Amazon.com essential video

Jane Austen's classic novel of 1813, Pride and Prejudice, still winsthe hearts of countless schoolgirls with its romantic story of Elizabeth Bennet and her Mr. Darcy. Now, the 1996 BBC miniseries is winning over adults, with its faithful adaptation, gorgeous scenery, and superb acting.

The essence of the story is the antagonism between Mr. Darcy, a wealthy single man who believes Elizabeth to be beneath him, and Elizabeth, who upon being insulted at a dance by the aloof Darcy refuses to associate with him in any manner. Austen evokes incredible tension with the wit and flirtation of the two characters, and director Simon Langton (who also directed Upstairs Downstairs) successfully translates the repartee and conflict in this six-hour miniseries. Dialogue, for the most part, is painstakingly replicated, except when fleshing out and smoothing for modern sensibilities was necessary. Darcy, for instance, is drawn out, giving his personality significantly more depth. The acting sweeps you away to Regency England: Jennifer Ehle (of Wilde) is convincing as the obstinate Elizabeth, who, despite her mother's attempts to marry her off, spurs the attentions of Darcy. And Colin Firth (of The English Patient) will have women everywhere longing for a Mr. Darcy of their own.

For those who have been on an Austen binge--enjoying such excellent recent adaptations as Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion--this miniseries will round out the ultimate Austen video library. For those new to these romantic period pieces, this version of Pride and Prejudice will have you hooked and longing for more. One caveat, however: plan to watch it in an entire day, because very few have the self-control to not watch all six hours in a single sitting. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Reviews (233)

Wow!
Before watching this movie, I couldn't stand BBC productions. I don't feel that way anymore. The plot stays true to the book more so than any other version I've seen. My favorite scene of the entire show happens when Elizabeth, accompanied by her aunt and uncle visit Pemberley, Mr. Darcy's estate. Mr. Darcy comes home earlier than expected, and oh! I'd say more, but it would ruin that scene for you. The actress who portrays Elizabeth's mother is exceptional! She does a wonderful job of interpreting her character, as does everyone else. If you don't have the time to watch this version, I recommend the Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier one. Though some things are not included in that screenplay, the same beautiful story is told. Laughs galore included. Schedule a time slot for this movie in a day when everything and everyone in the world seem against you, or a time when your life couldn't possibly be better. You have to see this!!!!!

It takes the time to tell the story properly- EXCELLENT
I'm a huge Jane Austen fan, both book and movie versions of her work. My two favorite movies are Emma and Sense and Sensibility, which are sweet and romantic but not necessarily true to the book. This movie surpasses both of them! I watched it twice, then the next day I watched certain scenes, and then the whole thing again! It's that good.

I could repeat the same praise other readers have shared, because the characters are perfectly right, the settings and costumes are lush and the script is just a delight. I especially liked the embarrassing, fickle Mrs. Bennett and the bowing, stupid Mr. Collins. Every sister was instantly recognizable as someone you knew! Lydia was well done as a giggling, boy-crazy apple-of-her-mother's-eye. And Mr. Bennet had the best wry sense of humour. He was teasing his high-strung wife constantly, but it went over her head every time.

But the best part of this adaption, I believe, was the tender way the director allowed the story to unfold, slowly. There were whole dances, not just 10 seconds. The sexual tension of the Lizzy-Darcy relationship was brought out carefully. At first I didn't like Darcy at all. It was only through a series of conversations, lingering looks, even flashbacks, that the main characters' hearts were revealed. I think the casting director picked these two gems (Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle) not just for their acting but also because of their ("fine") eyes...demure and curious in Elizabeth, brooding and expressive in Darcy. In the end I'd fallen in love with both of them myself!

A second viewing showed details you won't get with a 2 hour movie. For example, Darcy makes a passing remark about well-read women (as a small compliment to Lizzy, who's of course a bookworm). In a few minutes, the snobbish Caroline Lucas is seen parading around in front of the group, trying in vain to get interested in a book in her hands. Finally she throws it aside and goes back to her favorite past-time, cutting people down. Excellently done!

The 6 hours will just fly by! Have an Austen-a-thon this week-end and put this in line as the finale.

intelligent yet accessible first-rate costume drama
I'm very picky and selective about what I like when it comes to period dramas, and I usually got for the late 19th c. or early 1900s stuff rather than the 1840s Jane Austen stuff. But I must admit I was deeply captivated by this mini-series, it succeeded with me where others may have failed. The witty, cultured dialogue was very enjoyable to listen to, yet accessible. I understood everything. I loved the story, especially the relationship between the pretty and likeable Elizabeth and the handsome, proud Mr. Darcy kept me guessing all the time if his good qualities would shine through after he started falling for her and if she would soften up to him or not as I was hoping they would end up together after all. I was not disappointed.

David Rehak
author of "Love and Madness"

My Favorite Mini -Series of All Time...
I have watched "Pride and Prejudice" at LEAST 10 times over the last 8 years. It is truly one of the BEST adaptations of a novel and Sue Birtwhistle deserves such credit for her brilliant production.

I do not believe that I have EVER seen a better suited cast than in "Pride and Prejudice." Typically, in every movie - you always find that several roles have not coincided with your image of who you imagine the character as being portrayed. Not so with "Pride and Prejudice."

Especially brilliant is Colin Firth (will he EVER have a better role?) and Jennifer Ehle. These two title roles were SUPERBLY cast. Jennifer Ehle was magnificent in this movie.

What makes ALL of the acting so amazing is that the language was so different and yet it was so believable. The costumes were lovely; the dancing was historically accurate AND interesting; the countryside and houses were magnificent.

EVERYONE involved in this movie should feel rewarded. I believe that even 50 years from now, it will still be viewed as one of the greatest classics.

A great adaptation of a classic story
I did things a little backward seeing this video series first, and then going on to read Jane Austen's book. But that's how much I loved it! When it was over I wanted more details on Elizabeth and Darcy and the book filled in those details. The video series is very true to the book and I found much of the dialogue is taken right from the pages of Jane Austen's novel. I thought that Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth were wonderful as Lizzie and Darcy. It's amazing to watch Colin Firth do some incredible acting without ever opening his mouth! He did a fabulous job acting a role that must have been incredibly difficult since he said so little yet expressed so much! This is truly my favorite film of all time. If you like it half as much as I did, you'll love it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lina Wertmüller (Seven Beauties) made this pointed, 1975 comedy-drama about class and sex conflicts. Mariangela Melato plays a rich woman marooned on an island with a crude sailor (Giancarlo Giannini). The two initially assume their accustomed class relationship with one another--she expects service, he grumbles about it--but then a revolution takes place and the subjugation is reversed. The film comes down on you like a hammer, but Wertmüller adroitly traces the shifting nuances of the relationship, and the two stars are excellent. Numerous scenes stick in the memory many years after one viewing. The DVD release has a widescreen presentation, production notes, biographies of cast and crew, and English subtitles. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Interesting Island Love Story
"Swept Away" is an interesting italian 1974 release about a greedy woman who expects her male servent to accommodate her with anything she pleases in all costs. Her cruelty takes an unexpected turn once they become trapped on an island together. Then the job roles turn around, and her trials return to haunt her. The war that erupts between each other takes an unusual turn.

This creative plot was written wonderfully. They combine drama, comedy, romance, and slight erotica to make this unforgettable movie. Its conflicts and its trials keep audiences watching closely at what will happen next. The love story theme is one of the most unique in cinema history, though cruel. Twists and turns arise in various scenes giving it the added edge, leading to a surprise and powerful conclusion. Though there are some flaws not relating to the writing, namely the woman managing to keep her make-up on throught the entire island stay without reapplying, the interesting storyline greatly makes up for it. The acting is interesting, especially the two lead actors: Giancarlo Giannini and Mariangela Melato. Though Melato occasionally overreacts some words, she keeps her character interesting with her unique charisma. Giannini keeps his aggressive edge intact in every moment. All other actors also perform their roles wonderfully.

"Swept Away" is a great film for those looking for something unforgettably unique. This will surely keep audiences entertained. Those who like this film should stay away from the 2002 American remake, starring Madonna. It's not nearly as good.

