Description

Errol Flynn is eternally charming as Robin, defender of the poor, in this rousing family adventure that co-stars Olivia de Havilland and Claude Rains. Year: 1938 Director: Michael Curtiz, William Keighley Starring: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, Alan Hale ... Read more

Reviews (140)

The BEST action/adventure film ever made.
Errol Flynn at his best...swashbuckling at its best...action and adventure galore. This film is simply the best of the genre. The casting is perfect, from Flynn in the best role of his career, to Herbert Mundin as Much the Miller's son. The 3-strip color photography remains as vibrant today as when it was released 61 years ago. The dialogue between Flynn and Oliva de Havilland, between Flynn and Basil Rathbone, between Flynn and Claude Rains, is always lively, always fun. And Miss de Havilland's costumes are absolutely gorgeous, as is she.

The film moves, never stops, and you are never bored. If you watch this movie alongside Kevin Costner's ill-advised Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, you realize why one should never try to improve on perfection.

As the New York Times said in its original review in 1938, this film entertains everyone from 8 to 80. No argument here!

The Greatest Robin Hood ,Flynn now a fantastic WB DVD set!
Warner Brothers (WB) Studios has begun meticulously digitally restoring its action classics of the 1930's & 40's under the "Two Disc Special Edition" Series. This 1938 TECHNICOLOR (awesome) film "The Adventures of Robin Hood" starring Errol Flynn, Olivia deHavilland, Basil Rathbone & Claude Rains is still the best rendition of this fictionalized English tale.

Warner Brothers has given us with this 2 Disc set the complete movie theatre experience circa 1938. DISC 1 - First we get a complete "Night at the Movies" program. Introduction by film critic Leonard Maltin explaining for your 10 cent investment what you got in a 1938 movie house. Next the entire continous show with; coming attraction, news reel, Bugs Bunny Cartoon, short subject feature and then the main feature, "The Adventures of Robin Hood". This is a totally ingenius idea!!! Also on Disc 1 - you have 12 Errol Flynn movie trailers and finally an indepth feature commentary by film historian Rudy Belhmer.

Disc 2 - Includes 3 hours of everything about Robin Hood, the movie, the stars, documentaries, cartoons, and a most informative documentary about TECHNICOLOR and why even today it still was the best color process ever.

I love this fun filled DVD set. My hat is off to Warner Brothers for their dedication to the golden age of Hollywood and bring back the grandest of movies for us to see again & again better than their original release. Enjoy.

great movie ....second DVD is amaaazing!
This is more a review of the package than the movie , which is a classic and extremely well presented on disc one....vivid colors , crisp images....not a complaint there....and the bonus features are very good....a comprehensive set of Errol Flynn movie trailers...WB night at the movies....(an exhausting Rudy Belmer commentary track that will have you gasping for air).
the SECOND disc is just ridiculous in its amount of archival coverage..
a wonderful documentary on the movie
a great feature on the history of Technicolor....
two very fun looney tunes cartoons with a Robin Hood theme...
outtakes from the movie!
home movies shot during filming!
a long lost Errol Flynn movie about yachting..
and a positively thrilling short film about archer Howard Hill...
and more.
HOURS of fun and informative viewing on disc two alone!
Warners should be congratulated for such a comprehensive set ....buy this and encourage them to keep this type of content coming!!!

Errol Flynn: Truly The Sheerwood Forest outlaw
One of the Greatest action/adventure films of the 20th century. The epic swashbuckling adventure of one of history's greatest heroes.the dashing Errol Flynn as Robin Hood or as they also call him "Sir Robin of Locksley" was perfect. He was what a swashbuckler should be and probably the greatest of all swashbucklers. Basil Rathbone and Claude Rains were brilliant as Robin's foes, Sir Guy and Prince John. Oliva DeHavilland was glamorous as the love of Robin Hood, Maid Marian. My Favorite scene was Robin and Sir Guy's sword fight during King Richard's return. Flynn and Rathbone two of cinema's sword fighting experts. I love the sound of sword clangling. If your looking for a classic film or a swashbuckler film, this is a great one. Because this a film that created Pirates of the Carribean, "Long Live King Richard."

The Kids Loved It!
This was one that our boys (ages 7 and 10) watched with their grandfather, who caught it in the theatres when it first came out. It's hard to say who enjoyed it more! A fun, spirited and utterly charming film, this one has aged beautifully. Everyone loved the bonus features, too. The DVD transfer is exceptional. Add some popcorn, and you've got a wonderful mulitgenerational hit that will enchant the whole family. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A classic screwball comedy with a supernatural twist, Topper starsthe incomparable Cary Grant and sparkling Constance Bennett as George andMarion Kirby, a fun-loving couple who cap an evening of jazz and champagneby running their car into a tree. They return as ghosts with a mandate toliven up the straight-laced hen-pecked life of bank president Cosmo Topper(Roland Young), who's hungry for just such a shake-up. Before long he'sboozing, dancing, and getting into fights, all of which gives him a rakishreputation--much to the consternation of his wife (Billie Burke, bestknown as Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz). The sequelreplaces Grant and Bennett with Joan Blondell, who can't quite compare,but she's charming in her own way. Topper Returns is a rambunctiousmurder mystery with some gorgeous sets and elegant cinematography--thesequence of Blondell's death and ghostly rise is dazzling. --BretFetzer ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Funny 1937 Original w/1941 sequel now on remastered DVD!!
ARTISAN Home Entertainment brings us a remastered DVD of Hal Roach Studios (who brought us Laurel & Hardy and the Little Rascals in 1920's through the 1930's on the side experimented with full length feature films,greater than 65 minutes in length) original 1937 Topper. In 1937 Hal Roach used trick photography, camera magic and ground breaking FX technology for the amazing ghost creations.

"Topper" with a Star studded cast Cary Grant as Millionaire George Kirby (at his comedic best), Constance Bennett as his wife Marion (a beautifully devine actress), Roland Young as their Banker Cosmo Topper (nominated for Best Supporting Actor as "Topper") and Billie Burke as Mrs. Topper (best known as Glenda the "Good Witch" from the 1939 "The Wizard of OZ"). Included is a very young song writer/singer Hoagy Carmichael.

This wonderfully remastered Black / White Standard Feature DVD is delightful. Worth the price of admission alone but the 1941 sequel "Topper Returns" is also included. Note: a very weak sequel but still a cute storyline featuring Roland & Burke in reprise. A double feature DVD with no extras.

