Reviews (2)

Still waiting............
As of today, May 2, 2004, Disney's masterpiece, the original "That Darn Cat" has yet to be released on DVD.
I dont know what Disney is waiting for, but if enough of us request the DVD, it will be made available alot quicker. All you have to do is sign up to pre-order the DVD on Amazon.com when it becomes available.
You will get an email when the DVD finally comes out.
The movie is about a Beautiful Siamese Cat, named D.C. (Darn Cat).
D.C. and his owner, the cute Disney legend Hayley Mills find themselves up to their necks in crime, and chaos.
A woman has been kidnapped, and only D.C. and Hayley can help he police find her!
Dean Jones, another Disney legend, plays the special agent in charge of the kidnapped woman's case, and he is wonderful.
"That Darn Cat" is the epitome of a Disney Clasic film: A cute, charasmatic Animal as the star, plus some familiar faces in the supporting roles, mixed with the Disney comedy, action and overall fun that we have grown to love.
The late great Roddy McDowall, of "Planet of the Apes" fame, plays a great part in this movie as well.
They made a remake of "That Darn Cat' in 1997, and while it was good, it is not nearly as good as the original.
This original 1965 version of 'That Darn Cat" is the one with the Disney Magic that we all have grown used to.
This movie is full of comedy, action, suspense, intrigue, and most important, pure Disney fun.
You will definitely enjoy this movie, if you havent seen it yet. If you have seen it on video, then you know what I mean.
Hopefully, soon, Disney will release this movie on DVD, and when they do, trust me when I say that it will be a favorite of yours and your family for years and years to come.
So, come on Disney.....we are waiting. Please release "That Darn Cat" on DVD soon, so that a whole new generation can experience its wonder.

Gorgeous!!!
Absolutely fabulous! This movie can make you laugh 1000 times over! It's delicious. The actor's play is a masterpiece, something that is very rare in our days.The intrigue is perfectly balanced, and the storyscript is the work of a genius!If you want to laugh like you do when you were a child, this is your moment! ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A real family classic!
Jim Douglas (played by Dean Jones) is a broken-down, has been racecar driver. But, when he finds himself saddled with an innocuous little Volkswagen Beetle, he suddenly finds that he can get a lot more out of it than anyone thought possible. Jim's kooky friend Tennessee Steinmetz (Buddy Hackett) keeps trying to tell him that this car is special, it has a heart and feelings, but Jim knows that a car is a car, is a car, right? And now that he is winning races, his chief competitor, Richard Thorndyke (David Tomlinson), is out to get that inexplicable little car! [Color, released in 1968, with a running time of 1:47.]

This is a fantastic movie, and a real family classic! I loved this movie as a kid, and couldn't wait to introduce my children to it. As expected, they loved it, especially the scenes where Herbie seemed to swallow Thorndyke and when he "oiled" on his leg! The DVD set is excellent, containing a nice Disney cartoon short, and lots of other neat extras. My family and I all love this DVD set, and highly recommend it to you!

I Love This 2 Disc Special Edition DVD SET of The Love Bug.
When this DVD was put out I bought a copy of it and I have watched it a dozen times Already. I really loved the specail features that they had on this DVD.

Here Is A Brief Description:

Jim Douglas (Dean Jones), is a down on luck race car Driver who finds Herbie at Thorndike Motors Owned By Peter Thorndike ( David Tomlinson). Well when Jim Finds the car. Herbie falls for him like a ton of bricks. The next day Jim finds Herbie Parked in front of the Firehouse that he and Tennesse Stienmetz (Buddy Hackett) live in. Well Jim buys the car from Mr. Thorndike and gains back his pride as he wins race after race. And falls in love with the Beautiful Carol (Michelle Lee).

Great Movie 5 Star Rating.

Disney almost got this DVD right
For the most part, this is one of Disney's few successes when it comes to releasing a movie on DVD. However, even with this DVD, there are some issues. The scene in Chinatown is strangely out of focus, while the rest of the movie appears just fine. Did the engineer fall asleep while he was doing the transfer, or just what happened?

In spite of that, I will say that this is one Disney DVD you are PROBABLY safe in buying. Maybe it came out before they started cutting corners so severely.

Cute but should not be rated G
I recently rented this movie for my three year old son who loves cars. I did see this movie when I was going up (though I did not remember the exact details) but now that I have seen it as a parent, I have some concerns about it.

Though the moive is rated G, it has a few things about it that I don't find appropriate for young children.

The dialogue is riddled with words like "stupid" and "idiot,"-- words I prefer to keep out of my son's vocabulary, at least for now.

I also find the character, Mr. Thorndike, to have an anger management problem. In the majority of his scenes, he is yelling at the top of his lungs and calling his sidekick, Havershaw, a series of derogatory names-- definitely not a characteristic I want my son to emulate. Finally, while I appreciate the whole appeal of a car having human qualities, I find the scene where Herbie tries to commit suicide a bit much for a kid's movie. Having to explain what the car was doing was difficult.

Overall, though the movie has cute qualities, I wish that the attributes I mentioned were not included. Call me a protective parent but seems to me that today's kids are considered rude because they are exposed to media like this that are considered acceptable.

Sorry to the die-hard Herbie fans, but this movie is not all its cracked up to be.

my favorite disney movie
there is no disney movie that could top this one. the race scenes with cute music playing went excellent with this movie. the cross country race at the end of the movie was one of the best slapstick race scenes i ever saw. this is like smokey and the bandit type movie. A LOT OF FUN TO WATCH. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

ALOHA, HAWAII! Elvis loved it there.
If I had to summon up the content of this whole movie in one word, it would be: "exotic". Why I say that is because of the scenery, the palm trees, the Waikiki beach, the beach boys and girls, the Hawaiian music, the ukeleles, the luau, EVERYTHING! Elvis is a returning G.I. who does not want to go into his family's pineapple business. Instead, he works for a tourist guide service, and his first customers are a pack of gorgeous-looking girls and a beautiful chaperoning schoolteacher (Nancy Walters). Beautiful Hawaiian wedding scene at the end when Elvis marries Joan Blackman. Angela Lansbury is perfect for Elvis' mother in this picture. She enjoyed working with Elvis. "Blue Hawaii" is quintessential and Elvis' top picture and
his best '60s musical next to "Viva Las Vegas", and "G.I. Blues".

Tour Hawaii with Elvis!!!
Tour Hawaii with Elvis Presley!!! That's a pretty good description of this musical, the success of which marked the end of the singer's attempts at being a serious actor. For what it is--a travelogue with music and a slight plot--it isn't bad at all. But "King Creole," "Flaming Star," and even "Follow That Dream" demonstrated that Elvis could indeed act when given half the chance. That's all "Blue Hawaii" is, though: half a chance. The songs aren't exactly rock and roll, but most provide pleasant listening, and, of course, this is the movie that introduced the lovely "Can't Help Falling in Love," the song with which he would end all of his concerts in the 70s. Angela Lansbury is on hand as Elvis' mother, even though she was only a few years older than him (just as she was only a few years older than Laurence Harvey when she played his mother in "The Manchurian Candidate" the next year, a movie in which Elvis might just as well have been cast considering his apparent manipulation at the hands of Colonel Parker), and, of course, there are plenty of luscious babes about for those who don't consider Angela a turn on. "Blue Hawaii" is a real mixed bag. It is, perhaps, the very definition of "fluff," and as fluff it is attractive, but it would ultimately lead to dozens of execrable imitations that would make Presley's movie career one of the most lamentable in history. The writing was on the wall and, more importantly, in the grosses.

