Reviews (104)

a film noir masterpiece
While not as highly regarded as Citizen Kane, Touch of Evil is arguably Welles' second greatest film and now it is being presented as the filmmaker had originally intended it to be. Included on the DVD is his 58-page memo to Universal Studios detailing all the changes he wanted to be made to their compromised version of the film.

As it stands now, this is an amazing film with some of the most impressive deep focus photography ever put to screen. The depth of field that Welles creates is astounding.

Touch of Evil is also probably one of the last of classic film noirs produced by Hollywood and was a great way to end this period of the genre.

A lot of people poo-poo the casting of Charlton Heston as a Mexican (?!) government muckty-muck and to be sure that was some really odd bit of casting but he's perfectly cast as the straight-arrow good guy of the film. But he's totally blown off the screen by Welles' corrupt sheriff who simply steals every scene he is in. Janet Leigh, stunning as ever, is also really good as Heston's beleaguered wife.

What I like best about this film is the moody atmosphere that permeates every scene -- even the daylight ones. It draws you into this corrupt, cynical world and never lets go. Essential viewing.

100-Proof Noir
Seedy border town is the setting for this noir classic--justifiably called by a New York Post film critic "The Baroque Cathedral of Film Noir." Orson Welles' entrance as the crass, venal Capt. Quinlan is just one example why this film is a must-see on the big screen--not that this DVD widescreen version is so bad (it's a gem). Quinlan's massive, bloated bulk fills the screen as he climbs out of his car to begin the murder investigation that will soon envelop and taint the film's principal characters--immediately establishing Quinlan as the embodiment of corruption. The breathtaking opening sequence (shot in one take) incorporating the ambient music and sounds of the town's lurid nightlife is a key part of this reedit DVD version, setting right the studio-maimed opening of the original release, which ran opening credits and Henry Mancini's score over this sequence to Welles' fruitless objections, diluting its effectiveness. Respected Mexican police official Miguel "Mike" Vargas (Heston) and his American bride Susan's (Janet Leigh) ("She doesn't look Mexican either," Quinlan sneers) honeymoon is derailed when they become targets first of local crime family boss "Uncle Joe" Grandi (Akim Tamiroff), whose brother is about to be sent to prison because of Vargas, and Grandi's impulsive nephews, and then Quinlan, when Vargas accidentally uncovers the latter's penchant for tampering with crime scenes to ensure a death sentence for the accused--whether guilty or actually innocent. Leigh drips sex and is the perfect pawn for those scheming to wreck her husband's career and their marriage. Joseph Calleia stands out as Pete Menzies, who idolizes Quinlan and painfully must come to terms with his betrayal. Dietricht is enigmatic gypsy Tana (memorable line as she looks over the considerably changed Quinlan and bluntly says: "You're a mess honey.") Mancini score, especially "Tana's Theme" ("Pianola"), is exceptional. One valid complaint about this otherwise beautiful DVD is that the standard version should have been included in addition to the widescreen version for those who have not yet overcome the perception problem of "those black bars." Now for me, widescreen is the best. It is how we see the movie on the big screen. This is how the film was shot, and we see camera angles that are lost when the film has been "reformatted to fit your television screen." Those who put together this DVD should have known better and provided BOTH options--usually standard practice with many DVDs.

Pulp Fiction
Orson Welles may have made the supposed greatest film in history with "Citizen Kane", but the experience virtually ruined him. Ostracised by Hollywood and the press after his insulting portrayal of William Randolph Hearst, he was relegated to making low budget films.

Touch of Evil was made in 1958; the last film to be directed by Orson Welles. Unexpectedly given the reins of the film, Welles threw away the script for the planned film, and in just two weeks scratched out a script based on a cheapo pulp fiction novel called "Badge of Evil".

The result, as presented now in a restored version (the movie was, like Magnificent Ambersons, butchered by the studio) is quite remarkable.

On the one hand, it is definitely pulp, with an extremely rough-and-ready style, gritty elements (this is the only "pot party" you're likely to see in a "great film" from the studio era!) and a very, very low budget.

On the other hand, it is a masterpiece. I was extremely impressed by the scene in which (*spoiler!*) Hank Quinlan strangles the Hispanic fellow. I have never seen a movie scene shot like this, especially with the surreal effect of the flashing neon, and the slanting camera.
And who can forget the end of the film, where (spoiler!) Hank Quinlan sits in a pile of garbage in a stream, and tries to cleam blood off his hands? Look at Orson's acting in this scene - truly magnificent.

Someone called this the best B film ever made. If you want to see a pulp masterpiece made on the cheap, see Touch of Evil!