Summary: The jet setting, ever partying Millionaire Kirby's die in an automobile accident on a late night country road. They enter a state of limbo (earthbound ghosts) until they perform a good deed. So they go about trying to free their banker "Topper" from his dull routine high collar lifestyle and make him a jet setting man of high society. This is a great story with ghosts, floating objects and Topper talking to himself. Mrs Topper has the hardest time trying to figure out whats happening to her timid obedient husband. Lots of laughs here. Enjoy.

Hilarious and utterly charming!
As a screwball comedy, Topper has it all: high spirits and hijinks, wonderful acting all around, sharp dialogue, deft physical comedy, and a theme lots of people can relate to. If you're in the mood for a screwball comedy that still has a real message, this is one to watch.

Topper Returns is like an episode of Scooby Doo come to life: spooky mansion, secret corridors, creepy servants, and a masked murderer on the loose. Mix in a hard-drinking ghost, a befuddled detective, a blonde bombshell, and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson of Jack Benny fame, then add a string of razor-sharp one-liners, double-takes, and pratfalls, and you get a recipe for hilarity. Billie Burke, as Topper's ditzy, jealous wife, is even funnier in this one than in the original: she takes blithe cluelessness to a new level!

The special effects in both films are suprisingly good for the era, and the beautiful DVD transfer really brings them to life. Great films!

Well worth the price
Although I don't think Topper with Cary Grant is as good as some of his other B&W comedies, "Bringing up Baby", "The Bachelor and Bobby Soxer" or even "Monkey Business", it is a good old B&W movie to watch. However, I think I like "Topper Returns" even better, "Topper" gets bettter as the movie nears the end, but "Topper Returns" seems to keep laughs coming throughout the picture. I find the scenes with "Rochester" from the old Jack Benny show most memorable, the comments he makes ( he has a very memorable voice) , the way he rolls his eyes and responds to the ghost extremely funny. "Topper Returns" has more people doing the funny scenes, little things throughout the movie.

The picture and sound quality on this DVD seems better on our Hitachi 57S700 better than "Topper Returns" by Alpha Video. We have one of our Dtivos getting every Cary Grant movie for the past few years but never seemed to get Topper. We were at a store and saw "Topper Returns" by Alpha Video. After buying this I decided to buy Topper/Topper Returns here on Amazon, just to get "Topper" with Cary Grant, and glad I did. Once again, for those of you that like old B&W comedies, this DVD is welll worth the Amazon price.

THIS TWOSOME TOPS OUT IN HILARITY!
"Topper" is the supernatural screwball comedy about a pair of fun-loving ghosts who wreak havoc on the life of henpecked banker, Cosmo Topper (Roland Young). Cary Grant and Constance Bennett simply glow as George and Marion Kirby, a couple of devil-may-care free spirits who accidentally kill themselves by wrapping their car around a tree. They return as a couple of blithe spirits, determined to introduce Cosmo to the good life. Billie Burke costars as Cosmo's stuffy and hilarious bubble-head wife. The sequel, "Topper Returns" uses this same premise but replaces Grant and Bennett with Joan Blondell. Although she's amply cast, she doesn't quite eclipse the memory the original. The engaging murder mystery plot of "Topper Returns" with its sumptuous setting and elegant cinematography compensate, particularly the surreal visual splendor of Blondell's haunting death and her ghostly reincarnation.
THE TRANSFER: "Topper" is a little bit worse for the wear than "Topper Returns". This is to be expected since, after years of being a late night television fav', the rights to this classic have fallen into public domain. MGM is credited with originally making this classic. The gray scale is a trifle underexposed on "Topper" well seemingly close to dead on in "Topper Returns." Age related artifacts are more heavy and noticeable on "Topper" as well. Over all, the image has a dated appearance but contrast and black levels are generally good on both movies. Edge enhancement is present slightly on "Topper" only. The audio is mono for both films. "Topper" suffers from slight hiss and popping but "Topper Returns" is generally more natural sounding on the ears.
EXTRAS: None.
BOTTOM LINE: "Topper" is an outstanding Cary Grant comedy with few equals - save "Bringing Up Baby." Perhaps one day we'll see the release of that classic on DVD!

clear DVD from Artisan
This is a good transfer indeed. I know Artisan is hit and miss. This DVD title is clear. The 1st Topper is always my favorite. Why? Cary Grant and Constance Bennett are in it. Wow she has a figure no man today would turn away. And I am a woman saying that.

The second movie has the couple that play the Toppers. But Not the Kirbys. (No Grant and Bennett). he Kirby's haven't been re cast, they aren't in it. It is still an interresting movie though. A comedy/murder movie.

At the price this DVD can be bought at it is a steal. A must get for your collection. ... Read more

Reviews (67)

The Little Guys Triumphs
I have to admit that I have never been a big fan of Frank Capra's directing or the stories he chose. But this movie scores for me. James Stewart is simply amazing as Jefferson Smith, the naive young man who discovers that Washington and politicians are not what they seem to be. Jean Arthur, an actress who seems to be forgotten these days, is excellent as the secretary who has seen it all. Claude Rains and Harry Carey do well in supporting performances as a senator and the president of the Senate. The underlying themes about political corruption and the power of the people still work today. The scenes surrounding the filibuster are unforgettable, and you'll find yourself routing for the little guy, something I thought I was too cynical to do myself.

Jimmy Stewart's Finest Performance in Capra Gem!
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a timeless, brilliant parable of Good Vs. Evil, played out in the U.S. Senate. Good is represented by Jimmy Stewart, in the film he SHOULD have won an Oscar for (MGM, trying to bolster 'Goodbye, Mr. Chips' at the box office, influenced it's Academy members to award Robert Donat with the statue; the following year, Stewart appeared in 'The Philadelphia Story', for MGM, and won Best Actor!). He is magnificent as Jefferson Smith, an idealistic youth leader, who is offered up as an innocent and gullible replacement for a Senate vacancy. Evil is personified by Claude Rains, as the suave and corrupt senior Senator, and Edward Arnold, brilliant as a ruthless party boss.

In many ways, 'Smith' is cut from the same cloth as Capra's earlier masterpiece, 'Mr. Deeds Goes to Town', and both films costar the radiant Jean Arthur, here cast as Smith's secretary. She is an old hand at understanding political wheelings and dealings, and at first, she considers her new boss a total idiot! But Smith's integrity wins her over, and with the help of reporter Thomas Mitchell (1939's busiest actor!), the three manage to outlast the forces of Evil, in the most rousing filabuster Hollywood has ever filmed!