Can't Help Fallin' In Love With This Movie
Mr Presley certainly wasn't a great actor, but this movie shows him off to his best advantage. The music isn't the usual bad Elvis movie music and the scenery is to doe for. The storyline could come from any family - a son trying to be independent, a father who wants son to follow in his footsteps, a dropdead gorgeous girlfriend who just isn't what HIS folks had in mind, outrageous friends and an airhead, over-protective mama dead-set on embarrassing the son at any given chance. The plot is easy to follow and even makes sense. OK, not everyone breaks into song on a horseback ride, but what the Hell ! The wedding scene ( oops, gave it away ) makes up for any gaffes.

Blue Hawaii
I think this movie was above and beyond Elvis's usual movies. It has a cute plot and the scenery is unbelievable. If you are not a Elvis fan you will fall in love with the scenery.

Wonderful Postcard
I re-watched this just before going to Maui last November on my first trip to Hawaii. The story may not be much, but the scenery is "spot on" and this is a nostalgia trip for the "older Hawaii" of the 50's. What a great postcard, and Elvis thrown in, doing his 60's Elvis thing, with more style and good grace than later films would exhibit. He seemed to enjoy himself and you'll enjoy the music. ... Read more

Description

Neil Simon's beloved story about two divorced men who decide to share a New York apartment. Felix is fussy and fastidious to a fault. He proves that cleanliness is next to insanity. Oscar wreaks havoc on a tidy room with the speed and thoroughness of a tornado. An enduring and endearing picture with the intelligence one usually misses in comedies. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

The Original And Still The Best, With An Exception or Two
The story is a classic. Poor neat Felix is going through a divorce, and old, sloppy friend Oscar takes him in. Both go through mid-life crises, and we get to meet some great character actors along the way.. besides Matthau and Lemmon, of course! John Fielder is magnificent. We all know the film by its countless viewings on TV ... and of course the TV series. It's FINALLY nice, through the magic of wide-screen, to see the ENTIRE poker game. To see the ENTIRE messy apartment ... and those classic New York street scenes. What's not so nice are the color and sound. Neither has held up that well, though Paramount must have made their best efforts to put together something out of bad '60's negatives and/or prints. The color is so muted, and so is a lot of the sound for whatever reason. Still, the DVD version is much better than the pan-and-scan VHS version currently offered. Can't do too much about that '60's color.

Odd Men Out Are Still In Style
Perhaps prolific playwright Neil Simon's best known work, the 1968 film adaptation of The Odd Couple, helped to give birth to one of cinema's best comedy teams. It is clear from the begining that Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon were a match made in heaven.

Recently divorced fussbudget and neatfreak Felix Unger (Lemmon) is down on his luck. With nowhere else to turn, he finds himself, reluctantly, on the doorstep of pal Oscar Madison (Matthau), who is himself divorced. Oscar is a total slob and proud of it. The film is all about how these total opposites, can live with each other, without losing their sanity.

While I never saw the play, (save for a High School produced short version) the filmmakers didn't mess with the formula. Adapting stage plays on film, can at times, seem quite limiting . Not here though. Director Gene Saks has great sense of what works. The chemistry between Lemmon and Matthau is undeniable. The performances are pitch perfect--even from the supporting players. Simon's story and script is timeless and holds up very well...The movie may have been made over 30 years ago and yet...I always liked watching the TV series, still, nothing beats the film version.

It's great to finally be able to see the movie in the widescreen format, though, a cleaner print is called for. The only bonus material on the DVD is the film's theatrical trailer. Both of these great actors are sadly no longer with us, but thankfully their work will live on, in the films they left behind. Recommended with a **** and 1 quarter rating.

A Perfect Comedy Team in the Perfect Comedy
Can two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy? This movie proves that the answer is no. Oscar is a sloppy New York sports writer. Felix is a fussy neat freak who writes the news for television. Both are divorced and share an apartment together. Felix complains about a pickle on the floor, and Oscar complains about Felix washing Oscar's poker cards. Yes, they get on each other's nerves endlessly, that is, until Oscar throws Felix out. This movie is one of my all-time favorites, and unlike other movies I've seen, it doesn't get stale with repeated viewings. All in all, a classic comedy by Neil Simon.

Enjoyable comedy
This is a very funny movie with two excellent comic performances from Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. Lemmon makes Felix a sympathetic and three-dimensional character, melancholy and depressive as well as fussy and compulsively neat. What's frustrating for me is that I love Lemmon's Felix, while for Oscar I prefer Jack Klugman, who played the role in the TV show THE ODD COUPLE. My ideal pairing would be Lemmon and Klugman, with the rest of the supporting cast (including the wonderful John Fiedler). Oh, well...

For me, the best part of this movie is the SUPERB theme music by Neal Hefti, which I think should have won an award. In the theme we hear a musical "portrait" of Oscar and Felix, before we even hear either of them speak. Enjoy it!

THE ODD COUPLE: The Movie
Neil Simon's THE ODD COUPLE has been a hit in three different incarnations. First, in 1965, there was the Broadway production starring Art Carney and Walter Matthau as Felix Unger and Oscar Madison. The play was filmed in 1968 with Matthau and Jack Lemmon, then turned into the TV series featuring Tony Randall and Jack Klugman. Though the movie opens up the one-set original to include scenes in restaurants, streets, a motel, a ballpark, and a bowling alley, the sequences set in Oscar's Riverside Drive apartment form the heart of the play; director Gene Saks keeps these intact for the movie. Matthau's deadpan Oscar is the perfect foil for Lemmon's melancholy yet funny Felix. The scenes involving the two are alternately riotous - as when Oscar becomes fed up with Felix's constant fussing - and touching - as when Felix cries in front of the Pigeon sisters, his and Oscar's dinner dates. John Fiedler shines as one of Oscar's four poker-playing buddies. THE ODD COUPLE, in whatever version, is ultimately a comedy about friendship enduring despite differences, and this theme is communicated superbly by the team of Lemmon, Matthau, and Saks. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

First they blew into town... then they BLEW IT UP!
I bought this movie out of a sense of nostalgia, being a child of the seventies. Watching this movie now, it didn't quite hold up as well as I remembered, but it is somewhat entertaining, and I would feel comfortable showing it to my nieces and nephews, given its' lack of anything that could be considered even remotely offensive.

The plot has Donovan (Bill Bixby), a bachelor and small time hustler of sorts, getting stuck with the care of three orphan children. As he tries to unburden himself of his three wards, he finds the townspeople to be less than receptive to the idea of taking in the children. These orphans hold the deed to a goldmine, thought by everyone to be dried up, but an earthquake turns up a huge gold nugget, and now the townspeople are falling over themselves to take custody. Donovan, actually concerned with the welfare of the children, works up a plan to marry Dusty (Susan Clark), and pass the children on to her care, as she seems truly interested in the welfare of the children, and not their money.

Don Knotts and Tim Conway play a pair of bungling thieves who scheme, among other things, to try and steal the huge gold nugget. The whole ladder theft from the firehouse scene was pretty funny.

Some other easily recognizable stars in this movie are Harry Morgan and Slim Pickens.

As I said before, while the movie didn't seem as humorous to me now as it did when I was a child, it was certainly entertaining. It's a fine wide screen presentation, but what I really enjoyed was the special features. The interactive menus are excellent and grant access to quite a lot of interesting information like lengthy biographies, interviews, history of the back lots at Disney studios, promotional stills and advertising material for the movie, a synopsis of what was going on at Walt Disney in 1975 (the year this movie was released), and so much more.

Apple Dumpling Gang Is Finnaly On A Specail Edition DVD
I just got my copy of this DVD and I Love it. Another Great Movie for you to see is the sequel to this timeless classic Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again. Which is also available on DVD from Amazon.com.