You don't have any future , just only past!
This cynical answer given by Tanya (Marlene Dietrich) is obviouslly a clear a reference's pattern shakesperian.
Any other fim noir before or future has been able t tarnish Welles's vivid creatin of a mexican nightmare, or his realization of a set of characters who are so well depicted , resonant , cruel and colrful. This shakesperian giant utilizes his accustomed approach so efficiently that it makes hard for any viewer t be capable to disecrn which moment create the dramatic thrust of the story and the others laded of outrage and fuRY.
A film is really good when the camera becmes an eye in the mind of a poet. Welles made movies as an orchestra conductor.
The opening shot , lasting ver four minutes , show us once more the personal style of Welles in what concerns to the moving camera and the longtake, establishing the premise around whixh the narrative is built. Like the genius he was; he knows to emphasize the dramatical effects without losing his goal.The camera begins with a close up of a time bomb ; then the camera travels up and back , and fllows the car as a constant witeness . This opening shot is widely in all and every masterful of cinema in the world. Notice fr instance, the cinematic fluidity works out as a visual device .
Once more , we must recall the huge influence about the expressionism german permeated the visual style nt only of Welles , but Hitchcock and a a crowd of talented directors alng these three decades of glorious films noir.
If you need any other proof, think in Fritz Lang , wh came from Germany and (coincidentially?) fllowed the road of the film noir.
In these puzzle of corruption and shame Quinlan is shocked due he failed to bring his wife's murderer to justice ,and retaliates by enlisting the help of the racketeer Uncle Joe Grandi .
Once more the film noir works out as an extrardinary expressive device to express the hopelessness, the existential anguish , the shadows of the fate, the shame and distrusts that shapes the behavior of the human being. All this puzzle runs with the timeless tragic atmosphere ; you face the cruelty in Vargas's wife in the motel where she is kidnapped where visual scenes suggests us all the horror , told in theatrical language where the words are useless.
When Quinlan (as Macbeth)decides to visit Tanya about his future , he listen these bitter words wh wrk out as headline in the review.
From all the stanpoints , this is the one of top movies entitled as film noir , because Welles enriched the bitter insights so typical of this genre with shakesperian moods.
Notice for instance that Grandi reminds us to Yago ; obviusly Grandi has a minor stature since he is much vulgar and obscene . and Tanya is linked with Macbeth's witches ; and the nightmares and the demons who live in the cavern - mind of Quinlan reminds us to the decadent power.
A unforgettable masterpiece all the way.!

Restored to Orson Welles wishes. Great nighttime mood film.
Great black & white film noir film with Orson Welles. The opening sequence has the feeling that you are moving with through the night time streets of the California/Mexico border. You might be astonished by the weight of Orson welles as he does not look like himself from the time of Citizen Kane. The film starts with a bride and groom Janet Leigh and Charlton Heston as they walk into the Mexico border town. Orson Welles plays a wrong-doing police chief who wants to follow the couple. Heston is a well-known Narcotics Investigator and his wife trys to inquisitivly get involved in her husband's professional business. Well, when she sticks her nose in too far, she has got a mexican boy and his boss on her trail. While Heston separates from his wife for official business, he advises her to go on to a hotel for sleep. She ends up in this out of the way hotel taken care of by Dennis Weaver. (Janet Leigh would end up in another hotel two years later in PSYCHO [1960]). Heston must square off with Orson Welles. There are two different versions of this film. When Welles was fired as director, Universal Pictures recut the film. After Welles saw the film in 1958, he wrote a 58-page letter to the studio about the way the film should be re-edited and scenes added. In 1998, Universal obliged. This letter was found and a new version of "Touch Of Evil" was made from the original negetive and the film was reconstructed the way Orson Welles had wishes. This new version is longer at 111 minutes. This DVD version is the 111 minute version. The 1958 print is 108 minutes and shorter prints are 95 minutes. Cast also includes: Joseph Calleia, Akim Tamiroff, Valentin De Vargas, Ray Collins, Mort Mills, Victor Millan, Lalo Rios, Michael Sargent, Phil harvey, Joi Lansing, Harry Shannon, Dan White, with special guests Marlene Dietrich and Zsa Zsa Gabor. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

All film noirs need deceit, betrayal, dialogue hard as diamonds--and dames even harder than that. But Gilda is the only one with the dame front and center, and for good reason. Rita Hayworth shimmers in the 1946 classic, which spins on a tortured plot involving the title character (Hayworth); her imperious husband (George Macready), a ruthless casino owner and head of an Argentine tungsten cartel (!); and Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford), Gilda's ex-lover and now her husband's go-fer. But no one watches Gilda for the plot, except to learn that all the characters have secrets--perhaps even ones they would kill for. Hayworth captures Gilda's vulnerability beneath her devil-may-care front ("If I'd been a ranch, they would have named me the Bar Nothing"). Not to be missed: Hayworth's slinky striptease to "Put the Blame on Mame." --Anne Hurley ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Worth seeing 100 times!
They don't make them like this anymore! An exciting film noir with the beautiful Rita Hayworth and the handsome Glenn Ford. They were the most popular movie couple of the 1940s/1950s and seeing GILDA you're caught in this love triangle of a women torn by love/hate and two men falling into her trap. Rita does the unforgettable "Put the Blame on Mame." A MUST SEE for fans of these two classic mega-stars!