Madonna remake rumor hopefully unfounded
For those of you who loath foreign films, put that prejudice aside and check out this sensational movie. Giannini and Melato make the best screen couple I've seen since Bogart and Bergman. "Swept Away's" filled with witty, intelligent dialogue, hilarious banter and breath-taking scenes of the Mediteranean. Moreover it's fairly politically literate, which is a rarity in Hollywood these days (and in most other movie making outlets).
The plot sounds as formulaic as humanly possible, but wait! This one's different. It's got a style and panache that barely any other films can match. Sure it was controversial (the misogynistic violence is quite disturbing) but Lina Wertmuller offers up a masterpeice that should not be ignored. It's easily her best (some would argue "Seven Beauties" but I disagree) and most enjoyable movie. They just don't make movies like this anymore, and especially not in Hollywood. When recommending foreign films to your friends you can't go wrong by pushing this video into their hands.
To see this one on a large screen would be quite an experience, just looking at it on my regular television made it seem as if I was cruising the Medeteranean right along with them.
Wertmuller rightly deserves to be considered one of the world's finest directors (a label that often eludes her, as I feel she's somewhat underrated) with this and other fine productions under her belt.

Wertmuller is amazing
Director Lina Wertmuller's provocative film takes the class struggle to a desert island where only the man and the woman exist. Wertmuller's scenario is that of the man assuming the role of ruler and the woman one of worker-slave, and this becomes a love relationship. Naturally, the man is the one most reluctant to go back to the society where he is worker-slave and the woman is ruler over him! The black humor is wonderful because it is visual, via the camera angles and shots, and it is beautifully filmed. I'm afraid the new version, from what I've heard,(and I will not pay to see it)meddles with the ending and hence changes the meaning of the film. With a world-class filmmaker like Lina Wertmuller, why fix what isn't broke and do a remake of a perfectly fine work of art?

Better than the new version with Madonna
The new version with Madonna is very good, the production is better because was made 30 years later. But this original version is so much funny, the actors are amazing.
The story is about a woman who is having vacations with her husband and friends in her yacht and one day she and a sailor take a boat to go to a beach so she could swim. When she suggests this to the sailor he says that it was late and dangerous but she didn't care and as result they got lost and ended in a deserted island. So in the island the sailor who wasn't well treated in the yacht because of the master's wife, now decides that it's time to be the master so the rich woman has to do everthing that he wanted if she wanted to eat or be in the cottage that he found. As a result of all this they fall in love.
I'd really like to tell more beyond that point but you'll really have to see the movie.
This edition is in italian with subtitles in english, but it's better that the movie is in italian because the voices are really funny.
Between the original version and the new one there are some changes but not very big because basiclly the story is the same. But if you're choosing between one and the other, I'll strongly recommend this one, the first one. It's much more funnier.

Very Good
TAMING OF THE SHREW set on a desert island, and very good with great acting. Didn't like the woman-hitting scenes, but over all a well done, intelligent film. Very very well written. ... 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 (5)

This is why JG was "The Great One"
Jackie Gleason makes this film. A bit waek on story and continuity (we never find out what happens to his finaces after he buys the circus and ice-cream store). But the scenes with JG and his daughter are touching, and the part where he lip-synchs while the awful singer is tortung everyone else at the formal recital is an absolute howl. DAMN Charlie Chaplin! Gleason was king!

Still fresh comedy after 38 years
Jackie Gleason is great in this movie. He play a troubled man who has no idea how to be a good father. But when he finally trys to do it, he goes to far. The result must be seen to be believed!

Jackie Gleason is always "the great one"!
A fine family film with gleason doing a cros between the poor soul and reginald van gleason. The love between irresopnsible and carefree father and the imaginative daughter is touching. The color in this film and the cinematography is beautifully handled. Long live fathers who buy their daughters elephants (et al) purely out of love!

has to be good
I've not seen it, but I just purchased an "8X10" publicity photo, signed on the back, Corinne Grifith Vitagraph Star. Anyone want to talk about this? Email me.

A heartwarming movie with a lot of good comedy.
This is Gleason at his best. Though not well known, it is one of the all-time classics. Recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (596)

A marvelous adaptation of one of the great novels.
This A&E/BBC miniseries is a true masterpiece, bringing Jane Austen's most popular novel to life in a near perfect production. It has everything: authentic Regency Period atmosphere, costumes, settings, a beautiful musical score, excellent performances by a well-chosen cast. Andrew Davis's script does full justice to Austen's original. Colin Firth is excellent as Mr. Darcy, but Jennifer Ehle just takes my breath away with her magnificent performance, which catches every nuance of Elizabeth Bennet's character exactly right in every scene. It is a pleasure to watch all 4 1/2 hours straight through again and again. As a longtime devoted admirer of Jane Austen's works, I am very critical of any movies based upon her novels, but this has to be one of the very best adaptations of any major literary work.

WORTH OWNING AND REPEAT VIEWING
I'm usually very hesitant about adaptations from book to film (especially classics), but this movie does justice to Jane Austin's timeless masterpiece. I rented this movie on a whim, thinking that it would at least be somewhat entertaining, but to my surprize and great pleasure, it not only captivated the true essence of the novel but the characters really came alive and stayed true to the story the whole way through. I eventually bought the DVD and I have NOT had "buyer's remorse" ever since. I get caught up in every moment of every scene of every viewing.

There are no annoying "Hollywood stars" in it like in Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility, yet the acting is incredible. Although I enjoyed Sense and Sensibility (on the second viewing because the first time I watched it I fell asleep), it doesn't hold a candle to Pride and Prejudice. This adaption lets your imagination steep in the imagery, language, and essence of the film so you never get "pulled out" of a scence. If you're unsure as whether or not to buy this gem, just do what I did and rent it for the weekend. You'll soon discover that your movie collection will be lacking without this rendition of Pride and Prejudice.

Superb, true to Jane Austen adaption
This version of Pride & Predjudice is my absolute favorite. I have owned the tapes and the original DVD. As far as the movie itself goes, the characters are all perfectly cast. From the embarassingly annoying Mrs. Bennet, the sweet oldest sister Jane, the condescending and IQ challenged Mr. Collins, to the feisty Elizabeth and the Proud Mr. Darcy, you will find yourself engrossed in every character's story. The script was written to stay true to the original novel. The scenery in breathtaking, and you will find yourself paying as much attention to the beautiful countryside as you will the drama.
As for technical details, the biographies that are included on this special version are simply printed words on the screen. Interesting information, but each bio is only one or two paragraphs long with a complete list of credits for only a few of the characters. The mini featurette is okay.
My bottom line: if you love romance, drama, and history then this is the movie for you. If you already own it on tape or have the original dvd, save your money and enjoy the version you have.

Period Movie - Lovely to watch
As an avid lover of period movies, I received this particular one last Christmas. I've been able to watch it multiple times. I love Colin Firth's portrayal of a proud and prejudice man who finally learns there are more important things. It's funny and romantic and the dialogue, as with any period piece, will keep you on your toes . . . maybe that's why I can re-watch so many times. It is a timeless movie!

Colin Firth...need I say more? Great Movie Colin Firth aside
This movie is so amazing I've watched it so many times and I never get tired of it. I thought this was by far the best film adaptation of the novel. Colin Firth portrayed Mr. Darcy exactly as I pictured him in my mind. I loved all the characters and felt like the actors/actresses lived up the their characters in the novel. While the picture quality may not be that great (read several comments about it) it didnt bother me one bit. The locations they filmed were simply beautiful, the story and characters entralling, and the costumes and scenes eye catching....I didnt even notice the quality. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

England will never be the same
This movie will appeal to those who enjoy Jane Austen productions like Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensability. It is set mostly in England of the late 1800's/early 1900's among the aristocracy, tracing the plight of four "noveau riche" American girls in English society..

