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Amid a cast of all-stars in 1953's The Robe, Victor Mature made the strongest impression as the Greek slave, Demetrius. It was only natural, then, that Mature should star in this 1954 sequel, in which the newly liberated Demetrius forges an alliance with his Christian brethren to hide the sacred robe of Christ, coveted for its "magic" by the vile emperor Caligula (Jay Robinson, also reprising his role in The Robe). Captured and manipulated into believing his beloved Lucia (Debra Paget) has been killed, Demetrius rejects his pacifist faith, plots vengeance while becoming a rising star in the bloody arena, and falls prey to the scheming senator's wife Messalina (Susan Hayward), who craves his... affection. It all leads to a crisis of faith that will determine Demetrius's fate as a noble Christian or downfallen hedonist.

Inheriting The Robe's CinemaScope production values, Demetrius and the Gladiators has everything you'd want in a Biblical epic, riding the wave that would crest two years later with Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments. It's campy, of course--Robinson is outrageously over-the-top; Mature is too contemporary (preceding the absurdity of Richard Gere's King David by 30 years); and Hayward seems closer to Rodeo Drive than ancient Rome. Still, there are abundant pleasures here, from the lavish arena battles (a bit cheesy, but still impressive) to a straightforward morality tale that doesn't compromise its themes of religious loyalty. You don't watch movies like this for historical accuracy, but for the combination of thrills, passion, and glory that were Hollywood trademarks of 1950s epics, long before the more secular ambition of Gladiator. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

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This is one of those noir gems about a love-hate relationshipbetween a husband and wife that's doomed from the very beginning. Jack Palance plays an ambitious actor rebuffed by playwright and heiress Joan Crawford. He later romances and marries her before falling under the dark spell of ex-girlfriend Gloria Grahame. When Palance and Grahame plot to get her fortune, the evil scheme backfires with ironically twisted results. Palance has no idea how much his wife truly loves him, and she has no idea how sinister he truly is. It's a fascinating if contrived film, with wonderful nuances and sensitive performances by the three leads. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (36)

The best laid plans...
Joan Crawford chews the scenery, Jack Palance looks ugly and menacing, and Gloria Grahame slinks around in this fabulous film noir. Crawford is a wealthy socialite and playwright who marries Palance, an actor she had previously rejected from one of her plays. Turns out he has a girlfriend (Grahame) and they're plotting to murder Joan for her money. Joan finds out and decides to beat them to the punch (so to speak) by hatching a plan to murder her husband and frame his lover for the crime, complete with a little dream sequence showing the audience how it's supposed to turn out. In the middle of the plan, however, Joan loses her nerve...and that's when things get really interesting. The suspense starts about halfway through the film, when Joan discovers the plot against her, but the last ten minutes of the film dials up it a few levels. A must for any fan of Crawford and/or film noir.

Fear with a Twist and then Some
This is a first-class thriller based on the novel by Edna Sherry of an affluent playwright who discovers her new husband is planning to kill her. You see, she done him wrong at an earlier date. Now it's retribution time. But who is outdoing whom? Twists abound. Joan Crawford (Oscar nominated) and Jack Palance (his first Oscar nomination) are excellent. The cast also includes Gloria Grahame, Bruce Bennett, Virginia Huston and Touch (Mike) Connors. The effective Black and White cinematography is by Charles Lang (also Oscar nominated). This film also boasts one of Elmer Bernstein's earliest scores. Bernstein has been a leading writer of film scores since the mid-1950s, when his work on THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM (1955) and THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) elevated him into the front rank of Hollywood composers. His score for THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960) made him immortal and launched him into a string of successful Western scores through that decade. However, he highly has been noted for his strong use of solo instruments and his facility with the jazz idiom. 1999's WILD, WILD WEST returned him to his beloved Western.

"I was just wondering what I'd done to deserve you."
Successful, wealthy playwright Myra Hudson (Joan Crawford) sacks actor Lester Blaine (Jack Palance) from rehearsals for her latest Broadway play. Myra just doesn't see Lester as the great romantic lead she's looking for, but on a train bound for San Francisco, Lester 'coincidentally' meets Myra and shows her just how romantic he can be ...

Myra is a great character. She's so used to writing scripts that she mentally writes one for her life as a newlywed. Even though Myra's close associates regard free-loading Lance with suspicion, Myra only sees what she wants to see. She scripts herself as blissfully married to the most wonderful man on the planet, and that's how it plays out. But then Lester's girlfriend, the slightly sleazy, Irene Neves (Gloria Grahame) pops up in San Francisco, and Myra finds out the hard way that Lester is more interested in money than anything else. Myra handles the truth by writing another script in her mind, but carrying her plans out to their inevitable conclusion is a lot tougher in real life.

Joan Crawford is spectacular in the role of Myra. She seems to visibly age as events take their toll. Several scenes focus on her wild-eyed neurotic stares, and she manages to have a few hysterical scenes into the bargain. Gloria Grahame is my favourite B film noir actress, so it was a treat for me to see her teamed with Crawford. And Jack Palance as Lester is impressive--there are scenes in which he's so good, it's possible to read his mind and gauge how he wants to murder Myra. Director, David Miller's style is evident, and quite reminiscent of "Midnight Lace" (another husband and wife drama). The 50s San Francisco scenes are phenomenal and accentuate the plot (you'll see why). The DVD transfer leaves a lot to be desired--the picture is grainy and dark, but at least it's on DVD and in print. Joan Crawford fans, seek out this film, and prepare for an evening of suspenseful entertainment--displacedhuman.

Great 50's film noir
This flawless piece of 1950's film noir is only undone by how badly it has been transposed onto DVD. Such a treasure should have been fully restored and digitally transferred yet it seems to have been hurriedly recorded directly from the grainy VHS original and the result is a fine film that just doesn't look right.
That said if you're a lover of great film noir, a fan of Joan Crawford or simply nostalgia itself don't miss the chance to see and own this gem of a movie. You'd never have thought Joan could perform this well being more of 'star' than an 'actress'. Joan was one hard-working and dedicated performer who never 'slummed it' as she used to put it. Forget about all that Mommie Dearest drivel and enjoy the greatest female star of all time's finest hour!

5 star movie , 1 star copy !! SHAME !!
i love this movie, but when i watched this dvd version of it, i thought for a moment that my tv was playing up.
the sound and image are dreadfull !!!! adjusting sound and vision on tv doesn't help either, i prefer copying a video tape on dvd myself.
that's not all, nowadays we expect a dvd to come with trailers, documentarys etc.. you know some extras to enjoy the whole surrounding that made the movie. here: NOTHING ! nothing at all
compare this with dvd of "mildred pierce" or "straight jacket"
they come with FAB extras.
this dvd version is done with no effort at all. ... Read more

Description

The definitive screwball comedy, My Man Godfrey follows the madcap antics of a wealthy and eccentric family when they hire a down-and-out "forgotten man" as their butler. My Man Godfrey features brilliant performances by Carole Lombard and William Powell, and was the first film to receive Academy Award® nominations in all four acting categories. ... Read more

Reviews (79)

"My Man Godfrey" Still Sparkles after 60 Years
Gregory La Cava's 1936 masterpiece "My Man Godfrey" my well be the best comedy of the '30s. This screwball classic features a witty topnotch script, fast paced direction, fabulous art deco sets and wonderful performances from Carole Lombard and William Powell, as well as, supporting players, Gail Patrick, Mischa Auer, Eugene Pallette, Alan Mowbray and, the particularly dizzy, Alice Brady. This film has never looked better than it has on this Criterion edition. The picture is crisp and clear and way better than any public domain print. In fact, during a recent showing of a PD print on TCM I got out my laptop and ran the Criterion DVD simultaneously and wow, what a difference. The clarity and amount of detail is terrific. I wish the extras had been better and the commentary could have been from the actual stars and creators rather than a film historian but these are petty complaints. If you have been thinking of adding this classic to your collection then pay the extra money and get the best version out there.