"There never was a woman like Gilda!"
This artificial melodrama is only redeemed by the absorbing performances of its lead actors. Set in the Argentine, along a backdrop of gambling casinos, illicit trade and international intrigue, it portrays an American gambler (Glenn Ford) who is enlisted to become the right-hand-man of a powerful casino owner. He is struck by the fact that his new boss's wife, Gilda, is an old flame of his, a sensuous, enigmatic and manupulative "femme fatale", played by the sex bomb of the 1940s, Rita Hayworth. The story develops along a pattern of a love triangle sustained by reciprocal hate, love and domination as the trio dramatically pit their wits against each other. The dialogue sparkles once managed by these actors and in this style. Hayworth is captivating as Gilda, perhaps her most accomplished performance. Ford is also good as the gambler promoted by the boss to casino top-dog, though the honours also have to go to George Macready as the the husband and boss, the ice-cold, self-possessed, aristocratic type. The character actors, particularly Joseph Calleia and Stevan Geray, provide excellent support. The digitally remastered version of the film restores the crisp quality of the black-and-white phtography.

"I make my own luck."
In Charles Vidor's classic film "Gilda" Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford) plays a down-on-his luck drifter in Argentina. One night, he meets mysterious casino owner Ballin Mundson (George Macready), and soon Johnny is working in the casino--and rapidly rises to become Ballin's right-hand man. Johnny has a rosy future until Ballin leaves for a short period and returns with a juicy new bride--Gilda (Rita Hayworth).

Johnny and Gilda had a relationship in the past that turned sour. Ballin quickly guesses the true state of affairs and a rather bizarre love triangle ensues....

Ballin attempts to control Gilda by giving her a very long leash. He has some rather dirty business in his past, and that keeps him occupied. Ballin assigns the role of watchdog to Johnny. Johnny finds this role excruciatingly painful, and he's caught between fealty to his employer and suppressed lust for Gilda. Johnny attempts to control Gilda by locking her up--neither man's plan works. Gilda remains an exotic, reckless creature who endangers herself in order to make a point. Gilda's wild attitude towards life, and her sarcasm--loaded with suggestive meaning--is brilliant. When describing herself, Gilda says, "If I'd been a ranch, they'd have named me the Bar Nothing." All men want to possess her, and yet possession is the one thing she won't allow.

Rita Hayworth as Gilda is simply stunning. There's no other word that I can use. When she's in a scene, she takes over--with her body, her movements, and her reckless approach to life. When she enters Ballin's sharply controlled existence, chaos rules, and she sends out shock waves of desire to all who see her. Hayworth performs a semi-striptease during a song, and she removes one item of clothing. The crowd roars with delight, and the men in the audience have to be physically restrained from ravishing her on the spot. Amazing stuff. For film noir buffs, I recommend this film. It's highly entertaining, full of great-one liners, and Rita Hayworth is nothing less that magnificent. The DVD was marvelous quality and well worth the purchase--displacedhuman.

Rita Hayworth stars as GILDA, with her 2 GAY boyfriends!
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I remember the first time I saw this noir classic as a teenager and thinking how wonderful it was that a film had been made in the mid-1940's that actually featured a plot about two gay men and their diva girlfriend.

Years later, I read an interview with Glenn Ford in which he said that everyone who worked on the film knew there was an obvious gay storyline, but that due to the film being made in the 1940's, they had to be very subtle in their interpretations of gay lovers on-screen. It's still obviously clear that George Macready is Glenn Ford's rich and not-so-charming sugar daddy. Both leading men wear so much product in their hair and are so well dressed and manicured, you just KNOW they can't be straight!

It doesn't take a genious to figure out that the two leading men are more than just good buddies. When Mundson first presents his new wife Gilda to his male lover Johnny, he says "Quite a surprise to hear a woman's voice in my house, isn't it Johnny?" Well, you can tell by the look on Johnny's (Glenn Ford) face just how surprised he is!

Gilda is the perfect trophy-wife for any gay man in the 1940's who's running a gambling casino and who needs the perfect "beard" to keep up a straight appearance. Gilda is just so fabulous that any gay man would love her... except of course for Glenn Ford, whose insanely jealous of his boyfriend's new diva; for reasons that are never made quite clear in the film. (Probably due to heavy post-production censoring, of which much was done by the notorious Hayes Office that censored all films of this era.)

In fact, Gilda is so fabulous, that not only does Mundson marry her, but when he "dies" in the film, Gilda is then married by Mundson's lover Johnny! (Of course neither marriage is ever consummated - a fact made quite clear in the film.)

Gilda is so diva-esque, she's almost a drag queen! The gowns, the shoes, the hair! FAB-u-lous! The ad-line for the film stated: "There never was a woman like Gilda". Of course there never was a woman like Gilda. Gilda wasn't supposed to be like any real woman, she was a fabulous cartoon. While there may never have been a woman like Gilda, we had the closest thing: Rita Hayworth.

Of her own real-life problems with men, Rita was quoted as saying "All the men I knew went to bed with Gilda and woke up with ME." Who could live up to the reputation of Gilda, the character of whom "there never was a woman like"? Poor Rita!