The movie opens in America where the girls are scorned by the old money for being new money. One of the girls manages to attract the eye of a black sheep second son of an English lord, and the rest of the girls follow her to England after her marriage. The hope is that after spending a few months in the esteemed society of the English nobility, the New York aristocracy would have no choice but to accept the girls and their families into NY high society. While this would have worked, in England, however, things do not go as planned.

Unlike Jane Austen's movies, where the girls always make good marriages in the end, and the bad marriages are always portrayed in a comical way, The Buccaneers portrays events in a much darker, more realistic way. The aristocracy (which at this point in history is suffering, financially) is preying on the young women for their money, and the young women, some of them, are stalking the men for their titles. Most marriages are not made for love, and even in those that are, there is a price to be paid to maintain respectability. With main characters also including a governess, a high-priced mistress, and an un-married matchmaker, this movie also explores the alternatives for women who didn't wish to marry, and the very stiff consequences facing a woman who wished to be free.

This is a beautiful, provocative movie.

England will never be the same again....
This movie will appeal to those who enjoy Jane Austen productions like Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensability. It is set mostly in England of the late 1800's/early 1900's among the aristocracy, tracing the plight of four "noveau riche" American girls. The movie opens in America where the girls are scorned by the old money for being new money, so they head off to England for a "London Season". The hope is that after spending a few months in the esteemed society of the English nobility, the New York aristocracy would have no choice but to accept the girls and their families into NY high society. In England however, things do not go as planned.

Unlike Jane Austen's movies, where the girls always make good marriages in the end, and the bad marriages are always portrayed in a comical way, The Buccaneers portrays events in a much darker, more realistic way. The aristocracy (which at this point in history is suffering, financially) is preying on the young women for their money, and the young women, some of them, as stalking the men for their titles. Most marriages are not made for love, and even in those that are, there is a price to be paid to maintain respectability. With main characters also including a governess, a high-priced mistress, and an un-married matchmkater, this movie also explores the alternatives for women who didn't wish to marry, and the very stiff consequences facing a woman who wished to be free.

This is a beautiful, provocative movie.

DVD HELLOOOOOO
I LOVED THIS MOVIE I SAW IT WHEN IT CAME OUT AND WENT OUT AND READ THE BOOK BUT CAN I SAY I REFUSE TO BUY VHS I NEED DVD WHY IS THIS GREAT MOVIE NOT OUT ON DVD CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHY I CAN GET A RAMBO SPECIAL EDITION(BLECH!) BUT I CANT GET THIS?

I love this movie !
I love this movie! Please release,"The Buccaneers" onto DVD.

Where is it???
Where is the DVD of the excellent and marvelous mini series!!! WHERE WHERE WHERE is it??? So much junk is out on DVD and this amazing show isn't yet what is going on BBC get it in gear!!!! ... Read more

Description

Spunky heiress Doris Day cures the blues with Gordon MacRae, Gene Nelson and Eve Arden in a sparkling movie version of No, No Nanette. Evergreen songs: "I want to Be Happy," "Do Do Do," the title tune. Year: 1950 Director: David Butler Starring:Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Gene Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Cute Musical
Told in Flashback, this cute musical adaptation of "No No Nannette" stars Doris Day as the wealthy aspiring stage actress, Nannette Carter.
After a bad market move during the 1929 crash, Nannette's uncle Max (S.Z.Sakall) loses all her money but doesn't tell her anything. Ignoring the problem, Nannette succumbs to her two-timing ex-boyfriend's plea to fund his next show. In order to discourage her, uncle Max says he'll let her have the money for the show if she succeeds in saying no to everything she's asked for the next 48 hours.
Nannette's delighted at first, but plans take a sour turn when she finds her bet might cost her the love of Jimmy (Gordon MacRae), the show's talented and handsome musician who's in love with her.
Gorgeous dance numbers by Gene Nelson and cast, and many romantic songs sung by Day and MacRae including "Tea for Two" and "I Only Have Eyes For You."

Tea For Two and Two For Tea
This is a great classic movie starring Doris Day and Gordon MacRae. Doris Day is a wealther Millionairess named Nannette! Nan's Uncal Alex (Cuddles) ends up loosing all of her movie in the great stock crash of 1929! Well Nan has just agreed to pay $25,000 to the local Bum who owns a Theatre Company! And she makes a bet with Her Uncle that if she will say No for 48 Hours that she will recieve the a mount of money that she needs! but he doesn't tell her that he doesn't have that kind of money until she finds it out for herself by her lawyer! But she then is able to get the money back when she finds out that her Uncles crook of a lawyer took all of the movie and she has her trusted friend Eve Arden take him for a swim and to get him to give back the money! Welll it works and they get the money back and are able to do the show! This movie ends showing Doris and Gordon Married and their 2 little children singing Tea For Two! What a great Classic Musical by Warner Brothers!

Tea-Riffic!
This is a musical starring Gordon MacRae and Doris Day. This is the first Doris Day movie I saw, and I just fell in love with her voice, her acting, and especially her dancing! When I saw her dance I would have never known that she had been in an accident so bad that she might never have been able to walk again. Both of the stars show off their brilliant voices in this wonderful movie. Of course there's the title song Tea For Two which I have to say is my favorite song from the movie. I saw this movie a while ago, but the plot and characters always stick in my head!

Doris Day serves Tea For Two.
Everyone loves the tune "Tea For Two". You'll love this movie too. Lots of singing and dancing. Tunes include "I Only Have Eyes For You". Gordon MacRae and Doris Day sing "Tea For Two". Doris Day will also sing "Tea For Two" solo. Billy DeWolfe (as "Larry") and Eve Arden offer comic relief. Eve Arden also appeared in "My Dream Is Yours (1949). Elinor Donahue (Father Knows Best tv series) is a young girl at the beginning of the film.
Interesting note: Billy DeWolfe became one of Doris Day's closests friends.

Tea for Two Should Be on DVD!
I saw Tea for Two on cable and it was one of the best Doris Day Movies I have seen and I think she was very good and has a fine supporting cast. I'm not going to write about the plot because it's already been done but I just want to say that I recommend this movie and I think it should be transferred to DVD! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In Patrice Leconte's cool, precise moral comedy Ridicule, the corrupt, sycophantic court of King Louis XVI is invaded by a provincial nobleman, Ponceludon de Malavoy (Charles Berling), who with the help of his own sharp tongue, the coaching of the retired courtier Marquis de Bellegarde (Jean Rochefort), and the love of the Marquis's beautiful, nature-loving daughter (Judith Godrèche) hopes to win funds for his project to drain the fever-infested swamps of his homeland. But first he has to get by the cunning, sexually manipulative Madame de Blayac (Fanny Ardant, imperious and superb) and her waspish, priestly ally, the Abbot de Vilecourt (Bernard Giraudeau).

As shaped by screenwriter Rémi Waterhouse, Ridicule is a kind of dashing verbal swashbuckler in which duels aren't fought with swords, but with the equally fatal weapon of words--rapier wit in its most literal sense. Laconte directs withan appealing elegance and a scathing sobriety as he unfolds a fable that could just as easily take place in a Wall Street boardroom, a Park Avenue executive suite, or a Hollywood commissary. --Dave Kehr ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Fantastic film
Hmmm, not sure why it's referred to as a book, so I hope this review shows up along with the actual video. 'Ridicule' is a brilliant film, in French, that details the quest of a idealistic nobleman as he confronts the ways of Louis XIV's court. Gregoire Ponceludon de Malavoy wishes to see the king regarding important matters, vital to the survival of his peasants, but soon learns that court is a place where men concern themselves with matters that Ponceludon considers trivial, and where all priority is placed one's wit. There's a bit of romance tossed in as well. Overall, a great film that was nominated for the 1997 best foreign language picture Oscar (lost to 'Kolya'- a delightful little Czech film). Definitely worth renting at the very least, but very enjoyable to watch over again. END

Fantastic Wit and Visuals!
I have to say that I am an expert in my own mind anyway, on 'costume dramas' and I came across this gem and was floored. As another reviwer said, it is a bit like Valmont, Vatel, The Affair of the Necklace and Dangerous Liasons rolled into one, but that would be visually. To be honest although I love all of the above mentioned films this one surpassed them and for me is right up there with "Restoration". The wit is ucanny and..well, very French. It's not a watered down version of a tale. I will leave the film details to the rest of the reviews but I can honestly say, if you like "period pieces" don't ,miss this, I would say this one would rank in the top 5 of anybodys list.

