Reviews (98)

Solid, entertaining classic restored
It's a fun movie. You can argue with the the "science"; you can argue with some of the optical effects (the use of poorly matted lizards vs. stop motion animation is a minor drawback to the film)and you can argue with some of the deviations from Verne's classic novel but none of this off sets the sheer aura of fun that surrounds this 50's classic. Made at the tail end of the science fiction boom that made the cinema profitable again during the threat of television, Journey succeeds through the top flight direction, witty dialog and performances of the cast.

James Mason is perfectly cast as Professor Lidenbrook and Arlene Dahl plays his spirited romantic interest. The plot is fairly well known so I'll stick to the quality of the film, restoration and DVD transfer. Pat Boone's career as an actor was often blighted by his singing career. He wasn't considered a "serious" actor. He gives a energetic performance that counter balances Mason's intense take as Liddenbrook.

The direction by Hollywood vet Henry Levin sparkles with a number of inventive set pieces. Michael Todd's spare no expense production allows this lavish production to continue to shine nearly 45 years later. The art direction is often imaginative and, despite the limitations of the time, manage to convey the wonder of Verne's original novel.

The optical effects are quite good half a century later. The matte paintings and miniatures still allow one to suspend disbelief and sink into the world portrayed here. The use of redressed lizards for the grand finale does undermine the conclusion a bit. Surprisingly, Todd and director Levin opted for using this approach instead of the more time consuming stop motion animation of Ray Harryhausen or Willis O'Brien. Although it would have delayed the film a bit and increased the budget as well, this brief sequence would have been more believable and lively if it had been made using O'Brien or Harryhausen.

All of this would have been to no avail if not for Bernard Herrmann's moody, inventive and idiosyncratic score for the film. Herrmann's best scores (North by Northwest, Psycho, Citizen Kane among many other classic scores)helped elevate the quality of many films. Hitchcock, Welles, Ray Harryhausen, Brian DePalma and Martin Scorese all recognized that Herrmann's scores were important characters in the films they directed.

The transfer is beautiful given the age of the original negative and condition of many of the films from this time frame. While the restoraation isn't as rich as that given to cinematic classics like Vertigo and Spartacus, the film benefits from the restoration efforts. The colors are vibrant and rich and, with few exceptions, the transfer is sharp and not as grainy as one would expect (particulary during the optical effects sequences).

The DVD transfer is quite good as well. Again, grain problems to crop up now and again and the widescreen transfer isn't flawless but these are fairly minor complaints. Fox has, on the whole, done a marvelous job restoring this classic adventure film. Sadly, Mason, director Levin and Todd are all deceased so we don't get any first person observations about the production of the film on a second audio track. Since Pat Boone is still very much with us, it would have been interesting to hear his memories on the production of this fine film.

I have very fond memories of watching this on the 3:30 Afternoon movie on KGO-TV in San Francisco (and, if memory serves, a couple of times on John Stanley's Creature Feature program as well). It's a perfect rainy day Saturday movie. It's enjoyable for the kids and, yes, even for this adult despite the wonderous explosion in visual effects over the years. While you're at it, you might also enjoy Jon Amiel's The Core an update of sorts of this classic film. Amiel's film vividly recaptures the sense of wonder and power of this type of film with his modern day take on the same theme.

Grand "Cinemascope" family entertainment from the 1950s!
OK, there's been some controversy here about the quality of this release, so let me put it to rest. This DVD is spledid! I think this adaptation of Jules Verne's 1864 French novel is a prime example of 1950's wide-screen motion picture family entertainment -- it's wholesome and has a little something for everyone. This is the best film version of this story, the most recent of which was done for the USA Channel on cable in 1999 and was very campy. They couldn't match the 1959 production values of this 20th Century-Fox film that has excellent color photography and art direction, and Bernard Herrmann's wonderfully atmospheric music score. These elements have continued to make it a favorite with fantasy film fans who can appreciate older movies, though it's true that some of it is silly at times, but I don't think the film's makers were trying for a serious movie. It also contains one of James Mason's best performances (He was always good). It's wonderful "Cinemascope" escapism from the bygone Eisenhower-era of the 1950s. Even though I've been watching it on TV since I was a kid in the sixties, I'd only seen pan&scan versions, and it wasn't until I got it letterboxed on laserdisc that I finally saw what a big-screen entertainment this movie was meant to be. It has splendid scope and a score by Bernard Herrmann that takes you right down into the bowels of the earth. Listen to it and you'll notice what I mean, as the movie progresses the music keeps going into a lower and lower register. Five organs were used, including one meant for a Cathedral. (The complete original recordings of the score are available on CD from Varese Sarabande.) Sure it's long in the telling and takes a while to get you down that extinct volcano in Iceland, but it's fun all the way with great special effects work by L.B. Abbott and matte paintings by Emil Kosa Jr. It's been a long wait for this to come out on DVD but it's now worth it. Although Fox should have known that fans would want more extras, including a production and poster still gallery and audio commentary by Pat Boone and Arlene Dahl perhaps?, or an expert on the production? (Perhaps we'll get it in a future release?), they have thankfully included the original theatrical trailer, whic is a lot of fun. They've also gone to great efforts to restore the color negative, and this 16X9 ANAMORPHIC TRANSFER has been struck from a newly made interpositive print, and has been further enhanced with digital video. The original 4-track MagOptical soundtrack is here offered in Dolby Digital 4.0 surround. Although the directionalized dialogue is often off the mark, the aged soundtrack sounds great and will really rumble your room if you've got a subwoofer. If you are a fan of 1959's JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, you'll be very happy with this DVD. I'd give this DVD five stars but for Fox skimping on the extras. Boy, you people at Fox can be real dummies!

A film for the whole family
Fox Studios was so successful with this film that they immediately made another Verne classic, "The Lost World" with Claude Raines as Professor Challenger. "Lost World" didn't fare as well. The reasons were obvious.

"Journey" was put together by a team of Hollywood professionsls at all levels: script, direction, actors, production deisgners. They were all dedicated to one goal: to entertain the audience while not pandering to them. The actors take their roles seriously, bringing them to vivid life.

This is a long film for a general release, family oriented project. It goes into good, solid character development, rather than settling for action over story, as they did with "The Lost World." The only thing both films have in common appear to be dinosaurs.

The special effects are excellent. Try not to compare them to what can be computer-generated today. Matte painting artists of the old Hollywood studio system could truly be called artists; this film is a prime example of this art.

Bernard Hermann's score is one of the true stars of the picture. It supports the film; it is like a character all its own; it complements the story rather than overpowering it.

This is a movie that can be seen over and over through the years and it still appeals. Once again, the DVD format presents the film in its original CinemaScope aspect ratio, which is the only way to appreciate a truly excellent example of the old Hollywood in its finest form.

all time classic
i remember seeing this movie as a re-release in t he 1960's
these are the type of movies that should never be put to dvd,
instead released to the theatres every so often where
mom's can drop off the kids for saturday afternoon fun.
james mason did a great job
alene dahl was hot to trot
pat boone played a 2nd fiddle good performance
thayer david ( what a wimpy creep..!)

Rated "G" for "Great"
This movie captured my imagination as a child, and I'm pleased to say that it retains all its adventurous charm twenty-five years later.

Based loosely on the Jules Verne novel, the movie tells the story of a group of scientists (and a scientist's widow ... and a hunky Icelander ... and a duck) as they follow the trail of a long-dead explorer into - wait for it - the center of the Earth. The film is partly a vehicle for Pat Boone's singing career, partly an excuse to design one fantastic set after another (partly filmed in Carlsbad Cavern National Park), but it's mostly a decent adventure story with the ever-wonderful James Mason leading the way. Sure, some effects are poorly done with blue screens, matte paintings, and miniatures (not bad by late '50s standards, though), but it doesn't take much suspension of disbelief to get into spirit of the thing (my 4-year-old screamed at the Dimetrodons), and an emotional connection is built between the audience and the characters (Count Saknussem's fate is richly deserved). Be sure to watch for Alfred the Butler (Alan Napier) as a University of Edinburgh dean.

The limited bonus materials are all worthwhile (as opposed to DVDs that cram in the extras, mostly mediocre). Included are movie trailers for nine Fox sci-fi movies (Sean Connery's Zardoz must be seen to be believed) as well as the trailer for Journey. The only other bonus is a before-and-after comparison of how the film was restored. There's no documentary showing the process, but the side-by-side and split-screen comparisons help you realize how close this treasure was to being lost.