Watch this film with a "queer eye" and you won't see any "straight guy" in the storyline. Snaps for good gay cinema of the forties!

P.S. If they ever decide to remake this film, I would recommend that they cast TV's "Will & Grace" lead stars Deborah Messing as Rita Hayworth and Eric McCormick as Glenn Ford. They would be PERFECT cast in these immortal roles! (Deborah Messing is SO Rita Hayworth, and she plays off McCormick just as Rita played off Glenn Ford. The casting would be ingenious!

"Maybe That Stands for Something"
Rita Hayworth went down in Hollywood history as the Love Goddess. Her title role in *Gilda* (Columbia Pictures, 1946) leaves no doubt why. Yet here she is much more than a sex symbol. For one thing, Rita was a seriously talented actress. For another, she was one of the best dancers in films. To this day her performance in *Gilda* remains unrivaled as a combo of skill, sensuality, sensitivity, and sheer drop-dead pulchritude. Columbia's catchy ad-phrase for the film was, "There never was a woman like Gilda." You'd better believe it. Glenn Ford perfectly fills out the character of Johnny Farrel, the young gambler who hates to love femme fatale Gilda. In return, Gilda loves to hate Johnny. George MacReady offers an outstanding performance as murderous Ballin Mundson, the man Gilda fears.

If you like movies that challenge the viewer to figure out hidden meanings, then *Gilda* is for you. "Maybe that stands for something," Rita-as-Gilda says near the beginning; "Maybe that means something," she says near the end. Halfway through she says, "Any psychiatrist would say that means something." The question of interpretation hangs over the entire film, loaded as it is with symbolism and double-entendres.

On the other hand, you can ignore the subtext and enjoy *Gilda* as a noirish romantic mystery-thriller. It's a beautiful flick to look at in black and white, and it's never boring, even all the decades since it was made. Some reviewers say the plot is difficult to follow. I don't agree; the story is both logical and economical. But that may be because I understand *Gilda* to be a dramatized introduction to the psychological concepts of C.G. Jung. Never mind. If you like your movies to be just movies, *Gilda* tastefully blends ingredients from *Casablanca*, *The Maltese Falcon*, *Notorious* and *The Big Sleep*, then stirs in its own original sauce. In my opinion, it's an improvement upon those classics, as fine as they are by themselves.

I wouldn't call *Gilda* a true film noir, for the reason that at the end the male and female leads are triumphant instead of tormented. Great films of the 1940s that had real "noir" (black) denouements are *Criss Cross*, *Detour*, *Double Indemnity*, *Scarlet Street*, *The Killers* and *The Postman Always Rings Twice*. Still, on their way to a happy ending Johnny and Gilda pass through a landscape that is darker and more suggestive of spiritual abandonment than most '40s film noirs dared explore. At the same time, because of the intense chemistry between the leads, *Gilda* sizzles hotter than any film of that period I can think of.

Love the music too. Five stars. They just don't make 'em like this any more. ... Read more

Reviews (90)

A Duke Classic
The Alamo is a true western/historical classic that John Wayne wanted to make for years before the actual release. The movie tells the story of the days leading up to and during the famous siege of the Alamo. Many people say it isn't accurate or its boring, but it is really anything but. The movie is full of patriotic speeches that at times slow it down, but they are still very enjoyable. As for historical accuracy, The Alamo goes on its own way. Many things seen in the movie never actually happened, but it contributes to the overall feeling of the picture.

All the performances are truly great. John Wayne portrays Davy Crockett with Richard Widmark as James Bowie and Laurence Harvey as William Travis. The cast is full of Wayne regulars who also give great performances; Chill Wills, Patrick Wayne, Ken Curtis, Denver Pyle, Hank Worden, Chuck Robertson and many others. Other good parts include Joan O'Brien as Susannah Dickinson and Linda Cristal as Flaca, the woman who captures Crockett's heart. The only out of place actor is Frankie Avalon as Smitty, the youngest of the defenders of the Alamo.

Overall, The Alamo is one of my all-time favorite movies. The set built in Bracketville is truly amazing. The final assault on the old mission is one of the best battle scenes ever made. The original, un-cut VHS version is much better than the DVD since it adds almost 30 minutes to the movie that are missing elsewhere. There are several scenes that are very interesting that I don't think should have been cut. However, the DVD does have an interesting documentary about the making of The Alamo. Excellent score by Dmitri Tiomkin, excellent performances, great battle scenes. Do not miss this movie!

one of the best movies ever made on the Alamo
as far as historical reference, it's not a documentary, but this movie is awsome. i've been watching The Alamo since i was a little kid. i pratically have the entire movie memorized in my head. the music is great in film, the guitars and mexican sounding music is relaxing. my favorite part as music goes is when the Mexicans are surrounding the Alamo and all you hear is the drums for like 5 minutes. Sounds awsome.