Cheers

hi
I didn't mean to write a review on this movie, but it looks lovely- hope to see it one day. Carry on:)

Ridicule or rediculous in English.
Although this film is not completely dreadful I had to give it 1 star after seeing glowing reviews form numerous naivetes.
Movie is highly derivative of costume dramas that came before.
I have to admit I love the genre. But this attempt at period movie falls short of noteworthy.
I rented it after reading how great it is on Amazon.com and was sorely disappointed. Nomination of this film for "Academy" award should've been a fare warning to me. They give Oscars to Shakespeare in Love and geniuses like Catherine Zeta Jones after all.
Back to the film. It opens up with the close up of urinating penis. Mind you urinating on elderly gentlemen. Although, visual itself doesn't bother me the rest of the movie is not all raw and graphic drama as you would expect. It quickly slumps to a level of caricature and vaudeville. I felt that all characters should've being singing their lines, it was so convoluted and implausible.
Did author read anything on a French history or even go to school? It is ridiculous movie that has no passion, no historical sense, no drama and no noteworthy performance in sight. It is suppose to be all about Versailles wit and deadliness of it. I hope it is English translation that makes all the jokes so flat and primitive. Otherwise I must say this movie is a joke upon itself.
Do not expect anything close in drama, acting, storyline or eroticism to Valmont or Dangerous Liaisons.

"Honesty and wit are so rarely combined."
The characters of "Ridicule" walk a tenuous line in a setting where wit is the only currency. They lead lives filled with shallow hypocrisies and carefully planned jokes. Every pleasantry is two-faced; earnestness is shunned in favour of irony. They exchange scathing bon mots and comebacks, ridiculing each other in order to be accepted. They embark upon passionless affairs to climb socially. Gravitas is frowned upon, and there is always the knowledge that one day they will lose their sharpness or go too far, and be ridiculed themselves.

Gregoire Ponceludon de Malavoy (Charles Berling) comes to the court of Versailles to see the king. He needs money to drain a disease-riddled swamp where his people work and die. His chances look slim until it turns out that he has a quick tongue. He is taken under the wing of an elderly courtier, Monsieur Bellegarde (Jean Rochefort) and trained in the ways of the court (never laugh at your own jokes, never laugh with your mouth open - and never pun).

Ponceludon is soon captivated by Bellegarde's beautiful daughter Mathilde (Judith Godreche), who has plans of her own - she is designing a diving suit and marrying a rich old man to finance it. Meanwhile, Madame de Blayac (Fanny Ardant), an affluent widow of the court with great social placing, spots Ponceludon herself and they embark upon an affair of mutual convenience. His only desire for her lies in the fact that her bedroom leads to the king, and therefore to financial gain for his project. They both know this, and there is a scene where she laughs at him and tells him, "Learn to hide your insincerity so that I may yield without dishonour".

Beautifully shot and wonderfully acted, "Ridicule" is a treat for the senses. Fanny Ardant in particular is outstanding: she is a captivating actress who should be seen more often here, and to better advantage. The film itself is perhaps a little like the French version of "Dangerous Liaisons". Filled with sharp wit that isn't necessarily coming out of the mouths of the characters, it serves as a reminder that perhaps we have more in common with the shallow butterflies of this film that we might care to admit. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A terrific black-sploitation film!
I watched this movie late one Saturday night and have not been able to get it out of my head ever since. The pastel colors and the soundtrack were terrific. Even though I am a white man, there for making me the victim of this movie, I simply loved it! It seems that other members of my race did not seem to enjoy it as well as I did, but the fact is, you have to look past the fact that this movie really is "politically incorrect." I really am not much of a judge on how black people are treated today, but I know that this film really showed me how different my own life would be if I were a black man livingin the late-sixties/early-seventies. It just proves that all that we in the magical world of white were really true. We actually were exploiting these people, just for the color of their skin. Maybe, just maybe, the world isn't such a pretty place after all. Great film! I whole-heartedly recommend it.

One of the best films ever made!!!!
I am sure that a better film depicting the stereotypes that, we as black people must endure will never be made. It was truly a cinematic breakthrough. Considering the time that the film was made in, I am surprised that it was allowed to be made especially by the movie company that produced it. Godfrey Cambridge was sheer genius in this film. The kids were worth watching. I never laughed at any other movie as much as a laughed at this satire.

True to Life
How people feel about themselves and how they percieve others is portrayed with humor, but accurately.
Thoughts and desires surface making evident where people stand. This is a good time movie with a message. What that message is depends on where you are in the Human Race.

A ground-breaking must see!
The first time I saw this movie was back in the late 70's. At that time I felt that every American should see this movie. Now, over 20 years later, I still hold to that belief. Why, because this is a classic movie that skilfully mixes a message with a great story and wonderful performances all the way around. A movie like this would probably not get the "green light" from a major studio today. Godfrey Cambridge plays Jeff Gerber, the bigoted insurance salesman living in happy seclusion in suburbia. One night he goes to bed an average white guy, and the next day he wakes up an african american and truly a rasin in the sun. Versions of this storyline have been utilized before (from James Whitmore in "Black Like Me" to that really bad C. Thomas Howell move), but none can hold a candle to the artistry of this movie. It will make you laugh out loud while simultaneously making you think about yourself and your own values. It will take you through the journey of one man's struggle for self acceptance, and leave you asking why eveyone else couldn't get over themselves like he had to. On top of that, it is very clever and will drop subtle hints early in the movie that are easliy missed untill referred to later (like Jeff Gerber's full name, Jefferson Washington Gerber). Melvin Van Peebles (yes Mario's father for the uninitiated) is fully on his game for this movie, and he coaxes superior performances out of the cast.
If you are white, watch it with a person of color and talk about it after the movie is over. It will probably be one of the most powerful conversations you have ever had. If you're african american, just watch the film and prepare for a great deal of identification and head shaking. They just don't make movies like this anymore.

HIDDEN?
So, why isn't this available on DVD?

a WONDROUS journey through discrimination - funny, sad, and neglected!

Brave attempt for 1970!

Find this one and appreciate the fun and struggle!

ps. Halle Berry - remake? ... Read more

Reviews (6)

THIRTIES FUNFEST.
A fun and satisfying venture back into 1933. Lewis Stone plays Police Captain Webb: he's responisible for the most difficult missing person cases. Glenda Farrell plays - with zest - Belle, Webb's estranged wife who makes his life miserable with her frequent requests for money. This caused his excessive brutality on his previous assignment: so he is moved to Missing Persons. Webb is assigned to find Norma Robert's missing husband. Norma is played with surprising subtlety by a 24 year-old Bette Davis. As Belle, Farrell is very snappy and fun to watch. Pat O' Brien actually takes the acting honours here: his interpretation of Butch Saunders is pretty darn impressive. Originally entitled simply MISSING PERSONS.

Great WB 30s PreCode Film
This is a superb film; get it while you can. They'll probably never release this one on DVD, and you would be missing an excellent performance from Bette Davis if you don't get this film. Typical Warners 30s fare: hardboiled, fast paced, and short.

1930's Atmosphere
Pat O'Brien stars as a dectective at New York City's Bureau of Missing Persons, where people go to find loved ones that have disappeared. O'Brien has been transferred there to learn more about proper police work, guided by the Bureau's chief, Lewis Stone, a man who can be tough and compassionate, depending on the situation. A lot of stories come through the Bureau, and a number of them are nicely woven into the subplot. O'Brien becomes involved with one of his clients, a mysterious young woman played by Bette Davis, who claims to be looking for her new husband. There seems to be more to the story than she says, and that soon becomes apparent. I really enjoyed this film a lot. In many ways, it is a typical Warner Brothers 1930's film. There's plenty of tough talking dialogue, tight editing, and no-nonsense acting. O'Brien comes on strong with a solid performance, Stone is wise and all-knowing, and Davis is unusually, but effectively understated. Glenda Farrell, as O'Brien's money-grabbing wife, is a lot of fun. Director Roy Del Ruth keeps it all moving at a very quick pace, and I really like the way the camera zooms back and forth between scenes, giving you a real sense of the urgency in the story. That's an unusual technique for films of that time. I also got a sense of the atmosphere of New York in the 1930's, which added to the film's effect. The story is surprisingly fresh for today's audiences, the dialogue is a lot of fun, and the film moves along very well. I'd recommend spending some time in the Bureau of Missing Persons.

