The Dolly Sisters were a vaudeville phenomenon that took the world by storm and although this is merely a typical romanticized Hollywood version of a show business bio it is well worth watching just to get the flavor of what they might have been like. Warning: the "Darktown Strutter's Ball" Follies Bergere number will seem racist by today's standards, but it is beautifully put together, and is one of the first instances of Hollywood even hinting that black women might take their place with the most gorgeous showgirls in the world (though they used white girls in dark makeup to make the point). Color, Music, Style- A+: Story, performances - OK See it for the still-amazing production numbers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Steve Zaillian, the Oscar-winning screenwriter ofSchindler's List, made his directorial debut with this critically acclaimed but little-seen drama based on thenonfiction book by Fred Waitzkin, about a father (Joe Mantegna) who discovers that his seven-year-old son (Max Pomeranc) is a genius at playing chess. The boy plays chess for fun, but when he's tutored by a former champion (Ben Kingsley) and entered into high-pressure competitions, an enjoyable pastime becomes a source of tension and resentment, forcing the father to reconsider his parental priorities. A poignant study of the difference between parental idealism and proper parenting, the movie is also an observantly witty portrait of a precocious child who is still, after all, a child, and still eager for the joyful discoveries of youth. While offering a fascinating look into the world of competitive chess, the movie's dramatically engrossing and extremely well-acted by a brilliant cast that also includes David Paymer, William H. Macy, and Dan Hedaya in memorable supporting roles. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (61)

Check Mate
This is one of the most touching movies ever written. It has so many special undertones and hidden messages, making for a very pleasurable movie-watching experience.

Joe Mantegna discovers his seven year-old son, Josh played by Max Pomeranc, has a gift for playing chess. He sees his son's talent, and the enter the world of chess tournaments, behind the guidance of tutor, Ben Kingsley. Before long, he becomes the number one child chess player, and is seemingly unstoppable. Conversely, Josh merely wants to be a "normal" boy and just wants to have the love and admiration of his family instead of countless trophies, so he soon loses his edge for the chess world.

The cast is astonishing. Lawrence Fishburn, one of the most underated actors of our time, plays a wonderful "street smarts" chess player. Add in cameos by Dan Hedaya, David Paymer, and William H. Macy, who I can't watch on the silver screen without saying "Ah, Gees," and you have one entertaining film.

This is a truly wonderful movies, with lots of depth. It is not so much about chess as it is about finding one's inner strength and character in the face of adversity and high-pressure challanges. The acting is superb, and the chess tournament scenes are, in fact, riveting. This film is a can't miss.

A film for the whole family
A heart-warming, feel good movie that introduces you to Josh Waitskin (Max Pomeranc), a 7-year-old chess enthusiast. Not only is he enthusiastic, he is a brilliant player that uses combinations that only the most advanced players would dare to try. The best part is Josh is just an everyday kid with a good heart. He has never been schooled in the techniques of the advanced rules of competition that accompany the game. Josh lacks the "killer instinct", and he finds himself up against kids whose lives are warped by their obsession for the game.

Ben Kingsley plays the chess teacher hired by his dad to coach him in the ways of this competitive world where many of the moves are based on games played by such greats as Bobby Fischer. Laurence Fishburn's role introduces the flip side of the spectrum, a street player who plays for money in Washington Square, and shoots from the hip. Conflict is bound to ensue when oil meets water and it certainly does.

Director Steven Zallian, interlaces live footage of Bobby Fischer's genius which Josh narrates, adding an interesting aspect to the possibilities and incredible vigor behind the competition that these kids are up against. Based on a true story, this was a great movie for the whole family, with life lessons to be learned. I highly recommend it. Kelsana 6/19/02

chess at it's best
A classic movie that will inspire any level of chess player

This film blows chunks!
Awful film that is totally pretentious. I mean this rich parents are SO New York its disgusting. Nothing but the best for their kid. First of all as of today Josh is not even rated in the top 2000 players in the world and Judit Polgar can kick his butt all over the chessboard. But the scenes in this film are God-awful and ben kingsley acts like Ghandi in this one- like hes reprising his Ghandi role here with that bull accent of his. Pass on this mess of a film thats so bad even cable wont show it anymore.

a good movie about a good thing
This movie is really good. It got me interested in chess when I first saw it, and now I am one of the top scholastic chess players in my state. It has really good music and really good actors, and the story is good. I also read the book about the real thing, and the movie is pretty close to the book. Overall it is a super good movie. ... 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

Reviews (337)

The happiest sound in its best version yet!
Reviled by some, beloved by many, consistently referred to as the most popular movie musical ever made, THE SOUND OF MUSIC more than fulfills the promise of its beautiful visuals and expert song numbers on home video via DVD. This edition tops the 1995 laserdisc by allowing the sparkling, exemplary design of its 70mm. Todd-AO frame to be exhibited with increased sharpness and resolution. The 4.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack is powerful and clean, but since this film was originally mixed for six-track magnetic stereo, it's curious why the effort wasn't made by Fox to split the surrounds! Nonethless, the film sounds terrific. The extra features make this package a bargain at the price. Full length commentary by director Bob Wise, with the musical numbers presented sans vocals, is a great touch. And the two documentaries are beautifully presented; full of facts and bits of arcane information that any fan will truly enjoy. A great movie, and a great DVD rendition. More like this, PLEASE!

Wonderful!!! One of the Best Musicals Ever Made!!!
First of all, I'd like to confess that I've probably watched this movie more than one hundred times in my lifetime.

"The Sound of Music" is such a popular movie that people can't enough of making fun of it, which is understandable: I mean, a nun, seven children, songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Austrian landscape. In reality, most of these people probably haven't sat down and watched this movie, because it is an absolutely unforgettable experience.

Julie Andrews is absolutely magical as Maria. When she runs on the mountaintop and starts singing the famous lyrics "The hills are alive...," it sends chills down my spine to this day. Christopher Plummer cuts a good figure as the captain but gave a rather stiff performance: he doesn't bring anything extra to the role. Eleanor Parker, as the Baroness, was wasted--a role like that was far beneath her talents. But the children were all wonderful, especially Charmian Carr who was charming as Liesl.

This movie is ultrasentimental and proud of it. But I'll stick with this rather than some of those one-dimensional slasher flicks which are in fashion these days. It has a plausible story, some of the world's most remembered songs, and the glorious Austrian and Swiss Alps in the background. Overall, I can't say anything other than I loved it.

The Hills Are Alive...Now and Forever
No matter how many times you've seen this 1965 musicalization of the 1959 stage classic, it's still a joy to behold. For me, there are many reasons. On location filming in Saltzburg heightens the story's magnitude. The casting of Julie Andrews as Maria Von Trapp was a coup for both 20th Century Fox and director Robert Wise. She's magnificent and ever so professional. Back then, this was only her third Hollywood movie. But she's a pro from start to finish. Everything she does it fraught with such emotion and conviction, you'd swear she was Maria Von Trapp. Opening up the stage play with several new scenes, sub plots, songs, characters and dialogue also benefits what could have been a very sticky situation. Finally, there's the DVD itself. This is the widescreen version that was shown back in theaters when the film first opened. It includes the intermission and the Act II opening music. With no formatting for television, you get to see everything in all it's technicolor glory. On video, half the Von Trapp children didn't fit on the televsion screen. Musical numbers lost there scope as did scenes where you had 13 characters in one room and only saw 7 on the screen. I highly recommend this DVD. But wait, there's more. The 87-minute documentary is awesome. So are segments showing scenes that were cut and up dates on how the kids look today.

Incredible movie, must see, but don't buy the one disc
First off. Think you have seen the Sound of Music? Well you haven't. I thought I had, many times. Of course it was always around Xmas with the commerical breaks. But that is a much edited version. There are small but significant cuts everywhere in that version. So this is a great thing to have. My 3 stars relates directly to the lack of extras on the one disc. The movie is 5+ stars, but the lack of extras warrants the 3 stars.