as far as the movie goes, this was a huge production and the Alamo still stands today! The real Alamo of course is in San Antonio, but the Alamo for this movie stands in Bracketville, TX, where other movies have been made. John Wayne stars, produces, and directs this one of a kind film. truly a great film by a great man.

of course, in every Wayne movie, there is always a love story of some sort, and the Alamo has a short love story. The Alamo centers around 185 Texans and fellow men fighting for their independence from Mexico and General Santa Anna, ruler of Mexico. the movie stars Richard Widmark (Jim Bowie) and Laurence Harvey from The Manchurian Candidate as Colonel William Barrett Travis. great movie and great cast. the actual battle scene rocks. tons of explosions and action.

there are 2 sad parts in the movie.
the first sad part is the day before the battle. all the men are together talking about life, because they know tommrrow they are going to die. the background music sets the right tone and i like Davy Crocket's quote during this scene. one of the guys asks him "What ya thinkin Davy?" and John Wayne (Davy Crockett) replies, "Not thinking, just remembering."

the second sad part is after the battle is over, and Lady Dickinson is leaving with her child and the boy. all the Mexican Soliders are standing around, there are some bodies of the men on the ground, and then Santa Anna makes his soliders stand when she's leaving. he also takes off his hat as a sign of respect.

what i liked about this movie is that John Wayne makes both sides look galiant and brave. the men of the Alamo know they are going to die, but they still stay to fight for what they believe in. then he makes the Mexican soilders look honorable twice. the first time, Santa Anna asks that all women and children be evacutated before he attacks, and this takes place.
the second instance is right after the first attack, which happens right after the women and children are released. the Tennessian boys are standing around and one of them says "even though i was killing them, i was proud of them. men dying for what they believe in."

the DVD features include about a 40 mintue feature on the making of the Alamo. this is where you really get to see how much The Alamo ment to John Wayne and just how loyal of a man he really was.

The Alamo is a classic that everybody should watch at least one time in their life. great film that to me, will always be remembered as John Wayne's greatest work.

Still Waiting For the 2-Disc Special Edition
One could easily say that seeing this film for the first time was a turning point in my life (it probably had a great impact on a lot of other 6-year old boys, too). To this day, John Wayne's "The Alamo" still has a firm grip on me emotionally.

True, the film is not accurate to history, but I dare anyone to name a movie that is! As I stated in my review of "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc", Hollywood makes "movies", not documentaries (and most documentaries don't agree on the details of the Alamo, anyway). Movie producers, like John Wayne, try to make an "entertainment", to sell tickets and make money. Anyone who thinks film makers are honor-bound to tell the truth on the screen is kidding him or herself.

So the question is: Does this movie entertain? Speaking subjectively, I say a resounding "Yes!". I guess there's still a lot of 6-year old in me.

One suggestion I have for Ted Turner (or whoever makes the DVD decisions over at MGM) is to release the roadshow Director's Cut version on a 2-Disc Special Edition. Include the 40-minute documentary found on the current disc, and any other archival footage pertaining to the film (Oscars, premiere, interviews). I would also like to see the television special, "Spirit of the Alamo", that John Wayne hosted in 1960. A part of it was used in the aforementioned documentary, but it would be nice to see the program complete for a change. Perhaps the discs could also include a printed history of the Alamo and other events during the Texas Revolution, so viewers won't come away from the film thinking they just witnessed the truth.

A few good scenes, mostly nonsense
The script of this movie is awful. There are so many historical inaccuracies. There's also a lot of schlock in the movie.

Frankie Avalon didn't disgrace himself, but why was he in the movie, anyway? Smells like pandering to the younger generation!

I couldn't believe The Duke as Davy Crockett. I always thought of him as Duke, rather than Crockett. You can't superimpose one big legend on top of another.

Richards Widmark and Boone were good in their performances.

Laurence Harvey as Travis was terrible! That accent was all over the place. Finally, in his last big speech he abandoned it altogether, sounding more like Laurence Olivier.

This movie was long and bloated. I kept checking my watch. I'm thankful that I don't have to sit through the director's cut!

Skip the first two-thirds of the movie and check out the last third, and you'll be just as well off!

Frankie Avalon in one of his 1st movie roles
The movie is good and with Frankie Avalon in one of his 1st movie roles. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Classic WWII Adventure
They did a nice job of restoring and putting this on DVD. Excerpts from the movie are shown in a window in the menu. A featurette "A String of Beads" is included. I thought the featurette was a bit slow but the movie is good. Gene Tierney, Bruce Cabot, and Harry Carey all give good performances in Sundown. The movie takes place in Africa during WWII. Bruce Cabot is the commander at a British outpost and he must contend with German gunrunners and rebellious tribes. Gene Tierny as a caravan trader and Harry Carey as a big game hunter come to his aid. If you enjoy older movies like Beau Geste or Casablanca you will probably enjoy this as well. The price makes it well worth owning if you collect classic movies.