PAT O'BRIEN STEALS THE SHOW FROM BETTE DAVIS...
This nineteen thirties film is a blend of comedy, romance and drama. With a strong cast and snappy dialogue, the film is entertaining. Lewis Stone co-stars as Captain Webb, the benevolent head of the NYPD Bureau of Missing Persons, and gives a compelling performance as the almost godlike boss who will bend the rules, if he feels that it serves a higher purpose. Pat O'Brien plays the part of the virile, tough talking gumshoe, Butch Sanders, who has been reassigned to the Bureau of Missing Persons due to his penchant for brutality. Butch falls head over heels for Bette Davis, who fetchingly plays the role of Norma Roberts aka Norma Phillips, a woman on the lam, accused of a murder that she did not commit. Glenda Farrell is delightful as Belle, Butch's ostensibly estranged wife.

This movie is a lot of fun to watch, if only for its peek into the nineteen thirties perception of police work. There are a number of subplots and incidents that flesh out the film. Look also for the politically incorrect. The scene where Butch decides to show Belle his anger over her fleecing him is sure to anger domestic violence activists. It is, however, rightly or wrongly, reflective of the time in which the film was made. It is also a tad risque for the time, as Butch makes reference to the night that he and Norma spent together.

While Davis and Stone get top billing over Pat O'Brien, it is O'Brien who steals the show. He plays his character with a vim and vigor that grabs the viewer. All in all, this is an interesting little movie that should delight all those who love classic films.

File your missing person reports at the Bureau...
Police captain Lewis Stone is in charge of the Bureau of Missing Persons. It's his duty to see that cases are solved, and during this movie, they ARE solved! He inherits Detective Butch Saunders, played by Pat O'Brien, who is transferred to his department for disciplinary reasons. Butch scorns the work of the Bureau of Missing Persons, and accepts cases reluctantly--except for the case of Norma Roberts aka Norma Williams. Gorgeous Bette Davis plays Norma, who's on the run from the law. She's accused of being invovled in a murder, but Butch knows that's false! In a complicated series of events, the case involving Norma is successfully solved.

Excellent in a supporting role is Glenda Farrell as Belle, "Butchie Wootchie's" golddigging wife who shows up to gouge him for money. A running gag throughout the movie is the search for a gentleman's missing wife--and she turns out to be one of the secretaries at the bureau! The missing wife is played by the wonderful character actress Ruth Donnley, who never fails to please her audience.

This movie has great "atmosphere" and gives the viewer to experience what detective work might have been like in the 30's. Enjoy this movie soon! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

a MUST for lovers of the book.
Ruiz's version of Proust's monumental work probably comes as close to a faithful interpretation of the spirit of the original work as a film can get. While the movie focuses on the last volume of the novel, key elements of the whole are interwoven throughout, to brilliant effect. Ruiz's surrealistic touches are at times so achingly beautiful that it takes your breath away. Ruiz made some interesting (and brave) choices regarding the plot: Swann and Albertine are jettisoned entirely, and believe it or not, it still works. The casting is uncannily on the money, with the one exception of John Malkovitch as Charlus, who appears not to have the foggiest conception of the character as written by Proust. If you haven't guessed already, this film will be tough going for those unfamiliar with the book. For Proustians: an unmitigated feast.

A Worthy Interpretation Of The Classic On Film
Director Raul's version of Marcel Prousts' Remembrance Of Things Past is captured beautifully and faithfully on film. It was made only recently in 1999, but it is essentially timeless. The strength of the film lies in the many dimensions it has, as with the novel. Proust's vision and world comes to life through the cinema, through good performances by the actors, period details and such beautiful, wistful music. The music and the way the film changes time frames, different perspectives, and the Impressionist, sensory images in memory that Proust created in the book are captured with great effect.

For those who have read the long book, and for those who are Proustian, this film is a sumptuous cinematic feast. You don't have to appreciate French literature and film interpretation, you can just love costume dramas. The French are a different breed. They love their champagne, their waltzes and always, Paris. The frivolous lifestyle depicted in Odette's courtesan climate is but one element of French society, at least as it was in the late 19th century. Swann, as we know, is the author himself. Proust put himself in Swann, and became the restless, troubled youth searching for himself but unable to find peace of mind in a corrupt world of money and societal conventions, a world who looks innocent and glossy but hides a dark secret of prostitution and frail morals.

The cast is superb. The music is delightful. What a great idea they had to cast a now older Catherine Deneuve as the courtesan whom Swann loves devotedly, Odette. This DVD is a great experienc e and I recommend this film to fans of French classics. One note: the film takes place in the latter portions of Proust's epic novel, and some of the characters and side stories were cut off due to time. Like Gone With The Wind for America, Remembrance Of Things Past is an epic masterpiece of French literature. Only there they call it "Au Recharche du Temps perdu" which literally means, in Proustian symbolism, "In Search Of Lost Time".

Great Film, Not So Great DVD
I have been a fan of Proust's novel for a long time, and I eagerly awaited this movie, having read articles about its making and, later, reviews of it. Yet I managed to miss it during the, oh, three days it played in the theater here. So I ordered the DVD the minute it became available, and I had two reactions: 1) For the Proust devotee, this is an amazing, beautiful film, probably the best that ever could be done in capturing the complexity and haunting quality of the novels. But 2) The DVD is a real disappointment: the subtitles obscure the image itself (instead of appearing below it), and they're white, set against what often is a dazzlingly white background. And of course you can't turn them off. So you can't get rid of the damn things, and you can't read them either. The image itself (the parts you can see) is pristine and gorgeous, and the sound is superb. And the movie itself--well, it's a masterpiece. Will you be able to follow it if you haven't read the books? I think so--parts will seem enigmatic, but then that's not such a bad thing. The overall story and point will, I think, be quite clear, and quite moving.

Incidentally, I agree with the reviewer who said Malkovich is miscast. I love his work in general, but he seems out of place here, and it's all too clear that he had to re-loop much of his French dialogue. Still, the role he plays, and the way the director defined that role, are so interesting that you can overlook his performance somewhat.

Proust, Captured on Film
Suffice it to say that Chilean-born director/screenwriter Ruiz tackled a monumental assignment. Reducing Proust's lengthy Trilogy (Remembrance of Things Past), to a few hours of screen time would have been beyond the capabilities of most filmmakers. That he has succeeded so well is a great credit to him and to his creative crew.

The film is told in a series of flashbacks as Proust lies on his deathbed. The flashbacks are not sequential, so at points one has to pay attention to follow along. The rewards are numerous, however. This is one of the most beautifully filmed works that I've seen in ages. The director is particularly adept at pan-shots. The moving tableaux are breathtaking, like living impressionist paintings. This is particularly true in a scene of a music recital at a country chateau. The various figures are situated on moving platforms, so in addition to the moving camera pans, the platforms also slide slowly back and forth, which makes for a kaleidescopic montage unlike anything I've seen in cinema. Ruiz and cinematographer Jorge Arriagada are artists in the truest sense.

Ruiz also managed to collect a top notch cast for the enterprise. Marcello Mazzarella is elegantly stoic as Proust. He is the artistic, calm eye of the storm as the hurricane of WWI France swirls aound him. Emmanuelle Béart, is stunningly beautiful, as always. Catherine Deneuve is a perfectly cast Mme De Crecy, though her on screen time is relatively brief. John Malkovich's French sounds pretty fair to my untrained ear. He definitely has the juiciest role as a jaded, decadent Baron of the Boulevard. Pascal Greggory chews up some scenery, as well as a boefsteak, as the gung ho, effete warrior, St-Loup (well named, as the guy really is quite loopy).