This is a great film that deserves to be part of anyone's collection. The effects may be dated, but the adventure and characterizations are as powerful today as they were in 1959. If you're looking for a film the whole family can enjoy that isn't so sugary sweet it necessitates a visit to the dentist, Journey to the Center of the Earth fits the bill. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Hollywood's legendary "woman's director," George Cukor (The Women, The Philadelphia Story), transformed Audrey Hepburn into street-urchin-turned-proper-lady Eliza Doolittle in this film version of the Lerner and Loewe musical. Based on George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion, My Fair Lady stars Rex Harrison as linguist Henry Higgins (Harrison also played the role, opposite Julie Andrews, on stage), who draws Eliza into a social experiment that works almost too well. The letterbox edition of this film on video certainly pays tribute to the pageantry of Cukor's set, but it also underscores a certain visual stiffness that can slow viewer enthusiasm just a tad. But it's really star wattage that keeps this film exciting, that and such great songs as "On the Street Where You Live" and "I Could Have Danced All Night." Actor Jeremy Brett, who gained a huge following later in life portraying Sherlock Holmes, is quite electric as Eliza's determined suitor. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (156)

An Excellent Adaption of One of Broadway's Best
One of the classics of the American musical theater, "My Fair Lady" is brought to us with amazing grace and sensitivity by legendary dirctor George Cukor. This musical has it all: a classic score by Lerner and Loewe (including "I Could have Danced All Night," "The Rain in Spain," and "Get me to the Church on Time"), an interesting story, and great characters. Rex Harrison proves to be nothing less then supurb as Henry Higgens, the speach teacher who vows to "never let a woman in my life," but finds himself falling for flower girl Eliza Dolittle. The supporting cast is in top form, with special mention going to the hysterical Stanley Halloway as Alfred P. Dolittle, the charming Wilfred Hyde-White as Pickering, and Jeremy Brett as Freddie. My on real complaint is Audrey Hepburn, who plays Eliza. While she is far from bad, Miss Hepburn has no voice, and I can't stand it when they use another actress to dub the voice of a star. Why can't they just hire a singer in the first place? The part should have gone to Julie Andrews (who originated it on Broadway). All in all, agreat film for the whole family. Check it out!

For the most part, excellent.
First, the wonderful score. Frederic Loewe's glorious music is perfectly complimented by Alan Jay Lerner's lyrics, as on the Broadway and London stages, and almost every song is memorable and great. Second, the gloriously witty script, filled with great lines, many taken directly from Shaw, on whose play "Pygmalion" this was based, and sharp commentary on Britain's class system. Third, the all-around wonderful performances, from Rex Harrison's arch, arrogant, gleeful Henry Higgins to Audrey Hepburn's charming but unrefined flower girl who becomes a sophisticated (and stunning-looking) lady, to Stanley Holloway's lovable amoral father of Hepburn, to Wilfred Hyde-White's Colonel Pickering, to Gladys Cooper's Mrs. Higgins, just as acerbic as her son. Fourth, the much-lauded stunning look of the film, with gorgeously stylized costumes by Cecil Beaton and fine sets by Beaton. All the ingredients are there for a great film, and under George Cukor's direction, that's pretty much what you get.

And yet, the film is noticably flawed. Hepburn, while charming and, of course, stunningly dressed, does not give a bad performance by any means; it's just that she's not overwhemingly sympathetic. And her voice double, Marni Nixon, has a lovely voice, but doesn't really put any emotion into her songs, forcing that ever-present question to re-emerge: Would Julie Andrews, the Broadway and London Eliza, have been a better choice? Also, Nixon and Hepburn really do not sound alike, which is slightly annoying. (Nevertheless, most of Nixon's songs, especially "I Could Have Danced All Night," do come off well, and if Andrews had been cast, there'd be no "Mary Poppins") "On The Street Where You Live," which I consider the best and most beautiful song in the score, is given a rather flat reading by Bill Shirley, the voice double for actor Jeremy Brett; it is the only song in the movie that is truly forgettable, but that is Shirley's fault entirely, NOT Lerner or Loewe's. Too bad. And yes, the movie is a bit long. But overall, it's a vastly entertaining, enjoyable, romantic, and great experience, just not without flaw. But, oh, well.

How do you do? And which DVD version to buy ...
MFL is a marvellous film about a professor who turns a common flower girl into a lady. It is full of sing-a-long songs and funny moments. It is basically a classic for all the right reasons! Plenty of re-watch factor makes it a film to own.

In 1994, the film was restored and thank the lord they did! The film's negative was almost lost forever. In fact, the film hade had become yellow-tinged and full of scratches, blotches and all the rest! It would have been a very sad day for the movie industry if a flim like this had been lost.

The original DVD that featured this new restoration was released in the late 90's. This DVD included a 9 minute featurette, actor profiles, audio commentary, and Audrey Hepburn singing in 2 scenes.

This original 1-disc DVD has since been updated to a special 2-Disc Edition. Which one to get? I have both so I feel qualified to answer this. The new DVD includes all the features found on the original DVD, except the actor profiles. The new DVD once again includes the restored print but is apparently a new transfer from the restored print. However, according to a report that I have read, the new transfer is not perfect and has aliasing problems throughout. However, the average watcher won't pick up on this detail. If this is an issue to you, purchase the original edition DVD where the transfer has been given two thumbs up! One has to wonder why they bothered transferring a second time.

The advantage of the special 2-Disc Edition DVD is that it includes a 58 minute 1994 documentary hosted by Jeremy Brett (Audrey's love interest in the film). Jeremy is no longer with us, so it's nice to have this as a piece of nostalgia. ON top of this, there are many more features on this disc that aren't included on the original DVD such as footage from the film's premiere, production dinner, as well as discussions with Rex and Audrey.

The choice is easy. If you're a fan of the film and don't care for all the extras, buy the original DVD. You at least get the best transfer. If you do care about having all the extras, buy both!

It's Loverly
The music from "My Fair Lady" makes it easily one of my favorite musicals with "I could have danced all night", "Wouldn't it be Loverly?", "The Street Where you Live", and Stanley Holloway's rousing showstoppers "With a Little Bit of Bloomin' Luck" and "Get me to the Church on Time".

It's well chronicled how much gnashing of teeth surrounded the Hollywood decision to leave out the then-unknown Julie Andrews, who was the new toast of the stage as Eliza Doolittle, and instead cast the more bankable Audrey Hepburn. Hollywood rewarded Ms. Andrews with "Mary Poppins" and an Oscar, and although I'd love to have seen Julie Andrews in this role, 4 decades later I can't complain about Audrey Hepburn.

Rex Harrison's reprises Henry Higgins from the stage, and I frankly can't think of another actor who would bring the same English Arrogance and tongue-in-cheekiness to the role. The interactions between Harrison, Hepburn and Wilfred Hyde-White as Colonel Pickering, especially in the early part of the film, are witty, entertaining, and move the narrative right along without pausing for exposition. The Higgins character is a cad, very full of himself, and he makes the mistake of treating those he feels are socially inferior poorly. The Colonel Pickering character acts as a surrogate for the audience, observing the educated but pompous Professor Higgins and allowing us to feel not TOO badly that poor Eliza has come under the influences of Higgins.

Stanley Holloway recreates Alfred P. Doolittle, Eliza's father, from the stage, and although his character has as many moral deficiencies as Professor Higgins (at one point he shows up at Higgins doorstep hoping to extort money from Professor Higgins for "shacking up" with Eliza) and is much less educated and with a much lower social standing, he is nonetheless a "good ol' bloke" and his moments in the film are among the most memorable, especially the previously mentioned show-stopping musical numbers.

The final act feels a little soap-opera-ish between Jeremy Brett as Freddy fawning over Eliza and Professor Higgins beginning to appreciate her fine qualities at the same time. This portion produces two of the finer musical moments as Freddy sings "On The Street Where You Live" and Higgins croons "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face".

Since George Bernard Shaw died in 1950 it's purely speculative to wonder what he'd have thought about the production of his Pygmalion story. I'm guessing he'd have liked it. If you like musicals, I'm guessing you will too. Enjoy.

2-disc or not two discs
WARNING: All the five stars refer to the movie itself, and does not address the issue of whether paying for the second disc is a rip-off. Five stars for the single disc version was richly deserved. I had half expected the 2 disc version to have DTS since they shifted virtually all the extra features from disc 1 to disc two. The only thing left on disc 1 was the movie, same commentary, same subtitles and audio track. For some inexplicable reason, the single disc version was among the Amazon top 100 discs in 2002 for some time, although it has been
out since the mid-1990s. Amazon's editor was correct when he said the main attraction of the 2nd disc was the 58 minute Documentary hosted by Jeremy Brett. That is about all, folks, and it was a pretty boring documentary. A concise version of this documentary would be "The Fairest Fair Lady" which is already in the single disc version.
You already have the AUDREY HEPBURN VOCALS in the single disc version. The rest of the stuff in disc 2 is usually given away FREE, like in Gladiator, Last Samurai, Master and Commander, where one viewing of the stills is more than enough.
Now, the sellers of disc 2 have actually REMOVED the CAST AND CREW section from the one disc version. This Cast and Crew with filmographies and biographies contain a huge chunk of valuable information including the fact that Audrey's given name was Edda, not Audrey. Do not throw away your one disc version. If you bought the 2 disc version, you might want to buy the single- disc version to find out where Audrey Hepburn was born, won the Oscar and got nominated. What were the other actors like Wilfred Hyde-White doing other than My Fair Lady.
I tell you what I like about the 2 Disc version:
1. the interviews with Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison at the 1963 production Kickoff Dinner, with a couple of jokes from Mr Warner.
2. George Cukor directing Baroness Rothschild: a Henry Higgins coaching Eliza Doolitle parody. The audio track ran for only a few minutes, and I had a new found respect for Directors. Even a Baroness needs lessons in elocution. When I watch the movie again, I will imagine George Cukor speaking using the actors and actresses as his instrument. So that is how Cukor's actresses got their Oscars.
3. The Los Angeles Premiere in B&W is a few minutes of interesting distraction.