Here is a brief Description:

3 kids are sent to a backwoods town and are supposed to belong to a backwoods drunk. Well the backwoods drunk has other plans so he gives them to a town newcomer Donnavan. Well than the kids find gold, and that is when they meet the 2 hilarious crooks Tim Conway, and Don Knotts. Well after they find the gold everybody wants the kids . And it attracts attention to a group of crooks. Well as the movie goes on you find out that Tim Conway, and Don Knotts used to work for the Head of the gang of crooks until Tim Conway acidentally show the guys leg in a hold up. well it ends the Donavan and his friend Dusty get married and they move to St. Louis where he starts a Gambling Joint. But in the sequel you don't here anything about it, and in the sequel they said that Donavan and Dusty and the kids moved onto a farm. Did I miss something somewhere ?

Great Movie. 5 Star Rating.

One of Disney's best
One of the best live-action Disney movies. A sweet story about misplaced children, an unwilling but good-intentioned gambler as a foster parent and two bumbling crooks as the comic foil. Bill Bixby, of "My Favorite Martian" and "The Hulk" fame, plays Russell Donovan, the roaming gambler who is unwittingly stuck with some "valuables." Tim Conway and Don Knotts, a little past their prime, play the hapless crooks known as the "Hash Knife Outfit." Susan Clark plays the tomboy stage coach driver who fills in as the kids mother. Beautiful scenery, lots of action, comedy, and a fabulous saloon brawl that is the highlight of the film.

They call them the Apple Dumpling Gang
Once again Disney released a classic in it's fading days of "G" rated gems. The loose knit comedy team of Don Knotts and Tim Conway is always a hit in any situation. This is one is a bit plot heavy for them and Disney but it still makes you laugh. Bill Bixby is their straight man who carries most of the plot. At first they try to rob him but by the end they help him, his kids and his girlfriend defeat the bad guys and save the town. This is a very good movie and the sequel is even funnier.

Excellent Widescreen DVD release of a Disney favorite!
An excellent DVD release -- in WIDESCREEN -- that does justice to a Disney favorite from the 1970s. The print and sound are excellent -- the extras lots of fun. Note to Disney Home Video: PLEASE release all films in their original theatrical ratios. We were very disappointed with The Snowball Express, Balckbeard's Ghost, Babes in Toyland, and The Moon-Spinners. Disney fans take note: Escape to Witch Mountain is another outstanding "Special Edition" release that is highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Fun from start to finish
Freaky Friday is a hilarious film. It is filled with funny, quotable dialogue. The script is great, and what makes it all come together are the performances by it's stars. Jodie Foster is very good and entertaining as Annabel. Barbara Harris as Mrs. Andrews is so wonderful she steals the show. Her transformation into her teenage daughter trying to be a wife and mother is a blast. Barbara Harris has a wacky, rebelliousness that comes though in her performance. It's perfect. Her scenes with Boris (Annabel's teenage crush who lives across the street) and her son Ben, are especially funny.

The young Sparky Marcus as little Ben Andrews is adorable. His scene of confiding in his "mother" about his true feelings for sister Annabel is very touching. Marc McClure as Boris Harris (who makes a cameo appearance in 2003's Freaky Friday as Boris making a delivery) is great in his role as the allergy-prone object of Annabel's affections. Another standout character is Mrs. Schmauss the cleaning lady. Her interactions with "Mrs. Andrews" are side splitting.

The title song, "I'd Like To Be You For A Day", is really beautiful and compliments the sentiment in the film. Freaky Friday is a feel good film with a message that is obvious, but also has a subtle message throughout that reminds us not to take life too seriously. It seems to say "Enjoy the people you love, appreciate their individuality and struggles, and most of all, allow yourself to have fun on this crazy journey."

Original 1977 FREAKY FRIDAY Is The Best!
For a guy who likes Ingmar Bergman and other indy, artsy films, I guess it seems weird that I bought the DVD of the original FREAKY FRIDAY the minute it hit amazon. But, this film was made in the good old days of Disney, before they lost focus of their business and started behaving like most other monster corporations. This story has had at least 3 lives: the 2003 version (enjoyable), the 90's TV version (I never saw that one), and the one at hand. The original 1977 release gives us the unique pleasure of seeing two wonderful performers, Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster, going through their paces in this mother-daughter-switch tale. Barbara Harris is one of the great performers who never quite made the level of fame she deserved. Whether in her Broadway turns in ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER and THE APPLE TREE, to several good films, she had an amazing ability to be vulnerable in one moment and seamlessly turn into a glamourous, gutsy bombshell in the next. And her voice! This film and, perhaps, Hitchcock's FAMILY PLOT are nice samplings of her skill. Add in the very young Jodie Foster and you can't lose. (The DVD has a nice on-screen commentary by Foster, which proves how spontaneously articulate she is. Too bad they didn't get Harris to discuss her part.) As an added benefit, the screenplay is by source book author, Mary Rodgers (Richard Rodgers' daughter and author-composer in her own right). For those who like THE GILMORE GIRLS, which is a tremendous and enjoyable example of an almost-impossibly-idealistic relationship between a mother and her daughter, this film will be a nice reality check. Here the mother and daughter can't relate to each other at all until they go through the fiery baptism of spending a day in each other's body. Ultimately, this film provides us with 90-plus minutes of enjoyment and humor in the hands of the very talented cast.

Extremly Funny!!!!!!!!
I like this one MUCH better than the remake! Although the remake was still good. It is MUCH closer to the book. It was also more funny and I thought that Jodie Foster did an excellent job as Annabel! MUCH better than Lindsey Lohan. I also thought that Barbara Harris did a great job as Ellen. The Remake is not close to the book at all. After you see the orginal one, you'll probaly think that the remake isn't as good!

The best nothing beats a classic!
I grew up with this movie. I think I saw it for the first time on the wonderful world of Disney. Either that or Mom got it for me at the library & even she likes it.
Jodi foster is both brilliant & lovable! She's believable and as the child her issues where at least believable & somebody I could sypathise with. As an adult in a childs body well hillarious! By the way Ben or Ape Face really showed talent. What happened to that kid? He was cute & delivered a preformance of giant perportion that added dynamic to both mother and daughter. Plus that ball game scene & his love & envy of his big sister. The kid had a real talent for delivering dialog, yet also proved though he first apears a little geek that he had a real little boys spirit.
The jokes where clean & in good taste. Yet timeless & funny. Nothing beats a great chase scene & that car chase was both exciting and funny.
I seached long & hard for a copy of the vhs but it'd been vaulted. just when I bought it used My VCR broke & I got a DVD player for my birthday. A week later the DVD came out. Purchase of that DVD is one of the first things I'll do with my next paycheck. It will be money well spent on a classic disney movie I could watch again & again.

Thank you, Disney
At last, Disney DVD presents a fine, widescreen print of one of its '70's classics with an accompanying twenty-minute recollection by Jodie Foster of her formative years on the Disney lot. Although this DVD of the original "Freaky Friday" is not a special edition, it is exactly the kind of product we Disney fans and DVD purists have been begging for. Hopefully, good sales will lead to new widescreen releases of previously botched fullscreen DVDs of "Follow Me, Boys," "Son of Flubber," "The Gnome Mobile" and "Blackbeard's Ghost," among others.

