Reviews (28)

I fell in love too easily with Anchors Aweigh
Anchors Aweigh is an MGM classic. When you watch it you'll never forget Gene Kelly's dance with the animated mouse, Jerry, Frank Sinatra's crooning of "I Fall in Love too Easily", Jose Itrubi's brillinat playing of the piano, and Kathryn Grayson's operatic "Jealousy". I don't think this is Kathryn Grayson's best role, but she sure does a good job. Some other songs that I haven't mentioned are "If You Knew Susie", "Waltz Serenade", "All of a Sudden My Heart Sings", and "We Hate to Leave". I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and if you're a fan of Frank, Gene, or Kathryn, you'll love it too.

Heartwarming, Corny, but Great Musical Fun
When I took the time to actually think about the plot of Anchors Aweigh, I wondered how anyone ever took the movie seriously. Two sailors on leave hope to find love, or at least a girl, accidentally meet a small orphan being raised by his aunt, both sailors fall in love with the aunt and also act as surrogate fathers for the boy, but never fight over the aunt, and promise to arrange an audition for the aunt with Jose Iturbi, the great Hollywood conductor and arranger. One sailor finds the girl of his dreams, another falls in love with the aunt, and everyone is happy, and of course the very talented aunt is on her way to stardom. This movie should not work, but somehow it does work and works well. Why? Because the two sailors are Frank Sinatra as Clarence Doolittle and Gene Kelley as Joseph Brady and Kathryn Grayson plays the aunt. This very talented trio created magic in the musical numbers, and since Gene Kelley is involved, the dance numbers are naturally amazing.

Though the most famous highlight of the film is Gene Kelley dancing with Jerry of Tom and Jerry fame (mixing animation and live action, quite a fete in 1945), perhaps the best dance scene is when Kelley dances with a small Mexican immigrant girl. As in so many Kelley dance sequences, Kelley compliments those who dance with him and seems to never let his ego get in the way.

This movie is more than a far fetched story with great musical and dance numbers. It also says a great deal about America at the end of World War II. Victory was imminent, but the country was tired and needed hope. Movies such as Anchors Aweigh provided such hope, and for this reason alone it deserves praise. And let's face it, who can resist a corny musical with an implausible story that can capture our hearts and imaginations?

P.S. If you don't want to spend more money, avoid the bonus tracks advertising other great MGM musicals, but if you can't resist, don't say I did not warn you!

Anchors A Snore
We bought this movie because we liked Gene Kelly in "Singing in the Rain" so much. While not expecting something quite as wonderful we were indeed surprised at how truly awful it was. The characters annoyed us and the plot was not believable. For a long, long time, we kept hoping for more dancing... or singing... or something... but eventually we went to bed and haven't even finished this movie. The kid was cute, though.

One of my absolute favorite films
Just sheer joy. Gene looking very, very, VERY good, and dancing very, very, VERY well! They didn't come much better looking or more talented than Gene Kelly, especially in this film. Frank (that voice...ah, that VOICE!) skinny and sincere, playing a shy sailor without any experience with women...who said this boy wasn't an actor?!. In other words, Frank and Gene doing what they do best in brilliant Technicolor. Great music, wonderful sets, terrific comedy, and a groundbreaking dance (the first on film, I believe) between a live action and animated character (Gene and Jerry Mouse in the delightful "Worry Song"). Kathryn Grayson, a great beauty with a stunning operatic voice, perfectly complements the nautical duo. I've heard the criticism that the film runs too long...personally, I wish it had been a little longer! A great movie and a lot of fun.

THE CHARM OF THIS MUSICAL NEVER ENDS
"Anchors Aweigh" is bar none the best of the 'sailors on shore leave' musicals that seemed to flood the film market during the 1940's and early 50's. The story is pretty contrite, two sailors fall for the same girl and lie to gain her affections. That's it, that's all. But history has taught us that most musical film fare needs nothing more that this by way of plot in order to captivate its audience.
Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra are the front liners here. This was Sinatra's first MGM film and he and Kelly are a remarkable team to behold on the screen. Sinatra's scrawniness and Kelly's male bravado bow well with one another. Add to the mix one of MGM's greatest singers, Kathryn Grayson and how could anything go wrong. It doesn't and the resulting film not only won Kelly his first Oscar nomination as best actor but took a Best Picture nomination as well.
Warner Home Video has done a pretty spiffy job on this transfer. Colors, though dated, are bold, saturated and well balanced. During the animated segments there are some instances where color balancing is inconsistent, but nothing that will terribly distract. Also, a few instances of edge enhancement crop up, but again, nothing that will ruin your enjoyment of this great musical classic. The sound, unfortunately, is a big, lousy mono but carried off with such clarity and remarkable spread that one can forgive Warner for not doing a 5.1 remix. The disc also includes a snippet from MGM: When The Lion Roars that explains how Kelly and Jerry (the mouse from Tom and Jerry fame) were able to be seen dancing together. Is it just me or is Jerry awfully big for a mouse?!?
Get the film and find out. This one's a keeper!!! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Olivia de Havilland.What more do you need?
What a great Western!Would make a great double feature with THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE or even NORTH TO ALASKA.

The story is pretty much straight forward: a guy reluctantly takes the job of sheriff in a lawless town and he cleans the joint up, but what made the movie so enjoyable for me was the incredible cast: Errol Flynn, Alan Hale, Bruce Cabot, Ann Sheridan, Henry Travers, Frank McHugh, Victor Jory, Charles Halton and the most beautiful woman in Hollywood: Olivia de Havilland.

My one and only complaint besides the size of Flynn's hat is Ann Sheridan was severely underused.Also her hair color should have been lighter.

I've read (United Press, March 22 1939) that as a promotion for the film there was a contest in the actual Dodge City, Kansas and the winner gotto have Errol Flynn stay over for the weekend!

D: Michael Curtz (ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES, MILDRED PIERCE)
W: Robert Buckner (YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, JEZEBEL)

Wade Hatton - Errol Flynn (CAPTAIN BLOOD, THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD)
Abbie Irving - Olivia de Havilland (GONE WITH THE WIND, LADY IN A CAGE)
Ruby Gilman - Ann Sheridan (THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT, ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES)
Jeff Surrett - Bruce Cabot (KING KONG, FURY)
Rusty Hart - Alan Hale, (THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT, IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT)
Dr. Irving - Henry Travers (IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, HIGH SIERRA)
Yancey - Victor Jory (GONE WITH THE WIND, EACH DAWN I DIE)
Surrett's lawyer - Charles Halton (THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE)

Michael Curtz and Errol Flynn made an astonishing 12 films together:CAPTAIN BLOOD (1935), CASE OF THE CURIOUS BRIDE (1935), THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE (1936), THE PERFECT SPECIMEN (1937), FOUR'S A CROWD (1938), THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938), DODGE CITY (1939), THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX (1939), SANTA FE TRAIL (1940), THE SEA HAWK (1940), VIRGINIA CITY (1940) and DIVE BOMBER (1941)

One of The Great Early Westerns
Dodge City is one of the Westerns that set the standard for the thousands that would come after it. Fun,funny, even playful, with a stalwart hero (Flynn, dastardly villains (Bruce Cabot and Victor Jory), noble and comical sidekicks (Alan Hale and Guinn "Big Boy" Williams), and a woman worth fighting and dying for (Olivia de Havilland).

Flynn ddidn't consider himself a good Western hero, but he was perfect, and Dodge city, for the time it was made, and even in today's harsh light, is near perfect. Another one of the may great films made in 1939.

A great movie
I thin, that "Dodge City," is one of the classic movie films that combines romance and advenure in the colorful setting of the west.It's very intertaining and fun to watch.I think anyone would enjoy it, as would children.

