Description

In THE NAKED JUNGLE, Charlton Heston plays the powerful, brooding owner of a plantation in the wild and treacherous South American jungle, while Eleanor Parker plays his charming American mail order bride.He is wary of this beautiful and talented woman, and wonders why she would leave America for the rigors of jungle life. But with the advance of relentless killer ants making their way across the jungle, the two find their relationship changing as they fight to save the jungle. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

An entertaining little known adventure film
The Naked Jungle is a surprisingly likeable movie. From the title, one either believes it's an erotic film or a comedy, both of which it is neither. The film is actually a mixture of romance and adventure, along with some doses of action and suspense and the combination is well done.

Eleanor Parker stars as Joanna Leinengen, a strong-willed, beautiful, and independent young woman who has been married via mail to Christopher Leinengen, played by Charlton Heston. He owns and lives in his plantation in South America so she travels by boat from the United States to meet him for the very first time. When she arrives, they don't get off to a very good start and Christopher ignores quite a bit and treats her without respect. However, as the time goes by romantic feelings begin to develop between them. But a problem is beginning to grow in the jungle. A 20 mile long, 2 mile wide line of soldier ants is headed for Christopher's plantation and is devouring everything in its path. Now, Christopher and Joanna must think quickly and defend their home from the tiny predators.

I honestly had no idea what this movie was about when I popped it into the VCR. It's truly a pleasant surprise as the romance in the film is well done with a lot of chemistry between Parker and Heston. Each deliver superb performances.

There's a switch in tone nearly 2/3's the way through this movie (it's 96 minutes long without end credits), from romance/drama to action/adventure and suspense when the ants begin to invade. The developing tension is taut and fast paced. One might get the feeling that a movie with this kind of plot might be rather cheesy but that's not the case with The Naked Jungle. Every moment is well-executed with competent direction and a good script to boot. For jungle adventure and romance, The Naked Jungle is a fine choice.

"20 miles long ,2 miles wide......Marabuta!"
Another film on the "It should have been on dvd already" list. This
is again fine vintage entertainment that still holds up thru repeat
viewings.

Based on the novel "Lanlogen and the ants" Charlton Heston stars as
the main character a plantation owner whose roots go further in the
ground than any of trees in the amazon, who has cut all ties to the
civilized world outside his. That is until "made to order" bride to
be Eleanor Parker shows up on his step. Prim,Proper and intelligent
& a mind of her own, she is not at all what he expected his brother
to send to him form New Orleans. To say more would spoil the show

I will tell if your screamish about ants (That's Marabuta in this
neck of the woods) then prepare yourself for millions of them as
they threaten to destroy everything in thier path leaving nothing
but "The naked jungle"

A great film with just the right amount of romance and adventure
Heston has never been brutal and Parker never more beautiful and
William Conrad in a good supporting role. Paramount's VHS tape is
the only to watch this gem for the moment,It has a fairly decent
picture and sound quality but (excuse the pun) I'm itching to get
my hands on the dvd when it finally comes out.

fire ants and fiery hearts
Set in 1901 in the Amazon jungle, this fabulous "Insect Feature" has excellent special effects and atmosphere, with Charlton Heston as a mucho macho man who is at war with the dreaded marabunta, the killer red ants who threaten to take over his plantation. He is also at war with his heart, as he tries to stay aloof to his mail order bride from New Orleans, the beautiful Eleanor Parker. Parker is cool as a mint julep in her Edith Head gowns, and tough enough to stand by her man; the chemistry between them sizzles, and they look so very fine together.
William Conrad is also good as the Commissioner, as he warns them to escape the billions of approaching ants which are "forty square miles of agonizing death !".

One of the best things about this film is the soundtrack by Daniele Amfitheatrof, which owes a lot to Stravinsky and Darius Milhaud, and is perfect in the way it underscores the dialogue, and accentuates the action. It's really worth just listening to this film once, to fully appreciate the music and the sound effects.
Ernest Lazlo's Techicolor cinematography is marvelous, and the Byron Haskin direction fast paced, with Heston doing most of his own stunts, which included having those nasty ants crawling on him.
Some of this film is quite exciting, some of it hilarious, and it's always extremely entertaining, and is the absolute best of the bug genre films.
As the ants bare the jungle, Eleanor tries to bare Chuck's soul...will she succeed ? watch this superb jungle romance and find out !
Total running time is 95 minutes.