So this is a must buy. Also the commentary is very good here. But given the price for this on Amazon, just buy the 2 set version. I got the one disc version at a very good price so it is not a bad buy. But for $6 more, why not enjoy the double DVD? This is a must get for any movie fan, and if you are not into the extras, by all means buy this one. This movie, like all of Rogers and Hammerstein's work is emotional without ever being fake or sentimental. It is full of sentiment and completely honest sentiment at that, but never sentimentality. It totally puts to SHAME almost every director and producer and writer working in Hollywood today. Complete and total shame and disgrace. Nothing coming out of Hollywood today can hold a candle to this. Entire director's careers with academy awards can't even begin to even compare to just this one movie. So get some version, especially if you have young ones. Sit them down, and let them experience what a real movie can be.

This has been a great thing to share with my daughter.
I grew up with this video and watched it on TV every year. The songs have always stuck in my head. I even did the Sound of Music Tour when I was in Austria. But now I've got my daughter introduced to this beautiful music. This and the Wizard of Oz are her favorites.

I bought the easy piano scores for her to play the songs on the piano, and singing lessons on CD "Voice Lessons TO GO", by Vaccarino (They're great and a lot cheaper than private voice lessons!) for her, (even though I use them when she's at school). So she is confident to sing along while she plays her Edelweis and Do a Dear. We love it. ... Read more

Reviews (85)

Fantastic
"Dance With Me" was a really great movie that worked on manylevels. It had great music, an enthusiastic, fun-loving cast, a great storyline, believable characters, sensitivity, romance, and a happy ending. This was accomplished without the use of gratuitios sex, violence, and bad language that seems to be all too common in todays movies of lesser character. Vanessa L. Williams was great as dancer Ruby, and Chayanne was wonderful and romantic as her male love-interest, though he did have a tendency to smile way too much. They were amazingly romantic, full of chemistry, Chayanne was very convincing in his role as a man with dubious parentage. Chayanne is hot, yes, but even hotter was the man who played Vanessa L. William's ex-partner, the father of her son, and competetion partner during the Latin dance contest sequence. He is an extremely sexy man! I only wish that he, Valenzuela (the male Valenzuela--not the woman one), could have gotten WAY more screen time. This movie makes you want to get up and dance. It moves you in more ways than one. I've watched it at least twenty-five times since it was released (very limitedly in the theaters), and I will watch it, no doubt, twenty-five more times before it's all over. This is a fantastic, glamourous movie, and if you prefer a little "ethnicity" in your movies as opposed to formulaic movies like "Strictly Ballroom" or "Dirty Dancing," and if you want to hear great Afro-Carribbean-Latin sounds and see some of the best dancers in the world, this movie is for you.

Great, wonderful, highly enjoyable movie!
"Dance With Me" was a really great movie that worked on many levels. It had great music, an enthusiastic, fun-loving cast, a great storyline, believable characters, sensitivity, romance, and a happy ending. This was accomplished without the use of gratuitios sex, violence, and bad language that seems to be all too common in todays movies of lesser character. Vanessa L. Williams was great as dancer Ruby, and Chayanne was wonderful and romantic as her male love-interest, though he did have a tendency to smile way too much. They were amazingly romantic, full of chemistry, Chayanne was very convincing in his role as a man with dubious parentage. Chayanne is hot, yes, but even hotter was the man who played Vanessa L. William's ex-partner, the father of her son, and competetion partner during the Latin dance contest sequence. He is an extremely sexy man! I only wish that he, Valenzuela (the male Valenzuela--not the woman one), could have gotten WAY more screen time. This movie makes you want to get up and dance. It moves you in more ways than one. I've watched it at least twenty-five times since it was released (very limitedly in the theaters), and I will watch it, no doubt, twenty-five more times before it's all over. This is a fantastic, glamourous movie, and if you prefer a little "ethnicity" in your movies as opposed to formulaic movies like "Strictly Ballroom" or "Dirty Dancing," and if you want to hear great Afro-Carribbean-Latin sounds and see some of the best dancers in the world, this movie is for you.

Good, but I've seen better
I enjoy this show, but as a ballroom dancer, this movie did have a lot of problems. The competition scene itself was hopelessly off. If you're going to display a ballroom competition, at LEAST get it right! The comp they showed is nothing like a real competition, you get nothing of the real feel of what ballroom is. Someone looking to get hooked on the dance style will be sorely disappointed if that's what they're expecting. There's a lot more to it than this movie shows. More to the point, I'd like to see a ballroom movie that employs REAL ballroom dancers, people who actually know what they're doing. That could bring a whole new kind of charisma to the screen. Other than that, though...the music was incredible, very dance-able, it made me want to get out and samba the night away. The story was only halfway, and sort of muddy at times, like they were trying to put TOO much into it, but not too bad. Still, give me Strictly Ballroom any day.

slow & predictable
some good dancing/music & an occassional laugh; however, i found the story slow, cliche & predictable. did i miss the scene where the us/cuban governments began allowing hassle free travel for citizens between the us & cuba??? a 2 star film with an extra star for vanessa williams, who is unbelievably gorgeous.

A real feel good film
A glimpse of beautiful, stylish dance entertainment and a capture of smooth passionate heat. Vanessa L. Williams and Chayanne worked well together. A great feel good movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

To get people into church, a young priest starts screening films everyother Tuesday. He's expecting The Ten Commandments; instead, he gets 10, with Bo Derek, which launches the lonely lads of this isolated Irish town into wild fantasies about sexy American women. One rambunctious night in the local pub, the boys decide to place an ad in the Miami Herald, asking for attractive young women to come to their town for a dance and possible marriage. Thus begins American Women (formerly The Closer You Get), an enjoyable comedy in the vein of Waking Ned Devine. When the town's women learn of this hare-brained scheme, their reactions vary from bemusement to offense, and they set in motion a counter-scheme that changes the course of romance in the village. The cast is largely unknown (the most recognizable face is Ian Hart, who played John Lennon in Backbeat) but talented all around, investing their rural characters with heart and intelligence, without being afraid of poking a bit of fun at their foibles. American Women is produced by the same people who produced The Full Monty. While this movie treads similar territory (the sometimes conflicting desires of men and women), it has a little less comic punch and a little more Irish bittersweetness. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Wonderful!
One of my all time favorite movies. This is a truly funny film! No matter that it's a familiar theme--the characters are richly developed and endearing, and there are hilarious moments interwoven with poignant ones. I'm trying to find this movie on DVD, as it's also a favorite of my 24 year old daughter. The movie is timeless.

The Closer You Get
The Closer You Get- the harder it is to see the things that are staring you in the face- as the boys in this small Irish village find out. No matter where you live- you can relate to what the people of this small village feel (and do). The humor in this movie is light and refreshing. The music is just as fun (I recommend the soundtrack as well). This movie ranks up in my top 10 of the year.

Enchanting Irish Comedy
This is a quaint and charming little comedy about life and love in rural northwestern Ireland. The question remains, how many rural Irish comedies can we watch before the material starts to get stale. The story begins with the single men of this little town complaining that the women are substandard and there are no marriage prospects. After downing far too many pints, they decide to place an advertisement in the Miami Herald to see if they can induce some American women to come to Ireland to the big town dance. When the townswomen get wind of the scheme, they invite some Spanish fishermen to the same dance. The result is a succession of comical situations where everyone makes fools of themselves in anticipation of the big day. The net result of all this is the lesson Dorothy learned when she left Kansas; that when you are looking for your heart's desire, you don't have to look any further than your own backyard.

Aileen Ritchie's directorial debut was marked by some nice photography of well-selected locations and an alluring portrayal of the local color and appeal. The characters all seemed very genuine and unaffected; the way country folks generally are regardless of national origin. The scenes leading up to the dance work well, but the film bogs down after the dance as the tone changes from mirthful to dramatic.