The rest of Disc 2 is really scraping the floor of the store-room. For those who already own the single disc edition, and do not have disposable income to burn, get the 2 disc edition of the TEN COMMANDMENTS instead. For the price of 5 commandments (about half the price of the 2 disc My Fair Lady), you will get more than double the info, making it look like "the TWENTY COMMANDMENTS". That is where a second disc is not a money making exercise: thou shalt not steal from gullible dvd buyers.

Rex Harrison Golden Globe Acceptance is a clip from the Andy William's show, where he apologised for not being at the real event, so he accepted it on AW's show. Shame.

Academy Awards Cermony Highlights: just one minute or less of Mr Warner accepting the oscar for best picture.

So two stars for the additional info on disc two. I would buy anything remotely related to my favourite musical, but if I were to search my heart for value added, I would say two extra stars is very very generous. Now, if ever they come out with a DTS version, we will have to throw the whole TWENTY COMMANDMENTS at this bunch of crooks.
Do you really need Martin Scorsese and Andrew Lloyd Weber's comments to supplement your own? ... Read more

Reviews (50)

3 stars for format...
4 stars for the movie, 3 for the DVD.

Love the movie. Remember it from my youth. Highly recommended for young aspiring kings and princes. It's a laughter-filled romp, and Disney at his best for great storytelling, and great character development.

However, this DVD gets only three stars from me because it is in Full Screen format, when the original was widescreen. As usual in these cases, in the tiny print at the bottom of the box, the dreaded words for any 16:9 TV owner:

"This presentation has been modified from the original. It has been formatted to fit your TV screen".

You'd think by now, the studios would get a clue, ESPECIALLY Disney, and release either the original with letterbox, or put both on the disc like so many do... Does anyone here like "Pan and Scan"?

My complaint ends there. It is otherwise a wonderful film to share with your kids... I enjoyed watching it again after so many years, this time with my four-year-old son. We laughed and marvelled together over the antics and magic of the Wizard Merlin, and the adventures of young "Wart". He was ready to see it again as soon as it ended.

Another must-have Disney classic!
I remember the first time I saw this movie. I've always loved Arthurian legends, and in its usual style, Disney puts aside many historical facts in favor of a more entertaining movie, fun for the whole family. Sword in the Stone ranks up in the top 3 of my favorite Disney movies of all time. The characters are well done, Merlin is hilarious, and the artwork and colors are beautiful, making this movie great scenery for the younger kids, and great, enriching fun for the older ones.

A Classic Disney Film that is sometimes overlooked.
This may not be as iconic as some of the other films that the Walt Disney company has made, but it is definately a classic. This gives us a more lighter whimsical look on Camelot. The voice talents are great. The animation is in the classic 60s style that Disney was into at the time. The whole movie is fun. See it, it is not a masterpiece landmark of an animated film but very very good indeed.

My #2 Favorite Disney Movie!
This is my #2 favorite Disney Movie.Sleeping Beauty is My #1 favorite,but just because it is my second favorite does not mean it is not a good movie,because this movie is absolutely great Especially Merlin.He steal's the show with his hilarious Magic spells and his extream intelligence.Merlin's wise talking pet owl Archimedes (who is voiced by the same person as rabbit on winnie the pooh) also is very funny who helps Wart (Future king Arthur) during movie,especially when Merlin turns him into a fish .This is a very good movie your whole family will enjoy.

Disney's 18th Animated Masterpiece!
This 60's Disney film was the last one that Walt Disney cooperated in all the way throughout it's making and theatrical release, he died in the middle of the making of The Jungle Book. The film is really great, and highly entertaining, although not a film I would personally watch over and over. This is the story of Merlin, a kind but a bit grumpy enchanter, on a quest to teach young Arthur that intelligence and strategy are more powerful than brutal strenght, and to teach him about science and math and how to read and write so that someday he'll become the greatest king in England.

The DVD is pretty decent, although the bonus features don't really relate to the film, I have to say that they are just enough to make this DVD acceptable. ... Read more

Description

Award winning movie about a snobby phonetics professor who agrees to a bet that he can take a flower girl and turn her into a high society women. ... Read more

Reviews (156)

An Excellent Adaption of One of Broadway's Best
One of the classics of the American musical theater, "My Fair Lady" is brought to us with amazing grace and sensitivity by legendary dirctor George Cukor. This musical has it all: a classic score by Lerner and Loewe (including "I Could have Danced All Night," "The Rain in Spain," and "Get me to the Church on Time"), an interesting story, and great characters. Rex Harrison proves to be nothing less then supurb as Henry Higgens, the speach teacher who vows to "never let a woman in my life," but finds himself falling for flower girl Eliza Dolittle. The supporting cast is in top form, with special mention going to the hysterical Stanley Halloway as Alfred P. Dolittle, the charming Wilfred Hyde-White as Pickering, and Jeremy Brett as Freddie. My on real complaint is Audrey Hepburn, who plays Eliza. While she is far from bad, Miss Hepburn has no voice, and I can't stand it when they use another actress to dub the voice of a star. Why can't they just hire a singer in the first place? The part should have gone to Julie Andrews (who originated it on Broadway). All in all, agreat film for the whole family. Check it out!

For the most part, excellent.
First, the wonderful score. Frederic Loewe's glorious music is perfectly complimented by Alan Jay Lerner's lyrics, as on the Broadway and London stages, and almost every song is memorable and great. Second, the gloriously witty script, filled with great lines, many taken directly from Shaw, on whose play "Pygmalion" this was based, and sharp commentary on Britain's class system. Third, the all-around wonderful performances, from Rex Harrison's arch, arrogant, gleeful Henry Higgins to Audrey Hepburn's charming but unrefined flower girl who becomes a sophisticated (and stunning-looking) lady, to Stanley Holloway's lovable amoral father of Hepburn, to Wilfred Hyde-White's Colonel Pickering, to Gladys Cooper's Mrs. Higgins, just as acerbic as her son. Fourth, the much-lauded stunning look of the film, with gorgeously stylized costumes by Cecil Beaton and fine sets by Beaton. All the ingredients are there for a great film, and under George Cukor's direction, that's pretty much what you get.

And yet, the film is noticably flawed. Hepburn, while charming and, of course, stunningly dressed, does not give a bad performance by any means; it's just that she's not overwhemingly sympathetic. And her voice double, Marni Nixon, has a lovely voice, but doesn't really put any emotion into her songs, forcing that ever-present question to re-emerge: Would Julie Andrews, the Broadway and London Eliza, have been a better choice? Also, Nixon and Hepburn really do not sound alike, which is slightly annoying. (Nevertheless, most of Nixon's songs, especially "I Could Have Danced All Night," do come off well, and if Andrews had been cast, there'd be no "Mary Poppins") "On The Street Where You Live," which I consider the best and most beautiful song in the score, is given a rather flat reading by Bill Shirley, the voice double for actor Jeremy Brett; it is the only song in the movie that is truly forgettable, but that is Shirley's fault entirely, NOT Lerner or Loewe's. Too bad. And yes, the movie is a bit long. But overall, it's a vastly entertaining, enjoyable, romantic, and great experience, just not without flaw. But, oh, well.

How do you do? And which DVD version to buy ...
MFL is a marvellous film about a professor who turns a common flower girl into a lady. It is full of sing-a-long songs and funny moments. It is basically a classic for all the right reasons! Plenty of re-watch factor makes it a film to own.

In 1994, the film was restored and thank the lord they did! The film's negative was almost lost forever. In fact, the film hade had become yellow-tinged and full of scratches, blotches and all the rest! It would have been a very sad day for the movie industry if a flim like this had been lost.

The original DVD that featured this new restoration was released in the late 90's. This DVD included a 9 minute featurette, actor profiles, audio commentary, and Audrey Hepburn singing in 2 scenes.