One of the first of the popular body-switching genre, 1977's "Freaky Friday" is a fast-paced, perceptive comedy about a typical mother-and-daughter relationship and how the two react when they literally switch personalities for a day, with Foster's Annabel trapped in her mother's body, and Barbara Harris' Ellen going to junior high as Annabel. The complications are obvious but nonetheless funny and engaging, with Harris proving herself a skilled physical comedienne while skateboarding, playing baseball, and suffering through numerous pratfalls and humiliations. My only problem with Harris' performance is she seems to be playing Annabel too young--perhaps as a nine-year-old instead of a bright thirteen-year-old, so she's never entirely believable in the role. (Jamie Lee Curtis, on the other hand, nails the teenager-in-a-grownup-body role in the remake.) Foster, on the other hand, is just about perfect in her characterization of daughter/mother Annabel. Even in 1977 it was easy to see this phenomenal young talent was destined for great things as an actress. Indeed, "Freaky Friday" was part of an incredible string of top-notch performances Foster gave from 1973-1977 ("Tom Sawyer," "Echoes of a Summer," "Bugsy Malone," "Taxi Driver," "The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane" and "Candleshoe") that turned her into one of the finest (if not THE finest) child actresses of all time.

Rounding out the cast is a fine group of veteran actors: John Astin as Bill Andrews, Annabel's confused father; Patsy Kelly as the family's grumpy and unlikeable housekeeper; Dick Van Patten as Bill's boss; and Ruth Buzzi, in a funny cameo as a field hockey coach (her strategy: "Get Annabel Andrews and get her good!") Gary Nelson's direction is crisp, and the script by novelist Mary Rodgers perceptive for the time, although she was forced to change the plot somewhat to include that tired Disney '70's staple: a protracted slapstick car chase involving Ellen/Annabel outracing several police cars without facing any consequences whatsoever. Like most Disney films of the era, the production values are stellar and the film is colorful and reminiscent of a live-action cartoon. Even the opening cartoon-credit sequence is engaging.

Yes, there are some creepy sexual subtexts here (which Foster amusingly comments on in the documentary) involving Bill and neighbor-teen Boris (Marc McClure) both coming onto Ellen/Annabel, but they will go right over younger kids' heads and older kids will be as amused by it as their parents. Regardless, this is perfect family entertainment and will make a fine double-feature with the 2003 remake, which is equally good with its own merits. (I prefer Jamie Lee Curtis over Harris, and Foster over Lohan and think the remake is more successful in dealing with the sexual subtexts; i.e., the makers wisely scuttle the father's role and make Curtis a widow with a fiance played by Mark Harmon, which was the smartest of many changes made in the plot.)

So, once again, thank you, Disney, for a fine DVD of one of your best '70's films. Please, please, please follow this one up with more widescreen releases. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bob Hope brings his own brand of laughing gas to the Wild West as a would-be "painless" dentist lassoed into marrying Jane Russell. She's a shapely outlaw turned undercover agent on the trail of some varmints selling guns to a hostile Indian tribe, and he's her unwitting cover. Hope cowers and cracks self-effacing jokes while bodies fall around him ("Brave men run in my family," he quips, then runs), but he's even funnier swaggering and sneering like a kid playing cowboy in a flamboyant costume apparently stolen from the Oklahoma! road show. The Paleface is one of his best films, and the unflappable Russell is a great match. Theme song "Buttons and Bows" (which Hope delivers with a clowning mock twang) won an Oscar^®, and the 1948 film spawned a sequel (Son of Paleface, costarring Roy Rogers and Trigger) and a remake (The Shakiest Gun in the West with Don Knotts). --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (7)

i thought it was something else...
don't be tempted. hope was funny on his shows in a different format, where spontaneity was his forte. executing someone else's scripted directions and dialogue, he's average...wouldn't even make second string on the stooges.

pure junk.

Hope Hit
My favorite Bob Hope moment of all time comes from this film. Not his amazing facility with a gag or a prop but when he sings "Buttons and Bows" in an attempt to seduce Jane Russell. It's a great song and wonderfully done. Hope never got to work with the great directors for some reason so his work is often overlooked today, but shouldn't be. Otherwise he'd be recognized as the most influential American comic actor of the sound era.

Great Comedian at Top of His Form
Bob Hope's 1948 film "The Paleface," was the highest-grossing movie America's most-beloved comedian of the era ever made. Pairing Hope with Jane Russell in a run-of-the-mill Paramount comedy was box office magic that still works today. Here Bob Hope's timing is perfect, and he's totally mastered the character we associate with him, that cowardly braggart, who thinks of himself as a real Casanova. The film still holds up well, and I've found myself laughing out loud at many of the scenes. The DVD has an unbelievably good transfer that gives you a picture that's so crisp, it feels like you have a camera in your hands. Special features are nice, including the original theatrical trailer. There's also a clip of an Armed Forces Command Performance, and some footage of Bob Hope performing for the troops. With DVD-ROM, you can also compare the script to the scene as it plays out. In all, an enjoyable way to spend an evening with one of the great comedians of the mid-20th century.

Bob is hilarious!
This is one of the best Bob Hope movies, and his comedy timing here is excellent. He plays Painless Potter, a cowardly dentist, and the problems he encounters provides Hope ample opportunity to improvise sight gags and many other memorable jokes. Pay close attention when Bob attempts to extract a tooth... it's a classic scene! Hope is curiously underrated as a comic, but he was an absolute master at this genre, playing to perfection a sort of bumbling wannabe womanizing coward. Pay particular attention to his timing, which was absolutely unmatched in Hollywood.

The only drawback is Jane Russell, who was only in movies due to her cleavage. Her acting talent is minimal, but the brilliant Hope more than makes up for it. You will find yourself laughing out loud continuously throughout this movie. The color tones are bright, crisp and make it seem like you're sitting in the movie theatre in 1948. A classic comedy film.

Easy entertainment
In an era where there is little entertainment left for the whole family, The Paleface provides laughs for all ages. No embarrassing moments with the grandparents or inappropriate questions from the kids! ... Read more

Description

They are some of the best-loved film comedies ever created.Now, four of the most popular "Road" pictures, starring the unbeatable screen duo of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, are here together in this deluxe DVD collection.Join Bing and Bob as they travel the world and experience rollicking, fun-filled misadventures in the company of the alluring Dorothy Lamour in such screen gems as Road to Singapore, Road to Zanzibar, Road to Morocco and Road to Utopia.You'll laugh yourself silly with four of the titles that made Hope and Crosby one of the most successful comedy teams of the 1940s and which continue to charm and entertain audiences of all ages today. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great Collection, But Where Are the Other Three?
This collection of the first four Road pictures is well worth having. The picture quality is excellent and all four films are loaded on one double-sided disc. But where are the remaining three Road pictures? This would have made the ultimate Road collection. Disappointing.

bob and bing are hilarious
bob hope and bing crosby are great together. their antics in these movie are so funny i had to laugh. i have seen these four movies and one other of the "on the road to" movies. they are comical. any classic movie love should love these. it is definately worth the $20.00 i spent on the 4 pack of moives.

Patty-Cake, Patty-Cake, Baker's Man...
Wow! The first four Hope and Crosby road pics on one DVD! What can you say? The first two, ROAD TO SINGAPORE and ROAD TO ZANZIBAR (though still funny) are still trying to flesh out the chemistry of the duo and the two actors adhere to the scripts. Then, they hit their stride of hilarity and break out in ROAD TO MORROCCO and continues in ROAD TO UTOPIA. However, in ROAD TO ZANZIBAR evidence of what is to come in Hope and Crosby's future pairings comes near the end of the film. The two are captured by cannibals in Africa and are tested to see if they are gods (sort of a variation of THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING). Hope's character is forced to wrestle a gorilla in a caged match. This is very funny as Hope shows his ability for physical comedy. Then, the climax is when they are about to be literally cooked for dinner. They use their patented "patty-cake" routine to escape from the cannibals. This is even more hilarious than the gorilla scene. Then, in ROAD TO MOROCCO, the famous ad-libbing and rapid fire delivery of dialogue is apparent and the film is zany from beginning to end as the duo are involved with a Moroccan Princess (Dorothy Lamour) and an angry Shiek (Anthony Quinn). Then, in ROAD TO UTOPIA the two go to Alaska for the gold rush and get involved in a case of mistaken identity. Overall, the four films showcase one of the great pairings in the history of entertainment and some of the funniest and successful film franchises. The DVD package has little extras except for a couple of sing-along features and liner notes, but having the four films on one disc at a price lower than some other collection discs is worth it.