The acting was generally good with a couple of standouts. Ian Hart stole the show as Kieran the headstrong town butcher. He was simultaneously affable and obnoxious. His character's complete obliviousness to how ridiculous he was gave Hart ample opportunity to become a laugh magnet. Niahm Cusack was also enchanting as Kate, mixing mischievousness with romantic appeal to create a delightful character.

I rated this film a 7/10. It is very light fare, silly enough that it will get a chuckle or two out of almost everyone.

If you liked Waking Ned Devine you will like this!
I thought this movie was cute and charming. Worth renting or buying (once the price drops from 103.00!) If you love all things Irish try this one. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

I saw this movie in 1955
when I was 12 years old, but of course I didn't have my hat on backwards and I am not a boy. I saw it with my best-friend, then and now, who was also a victim of polio.

This film was very touching and memorable. The acting was great. The music is beautiful. The real-life drama of overcoming catastrophic personal crisis with courage and determination was touching to watch. It was particularly significant to view with an individual who, while not famous, had to face the overwhelming uphill battle of dealing with the unfortunate personal tragedy of learning to live with the reality of infantile paralysis.

The beauty of this film and the feelings it evoked have stayed with me all these years and it remains one of my favorite movies of all time. Certainly they don't make films like this today because not many 12 year-old boys or girls would attend. Thank goodness it is available on video to those of us who still recognize good cinema.

INTERRUPTED QUALITY
This movie is the outstanding, true story of one of Opera's finest stars of the 20th Century, Australian Marjorie Lawrence, played by actress Eleanor Parker. Along with Glenn Ford and a very young Roger Moore, the acting is also superb.

However, MGM/Turner Home Video should be slapped on the hand for a very poor sound transfer. After all, the movie is full of Lawrence's music, both opera and popular songs of the era. Yes, the sound track is in stereo, but MGM/Turner didn't reproduce it with dolby digital, even though the picture was digitally transfered. Just about every time throughout the movie when she sings, especially when she hits those beautiful high notes, the sound crackles like an old, scratched 78RPM record. Come on, MGM/Turner! There's no excuse for this. If you're going to take the time to digitally transfer the picture, you've got to do the audio justice. This should have been a no brainer! Hopefully, this will be corrected on future video issues. Or, please give this movie what it really deserves--a full make over on to DVD.

However, the poor sound reproduction shouldn't keep one from purchasing the video. The story is so compelling and powerful, it makes a nice addition to any video library.

Five stars for the story and acting. But one star for the audio quality. Average it out.

Best opera movie
I was 14 when this movie opened and I saw it at least five times (but I have never in my life worn a baseball cap backward, so I guess I have not really contradicted the previous reviewer). I repeated because the Liebestod (as sung by Eileen Farrell, though I did not know that until much later) was one of the greatest musical experiences of my life--then and since, though I had been a devout opera fan before that movie and have been a serious Wagnerian ever since. The movie somewhat romanticized Marjorie Lawrence's life, but Eleanor Parker and Glenn Ford, who played her husband, built a credible dramatic picture of the calamity of serious physical illness striking a great artist. Lawrence did sing Isolde at the Met as her last performance there--whether she rose to fall across Tristan's body must be for some other historian to tell--I certainly wasn't there. But the movie inspires both admiration and creative enthusiasm in anyone who can respond at all to great music and the great determination it requires to perform it well.

Biopic of polio-stricken Wagnerian soprano Marjorie Lawrence
Eleanor Parker, a dramatic actress of the higher second rung in 50s Hollywood, takes on legendary Australian Wagnerian soprano Marjorie Lawrence who, at height of career (20s & 30s), was stricken with polio. Lavishly staged scenes from operas -- sung by the astonishing Eileen Farrell (American pop/Wagnerian songstress of 40s & 50s) -- make this quite the feast for dually addicted film/opera fans. Best of all is footage of Parker/Lawrence making a tough comeback by belting out the 'Siegfried' Brunnhilde and Isolde from reclining position. They really don't make them like this anymore. How many 14-year-old males with their bills pointed backwards would buy tickets? ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Want to see the mechanics of the Miller Band?.....
This review applies EQUALLY to Orchestra Wives and Sun Valley Serenade.

Remember the Elvis movies that were basically a thin plot excuse to have the "star" sing? Well these movies are the 1940's equivalent featuring the pre-war (and so definitive) Glenn Miller Band.

Forget about the plots which are almost identical and don't even stand up today. Boy meets Girl, Falls in love, Another girl is jilted or gets in the way, disharmony in the band, all is sorted out. Big set piece number to finish. (Both movies - honest!). In fact unless you are interested in period movie making and Hollywood fashions you can safely fast forward between the tunes. You can figure the plot as it whizzes by - though how Milton Berle (playing the band's "publicity agent" in Sun Valley Serenade) got his wise crack about the size of a girl's chest past the production code is beyond me! Must have been the war.

BUT - the real reason to own these tapes (when are we going to get the DVD versions?) is watching the mechanics of how the Miller Band produced the sound. Sure - it was shot to be showy - and it is - but it is WELL shot and you can see how the components of the sound were built - even if the "recording studios" are the size of movie studios...... Couple this with the restored soundtrack (some tracks are in early stereo!) and you have a reason to own these movies. If you can only afford one - Orchestra Wives - there are more hits on it!

FORTIES FUNFEST.
A small town girl marries the trumpet player of a travelling swing band. A very popular film in its day, this movie is infinitely more enjoyable than the title - which sounds like a statistical classification - would suggest. The cast is fun if eclectic: George Montgomery, Carole Landis, Cesar Romero, Ann Rutherford, Lynn Bari, Jackie Gleason & the Nicholas Brothers! Numbers include the zany I'VE GOT A GAL IN KALAMAZOO. ORCHESTRA WIVES was the second and final film made by the famed band leader Glenn Miller who disbanded his civilian band in September of 1942 and entered the military. Miller's Army Air Force band was astonishingly modern for its day with a much more sophisticated sound with lush arrangements accompanied by strings and superlative solos from the best sidemen in the pop music business. Miller disappeared during his flight over the English Channel on December 15, 1944: the world mourned this most popular of all Big Band leaders of the fabled Swing Era.

3.5, maybe...
Swing king Glenn Miller plays himself (sort of) as a bandleader with woman problems... problems with women married to his musicians!! A mildly interesting attempt to introduce some melodramatic social commentary about the strains that life on the road can impose on even the best marriages... A few campy catfights don't keep the wives' club scenes from dragging down the script, but the music is great. Highlights include the opening number, "People Like Us," which gives us a good look at the whole band, and a typically dazzling tap routine by the Nicholas Brothers, during the "I Got A Gal From Kalamazoo" medley finale. Miller plays his role with a surprisingly hardbitten edge; Cesar Romero, Jackie Gleason beef up the cast, and it's always a hoot to see Harry Morgan in one of his early roles as a teenage geek. Some funny references to the wartime swing scene.

Possibly my favorite Landis role...
A lot of people who commented focused on the musical numbers in the films, but I want to focus more on the cast. There were some great numbers, but my favorite scenes were the scenes that involved the "Orchestra's Wives" (hence the title!), who were really a group of catty, gossipy women--Carole Landis plays one of the these woman, and it's a switch because usually she doesn't play those kinds of roles. However, she does it wonderfully here, and it is a must for any Carole Landis fans!