This original 1-disc DVD has since been updated to a special 2-Disc Edition. Which one to get? I have both so I feel qualified to answer this. The new DVD includes all the features found on the original DVD, except the actor profiles. The new DVD once again includes the restored print but is apparently a new transfer from the restored print. However, according to a report that I have read, the new transfer is not perfect and has aliasing problems throughout. However, the average watcher won't pick up on this detail. If this is an issue to you, purchase the original edition DVD where the transfer has been given two thumbs up! One has to wonder why they bothered transferring a second time.

The advantage of the special 2-Disc Edition DVD is that it includes a 58 minute 1994 documentary hosted by Jeremy Brett (Audrey's love interest in the film). Jeremy is no longer with us, so it's nice to have this as a piece of nostalgia. ON top of this, there are many more features on this disc that aren't included on the original DVD such as footage from the film's premiere, production dinner, as well as discussions with Rex and Audrey.

The choice is easy. If you're a fan of the film and don't care for all the extras, buy the original DVD. You at least get the best transfer. If you do care about having all the extras, buy both!

It's Loverly
The music from "My Fair Lady" makes it easily one of my favorite musicals with "I could have danced all night", "Wouldn't it be Loverly?", "The Street Where you Live", and Stanley Holloway's rousing showstoppers "With a Little Bit of Bloomin' Luck" and "Get me to the Church on Time".

It's well chronicled how much gnashing of teeth surrounded the Hollywood decision to leave out the then-unknown Julie Andrews, who was the new toast of the stage as Eliza Doolittle, and instead cast the more bankable Audrey Hepburn. Hollywood rewarded Ms. Andrews with "Mary Poppins" and an Oscar, and although I'd love to have seen Julie Andrews in this role, 4 decades later I can't complain about Audrey Hepburn.

Rex Harrison's reprises Henry Higgins from the stage, and I frankly can't think of another actor who would bring the same English Arrogance and tongue-in-cheekiness to the role. The interactions between Harrison, Hepburn and Wilfred Hyde-White as Colonel Pickering, especially in the early part of the film, are witty, entertaining, and move the narrative right along without pausing for exposition. The Higgins character is a cad, very full of himself, and he makes the mistake of treating those he feels are socially inferior poorly. The Colonel Pickering character acts as a surrogate for the audience, observing the educated but pompous Professor Higgins and allowing us to feel not TOO badly that poor Eliza has come under the influences of Higgins.

Stanley Holloway recreates Alfred P. Doolittle, Eliza's father, from the stage, and although his character has as many moral deficiencies as Professor Higgins (at one point he shows up at Higgins doorstep hoping to extort money from Professor Higgins for "shacking up" with Eliza) and is much less educated and with a much lower social standing, he is nonetheless a "good ol' bloke" and his moments in the film are among the most memorable, especially the previously mentioned show-stopping musical numbers.

The final act feels a little soap-opera-ish between Jeremy Brett as Freddy fawning over Eliza and Professor Higgins beginning to appreciate her fine qualities at the same time. This portion produces two of the finer musical moments as Freddy sings "On The Street Where You Live" and Higgins croons "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face".

Since George Bernard Shaw died in 1950 it's purely speculative to wonder what he'd have thought about the production of his Pygmalion story. I'm guessing he'd have liked it. If you like musicals, I'm guessing you will too. Enjoy.

2-disc or not two discs
WARNING: All the five stars refer to the movie itself, and does not address the issue of whether paying for the second disc is a rip-off. Five stars for the single disc version was richly deserved. I had half expected the 2 disc version to have DTS since they shifted virtually all the extra features from disc 1 to disc two. The only thing left on disc 1 was the movie, same commentary, same subtitles and audio track. For some inexplicable reason, the single disc version was among the Amazon top 100 discs in 2002 for some time, although it has been
out since the mid-1990s. Amazon's editor was correct when he said the main attraction of the 2nd disc was the 58 minute Documentary hosted by Jeremy Brett. That is about all, folks, and it was a pretty boring documentary. A concise version of this documentary would be "The Fairest Fair Lady" which is already in the single disc version.
You already have the AUDREY HEPBURN VOCALS in the single disc version. The rest of the stuff in disc 2 is usually given away FREE, like in Gladiator, Last Samurai, Master and Commander, where one viewing of the stills is more than enough.
Now, the sellers of disc 2 have actually REMOVED the CAST AND CREW section from the one disc version. This Cast and Crew with filmographies and biographies contain a huge chunk of valuable information including the fact that Audrey's given name was Edda, not Audrey. Do not throw away your one disc version. If you bought the 2 disc version, you might want to buy the single- disc version to find out where Audrey Hepburn was born, won the Oscar and got nominated. What were the other actors like Wilfred Hyde-White doing other than My Fair Lady.
I tell you what I like about the 2 Disc version:
1. the interviews with Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison at the 1963 production Kickoff Dinner, with a couple of jokes from Mr Warner.
2. George Cukor directing Baroness Rothschild: a Henry Higgins coaching Eliza Doolitle parody. The audio track ran for only a few minutes, and I had a new found respect for Directors. Even a Baroness needs lessons in elocution. When I watch the movie again, I will imagine George Cukor speaking using the actors and actresses as his instrument. So that is how Cukor's actresses got their Oscars.
3. The Los Angeles Premiere in B&W is a few minutes of interesting distraction.

The rest of Disc 2 is really scraping the floor of the store-room. For those who already own the single disc edition, and do not have disposable income to burn, get the 2 disc edition of the TEN COMMANDMENTS instead. For the price of 5 commandments (about half the price of the 2 disc My Fair Lady), you will get more than double the info, making it look like "the TWENTY COMMANDMENTS". That is where a second disc is not a money making exercise: thou shalt not steal from gullible dvd buyers.

Rex Harrison Golden Globe Acceptance is a clip from the Andy William's show, where he apologised for not being at the real event, so he accepted it on AW's show. Shame.

Academy Awards Cermony Highlights: just one minute or less of Mr Warner accepting the oscar for best picture.

So two stars for the additional info on disc two. I would buy anything remotely related to my favourite musical, but if I were to search my heart for value added, I would say two extra stars is very very generous. Now, if ever they come out with a DTS version, we will have to throw the whole TWENTY COMMANDMENTS at this bunch of crooks.
Do you really need Martin Scorsese and Andrew Lloyd Weber's comments to supplement your own? ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Charming and Hilarious Re-telling of the Robin Hood Story
I am not a great Danny Kaye fan, but this movie is one the the very funniest I've ever seen. Everything about it is excellent, from the production values to the songs & lyrics, from the fine quality of actors to the charm and wit of the dialogue and the story. There is literally nothing wrong with this movie. It is fit for all audiences, from the youngest to the oldest members of your family. I remember the first time I saw it, being struck by the fact that all the actors seemed to be having an absolutely marvellous time. Particularly during the Jester's first call at entertaining the court...unforgettable and sheer delight. Every single person on camera looked like they were having a wonderful time just being there. I hadn't seen anything like such a fine emsemble cast since 'All About Eve.' I think it must have been because there were no bad lines, no bad parts, no scenes that didn't work, and everyone had a chance to shine. Having a good material to work with really does make a world of difference. Stars Danny Kaye, Angela Landsbury, Basil Rathbone, and a host of marvellous British actors whose names are right now escaping my memory. Buy it. Keep it. Enjoy it for years.

The Brew that is True...
If one is tired of baudy bathroom humor of the typical comedies one finds today, perhaps "The Court Jester" will satisfy your comical thirst. Set in England during the time of chivalry and knighthood this musical comedy stars Danny Kaye as a ne'er do well circus performer who ends up out"fox"ing the dastardly villains, getting the girl and saving the real king's butt (so to speak). Glynis Johns plays Maid Jean whose stunning beauty and big eyes just make you melt (wow, I wish I'd been born earlier). Basil Rathbone is his typical bad self as the evil Ravenhurst playing it to the hilt! This film pulls out all the comical stops from tongue twisters to hypnosis, magnetism and even a Zorro sword play spoof with Rathbone! This is Danny Kaye's finest and funniest comedy! A must see movie!