Probably the best screwball comedy ever!
MY RATING- 8.4

Well I was never too keen of screwball comedies, specially the Katherine Hepburn's ones. Movs of that kind relied too much on her feminist style and I certainly didn't identify with that!
This one made me change my mind, it's one of the oldest (1936) and it's some of the best. It's all about a "forgotten man" of the Depression (wonderful William Powell, he was nominated for the oscar) who is caught by rich crazy girl Irene (Carol Lombard, also nominated) to be butler of her family. The rest of the cast is simply brilliant: Alice Brady (nominated), an often forgotten lady of the 30's, who is absolutely funny in the scenes with Mischa Auer (nominated), as Carlo, her "protégé". I was laughing a lot in his gorila scene! Also with the great Eugene Palette as the father and snobish Gail Patrick as the inteligent sister, Cornelia.
This is another gem by director Gregory La Cava, who marks his soft and inteligent flow of action here.

The Gold Standard for DVDs
My Man Godfrey, for me, represents all that's admirable about the DVD format. Visually, it sparkles, literally so in the opening credits. My 15-year-old VHS copy is good, but pales next to the DVD transfer. The inclusion of a vintage trailer from so old a movie was a welcome surprise. The newsreel footage gave historical context. The radio broadcast was icing, just lain fun. The commentary is urbane and inciteful. Yes, I listened to it all. A word of advice about commentaries: Self-described historians do the best. Their commentaries are like fine classroom lectures on your favorite subject. Directors seem to ad lib haltingly, as if they'd rather be somewhere else but can't pass up the dough. If picking a movie for it's commentary, make sure the director is dead. That goes for actors and crew also.

If you like old movies this is one of the best
I have a DVD copy from a Canadian company Cascadia and its excellent video and audio and is perfect except for one scene which is repeated twice in an editing loop- oh well- otherwise its perfect. Great supporting cast.

MISSING A SCENE!!
Do not buy this DVD! I am very familiar with this movie as I own a VHS copy, so I immediately noticed the missing scene. If you know the movie, it is the scene when Irene goes to Godfrey's room and he lectures her on certain "proprieties" and she becomes hysterical and tells him "You'll be sorry!"

This is a great screwball comedy, a must see for classic movie fans and it is a disgrace that this company released the movie so carelessly. ... Read more

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Absolutely one of the most hilarious movies ever made, this classic farce featuring the outrageous genius of the Marx Brothers is a chance to see some of their best bits woven together seamlessly in a story of high society, matchmaking, and chaos. In order to bring two young lovers together, brothers Groucho, Chico, and Harpo must sabotage an opera performance even as they try to pass themselves off as stuffed shirts. Featuring the classic sequence where Groucho piles as many people as possible into a ship's stateroom, A Night at the Opera is a deliciously zany romp worth watching again and again. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (40)

The 2nd Best Marx after Duck Soup
Night at the Opera is different from their first 5 - in a nutshell, as everyone else had commented, there's no Zeppo, more music, Margaret Dumont is back, bigger role for romantic leads, and the comedy is somewhat more disciplined, i.e., the antics are perhaps less spontaneous than earlier films.

I understand criticisms leveled by those who prefer to skip the plot, musical numbers, and romantic plot development, but I wholeheartedly disagree that the movie is somehow lesser because of it, particularly the music. The brothers were an extemely musically talented trio, and throughout their lives saw themselved less as a Comedy show and more a variety show. To disregard the musical numbers as "filler" is to show a lack of appreciation for a performing art they held in very high regard.

I have always felt The Marx Bros. were more "in Character" here than in most of their other films (Duck Soup, Horse Feathers, Animal Crackers, are also good in this regard, as is Day at the races, to a lesser degree). Everything from the contract swindle ("the party of the first part...") to the organized fooling of sgt. Henderson ("now there are four beds - I know I'm crazy!") to the stateroom bit ("Is my Aunt Minnie in here?") to the methodically brilliant destruction of Il Trovatore in the finale are examples of great writing that suited the personalities of the brothers.

Duck Soup or Horse Feathers may be their funniest films, and Animal Crackers may be more memorable for it's classic scenes, but Night at the Opera in my opinion is the most well-balanced of all thier movies. I feel it's the best-written, best-produced, has the best plot, and contains BY FAR the best acting among suporting roles. If Duck Soup weren't so well-paced and funny, Night at the Opera would be my favorite.

The Marx Brothers at their very, very, best. Classic Comedy
On the one hand I want to say that I think "A Night at the Opera" is the greatest Marx Brothers comedy because their peculiar brand of lunacy works better when given a real world target such as Opera than in the fantasy land of Freedonia in "Duck Soup." On the other hand I want to say that I think "A Night at the Opera" has more funny stuff in it than "Duck Soup." I do not even want to begin to get into any consideration of what difference the retirement of Zeppo meant in all this. I just want to laugh my head off.

Groucho is Otis P. Driftwood, too busy trying to fleece Mrs. Claypool (Margaret Dumont) to waste time running an Opera Company. Harpo is Tomasso, the much abused valet to the pompous tenor Rudolpho Lassparri (Walter Woolf King), while Chico is Fiorello, self-appointed agent for the unknown but talent young singer Ricardo Baroni (Allan Jones), who is in love with Rosa Castaldi (Kitty Carlisle). When Groucho loses his job to stuffed shirt Herman Gottlieb (Sig Ruman), it is up to the Marx Brothers to restore order and sanity to the universe.

In terms of classic comic routines "A Night at the Opera" gives you (1) the Stateroom scene with all those people (and don't forget the hardboiled eggs); (2) Groucho and Chico discussing the clauses in a contract (including the Sanity Clause); (3) Chico and Harpo working "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" into the overture of the opera (get your peanuts); (4) a dinner date between Groucho and Margaret Dumont (looking at him is the price you have to pay); and (5) Chico the Russian aviator explaining how they flew across the Atlantic Ocean in a boat (always remember to take enough gas or else you will have to turn back). There are more-you now Chico plays the piano, Harpo plays the harp, and Groucho deflates a pompous windbag at some point--but I want to talk about other things now.

I think the person who really helps sell this film is Kitty Carlisle. In every Marx brother movie there are the boys, there is Margaret Dumont as the foil, and then there are the young boy and girl who sing their way into your hearts. Carlisle and Jones (the only boy singer to appear in more than one Marx Brothers movie) are clearly the best pair to ever take on these thankless roles. The boys clearly like her and take her seriously, which she does in return, giving "A Night at the Opera" a sense of heart. This does not happen in Marx Brothers movies (compare it to the campy efforts of the young lovers in "Animal Crackers"). On top of all this, Carlisle and Jones can sing and their duet from the end of Il Travatore is much better than all the sappy songs that the lovers usually sing in these films.

"A Night at the Opera" is directed by Sam Wood (who would later spend some time directing scenes on that "Gone With the Wind" film you hear so much about). James Kevin McGuineess receives story credit but the key thing is that George S. Kaufman had a major hand in the script (until it ended up in the hands of the actors of course).

Notes: Look for the father of the Marx brothers on the pier when the ship sets sail and please remember that it Leonard's stage name is pronounced "Chick-o" not "Chico." Put an end to this Marxist reinterpretation nonsense.