Orchestra Wives
This is one of my all-time favorite movies! I was raised on Rock & Roll and became a musician during the sixties, a part time occupation that I enjoy to this day. My favorite influences were Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Jefferson Airplane and Joni Mitchell. When I began, I knew nothing of the music that is featured in Orchestra Wives nor was I interested much. I've been a working musician for 35 years and have seen all the hardship that the business offers. This movie is THE MOST believable record of the highs and lows of playing music for a living that I've seen next to its closest runner up: Prince's 'Purple Rain'. The best line in the movie is when the horn player's girlfriend complains: 'Breakfast? Now? it's almost 2:00 pm!' The world of music performance has not changed AT ALL since this movie was made and I defy any young person to prove me wrong! It's the musicians' wives and girlfriends that put up with the trials of the biz just as much as the players do. The musicians cannot sustain themselves with their support. It's a very hard road if one chooses to perform music for a living. Also, you HAVE NOT LIVED until you've checked out the trumpet solo in 'At Last'! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Hilarious
I saw this film twice when it came out in LA in '89 or '90 and almost got a hernia from laughing. Sandra is truly OVER the whole Westernized idea of self-concept; she has irreverence for almost everything in pop culture, and...well, who can blame her? I listened to the soundtrack from the show again last weekend twelve years later and still laughed. She really has a way of tempering one's desire for too much self-importance, and the way she skewers fame is just... charmed!

One of a kind
This movie, WITHOUT YOU I'M NOTHING, is based on Sandra's off-broaway, smash hit one woman show. Whew.. that was a mouthful. Anyway I wasn't familiar with Sandra's work before I saw this but after I saw this, I was floored. It's funny, touching, silly, and crazy. It's one of the best movies/shows I've seen. During WITHOUT YOU I'M NOTHING Sandra takes jabs at people but she's also an incredible storyteller/comedian. She also sings and dances thoughout. This movie is like no other. It's dark humor, crazy stories, and Sandra's eccentric attitude is sure to entertain.

You'll be memorizing the lines from this movie in no time.
Sandra Bernhard's Without You I'm Nothing, the movie released in the winter of early 1990, followed on the heels of her 1988 off-Broadway stage production ... what she and others refer to in the movie as her "smash-hit one-woman show." There were several changes in monologues and one-liners to update the comedic appeal of the show. And the movie version visually re-vamped the story, taking Sandra from a fabulous existence as a successful stage performer in New York, during what she calls her "superstar summer," to an illusory existence back in her home in Los Angeles - her fictional manager in the film refers to it as getting Sandra back "to her roots, to ... upscale supper clubs like the Parisian Room."

There's a point to be made here. Sandra tries to appeal her liberal worldview to an audience that doesn't completely see it. In L.A. she's playing to a predominantly black audience, trying to relate her ideas and comedy when all these people seem to want is "Shashonna," a Madonna-look-alike stripper. And even then, with Shashonna dancing to drum beats that resemble those from "Like a Virgin," there's not much to be said for the audience's enjoyment of the show. The scene in the club throughout the movie is dryer than a bone. A funny scene to catch is of a rotund man from the audience helping Shashonna out of her pants.

But, if she's going down, Sandra's going down with style and force, conveying everything from foul confidence to punctured vulnerability ... right to the point at which she's naked (literally), pleading with the audience for acceptance and, yet, somehow still swimming in the pool of her own transparent stardom. Her interactions with celebrities like Calvin Klein, Jerry Lewis, Bianca Jagger, Ralph Lauren and (what we're lead to believe is) Warren Beatty are fictional and hilarious.

Sandra begins her show in her most awkward moment, performing a quiet but mystifying rendition of Nina Simone's song "Four Women" while dressed in African garb, singing lines such as "my skin is black," "my hair is wooly," and "they call me Sweet Thing."

She resurrects and celebrates the ghosts of underworld art: "Leave it to Andy [Warhol] to have the wisdom and sensitivity into the hours and hours of toil and labor that went into the Indian product ... that they've been so lucky to cash in on this whole Santa Fe thing happening."

She expounds on the excessiveness of Hollywood, consoling a distraught friend then admonishing him, saying "Mister, if this is about Ishtar, I'm getting up right now and walking out of your life forever because that's too self-indulgent for even me!"

Sandra illustrates the expectations of women in the age of feminism. In retelling her young-girl fantasy, she eventually concludes in relief, "I'll never be a statistic, not me. I'm under 35, and I'm going to be married!"

And she extols the opening of sexuality in society: "When he touches you in the night, does it feel all right, or does it feel real? I say it feels real ... MIGHTY real." And, finally, she cries for change in American society by channeling disco greats Patrick Cowley and Sylvester and proclaiming, "Eventually everyone will funk!"

All this comes in the form of glitzy, schmaltzy but wonderful cabaret performances of songs written and originated by Billy Paul, Burt Bacharach, Hank Williams and Laura Nyro, to name a few. At the same time, the idealized, fictional incarnation of Sandra -- her self-generated mirror image -- floats around town, a beautiful model with flowing gowns and tight bustiers reading the Kabala, studying chemistry and listening to NWA rap music.

Without You I'm Nothing exposes Sandra in what was then her most intimate and direct engagement with an audience to date. She explores emotions and existences that, up until then, she'd only toyed with as a regular guest on Late Night With David Letterman. Her almost child-like enthusiasm for shock, exhibited throughout the '80s, is thrown aside in the face of a subtler allure, and her confidence in the face of materialism and American celebrity proves refreshing. This approach to comedy would change Sandra's direction forever and mark the more mature, more personable entertainer to come.

If you like subtle humor to the point of engaging in inside jokes about glamour, celebrity, sex, loneliness, despair and shallow expressions of love and kinship, this movie will keep you in stitches. But see it with a friend "in the know" because it's definitely funnier that way. Before you know it, the two of you will be trading Sandra barbs and confusing the hell out of everyone else.

A Masterpiece of Black Comedy: rent it, buy it, steal it
Sandra's off-the-cuff remark that "my father is a proctologist and my mother is an abstract artist: that's how I see the world" is an early warning of her often scatological, often surrealist commentaries on the conventions and pop culture of our time. The wild musical interludes, broken up by deadpan monologues, and hilariously backhanded commentary by her fictionized former agent and an old "friend", will never be forgotten by any viewer, whether fan or not.

In this earlier incarnation, Sandra was the foremost artist of emotional abjection. A character who encounters rejection and misunderstanding everywhere, yet one whom the viewer soon identifies as easily the most intelligent person in the room. It is neither her religion nor her sexuality which marginalize her, but the particular pitch of her wit and her kaleidescopic view of cultural phenomena.

Sandra's scatter-shot talents range from singing to dancing to acting to writing, but, as this film demonstrates, the sum of her brilliance is greater than any one (though also brilliant!) part.

Sandra is a national treasure who might just change and even save your life. She is tragi-comedy incarnate. Support her artistic productions: as a one-of-a-kind artist, she is certainly an endanged species.

It will change your life
My introduction to Sandra Bernhard, the ultimate sage of our times, came when I went to see "Without You I'm Nothing" in the movie theater when it was first released. I knew nothing about her and was blown away by her wit and insight into American culture. I have never been in a movie audience that laughed as hard and as often than when I saw this film. Sandra has that uncanny ability to be at once hilariously funny and deeply moving. Her stage performances are brilliant and "Without You I'm Nothing" captures her brilliance in an innovative and creative way - this film is not simply a multi-camera shoot of a stage performance, but utilizes fiction, documentary and stage elements all at once. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

It just gets better and better.
Some David Mamet films have incredible notoriety amongst the literate set (Glengarry Glen Ross, Oleanna, House of Games). His 2 Oscar noms (Wag the Dog, The Verdict) as well as his non-nominated script for The Untouchables have him firmly established with Hollywood's power base as well.

For my money, the oft-overlooked Homicide is a true Mamet gem--startling in its genius.

Put simply, Homicide is a revealing look at a man's journey into himself. Many will be distracted by the subject matter and tune out, but try to hang on.