Nothing like it before or since.
Reviewing Bing and Bob's "Road to" pictures is like saying of ice cream, "tastes good." We would no sooner think deeply about Rocky Road than "Road to Singapore." But I'm going to make a few observations anyway.

The spontaneity of Hope and Crosby in these films is legendary-- the way they turn to the camera from time to time and talk to the audience, and how they insert their own lines (each paying his own group of writers on the side to outdo the other in the laugh department).

Another aspect of these first four "Road" pictures (the best of the seven total) is their idealization of adolescent bachelorhood. These boys do their best to get away from their adult responsibilities-- wife, job, ashtrays for cigarettes.

With "patty cake, patty cake" and "pow!" they're off to far away places with strange sounding names, as much a male fantasy as the 007 pictures. Only they're not out to save the world, oh no. They're out to save themselves from a nasty, moustached Anthony Quinn, or a chanting pack of be-boned and painted cannibals.

The only fighting they do is over the beautiful Dorothy Lamour. Try to imagine any other actress in her role, and I'll lay you eight to five you won't find another. She's as essential to these pictures as Bing and Bob-- and she can sing!

Zany and chaotic these adventures may be, but there's a certain class to them too, including the costumes and the sets, and most notably the timeless songs, many by Van Heusen and Burke: the ballads "Too Romantic," "It's Always You," "Moonlight Becomes You" and fun numbers of the I-don't-care-if-I'm-poor variety such as "Ain't Got A Dime to My Name." Hopefully younger audiences won't go "ho hum" to these old-fashioned tunes and press fast forward.

Each successive picture is funnier than the one before, culminating in the hilarious "Utopia" (which could have been "Alaska"). Yet "Morocco" is the best all-around, having a certain magic and polish, and some of the best one-liners. "Singapore" has a unique freshness to it because they still didn't know what they were on to-- maybe not as funny but it captures the essence of the single man who wants to be nothing but a nobody.

To say that the treatment of non-whites is "un-P.C." isn't doing justice to how badly they are portrayed. It seems that anybody with slightly dark skin can pass for the inhabitant of one of these "uncivilized" countries. And the two white dudes feel they are entitled to anything they want among the "savages." Young kids might need to be told that these portrayals are sort of stupid and mean.

Still, let's not get carried away-- the whole thing is *supposed* to be ridiculous and that's one reason it's so funny. Think of Apu in "The Simpsons." The people who are making the movies are laughing at their own ignorance.

It would be impossible to recapture the chemistry of Bing, Bob and Dorothy, to make movies that are so funny yet so musical, with humor that is safe enough for young kids but edgy enough for adults. And here they are-- the top four on *one* DVD. ... Read more

Description

In THE ERRAND BOY, Morty is hired by Paramutual Pictures as a spy to find out where the company's money is being spent.Working in the mailroom, Morty has access to the production lot and discovers that wherever he goes, havoc ensues in his effort to provide his new boss, Mr. Sneak, with the information he has requested. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Innocence in the face of commerce
A knowing and multi-faceted critique of big-studio filmmaking, 'The Errand Boy' is one of Lewis's very best films (it is his third; his fifth, 'The Patsy', can be considered as a sort of sequel). Morty S. Tashman is hired as a spy by the moguls of a major studio because they want to learn how their money is spent. He proves to be a destructive force: just as the prologue had exposed the trickeries and illusions on which Hollywood films thrive, the following 80 minutes show Morty disrupting a few shootings, a voice-recording session, the work of script-girls, and more. He stands as the innocence the producers have lost in trying to make money and please everybody; it is quite easy to read him as 'Lewis the artist'. By the end of the film, Morty has become a Jerry Lewis-like star, proudly saluting his new fans behind dark glasses; he thus seems to have made a place for himself in a world he had previously reduced to pieces. This dichotomy is similar to the one of 'The Bellboy', Lewis's first film as a director: in that movie, the timid, free and inventive bellboy was contrasted with the swagger, aggressiveness and confinement of Lewis playing himself. The brilliant and cyclical final sequence offers an interesting alternative: by having Morty meet a clumsy boy resembling his 'pre-star' self, Lewis assures us that even if some can't escape the studio's mercantile traps, there will always be innocence to be spread in these calculations and falsities. Intelligent, and very funny.

One of Lewis' Best
This is one of his most daring and creative ventures along with The Bellboy. Not much dialogue, just over the top sight gags and general hilarity. What do you people expect? This is Jerry Lewis in top form and it just doesn't get any better.

The only thing funnier than his movies are the ridiculous criticisms of his films. Hello people...this is Jerry Lewis OK! It's too bad that his egocentric persona alienated several generations that didn't grow up looking forward to his next project. The Errand Boy stands alone as one of the most innovative comedies of all time and anyone that can muster some objectivity will appreciate his work for what it is. I personally think this is one of the funniest movies of all time and I rank it as Jerry's best work, although the Academy may disagree. 4 toothpicks

Brilliant Mime Does His Thing
Flawed but generally successful combination of pathos and 1930s slapstick: the most insecure guy on the planet is put in charge of internal security for a (wanna-be) major motion picture company. Jerry provides some of the funniest moments ever captured on film, as he stumbles from one department to the next, first an as an "extra", then as a mailroom delivery person. His attempts to find a quiet spot for lunch are worth the price of admission. But perhaps the best scene is the quietest: he finds himself in the prop department with a miniature clown who "comes to life" - it's a beautifully acted and effectively lit scene. However, there are are numerous elaborate sequences which prove fruitless, and the movie is overlong by about 15 minutes. And the character's ultimate "discovery" by the creative powers-that-be is bizarre in light of the fact that his presence has been unintentionally recorded on celluloid from day one. Despite the lost opportunities, TEB remains on a level with "The Nutty Professor" - a very entertaining and thoughtful effort.

Beware this is an SP duplicate.
This is an SP duplicate from Video Treasures, not Paramount ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Take my advice...PLEASE! (See for all Herbie sequel DVDs)
Disney is NOT adding any features whatsoever for the Herbie, the Love Bug sequels. The only thing that could possibly be of any good quality within these discs would be a remastering of the picture and sound. Unless you've given up using your VCR or you are a collector, don't waste your time purchasing the Herbie sequels. Only the original movie, The Love Bug is worthy of it's "Special Edition" title.

The car....he ate my chicken!!!
Some of the other reviewers said this movies was bad. I'll just say it could have been better. Yes, I am one of those "diehard fans", but this movie really was funny.
The worst thing about the movie was definatly that kid. He was so freakin' annoying I wanted to slap him. As hard as possible. Also, the character of Pete Standcheck seemed a bit bland (he was easy on the eyes though :)). But there were so many eccentric personalities in the film that more than compensate for the one weak character.
Overall, it was a highly original and amusing film. Aunt Louise and that whacky captain provided many hilarious moments. The film ends without letting us see the race. If they'd only lost that stupid kid and let us see the race this film would have been much better.

Herbie is Awesome
Yes I Truely love all these Films. I thought this was a pretty neat and funny film and I thought the kid was cute. Even though he was a thief he was still good at heart. Yes he was annoying at least at first but Herbie believe in him and he turned out to help Herbie save the day.