LAVISH TECHNICOLOR GEM.
In 1872, cattleman Wade Hatton (Flynn) leads a wagon train in Dodge City, Kansas a lawless mecca of gambling, liquor and murder.During the trek, he becomes infatuated with Abbie Irving (De Havilland), but she wrongly blames him for the death of her careless kid brother......DODGE CITY is a colourful and action-packed Western that put much of the Warners stock company to good use and contains the definitive barroom brawl scene. Flynn felt somewhat miscast in Westerns (and perhaps rightfully so), but this was one of the best.What the film lacks in story, it more than made up for with beautiful Technicolor, a memorable score by Max Steiner and the ultimate barroom brawl scene - plus Alan Hale and Ann Sheridan in support.Flynn and the notoriously tyrannical Hungarian director Michael Curtiz made 10 movies together; but Flynn felt that Curtiz demanded much too much of him (he also blamed him for the death of a close friend during the shooting of THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE in 1936).Flynn was in love with the lady-like DeHavilland but he was married at the time and was unwilling to court her in anything vaguely resembling a traditional manner - which made any conceivable consummation between the two a frustrating matter!

Corny but fun!!
The first time I watched this movie I didn't have a clue what the plot was about because I was laughing so hard all the way through it.The movie's "special effects" are about as corny as it gets.But any movie starring Errol Flynn & Olivia de Havilland together has some merit.The two engage in their usual witty bantering with de Havilland getting the upper hand most of the time.Once you get past old western lingo, you'll find the movie full of fun, action, and sweetness.Just don't forget that you may have to watch it more than once to appreciate it! ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Bette Davis's Oscar winning performance now on DVD!!
In 1938 Bette Davis was a beautiful captivating actress who auditioned and lost for "Gone With the Wind" like every other female star did, with one difference, she starred in "Jezebel" winning an Oscar for Best Actress the year before.

"Jezebel" like Scarlet manipulated men with her destructive flirtatous desires. The setting was 1852 New Orleans pre-Civil War but abolotionists were abundant & the southern & northern relations were already politically strained. Davis's is outstanding in her role and quite beautiful. Henry Fonda & George Brent are her victims & pawns in her game chess. This movie even today remains as a classic Golden Hollywood film.

Standard Format this Black & White film is a great Warner Brothers picture. Only extra feature is a theatrical trailer. This is a great addition to your DVD library. Enjoy.

JULIE NEEDS SOME SHININ' ON THIS DVD TRANSFER!
Bette Davis took home the Best Actress Oscar for her performance as spoiled Southern belle, Julie in "Jezebel". More than anything Julie wants to be loved. But her mean spirit destroy her chances at happiness with a rich lawyer (Henry Fonda)and result in the death of one of her closest friends(George Brent). Then 'yellow fever' hits and the whole south begins to fall around her ankles. Davis is superb and she is supported by a stellar cast of character actors, topped off by Faye Bainter, as her sympathetic aunt. This film really stirred the breeze toward epics taking place in the south - branded box office poison up until then. It also killed whatever small chances Bette Davis had in her desire to play Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With The Wind". This is no "Gone With The Wind" but, as told by director William Wyler, its a finely crafted melodrama and a tour de force for Bette Davis. So where's the problem?
In the TRANSFER: Warner doesn't give us much to hope for. Like "Dark Victory" this DVD is riddled with artifacts and digital compression problems that leave most of the image looking excessively harsh and grainy. The audio is mono but nicely balanced. Black levels are good but the gray scale seems to be lacking - too much middle range and not enough high and low end balance so that everything registers a dismal gray rather than a vibrant silvery spectrum of lights and darks.
EXTRAS: Not a one.
BOTTOM LINE: Don't waste your money!

Terrific performance, pointless and annoying story
The lead character is so very manipulative and knee-jerk reactionary that it's a wonder anyone fellow story charadctput up with her. Her love for her fiance played by a very wooden Henry Fonda seems non-existant, and when he leaves her after an impossible humiliating stunt of hers, she suddenly can't live without him. The story is drawing-room dull, all manners and behaviors. None of the characters are interesting enough to give a rat for. The dramatic ending is inconsequential and improbable.

Oscar-Winning, Oscar-Deserving. Excellent.
Poor Jack Warner. Imagine having to be the man who denied Bette Davis the role of Scarlett O' Hara. Imagine Bette's rage at the success of that particular picture. Imagine poor Jack's mind working nineteen tot he dozen, desperately searching for something, ANYTHING, to appease the wrath of The Davis.

Happily, Jack Warner came up with this: a 1938 movie about a spoilt southern Belle whose willful machinations eventually lose her the man whom she truly adores.

In my opinion, this is quite possibly Bette Davis' best ever moment in motion pictures. As Jezebel, she is old enough and established as an actress to bring real depth and credibility to the role, while being young enough so as not have established the Davis Trademarks to demean the role with. Playing the part of Julie Marsden, the titular Jezebel, Davis displays a rare understated pathos and a real sense of connection to her role. As with Regina Giddens in 'The Little Foxes', Bette's mastery of her craft is best displayed in the role of Julie. She is an emotional powerhouse, and the 'Let's raise a Ruckus' scene, as well as the final scenes of the picture, showcase that Oscar-winning mastery beautifully.

Henry Fonda is totally acceptable as the henpecked, hapless Preston Dillard, and in places gives a performance to match Bette's own. Other impressive supporting cast turns come in the shape of Margaret Lindsay as Yankee interloper Amy Bradford Dillard and the always-excellent Fay Bainter as Aunt Belle Massey.

Direction for the period is superior, too. Paced perfectly and beautifully photographed, William Wyler (whose talent is surely the only one to rival Joe L. Manckewiecz) has created a visual backdrop of opposite poles of emotion - the hubbub of city life, the quiet languor of plantation, and the terror and chaos of the epidemic are all as convincing as they are captivating. The infamous Red Dress scene has lost none of it's power, even after 74 years, Wyler's depiction of social ostracisation and slow realisation is masterful.

The DVD transfer for a 74 year old film is as good as can be expected. Sadly in parts the contrast between black & white is not as sharp as it could be, and the special features are not so good, but neither of these minor bad points will detract rom the overall majesty of 'Jezebel'.

Highly recommended.

Powerful Love Story From Bette Davis
"Jezebel" is a true classic released in 1938. Its plot about a woman, Julie, who loses her fiance, Preston, because of being greedy and manipulative is brilliant. Its powerful theme keeps audiences watching every scene closely. The plot builds up to the end, especially as her former fiance returns after being gone for one year. She's waited so long to beg for his forgiveness. Problem: he's now married. Jelousy begins lingering through every scene, keeping the plot interesting. There is never a dull moment through any movie detail. The intensity builds as yellow fever strikes, which offers a brilliant conclusion.

The set construction and the costume designs are amazingly ahead of their time. Few other movies in 1938 mastered such elaborate settings so flawlessly. Every detail is accurate to the actual 1850's New Orleans style.

Bette Davis deservingly won her Oscar for Best Actress for her role as Julie. She proves as always that she is one of the greatest and most influencial actresses of Hollywood history. Her heart and soul through her character is obvious. Henry Fonda's role as Preston is beautiful. His character's anger and love are expressed to his fullest. In this movie, Davis and Fonda answer why they deserve their legendary status. All other actors, major or minor, also perform their roles wonderfully.

"Jezebel" is a great movie for those looking for a great movie classic and/or a unique love story. This is sure to please audience for many more years to come. ... Read more

Description

200 minute double feature film DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Good action, no historical accuracy
Santa Fe Trail is an exciting western set in the years leading up to the Civil War. Mostly the story revolves around John Brown and the problems he caused with his abilitionist movement. The soldiers pursuing him are JEB Stuart and George Armstrong Custer, played by Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan. The final showdown takes place in Harper's Ferry where Brown makes his final stand. This is a good movie that has very little to do with history except that John Brown does die. Anyways, the movie is very good whether it is accurate or not. There is good action and enjoyable characters. Errol Flynn is his usual self with Olivia de Havilland excellent as the love interest in the story. Raymond Massey is disturbingly good as John Brown. Also starring is Van Heflin in a good guy/bad guy role. Entertaining western with good cast! Just don't use it as a history lesson.