Two supporting characters deserve special attention; Harry Carey, one of Hollywood's most beloved Western stars, plays a warm, sympathetic Vice President, in a small but very crucial role; and Beulah Bondi is terrific as Stewart's mother (she would play his mother again in the Capra/Stewart classic 'It's A Wonderful Life').

The new DVD edition offers the insights of Frank Capra, Jr., son of the legendary filmmaker, as well as trailers, vintage material, and a whole lot more!

If you've seen 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' before, treat yourself with this lavish new edition! If you haven't seen it, you are in for one of the most wonderful cinema experiences you'll ever have, from the best year Hollywood ever had!

Simply put, this film is a masterpiece!

An All-American Film
This movie is perfect for July 4th..in fact, I watched this movie for the first time on this day! If you want to see how a bill is passed, what the Senate consist of in the government, how people in politics are after, great monuments like the Capitol and Lincoln, and a great storyline, this is the movie for you.
Jimmy Stewart played Jeff Smith, a Boy Scout ranger who loves America, was picked as a Senator. His honesty and rookie nature made him a ruse for the experienced Senators who are out to get him and throw him out of office with their lies. Meanwhile, he did find a friend who went with him all the way...his secretary, Clarissa (who falls in love with him). You will have to find out the rest of the movie what happens when people found out that Smith was telling the truth all along, and the bad guys.
This is a great movie!! Go watch it!

THE LAST "CONSERVATIVE" MOVIE?
In 1939, Frank Capra made "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", starring Jimmy Stewart. I have sources that tell me a film was made 10 years later that depicted the Republican as a good guy, but I could not verify it. To the best of my knowledge, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" is the last big screen film in which the Democrat was the bad guy, and even then it is only inferred. In Capra's classic, a Midwestern political machine based on the corrupt Democrat organization in Kansas City that Harry Truman rose to power in, is exposed by an idealistic young Senator (Stewart). Claude Rains plays the Truman character. He looked just like him, and in end gives a Senate floor mea culpa of his complicity with Democrat crimes, which is highly, precisely and to quintessential effect the same one "Give 'em hell Harry" should have given, but never did. All is not lost for the Democrats, however, because Stewart is still a Democrat, and the hope for the future. In reality, the Democrats just got more corrupt, and Hollywood would be their willing ally.

STEVEN TRAVERS
Author of "Barry Bonds: Baseball's Superman"
STWRITES@aol.com

The movie will not yield.
Frank Capra captures the heart of american patriotism without ever becoming preachy. Mr. Smith is equal parts civics lesson, romance, tense drama and at its heart: the perfect fish out of water comedy.

Jimmy Stewart is fantastic as Jefferson Smith an honorory senator who accidentally stumbles on corruption. Stellar performances were turned in by Jean Arthur, Claude Raines, Edward Arnold and Thomas Mitchell, but it is Stewart who dominates this film.

The phrase Capraesque gets bandied about with too much regularity these days when describing recent films. I would strongly reccomend Mr. Sith goes to Washington as Capra at his most Capraesque. ... Read more

Description

A conniving father and daughter meet up with the heir to a brewery fortune-a wealthy but naïve snake enthusiast-and attempt to bamboozle him at a cruise ship card table. Their plan is quickly abandoned when the daughter falls in love with their prey. But when the heir gets wise to her gold-digging ways, she must plot to re-conquer his heart. One of Sturges' most clever and beloved romantic comedies, The Lady Eve balances broad slapstick and sophisticated sexiness with perfect grace. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

"Let us be crooked, but never common."
Preston Sturges' "The Lady Eve" is a romantic battle of the sexes done screwball style. Yet, to classify it solely as a romantic or screwball comedy would be a mistake. For "The Lady Eve" was a transition film set between the pure screwball comedies that preceded it and the more conventional romantic comedies that followed. It relied on pratfalls and misunderstandings like its predecessors but also added an additional level of wit and sophistication that downplayed the more juvenile aspects of the screwball genre.

"The Lady Eve" is about the complicated boy-meets-girl-boy-loses-girl-boy-meets-another-girl-who-turns-out-to-be-the-same-girl relationship between beer company heir Charles Pike (Henry Fonda) and crafty con artist Jean Harrington (Barbara Stanwyck). They first meet on a cruise ship where Jean pegs Charles as just another victim. However, she soon falls in love with him only to be tossed aside when Charles finds out about her true vocation. Jean bides her time, patiently waiting for an opportunity to exact revenge on the man who jilted her. The opportunity soon presents itself but Jean's romantic feelings get the best of her once more. After deciding to leave behind her fake Eve personage, she chooses true love over the con game and hooks up with Charles again.

Fonda is superb at playing the sincere but easily victimized Charles. Those familiar with him only through his dramatic roles will find that he can be just as home in a comedic part. Yet, it is Stanwyck who steals the show. At different points of the film, she is called upon to be vile, sweet, clever, or heartbroken, and she pulls off each new demand placed upon her effortlessly. Stanwyck remarkably manages to create a multi-dimensional character that you loathe and love at the same time. The supporting cast is also strong with Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette, William Demarest all contributing winning performances. There's much to enjoy about "The Lady Eve" but perhaps the most important message to take away from it is that it is never good to have five aces in your hand.

_The_ Sturges Classic!!!
Wow. This film is a stunner. It is also one of the best romantic comedies of the 1940s, or of any era. As usual, Preston Sturges's dialogue and situations sparkle with humor and wit, while his direction keeps the action moving quickly. Both Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda turn in perfect performances. There are also notable supporting turns by Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette, and Eric Blore (all practiced character actors that shined in romantic comedy). Several Sturges regulars also appear, notably William Demarest.