The movie is slow going at times, which well befits an adaptation of Proust, who's not exactly known for his frenetic pacing. This is a film to savor with several repeated viewings. The DVD is an excellent transfer and the English subtitles are accurate and legible. Highly recommended.

BEK

Breathtakingly beautiful
Well, I had only ever heard of Proust before this film from a Monty Python sketch of the "Summarise Proust competition" (contestants had to summarise In Search of Lost Time once in evening wear and once in bathing suit). I was worried I might hate this film, not knowing anything about Proust other than he wrote a multi-volumed masterwork about time and memory. Then I saw it...wow! I cannot praise Mr Ruiz enough for what he has achieved. The camera work, sets, and lighting are stunning. As Marcel's memory takes him back and forth through his life, the sets and furniture often move around whilst the scene is played out - all emphasising the fragility and hallucinatory qualities of his memory. And there is the music...wow again. It is never intrusive but always creates the perfect background to what is happening on screen. It is not overly sentimental and never tries to force you into feeling emotion (unlike someone like John Williams/S. Spielberg who tries to ram it down your throat). As for plot, many characters and relationships are never fully explained or revealed. Many reviewers seem offended that a film expects them to display attention and interest, but I feel that they're missing the point. Plot is often not the point of the film, instead it is a film about time and memory (hence the title!). Plot is not allowed to dominate the narrative structure, it is the emotions and memory of Marcel. The most offensive thing that some other reviewers seem to find about this film is that it is novel and original - what a crime!! I had never read Proust (and I do not speak French to any degree - I feel I should mention this for the reviewer below who complains that those who can't speak French will have problems) before I saw this film, but I have a long enough attention span and an open enough mind to appreciate the sheer beauty of its images and the wonderful originality of its style. I urge anyone remotely appreciative of excellent filmmaking to see this film. It might even, as it has with me, motivate you to read the book. I am now three and a third volumes in and it is the greatest and most beautifully written novel I have ever read in my life. Thank you Mr Ruiz and thank you Marcel! SEE THIS FILM NOW!!! ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Sirens Can Come Calling to Anyone
I viewed this movie the first time in the theatre and loved it completely. Any woman, or man for that matter, who grew up in a sort of repressed world can understand the obvious fasination that this couple might experience when they come to Australia and become guests of this notorious artist and his family.

From the first momentous scene, when the couple encounters the Rasputinesque man with the missing limb, the film hints at the terrifying prospects of life beneath the lush beauty of earth's surroundings. Beware, behind all beauty lies death---but ah! the pleasure in living!!!!The elegant subtlety of Sirens lies within its ability to unmask and shyly peek at the longing we have of freely given love and the fasination of discovering the beauty of our genders. Even as the threat of death and decay peers through the trees, we crave the acknowledgement of our sensual needs and fears; we, sometimes cautiously, bend to the impossible curiousity that nags us in viewing our sexual opposites, and yes, in acknowledging our own sex.

My only critism of the VHS/DVD, is that one misses the humor and in large the major comment of what the movie seeks to share. The newspaper articles originally shown on the large screen, are unreadable on the small screen. The VHS/DVD viewers suffer from this loss because the impact of the film in the juxtaposition of these humorous and tragic observations shown through the medium of local news. They whisper to us of the uncertainty of ife, the quickness of death, the need to seize upon the gift of love and life.

The visual impact of the film is sensual and lovely; the actors are equally so. For once, Hugh Grant's bumbling bumbles aren't so irritating and the elegant Tara Fitzgerald lures you gently into her search of discovery for the sacred place where love and lust can happily survive. The cast is outstanding.

If they release a better version of the DVD in the future, I hope that the viewing of the headlines can be remedied. It makes all the difference in the perception of the film.

A little deeper into Sirens > a different interpretation
Spoiler alert: You might not want to read the following if you haven't seen the movie yet.

Most of the reviews of Sirens at Amazon focus on Elle, the nudity in the movie, and themes surrounding the Church's stance against freedom of expression. A few reviewers have touched intelligently on some of the biblical, Atlantean, and Homeric symbolism that suffuses the movie.

Only one reviewer, who happened not to like the film, touched on what I consider to be one of the most telling elements of the story: that Tara Fitzgerald's character Estella cheats on her husband, Hugh Grant. The reviewer thinks this is a problem, and it is, because Estella is a clergyman's wife. This should require some explaining, as Estella changes a great deal in a short amount of time during the film.

The cover of the movie shows Hugh Grant and Elle McPherson in poses suggesting a light-hearted romantic comedy. The movie is actually completely about Tara Fitzgerald's character's journey. What are the clues? The movie starts with Estella both flirting with and rebuffing a sailor on an ocean liner. Hugh Grant is not in the scene at all.

The movie follows Estella much more closely than any of the other characters and at key moments we even see hallucinations as Estella sees them: when she imagines herself naked in church and most importantly, when she "dreams" that the sirens are baptizing her (with water that turns to blood, no less, at which point she "wants to wake up") toward the end of the movie. The offensive painting for which Estella and her husband travel to Sam Neill's house shows a woman crucified in Christ's place, signalling that the female lead, not the male, is the protagonist.

But is the movie about Estella's sexual awakening? Not really.

It is not until after she awakens from the dream described above that the viewer learns the ship on which Estella sailed was the Titanic (look above her head when she and Hugh Grant are on the train leaving Australia--it is the same ship shown throughout the film). What could this mean? Estella is drowning in the wreck of the Titanic. As she is dying she experiences the events in the movie, a mix of Ulysses' sailors drawn to their watery graves by the beautiful sirens, a magical trip to the island of Atlantis (Australia), and religious rumblings of the moral tension between fidelity and self-expression. The "mission" to convince Sam Neill not to exhibit his blasphemous painting represents Estella's fight to stay alive. When she and her husband accept that they will not change Sam Neill's resolve (including the fact that he has painted Estella), Estella is giving up her grip on life. Look at the expression of relief and release on her face in the movie's very last scene before fading to the sirens on the rocks.

With a seemingly slapped on ending in which Estella and husband leave some of their sexual repression behind them, voila: you have a movie that viewers enjoy but is quite a bit deeper, as well.

Check it out, it's beautiful and brilliant!

Sirens
I am not overly fond of arty movies like Sirens so I admit a bit of bias that probably colors my reaction to it. The real theme of the movie, unless I completely missed the point, is the spiritual damage, if not emotional damage, that sexual repression exerts on the individual (and society, if one takes the logic a step further).

Set in the 1930's, a catholic priest is sent to compel a famous artist from displaying an erotic painting that mixes religious with erotic themes that the church finds offensive. This repressed priest and his wife find themselves in the midst of an almost bacchanalian atmosphere, as the artist's models cavort around in a carefree, playful, sexually liberated manner. The real focus the movie really becomes the priest's wife, who starts to find herself drawn into experiences around her and frees herself of her own repressions.

The drawback to the movie is it's just not that entertaining and has no real plot. I enjoyed the imagery and the acting was top notch. But on the whole, I found it somewhat boring.

a work of art
Although I'd love to bore the readers with my thoughtful analysis of this incredible film, I will restrain myself, because the previous reviews (especially those concerning mythologies) are quite thorough and nicely stated.

What I *would* like to point out are the easter eggs throughout the film. Any art buff will have a wonderful experience as classic works of art are recreated "live" during the movie. The movie is worth watching just to see how many you can catch.

But the deeper plot of the movie is art in itself. I highly recommend.