Flynn romances de Havilland on the eve of the Civil War
"Santa Fe Trail" is a fine action film giving viewers another chance to watch Errol Flynn romance Olivia de Havilland, with Ronald Reagan playing the best friend who loses out on the gal. Just to make things interesting in this 1940 film directed by Michael Curtiz, Flynn plays James Elwell Brown (J.E.B.) Stuart and Reagan plays George Armstrong Cuter (Olivia is Kit Carson Halliday, but she's not THAT Kit Carson). Screenwriter Robert Buckner takes some of the better known generals from the Civil War--Stuart, Custer, Sheridan, Longstreet, Pickett, Hood--and turns them into a young band of brothers out to bring order to the frontier at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The true Civil War history buff will marvel every time the film gets something right (e.g., Stuart really did graduate from West Point in 1954), and the film ends on an ominous note with Robert E. Lee (Moroni Olson) commanding the troops that capture John Brown (Raymond Massey) at Harpers Ferry. I am not complaining because I saw a movie version of "Moby Dick" where Ahab kills the whale, so I certainly do not expect much from Hollywood at that point in time. So when the characters never actually make it as far as the Santa Fe Trail, I am not overly surprised. As the tagline for "Santa Fe Trail" declared: "They carved a path through the wilderness... then paved it with bullets and lives!" Flynn gets the girl, Reagan helps him get the bad guys, and Alan Hale provides some comic relief as legendary scout Tex Bell. For my money the action sequences are better in "Santa Fe Trail" than when Flynn gets his chance to play Custer in "They Died With Their Boots On."

Strange Classic
Many people are no doubt thrown off by the odd politics of this film. This never actually bothered me. Today we have become so mired in political correctness outlook that we can't view a film like this objectively anymore. Sure some of the views are a bit dated. But this is a hollywood 1930s film, made around the same time as Gone With the Wind. The views in that film are also strange, but its considered a classic none the less.

The main premise of this film is to show the looming storm clouds of Civil War. The historical facts here are certainly off the mark in many places. The film enjoys giving us a popular image of West Point in the Ante-Bellum days before the war. Many famous cadet names are bandied about that we know would be come famous just a few years later. The point here is not how accurate the data is, but to show that all these men did attend the same institution and that many would become famous adversaries on the battlefied. The film does a nice job of showing this even if it does get a lot of details wrong in the process. The bit with John Brown is amusing. Again, its a difference of perspective here. Hollywood was in love with the old South back then. Today we are in love with polotical correctness which is offended by the fanatical views expressed by the character of John Brown, who is beautifully played by Raymond Massey.

Its amusing to see Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan playing off each other here. I think the best thing to do is forget their so-called historical roles in the film, and just view them as two newly commissioned officers of the period sent to police Kansas. This way you can forget the JEB Staurt /Custer comparisons! The funny thing about seeing Reagan in a film like this is to compare him with what he would later become. We have just eulogized his recent passing in this country. The fact remains if Reagan had been a better actor he might never have become our president! This film was one of the best roles he ever had in movies! He and Flynn go round and round, and its amusing to see Reagan try and hold his own. He actually does better than one would expect next to the powerhouse Flynn with all his sex appeal back then Still, the best actor in the film is Raymond Massey by far. His portrayal of the fanatic Brown may offend some, but Brown was not unlike this. In fact its easy to compare this religious zeal to that of Bin Laden and other fanatics of his ilk. For the 1850s, Brown was seen as a fanatic by many. Abolitionism was a minority view even in the North. No one was too keen to shed blood over freeing slaves, sorry PC people, but this was so!

The final battle scene at Harpers Ferry is exciting, but wildly inaccurate. Colonel Lee actually stormed the place with a company of US Marines, not dis-mounted cavalry! And Brown had only a dozen or so mis-guided follwers by that time. The whole event was quite small compared to what the movie shows us here. Again, try to view this film from the context of both when it was made and the times it is attempting to show. By doing so you can sit back and enjoy a classic adventure romp with a little history thrown in for color.

John Brown should be the hero
I've always liked Sante Fe Trail even though it may not be the most accurate and is definately not PC. Whenever I see this movie I can't help rooting for John Brown to succeed. The quality of the movie is very good. There are only a frames that are not crisp. I didn't notice any hiss.

The quality is Abilene Town is not great, but it is very watchable. The image is mostly dull and blurry, but there wasn't any hiss. This movie suprised me because of the plot and acting. Both are good. The love intrest does not follow the normal formula.

This DVD is worth purchasing. Another reviewer stated that he hadn't ever seen Abilene Town on DVD.

Twisted History
This is a very strange film. One the one hand, you've got Michael Curtiz, a great director (Casablanca, Angels With Dirty Faces, et al) and a stirring Max Steiner score. You've got a remarkable performance by Raymond Massey. You've got Errol Flynn doing his sex symbol action hero thing. You've got Reagan cast as the sidekick, as he so often was when he got to be in A list movies (when Jack Warner of Warner Brothers was an old man and they told him that Reagan was running for Governor of California he said: "No, no. Jimmy Stewart for Governor. Ronald Reagan for Best Friend." No film exemplifies that studio attitude better than this one!) You get to see Olivia de Havilland, as someone other than Miss Mellie or The Heiress. So, all all, you think: this is typical, or above-average studio fare ... but it's the politics of this film that are twisted. Van Heflin is the weasely bad guy from the time the men are at West Point -- why is he so bad? Because he has the bad manners to be openly anti-slavery around JEB Stuart (and believing Errol Flynn is a Southerner is a stretch -- 'cause he sure doesn't, for the role.) The film culminates with Flynn rescuing bewildered, terrified black people from a burning building, and it's all John Brown's fault; here we have Flynn, the noble, paternal slave owner saving the slaves from the crazed abolitionist . . . very messed up stuff. In some ways, considering some of the talent involved, it's a rather pedestrian exercise. But Massey's compelling performance, (which made Flynn resentful because he hated to be upstaged) and the extremely dubious, icky politics of it make it stand out -- make it a film worth seeing. ... Read more

Description

The Life of Emile Zola episodically explores the career of the novelist who championed the cause of France's oppressed. Zola (Paul Muni) is a hugely successful French author who risks all his success and comfort to come to the defense of the unjustly jailed Capt. Dreyfus (Oscar winner Joseph Schildkraut). Winner of three Oscars overall-and of immense critical and popular success-this distinguished film is a must-see portrait of a life that's "a moment of the conscience of man." Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor. Year: 1937 Director: William Dieterle, Irving Rapper Starring: Paul Muni, Gale Sondergaard, Joseph Schildkraut, Gloria Holden, Donald Crisp, Erin O'Brien-Moore, Henry O'Neil, Morris Carnovsky, Louis Calhern. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

"He was a moment in the conscious of man" - Eulogy
There are 3 great speeches in this movie including the ending eulogy by Cezanne and the rest of the film moves along admirably, the mood is even a bit in the same way, as "Les Miserables", aficionados of that book-stage play, music and/or film, will find a great and similar message in this movie as well.

Yes, this was made in about 1936; expect that and not something from the '80s, '50s or the present. An outstanding movie, somehow, as one who has read a number of Zola books, I think he would be pleased.