The beginning of the decline
Many think this film the best or one of the best the Brothers Marx ever did. It's probably a matter of taste (well, it's certainly a matter of taste), but I think the first MGM comedy by the Marx Brothers is scattershot. Groucho, Chico and Harpo are in top form, and when they're on -- and allowed to dominate a scene -- the film is terrific. The stateroom scene is still funny after 70 years, and the finale at the opera is Marxist anarchy at its finest.

But when they're off screen (at least a third of the movie), you're left with an embarrassing melodrama I'm sure the movegoing audiences of 1935 found as sappy as I did. Bad enough the young Italian lovers sound like they're from New England section of Italy; worse are the musical interludes, which bring the film to a halt and destroy any comedic momentum the Marxes have created. A scene where Chico, Harpo and Jones show off their musical prowess goes on far too long and completely stops the film. Their earlier comedies had musical interludes, but they were woven into the films better. The opening number in Duck Soup, for example, is a lengthy set-up to the first joke; ditto the "We're Going to War" number. When the young lovers in A Night at the Opera sing "Alone," there's nothing but the youngsters staring moonily at each other. Their voices are fine, but the studios of the time were never short of movies with beautiful youngsters singing to each other. It's unnecessary here, and it reminds you the Marx Brothers aren't on screen.

"A Night at the Opera" was the Marxes' most successful comedy at the box office, and probably the most popular film they ever did. But time has been kinder to their earlier Paramount productions. Those films are stagebound, but they have a madcap energy the MGM films never recovered.

If you're a real fan of the Marx Brothers, you've probably already seen this; the rest of you should start with Duck Soup or Horse Feathers. A Night at the Opera was, unfortunately, the beginning of the end for this legendary team.

"No need of you reading that, because these are duplicates."
Many have argued that A NIGHT AT THE OPERA is the Marx Brother's finest film, pointing out that it combined the best of the Brother's comedy with the biggest and boldest in MGM production values. Personally, while I really like the film, I wouldn't quite put it in the top slot. Any of the sequences containing the Marx Brothers themselves are gold, but I find that I'm not as enamored with the romantic subplot and singing as other reviewers have been (notably Leonard Maltin in this DVD's commentary). Still, arguing about which one of the fine films is actually the best is a little pointless. This is a great movie, regardless with how it compares to the others.

The biggest thing this film has going for it (outside of the wonderful Marx Brothers themselves, of course) is the big production values that MGM splashed out on. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, it's nice to have some great big sets for the Brothers to clown around in (Harpo's stunt double swinging through the rafters is great), but all things considered, I think I prefer the tongue-in-cheek send-up of the big dance numbers (as done in DUCK SOUP) to the production dances which are played straight here.

Margaret Dumont is underused, which is a shame since her dignified outrage usually accounted for big laughs. She gets a good scene at the beginning, and a handful of opportunities to look indignant later in the film, but she isn't the constant presence that she had been in other films.

Still, while I can pick out a few flaws here and there, this is overall a hilarious and fun movie. Much of what is considered classic Marx Brothers material is from this film: the too-many-people-in-the-stateroom scene, the Marxian deconstruction of a legal contract (if anyone thinks that "'The party of the first part' shall be known in this contract as 'the party of the first part'" isn't realistic, then I can show you fine print I've received from credit card companies that are even more tautological than that), and, of course, the grand finale wherein the three brothers completely destroy an opera-in-progress.

The DVD also contains an all-new documentary, which features (among other people) co-star Kitty Carlisle, who is amazingly sharp for being in her 90s, and Dom DeLuise, who talks a lot about food and appears to have been interviewed in the middle of making breakfast (no, I'm not sure why he's here). This is mostly a talking heads interview documentary and there's not a whole lot of brand new material or trivia, but it is nice to see some differing perspectives on things. The story of how Groucho got his name contradicts the anecdote given on the commentary track, and Carlisle refutes the conventional wisdom that states that Margaret Dumont didn't get any of the jokes Groucho was bouncing off her.

A short except from a 1961 broadcast of "The Hy Gardner Show" (who?) reveals Groucho recounting the story of he and his brothers stripping naked and roasting potatoes in the office of Irving Thalberg after the famed producer kept them waiting once too long. I trust you will enjoy the anecdote, because it's told a whopping three times during the course of these DVD extras. Shockingly, none of the tellings blatantly contradict each other.

Two shorts have been included as extras, though I'm not sure I understand their relevance. Robert Benchley's HOW TO SLEEP won the Academy Award in 1935 for Best Short Subject/Comedy, and it's certainly entertaining enough. As for the other short, SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE TROCADERO, well, I'm baffled. I can't make heads or tails of it. Set in a nightclub, a Hollywood talent scout is visiting this ritzy affair. Numerous song and dance people are attempting auditions, while the club's doorman is trying to impress by doing very bad celebrity impersonations (it didn't help that half the time I didn't recognize the name of the person he was impersonating or the name of the person people actually thought he was doing). Cameos by stars of the day abound by having the camera cut to different tables and a voice over shouting, "Hey, look! It's Bob Has-been!" (or whoever). It isn't helped by the fact that most of the careers of these minor celebrities ended soon after the shoot, so for me I was watching cattle call of anonymous hotshots. I couldn't figure out why these people were appearing as themselves. Was the audience supposed to believe that these people really hang out at this fictional locale? Groucho Marx (out of character and costume) has a three-second cameo where he looks as confused as I felt.

I'm wary of commentaries performed by people who weren't actually born when the film they're talking about was made, but Leonard Maltin does a fine job here. He relates a lot of anecdotes about the Marx Brothers, points out how the script is layering the subplots, and relates a lot of trivia that I had never heard before (for example, the only surviving print is actually an edited version made during WWII when all references to Italy have been removed, which explains why the film bizarrely never tells you were the first scenes are set). He even gets into the fun, shouting "What a twit!" when the evil opera singer refuses to sing on the cruise-liner for free.

Although the DVD of A NIGHT AT THE OPERA is included in "The Marx Brothers Collection" box set, it is also available for individual sale. Although I slightly prefer A DAY AT THE RACES (also out on DVD now), I couldn't recommend anyone not pick up this film. For Marx novices, there's a great movie. For Marx aficionados, there's informational material that may be enjoyed. In any event, the powers that be have given a great film an excellent treatment on the DVD format.

Tiresome
Almost everything I write about stuff for Amazon gets either ignored or negative responses. I hardly expect this to fare any better. My original intent was to buy the 7 disc set of the Marx Bros (also just released), I grew faint-hearted near the deadline and canceled it and ordered the only 3 I wanted: Opera, Races and Casablanca. I think the first 5 "lost" Marx Bros movies (I have them on DVD and treasure them, all but Duck Soup, with a screenplay by one of their song-writing teams) are (so far) their funniest. Chaos, pandemonium, idiosyncrasies, personality. Either I was despondent when I watched this flick or else the Marx Bros' antics had worn thin for me. (I remember loving all their movies 30 years ago.) I was bored, saw what was supposed to be funny and didn't think it was. There were a few witty remarks, but those came from either Kaufman or Ryskind, not the Marx Bros. And on that subject, I never (at least not before The Solid Gold Cadillac) thought I'd ever watch or read a Kaufman play and not think it was hilarious. I did not think this was hilarious. The opera they featured at the end was Verdi's Il Trovatore, I don't like that opera anyway, particularly the mezzo gypsy song, particularly all of it. I thought the whole movie was watery, thin, dull and not the best of the Marxes, and not particularly funny. I just opened Casablanca. Tomorrow morning I'll take a crack at it, though I remember much of it now. I remember (and make the connection between that movie and this) that Harpo had gone from being an innocent who chases girls to a character who gets knocked around a lot by the heavies. I don't like the change. The characters, the (well, I said it already) idiosyncrasies and personalities of the brothers just weren't there in this movie. Sigh. I have 2 more to go. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Director Gregory La Cava deftly balances satire, romance, and social comment in this 1936 classic, which echoes Frank Capra in its Depression-era subtext. The Bullocks are a well-heeled, harebrained Manhattan family genetically engineered for screwball collisions: father Alexander (Eugene Pallette, of the foghorn voice and thick-knit eyebrows) is the breadwinner at wit's end, thanks to his spoiled daughters, the sultry Cornelia (Gail Patrick) and the sweet but scatterbrained Irene (a luminous Carole Lombard), his dizzy and doting wife, Angelica (Alice Brady), and her "protégé," Italian freeloader Carlo (Mischa Auer). When Irene wins a society scavenger hunt (and atypically trumps her scheming sister) by producing a "lost man," a seeming tramp named Godfrey (William Powell), all their lives are transformed. With the always suave, effortlessly funny Powell in the title role, this mystery man provides the film's conscience and its model of decency; the giddy, passionate Lombard holds out its model for triumphant love. In a movie riddled with memorable comic highlights, the real miracle is the unapologetic romanticism that prevails. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (85)