Comedy Could Not Better Be!
In the history of the movies, fewer things are more amusing than watching Danny Kaye behave as Danny Kaye. Watching his films was a wonderful part of my childhood,and I remember being at home from High School on the day of his passing. I'm very glad for the legacy he has left us to enjoy.
In "The Court Jester" he couldn't be more in his element as he amuses us with his usual patter numbers clever, tounge-twisting lyrics and sword play, and moves us with his loving care of the orphaned infant heir to the English throne. The scene of his lullabying the baby was shown as a tribute to him at the end of "Entertainment Tonight" the weekend after his death and it was a fitting tribute to him, his love of children, and the childlike sense of wonder he brought to all of his films.
As Kaye's love interest, Jean, a charismatic Glynis Johns is highly complimentary.She is not the sterotypical woman of medeival times, but having been raised as a boy, has a lot of cunning, ingenuity, and an occassional bit of brawn as the leader of those in rebellion against Cecil Parker's evil King.
Angela Lansbury's Princess Gwendolyn longs for true love rather than an arranged marriage. She is firm and decisive in many ways, as she helps bring the tale to a positive conclusion.
As the sourceress, Mildred Natwick leads into some of the film's funniest scenes, including the notorious "Pellet with the poison is in the vessel with the pestle" routine that has become a classic.
Hubert Hawkins' cleverness in seizing the real Court Jester,(John Carradine, a man whom I could never really think of as funny) who was very arrogant, disguising himself in his clothes, and using his tounge-twisting dialogue with the King to cover his tracks is also a riot.
Basil Rathbone as the evil henchmen is a refined villian. It's amusing the way Kaye kept pushing his name out of the way during the opening credits, and I have wondered how often Hawkins' accelerated knighthood ceremony had to be rehearsed before those on the set could stop laughing.

Although the film overlooks the fact that a person can't be hypnotized against their will, the way Hubert Hawkins is, the comedy is generally light, and goofy, doesen't get any saucier than the exposure of an infant's backside, and children will love it.
And as Hawkins reassures us at the beginning,"What starts like a scary tale ends like a fairy tale, and life couldn't possibly better be!"

So funny your cheeks will ache from laughing!!
This is one of Danny Kaye's best. He was so talented and his comic timing is impeccable. The "chalice from the palace" scene is so funny that I have not forgotten it over the years. This movie will get you out of the blues in no time.

You will go and buy this movie and do it like that (snap)!
This is my favorite movie of all time. When I was a kid Danny Kaye movies played every Sunday morning and we would wait the few months until it came around again.

I have never stopped laughing at the scenes, the funny interplay between Danny Kaye and the court and his continual buffonery.

Even kids will love this movie. It starts with a dance routine which is almost like Robin Hood Men in Tights. That is quaint, yet the next scene will take you in and take you on the funniest rides of all time.

Kaye, disquised as an old man who is hard of hearing having a scream fest with the captain of the guard. This few minutes is one of the funniest scenes I have ever witnessed. Then there are just funny scenes that will make you split your sides with laughter from there on out.

The wit it took to bring together this cast and the concept of the movie seems that it will never be outdated.

What Danny Kaye and the rest do here is ascend age and time making this movie appeal to any age group, young or old. I have seen a young family start off thinking this was a silly movie then, taken by the first comedic interaction, launch into continuous laughter. I laugh getting a kick out of watching everyone else laugh too.

This movie is a must for any DVD or VHS library. Share it with your friends, watch it when you are a little too stressed out to do anything else to lighten up your day.

The plays on words, the different fast paced situational scenes that will have you thinking; 'how clever...,' even when you think that Hawkins/Giacommo is at his end, then it gets even funnier. The Chalis with the poisly has the pellet with the pesly......

This movie is so fast paced that you cannot believe you have sat there and laughed for the better part of 90 minutes. The great thing about the DVD, you do not have to worry about watching this over and over again and wearing it out.

This movie has great color and scenery. The imagery is wonderful. You wonder if they really were in a castle.

Laugh and love this movie......I recommend it for school, church and family activities. It is a classic that may become more well known with time. ... Read more

Reviews (140)

"Santos superlativas, Batman!"
I was a little kid when BATMAN was finding new life in reruns and I completely bought it. Since running into the show again (right now on cable's TVland), I've been rediscovering the hilarious camp humor and have been enjoying the fun all over again.

Whether you're a kid or an adult, you should enjoy the DVD of the BATMAN movie. The extras are fun (they've even included a Spanish trailer--hence the title of this review) and the commentary by Adam West and Burt Ward is funny and illuminating.
Howard Stern was right: "Forget those other guys, Adam West is the REAL Batman!"

I was initially disappointed that Julie Newmar wasn't involved--she will always be the hottest Catwoman Gotham City will ever see--but Lee Meriwether looks great in the cat suit (and her Russian is pretty good too).

Travel back to the 1960's, feel like a kid again, and find some new laughs: you can't ask for anymore than that!

SCHMIDLAPP
With the release of BATMAN THE MOVIE on DVD - it easily puts to shame all other releases of any other BATMAN movies on the market (save for BATMAN BEYOND: RETURN OF THE JOKER - a top notch and disturbing noir thriller with great extra's). A clear and clean widescreen transfer of the film with excellent color (everything is just plain snappy and fresh), coupled with solid sound and superior menu interfaces (featuring original vocals by Burt Ward and Adam West)this is a must for any fan of the BATMAN franchise. Highlights on this DVD release feature Adam West and Burt Ward commentary on their experiences and memeories of making both this movie and the series itself - while there are a series of lags and gaps in the commentary, this is a solid commentary overall and will please fans of the series easily (it's fun when Adam and Burt switch between calling themselves by their real names, and then slip into calling themselves Batman and Robin without warning). Perhaps the best feature of the disc is the tour of the BATMOBILE - a car which still has no equal, and still turns heads wherever it goes. The movie is still as goofy and wonderful as it ever was and at once betrays the time it was made, and yet still remains timeless... a feat only a handful movies can lay claim to. BATMAN - THE MOVIE is solid entertainment, fun and and a keeper.

Funny movie!
Okay this movie is very different form the Batman movies that younger audiences may be familiar with but it's still a very good movie altogether. Batman along with his sidekick Robin team up to fight an alliance of criminals The Joker, Catwoman, Two-Face, and Penguin and they must stop them from terrorizing Gotham City. This moive is so incredibly funny! Nothing like the darkness of 1989's "Batman" 1992's "Batman Returns" or even Forever but while it's certianly cheesy, the cheese factor on here is far better than on 1997's horrible "Batman and Robin"! This movie is a must-have but mostly for bat-o-philes.

Missing the Point?
I think a few of the above reviews are really missing the point regarding Batman - The Movie. Is it campy? Of course it is! Is it cheap? Yes! Why were these particular people cast? If you don't know, read on and learn.
Batman, starring Adam West and Burt Ward, was a TV series which ran for like 3 years, twice a week, from 1966 to 1968. After the 1st pretty successful season on American TV, a movie was produced, using the same actors, screenwriters, sets, music, etc. The reason the movie was made was to pre-sell the TV series to the European market. They wanted to make a feature length movie using the same talent and if the movie did well in Europe, they'd be able to sell the series. That's the whole reason this movie was made. Obviously, the producers couldn't make the movie using other actors, cars, etc. It had to fit into the existing very campy, very funny TV series.
The movie is slow at times, the acting IS over the top (most all TV acting was over the top in the 60s and 70s), the plot silly. None of this stuff really matters, because of (and one reviewer has already pointed this out) the sincerity of Adam West and Burt Ward in their roles as the Caped Crusaders. This isn't something they do to keep from spending time with Aunt Harriet. This was deadly serious to them and they showed it. To me the funniest sequence in the movie is the scene where Batman is trying to get a cartoon-type bomb away from various groups of wandering people before the bomb blows up. He runs all around the docks where the scene is set, holding what is obviously a prop bomb with a sparkler attached to it for a burning fuse. He runs to this side of the dock, there's a small group of Salvation Army people, to that side, young lovers, or a family of ducks in the water, etc. All of course, olivious to the bomb or the sight of this crazed man in grey spandex running around WITH a bomb. "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb!"
Anyway, the whole idea of this movie was to cash in on what was considered a flash in the pan TV series. As ratings sagged, they brought in Batgirl, and as sexy as Yvonne Craig was in skintight purple leather, she wasn't enough to hold the US TV audience's attention, and the series folded.
Over the years, I've caught this movie on TV and usually tuned in, as I remembered enjoying the TV series. When the movie came out on DVD, I bought it immediately, and was very pleasently surprised to hear Messers West and Ward giving background commentary during the movie. Also, the DVD menus and features are fascinating, but you HAVE to remember, ALL of this was based on the original TV series (which had the second-coolest Batmobile ever, but the absolute coolest theme music).
I hope this helped some of you who may feel ripped off or were expecting a more "Dark Knight" flavor to your Batman experience. This was the original, and it kept extremely true to its (very budget conscious) television roots. This is what we had back in the 60s to watch on TV, this or Lawrence Welk.