Joe Mantegna's Bobby Gold is a tough cop who denies his Jewish lineage, until a low priority murder investigation into an aged Holocast survivor forces him to re-evaluate his entire existence. The resulting destruction of the man is cruel and never-ending,...and brilliant.

William H. Macy, an until-now bit player, gets a well-deserved promotion to #2 man among the strong supporting cast as Gold's partner and sounding board.

The intricacies of the plot, the subtleties of the subtext, as well as the perfunctory Mamet attention to detail may mean a second, or third look is necessary for the viewer to get straight with what's going on------- but take the time, if you can, it just keeps getting better and better.

It just gets better and better.
Some David Mamet films have incredible notoriety amongst the literate set (Glengarry Glen Ross, Oleanna, House of Games). His 2 Oscar noms (Wag the Dog, The Verdict) as well as his non-nominated script for The Untouchables have him firmly established with Hollywood's power base as well.

For my money, the oft-overlooked Homicide is a true Mamet gem--startling in its genius.

Put simply, Homicide is a revealing look at a man's journey into himself. Many will be distracted by the subject matter and tune out, but try to hang on.

Joe Mantegna's Bobby Gold is a tough cop who denies his Jewish lineage, until a low priority murder investigation into an aged Holocast survivor forces him to re-evaluate his entire existence. The resulting destruction of the man is cruel and never-ending,...and brilliant.

William H. Macy, an until-now bit player, gets a well-deserved promotion to #2 man among the strong supporting cast as Gold's partner and sounding board.

The intricacies of the plot, the subtleties of the subtext, as well as the perfunctory Mamet attention to detail may mean a second, or third look is necessary for the viewer to get straight with what's going on------- but take the time, if you can, it just keeps getting better and better.

Where's the DVD!?!?
This is a great film, and one of the few in the ever-shrinking list of films I want on DVD but are not released. I'm so tired of watching this on a crappy VHS, especially because the photography by Juan Ruiz-Anchia (also of glengarry glen ross)is so beautiful. Attention whomever owns the rights to this! Lets have a DVD!!
-note to amazon.com; it would be nice if there were a link as you have on many other titles to submit my email to be notified when this is available on DVD!

Mind Games
Anyone familiar with David Mamet and his use of the English language will understand his dialogue is poetry and not meant to reflect conversation. This is not a murder mystery, it's not about cops and bad guys. Homicide is about events in our lives that appear to be coincidence but set us in motion to discover ourselves, the meaning of our existence and our purpose.

Not well told
Basically the director couldnt tell the story well enough and had to read the other critic explainations to get somewhat a understanding of the film plot. The movie had two plots going on at once and both are unrelated to the other case. The lead role was played by Joe Mantegna. The movie dialogue was oddly done and looked almost fake. The dialogue was so plain everyone had the same emotion. The movie tries to make a change in Joe's character but does a terrible transformation of his character. His change in character was not realistic at all. I will not make this a spoiler as the other reviews do a good job of explaining the film. Really the director did a poor job of making me excited enough about the racist overtones in the movie and I think the directors whole point was to make you excited about the racism of Jews versus anti-Jews.

In my opinion this film was really dumb and the ending was anti-climatic. I do not recommend people to view this film because it is not worth their time. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Straight Time is notable for one of Dustin Hoffman's best--and least-seen--performances, as a lifelong criminal who, as a parolee, struggles to go straight. But it's a losing battle right from the jump. In less than a week, he's had a scuffle with his parole officer (M. Emmet Walsh) and is on the dodge, looking for a score. But you know that this guy has only two directions he can go in life--and that's either back to prison or into an early grave. A startling depiction of a surprisingly likable sociopath, this Ulu Grosbard film is a dark meditation on one man's firm--if skewed--values and features Hoffman in a relentless, wiry portrayal. The rest of the cast is equally strong, including thealways-reliable Harry Dean Stanton, then-newcomer Gary Busey, and an unknown Kathy Bates. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (11)

perhaps dustin hoffman's finest performance
I last saw Straight Time several years ago, on television (with commercials and overdubbed swearing, of course). Yet this film has lingered in my memory - every time I think of Hoffman, I think of this film. Others here have reprised the general storyline. I've seen most of Hoffman's films, the great to not so great (thankfully I've never been subjected to 'Hook'). Most films with DH in them are indeed "Dustin Hoffman" films. In Straight Time however, he dissolves into the character of Max Dembo. You forget that it's Dustin Hoffman - you see a pathetic little guy, locked in his pathologies, with just the faintest glimmer of self-recognition, enough to despair for knowing that he'll always follow these lost paths. It is indeed one of the best films - and best performances - you've likely never seen. Beware - this ain't no 'Tootsie'. This is gritty and dark in tone, and will not leave you feeling uplifted. Then again, the same can be said for "Midnight Cowboy", and that doesn't make it any less worth the time viewing it. See it.

Fan of the actors
A great film, what attracted me to it was the supporting cast. M. Emmet Walsh, Harry Dean Stanton, and Gary Busey give truly mesmerizing performances that make this film special. Dustin Hoffman is very good in the lead though I think he makes the character a little too sympathetic. The screenplay is good and it demands the supporting cast to be realistic and multifaceted. Another great M. Emmet Walsh performance is in the Coen brothers film Blood Simple, another great Harry Dean Stanton performance is in Rancho Deluxe (another film with great cast and script), and another great Gary Busey performance is in The Buddy Holly Story.

Great Movie, Un-salvagable Character
Dustin Hoffman did a fine job portraying a low-life career thief who deserved nothing more than to be locked safely away in prison for 100 years. Goodness knows we don't need this type of criminal running free in society, stealing from honest people.

Brains and Balls
Welcome my friends to Bunker's universe. EUNUCS NOT ALLOWED. Great story, superb acting, a real crime-human drama. Existential, uplifting, and above all, life-right-in-your-face.

'70s seediness at its best
A grim, rigidly understated, crime flick, featuring Dustin Hoffman as a tight-lipped, ill-fated career criminal. His onscreen transition from a docile but dignified parolee to a cold, calculating man of action is surprising and effective; the second half of the film is a dry-mouthed slow-drip of adrenaline and dread. Plenty of gritty '70s ambiance, and strong performances by Harry Dean Stanton, Gary Busey and a young Kathy Bates. Theresa Russell is absorbing as the good girl gone wrong who has a puzzling attraction to a very dangerous man. Worth checking out. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When her father is declared missing in action during World War I, Elsie Wrigth (Florence Hoath) goes to live in England with her cousin Frances Griffiths (Elizabeth Earl) for whom the topic of fairies is forbidden. Immediately, the girls discover the winged creatures in the garden and photograph them for Frances's startled parents. This leads to another kind of adventure for the girls. They become the toasts of London as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Peter O'Toole) and Harry Houdini (Harvey Keitel), who have seen the photographs, escort them around town. Mildly villainous reporters chase the girls and curious spectators invade their garden after the pictures are printed publicly.