Never Tire of Watching
"Sirens" was about a woman, a preacher's wife, who appears to be intimidated by the sexual frankness of an artist and the models. But she is sexually sealed in the presence of her husband and the people she is staying with. The artist is proud of his work despite what others think.
Tara Fitzgerald is splendid in her performance as a timid preacher's wife. She immerses herself in the roles that she has portrayed relating to what the individual is feeling. The expression shows. She stood out mostly in the movie. ... Read more

Description

One little secret is about to cause a big, big commotion in this hilariously funny hit comedy that has everyone talking! When the oldest daughter of a riotous, close-knit family announces her unexpected pregnancy, everyone wants to know who fathered the "snapper" she's carrying. But the young woman's refusal to reveal anything about her predicament sends the entire town into a tizzy! Critics coast-to-coast praised THE SNAPPER as one of the year's finest and funniest films -- it's sure to deliver nonstop laughs to you! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Sequel to "The Commitments", "Snapper" falls short...
"The Snapper" is the second part of the Trilogy of a group of impoverished North Dubliners, the first part being the excellent and almost perfect movie, "The Commitments." "The Snapper" falls short of the quality of the first movie in part because the plot line is muddled. Characters portrayed in "The Commitments" reappear in "The Snapper" but are played weakly by different actors. The dilemma of the sister being pregnant out of wedlock is not really funny, nor is it a large enough crisis on which to build a movie. The single exception to the mediocrity is, as ever, Colm Meaney, once again brilliant, funny and poignant as the father of the family. He paces the film with his performance, laced with perfect comic timing and a delivery as good as any you'll see in any movie anywhere. See "The Snapper" for Meaney's performance--he won't disappoint you.

Wickedly funny
Based on the second book in Roddy Doyle's Dublin trilogy, The Snapper is a wickedly funny glimpse into the lives of a working class Irish family. The eldest daughter of a large family becomes pregnant and refuses to name the father. Not your traditional comic premise, but in this case it works beautifully. The characters are fully developed and presented in such a manner that you care deeply about them, and experience their pain as well as their joy. Veteran actor Colm Meaney (Star Trek DS9), who appears in the other two films that make up the trilogy (The Commitments and The Van), masterfully carries the story as the father of the unruly brood. He comes across as a good man who tries to do the right thing and loves his family, but is painfully human at every turn. The rest of the cast is mostly unknown but very believable and capable. I highly recommend this film (and the books, too). It may be the closest you ever get to Dublin without actually crossing the Atlantic.

A realistic view into an Irish home.
No other film has ever captured the zeitgeist of Irish life as well as the snapper. Roddy Doyle was teaching in a North Dublin working class school when he wrote this book. Much of the dialoge that you hear in the film is directly out of the mouths of his students.

What you see in this film is as close as an outsider is ever likely to come to an understanding of working class Irish life. The unmarried daughter giving birth accounts for 1 in four of all children born today in Ireland. This is as real a situation as you can have. The language, the wit, the sarcasm and the lifestyle are all iminently recognised by Irish people as being true to daily life.

The bonus of the Snapper is that you get a bellyaching laugh at the same time. There are few films as funny as this.

Absolutely brilliant!

A real look at an Irish working class family.
I've seen this video several times and it never fails to entertain me and make me feel good. My maiden name was Curley and my Mother was going to name me Sharon but named me Cheryl instead because all the girls in the ward were being named Sharon. Although my Dad was not born in Ireland, he was very "Irish" and had many of the same mannerisms of the father in this movie. The father reminds me of my Dad (although he would not have been as understanding). Irish Dads typically idolize their daughters and defend their honor at any cost. This Irish dad was no different.
The antics of the family are typical of a large Irish working class family as is the love you see for the girl as she goes through the painful process of growing up and entering motherhood. Having visited Ireland (to scatter my Dad's ashes), I found the dialect true and understandable (even the cuss words). The pub scenes were authentic as well. All in all, a great movie, somewhat dramatic in its content but a very feel good ending. Can't really understand why anyone would compare it to the Committments as it is a totally different type of movie. I enjoyed that as well.

absolutely brilliant!
This is one of the funniest films I've ever seen! Tina Kellegher is brilliant as the knocked up daughter, and Colm Meaney's performance is top notch as always. Anyways this film definitely does justice to Roddy Doyle's wonderful book. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Essential 80s fare
In the age of "Porky's", "Revenge Of The Nerds", "Police Academy" (what were we thinking???), and "Airplane" came this underrated comedy gem.

You don't have to like Goldie Hawn, but the supporting cast makes it work--Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Nipsey Russell, and James Keach--and the jokes still work a couple decades later. Dig LL Cool J's theme song (pre-dating his work on yet another football film--"Any Given Sunday), and let your memory work overtime.

Awesome Flick Starring ME!!
Goldie is great as the football coach of inner city High School. And I play the tough yet gentle principal in this 80's fun flick.

Good vs Evil, Woman vs Man
In this movie Goldie Hawn pulls off the unthinkable task of a female coach in a mans locker room. The war of men and women comes out in a very special way in this movie. The lives it touches, the people it moves, the way it comes together. It truely is an inspiration to all the women out there who don't believe they can get involved with sports. For the parents out there this is not a movie I would recommend for young kids.

Another Goldi Hawn Winner
Good plot. Quite a bit of writers license, but which movies don't take advantage of it. She takes a group of misfits and single handed straightens them out. This is the America I grew up in. I was raised before DR. Spocks book. So I still have a few morals. My kids were not so lucky. The name fits the story and Goldi makes it all look real. I have seen it several times and it is a perminent part of my collection.

Another Great Movie From The 80's.
This Is The Best Football Movie I Have Ever Seen. Goldie Hawn Is The Football Coach In This Movie. She Did A Great Job. They Went All The Way To The Championship. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Great Comedy!
Coming on the heels of Garbo's Ninotchka this film was dismissed as lightweight, but in retrospect it is a delightfully hilarious blend of political satire and slapstick comedy. Hedy Lamarr's father wants her out of the country before her big mouth and her political views get her killed! That's where American reporter Gable comes in, attempting to save the day, but falling for the stoic idealistic Lamarr instead.
The scenes of Gable pretending to believe her rhetoric and romance her into leaving the country are hilarious and this film gets even funnier as it goes along. King Vidor was a great director and he created the perfect blend of politics and comedy, satire and slapstick, and at it's heart, romance. You'll love the streetcar scene and you may just hurt yourself laughing towards the end of this film as Gable commandeers a tank!
If your looking for something fun and funny then this is your movie. Gable and Lamarr were terrific together in this film, lighthearted but not lightweight. It is an absolute riot! You can't go wrong with this one!

Unvarnished truth is so rare as to be uncomfortable to watch
It's a light hearted comedy in which about a hundred innocents are politely executed and the people are sheep armed only with idealist slogans and happy-faced song while awaiting slaughter. The juxtaposition of the politely murderous and naively suicidal is admirably bold for Hollywood, precisely because it is political and real, if uncomfortably strange.

Gable plays the typical driven ... romantic lead of the genre. The hero in the story is his "presser" (a valet) who wants his daughter (Lamar) out before her heavily propagandisized ideals and big mouth gets her shot in a country as full of real political zigs as the movie's plot. The mix of slapstic romantic comedy and deadly serious Stalinist politics of the late 30's is a unique combination I have never seen before. Not even Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" was this "over the top" in terms of convention. Must see!

GREAT
This is a light hearted comedy that is a must in any Hedy Lamarr collection. Or any collection that would include classic movies starring wonderful actresses like Hedy Lamarr.Buy it you'll love it! ... Read more

Description

Acclaimed director John Badham delivers a winning combination of action, suspense, comedy, and romance! Convinced that a dangerous escaped convict (Aidan Quinn) is headed for his ex-girlfriend's (Madeleine Stowe), a pair of Seattle detectives (Richard Dreyfuss, Emilio Estevez) stakeout her apartment. The watch remains routine until one of the detectives begins a high-risk romance with the woman under surveillance -- jeopardizing not only the partners' careers ... But also their lives! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great Movie but the DVD offers nothing!
I awaited this DVD release along with the sequel and Down and Out in Beverly Hills. All three (3) of these movies offer nothing, not even the trailers were on these DVD's. Very dissapointing. Instead they put 2 trailers of other releases they have coming out.

Anyhow, even though the DVD's have no special features what so ever, they do however have pretty good picture and sound. Stakeout has always been one of my favorite movies for it's campy-ness and I'm glad Touchstone finally dedicated to release it.