The Life of Emile Zola: Stuffy but Stately
In 1936, Paul Muni was on a roll. He had just won an Oscar for best actor in THE STORY OF LOUIS PASTEUR, so it was no surprise that a year later, director William Dieterle chose him for the lead in THE LIFE OF EMILE ZOLA. Zola, as Muni plays him, is a man who brings to mind a stuffy but morally centered grandfather type who sees his mission in life as the only man who is willing to stand up for what is right and root out corruption and evil when all others turn away claiming one valid excuse after another.
TLEZ is your standard but exceptional Hollywood bio-movie then so popular. Typically, such films begin 'en medias res', thrusting the hero into a series of lesser adventures that prefigure his later, more heroic ones. Zola and Paul Cezanne (Vladimir Sokoloff) are two poverty-stricken friends sharing a dumpy apartment in Paris. Each dreams of using his talent, Cezanne with art, Zola with words, to shake a complacent world with the immediacy of their need to force others to re-evaluate some given bedrock assumptions. Zola is a mudracker, but he cannot find it in himself to lead the fight alone. At critical points in the movie, others step in and out of his life to fire his conscience. Zola and Cezanne meet a streetwalker, Nana, who pours out a tale of economically blighted woe, the result of which is to fire Zola's imagination to write a novel exposing the corruption of a society that allowed such otherwise decent women to go astray. The first half of the movie sets up the character of Zola as one who, when convinced of the rightness of his cause, would boldly put in print inflammatory words that more than once would place him in peril. The second half focuses on the relation that Zola had with Alfred Dreyfus, a French Jew who was a captain in the French army. Zola and Dreyfus never met, but their interaction set the stage for some political fireworks that rocked the very core of the French government. Dreyfus was wrongfully accused of spying for the Germans, and a kangaroo court-martial found him guilty of treason and sent him to Devil's Island as punishment. In historical truth, Dreyfus's Jewishness was a significant factor in arousing France's widespread anti-Semitism against him. Director Dieterle sidesteps this controversy by using the word 'Jew' only once, and then briefly in a personal file on Dreyfus. At first, Zola does not care very much for Dreyfus' protestations of innocence. However, when the wife of Dreyfus makes a personal appeal to him for help, he agrees and the movie then turns into a battle between Zola and a corrupt, entrenched French High Command who are collectively willing to see Dreyfus rot on Devil's Island to save their own skins. Zola's 'I Accuse' harangue rings with the sincerity of a man who is willing to take on the Powers That Be to save a country's honor when those very corrupt Powers argue that their own sense of honor requires the opposite. Louis Calhern leads a fine supporting cast as one of the lying officers who see honor only in lying to the French public about their own shortcomings. Joseph Schildkraut as the accused Dreyfus brings considerable dignity to the role of a man who is forced to endure a public and humiliating ritual of dishonoring. By the film's end, the audience can see that virtue and honesty are not enough to ensure the ongoing vitality of a country's nobility. For that, the occasional pecking gadfly is needed. Zola was such a gadfly. THE LIFE OF EMILE ZOLA serves to remind us that such gadflies are often in short supply, especially when they are most needed.

Two Great Speeches by Muni, But Skip The Rest
As a child in the 1930s I thought Paul Muni one of Hollywood's best, but I can't recall the movies on which this judgment was based. I don't know whether I saw this film then or not.

Now I find the depiction of "great writer (Zola) and great painter (Cezanne) in Paris during the 1800s" to be a grade school or Sunday school version of life. Hollywood's description of the Dreyfus affair lacks complexity, sophistication, reality, accuracy. The true story abounds in dramatic interest, excitement, conflict and power quite beyond the movie's reach.

But we do have two marvelous speeches, one when Muni as Emile Zola is reading his pamphlet, "I Accuse," to his friends and allies. And the other, when he is defending himself on a charge of slander in a hostile court. These alone are worth more than the price of admission. Spend your time hearing them again and again and then get yourself a copy of Zola's pamphlet and a good book from Amazon.com on what the Dreyfus affair was all about.

1937 PRESTIGE PICTURE
An unknown young Parisian writer suddenly becomes famous for penning the sensational NANA. Paul Muni, the great Polish actor who specialized in playing great men of history (seemingly taking the place of the elderly English stage-trained George Arliss) is terrific in his characterization of Emile Zola. It took Warners nearly a year to prepare the "Zola project". The screenplay went through various re-writes and a great deal of research was done to ensure historical accuracy; the result was a showcase for the unique Mr.Muni. The picture may seem a trifle dry, stodgy and drawn-out today, but it has long been esteemed as one of the greatest historical biographies Hollywood ever put on film. Variety called it "a vibrant, tense and emotional story about the man who fought a nation with his pen" It has followed not merely the spirit but, to a rare degree, the very letter of his life and of the historically significant lives around him. The racial theme involving the Jewish Dreyfus is tastefully handled; not once is the word "Jew" mentioned. The movie brought not only great financial success to Warner Bros., but prestige as well. And it solidified Muni's superstardom.

A brilliant story as relevant today as ever
To be honest, I rented this video to do some period costume research, but forgot all about that after getting involved in the story. Paul Muni portrays Zola most realistically, from his rise from the cramped, cold apartment of his early career to becoming the literary toast of France. And just when it seems that life is as good as it can be, along comes the "Dreyfus Affair" to challenge his conscience. All he has to do is keep quiet, and he can live a life of luxury right to the end. However, "all" becomes too much for the man who has spent his life developing the social conscience of his country through literature. Muni is brilliant in the role of Zola, and all the supporting cast give believable and stirring performances. This film holds you in its grip from start to finish, as it examines the worth of social institutions versus the lives of the people who uphold and venerate them, and sometimes become their victims. A definitely timeless piece of art. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Good action, no historical accuracy
Santa Fe Trail is an exciting western set in the years leading up to the Civil War. Mostly the story revolves around John Brown and the problems he caused with his abilitionist movement. The soldiers pursuing him are JEB Stuart and George Armstrong Custer, played by Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan. The final showdown takes place in Harper's Ferry where Brown makes his final stand. This is a good movie that has very little to do with history except that John Brown does die. Anyways, the movie is very good whether it is accurate or not. There is good action and enjoyable characters. Errol Flynn is his usual self with Olivia de Havilland excellent as the love interest in the story. Raymond Massey is disturbingly good as John Brown. Also starring is Van Heflin in a good guy/bad guy role. Entertaining western with good cast! Just don't use it as a history lesson.

Flynn romances de Havilland on the eve of the Civil War
"Santa Fe Trail" is a fine action film giving viewers another chance to watch Errol Flynn romance Olivia de Havilland, with Ronald Reagan playing the best friend who loses out on the gal. Just to make things interesting in this 1940 film directed by Michael Curtiz, Flynn plays James Elwell Brown (J.E.B.) Stuart and Reagan plays George Armstrong Cuter (Olivia is Kit Carson Halliday, but she's not THAT Kit Carson). Screenwriter Robert Buckner takes some of the better known generals from the Civil War--Stuart, Custer, Sheridan, Longstreet, Pickett, Hood--and turns them into a young band of brothers out to bring order to the frontier at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The true Civil War history buff will marvel every time the film gets something right (e.g., Stuart really did graduate from West Point in 1954), and the film ends on an ominous note with Robert E. Lee (Moroni Olson) commanding the troops that capture John Brown (Raymond Massey) at Harpers Ferry. I am not complaining because I saw a movie version of "Moby Dick" where Ahab kills the whale, so I certainly do not expect much from Hollywood at that point in time. So when the characters never actually make it as far as the Santa Fe Trail, I am not overly surprised. As the tagline for "Santa Fe Trail" declared: "They carved a path through the wilderness... then paved it with bullets and lives!" Flynn gets the girl, Reagan helps him get the bad guys, and Alan Hale provides some comic relief as legendary scout Tex Bell. For my money the action sequences are better in "Santa Fe Trail" than when Flynn gets his chance to play Custer in "They Died With Their Boots On."

Strange Classic
Many people are no doubt thrown off by the odd politics of this film. This never actually bothered me. Today we have become so mired in political correctness outlook that we can't view a film like this objectively anymore. Sure some of the views are a bit dated. But this is a hollywood 1930s film, made around the same time as Gone With the Wind. The views in that film are also strange, but its considered a classic none the less.