The kid keeps picking peoples pocket's in the start if the film and ends up getting some film from these crooks. Also Hides in Heribe who helps him out from the crooks. He hides out in Herbie in the Boat and is found the the Car is taken away from Jim Dougles Nephew.

He pretends to like this girl's Daughter so the mother will sponer money for the race. Herbie gets thrown over in the Sea but later comes back the to Boy. The Crooks are waiting for the Boy when the Ships comes. It has a Bull fight seen and lot's of the same people that someone keep running into eachother and it's pretty funny.

I think this was a great film, the only things was I wish they would have shown the Race at the end I thought it would have been perfect with that. But the ending was cool and I like the song about the kid being a friend with Herbie it was pretty neat :)

The End Of The Road
The fourth and final instalment of Walt Disneys Herbie and easily the worst and most forgetable. Though there are some beautiful shots of South America along the way this merley proceeds to make up for the holes in the plot. Whilst Herbie Goes Bananas certainly has a few bright spots, the film as a whole is a rather nondescript affair which sees Herbie the Volkswagen Beatle car, with a mind of its own, rubbing bumpers with a gang of smugglers on their way to Brazil. The stars in the film include Cloris Leachman as Aunt Louise, Charles Martin Smith as Dave Smith, John Vernon as Prindle and Stephan W Burns as Pete Stanchek. Strictly for die-hard fans of the series.

Disney's fall from grace
Poor Herbie. The lovable little car with a mind and heart of his own deserves so much better than this. How could Disney pictures even greenlight such a production? Herbie went from "The Love Bug", one of the highest-grossing films of all-time (for that time), and the OUTSTANDING "Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo", to be thrown into this piece of trash. What bothers me the most about this film, besides an insanely annoying little kid who Herbie had no right in helping in the first place because the kid was a lousy thief, is that throughout almost all of the movie, Herbie is unrecognizable because of an unfortunate (and unnecessary) "plot twist" in the movie. "Herbie Goes Bananas", my friends, was apparently the beginning of a new Era of live-action Disney cinema -- the era of bad Disney live-action cinema which still continues on today, minus a few shining films such as "The Rocketeer" and "Honey, I Shrunk The Kids". One can only hope that when Disney Pictures finally wakes up and hires some talented writers, Herbie will return in a truly magical film once again. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The East Side Kids help find the mugger.
Cousin Herbie (Al Stone) joins the gang. Gabriel Dell and friends beat up a rich older man (Herbert Hayes). The East Side Kids come to his safety. Grateful, he gives them his business card to call him tomorrow. Huntz notices the rich man mistakenly left his wallet behind with nearly a thousand dollars inside. They truly decide to return it to the man. Suddenly, the police catch the boys with the dough and down to the station they go. They call the rich man, Cortland and it's all straightened out. He invites the boys to his home to help them with gymnasium equipment they need. With the help of the East Side Kids (Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Bobby Stone, Billy Benedict, Dave Durrand, Jimmy Strand, Bob Gorman) and Cortland's son, Roy (Johnnie Duncan) they will catch Gabriel Dell the mugger. Bobby Stone was not credited, but I got him here. Leo Gorcey's father, Bernard Gorcey, makes an appearance as a telegram man. The next six films: Follow The Leader (1944), Block Busters (1944), Bowery Champs (1944), Docks of New York (1945), Mr. Muggs Rides Again (1945), Come Out Fighting (1945). ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Different but lots of fun
I watched this out of curiousity after becoming a fan of Chicago the movie. It's fun to compare and contrast the modern version against this Ginger Rogers vehicle. Check out familiar characters (such as the prison matron "Mrs." Morton and Mary Sunshine) new characters (the reporter who has a crucial role in the end) and even missing characters (no Velma Kelley.)

This 1942 film has the title character as a woman on trial for shooting a man who is strongly implied to be her lover. Unlike the Roxie Hart in Chicago, this Roxie is innocent and only on trial for publicity to bolster her show business career. Rogers is a lot of fun and chews the scenery as the gum snapping Roxie. In retrospect, it seems a natural that this story became a musical. Aside from a brief tap dance sequence, it's too bad Rogers couldn't show off her musical talents here.

Make note to watch for the totally different but funny ending.

ROGERS ROCKS CHICAGO!!
I got this movie for Christmas yesterday and I love it! I have seen the movie "Chicago" many times and have seen the Broadway musical many times on a tape I have. This is probably the most likeable of all of them because it's clean. They had to follow the Hays Code with motion pictures back then, so that certainly added to its cleanliness. The movie is a version of "Chicago" that all members of the family can enjoy, unlike the current movie and stage show which are only appropriate for ages 13 and up. Ginger Rogers seems perfect for Roxie because she gives off believable innocence, unlike Reinking or Zellwegar who not only killed their lovers, but also were too fake for the role. Reinking talked too fast and Zellwegar was just not the right choice. Rogers is a great Roxie, because she is just like the one in the original play, even though the musical's version is based on Rogers's incarnation. This is my favorite type of movie anyway because I'm a fan of old black&white movies.

I DID IT HER WAY!!!
... and BOY she sure dun 'em wrong!
A BRILLIANT gem of a black comedy from the past - superbly restored to DVD - Great in Black & White - with the "Chicago" tune most of us grew up with has the backdrop....

Well, we've seen Mr. Fosse's "Chicago" [brilliant homage to this one] ~ but Ginger's version naturally focuses more on the wronged babe! Great Costumes and Art direction - even a dance number or two - "The Black Bottom" sequence - everyone's doing it! and Gingers homage to the 'other' tapmasters' as she pounds out a little number on the prison stairs.

HUNKY George Montgomery is the perfect 'big lug' of a reporter smitten by Miss Rogers "She Couldn't possibly have done this!"
A touch a Gable there!

Even Velma cameos briefly at the beginning in prison - literally cat-fighting with Roxie. They're basicallty all here - and if you wish another slant on the tangled tale - view this one - you won't be disappointed.

[Especially when the Judge tries to hone in on the background action - mugging for the camera in court - SO indelible in recent times considering it all .... after all it's all "Razzle Dazzle"].

A 'don't miss' experience.

KISS! KISS! BANG! BANG! ROXIE HART IS ON HER WAY TO DVD!
Never has a girl with so little done so much. When a 1920s has-been showgirl's husband shoots a burglar in her apartment, "Roxie Hart" (Ginger Rogers) decides to take the wrap. Why? Good business...and because outside of 15 minutes in the pen she becomes the biggest little murderess in old Chicago. Based on a true story, but this time played strictly for laughs, the bawdy, gaudy and luscious Roxy kicks up her high-stepping heels into one of the most publicized trials of the last century. There's much to admire in the story and Rogers is outstanding as the vixen turned hot property. Adolph Menjou costars as Roxy's ubiquitous attorney.
TRANSFER: Kiss! Kiss! Bang! Bang! This one's a winner. Despite a few scenes that lay claim to considerable film grain and minor mis-registration (resulting in some minor pesky halos) this DVD is minted from a remarkably clean camera negative. The gray scale is wonderfully realized, with rich, deep, solid blacks. Occasionally the contrast level appears a tad on the low side but only occasionally. For the most part what you get is a genuinely impressive looking transfer. The audio has been rechanneled to stereo with predictable dated characteristics.
EXTRAS: A couple of trailers that illustrate just how awful this DVD might have looked if the good people at Fox hadn't worked some digital magic on this restored print.
BOTTOM LINE: Get ready to shoot it out with "Roxie Hart" on DVD!

A riot of a film
I have never seen chicago, but I cannot imagine that it can be any more fun than this film. Ginger Rogers plays Roxie Hart with great gusto shwing she was a star long before Fred came on the scene. The court climax is just unreal with total chaos unfurling throughout the film.