Timeless Comedy Classic
My Man Godfrey (1936) embodies why we like to watch old movies.We are reminded of a simpler, more innocent time when people dressed, acted, and spoke with a degree of class that you do not often see in movies today.In such old films, there is no bad language, nudity, violence, or graphic sex.Yet much more is conveyed with a glance or a phrase than a whole modern movie sex scene.

This movie is just hilarious.The film opens with a bunch of rich ne'er do wells in a scavenger hunt for all kinds of bizarre objects.The scene is pure chaos and pure delight.One of the objects is to find a "forgotten man."A young, pretty, somewhat airheaded socialite named Irene Bullock (Carole Lombard) encounters Godfrey (William Powell) in a hobo camp and persuades him to come with her.He soon becomes employed as the family butler, bringing some order to the chaotic Bullock household.

It soon becomes clear that there is more to this man than meets the eye.Godfrey has a mysterious past.The two sisters start vying for his affections.No one's life will ever be the same, as rich meet poor and some people learn some much-needed lessons.

One of the funniest characters in the film is a permanent "houseguest" who has no employ but somehow manages to mooch off them.He made me roar with laughter.

Magical Lombard Plus Dapper Powell Sparkle in Comedy Classic
During Hollywood's golden era, Carole Lombard was probably the most strikingly beautiful actress of her generation and arguably the most talented comedienne. She managed to be both hilariously free-wheeling and uninhibitedly down-to-earth, even as she plays the flightiest of madcap heiresses. One can only speculate what brilliant career lay ahead of her had she not died tragically early in a 1942 plane crash. Fortunately, we have this 1936 screwball classic, likely her most famous film, as a reminder of her beauty, charisma and sheer likeability. Her character Irene Bullock feels like a first cousin to Katharine Hepburn's Susan Vance in "Bringing Up Baby", a scatterbrained, motor-mouthed, persistent-beyond-reason socialite living with her equally eccentric family on Park Avenue. If not for Lombard, this character would try anyone's patience with her impetuous behavior and the childish competitiveness she displays with her sister.

What makes this movie different though is its social consciousness about the thoughtless rich and the put-upon downtrodden, the contrast of which made this particularly apt during the Great Depression. But the grand statements one would expect from a Capra never seem leaden in this comedy as directed by the underrated Gregory LaCava. Instead, they are fully integrated into a story that starts with a society "scavenger hunt" for a "forgotten man". In the city dump, the Bullock daughters find one in the form of Godfrey, portrayed with typically dapper élan by William Powell. Godfrey is an erudite hobo with whom Irene becomes quickly enamored, and she quickly convinces him to become the family butler. As it turns out, of course, he turns out to be the scion of a wealthy Boston family who decided to shuck it all once he was betrayed by love. He becomes the catalyst for improving the lives and characters of the Bullocks, all the while ensuring he takes care of his hobo friends on the riverfront. Only Powell could play a character that moves so fluidly between bum and butler, though he does falter slightly in his drunken scenes which seem really to come out of nowhere to move the plot along. Powell and Lombard were previously married and divorced prior to this film, and there is a subtle familiarity in their burgeoning relationship that makes their rapport sparkle (ironically, off-screen, he was in love with Jean Harlow at the time, she just beginning with Gable).

The supporting cast is impeccable in characteristic roles for the actors - Eugene Palette in typical comic, fog-horned bluster as the frustrated patriarch (though actually more restrained here than his other similar roles of the period); Alice Brady in full daffy flightiness as the arts-loving mother with her own live-in protégé in Mischa Auer, who plays Carlo as the high-maintenance leech he is (his chimpanzee impersonation scene is priceless thanks to his manic agility); Jean Dixon as the smart-mouthed maid Molly who develops her own crush on Godfrey (though the script gives her short shrift in this development); and best of all, Gail Patrick, who epitomizes the upper-crust bitch-princess as the talon-bearing sister Cornelia (of course, she and Lombard do not look remotely like sisters). It all wraps up nicely though rather fancifully, for instance, Cornelia does an about-face only a Hollywood producer would find credible. And one could argue that the portrayal of Godfrey's hobo brethren is on the sanctimonious side. But it doesn't matter, as the movie glides over the heavier implications of wealth, class distinctions and social injustice with a velvet glove. A true and deserved classic.

I am generally not a fan of colorization, though I have to admit the digital technology seems to be improving as the new discount-priced DVD provides a surprisingly nice transfer with soft, pastel colors except for some of the more elaborate evening gowns at the beginning.The package includes the original black-and-white version for purists and a colorized trailer as well. This is a good alternative to the Criterion Collection DVD priced at nearly four times the price (granted with additional features).

William Powell is at his best.
A dysfunctional but seemingly wealthy family takes in a new butler of dubious background.In return the butler saves the family in more ways than one.(This is a comedy)

I really appreciate this movie on many levels.You may recognize several people types just in the Bullock family.The interaction between Carole Lombard and William Powell is worth watching in its self.I particularly like when Tommy Gray (Alan Mowbray) has to explain his earlier relationship with Godfrey.

As good as this movie is I still like the remake with David Niven and June Allyson just as well."My Man" Godfrey (1957) but many of his movies are hard to find.Such as "The Statue" and "Prudence and the pill."

Colorized and Black&White
Good Black&White edition and surprisingly good 2005 Color edition. Although I'm no fan of colorized movies in general, this edition has some very pleasant and natural looking colors (we're living in the digital age after all and colorizing images has not been overdone like the tendency in the past). No subtitles are available, both movies are on the same side of the DVD. No special features other than scene selections and original Trailer. A bargain compared to the Criterion edition. Key Video is supposed to be a subsidiary of Fox.

Terrific Comedy With Powell and Lombard
This is one of the movies that beget the term "screwball comedy" to describe some of the wonderful, sophisticated, fast-paced and funny Hollywood films to come out of the Depression. In my view, it's one of the best. It would be hard to find two actors who were more skilled at portraying stylish insouciance, who were more attractive as people and who were more polished at delivering funny dialogue than William Powell and Carole Lombard. And although the movie is great fun, there's an underlying message about how people treat each other that is handled deftly.

Irene Bullock (Carole Lombard) and her sister, Cornelia (Gail Patrick), the spoiled, rich daughters of a New York businessman and his scatterbrained wife, are on a society party scavenger hunt. They're competing to find a forgotten man and bring him back to the party. In a dump by the East River they find a group of homeless men living in scrap huts, among them Godfrey Smith (William Powell). Godfrey rejects Cornelia's imperious command to come with her, but is intrigued by Irene's ditsy honesty.