Stanwyck plays a con artist, who, with her father (Coburn), tricks unwary passengers on cruise ships. She decides that Fonda, a rich man who is heir to Pike's Pale [ale] fortune, will be her next victim. They meet "cute," as is required in an old romantic comedy: Stanwyck purposefully trips Fonda and breaks her shoe, then forces Fonda to take her to her room to replace it. The following scene on the chaise loungue is a keeper. Soon Fonda is falling under Stanwyck's spell, while Coburn is stealing his money at cards. But Stanwyck also finds herself falling in love, as she is slowly won over by Fonda's innocence. She decides to reform and give Fonda back his money. But then Fonda finds out that Stanwyck is a known criminal, and breaks up with her. Determined to have her revenge on Fonda for dumping her, Stanwyck disguises herself as the wealthy English "Lady Eve" and goes to Fonda's house. There, she quickly seduces him, without Fonda ever recognizing her. Then things get even more complicated. Of course, certain events result with our hero and heroine finally understanding each other and finding happiness.

This film is a treat from beginning to end (I loved the opening credits with the animated snake--nice Adam and Eve reference). Well worth the money. Also recommended: Easy Living, Hail the Conquering Hero (both also Sturges), Ball of Fire (also with Stanwyck), anything by Lubitsch.

Never play cards with a card sharp

Director: Preston Sturges
Format: Black & White
Studio: Universal Studios
Video Release Date: August 4, 1998

Cast:

Barbara Stanwyck ... Jean Harrington/Lady Eve Sidwich
Henry Fonda ... Charles Pike ('Hopsie')
Charles Coburn ... 'Colonel' Harrington
Eugene Pallette ... Horace Pike
William Demarest ... Muggsy (Ambrose Murgatroyd)
Eric Blore ... Sir Alfred McGlennan Keith ('Pearlie')
Melville Cooper ... Gerald
Martha O'Driscoll ... Martha
Janet Beecher ... Janet Pike
Robert Greig ... Burrows
Dora Clement ... Gertrude
Luis Alberni ... Emile, Pike's chef
Harry Depp ... Man With Glasses on Boat
Robert Dudley ... Husband on Boat
Ray Flynn ... Lawyer
Kenneth Gibson ... Party Guest
Sam Ash ... Husband on Boat
Alfred Hall ... Party Guest
Eddie Hall ... Chauffeur
John Hartley ... Young Man on Boat
Arthur Hoyt ... Lawyer at Phone in Pike's Office
Arthur Stuart Hull ... Party Guest
Jack W. Johnston ... Lawyer
Harry A. Bailey ... Lawyer

Ambrose Barker ... Mac
Bertram Marburgh ... Party Guest
George Melford ... Party Guest
Torben Meyer ... Mr. Clink, Purser
Frank Moran ... Party Bartender
Joseph North ... Second Butler at Party
Wilson Benge ... First Butler at Party
Victor Potel ... Second Steward
Jack Richardson ... Father of Girl on Board
Cyril Ring ... Husband on Boat
Abdullah Abbas ... Man With Potted Palm
Harry Rosenthal ... Piano Tuner
Reginald Sheffield ... Professor Jones
Norman Ainsley ... Sir Alfred's Servant
Julius Tannen ... Lawyer
Walter Walker ... Sparky
Robert Warwick ... Passenger
Pat West ... Ship's Bartender
Gayne Whitman ... Party Guest
Al Bridge ... First Steward
Jimmy Conlin ... Third Steward
Wanda McKay ... Daughter on Boat
Esther Michelson ... Wife on Boat
Ella Neal ... Daughter on Boat
Barbara Pepper ... Lady Wrestler Type
Jean Phillips ... Sweetie
Wilda Bennett ... Party Guest
Evelyn Beresford ... Party Guest
Frances Raymond ... Old Lady on Boat
Marcelle Christopher ... Daughter on Boat
Georgie Cooper ... Party Guest
Nell Craig ... Boat Passenger at Railing
Eva Dennison ... Mother on Boat
Helen Dickson ... Mother on Boat
Pauline Drake ... Social Secretary
Betty Farrington ... Mother on Boat
Bess Flowers ... Party Guest
Almeda Fowler ... Mother on Boat

A trio of card sharps on a cruise ship tries to take a rich man's son, Charles Pike (Henry Fonda) at cards. Unfortunately for both of them, Pike falls for Jean Harrington (Barbara Stanwyck), and she him. Also unfortunately, her background as a card cheat comes out and puts the kibosh on the romance.

The story develops from there.

This is a good story, ccompetently acted and directed, and very entertaining.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

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

Best American Laugher
I saw bits and pieces of The Lady Eve on Turner occasionally and never watched long enough to have an opinion one way or the other. I enjoyed Preston Sturges, Sullivan's Travels and realize he's one of the greats of American film comedy, so I rented The Lady Eve on a friend's recommendation. I enjoyed young handsome Henry Fonda and particularly Barbara Stanwyck. Barbara Stanwyck is not a favorite actress of mine. Maybe it's her brassy delivery and non-leading lady face, but I've changed my mind. Barbara is without a doubt the equal of Claudette Colbert or Carole Lombard in screwball comedy. She might be better. There is a burning intensity, a wistfulness in her delivery of: "Sometimes a good girl can be bad and a bad girl can be good." Fonda has been in the Amazon for a year and on a ship home he runs into a family of card sharks. Barbara traps him, he trips, falls, lands on his ass, and holds her stocking foot. Then they fall in love in some of the most romantic photography of a beautiful couple ever shot. The farce goes on to its final brilliance. There is one pratfall that made me laugh out loud for five minutes. Preston Sturgis is one of the best five directors in all of film.

a very nice film with nice extras
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

This movie starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda remains a classic to this day.

In this film, a woman and her father meet the heir to a brewery company on a cruise ship and attempt to sucker him at a card table. The daughter soon falls in love with their would-be victim. He later learns of her plan and she tries to win his heart. The movie has much slapstick humor in it and is comparable to the kind seen in the Three Stooges shorts.

The film was also selected by the Library of Congress for the highly coveted National Film Registry and Preservation Board.

The Criterion DVD has many special features including a theatrical trailer, a large number of publicity photos and stills, costume design sketches and other ephemera generously shared by director Preston Sturges' family . There is also a video introduction by writer Peter Bogdanovich and audio commentary by scholar Marion Keane. As a bonus there is the unabridged Lux Radio Theater audio drama adaptation of the film presented by Cecil B. De Mille.

This is truly a classic of American cinema. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Tyrone Power at his best!
During the age when swashbuckling action films were the most popular form of entertainment, there arose from Twentieth Century Fox an adventure film that topped all others. This film was "The Mark of Zorro" starring Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone. The daring masked avenger cloaked in black has been an American legend for 80 years, and many films have been produced starring the masked fox. However, I believe that this film is the best Zorro production ever made.