Also good to see some excellent dancing from Rogers as she really hams it up in this tremendous film. Pure enjoyment. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

I love this movie
I live on TCM and while this isn't the best movie from that era I've seen, I do love it. I just love Betty Hutton. She's amazing and I just love her voice. Yes, the audio isn't perfect. Yes, some of the picture quality isn't there, but this was made in 1945 and it was a small budget movie. What do you expect. Just because it wasn't made in the same grandeur of Gone With The Wind or The Wizard Of Oz, doesn't make it a bad movie. Yes it's predictable. But aren't all love stories.
I love the fashion and hair styles of that era and this is a great visual pleasure for me. Lots of great hair styles, lots of great dresses.
I've watched this twice already. If you like old love stories and like to laugh, this is a good buy. God bless you Betty.

Average musical...
If you've never heard of this film, there's probably a good reason why; it's average to the point of being dull. But that isn't to say that the film is not worth a look.

Betty Hutton and Barry Fitzgerald both serve admirably in this musical comedy, but there are few if any surprises that would make it stand out. As it is, the movie never really gets beyond predictable.

Hatcheck girl at the Stork Club and aspiring singer Hutton saves millionaire Fitzgerald from drowning, and assumes he's broke and down on his luck. But Fitzgerald decides to secretly be Hutton's financial angel, and help her live the high life. Problems ensue when Hutton's soldier boyfriend and aspiring band leader assumes that Hutton is a "kept woman," and has a jealous fit.

Robert Benchley plays Fitzgerald's lawyer with some humor, while Iris Adrian is fun as Hutton's best friend Gwen, but beyond them, the balance of supporting cast is fair to average. In fact, most of the comedy is derived from Fitzgerald's mugging over the painfully crazy spending habits of Hutton rather than the comedy of errors over who thinks who is supposedly seeing who on the sly.

The music in the film also ranges. Some of the songs are entertaining, if not memorable. "Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief" and "If I Had A Dozen Hearts" are both pretty good, but at least one number is really annoying. "I'm a Square in the Social Circle" is bothersome not because of the lyrics, but from the sheer volume blasting at you. The poor audio quality makes Hutton sound more like she's hollering than singing, and it's hard to tell if this was due to a bad recording session back in 1945, or a poor audio transfer to DVD.

The Stork Club itself is strangely only incidental to the story, although the famous nightclub was faithfully recreated on Hollywood soundstages. The sad thing is that the nightclub depicted in the movie has little to do with the actual club, and as such the movie lacks something the title implies.

The movie is only entertaining as far as it goes, so it isn't really a keeper. Still, it is a good example of a low-budget studio musical from the time, and has little or no objectionable material.

get the DVD instead of the video
the vhs version leaves out the song.."doctor, lawyer, indian chief".... the picture and sound on the DVD is better although could be improved.......the dvd outshines the video by miles........i have both versions and i'm sorry i bought the video......betty hutton is great in the film....worth having in your collection just for her antics.........betty gets 10 stars by herself....

Good lighthearted fun
I can't comment on the quality of this particular video transfer, but this is a pretty fun film. Singer/comedienne Betty Hutton stars as a gal working as a hat check girl in the hottest club in town, in the waning days of WWII. Being wholesome and all-American as she is, when Hutton spots a doddering old man falling into the ocean when she's out for a swim, she naturally saves his life and hauls him back onshore. What she doesn't know is that the old curmudgeon, played in a broad Irish brogue by a winsome Barry Fitzgerald, is really a misanthropic bazillionaire, who is naturally quite moved by her selflessness. He anonymously arranges for her to be provided for financially, but can't resist hanging around to see what happens when she's given all his dough. Complications ensue when her boyfriend comes back from the war and gets bent out of shape wondering who her new sugar daddy is, and she has to try to patch things up. At the heart of this movie is a fabulous performance by Betty Hutton (who's sister Marion was a featured vocalist in the Glenn Miller band, and who bears an uncanny resemblance to Joan Cusack, sister of John...) She is as cute and as charming as they come, and when she does her comedic song-and-dance numbers, she'll blow your mind. Hutton's vocal range and physical ability are both amazing -- how many people have you seen moon-walk in high heels while belting out a great tune like "Square In A Social Circle"? The other great performance is by the no-nonsense nightclub owner, played by Bill Goodwin, who gets off some crisp one-liners. The plot drags a bit, but this is still a nice wartime B-movie, and a must-see for any potential Hutton fans out there.

Hmmmm....
I suppose the other reviewer is right and that this particular version is a bad print of this film. Still, I have to say that this is a pretty fun film. Singer/comedienne Betty Hutton stars as a gal working as a hat check girl in the hottest club in town, in the waning days of WWII. Being wholesome and all-American as she is, when Hutton spots a doddering old man falling into the ocean when she's out for a swim, she naturally saves his life and hauls him back onshore. What she doesn't know is that the old curmudgeon, played in a broad Irish brogue by a winsome Barry Fitzgerald, is really a misanthropic bazillionaire, who is naturally quite moved by her selflessness. He anonymously arranges for her to be provided for financially, but can't resist hanging around to see what happens when she's given all his dough. Complications ensue when her boyfriend comes back from the war and gets bent out of shape wondering who her new sugar daddy is, and she has to try to patch things up. At the heart of this movie is a fabulous performance by Betty Hutton (who's sister Marion was a featured vocalist in the Glenn Miller band, and who bears an uncanny resemblance to actor Joan Cusack, sister of John...) She is as cute and as charming as they come, and when she does her comedic song-and-dance numbers, she'll blow your mind. Hutton's vocal range and physical ability are both amazing -- how many people have you seen moon-walk in high heels while belting out a great tune like "Square In A Social Circle"? The other great performance is by the no-nonsense nightclub owner, played by Bill Goodwin, who gets off some crisp one-liners. The plot drags a bit, but this is still a nice wartime B-movie, and a must-see for any potential Hutton fans out there. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great movie but terrible print
Bluebeard is definitely a film to rediscover. It might not be Ulmer's best but there's enough here to please any serious movie lover. John Carradine gives the performance of his life and although it's obvious that budget is non existent, Ulmer solves the problem with beautiful expressionist sequences, very Caligaresque. Real problem is the print that is often pretty terrible, bringing serious frustration. Have Scarlet Street from the same editor and print is terrible as well.

Thrills and Chills.....
"Bluebeard" is suspense packed thriller. If you love the old Black and White films of the horror genre, this one is for you. It was directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, who keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, and stars John Carradine who is at the top of his form in this one.

The legend of Bluebeard is a frightening one. It is 19th century Paris, and young women are being murdered by Gaston(Carradine), a serial killer. On the surface, he is a quiet artist and puppeteer, but deep down he is psychotic and homicidal(naturally he claims a woman made him this way... HA!). All the models he paints, seem to disappear. But now he has fallen for the very beautiful Lucille, can he control his thoughts when it comes to her,will she be his next victim, or will Lady Jusitce prevail? It's a nail biter!

The DVD I have looks to be the same one here. The image is the one of John Carradine in a red jacket strangling his victim, with a shadowy charcater in the background. The title is in bold blue letters(I mention this because there are a few different editions). The only difference is that in the tech info here the studio of release for this edition is Gotham Distribution but on my copy it says Alpha Video (both released in 2002). The transfer is not the best I've ever seen for a film made in the 40's, but it's not too bad. The film shows it's age, but there was nothing distracting to take away from the enjoyment of the film. The sound was decent, although a bit muffled at times. But I would say, for the price, you get a good old scarey movie to enjoy on a rainy afternoon. Oh and don't be fooled by the cover art..this IS a good ole black and white film. Short but good!