But it's missing a scene....
The picture's been restored quality-wise, but a scene present on my otherwise poor quality videotape version is missing here: as the Italian prisoner demands an honor guard to take him to the stockade, the Dutchman arrives outside the bungalow and asks for water, which he dispenses to his native escort. In the dvd, the Italian's tirade ends abruptly and the Dutchman is just in front of the desk all of a sudden. Not much, I know, and probably not even 5 minutes, but it does add a sympathetic quality to the Dutchman which becomes important later.

Avoid the alleged trailer if you haven't seen the movie. It looks like the dvd producers just strung some scenes together to make a digest version of the film. The plot twists are given away.

I do like this movie very much, enough that the this dvd not being perfect annoys me.

A good British War Movie
One of my favorite movies. Good restoration of audio and video. Will you like it? If you liked "Drums", "Charge of the Light Brigade", "Four Feathers", "Gunga Din", and "Zulu", you might want to give this a shot. Bruce Cabot is believable as the Colonial Administrator and George Sanders is just terrific.

A Glowing, Restored SUNDOWN
Poor Gene Tierney! After luring her away from the Broadway stage where she had scored in comedy roles, Hollywood proved at a loss as to how to showcase her acting talent. Accordingly, she was cast in a series of improbable roles in which her chief responsibility was to look ravishingly gorgeous. "Sundown", filmed while Tierney was still just 20 years old, is a prime example of how her acting abilities were wasted during her first couple of years in films. In this patriotic WWII action-adventure set in Africa, she plays an exotic half-caste caravan owner (later revealed to be British!) who helps the Allied forces keep the continent from becoming an Axis stronghold. The plot is confused and silly claptrap, but it's all beautifully photographed by Charles Lang (who would work with Tierney again on "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" at Fox), excitingly scored by Miklos Rozsa ... and Tierney is indeed breathtakingly lovely in her midriff-baring costumes, which is reason enough to watch. (Also pay close attention to catch a very young Dorothy Dandridge in a small featured role!)

The VCI Home Video DVD is definitely the version of this movie to see. The original copyright had lapsed, and the film had fallen into the public domain. As a result, the marketplace was flooded with cheaply produced video copies transfered from grainy, washed-out multi-generational prints. The VCI DVD has been restored and digitally mastered, and the result is a sharp, crisp presentation offering excellent video contrast and vastly-improved sound that has been appropriately copyrighted by the archivists.

The DVD also offers a small, but well-chosen, stills gallery; a newly created video trailer; and well-written albeit flawed cast biographies (Tierney's actual birthdate is November 19, 1920, not November 20 as misreported by "The New York Times" ... and her first film was "The Return of Frank James", not "The Return of Jesse James"). There's also a bonus featurette of Ronald Colman, Angela Lansbury, and Nigel Bruce in the 1954 television adaptation of Somerset Maugham's story "A String of Beads" ... which has nothing at all to do with the feature film, but is a most welcome and entertaining surprise nonetheless. Overall, this edition is highly recommended for Tierney fans, and a fine example of the potential inherent in the DVD format. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A Good Suspense Thriller
Done in a film-noir style, this movie is entertaining with a neat plot twist. Lucille Ball looks lovely and does a good job as the dancer who ecomes a police decoy to catch a killer. She has great chemistry with George Sanders (it was rumored they had a real-life affair). Boris Karloff also has a small part as a crazy fashion designer. If you're a Lucy fan, you'll want to own this movie.

PERSONAL COLUMN
A long over-looked suspence thriller by the once highly esteemed Douglas Sirk - his films of the fifties were better known - i.e. MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION & IMITATION OF LIFE, et. al. I just recently viewed this film last week and now realise my previous review didn't do it justice. Lucy gave a surprisingly good dramatic performance as an American taxi-dancer working in London. La Ball helps the police catch a madman who's out on the loose by posing as a decoy! Lucy co-stars with the elegantly sinister George Sanders and Charles Coburn is super in his offbeat role as Inspecter Temple. George Sanders (as a trivia note, Lucy and Sanders supposedly had a brief affair during this time) is exceedingly suave as Robert Fleming, Sandra's protective nightclub owner boyfriend. Ball, who had already appeared in dozens of films by this time, displays the inimitable spark which she would ignite into dynamite four years later doing I LOVE LUCY. The supporting cast is quite good : Boris Karloff, Sir Cedric Hardwicke and George Zucco. Our Lucyball even gets to sing! (alas, she is dubbed by Annette Warren).

"I was on guard against everyone except myself."
In the Douglas Sirk film "Lured" a series of young girls disappear after responding to personal ads. The killer taunts Scotland Yard by sending poems describing the girl and announcing the upcoming murder. The police are left with a handful of clues--the personal ads, the flaws of the typewriter used for the poems, and the fact that the killer has a penchant for Baudelaire.

Sandra Carpenter (Lucille Ball) plays an unflappable dance-hall girl whose friend is the latest victim of the killer. Inspector Temple (Charles Coburn) recruits Sandra to operate undercover through the personal ads. Sandra meets a lot of peculiar men through the ads, and soon she's juggling dates with bizarre dress designer Charles van Druten (Boris Karloff) and smooth playboy Robert Fleming (George Sanders).