The setting is Spanish California in 1820. Don Diego Vega (Tyrone Power), an expert fencer of Madrid an in the elite training corps, is summoned back to Los Angeles by his fahter, Don Alejandro (Montagu Love), the alcalde. Upon arriving home, Diego learns his father has been run out of office by Capitan Esteban Pasquale (Basil Rathbone). Esteban holds in his hand the perfect puppet, a superstitious, greedy alcalde, Luis Quintero (J. Edward Bromberg). However, Diego pretends to be a fop, unmotivated to fight the capitan, befriending the alcalde and his wife Inez (Gale Sondergaard). However, Diego soon dons the mask of a daring hero, identifying himself as Zorro. Zorro terrorizes the alcalde and robs Esteban of the money he has robbed from the peons. Zorro and a local padre (Eugene Pallete) work to return the money to the citizens of Los Angeles. Diego/Zorro also falls in love with the beautiful Lolita Quintero (Linda Darnell), the niece of the alcalde. She cares nothing for her father's plans, her full support to Zorro. However, when the padre is arrested, Diego abandons his mask and leads the caballeros on a revolt.

This film added into the Zorro figure a new trait. In most Zorro stories, Zorro forces his enemies to return stolen money themselves. This Zorro, more serious, delivers the gold himself. This is a definate classic.

Of course, the film has it's problems. Power spends less time as Zorro and more time as Diego. Zorro only battles one soldier, the main battle occuring between Esteban and Diego. However, dispite minor errors, this film is an undisputed classic, and cannot not be missed by Zorro fans.

The supreme Zorro film
After the success of Warner Brothers "The Adventures of Robin Hood," starring Errol Flynn, Twentieth Century Fox released a film of their namesake, "The Mark of Zorro," starring Tyrone Power. It was a box office hit, and is a classic of it's time. While not in color, and wary of action, this film holds up as, in my opinion, the best of the Zorro films.

In the 1800's, the Spanish Empire rules California. Don Diego Vega (Tyrone Power), is "the best fencer of Madrid." He is ordered home by his father, Don Alejandro. Upon arrival, he hears that the alcalde is an evil tyrant. But Diego's fahter is the alcalde!
Diego learns from Capitan Esteban Pasquale (Basil Rathbone) that his father resigned, and that Luis B. Quintero (J. Edward Bromberg). Both Esteban and Quintero are worthless land theives, taxing the peons into pverty to fill their own pockets. However, Diego suddenly appears to have lost his swordsman skills, now acting foppish and peaceful, much to Alejandro's dissapointment. However, Deigo soon becomes the black-clad Zorro, a daring freedom fighter rescuing both the rich and poor from the tyrants. To disguise himself, he must remain foppish. Only the padre Felipe (Eugene Pallette) knows his true identity, along with Diego's fiance Lolita Quintero (Linda Darnell), a kind girl against her uncle and his henchman. However, when Fray Felipe is arrested as Zorro for trying to defend the mission taxes, Diego abandons both disguises and leads the caballeros and peons to battle, personally taking on Esteban in a spectacular showdown.

"The Mark of Zorro" was bassed on three stories. One was Johnston McCulley's original Zorro story. Unlike the Fairbanks film, the theme here focuses on saving the people from corruption, rather than defending Lolita. Another was Douglas Faribanks's "The Mark of Zorro" (1920). The other was "The Adventures of Robin Hood." Basil Rathbone and Eugene Pallette had roles in the Robin Hood film before starring in "The Mark of Zorro." Zorro here as a Robin Hood characteristic: he steals tax money and returns it to the people. Most Zorros force their enemies to give the money back themselves.

Sword battles in this film occur mainly between Diego and Esteban. The fencing in this movie is excellent. Rathbone is one of the best fencer's of all time, as is Power. The Zorro in this film is the closest thing ever that fits the Zorro legacy. This is a beautiful colassic, one than cannot be missed.

the classic fox period
the films of 20th century fox had a sheen unlike the other studios output.
one of their main stars; tyrone power (an underrated star today)was an embodiment of this sylized sheen.
he was different than errol flynn. while you always sensed flynn's bad boy personality even when he played squaeky clean heroes, power was far more an actor and his performances always seem more professionally toned. he is more 'with the film' than standing out against it and this may be the reason for the lack of appreciation for him.
this film is the shining example to the hollywood of old.
its excellence was predictable when you mix the beauty of power and darenll with the down right fun villany of rathbone, the music of newman, the goya toned cinematography and the virtually flawless direction of mamoulian.
sadly, its the like of which we wont see again for numerous reasons.
NOW, IF FOX WOULD DIG INTO THEIR ARCHIVES AND RELEASE POWER'S BEST ACTING IN FILM; NIGHTMARE ALLEY' a film that has never even seen the light of vhs.

Zorro the fey blade.
Tyrone Power's Zorro is both effeminate and masculine, one moment the picture of delicate and fey passiveness and the next the masculine caballero of legend. The film has held up well, mostly due to the excellent swordplay and Power's magnetic persona. The lack of actual Spanish actors will be noticeable and perhaps offensive to today's audience, although in 1940 it was probably a minor point at best. The DVD transfer could have been better, although it is generally grain-free and vivid. A 60-year old film can only look so good, after all. A fine version of the Zorro legend, lacking somewhat in political correctness but making up for it in sentiment and charm.

Movies - and Ty Power - don't get better than this!
Beautiful faces, gorgeous b&w photography, an array of old Hollywood's best character actors, brawling and tumultous fight scenes, probably the best sword fight ever filmed, and a rousing musical score that must have sent people almost dancing out of theaters with big smiles on their faces in 1940 - and will still make you smile in your living room. And dialogue laced with wit and humor as well as drama. Now THIS is what a Hollywood action movie should be!

This is one of the all-time best. Got the blues? This ought to chase them right away. Really got the blues? Try a double-feature of this with Flynn's The Adventures of Robin Hood. And you can keep all the Wars and Treks in the stars. They are made by mere children as compared to these old pros.

Why doesn't Tyrone Power have a cult of his own today? He was handsome and versatile, and a good actor whose performances hold up better than many of his competitors'. Ty Power's the Man! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very Good quality DVD of early mysteries!
The Roan Group can always be counted on to bring the best quality DVDs on public domain titles.
THE KENNEL MURDER CASE is sharp and clear with great contrast! The mystery is quite intricate and absorbing, I bought this for the next title but ended up thoroughly enjoying this mystery. You will want to see it again and again to find all of the clues.
NANCY DREW REPORTER is also sharp and clear, but there are a few scratches in the print used (not bad). Still it is an excellent presenation. The story is a bit juvinile, but then that is what Nancy Drew was aimed at.
It is a strange pairing of mysteries.