Although fairies are the visible subjects, the enchanting video is really about faith. Frances's parents (Phoebe Nicholls and Paul McGann) recently lost their son, Joseph, who had originally discovered the fairies and would like to think he may be an angel. Sir Arthur also lost his son and is courted by clairvoyants who claim they can talk to the boy. Elsie waits patiently for her father to come home, although it appears hopeless that he will. Harry Houdini is an illusionist but acts against the fraudulent claims of greedy mediums and the like. They are all touched by a need to truly believe in what remains hidden. The story is very loosely based on an early 20th-century controversy involving the real Frances and Elsie who faked pictures of fairies similar to the ones in the video. The real girls never confessed, but the video suggests the manner in which the real life photos may have been produced. --Margaret Griffis ... Read more

Reviews (36)

"If You Believe in Fairies...Clap Your Hands!"
I saw "Fairy Tale - A True Story", when it had it's theatrical release and I was utterly charmed and moved by this wonderful movie. I am so glad that it has finally been released to the DVD format.The story is based upon the true life events surrounding the famous and sensational 'Cottingly fairies photographs'.The film takes place during the dark days of WWI Britain. A young Elsie Wright (Florence Hoath) is sent off to live with relatives, because her father is 'missing in action'.Elsie becomes fast friends with her twelve year old, cousin, Frances (Elizebeth Earl) both of whom seem to have a playful fascination with the subject of fairies. One day the girls borrow an old camera and go off to a local brook to take pictures. When the photographs are later developed, they show images of what seem to be real, live fairies!Through a series of events the photographs fall into the famous hands of Sherlock Holmes Writer, Sir Author Conan Doyle (Pete O'Toole) and Magician & Escape Artist, Harry Houdini (Harvey Keitel). Doyle publishes the photographs in a national magazine and causes a sensation throughout the country.Are the pictures real or did these two young girls pull off the hoax of the century? The movie puts it's own twist on the facts and attempts to come up with some very interesting answers.Director, Charles Sturridge and Screen Writer, Ernie Contreras have created a magical and moving film about the subject of faith. Sometimes if you believe in something hard enough, maby it can come true. This is found throughout the film. It applies to everything from the belief in the unseen (such as fairies, spirits of love ones), the return of a father, or even the faith needed to win a brutal war.The acting in this movie is splendid.I especially like the casting of the two girls (Florence Hoath & Elizebeth Earl). Even in the unusual situations, that occur, they both act like normal, everyday, children. Not a false note in their performances.The film's special effects are also great. They are well done and realistic (flying miniature fairies), yet do not overwhelm the story.This is greatly aided by cinematographer , Michael Coulter's beautiful photography, which highlights both the colors found in nature (the woods and brook) and the light and darkness of urban, Victorian England. All these elements come together to make a wonderful fantasy film, which I highly recommend!

"Fairytale:A True Story" absolutely wonderful-A MUST SEE!
For young and old alike,this delightful film has it all! Based on the true story of two young girls who claim to have seen fairies in England during WW1,"Fairytale:A True Story" features superb acting throughout,especially Elizabeth Earl and Florence Hoath as Francis Griffiths and Elsie Wright, whose fairy sightings stir up quite a bit of controversy throughout wartime England. Among the people caught up in the excitement are Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,brilliantly portrayed by Peter O"Toole and Harry Houdini,featuring Harvey Keitel in one of his finest performances. Paul McGann and Phobe Nicols are also wonderful as Elsie's parents. I really can't say enough about this film. Brilliantly cast and beautifully photographed,it is enchanting entertainment from beginning to end. The film score is even well worth the price if you can still find the CD! This film is not your average children's movie and I have read alot of reviews that ask weather this film was aimed at children or adults.This could very well be why it was not more of a commercial success.A pity, because I believe this film offers something for all ages.I also regret that I have not seen Florence Hoath in many other roles,save for "The Governess" and I haven't seen Elizabeth Earl at all-they deserve more recognition!

Don't Let This One Pass By
This amazing film is about two little girls who, with no photographic experience, take photos of Fairies. Kodak examines the photos and says they are untouched, but refuses to acknowledge the existance if these little sprites. In come two of my personal heroes, Sherlock Holmes, because he believes the girls, and Harry Houdini, because he dosn't believe them.
But, reguardless, if you believe, you will be facinated. If you do not believe, you might, just for a moment, question that belief.
Either way, do NOT miss this film!

HORRIBLE
if youre getting this movie for your kid, or any kid, save them the misery. i remember seeing this movie the day it came out, and it was so awful i fell asleep, along with about 5 other kids in the theater. it was by far the WORST movie i have ever seen in my entire life, even worse than that planet of the apes movie. and trust me, i have seen almost every movie that comes out. spare your kids the pain and spare yourself some money. DONT get this movie for them.

Charming little movie
This movie is a gentle story, one that the whole family can watch. Doesn't have much in the way of action, vulgarity or even scimpily dressed faires. The fairies are not a huge part of this story anyway. The story is about two young cousins who concoct a tale about some fairy sightings. This "true" story happened during WWI in England. The story also shows what happens to a small country town when they receive some unwanted publicity after the girls' photos are anonymously published in a leading magazine. It is an interesting tale, charming and cute. People who like trashy, faster movies won't like this one. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

fantastic drama, a tour-de-force by Hayward
I WANT TO LIVE is a stunning film starring the amazing Susan Hayward in her Oscar-winning triumph. Director Robert Wise (THE SOUND OF MUSIC, THE SAND PEBBLES, STAR!) gives us an unforgettable film noir classic.

The film tells the true story of convicted murderess Barbara Graham (Susan Hayward - TAP ROOTS, VALLEY OF THE DOLLS) who was sentenced to the gas chamber for her part in the robbery and murder of an elderly lady. Professing her innocence right up to the end, Barbara is a sly, sardonic but always-likable woman who wins the heart of the audience. Hayward's tour-de-force performance as Graham is vastly rewarding. Her multi-faceted portrayal of Graham is truly amazing.

Highly recommended.

The DVD includes the trailer.

Excellent fare written to showcase the lovely Miss Hayward
Susan Hayward was one of the best actresses ever. I just love to watch her. The only real talent to come after her was Faye Dunaway. Anyway, "I Want to Live!" was Hollywood's scathing indictment of the death penalty and is the film for which Susan Hayward is best remembered. It is her Oscar-winning performance. Frankly, I liked her a lot better in "I'll Cry Tomorrow" "Smash Up: The Story of a Woman" and "With a Song in My Heart." I thought she was much better in those, but the Oscar had eluded her, so they wrote this screenplay full of plenty of dramatic scenes to get her the Oscar she rightfully deserved. It worked.

The dialog and plot are excellent and her scenes as the condemned woman hours from execution are still extremely powerful today. In some ways, Susan Hayward was at her very best, and with the perfect script, a rare combination. You still sit there rooting for her to get that stay of execution in the movie, the movie grabs you that much. I've watched this film about 10 times, she never gets the stay, but the situations are so real, you root for one every time.

The only thing that to me does not make this Miss Hayward's best role (apart from maybe a handful of scenes) is that Barbara Graham, the real-life death-row inmate portrayed here, was a low-budget, crude, herion addict who got along by using men, doing petty thefts and sometimes being a prostitute, and I don't mean the $100 an hour ones that come to your hotel room. We're talking low-class street woman. Miss Hayward is nothing of the kind, she doesn't have that look or manner. Though the prison and death penalty scenes and themes are excellently and realistically portrayed here, you feel like you're watching a wrongfully-convicted society woman, nun, or school teacher getting the gas chamber, not a two-bit street prostitute/heroine junkie/thief. I don't think this necessarily takes away from the movie much or how it grips you, but for this reason, I'm not sure I would rate this the best of Susan Hayward. The Oscar was righting previous wrongs, in my opinion.

I highly recommend this film, and if you like it, try some of Susan Hayward's other films. She was really outstanding!

The film that changed my attitude!
I feel that many cold-blooded criminals that're in jail probably deserve the death penalty, but when we can't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they actually did the crime, then it's time to admit a mistake & let the falsely accused go free! This is a prime example of criminal justice gone wrong. The heartbreaking true story of Barbara Graham, who was wrongfully executed for a grisly murder she didn't commit. I knew the story before watching this, yet up to the very end I kept on hoping that Barbara, brilliantly played by Susan Hayward, would be granted another trial to prove her innocence. The tension is almost as unbearable for the viewer as it is for poor Barbara as she counts the hours & finally minutes before her execution. I'll admit, early in the movie it's difficult to sympathize with someone so amoral, but by the time she's pleading for her life we all feel terrible about her situation. I haven't seen many of Susan Hayward's movies, but her performance in this (which won her an oscar) is equal to anything Bette Davis or Joan Crawford ever did (& that's saying a lot!). If you're looking for a great Susan Hayward film, you've found it! This powerful film convinced me that the death penalty is not the best way to deal out justice. Consider Charles Manson: Now of course he deserves to die, but don't you also think he deserves to rot in jail the rest of his life? Whatever your current opinion about the death penalty, I gurantee this movie will make you think twice!