So get the popcorn ready..and...enjoy..Laurie

A DIRECTOR TO REDISCOVER
Firstly, just a word or two about the images and sound quality of this DVD. If I except the Madacy productions which everyone knows to be awfully bad, I haven't seen until now a so terrible DVD transfer. Considering the fact that most of the action of BLUEBEARD is filmed at night in a foggy Paris, the defaults of the transfer are patent. Shameful.

As bonus features, you will find a gallery of photos and posters and a very interesting featurette presenting, among other goodies, an interview of director Edgar G. Ulmer's widow.

BLUEBEARD is the first Edgar G. Ulmer's movie I have the opportunity to see and I cannot wait now to see the other two DVD available here at amazon. It's so obvious that Ulmer was a movie genius and that solely the lack of money has prevented him to direct masterpieces. The artistic quality of BLUEBEARD is far ahead of the quality of, let's say, a Herschell Gordon Lewis movie. There are minutes of pure cinema in BLUEBEARD that reminded me at times of the dreamy atmosphere of Charles Laughton's NIGHT OF THE HUNTER. John Carradine, in the role of a schizophrenic puppeteer, is perfect with his voice so sweetly innocent. At last, a special word regarding the quality of the musical score ; Edgar G. Ulmer's BLUEBEARD lasts 73 minutes and so does the musical score that is literally a character of the movie.

A DVD for your library if you are a movie lover.

Bluebeard Or Blahbeard?
Much discussed film by the great Ulmer. Solidly made but hardly enthralling like Detour. Beautiful set design with touches of expressionism. This film would be a deal if it were five bucks cheaper ... Read more

Description

A stripper is murdered with her own G-string backstage during a performance. Everyone is a suspect, but the show must go on! Old-time burlesque on the Great White Way before the lights went out in New York's Times Square. Screen legend Barbara Stanwyck, action director William A. Wellman and famed Gypsy Rose Lee team up to create the best backstage musical murder mystery ever made! Based on actual incidents (and folklore) from the underbelly of the show biz world. It ain't Shakespeare, but it's a lot of fun! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

BARBARA BUMPS AND GRINDS.....
This must be the film where Barbara Stanwyck proved she could (and would) do almost anything. Based on Gypsy Rose Lee's book "The G-String Murders", strippers in an old Opera house turned burlesque theater are being strangled with their G-strings. And our heroine Dixie Daisy (Stanwyck), the headliner, smells a rat. Fending off advances from a third-rate comic, she sets out to find the killer. Much cattiness and attitude from the other strippers pepper this delightful black comedy as Dixie tries to keep the show going while putting together clues and trying to save her own neck. Lee relied on her own personal experiences as a burlesque queen to give this story the realistic touches it has. And when Stanwyck hits the stage in a VERY scanty outfit (that must have given the censors fits) she's right at home singing a little bump & grind ditty called "Take It Off The E-String, Play It On The G-String". She's surprisingly sexy and has the necessary old-style panache that makes her performance a delight. The DVD from Image is immaculate and this is a must have for Stanwyck fans. Supporting cast is excellent and the characterizations are right on the money. A fun, fun movie worth watching over and over. My favorite line (and there are many): Man to Dixie,"Did I startle you?"....Dixie to Man: "Are you kidding? I've been startled by EXPERTS." Don't miss this one. It's just pure pleasure all the way.

DIXIE DAISY WILL DRIVE YOU CRAZY
An unusual though entertaining Stanwyck vehicle based on Gypsy Rose Lee's novel entitled THE G-STRING MURDERS. Stanwyck is enjoying her first taste of success on the burlesque stage where murders eventually upset the merry atmosphere! Apparently, Stanwyck didn't forget her early Broadway hoofing as she excels in her role. She's great as Daisy (the Gypsy counterpart) in the movie and adds vitality and mirth to a very jazzy part. The cast of chorus cuties couldn't have been bettered: gum-chewing Iris Adrian; squeakie-voiced Marian Martin; gravel-voiced Gloria Dickson; imperious Victoria Faust; statuesque Stephanie Bachelor; sarcastic Claire Carlton; cutesy Janis Carter and all the rest. The only time the production slows down is during the murder investigations..... Michael O'Shea, a basically Broadway actor had great chemistry with Stanwyck and their scenes together fairly sizzle. Stanwyck surprised many with her rendition of TAKE IT OFF THE E-STRING, PLAY IT ON THE G STRING, complete with appropriate bumps and grinds! Arthur Lange was nominated for an AA for his scoring.

Lady of Burlesque
Previously only available thru Alpha (super low price and super low quality) this little gem should keep you interested long enough to finish a box of popcorn. Maltin gives this 1943 flik 3 stars. Stanwyck is young and fun. Pinky Lee has a supporting role. Don't let the title fool you or keep you away from this fun little mystery. I'm sure the Roan Group release will run circles around the budget disc.

Stanwyck Never Gives a Bad Performance!
Although even "budget" videos are no longer cheap, "Lady of Burlesque," to my mind, is a must for any movie-lover's library and certainly for mystery or Barbara Stanwyck fans. The DVD quality is reasonably clear, aside from that tinny sound quality at times that makes dialogue difficult to hear -- certainly not a major impediment, however, only a problem on occasion, but the film itself is an absolute delight. First of all, in spite of censorship that presumably sanitized the "stripping" sequences so that they are perhaps not quite an authentic reflection of what really took place-- it still presents a wonderful window into a vanished world -- the world of burlesque and vaudeville -- which was once a huge part of American entertainment. Certainly vaudeville and variety ruled at the turn of and early part of the 20th Century and in various forms, continued through variety shows into the 60's and 70's. So the wonderful peek into this world -- the glamorous theater (betcha this fabulous theater is no longer standing), the backstage antics and squabbles, the typical corny comedy bits and the costumes is nothing less than fascinating.

Additionally, there is an absolutely wonderful cast, headed by the incomparable Barbara Stanwyck. I'd agree that Barbara Stanwyck never gave a bad performance, even if she appeared in a bad film, and she's certainly in rare form here. She's delicious -- a sassy showgirl with rapidfire retorts and an attitude, pure old Brooklyn reminiscent of Glenda Farrell. Love that little snarl she gives every once in a while. Stanwyck was truly one of the greats and excelled at everything -- be it drama, soap suds, comedy, etc. Equally wonderful is the supporting cast including Marion Martin and Iris Adrian as Stanwyck's saucy fellow showgirls. All have great "stripper" names and the kind of showbizzy personalities that you can only find nowadays in theater productions -- tough-talkin', gum-chewin', wide-eyed, sugar-and-vinegar, been-around-the-block-twice showgirls.

I would disagree with those who say the mystery takes a back seat. Not only does this film entertain and amuse with the onstage and backstage interactions, but the mystery is equally fun. I certainly didn't guess whodunnit. The mystery begins when one of the strippers is found strangled -- with Babs Stanwyck's g-string! There is a lot of nice intrigue developed, along with the humor, with different characters being given enough shadiness to qualify as suspects and enough interpersonal dramas going on to keep you guessing and keep things mysterious.

Also fascinating are the great song-and-dance sequences. I really do feel they captured the oldstyle flavor of real vaudeville/variety shows and given that this story is based on a book by famous stripper Gypsy Rose Lee (The G-String Murders), I have no reason to doubt that aspects of it genuinely represent the types of people in and feeling of old burlesque.

In any case, it was an absolutely delicious surprise and a true keeper, in my book. I will watch it again and again. Reminds me of "The Women" crossed with "42nd Street" with an old-fashioned whodunnit thrown in. Great entertainment with a master at the helm (Stanwyck) and a terrific ensemble.