Two short features for the price of one
The picture and sound transfer on this DVD is very good (that's always good news whenever old, rarely seen films are released on home video). Roan Group is a DVD maker you can count on. "The Kennel Murder Case" is a bright, tight, and fluidly-directed whodunit. "Nancy Drew, Reporter" is a juvenile but enjoyable teen mystery-comedy. The movies are on separate sides on the disc. No captioning nor supplements are included. ... Read more

Description

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

Reviews (79)

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

Probably the best screwball comedy ever!
MY RATING- 8.4

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com essential video

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

Reviews (85)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (11)

A lesser 1930s detective comedy-thriller
William Powell drifts through this brisk murder mystery, portraying detective Philo Vance in a B-grade preview of the infinitely suaver, more witty "Thin Man" roles he would later excel at. This film is entertaining enough, after a style, but the script is as clumsy as the stage is cluttered, as one great character actor after another bump into one another as the plot zips unsuspensefully by. A murder is committed, but the police peg it as a suicide until Vance pops up to prove them wrong, playfully locking horns with the inept Sargeant in charge of the case (delightfully portrayed by the gravel-voiced Eugene Palette). Not one of director Michael Curtiz's brightest moments -- things just whiz by too quickly and the formula isn't given enough time to develop a sense of charm or wit. This is okay, but there are plenty of other oldies-but-goodies to spend your time on first.

FINE VINTAGE MYSTERY.
Probably the best of the Philo Vance series which starred, for the fourth time, the debanaire William Powell as the clever detective. The setting of the film takes place in a Long Island kennel club where Philo solves a double murder with the aid of his Doberman! Michael Curtiz successfully helmed this film which was based upon the novel by S.S. Van Dine (a pseudonym for Willard Wright). The previous Vance films were filmed by Paramount; this was the first done by Warner Bros. Because Powell requested a rather high fee for his services, for the next entry into the series - THE DRAGON MURDER CASE - the lead was given to the fairly adequate Warren William. Powell's earlier Vance films included THE CANARY MURDER CASE (1929) which starred the unique silent star Louise Brooks. Brooks refused to lend her voice for the sound version (her dialogue was subsequently dubbed) and this attitude greatly hampered her career in Hollywood. Brooks made her finest pictures in Germany where she collaborated with director G.W. Pabst on PANDORA'S BOX & DIARY OF A LOST GIRL.

Philo Vance Is A Genius
THE KENNEL MURDER CASE is an old-fashioned detective movie complete with a locked room mystery and a case of mistaken identity. The detective work by the hero Philo Vance is brilliant. The film is based on a novel by S.S. Van Dyne. It is a fun movie even though the story takes place during the height of the Great depression in New York City.

The role of Vance is played convincingly by William Powell. The strong supporting cast includes Eugene Pallette, Mary Astor, Ralph Morgan, Jack LaRue, Helen Vinson, Etienne Girardot and Paul Cavanaugh.

The film's director Michael Curtiz also directed CASABLANCA and YANKEE DOODLE DANDY.

GREAT DETECTIVE - MARGINAL PRINT
Great story with a great actor. Too bad Alpha didn't care enough to find a good print... sound is okay. I would not buy from them again.

The Kennel Murder Case
This is a great murder mystery. There are twists and turns from the beginning to the end. There are several movies that have been made over the years since this one, it is often imitated but never made better. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

ONE OF FAIRBANK'S BEST MOVIES
Doug Fairbanks was the consumate swashbuckler and the Three Musketeers is one of his best movies, if not THE best."The Three Musketeers" is based on the French novel by Alexandre Dumas. The King of France (Adolphe Menjou) is a weak-minded man manipulated by his sinister advisor Cardinal Richelieu (Nigel de Brulier). The Cardinal conspires against the Queen who opposes his influence. Fortunately for her, she is aided by the King's Musketeers, who have just welcomed young D'Artagnan (Fairbanks) into their ranks.

The actual Musketeers pretty much fade into the background and act as more of a comedic back-up to Fairbanks. I couldn't really tell one from the other (except for the portly Porthos) but they do a fair job with the fight sequences that they are given.

Great costume, exciting sword fights make this a true winner!

Back to basics
Sometimes the simplest things are the best !
I can recommand also the french silent movie version from henri diamant-berger(in 1921 too) that was a huge budget for this time and was lost forever before being found by chance in a private home.

No matter how thrilling and entertaining all the movie adaptations of dumas stories are, the book is still the best

That old movie is very close to the book which is a great thing

to get it, go to the french amazon (www.amazon.fr) and type les trois mousquetaires choose the one from diamant-berger