This shows that Batman is over-rated....
They have done a ton of both animation and live action films on Batman, but the character must have a streak of bad story ideas that come with every film. This film was to put it mildly, very campy. The casting or West and Ward was terrible. They tell jokes that are not funny and wear long underwear costumes that make them look like they escaped from a mental hostpital. The villians casting of familar actors was not much better, they read the same corny dialoge from a script that clearly needed a real writer to make this work, but the film makers never bothered with that. The effects work is mostly cheap animation shots done and put on film and it looks like they used a cheap film projector to do that. There was no art direction to speak of in this movie, just a lot of fake sets that had fake machines with lights on them. There are a hundred other things wrong with this movie to speak of, but the main points have already been made...This was a bad movie period. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Classic Old Hollywood
"Random Harvest" is NOT a "tearjerker", as some amazon friends have suggested. In fact, it may be the definitive feel good movie, if the open -minded viewer gives the chance. The two leads, Ronald Colman and Greer Garson carry the story. The fine supporting cast is virtually anonymous, more to their credit. He is a WWI vet, suffering from amnesia. She is the nice girl who nurses him back to health. The plot thickens when Colman is hit by a car- regains his original (!) memory- and forgets about the beautiful, caring Garson. What happens? This reviewer won't give away the rest of the wonderful story. Folks will just have to see this classic and find out but there IS a surprise "reappearance" involved-similar to that by Gene Tierney in "Laura". Watch that office door! (According to Tom O' Neil's "Movie Awards", RH was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Screenplay. The fact that it won NONE of the foregoing is meaningless. It was competing for Oscars with "Mrs. Miniver", which gave Miss Garson an Academy Award for Best Actress and the chance to set the dubious distinction of making the longest acceptance speech in Oscar history). The final RH scenes are golden as Colman retraces his past to the friendly pub where he first met Garson, the old tobacco shop and that little cottage. Maybe it is a bit of a tearjerker- a heartening one. Does anyone seriously believe Hollywood could remake this one? Who would play the Colman role? Tom Cruise? Please! Let's all be grateful to the persons who preserve the old classics like "Random Harvest".

Sometimes good does come from doing the right thing.
Many reviews have called this film "the ultimate tear jerker." I think not. We develop genuine interest in the characters played by Ronald Colman, a WWI English soldier who is a shellshocked amnesiac, and Greer Garson, an English music hall singer. Garson sees Colman wandering dazed and tired on the street, feels sorry for him and takes him under her wing. They fall in love, get married, have a child, and appear ready to live happily ever after as Mr. and Mrs. John Smith.

Up to this point the story interest is Colman's amnesia and Garson's help in making his life living with this affliction bearable. The story takes a dramatic turn when Colman is struck by a taxi in Liverpool and regains his memory, forgetting Garson and their child. In fact he is a rich industrialist and takes up his former life. It appears as if Garson will be forgotten, but we know this is a 1942 Hollywood production and we are only moderately surprised when Garson reappears in his life as his secretary.

By saying this film is not a tear jerker in my opening comments, I have revealed the ending of this film, which while not surprising, given the nature of the film, nonetheless provides dramatic intensity and genuine interest for the viewer.

This is an old fashioned Hollwood film which has stood up well over time. The story may be contrived, but the performances are so good that we are able to take a genuine interest in everything that happens to them. All comes right in the end and we are left with a satisfied feeling that sometimes good comes from being good and doing the right thing.

beautiful and tender
An exquisite romance, a love that survives "for better for worse, for richer for poorer", and a wartime tragedy all make this well written melodrama very engrossing, and it stars two of the most gorgeous and popular stars of their era: Ronald Colman was one of the handsomest men that ever drew breath, with a voice of liquid gold...a voice that helped him make the most successful transition from silent films to "talkies" of any actor, and this was Greer Garson's year, as "Mrs. Miniver" was also released in 1942, which won her a Best Actress Oscar.
There are many unexpected twists to the plot, saving it from being "sappy and sentimental", and it is blessed with lovely cinematography (by Joseph Ruttenberg, who also filmed and received an Oscar for "Mrs. Miniver"), an atmospheric score by Herbert Stothart, and sensitive direction by Mervyn LeRoy.

There are some numbers connected with this film: It is # 36 in the American Film Institute's "Top Romances", it was nominated for 6 Academy Awards (Best Picture and Best Director lost to "Mrs. Miniver", and others were Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress with the excellent Susan Peters as Kitty, Screenplay, and Score), and Ronald Colman was my mother's # 1 heartthrob, as he was for so many women during those golden years of the cinema. Total running time is 2 hours and 7 minutes.
Recommended additional viewing for these two marvelous actors is of course, "Mrs. Miniver", and Ronald Colman as a Shakespearean actor in the superb psychological thriller "A Double Life".

Does anyone remember Greer Garson and Ronald Colman?

This is an old black and white (1942), but that's all we had at one time. It was more than a generation ago--it was the greatest generation ago.

It was the end of the First World War, and the "asylum" for war shell shock cases in Great Britain was full of problems. John Smith was only one of them, He lost his memory due to the horror of war, and escaped the hospital in the excitement of war's end.

Paula (Greer Garson) gave his life meaning again, and then, on a trip to Liverpool, he was hit by a car and lost it once more. But, unfortunately, he lost that which he had most recently lived through--the current three years--and remembered the rest.

There are flaws in the science of memory loss, but the story is good nonetheless.

The story is Garson's effort to help him regain his memory and his lost love.

Colman and Garson were once both great actors--the first rank. This movie was a good one. No filthy language to prop it up, or gutter histrionics, but--strangely enough--they managed to tell the story anyway, in spite of all those restraints.

Once, we appreciated stories like these. Today's audience probably thinks it "corny." I wish we had more of them, but I am, admittedly, a dinosaur.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

Pass the hankie!
This wonderful,extremely romantic movie was made for anyone who is a romanticist at heart.I cannot get enough of Ronald Colman's voice..I can't think of another actor whose inflections are so unique.
The movie itself is wonderfully acted,and although I am not a huge fan of Ms.Garson,she matches Mr.Colman perfectly.
I can't understand why it isn't out on DVD yet!! C'mon,you guys!! ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Marnie, an Alfred Hitchcock Delight
Marnie is an excellent movie with stars Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery (who was at a peak in popularity at the time). Marnie is an excellent suspense story with a shattering climax that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Marnie is about a frigid women who is in fear of bright red colors and thunderstorms.She works at a company for a while and then steals money from the company safe. Her sheme goes well until she comes upon a man who relizes she is a theif (played by Sean Connery). She gives her a choice of marriage or going to jail. She accepts the marriage and during their honeymoon cruse her fridgity almost makes Mark Rutland (who is Sean Connery) rape her. The next day she trys to commit succicide by drowning herself into the pool. When they come back many things occur. Mark Rutland is trying to figure out why Marnie is acting the way she is.Marnie is still constantly in fear in bright red colors and when a bright red color on a mans coat during a hunt causes her horse to go into a dangerous gallop she is followed by Mr. Rutlands sister in law. Her horse is finally stopped when the horse cannot make it over a brick wall. Marnie is forced to kill it with a gun. After the sad loss she trys to rob the safe, but she can't because Mark has caught her. She takes her to her mother's house where she reviews her childhood occurence of when she killed a sailor (played by Bruce Dern). When it was first released the movie was a misfire, but now it is one of best Hitchcock movies ever. The acting is excellent and the Supporting Actors and Actresses. Watch for Hitchcock's Cameo at the very beginning of the movie. This is an excellent movie and it was made by no other then Alfred Hitchcock.

Forgotten Hitchcock Treat!
Considered by many to be one of Hitchcock's worst ( the others being "Torn Curtain", "Topaz", and "Family Plot")but, I think has time has passed, people have rediscovered this film. It's not as bad as many think it is. When watching this film, I think of two previous Hitchcock films, "Spellbound" and "Vertigo". This film is better than "Spellbound" (I've never cared to much for that movie. I always thought that the plot asks us to "accept" too much)but whether it's better than "Vertigo", I don't think many will see it that way. But, it is an interesting piece of work, by the "master". Good performances by Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery ( a bit after his James Bond fame). The scrpit Jay Presson Allen is intriguing. It does offer some moments of suspense and excitment. But it does get a bit confusing between certain moments. It is a fun movie to watch with good acting and a wonderful score by Bernard Herrman, and of course as with any Hitchcock film, the directing is masterfully done. This is a movie all Hitchcock fans have to watch.

The masterpiece that is Marnie
This is my favourite movie, probably because there isn't another film like it. It's a very intellegent and romantic thriller made just before movies started to tackle more 'adult' themes in a more graphic way. Marnie explores these themes but it is done in a romantasised and stylistic manner.

Hitchcock directs brilliantly as you'd expect and manages to coax a real tour de force from Tippi Hendren. Connery is in his prime and Louise Latham is truly staggering as Marnie's mother. The underated (and dead sexy) Diane Baker is also excellent.

I really can't recommend Marnie enough and this DVD is superb (better than the region 2 one).