"Do you mind telling me just what a scavenger hunt is?" Godfrey asks.
"Well," Irene says, "a scavenger hunt is exactly like a treasure hunt, except in a treasure hunt you try to find something you want, and in a scavenger hunt you try to find something that nobody wants."
"Hmm, like a forgotten man?"
"That's right, and the one who wins gets a prize, only there really isn't a prize. It's just the honor of winning, because all the money goes to charity, that is, if there is any money left over, but there never is."
"Well, that clears the whole matter up beautifully," Godfrey says. He goes with Irene, she wins the prize and is so intrigued by Godfrey that she offers him a job as butler in the Bullock mansion.

The movie is all about Godfrey the butler dealing with the Bullock family, from Irene's infatuation to her father's gruff frustrations and increasing financial failures. The mother is forever going off into self-indulgent flights of nonsense. Cornelia is beautiful and condescending, the maid is knowing and funny. And there seems to be a live-in gigolo for Mrs. Bullock, Mischa Auer, who at one point does a great impersonation of an arm-swinging ape. Through it all Godfrey maintains his composure. And little by little we learn that Godfrey is not who we think he is, or who the Bullocks think he is.

By the end of the movie Godfrey has by his example taught the Bullocks a thing or two about honesty and humility, his real identity has been discovered, and Irene Bullock has more or less coerced him into what will most likely be a very interesting marriage.

William Powell could deliver more meaning in a cocked eyebrow or a slightly questioning line delivery than, I think, any of his contemporaries. He wasn't a conventionally handsome lead actor, but he carried himself with such style and assurance that he was a dominant star. Carole Lombard was his match in this film. She was a gorgeous creature, but could be earthy or funny or glamorous when she chose, and all at once, too.

The Criterion DVD is in great shape. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Anyone who thinks everyone in the 1950s held marriage sacred hasn'tseen We're Not Married, one of the more gleefully cynical snipesever aimed at that fundamental institution. Five couples discover thattheir marriages aren't legal--Ginger Rogers and Fred Allen as a bickeringpair of beloved radio personalities; Marilyn Monroe as a beauty contestantwith her oppressed house-husband, David Wayne; Eve Arden and Paul Douglasas a chatty pair who've run out of conversation; Louis Calhern as a kindlytycoon married to gold-digging Zsa Zsa Gabor; and Eddie Bracken as asoldier who's just learned his not-quite-wife Mitzi Gaynor is pregnant.Into their lives comes a letter from the government revealing the truthabout their unions, and suddenly everyone considers what their lives mightbe, if only... We're Not Married spins five variations on a theme,with smart, sly, and sardonic results. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (11)

I'm glad Marilyn is Hardly in This
I am probably one of the very few people who actually does not like Marilyn Monroe. She can not act, and thankfully she is hardly even in this movie. Fans of hers, who are more than likely only watching this movie for her appearance, might find themselves a little dissapointed. But if those (many) fans, can accept that fact, and just watch it because it is a good movie, will hopefully find themselves enjoying it. Fans of the brilliant, and beautiful Ginger Rogers will be more than pleased though, since she has a great part in this movie.

Melvin Bush (Victor Moore) has been marrying couples, before his time has actually come, as to when he has the authority to do so. The five couples later find out, through a letter, that they are not legally married. Its mixed into different sections, one for each couple, and none of the stars really get a huge amount of screen-time. The couples are played by Fred Allen and Ginger Rogers; David Wayne and Marilyn Monroe; Paul Douglas and Eve Arden; Louis Calhern and Zsa Zsa Gabor; Eddie Bracken and Mitzi Gaynor.

All of the five sections are mostly amusing. Especially Ginger Rogers and Fred Allen, playing a couple of Radio hosts, who were married really just to get the job (and now completely hate each other). The radio show is made up, almost completely, of stupid sponsors, where they have to say the most scripted, and funny things you could come across in a scene such as this. This film is worthy to watch for their scene alone.

This DVD release from 20th Century Fox, as part of the Marilyn Monroe Diamond Collection, has a brilliant transfer, and the sound is very clear, too. The fact that Marilyn Monroe is on the cover, is quite misleading, and Ginger Rogers, Fred Allen, or maybe one of the other stars, would have been more realistic to have on the cover. I can accept the fact though, that she is on the cover, because it is part of Fox's Diamond Collection series. The extras is a dissapointment. That's one thing Fox never seem to bother too much with. I wish they would, since some deleted scenes would have been good to add, which I know they could have, aswell. But overall, its a good release.

We're not Married?
Marilyn is of course the highlight of this movie as a young mother who enters a beauty pageant. I like particularly the part with Zsa Zsa Gabor and Luis Calhern. Other stars include: Ginger Rogers, David wayne, Eve Arden, Mitzi Gaynor, Fred Allen, Paul Douglas, Eddie Braken, and Victor Moore, who unknowingly marries a number of couples before his appoinment is official and the reults are hilarious.

anull & void
What a waste of a powerhouse cast! Dated, unfunny & plodding--for Monroe completists only.

Why no deleted sequence?
This is a funny movie, especially the Fred Allen and Ginger Rogers section, with a great cast but why didn't Fox include the deleted sequence with Walter Brennan and Hope Emerson as an extra? It's included on the Hidden Hollywood Fox DVD and it's been shown on AMC. It should've been included on this disc.

Marilyn Monroe and Zsa Zsa Gabor in the same film!!!
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Basic rule of cinema #1: Never is a moment of Marilyn Monroe on film not worth seeing.

MARILYN MONROE is very charming and well worth seeing in this early film appearance in which she co-stars with an actor who appeared in several more Fox films with her, David Wayne. Marilyn appears as the winner of not one, but two different beauty contests. This of course gives reason for her to display her ample physical assets as she models the requisite swimsuits, which illustrate a large part of her allure as a pin-up queen of the early 1950's before becoming better-known for her singing and acting talents.

Although early in her career, Monroe proves that her screen-time is always mesmerizing. When she's on screen, you simply can't take your eyes off her.

This is a really entertaining episodic film, with a great ensemble cast. An episode starring Zsa Zsa Gabor is quite amusing, as is the very funny chapter starring Ginger Rogers.

Definitely worth adding the DVD version of this to your Marilyn Monroe collection! This is a funny movie! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good Trek Movie
Having given up on Hollywood's latest offerings, which are over-produced, over-digitalized, over-sexed, over-cussed, and over-violent, I am now exploring movies made before my time, in a kinder, gentler era. As such, I enjoyed Brigham Young very much. Although it is true that much of the story is not historically accurate, the descriptive comments that overlay the movie explain each departure from fact, and the reasons that it was done. As I knew something about the LDS church and its history, I was not disappointed or shocked to learn, e.g., that Brigham and Joseph Smith did not meet in the place depicted in the movie. The spirit of the story is well-retained, from the early persecutions of the Mormons to the settling of the Great Salt Lake Valley. The movie is well-cast and well-acted. I especially liked Dean Jagger as Brigham, and Linda Darnell as Zina - what a surprise to learn that she was only 16 at the time! She more than holds her own in scenes with far more experienced actors.

It is not true that the subject of polygamy is mentioned only once. It is confronted several times, including as the subject of a fierce argument between Linda Darnell and Tyrone Power. Brigham admits to having 12 wives at the time of the trek (he had 27, count 'em, by the end of his life), and there are other allusions to polygamy, e.g., the frequent presence of his second wife alongside his first. The script presents the viewer with a "this is how it was" attitude. You may decide whether you approve or disapprove.