Fairbanks at his best!
Silent movie fans will be delighted with this swashbuckling tale starring the one and only Douglas Fairbanks! Set in France of long ago, this film uses elaborate costumes, wonderful sets and a hoard of extras. Fairbanks IS Dartanion as he sword fights his way into the Musketeers with bavery, arrogance and that wonderful touch of humor that seems to sparkle through his films. Spectacular stunts (done by the man himself), a wild chase scene and a supporting cast including Eugene Paulette (before he became rotund) and Adolph Menjou make this a silent screen classic everyone will enjoy! Watch out for the "odious Cardinal!" ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Douglas Fairbanks established himself as the first action hero in a series of lavish, action-packed adventures beginning with The Mark of Zorro in 1920. The next year Fairbanks called on the director of that success, Fred Niblo, to direct him in the even more ambitious The Three Musketeers, a swashbuckling costume classic packed with romance, knockabout humor, and Fairbanks's patented brand of gymnastic action. In a perfect match with his exuberantly cocky personality, Fairbanks plays the naive but gifted son of an impoverished nobleman who goes to Paris to seek his fame in the legendary king's guards, known as the Musketeers. The quick-tempered hick is easy to rile and immediately secures duels with the best swordsmen in France, the infamous Three Musketeers, before bonding with them in a brawling fight with the Cardinal's men. Meanwhile, the conniving Cardinal plots to humiliate the Queen and gain the ear of the foppish, easily manipulated King (Adolphe Menjou). The complicated plot introduces more characters than one can easily keep track of and Niblo tends toward static, airy setups that show off the spectacular sets, relying on the bounding energy of human dynamo Fairbanks to create the energy, which he does with cocksure confidence and a smile simultaneously generous, genuine, and just a little smug. Fairbank's version is a veritable blueprint for Richard Lester's excellent 1974 remake. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Gary Cooper saves his wagon "caravan" from Indian attack
Although this was Gary Cooper's next film after "Morocco" and despite its title, "Fighting Caravans" is not another film about the French Foreign Legion, but rather a Western. Cooper plays Clint Belmet, who is arrested for disturbing the peace right before he was to leave Missouri to be the guide for a caravan of wagons heading west. His partners, Bill Jackson (Ernest Torrence) and Jim Bridger (Tully Marshall), talk Felice (Lily Damita), an orphaned French girl who wagon has just joined the caravan, to pretend to be Clint's wife to get him out of jail. Once free, Clint is more than willing to play the bridegroom, but apologizes where it is clear Felice is angry. The two become friends worrying Bill and Jim that Clint is going to want to marry and settle down. Meanwhile, another member of the caravan, Lee Murdock (Fred Kohler), plays to betray them to the Indians who attack in the final real. This 1931 film, based on the 1929 novel by Zane Grey, was directed by Otto Brown and David Burton. Cooper's performance is okay, although the script does not require him to do much along the way except look handsome. "Fighting Caravans" was such a big production that the two directors shot enough footage that the extra was used as background for the 1934 film "Wagon Wheels" starring Randolph Scott. Finally, to make things really interesting, this film, which is an above-average Western from the early days of talking pictures, has been shown on television as "Blazing Arrows."

Gary Cooper saves his Wagon "Caravan" from Indian attack
Although this was Gary Cooper's next film after "Morocco" and despite its title, "Fighting Caravans" is not another film about the French Foreign Legion, but rather a Western. Cooper plays Clint Belmet, who is arrested for disturbing the peace right before he was to leave Missouri to be the guide for a caravan of wagons heading west. His partners, Bill Jackson (Ernest Torrence) and Jim Bridger (Tully Marshall), talk Felice (Lily Damita), an orphaned French girl who wagon has just joined the caravan, to pretend to be Clint's wife to get him out of jail. Once free, Clint is more than willing to play the bridegroom, but apologizes where it is clear Felice is angry. The two become friends worrying Bill and Jim that Clint is going to want to marry and settle down. Meanwhile, another member of the caravan, Lee Murdock (Fred Kohler), plays to betray them to the Indians who attack in the final real. This 1931 film, based on the 1929 novel by Zane Grey, was directed by Otto Brown and David Burton. Cooper's performance is okay, although the script does not require him to do much along the way except look handsome. "Fighting Caravans" was such a big production that the two directors shot enough footage that the extra was used as background for the 1934 film "Wagon Wheels" starring Randolph Scott. Finally, to make things really interesting, this film, which is an above-average Western from the early days of talking pictures, has been shown on television as "Blazing Arrows."

Low-rent version of "The Big Trail"...
A semi-clone of "The Big Trail", Cooper takes over the spot DUKE played, as a frontiersman/guide for a wagon train.

While "Fighting Caravans" is not as expansive as "The Big Trail", and while the young Gary Cooper is no young John Wayne, this early western is pretty entertaining.

In the story, Cooper helps the wagon train fend off Indians and evil traders, while his two crusty companions try and save him from falling in love.

There's plenty of action, and there's even a hint of pre-code Hollywood, as Cooper's character practically attempts to blackmail his new sweetheart into fooling around with him.

Laserlight/Delta found a pretty fair print, but there are several missing frames. The image will occasionally "black out", but while annoying, does not interfere with viewing. Originally 92 minutes, this print seems to be more or less intact, missing perhaps two or three minutes.

The story moves along well, and the opening credits alone are pretty snazzy for 1931.

The film has much to recommend it, and while "The Big Trail" is superior, this early Cooper vehicle is worth adding to your western DVD collection. Especially for the low price the disc is being offered at, you should definitely pick this one up.

Film fans should look (or listen!), for Eugene Pallette, of "The Adventures of Robin Hood" fame. He's here in a minor supporting role some seven years before he played Friar Tuck. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Gary Cooper saves his wagon "caravan" from Indian attack
Although this was Gary Cooper's next film after "Morocco" and despite its title, "Fighting Caravans" is not another film about the French Foreign Legion, but rather a Western. Cooper plays Clint Belmet, who is arrested for disturbing the peace right before he was to leave Missouri to be the guide for a caravan of wagons heading west. His partners, Bill Jackson (Ernest Torrence) and Jim Bridger (Tully Marshall), talk Felice (Lily Damita), an orphaned French girl who wagon has just joined the caravan, to pretend to be Clint's wife to get him out of jail. Once free, Clint is more than willing to play the bridegroom, but apologizes where it is clear Felice is angry. The two become friends worrying Bill and Jim that Clint is going to want to marry and settle down. Meanwhile, another member of the caravan, Lee Murdock (Fred Kohler), plays to betray them to the Indians who attack in the final real. This 1931 film, based on the 1929 novel by Zane Grey, was directed by Otto Brown and David Burton. Cooper's performance is okay, although the script does not require him to do much along the way except look handsome. "Fighting Caravans" was such a big production that the two directors shot enough footage that the extra was used as background for the 1934 film "Wagon Wheels" starring Randolph Scott. Finally, to make things really interesting, this film, which is an above-average Western from the early days of talking pictures, has been shown on television as "Blazing Arrows."

Gary Cooper saves his Wagon "Caravan" from Indian attack
Although this was Gary Cooper's next film after "Morocco" and despite its title, "Fighting Caravans" is not another film about the French Foreign Legion, but rather a Western. Cooper plays Clint Belmet, who is arrested for disturbing the peace right before he was to leave Missouri to be the guide for a caravan of wagons heading west. His partners, Bill Jackson (Ernest Torrence) and Jim Bridger (Tully Marshall), talk Felice (Lily Damita), an orphaned French girl who wagon has just joined the caravan, to pretend to be Clint's wife to get him out of jail. Once free, Clint is more than willing to play the bridegroom, but apologizes where it is clear Felice is angry. The two become friends worrying Bill and Jim that Clint is going to want to marry and settle down. Meanwhile, another member of the caravan, Lee Murdock (Fred Kohler), plays to betray them to the Indians who attack in the final real. This 1931 film, based on the 1929 novel by Zane Grey, was directed by Otto Brown and David Burton. Cooper's performance is okay, although the script does not require him to do much along the way except look handsome. "Fighting Caravans" was such a big production that the two directors shot enough footage that the extra was used as background for the 1934 film "Wagon Wheels" starring Randolph Scott. Finally, to make things really interesting, this film, which is an above-average Western from the early days of talking pictures, has been shown on television as "Blazing Arrows."