The main premise of this film is to show the looming storm clouds of Civil War. The historical facts here are certainly off the mark in many places. The film enjoys giving us a popular image of West Point in the Ante-Bellum days before the war. Many famous cadet names are bandied about that we know would be come famous just a few years later. The point here is not how accurate the data is, but to show that all these men did attend the same institution and that many would become famous adversaries on the battlefied. The film does a nice job of showing this even if it does get a lot of details wrong in the process. The bit with John Brown is amusing. Again, its a difference of perspective here. Hollywood was in love with the old South back then. Today we are in love with polotical correctness which is offended by the fanatical views expressed by the character of John Brown, who is beautifully played by Raymond Massey.

Its amusing to see Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan playing off each other here. I think the best thing to do is forget their so-called historical roles in the film, and just view them as two newly commissioned officers of the period sent to police Kansas. This way you can forget the JEB Staurt /Custer comparisons! The funny thing about seeing Reagan in a film like this is to compare him with what he would later become. We have just eulogized his recent passing in this country. The fact remains if Reagan had been a better actor he might never have become our president! This film was one of the best roles he ever had in movies! He and Flynn go round and round, and its amusing to see Reagan try and hold his own. He actually does better than one would expect next to the powerhouse Flynn with all his sex appeal back then Still, the best actor in the film is Raymond Massey by far. His portrayal of the fanatic Brown may offend some, but Brown was not unlike this. In fact its easy to compare this religious zeal to that of Bin Laden and other fanatics of his ilk. For the 1850s, Brown was seen as a fanatic by many. Abolitionism was a minority view even in the North. No one was too keen to shed blood over freeing slaves, sorry PC people, but this was so!

The final battle scene at Harpers Ferry is exciting, but wildly inaccurate. Colonel Lee actually stormed the place with a company of US Marines, not dis-mounted cavalry! And Brown had only a dozen or so mis-guided follwers by that time. The whole event was quite small compared to what the movie shows us here. Again, try to view this film from the context of both when it was made and the times it is attempting to show. By doing so you can sit back and enjoy a classic adventure romp with a little history thrown in for color.

John Brown should be the hero
I've always liked Sante Fe Trail even though it may not be the most accurate and is definately not PC. Whenever I see this movie I can't help rooting for John Brown to succeed. The quality of the movie is very good. There are only a frames that are not crisp. I didn't notice any hiss.

The quality is Abilene Town is not great, but it is very watchable. The image is mostly dull and blurry, but there wasn't any hiss. This movie suprised me because of the plot and acting. Both are good. The love intrest does not follow the normal formula.

This DVD is worth purchasing. Another reviewer stated that he hadn't ever seen Abilene Town on DVD.

Twisted History
This is a very strange film. One the one hand, you've got Michael Curtiz, a great director (Casablanca, Angels With Dirty Faces, et al) and a stirring Max Steiner score. You've got a remarkable performance by Raymond Massey. You've got Errol Flynn doing his sex symbol action hero thing. You've got Reagan cast as the sidekick, as he so often was when he got to be in A list movies (when Jack Warner of Warner Brothers was an old man and they told him that Reagan was running for Governor of California he said: "No, no. Jimmy Stewart for Governor. Ronald Reagan for Best Friend." No film exemplifies that studio attitude better than this one!) You get to see Olivia de Havilland, as someone other than Miss Mellie or The Heiress. So, all all, you think: this is typical, or above-average studio fare ... but it's the politics of this film that are twisted. Van Heflin is the weasely bad guy from the time the men are at West Point -- why is he so bad? Because he has the bad manners to be openly anti-slavery around JEB Stuart (and believing Errol Flynn is a Southerner is a stretch -- 'cause he sure doesn't, for the role.) The film culminates with Flynn rescuing bewildered, terrified black people from a burning building, and it's all John Brown's fault; here we have Flynn, the noble, paternal slave owner saving the slaves from the crazed abolitionist . . . very messed up stuff. In some ways, considering some of the talent involved, it's a rather pedestrian exercise. But Massey's compelling performance, (which made Flynn resentful because he hated to be upstaged) and the extremely dubious, icky politics of it make it stand out -- make it a film worth seeing. ... Read more

Description

Humphrey Bogart and O.P. Heggie star in the story of a jury foreman who helps send a woman to the electric chair, only to later have his daughter kill her lover in a fit of passion. When she comes home and confesses her wrongdoing, her father must choose between telling the truth and risking his beloved daughter being sentenced for murder or trying to find some means of covering up for her. A visually interesting film, director Chester Erskine has fashioned "Midnight" after the German films of the 1920s. Digitally mastered from a mint-condition 35mm nitrate fine grain print. A.k.a. "Call It Murder." ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great presentation of a fair 1930's movie featuring Bogie
If you are looking at the Image Entertainment DVD, ignor any other reviews that refer to Madacy or other inferior cheapie DVD companies. This DVD has been RESTORED from a very nice print!

VERY MELODRAMATIC & over acted like a silent movie! It is the movie itself that I rate 3 stars. This is for devoted Bogart fans who want to experience his early work. He is only a supporting player who appears in less than half the movie, yet his character steals the show. His acting style stands out from the others and you can for-see the potential for his future.

Don't expect Casablanca or even They Drive By Night, expect to see Bogie learning his trade. And try not to laugh at the melodramatic stars of the show.

another Madacy Entertainment ...
Just like most other titles from Madacy Entertainment, this digital copy is unwatchable. Sound out of sync from video, hiss, scratch and pop sounds continuously, image jumps around and is unsteady. No disclosure of any faults on the dust jacket. Puke in a box!

Boy they murdered this one!
My primary complaint about this DVD is that the sound track is 8 to 10 seconds behind the video track. I found it very difficult to follow and gave up after 5 minutes. I hope I can return it!

Not bad-but not really a Bogie Movie
This movie is hyped as "Starring Humphrey Bogart," however, when you sit down to watch it, Bogie's camera time last all but 3 1/2 minutes. The premise is interesting though--as it provides a moral dilemma that's still got an edge. Maybe a good candidate for a remake... ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Bette Davis's Oscar winning performance now on DVD!!
In 1938 Bette Davis was a beautiful captivating actress who auditioned and lost for "Gone With the Wind" like every other female star did, with one difference, she starred in "Jezebel" winning an Oscar for Best Actress the year before.

"Jezebel" like Scarlet manipulated men with her destructive flirtatous desires. The setting was 1852 New Orleans pre-Civil War but abolotionists were abundant & the southern & northern relations were already politically strained. Davis's is outstanding in her role and quite beautiful. Henry Fonda & George Brent are her victims & pawns in her game chess. This movie even today remains as a classic Golden Hollywood film.

Standard Format this Black & White film is a great Warner Brothers picture. Only extra feature is a theatrical trailer. This is a great addition to your DVD library. Enjoy.

JULIE NEEDS SOME SHININ' ON THIS DVD TRANSFER!
Bette Davis took home the Best Actress Oscar for her performance as spoiled Southern belle, Julie in "Jezebel". More than anything Julie wants to be loved. But her mean spirit destroy her chances at happiness with a rich lawyer (Henry Fonda)and result in the death of one of her closest friends(George Brent). Then 'yellow fever' hits and the whole south begins to fall around her ankles. Davis is superb and she is supported by a stellar cast of character actors, topped off by Faye Bainter, as her sympathetic aunt. This film really stirred the breeze toward epics taking place in the south - branded box office poison up until then. It also killed whatever small chances Bette Davis had in her desire to play Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With The Wind". This is no "Gone With The Wind" but, as told by director William Wyler, its a finely crafted melodrama and a tour de force for Bette Davis. So where's the problem?
In the TRANSFER: Warner doesn't give us much to hope for. Like "Dark Victory" this DVD is riddled with artifacts and digital compression problems that leave most of the image looking excessively harsh and grainy. The audio is mono but nicely balanced. Black levels are good but the gray scale seems to be lacking - too much middle range and not enough high and low end balance so that everything registers a dismal gray rather than a vibrant silvery spectrum of lights and darks.
EXTRAS: Not a one.
BOTTOM LINE: Don't waste your money!