5 Stars for the Movie
4 Stars for the Picture & Sound
1 Star for the Special Features

If you haven't seen this movie, pick it up.

An funny action-packed film.
When a dangerous Psychopath (Aidan Quinn) has escape from Prison. Two Inept Seattle Cops (Oscar-Winner:Richard Dryfuss & Emilio Estevez) are sign to protect an attractive woman (Madeleine Stowe) from the Psychopath. But one of the cops has fall in love with the woman.

Directed by John Badham (Wargames, Short Circuit, Nick of Time) brings an Engentic Action Comedy. Terrific Performances by Dryfuss and Estevez. Written by Jim Kouf (The Hidden, Another Skakeout). A winning film. Grade:A-.

When It Puts You In Hysterical Pain...Its a Good Comedy
There have been lots of movies that Ive seen that have made me laugh from time to time while watching, but 1987's "Stakeout" with Richard Dreyfuss was one of the best comedies of the 80s. Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez play two joking and bumbling police detectives, who are assigned to a seemingly boring stakeout of the house of an escaped criminal's girlfriend. After Dreyfuss though, broken up after his wife leaves, falls in love with the focus of their investigation...he digs a hole for himself so deep he finds it hard to be a lover AND a cop at the same time. Its a perfect scenerio, when Dreyfuss does his best to keep his relationship across the street from the eyes of his collegues, and himself out of trouble. The only one who knows of this escapade is Estevez, who watches the hilarious antics of his partner through a camera across the street. Until I saw this movie I never took notice of Richard Dreyfuss, and I saw the Emilio Estevez of the 80s in many troublemaking roles of hard-core youth kinda movies like "That Was Then, This Is Now". Needless to say this hysterical movie is was a different and perfectly played out comedy...that worked so well they HAD to make a sequal: "Another Stakeout". The 1998 movie "This Is My Father"'s Aidan Quinn was the perfect bad guy in "Stakeout", this time without the heavy brogue. What can I say, it's a great movie, give it a try if you like the actors.

Entertaining and watchable
Forget about the lack of ethics of Dreyfuss' character, the immaturity of all of the cops involved, and the predictability of the story ... the film is just a real pleasure to watch.

Richard Dreyfuss is really funny. The scene where he starts doin' his stupid little dance to The Rhythm is gonna Getcha just had me crackin' up.

Aidan Quinn is surprisingly effective as an escaped convict and do I need any words to describe how good Madeline Stowe looks... I didn't think so.

You'll laugh a whole lot.

Stakeout is about two hilarious cops on a stakeout.
Stakeout was an excellent movie about two police officers who are assigned on a stakeout. Neither wished to sit around and do nothing so they decided to break a few rules. Of course this resulted in many problems and their solution had me and my friends in stitches. I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a hilarious cop movie. Recommended age: 13-125. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Essential 80s fare
In the age of "Porky's", "Revenge Of The Nerds", "Police Academy" (what were we thinking???), and "Airplane" came this underrated comedy gem.

You don't have to like Goldie Hawn, but the supporting cast makes it work--Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Nipsey Russell, and James Keach--and the jokes still work a couple decades later. Dig LL Cool J's theme song (pre-dating his work on yet another football film--"Any Given Sunday), and let your memory work overtime.

Awesome Flick Starring ME!!
Goldie is great as the football coach of inner city High School. And I play the tough yet gentle principal in this 80's fun flick.

Good vs Evil, Woman vs Man
In this movie Goldie Hawn pulls off the unthinkable task of a female coach in a mans locker room. The war of men and women comes out in a very special way in this movie. The lives it touches, the people it moves, the way it comes together. It truely is an inspiration to all the women out there who don't believe they can get involved with sports. For the parents out there this is not a movie I would recommend for young kids.

Another Goldi Hawn Winner
Good plot. Quite a bit of writers license, but which movies don't take advantage of it. She takes a group of misfits and single handed straightens them out. This is the America I grew up in. I was raised before DR. Spocks book. So I still have a few morals. My kids were not so lucky. The name fits the story and Goldi makes it all look real. I have seen it several times and it is a perminent part of my collection.

Another Great Movie From The 80's.
This Is The Best Football Movie I Have Ever Seen. Goldie Hawn Is The Football Coach In This Movie. She Did A Great Job. They Went All The Way To The Championship. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

I enjoyed it
A very good movie. Robin Givens is a beauty! Mike, you should have kept her... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Made during the heyday of Hollywood anthology films (such as O. Henry's Full House and Tales of Manhattan), this meandering movie is wound around the adventures of a lowly classified-ad clerk (Burgess Meredith, who also produced) who plays roving "man on the street reporter" for a day. He asks the question, "What influence has a baby had on your life?" and gets a collection of comical responses. Hapless jazz musicians Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart mistake the word "baby" for "babe" and describe how a shapely trumpet-playing dish upended their lives, movie star Dorothy Lamour remembers how a child star turned an Iowa day player into a South Seas screen goddess, and Fred MacMurray tells a story suspiciously similar to "The Ransom of Red Chief." It's fun to see Fonda stumble and stammer through a slapstick performance and Lamour spoof her Polynesian Princess image, but it's a lightweight lark with only fitfully funny stories.

Officially credited to King Vidor and Leslie Fenton, it also received uncredited assistance from John Huston and George Stevens in the Fonda-Stewart story. None of them show much facility for slapstick and their styles never meld. The film lurches from one gag to another, only settling down for MacMurray's story, where his easy delivery and chemistry with future "My Three Sons" costar William Demarest overcomes the clumsy direction. Paulette Goddard also rises above her material in a small role as Meredith's sharp and sexy wife. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Hopefully O. Henry Got Some Royalties Off of This One
Known for being the only film Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda starred in together, I thought I'd check out "On Our Merry Way" for its historical significance. Unfortunately, it's not very good.

The film is split into three seperate stories tied together by a rather odd framing device. Burgess Meredith and Paulette Goddard play a married couple having monetary problems, with Meredith conning his way into a reporting job to earn extra cash. He then proceeds to interview three seperate sets of people, with the angle being the way in which a child has affected each of their lives. Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda are musicians that lose their band to a "babe", Dorothy Lamour is an actress contending with a spoiled child star (echos of Shirley Temple) and finally Fred McMurray fights a battle of wits with a 10 year-old holy terror.

The first segment is pretty dull, and Jimmy and Henry are not given much to do. The second story is a little better, with Lamour doing a nice musical number sending up her exotic image called "Queen of the Hollywood Isles". The last section is a blatant [take] of O. Henry's classic short story, "The Ransom of Red Chief", only stressful instead of funny. The framing device with Goddard and Meredith is the best part of the movie, due to the strong chemistry between them.

I recommend "On Our Merry Way" as a rental for hard-core Stewart or Goddard fans, otherwise it's not really worth your time. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

funny
Eddie G. gets to show off his huge talent as he plays 2 very different characters, _and_ plays each one imitating the other.

Very unusual-a comedy crime movie from John Ford
There was a time when Edward G. Robinson was one of the most imitated personalities of the cinema. His "nyah, nyah, nyah",(his way of saying "I'm not listening to you", acting very sure of himself and behaving quite devilish, being quite the peer of James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. Most people who know John Ford's work as the man most responsible of making John Wayne a superstar, directing Henry Fonda in some masterpieces and being quite the dramatic director. Here, though, he handles a script by Jo Swerling and Robert Riskin and practically plays it with just as much humor as Frank Capra or Howard Hawks. Robinson is given two parts: that a mild bank clerk who is mistaken as the public enemy, no good killer, also played by Robinson. There's absolutely no sublety in the way he's rousted, with multiple guns pointed at him, that would be enough to spook anybody. I believe this is one of Jean Arthur's first co-starring roles and she's just great. Wallace Ford and Donald Meek add their comedic talents to this. My only real disappointment and I've read the scene where bad Robinson captures the love ones of the good Robinson didn't pass the 30's censors is still missing. This omission causes the ending to get wrapped up rather too quickly. Otherwise, if you're a fan of the thirties, Robinson or Ford, I really think you'd enjoyed this one. ... Read more