Having the comments version available after we watched the movie greatly enhanced our understanding of the history. The comments include some interesting details about location filming and casting decisions. I was amazed to learn that the locust scenes were actually filmed during a locust invasion in Nevada, and that this was a grueling experience for the cast and crew. Those are real bugs! I was also amused to hear that the depiction of Joseph Smith's murder was very controversial. It was considered extremely violent, and the director fought not to have it edited. The average TV cop show today is infinitely rougher than anything in this flick!

All in all, a very nice movie for a pleasant evening, with some popcorn and an open mind.

An American film about an American Legend.
This is an interesting film. You have to admit that Mormonism is quite an American phenomenon, and Brigham Young is quite an American. He was one of the great trailblazers, and after seeing the 2002 Olympics, you must admit that there was something going on here beyond mere spiritual skullduggery.

This film was made with an "arm's distance" approval of the hierarchy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Indeed, for some reason, Mormon prophet David O. McKay had a quite cordial relationship with Cecil B. DeMille, and the great filmmaker willed Brigham Young University his papers.

This is quite an interesting film, and has many of the conventions of the era. Porter Rockwell is played as comic relief rather than the rough and tumble mountain man's mountain man that he was. Vincent Price makes an interesting Joseph Smith, with that eerie twinge to his voice giving a sense of mystery. Tyrone Power did a wonderful job of breathing life into a man who was larger than life, and Linda Darnell isn't overwhelmed by her role or her character.

The sets are a major part of the film. You can almost taste the trail dust. Filming on location adds to the power of the film, and the black and white gives the film an Ansel Adams feel. You see the long trails across the long plains, plus the ragged Rocky Mountains. While they were filming, there was an actual outbreak of crickets in Nevada, so they sent a camera crew out, and you are seeing the real thing!

True to all historical fiction, this film's history is subservient to the fiction. For those wanting the facts, I suggest Leonard Arrington's aptly-titled "Brigham Young: American Moses." For a sample of his theology, there is "Discourses of Brigham Young," compiled by John A Widtsoe.

The film in itself is a good, especially for the AMC and Turner Classics fans that like films that wisely omit the salacious sex, machine gun profanity, or scene after scene of computer generated effects that glitz in an attempt to cover up a feeble story line. This is good, solid Americana film that hearkens back to the days of pre-cause-oriented Hollywood.

MORMON HISTORY INEPTLY DEPICTED
It was inevitable that sooner or later Darryl F. Zanuck would light upon the history of the Mormons for one of those grandoise movie epics on which his name is a U.S. trademark. This picture, from a story by Louis Bromfield, is actually more honest than many other Zanuck epics of the day - which really isn't saying much! The picture cost a whoppin (in 1940) 2.5 million dollars to make; you would think that they could have done more research in order to make the story more historically accurate. It's fatuous, dull and false. Its tepid love story between Linda Darnell and Tyrone Power is irrelevant, as it serves only to "gum" up the flow of action. More serious is its frightened skirting of the subject of polygamy, which for half a century kept the Latter Day Saints and the U.S. Government in state of warfare. Only once - and then in jest - is polygamy mentioned, and only two of uxorious Brigham Young's 27 wives shown (and only one is clearly designated as his wife). The migration of the Mormons across 1,384 miles of prairie and desert in search of religious freedom is a subject interesting to watch on film, however. Many of them walked on foot, were killed by Indians, died of starvation or merely perished in the brutal blizzards. Those who fought their way through mountain passes to Salt Lake Valley were determined to make a great city rise out of arid wasteland; here, at least Zanuck caught the spirit of these intrepid builders of a new world.

Nice story, but historically off base.
When I first saw this movie on the shelf at our local video store, I had to see it. Being a mormon myself and an LDS Church history buff, I had to see how Hollywood depicted my ancestors. The basic plot to the story is correct. The mormons were driven out of Nauvoo, Il., by angry and violent mobs, but the rest of the story is lacking in any real historical basis. Nice to see Hollywood recognizing a true and potentially a good American story to tell, I just wish they could get the facts straight. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As the sole movie co-starring Hollywood's only First Couple, Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis, Hellcats of the Navy is either a privileged artifact or a hootworthy campfest, depending on your politics.Reagan plays a submarine ("hellcat") commander in the Pacific during World War II; Davis is the game little nurse back on shore who's decided he's (this is a quote) "Mr. Right."They share maybe eight minutes among the film's 82.Reagan's commander is a pretty glum guy, making unpopular life-or-death decisions into which his executive officer (Arthur Franz) reads nasty personal motives.This is a B movie all the way: drab supporting cast, script and direction that can't even get the cliches right, and bland studio footage of the actors intercut with speckly stock action shots and blatant miniatures exploding.Any contemporaneous episode of the syndicated TV series The Silent Service got more sense of excitement and wartime pressure aboard a submarine.Now if only the DVD had included that classic Saturday Night Live takeoff with Ron Reagan Jr. time-traveling back to the Hellcats set to spark the romance between dad (Randy Quaid) and mom (Terry Sweeney)....--Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Standard B-movie fare, nothing remarkable
Is it a horrible movie? I have seen much much worse than this. Does it merit 5-star ratings? You have got to be kidding me. If not for the fact that the stars went on to become President & First Lady, nobody would remember this movie any more than the countless number of B movies that were being churned out at this time.

It is interesting from the standpoint of Ronald Reagan's movie career, which was rapidly drawing to a close. Movies like this are indicative of an actor whose film offers were become less & less frequent and desirable, and it explains in part why Ronald Reagan would shortly thereafter leave Hollywood behind once & for all.

Do you want to kill a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon? You could do worse, for sure. But let's be real and recognize this movie for the unremarkable work that it is.

Excellent, nothing bad!
Excellent movie with nothing dirty in it. A good WWII movie. Good acting by both Ronald and Nancy Reagan and the others.

Excellent WWII submarine movie! Good action sequences.
This movie addresses the issue of what it takes to be a good wartime commander. Exciting enemy encounters, good account of a few social interaction between the swabbies and their families. It's an excellent movie despite public ridicule of former President Ronald Reagan's acting (His real-life wife is in it too). It leaves you with a sense that you have learned something, especially after watching it a second time.

Ronald Reagan's last film role as a hero (and Nancy too!)
The "Hellcats of the Navy" are a special branch of the U.S. Navy Submarine Service who did Special Ops. Commander Casey Adams (Ronald Reagan) and the U.S.S. Starfish are sent to bring back sample Japanese mines for the Navy to study. The mission succeeds, but Adams is forced to abandon one of his frogmen, the popular Wes Barton (Harry Lauter). The boat's second in command, Lt. Commander Don Landon (Arthur Franz) second-guesses the captain's decision, since Barton had made advances to the skipper's girlfriend, nurse Helen Blair (Nancy Davis). Landon becomes even more unhappy when he learns Adams turns in a report that says he is a good junior officer but is emotional unfit for command (yes, parts of this movie are going to remind you of "U-157" while others are reminiscent of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"). On the return mission, the Starfish is lost, but Adams, Landon and some of the men are rescued. Finally, after another successful mission their new sub gets a wire entangled in the rudder and Adams goes below in a diving suit to fix the problem. When a Japanese destroyer bears down on the sub, Landon gives the order to submerge, leaving Adams behind.

This 1957 film directed by Nathan Juran, has the virtue of being based on a novel, "Hellcats of the Sea," written by a couple of Admirals, Charles A. Lockwood (played by Maurice Manson in the film) and Hans Christian Adamson. While it owes its place in cinematic history to the fact it is the only film in which Ron and Nancy Reagan appeared together, the strength of "Hellcats of the Navy" is the treatment of command decisions and the morality of leadership. This is a movie that you would have thought would have been produced during or shortly after World War II, but since it deals with secret operations it is not a story the Navy would have passed on until years later. This is not a great WW2 submarine film like "Destination Tokyo," but it is not a bad one by any means. Oh, and the scenes between Ron and Nancy? Well, the romantic sub-plot is pretty minimal and their scenes end up being minor curiosities that are somewhat flat when compared to the shots of them just looking at each other during their years in the White House.