Terrific performance, pointless and annoying story
The lead character is so very manipulative and knee-jerk reactionary that it's a wonder anyone fellow story charadctput up with her. Her love for her fiance played by a very wooden Henry Fonda seems non-existant, and when he leaves her after an impossible humiliating stunt of hers, she suddenly can't live without him. The story is drawing-room dull, all manners and behaviors. None of the characters are interesting enough to give a rat for. The dramatic ending is inconsequential and improbable.

Oscar-Winning, Oscar-Deserving. Excellent.
Poor Jack Warner. Imagine having to be the man who denied Bette Davis the role of Scarlett O' Hara. Imagine Bette's rage at the success of that particular picture. Imagine poor Jack's mind working nineteen tot he dozen, desperately searching for something, ANYTHING, to appease the wrath of The Davis.

Happily, Jack Warner came up with this: a 1938 movie about a spoilt southern Belle whose willful machinations eventually lose her the man whom she truly adores.

In my opinion, this is quite possibly Bette Davis' best ever moment in motion pictures. As Jezebel, she is old enough and established as an actress to bring real depth and credibility to the role, while being young enough so as not have established the Davis Trademarks to demean the role with. Playing the part of Julie Marsden, the titular Jezebel, Davis displays a rare understated pathos and a real sense of connection to her role. As with Regina Giddens in 'The Little Foxes', Bette's mastery of her craft is best displayed in the role of Julie. She is an emotional powerhouse, and the 'Let's raise a Ruckus' scene, as well as the final scenes of the picture, showcase that Oscar-winning mastery beautifully.

Henry Fonda is totally acceptable as the henpecked, hapless Preston Dillard, and in places gives a performance to match Bette's own. Other impressive supporting cast turns come in the shape of Margaret Lindsay as Yankee interloper Amy Bradford Dillard and the always-excellent Fay Bainter as Aunt Belle Massey.

Direction for the period is superior, too. Paced perfectly and beautifully photographed, William Wyler (whose talent is surely the only one to rival Joe L. Manckewiecz) has created a visual backdrop of opposite poles of emotion - the hubbub of city life, the quiet languor of plantation, and the terror and chaos of the epidemic are all as convincing as they are captivating. The infamous Red Dress scene has lost none of it's power, even after 74 years, Wyler's depiction of social ostracisation and slow realisation is masterful.

The DVD transfer for a 74 year old film is as good as can be expected. Sadly in parts the contrast between black & white is not as sharp as it could be, and the special features are not so good, but neither of these minor bad points will detract rom the overall majesty of 'Jezebel'.

Highly recommended.

Powerful Love Story From Bette Davis
"Jezebel" is a true classic released in 1938. Its plot about a woman, Julie, who loses her fiance, Preston, because of being greedy and manipulative is brilliant. Its powerful theme keeps audiences watching every scene closely. The plot builds up to the end, especially as her former fiance returns after being gone for one year. She's waited so long to beg for his forgiveness. Problem: he's now married. Jelousy begins lingering through every scene, keeping the plot interesting. There is never a dull moment through any movie detail. The intensity builds as yellow fever strikes, which offers a brilliant conclusion.

The set construction and the costume designs are amazingly ahead of their time. Few other movies in 1938 mastered such elaborate settings so flawlessly. Every detail is accurate to the actual 1850's New Orleans style.

Bette Davis deservingly won her Oscar for Best Actress for her role as Julie. She proves as always that she is one of the greatest and most influencial actresses of Hollywood history. Her heart and soul through her character is obvious. Henry Fonda's role as Preston is beautiful. His character's anger and love are expressed to his fullest. In this movie, Davis and Fonda answer why they deserve their legendary status. All other actors, major or minor, also perform their roles wonderfully.

"Jezebel" is a great movie for those looking for a great movie classic and/or a unique love story. This is sure to please audience for many more years to come. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A terrible example of DVD technology.
The manufacturer of this DVD did not make any effort to digitally re-master the source material. Imagine an old vacuum-tube TV set with just a piece of aluminum foil for an antenna, then try to imagine viewing this movie via on-air broadcast from a TV station 100 miles away. Can you immagine that? Good! You'd have better picture quality in that scenario than you have from this DVD. Sound on "Call It Murder" is delayed by a second or so, making you wonder just who in the picture is doing the talking. Add to that the loud background hiss coming from your speakers the whole time. This DVD is trash. Even if you were given this DVD for free, you'd want to throw it away. Don't waste your money!

What a shame and a waste. . .
As valuable as many of our "heritage films" have proven themselves to be, it's a real crime to allow a second (or in this case, THIRD) rate video producer to get their hands on them.

Both "Midnight" (later released as "Call it Murder") and "Beat the Devil" as decent films in their own right, but this compilation DVD just needs to be burned, or at least banned. Compilations like this one are just another reason our appreciation of older films is in decay. I wouldn't drive a 58 Corvette if it were in this condition, I'm certainly not going to recommend such poor quality DVD reproductions of great movies.

The video is aweful. The audio lags. Practically no special features.

I STRONGLY URGE YOU NOT TO BUY THIS DVD OR ANY BY THE SAME COMPANY-

More Madacy trash...
Madacy has done it again...taken what could have been decent DVD's and turned them into trash. The video transfer from film is very poor, but the worst is the audio. Madacy has a history of producing low-cost low-quality legacy DVD's, just look at other reviews of Madacy titles (check out Charlie Chaplin DVD's).

Hollywood Tough Guys DVD 3 Pack
This is a big waste of money. With the audio lagging the video by 5+ seconds, it's impossible to watch ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Good action, no historical accuracy
Santa Fe Trail is an exciting western set in the years leading up to the Civil War. Mostly the story revolves around John Brown and the problems he caused with his abilitionist movement. The soldiers pursuing him are JEB Stuart and George Armstrong Custer, played by Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan. The final showdown takes place in Harper's Ferry where Brown makes his final stand. This is a good movie that has very little to do with history except that John Brown does die. Anyways, the movie is very good whether it is accurate or not. There is good action and enjoyable characters. Errol Flynn is his usual self with Olivia de Havilland excellent as the love interest in the story. Raymond Massey is disturbingly good as John Brown. Also starring is Van Heflin in a good guy/bad guy role. Entertaining western with good cast! Just don't use it as a history lesson.

Flynn romances de Havilland on the eve of the Civil War
"Santa Fe Trail" is a fine action film giving viewers another chance to watch Errol Flynn romance Olivia de Havilland, with Ronald Reagan playing the best friend who loses out on the gal. Just to make things interesting in this 1940 film directed by Michael Curtiz, Flynn plays James Elwell Brown (J.E.B.) Stuart and Reagan plays George Armstrong Cuter (Olivia is Kit Carson Halliday, but she's not THAT Kit Carson). Screenwriter Robert Buckner takes some of the better known generals from the Civil War--Stuart, Custer, Sheridan, Longstreet, Pickett, Hood--and turns them into a young band of brothers out to bring order to the frontier at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The true Civil War history buff will marvel every time the film gets something right (e.g., Stuart really did graduate from West Point in 1954), and the film ends on an ominous note with Robert E. Lee (Moroni Olson) commanding the troops that capture John Brown (Raymond Massey) at Harpers Ferry. I am not complaining because I saw a movie version of "Moby Dick" where Ahab kills the whale, so I certainly do not expect much from Hollywood at that point in time. So when the characters never actually make it as far as the Santa Fe Trail, I am not overly surprised. As the tagline for "Santa Fe Trail" declared: "They carved a path through the wilderness... then paved it with bullets and lives!" Flynn gets the girl, Reagan helps him get the bad guys, and Alan Hale provides some comic relief as legendary scout Tex Bell. For my money the action sequences are better in "Santa Fe Trail" than when Flynn gets his chance to play Custer in "They Died With Their Boots On."