Low-rent version of "The Big Trail"...
A semi-clone of "The Big Trail", Cooper takes over the spot DUKE played, as a frontiersman/guide for a wagon train.

While "Fighting Caravans" is not as expansive as "The Big Trail", and while the young Gary Cooper is no young John Wayne, this early western is pretty entertaining.

In the story, Cooper helps the wagon train fend off Indians and evil traders, while his two crusty companions try and save him from falling in love.

There's plenty of action, and there's even a hint of pre-code Hollywood, as Cooper's character practically attempts to blackmail his new sweetheart into fooling around with him.

Laserlight/Delta found a pretty fair print, but there are several missing frames. The image will occasionally "black out", but while annoying, does not interfere with viewing. Originally 92 minutes, this print seems to be more or less intact, missing perhaps two or three minutes.

The story moves along well, and the opening credits alone are pretty snazzy for 1931.

The film has much to recommend it, and while "The Big Trail" is superior, this early Cooper vehicle is worth adding to your western DVD collection. Especially for the low price the disc is being offered at, you should definitely pick this one up.

Film fans should look (or listen!), for Eugene Pallette, of "The Adventures of Robin Hood" fame. He's here in a minor supporting role some seven years before he played Friar Tuck. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A film for a Saturday matinee for kids
It is not a B-series film, but rather a C-series film, or even something somewhat more advanced in the alphabet. But you will get the crooks and the good marshall, the rotten apple in the community, in this case the banker, and we know that from the very beginning, the calvacades and other chases in the « wild » landscape with many horses and quite a few casual or planned casualties, a love affair and even a sacrifice for a woman, a lot of drinking and some card-playing, and all other typical western elements. But do not ask for subtlety in this film : even the timeline is not very correct and some shortcuts are longer, quite longer, than the longcuts, but, well, we can do with that. It is funny.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

Richard Dix---should be better known....
THE KANSAN appeared in 1943, and was for all intents and purposes, the last major role for actor Richard Dix. Dix had starred in the 1931 classic CIMARRON, and throughout the 1930s and early '40s starred in some well-done Westerns. Perhaps his biggest role came in Republic Pictures' MAN OF CONQUEST (a retelling of the Sam Houston saga). THE KANSAN is one of his better Westerns, and certainly deserves a viewing from time to time. The present video release, THE KANSAN, is a traditional Western yarn, released by UA, with good production values, and a strong cast, including Jane Wyatt, Albert Dekker, Victor Jory, Rod Cameron, Eugene Pallette, Clem Bevans, and Willie Best (who adds comic relief). The action is swift and true to form. Dix is very solid as the marshall out to clean up the town and undo the machinations of the corrupt clique that originally put him in power. All in all, enjoyable.
This release is in Standard Play speed, and the video quality is fairly decent.

Brisk Grade B western with a twist.
This "small" western has the unusual plot of a town marshall turning on the corrupt politicians who put him in place and equally battling them and the usual outlaws. Dix is fine in the role. Jane Wyatt is love interest. Victor Jory suave as the all too human villain. Oscar nom for Original Score. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A lesser 1930s detective comedy-thriller
William Powell drifts through this brisk murder mystery, portraying detective Philo Vance in a B-grade preview of the infinitely suaver, more witty "Thin Man" roles he would later excel at. This film is entertaining enough, after a style, but the script is as clumsy as the stage is cluttered, as one great character actor after another bump into one another as the plot zips unsuspensefully by. A murder is committed, but the police peg it as a suicide until Vance pops up to prove them wrong, playfully locking horns with the inept Sargeant in charge of the case (delightfully portrayed by the gravel-voiced Eugene Palette). Not one of director Michael Curtiz's brightest moments -- things just whiz by too quickly and the formula isn't given enough time to develop a sense of charm or wit. This is okay, but there are plenty of other oldies-but-goodies to spend your time on first.

FINE VINTAGE MYSTERY.
Probably the best of the Philo Vance series which starred, for the fourth time, the debanaire William Powell as the clever detective. The setting of the film takes place in a Long Island kennel club where Philo solves a double murder with the aid of his Doberman! Michael Curtiz successfully helmed this film which was based upon the novel by S.S. Van Dine (a pseudonym for Willard Wright). The previous Vance films were filmed by Paramount; this was the first done by Warner Bros. Because Powell requested a rather high fee for his services, for the next entry into the series - THE DRAGON MURDER CASE - the lead was given to the fairly adequate Warren William. Powell's earlier Vance films included THE CANARY MURDER CASE (1929) which starred the unique silent star Louise Brooks. Brooks refused to lend her voice for the sound version (her dialogue was subsequently dubbed) and this attitude greatly hampered her career in Hollywood. Brooks made her finest pictures in Germany where she collaborated with director G.W. Pabst on PANDORA'S BOX & DIARY OF A LOST GIRL.

Philo Vance Is A Genius
THE KENNEL MURDER CASE is an old-fashioned detective movie complete with a locked room mystery and a case of mistaken identity. The detective work by the hero Philo Vance is brilliant. The film is based on a novel by S.S. Van Dyne. It is a fun movie even though the story takes place during the height of the Great depression in New York City.

The role of Vance is played convincingly by William Powell. The strong supporting cast includes Eugene Pallette, Mary Astor, Ralph Morgan, Jack LaRue, Helen Vinson, Etienne Girardot and Paul Cavanaugh.

The film's director Michael Curtiz also directed CASABLANCA and YANKEE DOODLE DANDY.

GREAT DETECTIVE - MARGINAL PRINT
Great story with a great actor. Too bad Alpha didn't care enough to find a good print... sound is okay. I would not buy from them again.

The Kennel Murder Case
This is a great murder mystery. There are twists and turns from the beginning to the end. There are several movies that have been made over the years since this one, it is often imitated but never made better. ... Read more