This is an interesting role for Lucille Ball. Here she's worldly-wise and savvy to every pick-up line in the book. Inspector Temple sagaciously assesses Sandra's character and realizing she can handle men effectively, he adds her talent to his investigation. Lucille Ball fans will be pleasantly surprised by her role in "Lured," and Douglas Sirk fans should enjoy the film too. The characters are well defined, and the plot kept my attention throughout. It's in glorious black and white, and that complements the story and the setting--displacedhuman

Lucille Ball as a beautiful detec¿ive
"Lured" is a forgotten thriller of a movie, starring Lucille Ball as an American in London who helps Scotland Yard capture a serial killer. The subtle plotting is fast-paced and satisfying. Ball sparkles with wit and sophistication and makes the movie special.

You will be kept in suspense until the very end. If you know Ball only through her most famous manifestation as zany Lucy Ricardo, this movie will reveal her ability to fulfill a dramatic/romantic role. Although the real-life chemistry that sizzled between Ball and Desi Arnaz on the tv show is missing here, the supporting cast is splendid, and the city of London as it was in the 40s provides an interesting backdrop. Highly recommended.

not a typical Lucy movie
this is not your typical Lucy movie. but dont get me wrong it was still very good. its good to see that Lucille Ball can do something besdies comide. even though comdey is what she is remembered for. this movie is deffinitly recommened for a lucy fan or a murder mystry fan or both of that matter. it keeps you guessing until the very end. you think its one thing but they throw a cerve ball and its the total oppisite. i'm going to tell you what you can expect because then you wont get it. but i would recommend it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great oldie that desperately needs restoration
Dark, poor sound quality, quite scratchy (didn't they have a master to use?) Terribly disappointed in this, as I recall it from my youth and wanted to pass along a treasure. Instead, my 5-year-old only lasted about halfway before he asked for something else (he has great concentration and listened attentively while I read him the entire The Hobbit, so I know it wasn't a lacking on his part) Alas, the old treasure is not gold, but brass. Given the state of technology, someone could easily clean this up and make every viewer thrilled. As it is, I sadly say, pass it by, it's better remembered than seen in its present wretched state.

KORDA CLASSIC.
Sabu appears to be having a very good time as Mowgli, the child adopted by wolves who lives among the wild beasts as one of them; he swings from tree to tree like a nursery Tarzan. In the dark-green jungles of this lush, handsome Alexander Korda production (directed by Zoltan Korda) Mowgli has more to do with humans than in the original Kipling novel. Patricia O'Rourke is around for a suggestion of precocious romance; also Joseph Calleia is there for posterity...the screenplay by Laurence Stallings perhaps wandered a bit from Kipling, the segments concerning the python, the treasure and the ruined city are still thrilling in their way. Children will probably still love the movie, and adults will have a better time than they expected... Look for a very young, very American Rosemary DeCamp!

Late Bogie!
This stuff is great! Obviously taken from the original film and transfered to disc, this movie is the essence of black and white reel to reel cinema. Bogart's acting truly expresses why we revere this man as a legend of the big screen. Watch this on a big screen TV to get the full effect!

pure poetry
Seldom has live film so captured the mood of the original book on which it was based. The framing device of the old story teller (who turns out to be the villain of his own story) and the overvoice narration is Kipling all the way. While the cartoon versions degrade the material and put in riduculous songs, in this film the visual is poetry itself and the Rosza score is magnificent. This and its companion film are examples of movie making at its finest. And if the animals have more screen presence than do some of the actors, so be it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great oldie that desperately needs restoration
Dark, poor sound quality, quite scratchy (didn't they have a master to use?) Terribly disappointed in this, as I recall it from my youth and wanted to pass along a treasure. Instead, my 5-year-old only lasted about halfway before he asked for something else (he has great concentration and listened attentively while I read him the entire The Hobbit, so I know it wasn't a lacking on his part) Alas, the old treasure is not gold, but brass. Given the state of technology, someone could easily clean this up and make every viewer thrilled. As it is, I sadly say, pass it by, it's better remembered than seen in its present wretched state.

KORDA CLASSIC.
Sabu appears to be having a very good time as Mowgli, the child adopted by wolves who lives among the wild beasts as one of them; he swings from tree to tree like a nursery Tarzan. In the dark-green jungles of this lush, handsome Alexander Korda production (directed by Zoltan Korda) Mowgli has more to do with humans than in the original Kipling novel. Patricia O'Rourke is around for a suggestion of precocious romance; also Joseph Calleia is there for posterity...the screenplay by Laurence Stallings perhaps wandered a bit from Kipling, the segments concerning the python, the treasure and the ruined city are still thrilling in their way. Children will probably still love the movie, and adults will have a better time than they expected... Look for a very young, very American Rosemary DeCamp!