Strange Classic
Many people are no doubt thrown off by the odd politics of this film. This never actually bothered me. Today we have become so mired in political correctness outlook that we can't view a film like this objectively anymore. Sure some of the views are a bit dated. But this is a hollywood 1930s film, made around the same time as Gone With the Wind. The views in that film are also strange, but its considered a classic none the less.

The main premise of this film is to show the looming storm clouds of Civil War. The historical facts here are certainly off the mark in many places. The film enjoys giving us a popular image of West Point in the Ante-Bellum days before the war. Many famous cadet names are bandied about that we know would be come famous just a few years later. The point here is not how accurate the data is, but to show that all these men did attend the same institution and that many would become famous adversaries on the battlefied. The film does a nice job of showing this even if it does get a lot of details wrong in the process. The bit with John Brown is amusing. Again, its a difference of perspective here. Hollywood was in love with the old South back then. Today we are in love with polotical correctness which is offended by the fanatical views expressed by the character of John Brown, who is beautifully played by Raymond Massey.

Its amusing to see Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan playing off each other here. I think the best thing to do is forget their so-called historical roles in the film, and just view them as two newly commissioned officers of the period sent to police Kansas. This way you can forget the JEB Staurt /Custer comparisons! The funny thing about seeing Reagan in a film like this is to compare him with what he would later become. We have just eulogized his recent passing in this country. The fact remains if Reagan had been a better actor he might never have become our president! This film was one of the best roles he ever had in movies! He and Flynn go round and round, and its amusing to see Reagan try and hold his own. He actually does better than one would expect next to the powerhouse Flynn with all his sex appeal back then Still, the best actor in the film is Raymond Massey by far. His portrayal of the fanatic Brown may offend some, but Brown was not unlike this. In fact its easy to compare this religious zeal to that of Bin Laden and other fanatics of his ilk. For the 1850s, Brown was seen as a fanatic by many. Abolitionism was a minority view even in the North. No one was too keen to shed blood over freeing slaves, sorry PC people, but this was so!

The final battle scene at Harpers Ferry is exciting, but wildly inaccurate. Colonel Lee actually stormed the place with a company of US Marines, not dis-mounted cavalry! And Brown had only a dozen or so mis-guided follwers by that time. The whole event was quite small compared to what the movie shows us here. Again, try to view this film from the context of both when it was made and the times it is attempting to show. By doing so you can sit back and enjoy a classic adventure romp with a little history thrown in for color.

John Brown should be the hero
I've always liked Sante Fe Trail even though it may not be the most accurate and is definately not PC. Whenever I see this movie I can't help rooting for John Brown to succeed. The quality of the movie is very good. There are only a frames that are not crisp. I didn't notice any hiss.

The quality is Abilene Town is not great, but it is very watchable. The image is mostly dull and blurry, but there wasn't any hiss. This movie suprised me because of the plot and acting. Both are good. The love intrest does not follow the normal formula.

This DVD is worth purchasing. Another reviewer stated that he hadn't ever seen Abilene Town on DVD.

Twisted History
This is a very strange film. One the one hand, you've got Michael Curtiz, a great director (Casablanca, Angels With Dirty Faces, et al) and a stirring Max Steiner score. You've got a remarkable performance by Raymond Massey. You've got Errol Flynn doing his sex symbol action hero thing. You've got Reagan cast as the sidekick, as he so often was when he got to be in A list movies (when Jack Warner of Warner Brothers was an old man and they told him that Reagan was running for Governor of California he said: "No, no. Jimmy Stewart for Governor. Ronald Reagan for Best Friend." No film exemplifies that studio attitude better than this one!) You get to see Olivia de Havilland, as someone other than Miss Mellie or The Heiress. So, all all, you think: this is typical, or above-average studio fare ... but it's the politics of this film that are twisted. Van Heflin is the weasely bad guy from the time the men are at West Point -- why is he so bad? Because he has the bad manners to be openly anti-slavery around JEB Stuart (and believing Errol Flynn is a Southerner is a stretch -- 'cause he sure doesn't, for the role.) The film culminates with Flynn rescuing bewildered, terrified black people from a burning building, and it's all John Brown's fault; here we have Flynn, the noble, paternal slave owner saving the slaves from the crazed abolitionist . . . very messed up stuff. In some ways, considering some of the talent involved, it's a rather pedestrian exercise. But Massey's compelling performance, (which made Flynn resentful because he hated to be upstaged) and the extremely dubious, icky politics of it make it stand out -- make it a film worth seeing. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great presentation of a fair 1930's movie featuring Bogie
If you are looking at the Image Entertainment DVD, ignor any other reviews that refer to Madacy or other inferior cheapie DVD companies. This DVD has been RESTORED from a very nice print!

VERY MELODRAMATIC & over acted like a silent movie! It is the movie itself that I rate 3 stars. This is for devoted Bogart fans who want to experience his early work. He is only a supporting player who appears in less than half the movie, yet his character steals the show. His acting style stands out from the others and you can for-see the potential for his future.

Don't expect Casablanca or even They Drive By Night, expect to see Bogie learning his trade. And try not to laugh at the melodramatic stars of the show.

another Madacy Entertainment ...
Just like most other titles from Madacy Entertainment, this digital copy is unwatchable. Sound out of sync from video, hiss, scratch and pop sounds continuously, image jumps around and is unsteady. No disclosure of any faults on the dust jacket. Puke in a box!

Boy they murdered this one!
My primary complaint about this DVD is that the sound track is 8 to 10 seconds behind the video track. I found it very difficult to follow and gave up after 5 minutes. I hope I can return it!

Not bad-but not really a Bogie Movie
This movie is hyped as "Starring Humphrey Bogart," however, when you sit down to watch it, Bogie's camera time last all but 3 1/2 minutes. The premise is interesting though--as it provides a moral dilemma that's still got an edge. Maybe a good candidate for a remake... ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Good action, no historical accuracy
Santa Fe Trail is an exciting western set in the years leading up to the Civil War. Mostly the story revolves around John Brown and the problems he caused with his abilitionist movement. The soldiers pursuing him are JEB Stuart and George Armstrong Custer, played by Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan. The final showdown takes place in Harper's Ferry where Brown makes his final stand. This is a good movie that has very little to do with history except that John Brown does die. Anyways, the movie is very good whether it is accurate or not. There is good action and enjoyable characters. Errol Flynn is his usual self with Olivia de Havilland excellent as the love interest in the story. Raymond Massey is disturbingly good as John Brown. Also starring is Van Heflin in a good guy/bad guy role. Entertaining western with good cast! Just don't use it as a history lesson.

Flynn romances de Havilland on the eve of the Civil War
"Santa Fe Trail" is a fine action film giving viewers another chance to watch Errol Flynn romance Olivia de Havilland, with Ronald Reagan playing the best friend who loses out on the gal. Just to make things interesting in this 1940 film directed by Michael Curtiz, Flynn plays James Elwell Brown (J.E.B.) Stuart and Reagan plays George Armstrong Cuter (Olivia is Kit Carson Halliday, but she's not THAT Kit Carson). Screenwriter Robert Buckner takes some of the better known generals from the Civil War--Stuart, Custer, Sheridan, Longstreet, Pickett, Hood--and turns them into a young band of brothers out to bring order to the frontier at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The true Civil War history buff will marvel every time the film gets something right (e.g., Stuart really did graduate from West Point in 1954), and the film ends on an ominous note with Robert E. Lee (Moroni Olson) commanding the troops that capture John Brown (Raymond Massey) at Harpers Ferry. I am not complaining because I saw a movie version of "Moby Dick" where Ahab kills the whale, so I certainly do not expect much from Hollywood at that point in time. So when the characters never actually make it as far as the Santa Fe Trail, I am not overly surprised. As the tagline for "Santa Fe Trail" declared: "They carved a path through the wilderness... then paved it with bullets and lives!" Flynn gets the girl, Reagan helps him get the bad guys, and Alan Hale provides some comic relief as legendary scout Tex Bell. For my money the action sequences are better in "Santa Fe Trail" than when Flynn gets his chance to play Custer in "They Died With Their Boots On."