Hitchcock turns a thief into a victim

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Format: Color
Studio: Universal Studios
Video Release Date: August 3, 1999

Cast:

Tippi Hedren ... Marnie Edgar/Margaret Edgar/Peggy Nicholson/Mary Taylor
Sean Connery ... Mark Rutland
Diane Baker ... Lil Mainwaring
Martin Gabel ... Sidney Strutt
Louise Latham ... Bernice Edgar
Bob Sweeney ... Cousin Bob
Milton Selzer ... Man at Track
Mariette Hartley ... Susan Clabon
Alan Napier ... Mr. Rutland
Bruce Dern ... Sailor
Henry Beckman ... First Detective
S. John Launer ... Sam Ward
Edith Evanson ... Rita
Meg Wyllie ... Mrs. Turpin
John Hart
Alfred Hitchcock ... Man leaving hotel room
Rupert Crosse ... Office worker
Louise Lorimer ... Mrs. Strutt
Kimberly Beck ... Jesse
Carmen Phillips ... Sidney Strutt's secretary
Melody Thomas Scott ... Young Marnie

One of Hitchcock's masterpieces, and like many other of his efforts, a psychological drama.

Marnie (Tippi Hedren) was a kleptomaniac, a compulsive thief. She supported her mother, Bernice Edgar (Louise Latham), who was a stern, domineering person of religious conviction with high standards of personal conduct, and who had turned her daughter into a man-hater.

Enter Mark Rutland (Sean Connery) who marries Marnie, knowing that she is a thief and liar, but unaware of all of her serious hang-ups. However, as the problems begin to surface, he tries to solve them.

Grace Kelly was originally considered for the part of Marnie, but was already the princess of Monaco and her subjects were less than enthusiastic about it, and besides, the picture was being made by Universal while she was still under contract to MGM, so she dropped the idea and never again considered a movie career. This was also an early effort in the career of Sean Connery, before his series as James Bond.

An entertaining film, with good acting throughout, and the excellent direction of Hitchcock, with his usual trademark cameo. You should enjoy the picture.

Bruce Dern plays a focal role, as well, as an unnamed sailor, but it is not an unimportant part.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

Freud Wrote the Script
Hitch was truly angry that Grace Kelly backed out of this project, so Tippi Hedren got the call. Then Hitch made Tippi-Marnie suffer. No director ever played out his psyche in film like Hitchcock. The rape fantasy is central to Marnie. The criminal female mind, both sensual and man hating in its ambiguity is portrayed in Freudian terms. Visually, Marnie is startling to see and familiar to Hitch's fans. The backgrounds, for example, Baltimore Harbor and Marnie's childhood street are beautiful, yet unreal in a plastic sense. I noticed this in Vertigo; a place is somehow more beautiful and possibly ominous because of painted device, careful set, or clothing design that we have not seen except for Spielberg in his space visitor films or Spike Lee in his plastic black neighborhoods, so we always feel while we are viewing that the real world is somehow enhanced. Then there's the details, the way the shots are set up. The camera gradually circles the blonde ice goddess. Give us a close up of the keys in the drawer with the combination and pull back to show the cleaning lady in a split shot with the burglar. Marnie is a psychological thriller and because it plays Hollywood-Freudian, it slows and is stilted or amateurish. Couch time is pretty much a personal drama difficult for a general audience to care about. For all the tribulations uttered on the shrinks couch, the story is still the thing on film. Marnie is predictable and slow to unwind. All the advantages of a slowly unraveling story helped Hitch in Vertigo, but Marnie seems to plod along. Still, Marnie is better than 99% of the films ever made. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This five-hour miniseries, which was hailed as both a critical triumph and a milestone "television event" when it originally aired in 1974, is based on the Leon Uris novel, which itself was based on a libel trial that arose after Uris published his novel Exodus. The fictionalized drama is essentially the story of two men, Dr. Adam Kelno, a Polish doctor who was imprisoned by the Nazis in a concentration camp, and Abe Cady, a successful Hollywood writer who publishes a serious book on the Holocaust that exposes Kelno's past.Playing Dr. Kelno, Anthony Hopkins steals the show, and the nuances he brings to the character keep the audience guessing whether he is in fact a dedicated healer or a diabolical villain intent on papering over a fiendish past. Ben Gazzara is credible as the tough-talking Cady, but when Hopkins leaves the action for a time the film sags and begins to resemble an ordinary TV movie. Eventually the two men's lives come into conflict when Kelno sues for libel. The trial, which takes place in a London courtroom (the "Queen's Bench VII" of the title), seeks to sort out the truth about the past of Dr. Kelno. His precise activities during the war, and how the world deals with his past, receive intelligent and dramatic treatment. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (5)

worth 5 hours of your time
The '70s was the golden era of TV mini-series, and this is one of the better ones that came along, dealing with moral and ethical themes in an intelligent fashion. The performances are generally quite good, especially Anthony Hopkins as a doctor accused of (...) atrocities and writer Ben Gazzara as his accuser, though his character is a little too abrasive and sarcastic to be totally likeable.

On the negative side, there are some shots, especially at the beginning, that are so shaky they look like outtakes from EARTHQUAKE, the Arab characters are played by Caucasians in dark make-up (conjuring up unpleasant memories of Al Jolson in blackface (some aspects of Arabic culture might not be totally authentic, either)), and there is little sense of the writer's effort in creating an epic novel or of the knowledge he uncovered implicating the doctor in (...) experiments (a few minutes of him pounding away at the typewriter in the middle of the night or pouring through piles of documents would have gone a long way toward establishing credibility here). Nevertheless, there are some moments of great power, particularly those involving the doctor achieving recognition for his selfless post-war work, and the writer's painful return to his Jewish faith after the death of his father. Not classic TV, but well worth a few nights of your time.

Great adaptation of a great book
Movie versions of great books typically fall short of expectations, simply because there is no room in two hours to convey the whole message. In this case, however, the version lasts more than 5 hours, so there was time to adapt this wonderful story faithfully. This is done very well and with good attention to detail. Bear in mind, though, that because it was originally a mini series (and therefore meant to be watched in chapters over the course of several nights), the editing is done in "chapters", and it does not play like a normal movie. It really doesn't matter, because we get an opportunity to take breaks along the way without interrupting the flow. And breaks you need, because of the 5+-hour length. All in all, this is a faithful adaptation, and an excellent video.

The Holocaust as Soap Opera
This ham-handed melodrama is notable primarily for Anthony Hopkins' breakthrough performance as a tormented concentration camp surgeon. Amateurishly structured (why couldn't the director have cut back and forth between the two protagonist's lives?) and didactic, QB VII does pick up steam during the actual trial.

Hopkins is excellent throughout as a man attempting to expiate a horrifying guilt through his work as a doctor to nomadic Arabs and poor Londoners. Unfortunately, one can't say the same about Ben Gazzara, who delivers a snide and often bullying performance dripping with excess testosterone. Leslie Caron is hamstrung by a cliched role as a dutiful wife; Lee Remick is simply wasted. Nice acting by opposing counsels Anthony Quayle and Robert Stephens (who, oddly, later played a sadistic SS commandant in "War and Remembrance").

QB VII admittedly labors under the restrictions of early Seventies television -- it's repeated use of the word "testicle" was likely quite daring at the time -- and that may well reduce the power of the story. But certainly the pedestrian script and direction don't help.

Powerful!! Hopkins as doctor accused of being Nazi Dr. Death
This is a fascinating, first rate, astoundingly well acted TV mini-series bringing together two powerful characters -- Ben Gazzara as the Nazi hunter on a mission, and the mesmerizing Anthony Hopkins as the decorated doctor accused of being a Dr. Mengele-type experimenter on human beings in concentration camps during World War II. It is hard to overstate how brilliantly well acted this film is. The story is riveting and hard to step away from even for a moment. If this were a book, it would be a page-turner.

Gazzara has never been better or classier and this is one of Anthony Hopkins' best performances ever. This award-winning movie compares favorably with any other drama on a similar subject, including Marathon Man, Judgment at Nuremberg -- what have you. The movie is bold, disturbing, engrossing -- and pulls no punches regarding the nature of the experiments run in the camps. Not for the squeamish.

I can't recommend this highly enough -- it was riveting television on first run, worthy of being a feature film, but it is richer for being a long-form TV mini-series. Very serious subject matter, and very moving at times -- the wives of the two men are well played, agonizing over their husbands' struggle in court, with Hopkins' wife standing by her husband to the end, and Lee Remick as Gazzara's wife is great as well. The climax is stunning. Treat yourself to a wonderful piece of television and use it to educate a new generation of young people as well!

Great Film!!
QBVII was a TV mini series in 1974 starring Ben Gazzara, Lee Remick and Anthony Hopkins. It is a intriging courtroom drama where Hopkins is being charged with Nazi war crimes.