Highly Underrated Movie!
I am writing this review to correct a previous reviewer. Instead of discussing the pros and cons of this movie "laddie5" simply engaged in a character assassination of Ronald and Nancy Reagan. Having actually seen this movie, I can tell you that it is definitely a good one--and also highly underrated! The movie was well adapted from a novel by Vice-Admiral Charles A. Lockwood. In other words, the movie creates a very good image of what it was like on a WWII submarine. Furthermore, the acting is not stiff! The characters all really get into their roles and everything goes smoothly. I strongly recommend this movie to everyone and hope that my fellow reviewers will be more objective from now on. ... Read more

Description

On the eve of World War II, Federal agents Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette are sent South of the Border to help foil the plans of foreign spies attempting to gain control of Mexican oil fields. Full of action, humor and music, this 1939 release introduced both the title song and teen performer Mary Lee to movie audiences. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Singing Cowboy Scuttles Subs and Spies
One of the most interesting concepts used by the "B" movie westerns of several production companies in the 1930s,40s, and 50s (notably Mascot and Republic) was the juxtaposition of the Old West shoot-em-up with 20th century gangsterism or espionage. Numerous Republic western features and serials go this route successfully, among them the Roy Rogers sabotage thriller "King of the Cowboys", and the Sammy Baugh nazis-in-a-zeppelin serial "King of the Texas Rangers".
Without doubt one of the best of these is this 1939 Gene Autry vehicle. It is a great blend of romance, action, comedy,adventure, and intrigue, with perfectly proportioned doses of each. Well acted throughout, it is a story that casts
Autry as a U.S. government undercover agent (as is "Frog Millhouse"???) sent "Southof the Border" into Old Mexico...and to the offshore oil producing island of "Palermo"...to thwart the efforts of a cell of foreign agents (Nazis by implication), who are trying to overthrow the local government and push through the rights to the use of a harbor considered ideal for submarine operations "in the event of war".
Needless to say, Gene & Frog don't think this a good idea and proceed to bring these conniving baddies to heel.
In the meantime Gene manages to fall in love with a beautiful Mexican girl whose brother (played by the wonderful Duncan Renaldo) has fallen in with the spy gang, and leads a good-bad-guy/bad-good-guy life deluding himself that he is a great patriot and that his "friends" will set him up as "El Presidente" of a new republic "after the revolution". Of course he pays for this foolishness with his life.
There are good songs in this movie, and a great duet on one of them, "Goodbye Little Darlin'", by Autry and teenage singing star of the period, Mary Lee.
And, of course, there is the title song, a classic standard.
It was introduced by Autry in 1939 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Response was ecstatic and a record was cut and issued immediately to huge sales. Herbert Yates at Republic snapped up the rights and put it into film production almost immediately.
The story line of the movie incorporates the story line of the song and fills it out in context. It reveals that the reason Autry failed to keep his rendezvous with his inamorata was this sudden secret mission. And the "veil of white by candlelight" is her way of seeking atonement for her brother's treachery and disgrace to her family. This last element makes for a poignant ending to the film that lifts it far above typical B-western con-ventions. Autry returns heavy hearted from his last view of his sweetheart, and rejoins Frog, Mary Lee, and yet another young woman who has fallen for him (and who obviously relishes his return) for a farewell ride out of Mexico.
The restoration of this film on the DVD is excellent. The photography is marvelous and the sound superb (giving one a clear
hearing of both the music AND the crisp,trademark bark of a Republic gunshot). The stuntwork, as would be expected, is first rate, in particular a sequence involving chasing oil trucks on a back road on horseback, overtaking them...and then taking OVER them. Smiley Burnette even looks like an "action man" (or his double does) in this sequence. The musical orchestrations are, as to be expected with Republic, first rate.
All in all, a real goody. If you are into westerns, and especially into Republic "B" outputs, don't pass "South of the Border" by. Pop it in the player, grab your popcorn and ENJOY!

An Autry Classic !
1939 was an incredible year for movies, even the so-called "B movies". Many consider "South of the Border" to be the absolute peak of Gene Autry's Republic films. It was a huge hit, and it is no accident that several other Autry films are set in Mexico.

At this point in his career, Gene's popularity was so great that he ranked with the top "A movie" stars at the box office, like Clark Gable, Mickey Rooney and Spencer Tracy--not bad for a singing cowboy ! In this film, Gene never looked better, singing the famous title song, and other numbers as well. He receives fine support from long-time sidekick, Smiley Burnette, Duncan Renaldo ( later, TV's "Cisco Kid" ), two lovely leading ladies, June Storey and Lupita Tovar, and that incredible bundle of teenage talent, Mary Lee.

Except for the charisma and star quality of Gene himself, Mary Lee--at least to this reviewer--steals this movie. She was, as they say, a "natural"--a good actress, had a sparkling personality and a terrific singing voice that would have given even Judy Garland a run for her money ! It will always be a mystery to me why Mary Lee--in an age where musicals were so popular--did not become a major star. At least we have her performance in this film--and several other Autry titles--to enjoy.

The plot here is a strange mix of romance, comedy, spies, revolutions, submarines--but with Gene and his co-stars on hand, you really don't care if everything makes sense--you are having too much fun !

The 64-year old film has been restored beautifully--another winner from Image. If you like Gene Autry and musical westerns, this DVD should have a place of honour in your collection. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Actually three and a half stars
This review refers to the Alpha Video (Gotham) DVD.

Overall Quality of DVD: **1/2 /**** Sound: ** /**** Plot: **1/2 /**** Acting: ***/**** Cinematography: ***/**** Direction: **1/2 /****

The story is surprising in the fact that it deals with concern for conservation , the environment and treatment of native indians.

Of course, the oil companies paid no attention then nor now.

All the actors do very well - nothing great but very solid. Director Stuart Heisler is a good "B" director but I disagree with the reviewer that stated he "MADE" Susan Hayword a star. If anything Susan Hayword made him look decent just as Humphrey Bogart does with "Tokyo Joe".

The rear-projection scenes of the oil fields on fire are nearly flawless - I mean, I could not note the telltale signs of rear-projection (things appearing out of proportion or hazy etc.).

In my opinion, it's worth the asking price.