Strange Classic
Many people are no doubt thrown off by the odd politics of this film. This never actually bothered me. Today we have become so mired in political correctness outlook that we can't view a film like this objectively anymore. Sure some of the views are a bit dated. But this is a hollywood 1930s film, made around the same time as Gone With the Wind. The views in that film are also strange, but its considered a classic none the less.

The main premise of this film is to show the looming storm clouds of Civil War. The historical facts here are certainly off the mark in many places. The film enjoys giving us a popular image of West Point in the Ante-Bellum days before the war. Many famous cadet names are bandied about that we know would be come famous just a few years later. The point here is not how accurate the data is, but to show that all these men did attend the same institution and that many would become famous adversaries on the battlefied. The film does a nice job of showing this even if it does get a lot of details wrong in the process. The bit with John Brown is amusing. Again, its a difference of perspective here. Hollywood was in love with the old South back then. Today we are in love with polotical correctness which is offended by the fanatical views expressed by the character of John Brown, who is beautifully played by Raymond Massey.

Its amusing to see Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan playing off each other here. I think the best thing to do is forget their so-called historical roles in the film, and just view them as two newly commissioned officers of the period sent to police Kansas. This way you can forget the JEB Staurt /Custer comparisons! The funny thing about seeing Reagan in a film like this is to compare him with what he would later become. We have just eulogized his recent passing in this country. The fact remains if Reagan had been a better actor he might never have become our president! This film was one of the best roles he ever had in movies! He and Flynn go round and round, and its amusing to see Reagan try and hold his own. He actually does better than one would expect next to the powerhouse Flynn with all his sex appeal back then Still, the best actor in the film is Raymond Massey by far. His portrayal of the fanatic Brown may offend some, but Brown was not unlike this. In fact its easy to compare this religious zeal to that of Bin Laden and other fanatics of his ilk. For the 1850s, Brown was seen as a fanatic by many. Abolitionism was a minority view even in the North. No one was too keen to shed blood over freeing slaves, sorry PC people, but this was so!

The final battle scene at Harpers Ferry is exciting, but wildly inaccurate. Colonel Lee actually stormed the place with a company of US Marines, not dis-mounted cavalry! And Brown had only a dozen or so mis-guided follwers by that time. The whole event was quite small compared to what the movie shows us here. Again, try to view this film from the context of both when it was made and the times it is attempting to show. By doing so you can sit back and enjoy a classic adventure romp with a little history thrown in for color.

John Brown should be the hero
I've always liked Sante Fe Trail even though it may not be the most accurate and is definately not PC. Whenever I see this movie I can't help rooting for John Brown to succeed. The quality of the movie is very good. There are only a frames that are not crisp. I didn't notice any hiss.

The quality is Abilene Town is not great, but it is very watchable. The image is mostly dull and blurry, but there wasn't any hiss. This movie suprised me because of the plot and acting. Both are good. The love intrest does not follow the normal formula.

This DVD is worth purchasing. Another reviewer stated that he hadn't ever seen Abilene Town on DVD.

Twisted History
This is a very strange film. One the one hand, you've got Michael Curtiz, a great director (Casablanca, Angels With Dirty Faces, et al) and a stirring Max Steiner score. You've got a remarkable performance by Raymond Massey. You've got Errol Flynn doing his sex symbol action hero thing. You've got Reagan cast as the sidekick, as he so often was when he got to be in A list movies (when Jack Warner of Warner Brothers was an old man and they told him that Reagan was running for Governor of California he said: "No, no. Jimmy Stewart for Governor. Ronald Reagan for Best Friend." No film exemplifies that studio attitude better than this one!) You get to see Olivia de Havilland, as someone other than Miss Mellie or The Heiress. So, all all, you think: this is typical, or above-average studio fare ... but it's the politics of this film that are twisted. Van Heflin is the weasely bad guy from the time the men are at West Point -- why is he so bad? Because he has the bad manners to be openly anti-slavery around JEB Stuart (and believing Errol Flynn is a Southerner is a stretch -- 'cause he sure doesn't, for the role.) The film culminates with Flynn rescuing bewildered, terrified black people from a burning building, and it's all John Brown's fault; here we have Flynn, the noble, paternal slave owner saving the slaves from the crazed abolitionist . . . very messed up stuff. In some ways, considering some of the talent involved, it's a rather pedestrian exercise. But Massey's compelling performance, (which made Flynn resentful because he hated to be upstaged) and the extremely dubious, icky politics of it make it stand out -- make it a film worth seeing. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Good action, no historical accuracy
Santa Fe Trail is an exciting western set in the years leading up to the Civil War. Mostly the story revolves around John Brown and the problems he caused with his abilitionist movement. The soldiers pursuing him are JEB Stuart and George Armstrong Custer, played by Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan. The final showdown takes place in Harper's Ferry where Brown makes his final stand. This is a good movie that has very little to do with history except that John Brown does die. Anyways, the movie is very good whether it is accurate or not. There is good action and enjoyable characters. Errol Flynn is his usual self with Olivia de Havilland excellent as the love interest in the story. Raymond Massey is disturbingly good as John Brown. Also starring is Van Heflin in a good guy/bad guy role. Entertaining western with good cast! Just don't use it as a history lesson.

Flynn romances de Havilland on the eve of the Civil War
"Santa Fe Trail" is a fine action film giving viewers another chance to watch Errol Flynn romance Olivia de Havilland, with Ronald Reagan playing the best friend who loses out on the gal. Just to make things interesting in this 1940 film directed by Michael Curtiz, Flynn plays James Elwell Brown (J.E.B.) Stuart and Reagan plays George Armstrong Cuter (Olivia is Kit Carson Halliday, but she's not THAT Kit Carson). Screenwriter Robert Buckner takes some of the better known generals from the Civil War--Stuart, Custer, Sheridan, Longstreet, Pickett, Hood--and turns them into a young band of brothers out to bring order to the frontier at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The true Civil War history buff will marvel every time the film gets something right (e.g., Stuart really did graduate from West Point in 1954), and the film ends on an ominous note with Robert E. Lee (Moroni Olson) commanding the troops that capture John Brown (Raymond Massey) at Harpers Ferry. I am not complaining because I saw a movie version of "Moby Dick" where Ahab kills the whale, so I certainly do not expect much from Hollywood at that point in time. So when the characters never actually make it as far as the Santa Fe Trail, I am not overly surprised. As the tagline for "Santa Fe Trail" declared: "They carved a path through the wilderness... then paved it with bullets and lives!" Flynn gets the girl, Reagan helps him get the bad guys, and Alan Hale provides some comic relief as legendary scout Tex Bell. For my money the action sequences are better in "Santa Fe Trail" than when Flynn gets his chance to play Custer in "They Died With Their Boots On."

Strange Classic
Many people are no doubt thrown off by the odd politics of this film. This never actually bothered me. Today we have become so mired in political correctness outlook that we can't view a film like this objectively anymore. Sure some of the views are a bit dated. But this is a hollywood 1930s film, made around the same time as Gone With the Wind. The views in that film are also strange, but its considered a classic none the less.

The main premise of this film is to show the looming storm clouds of Civil War. The historical facts here are certainly off the mark in many places. The film enjoys giving us a popular image of West Point in the Ante-Bellum days before the war. Many famous cadet names are bandied about that we know would be come famous just a few years later. The point here is not how accurate the data is, but to show that all these men did attend the same institution and that many would become famous adversaries on the battlefied. The film does a nice job of showing this even if it does get a lot of details wrong in the process. The bit with John Brown is amusing. Again, its a difference of perspective here. Hollywood was in