This is a riveting thriller that has been long overdue on DVD. The only problem I have with the film is overlength. It will keep you watching and guessing till the end. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

FIRST RATE FILM NOIR....
"Criss Cross" has all the classic elements of good film noir. Lust, crime, betrayel, murder, mobsters, the stalwart anti-hero and a sultry femme fatale all in the netherworld of b&w. With crisp direction by Robert Siodmak and a tight script, "Criss Cross" starts on a roll and doesn't stop until the finale. Steve (Burt Lancaster) can't keep away from his ex-wife Anna (Yvonne de Carlo) even after she marries mobster Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea). So he concocts a robbery at the armored car business where he works to throw Slim off the scent. He gets double crossed, winds up in the hospital and ironically labeled a hero by the press. But that's not the end. There's still Slim and Anna. The cast is compelling and reason enough to watch this classic but Siodmak crafted an exciting film as a whole. It seethes with tension, anxiety and a pall of doom seems to hang over everything. The sensual de Carlo is seen to good advantage and is noir perfect as the catalyst for the robbery. When Steve sees Anna dancing in a roadhouse that features a very good rhumba band (Esy Morales and his group), it's exciting because she's really sexy as she dances, tossing her dark hair. Her partner (barely glimpsed) is a young Tony Curtis. The rhumba music is exotic and pulsating and you can see that Steve is one gone dude as he watches her. So much to recommend about "Criss Cross". If you're a noir collector, this is a first rate addition. The DVD looks very good. Enjoy.

Lancaster Hoodwinked
"Criss Cross" could not be a more apt title for the 1948 film noir thriller in which Burt Lancaster is caught in the middle of a double cross orchestrated by Dan Duryea and Yvonne De Carlo. The film marked a reuniting of star Lancaster and director Robert Siodmark, who two years earlier teamed up in the noir classic "The Killers."

Lancaster, playing former armored truck driver Steve Thompson, returns to the tired section near downtown Los Angeles where he lives with his mother and younger brother Richard Long, who would ultimately star on television in "Seventy-Seven Sunset Strip" and "The Big Valley." Thompson left L.A. for one year, hoping to put his painful divorce to opportunistic good time girl Anna, played with fidelity by Yvonne De Carlo in one of her most impressive roles, behind him for good. The returning prodigal convinces no one when he insists that Anna holds no more memories for him, after which he ventures over to the old hangout, a local bar called The Roundup, to look in on the old gang. He tries to convince himself he is not looking for Anna, but realizes how futile his effort is as he spots Anna dancing with Tony Curtis, making his film debut.

The dance ends and so does Curtis' involvement in the picture. A smiling De Carlo spots Lancaster, going over to resume acquaintances. Before long Lancaster learns that Dan Duryea, a favorite film noir heavy, is romancing his ex-wife.

Before long De Carlo marries local mobster Duryea to better herself economically. Even then Lancaster will not lay off, failing to listen to his mother and old neighborhood buddy Steven McNally, now a prominent local police detective. In fact, after McNally, at the behest of Lancaster's mother, warns De Carlo to leave his old friend alone or he will find a reason to run her in, a furious, drunken Lancaster takes a wild swing at his him, then promptly falls to the floor.

The film's shrewd "Criss Cross" occurs when De Carlo and Lancaster reheat their old romance while gangster Duryea is in Detroit on business. De Carlo makes an arranged visit to Lancaster's house with Duryea and his mob cronies, led by John Doucette, arriving shortly thereafter. Needing a quick explanation as to why De Carlo is there, Lancaster, who has gone back to work driving an armored truck, explains to Duryea that they were discussing the possibility of pulling an armored truck holdup. Lancaster explains that such a holdup, while deemed impossible, is possible with the cooperation of someone on the inside, namely himself.

While Lancaster is convinced that he is launching into the criminal world for De Carlo and himself, after which they will be together again, the woman he loves is actively cooperating with Duryea. Eventually she will tell Lancaster, "In this life you have to look after yourself."

Events ultimately spiral out of control after the holdup occurs. Eventually a showdown will occur involving the opportunistic De Carlo and the two men she has used for personal gain, Duryea and Lancaster.

"I never cared about the money," Lancaster morosely muses to De Carlo at one point. "I just wanted you." He learns ultimately that the feeling was far from mutual.

McNally had the whole situation intelligently analyzed. In his last meeting with Lancaster, he exclaims in total frustration, "I should have been a better friend and kicked your teeth in!"

Potent film noir
You may cosnider this film as an authentic elite of this genre.
Lancaster plays the role of a man who hasn't been capable to forget to his ex-wife (Ivonne De Carlo) . She is trying to remake her life and wants to marry with a villain .
This script will become progressive more intriguing till the climax is a shock for the viewer. Robert Siodmak was one of the key film makers all along these decads of creative and dramatic film noir. The essential clues are present here. The hopeless ; the happiness never smiles the guy ; the girl uses to fall in love with the mistaken man ; the long arm of the fate seems to dictate its own rules ; the sinister and dark shadows of the envy , the cruelty and the greed establishes a typified behavior ; the insatisfaction surrounds the couple , and many times it seems to touch the model citizen turning in a evil human being . There are bits of melodramatic concerns but it never becomes in the narrative nucleus.
Lancaster makes a convincing role nnd Curtis makes his screen debut.
If you are a hard fan about this genre. This is for you. There was a remake in 1995 titled Underneath : but you may ignore this last one. It doesn't keep the black and bitter atmosphere of Criss cross . Don't forget another trimph that Siodmak also directed The dark mirror (Olivia de Haviland).

CRISS CROSSED ON A SCANT DVD PRESENTATION
Robert Siodmak's "Criss Cross" is a stylishly bleak, torrid and brilliant ménage a trois of shadowy intersecting lives in which all the multilayered plot entanglements are tainted with a threat of violence and ultimately lead to ruin and betrayal. Burt Lancaster is Steve Thompson, a love-struck mama's boy who returns from a one year sabbatical after his painful divorce from the love of his life, Anna (Yvonne DeCarlo) only to discover that Anna is eager to rekindle their love. The lure is not without its own subtext. Against his better judgment, Steve jumps into the deep end of the pool, so to speak, and once more, ignites his tawdry lust that ends miserably when Anna decides to better herself - financially, at least - by marrying mobster, Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea). But Anna isn't quite ready to give up her playtime with her former husband. When the two are nearly exposed by one of Slim's bodyguards, Steve plots against Slim by saying that the two are planning on an armored-truck robbery, one which results in a maelstrom of greedy, godless passion from which no one escapes.
THE TRANSFER: Universal has done a bare bones job of remastering "Criss Cross" for DVD. The gray scale is very well balanced with deep solid blacks and whites that are clean. There's a hint film grain and some age related artifacts. Also there's more than a hint of edge enhancement and pixelization that tends to distract from a visual presentation that, overall, is a considerable improvement over previously issued VHS tapes.
BOTTOM LINE: There are, unfortunately, no extras on this disc. Nevertheless, it is a good disc to add to your library of classic cinema.

Idealism vs. Realism
In faithful accordance with classic film noir convention (a modus operandi also reminiscent of the Greek tragedies of old), armored truck driver Steve Thompson, protagonist of 'Criss Cross', Robert Siodmark's and Burt Lancaster's follow-up to the outstanding 'The Killers', brings about his own ruin and demise through two primary tragic flaws, namely hopeless infatuation and unfounded optimism.

The object of his affection is his ex-wife Anna, memorably played by the stunning Yvonne De Carlo, whose hubris prompts her to wed sleazy gangster Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea), apparently to spite Steve's detective friend Pete Ramirez (Stephen McNally) for intimidating her the night before. Regrettably I cannot be too sure of this plot point, though, as at the time my attention was solely focused on Miklós Rózsa's wonderfully dark and driving underscore.

Naturally a torrid affair ensues between Mr. Thompson and the now-Ms. Dundee, and -- even more naturally -- they are almost immediately caught together by her new husband, which impels Thompson to divert Slim Dundee's attention by unexpectedly suggesting a heist of his armored truck. It remains somewhat unclear whether this is something he'd been planning all along or just an inspired attempt to weasel himself out being killed on the spot, but the gangsters thankfully decide to go along with it. Crosses and double-crosses follow, Anna somehow escapes with the money, lovesick Steve stupidly leads the mobsters to her hideout, and Slim shoots them both in cold blood.

Undeniably this summary, either through simplification or omission, paints Steve Thomson as a bit of a nitwit, but although he makes some unbelievably bad choices, they are always well-rooted in his character, which screenwriter Daniel Fuchs (working from a novel by Don Tracy, if I'm not mistaken of 'Death Calling Collect' fame) takes great pains to establish in the first third of the story. The real conflict here is one of ideology, Steve being an idealist and Anna being a realist. One Imdb user cites Steve's refusal "to become completely cynical and hard-bitten" as his most admirable feature, likely unaware of the famous H.G. Wells quote that states "A cynic is what an idealist calls a realist." Steve is more than j