Hayward Masterpiece!
Maybe I'm a bit partial, being an avid Susan Hayward fan, but "I Want to Live!" must rank as the perfect example of how to meld great story and super talent. Susan rightfully deserved her Oscar for her portrayal of Barbara Graham, a woman convicted and executed for a murder she denied to the end. All the key element of sophisticated film making come together to make this a treasure. They don't make them like this any more.

I WANT AN OSCAR!...
A memorable film from the 50's based allegedly on the true story of a woman named Barbara Graham who went to the gas chamber for a murder she swore she didn't commit. As played by Susan Hayward (who won an Oscar), Graham is a party girl and sometime thief/prostitute involved with some very shady small time crooks. An old woman is robbed and killed in the process and the crooks let Graham take the rap. Graham is also the mother of a small child---an angle played up in the press as she waves her son's toy tiger at the cameras. What sticks in your mind, though, are the scenes where she's back and forth from her death row cell to the gas chamber as she waits anxiously for a stay from the governor. These scenes are nerve-racking and make me cry when I watch this movie. Hayward is vivid and believable in these scenes as she is throughout the movie. I recommend this film for people who like watching stellar performances in off-beat films. A fine b&w case study of crime, psychodrama and powerful acting. Don't pass this one up. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Teenage Werewolf: Dated but Still Scary
I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF is one of the finest terrible movies ever made. At the time of its release (1957), it was exactly right for the drive in circuit, where teenagers could see on the big screen the angst of teenage turmoil that was afflicting them. Even today, for the newest generation of hardened gangsta teens, this film still elicits creepy undertows of fear and self-loathing normally found today in rap videos.

IWTW was a first for director Gene Fowler and Michael Landon. Landon, who later shot to fame in BONANZA and LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, here shows the star power that even then made him stand out in a crowd of overacting teens. This film is no satire, nor is tongue in cheek. And surprisingly neither is it drenched in gore or special effects that today passes for directorial talent. It is instead, a hearkening back to a previous generation of filmmakers who believed that real terror must come slowly and the payoff of the terror scene should include a masterful blending of chilling music, decent acting, and creative camera work, all of which harmoniously lead up to the screen violence. In IWTW, the screen violence is limited to only two scenes, but the screen spookiness stands out from the first reel to the last.

In most werewolf films, the victim must be first bitten by one, as Lon Chaney was. Here, Landon is rebellious teenager, Tony, who is constantly fighting his peers, his authority figures, and anyone else in his path. His screen agida brings to mind Brando in THE WILD ONE when Brando is asked, "Why are you so angry?' Brando's reply: "What do you got?" Tony is an uncycled Brando who is forced to attend counseling with a psychiatrist Dr. Brandon (Whit Bissell). Tony becomes a werewolf, not by being bitten by one, but by a strange mixing of drugs and regressive hypnotherapy. It is this very novel manner of Tony's de-evolution that adds to the film's eerieness. His ability to shed his civilized self so easily brings in a subtext that all of the panting teens in the drive-in could relate to: that the brutishness of the werewolf is a lot closer to the skin than we would like to think.

The scene in which Tony stalks his first victim is a classic in how to stretch a tight budget to produce fear without spending a dime on special effects. Tony's victim is walking through a park that was thoroughly familar by day, but hauntingly shadowed by night. He first hears soft footfalls and calls out. He continues walking, then running, then seeing his killer. We in the audience do not, but the face of fear on the victim tells us all we need to know of the menace standing right in front of him. Later in the school gym, is one of the most effectively underplayed mixtures of sexuality and anger I have ever seen in any film. Tony is still Tony and has just left the principal's office and passes by the gym where he sees an attractive female practicing on the parallel bars. He stares at her with his obvious horniness morphing into lupine rage. He approaches her and we first see him as she does, an upside down figure of horrific intent.

It is scenes like this, plus a literate script and competent acting that sets IWTW apart from others of its genre. The bestiality that set Tony off as a murdering creature of the night must have resonated with its contemporary audience of teens that heard their parents continuously warn them of the dangers of smoking, hot rods, and rock and roll music. Substitute rap for rock and roll, and it is clear enough why IWTW still scares today's teens who laugh at the never-ending slaughter in the Jason and Freddy movies.

Early Landon Terror!!!
Who would have ever figured Michael Landon for a werewolf? Who would have ever figured Landon as a troubled youth? Well, there you go. Before the ranch, the prairie, and the angel, there was the werewolf.

I saw this for the very first time at the drive-in, and it had to be in the early 50's. And I was scared to death. Of course seeing it again so many years later is kind of comical, but on its own merits, it's a terrific film. As a matter of fact, Stephen King once commented that he'd seen this same film about the same time, and it inspired him to begin writing short stories. So, there you go again. What a movie can inspire.

This is not an "in your face" kind of horror movie. It's dated, naturally, and there's only some youthful rebellion, and a little bit of suggestive violence. The family could possibly sit through it together with a little discussion of what's happening in the movie. But not a bad one at that. And I'd recommend it.

Funny Fifties fur flick
This campy B-grade teen-exploitation horror flick stars Michael Landon as a tortured teen whose overly-aggressive behavior can either be explained by lycanthropy (yeah!!) or hypnotism performed under the guise of psychotherapy (bo-o-r-ring!!) The manipulation of a troubled youth by an unscrupulous adult authority figure is fairly subversive, although the "scientific" explanation doesn't quite explain all that hair popping out of Landon's scalp. A classic midnight movie.

Classic werewolf tale hampered by a terrible title
One of the standout horror offerings of the 1950's "I Was A Teenage Werewolf" will unfortunately be forever lumped into the pop corn, drive-in circuit, mentality mainly because of its dated and exploitative title. In reality it is a most interesting film, a very worthy entry in the werewolf cycle of films and contains good writing, polished acting, acceptable makeup and some interesting camerawork.

Chiefly remembered today as Michael Landon's first big role which led into his long television career on "Bonanza", "Little House On The Prairie", and "Highway To Heaven" it contains an intense performance as Landon plays Tony Rivers a hot headed young school boy who is drifting into a life of potential juvenile delinquency. He is involved in school fights, loses his temper at the slightest provocation, and is prone to odd behaviour like eating raw meat from the refrigerator. Directed by the police to see if these problems cannot be addressed before he ends up in Juvenile Hall Tony consults Dr Brandon (Whit Bissell) an expert in hypnotherapy who carries his research too far and begins to use Tony for his illegal experiments in human development. Unknowingly he unleashes a force in Tony which turns him into a werewolf with tragic consequences.

Despite its 50's origins and limited budget this film stands up very well indeed. Philip Scheer's makeup for the werewolf transformation scenes is excellent for its kind and creates a scary realistic effect. Directed with energy by first time director Gene Fowler who by vocation was a film editor, it keeps a fast pace going and delays just the right amount of time in revealing Landon's werewolf in all its ferocious anger. Fowler because of his past work, was responsible for creating in "I Was A Teenage Werewolf" some very interesting camerawork that maximises the effect of the unfolding story. Particular mention has to be made of the first scene where we see the full werewolf makeup in the gym where the gymnist is swinging upside down and sees the werewolf approaching in this distorted way as does the audience. Classic stuff which really creates an uneasy feeling and sense of terror. Michael Landon is excellent as the tormented boy and even at this early stage in his career he displays a talent which served him so well in later years. Indeed all the performances are well done with a respect for the material they have to work with. Whit Bissell in particular is excellent as the doctor who gets carried away with his own experiments and it is interesting to see a young Guy Williams pre "Zorro" and "Lost In Space" in the role of a police officer who is hunting Tony down after a series of vicious attacks.