Conservation first
One will say one more film about oil in Oklahoma. But this film is different. It brings together several questions that are extremely important. First the alliance between the white entrepreneurs and the Indians. The Indians are divided on the question of the conservation of their land as grazing land, as cattle-raising land due to the easy money oil brings in. We will note that justice does not hear conservationist arguments. Second the position of women in this adventure and women are shown as entrepreneurial just like men, equal to men, though they can use their charms to convince people of the value of their decisions, not force but soft conviction. Third the problem of conservation : how can the land not be ruined and wasted by oil exploitation ? The answer is to do it in a non-intensive way because this intensive method gets a lot of oil in a short period of time, but it also ruins the land through pollution. The answer is in an exploitation that leaves the land clean and usable all the time for cattle or other activities. Then the money brought in is less massive in a short period of time but regular for a long period of time. Such a way is defended by scientists and engineers but opposed by entrepreneurs. It is an accident that will determine the state and various congressional representations to regulate oil exploitation in such a way that nature is not spoiled. Fourth oil culture is not just the exploitation of crude oil, but it creates a whole network of services and roads for the cars that use that oil to run and refill when necessary. It is a structurizing activity whose social consequences are extremely far-reaching. A very well done film on very modern issues. Conservation must be a major objective of man on earth : think of the long-run future instead of the short-term profit.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

firewater
Director Stuart Heisler must have liked Susan Hayward because he cast her in 3 films - Among the Living, Smash up - The Story of a Woman, and this one, so in a way he is responsible for elevating her to A level productions. This one hovers in between a B and an A, independently produced, and using a lot of rear projection. The material is interesting in it's view of the American Indian, here presented as land owners and cattle ranchers, with Heisler beginning with a montage of the different kinds of Indians, and Hayward being 3/4 Cherokee. Presumably this is want accounts for her "wildcat" quality.
The screenplay by Frank Nugent and Curtis Kenyon, suggested by a story by Richard Wormser, is a cautionary tale of the emergence of oil drillers in Oklahoma and the effect they had on the environment of the cattle ranchers. We begin with the accidental death of Hayward's father, as the opportunity to hear the anti-oil lobby. However Hayward's form of revenge seems a direct violation of the conservation stance of her descendants, as she enters the oil business to be more successful than her main competitor, the man she blames for her father's death! Robert Preston appears as a "rockhound" engineer who helps Hayward strike oil, and matters reach a climax when she must decide whether to drill the property of her father's Indian friend, Pedro Armendariz.
The notion of Armendariz as a "crazy Indian" is introduced when he refuses to have his land drilled, he is threatened with being declared "mentally incompetent", and Heisler provides an extended and laboured use of montage to suggest his mental breakdown as he drives through fields of oil drilling towers and starts a fire laughing maniacally. Armendariz' view however is seen as a minority as other Indians seem happy to sell as much oil from their property and overlook the "smaller short term profit".
Of course, it is this very issue that produces conflict between Hayward and Preston, with Hayward's ambition seen to be clouding her true nature.
Preston's romantic interest in Hayward is somewhat a surprise considering the way she humiliates him at their first meeting, though I suppose men had to be tougher than usual in the period, but what is more humiliating is the way Preston out-acts her. Here Hayward relies upon big smiles and profile turns for charm, though her yelling at Preston at one point is unexpectedly loud.
Heisler uses horizontal slides, mini-montages, the unbearably bucolic singing of Chill Wills, Freudian symbolism in Hayward drinking from a large glass of brandy in front of Preston, and African-American servants for when Hayward hosts a society party, where Armendariz is a guest in tuxedo. We never actually see a servant serve him, since perhaps the irony would be too much.

Outstanding Performances
This little gem, starring Susan Hayward & Robert Preston is a real bargain at this price! I've seen it a few times & still find Ms. Hayward's performance mesmerizing. Robert Preston, who is usually known for his musical roles(especially The Music Man)is superb as the oilman she becomes involved with. Very highly recommended, especially for Hayward fans. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Actually three and a half stars
This review refers to the Alpha Video (Gotham) DVD.

Overall Quality of DVD: **1/2 /**** Sound: ** /**** Plot: **1/2 /**** Acting: ***/**** Cinematography: ***/**** Direction: **1/2 /****

The story is surprising in the fact that it deals with concern for conservation , the environment and treatment of native indians.

Of course, the oil companies paid no attention then nor now.

All the actors do very well - nothing great but very solid. Director Stuart Heisler is a good "B" director but I disagree with the reviewer that stated he "MADE" Susan Hayword a star. If anything Susan Hayword made him look decent just as Humphrey Bogart does with "Tokyo Joe".

The rear-projection scenes of the oil fields on fire are nearly flawless - I mean, I could not note the telltale signs of rear-projection (things appearing out of proportion or hazy etc.).

In my opinion, it's worth the asking price.

Conservation first
One will say one more film about oil in Oklahoma. But this film is different. It brings together several questions that are extremely important. First the alliance between the white entrepreneurs and the Indians. The Indians are divided on the question of the conservation of their land as grazing land, as cattle-raising land due to the easy money oil brings in. We will note that justice does not hear conservationist arguments. Second the position of women in this adventure and women are shown as entrepreneurial just like men, equal to men, though they can use their charms to convince people of the value of their decisions, not force but soft conviction. Third the problem of conservation : how can the land not be ruined and wasted by oil exploitation ? The answer is to do it in a non-intensive way because this intensive method gets a lot of oil in a short period of time, but it also ruins the land through pollution. The answer is in an exploitation that leaves the land clean and usable all the time for cattle or other activities. Then the money brought in is less massive in a short period of time but regular for a long period of time. Such a way is defended by scientists and engineers but opposed by entrepreneurs. It is an accident that will determine the state and various congressional representations to regulate oil exploitation in such a way that nature is not spoiled. Fourth oil culture is not just the exploitation of crude oil, but it creates a whole network of services and roads for the cars that use that oil to run and refill when necessary. It is a structurizing activity whose social consequences are extremely far-reaching. A very well done film on very modern issues. Conservation must be a major objective of man on earth : think of the long-run future instead of the short-term profit.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

firewater
Director Stuart Heisler must have liked Susan Hayward because he cast her in 3 films - Among the Living, Smash up - The Story of a Woman, and this one, so in a way he is responsible for elevating her to A level productions. This one hovers in between a B and an A, independently produced, and using a lot of rear projection. The material is interesting in it's view of the American Indian, here presented as land owners and cattle ranchers, with Heisler beginning with a montage of the different kinds of Indians, and Hayward being 3/4 Cherokee. Presumably this is want accounts for her "wildcat" quality.
The screenplay by Frank Nugent and Curtis Kenyon, suggested by a story by Richard Wormser, is a cautionary tale of the emergence of oil drillers in Oklahoma and the effect they had on the environment of the cattle ranchers. We begin with the accidental death of Hayward's father, as the opportunity to hear the anti-oil lobby. However Hayward's form of revenge seems a direct violation of the conservation stance of her descendants, as she enters the oil business to be more successful than her main competitor, the man she blames for her father's death! Robert Preston appears as a "rockhound" engineer who helps Hayward strike oil, and matters reach a climax when she must decide whether to drill the property of her father's Indian friend, Pedro Armendariz.
The notion of Armendariz as a "crazy Indian" is introduced when he refuses to have his land drilled, he is threatened with being declared "mentally incompetent", and Heisler provides an extended and laboured use of montage to suggest his mental breakdown as he drives through fields of oil drilling towers and starts a fire laughing maniacally. Armendariz' view however is seen as a minority as other Indians seem happy to sell as much oil from their property and overlook the "smaller short term profit".
Of course, it is this very issue that produces conflict between Hayward and Preston, with Hayward's ambition seen to be clouding her true nature.
Preston's romantic interest in Hayward is somewhat a surprise considering the way she humiliates him at their first meeting, though I suppose men had to be tougher than usual in the period, but what is more humiliating is the way Preston out-acts her. Here Hayward relies upon big smiles and profile turns for charm, though her yelling at Preston at one point is unexpectedly loud.
Heisler uses horizontal slides, mini-montages, the unbearably bucolic singing of Chill Wills, Freudian symbolism in Hayward drinking from a large glass of brandy in front of Preston, and African-American servants for when Hayward hosts a society party, where Armendariz is a guest in tuxedo. We never actually see a servant serve him, since perhaps the irony would be too much.

Outstanding Performances
This little gem, starring Susan Hayward & Robert Preston is a real bargain at this price! I've seen it a few times & still find Ms. Hayward's performance mesmerizing. Robert Preston, who is usually known for his musical roles(especially The Music Man)is superb as the oilman she becomes involved with. Very highly recommended, especially for Hayward fans. ... Read more