Late Bogie!
This stuff is great! Obviously taken from the original film and transfered to disc, this movie is the essence of black and white reel to reel cinema. Bogart's acting truly expresses why we revere this man as a legend of the big screen. Watch this on a big screen TV to get the full effect!

pure poetry
Seldom has live film so captured the mood of the original book on which it was based. The framing device of the old story teller (who turns out to be the villain of his own story) and the overvoice narration is Kipling all the way. While the cartoon versions degrade the material and put in riduculous songs, in this film the visual is poetry itself and the Rosza score is magnificent. This and its companion film are examples of movie making at its finest. And if the animals have more screen presence than do some of the actors, so be it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Better than The Pianist!
Adapted from Ralph Spence's play, the film opens with a montage of screaming newspaper headlines documenting the reign of terror of a mysterious simian assassin who leaves threatening letters at the homes of his victims. The film then arrives at the room of maid Patsy Kelly, who reads aloud from Romeo And Juliet before being rudely interrupted by the titular gorilla and his malevolent brand of monkeyshines. This prompts her employer (Lionel Atwill) to hire Harry, Jimmy, and Al Ritz to hunt down the gorilla, a decision he begins to regret once the mere mention of the word "gorilla" sends the trio reeling into an orgy of shaking, eye-bugging, and agitated wordplay. The brothers' investigative tactics do little to inspire confidence: When Kelly tells them she spent the evening with Shakespeare, they angrily demand to know the writer's whereabouts. The Ritzes do no better with the butler (Lugosi); they mock his accent and act aggressively, until he flips one of them in self-defense. At the stroke of midnight, Atwill is abducted, and his disappearance is followed by a series of blackouts, disappearances, and the arrival of a mysterious stranger (Joseph Calleia) purporting to be a detective. In spite of their nonstop clowning, the Ritz brothers eventually encounter the gorilla in the house's basement, though they initially mistake it for a wiseacre in a raccoon coat. Lugosi, meanwhile, has a suspiciously Clark Kent-like way of disappearing whenever trouble and excitement arrive. His mysterious absences turn out to be one of many red herrings, after it's revealed that there are two gorillas, a real trained one and a mass murderer­Calleia­who's only pretending to be a gorilla. Calleia lays out the particulars of his nefarious plot just before Lugosi apprehends him, in the process steeling himself for his fateful meeting with a Brooklyn gorilla 13 years later. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

AS BAD AS IT GETS
Hideous, absolutely hideous. This is a ghastly two color print of what must have been a beautiful technicolor original. From now on, I'll be sure to read the customer reviews before buying anything. The sound is terrible also. This disc is going back but fast.

Really poor quality
Awful video and sound, sometimes unintelligible. The print looks like a badly colorized B/W film. I'm returning it.

great movie!
If you want something different from the Disney animated version, which I love by the way, this is a great, real version of the Rudyard Kipling classic. There is something so mysterious and magical about this film. You really feel you are in a Jungle fairy tale when it begins. You really feel lost in the jungle. I will never forget the first time I saw this film as a child. Watch it at night, and in the dark, to give you the proper theater atmosphere. It will transport you to the jungle that way. It is such a great version of the story. The DVD isn't miraculous, it's pretty close to the poor videos they make of this film, but at least time won't hurt it like it does with VHS. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great oldie that desperately needs restoration
Dark, poor sound quality, quite scratchy (didn't they have a master to use?) Terribly disappointed in this, as I recall it from my youth and wanted to pass along a treasure. Instead, my 5-year-old only lasted about halfway before he asked for something else (he has great concentration and listened attentively while I read him the entire The Hobbit, so I know it wasn't a lacking on his part) Alas, the old treasure is not gold, but brass. Given the state of technology, someone could easily clean this up and make every viewer thrilled. As it is, I sadly say, pass it by, it's better remembered than seen in its present wretched state.

KORDA CLASSIC.
Sabu appears to be having a very good time as Mowgli, the child adopted by wolves who lives among the wild beasts as one of them; he swings from tree to tree like a nursery Tarzan. In the dark-green jungles of this lush, handsome Alexander Korda production (directed by Zoltan Korda) Mowgli has more to do with humans than in the original Kipling novel. Patricia O'Rourke is around for a suggestion of precocious romance; also Joseph Calleia is there for posterity...the screenplay by Laurence Stallings perhaps wandered a bit from Kipling, the segments concerning the python, the treasure and the ruined city are still thrilling in their way. Children will probably still love the movie, and adults will have a better time than they expected... Look for a very young, very American Rosemary DeCamp!

Late Bogie!
This stuff is great! Obviously taken from the original film and transfered to disc, this movie is the essence of black and white reel to reel cinema. Bogart's acting truly expresses why we revere this man as a legend of the big screen. Watch this on a big screen TV to get the full effect!

pure poetry
Seldom has live film so captured the mood of the original book on which it was based. The framing device of the old story teller (who turns out to be the villain of his own story) and the overvoice narration is Kipling all the way. While the cartoon versions degrade the material and put in riduculous songs, in this film the visual is poetry itself and the Rosza score is magnificent. This and its companion film are examples of movie making at its finest. And if the animals have more screen presence than do some of the actors, so be it. ... Read more