"I Was A Teenage Werewolf" began a trend of "Teenage" themed movies in the 1950's but none of them came anywhere near the success of this film which struck a cord with a lot of youngsters and made an absolute fortune at the Box Office. I have a personal liking for werewolf movies and this is in my top five. I recommend "I Was A Teenage Werewolf" both as a wolfman film but also as a unique view into another time in film making when often great entertainment was produced on a tiny budget.

MICHAEL LANDON'S IMMORTAL CULT CLASSIC
Unfairly dismissed by many as "camp" or "50s nostalgia," I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF has a lot more going for it than its critics might want to admit. Though admittedly produced as a low-budget teenage exploitation film of its day, the movie actually displays remarkable pschological insight and artistic sensitivity. The fact that that is almost certainly an accident doesn't matter. The producers may not have wanted to make a fairly realistic portrayal of a young man struggling to become a man, or paint an eternally relevant morality tale in fairy-tale colors, or even preserve in capsule the morals of an age both more innocent and more mature than our own--but they did. Landon's performance is the definitive lycanthropic victim, and overall this is a better werewolf opus than either THE WOLF MAN or CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF, the two giants usually rated as the best howler movies ever. Surprisingly insightful, well written, and restrained, I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF is a sci-fi/horror gem that will, like the curse of the wolf itself, live forever. The scene where Landon struggles to keep from wolfing out on a shapely female gymnast is worth the price of the tape alone. ... Read more

Reviews (84)

Consider it a wonderful experience
The movie musical was on its way out by the time 'Oliver!' hit theaters in 1968. Happily, this marvelously fun and entertaining film swept the Oscars and earns my vote for the best musical of the 60s (although 'The Music Man' ranks a close second). Mark Lester is adorable in the title role and Jack Wild is a kick as the mischievious Artful Dodger. Then there's Ron Moody recreating his stage role as the villainous (but still likable) Fagin. He's not exactly the same character created by Charles Dickens but he's memorable just the same. And Shani Wallis' Nancy along with Oliver Reed's Bill Sikes give the film some real dramatic punch. The production design strikingly recreates the feel and flavor of mid-19th century London. And the songs which include 'Consider Yourself' and 'Oom Pah Pah' are the icing on the cake. Do your family a great favor and add this timeless treat to your DVD collection.

I'm reviewing. . . .the situation.
I bought this movie because I had some vague, but pleasant memories of it from my childhood. I must say that the movie did not disappoint. It is a well-crafted musical with vivid characters. While they're not exactly analogous to their Dickensian counterparts, who portray a much darker, seamier side of London's underworld, the characters sparkle. Ron Moody as Fagin is unforgettable, and Wild as the Dodger was a perfect casting job. The musical numbers are memorable, hum-inducing performances, such as "Consider Yourself" "Oom Pa Pa" "You got to Pick a Pocket or Two" and "Who Will Buy". My personal favorite is "Reviewing the Situation" because I feel the lyrics to that song are so well done and so well executed by Moody. The adorable Mark Lester is the weak link in an otherwise strong chain. He plays a passable Oliver, but lacks the oomph that the others bring to their roles, and his voice is somewhat airy but sweet (according to other reviewers, too sweet). Nevertheless, he fulfills his end of the bargin, portraying a rosy cheeked cherub in the presence of villains. Oliver Reed plays Sykes to perfection, exuding such dark evil that his sinister shadow precedes him onto the screen. I handled his killing of Nancy better as a grown-up; however, young children may find that scene as distrubing as I did twenty years ago. Overall, this is a finely done musical, and for me, was time well spent.

I think I'd better think it out again.

CONSIDER THIS ONE A WINNER - OSCAR WINNER, THAT IS!
Carol Reed's "Oliver!" is the musical version of Dicken's Oliver Twist. It stars Mark Lester as the irrepressible street urchin, suckered into the lair of a vagabond by The Artful Dodger (Jack Wild) and forced into a life of crime by Fagin (Ron Moody). But when Oliver is salvaged from the slums by a benevolent philanthropist, Bill Sikes (Oliver Reed) decides to make a quick buck off of the trade. Shani Willis costars as Sikes' girlfriend, Nancy, who thwarts the kidnapping plot and pays for her betrayal with her life. This is a very stoic, stagy and rather dry musical that may capture the essence of Dickens in its settings characters and plot but seems totally out of touch with the effervescence of the traditional Hollywood musical. Even with such main staple songs as "Consider Yourself", "Boy For Sale" and "Food, Glorious Food", truly, the spoon full of sugar remains a bitter pill to swallow on this occasion.

Columbia Tri-Star has made "Oliver" available in a startlingly good looking transfer. Colors are solid, rich, vibrant and bold. Contrast levels are exactly where they should be. Blacks are incredibly deep. Fine detail is fully realized. Only occasionally do age related artifacts betray the vintage of the film. The audio is 5.1 and wonderfully spread across all five channels of the sound field. There are no extras. This film is spread across two sides of a single disc. The break comes at the point of intermission.

Moody's Fagin steals classic OLIVER!
Until CHICAGO reenergized the movie musical genre, this musical version of Charles Dickens' immortal "Oliver Twist" was widely regarded as one of the last of the great movie musicals. Indeed, with its high-energy performances, infectious music, steady direction by Sir Carol Reed and glorious sets, this movie won the 1968 Best Picture Oscar over such formidable competition as THE LION IN WINTER, CHARLEY, and FUNNY GIRL.

Of course, most people are familiar with the classic story of young Oliver Twist, whose mother dies giving him birth and is forced to be raised under the cruel supervision of the English workhouse officials. When he dares beg for more than his meager ration of gruel, the youngster is apprenticed to an undertaker and his extremely nasty family. After escaping this hostile environment, he finds himself taken in by the roguish Fagin, the Artful Dodger(Fagin's best pupil), and the rest of his band of young pickpockets. In time, however, Oliver will find his home, but not before dealing with the likes of the brutal Bill Sikes with the help of Sike's sympathetic lover, Nancy, and the kindly Mr. Brownlow.

As musical films go, it is hard to fault the wonderful casting in this film. Mark Lester makes a perfectly, if maybe overly, innocent Oliver, while Jack Wild is a delight as the rascally Artful Dodger. Shanie Wallis is heart-rending as the tragic Nancy. Oliver Reed (Sir Carol's nephew) is truly scary as the menacing Bill Sikes. Harry Secombe displays a glorious tenor in the comic role of Mr. Bumble, the beadle of the workhouse. However, it is Ron Moody's fantastic performance of the rascally Fagin that steals this movie. It is not surprising, when you consider that he created the role when the musical was first produced in London. Of course, the character itself has gone quite a change from Dickens' original, going from the debatably nasty anti-Semitic portrait of the novel to that of a lovable, if sneaky, eccentric. Indeed, Moody's excellent portrayal would set the tone for almost all future performances of the role to date, including those of such actors as George C. Scott and Richard Dreyfus, among others.

Some Dickens fans may quibble about the liberties taken with the book, from the softening of Fagin to the elimination of Oliver's evil step-brother Monks from the storyline. And it isn't a perfect film by any means. (The child singer who dubbed Mark Lester's songs sounds like she's in an echo chamber of some sort, which makes Oliver's singing a jarring contrast to the rest of the cast.) But, as a musical film, it is a wonderful entertainment and superb introduction to the classic story. As a result, this is one musical that I would DEFINITELY recommend.

Excellent
If only movies were made like this today. This film is filled with witty comedy, wonderful music, and great acting. One of the best musicals out there!! This film displays a boy's life going from the lowest of low (an orphanage) and slowely rising to a better life. The only thing is, it makes stealing look a little. .. well . . fun! But i'm sure we can all live with that right? ... Read more