Top-notch thriller is a hidden gem
Exciting drama-horror film about a South American planter who faces death and destruction from deadly soldier ants. The swarming Marabunda, as the ants are called, cover an area ten miles long and two miles wide and are the scourge of South American jungles, sweeping everything before them. Leiningen, the plantation owner, ignores warnings by the commissioner to abandon his acres of coffee and chocolate and makes preparations to fend off his intelligent, relentless foe. The ants are about two inches in length with razor-sharp mandibles and devour plants and trees in their path and even fierce jungle predators such as jaguars, wild hogs and tapirs flee before the voracious insects.

Another plot narrative is the marital discord between Leiningen [Charlton Heston] and his mail-order bride [Eleanor Parker]. Desiring a wife with whom to share his vast jungle holdings, Leiningen marries a woman by proxy from New Orleans and is displeased to discover that she is a widow, and has known men. The Leiningens clash repeatedly until the planter softens in his attitude towards his bride. Mrs. Leiningen stays by her husband's side and they and his plantation workers band together to turn aside the savage Marabunda.

A Surprise At The Theater
In junior high school, in an English book, I read a true story titled "Leinengen Versus the Ants", a good and interesting story for a school book.

Years later, when I saw this movie, I realized that it is the same story. Surprise! Having read it in a school reader gave it authenticity to my mind. Charlton Heston and Eleanor Parker gave it color and flavor. Very enjoyable movie. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

"On your word as a fraud and a fake?"
What a great movie! Lesser known than many other great swashbucklers, "Scaramouche" is nonetheless a top-notch production in every way.

Stewart Granger stars as the quick-witted Andre Moreau, a charming drifter who after the murder of his best friend dedicates his life to the destruction of the murderer, the cold-blooded Marquis de Maynes (Mel Ferrer). Along the way he fights many duels, romances sweet Janet Leigh AND fiery Eleanor Parker, and has several close shaves.

"Scaramouche" features a solid script, beautiful sets, lush costumes and gorgeous cinematography. The cast is excellent, with Mel Ferrer in particular giving shading and nuance to the role of the villain. The last 20 minutes of the film feature a long, spectacular sword fight that is a must-see for fans of the genre. I highly recommend "Scaramouche" to any film buff and especially to those who love adventure films.
GRADE: A

(As a side note, I have also read the novel on which this movie is based, and I found it very entertaining. The movie differs from the book in several key areas, so if you have yet to read the novel, don't worry, the movie won't spoil it for you.)

Crème de la crème of swashbucklers
This lavish and witty adventure was based (very loosely) on the once-popular novel by Rafael Sabatini. It had been filmed before as a silent, much more faithful to the original. This Technicolor "talkie" takes liberties -- and has a lot more fun, despite its themes of revenge and hopeless love. There's even a Napoleonic sight gag in the final shot. The cast is ideal: Stewart Granger is rugged yet suave as the cynical hero and Mel Ferrer is appropriately icy as his aristocratic nemesis. (Ferrer is dressed in whites and silvers, Granger in warm colors.) Granger is loved by both Janet Leigh and Eleanor Parker, the former a sweet Bourbon, the latter a sexy coquette. To complicate matters, Miss Leigh is adored by both Granger and Ferrer. (One contemporary critic sighed: "It's quite a plot!") The third female is Nina Foch, the most elegant Marie Antoinette you'll ever see. Unfortunately, her role was partially cut in the final editing. The picture moves on several levels. At !the beginning, Granger's character André Moreau ("Born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad", to quote Sabatini's famous first sentence) is a careless man who knows nothing about politics and cannot use a sword. In seeking vengeance for his friend's death, however, he joins the forces of liberté, égalité, fraternité; and, studying with masters, he becomes the most dangerous swordsman in France. Hiding from the authorities, he takes up with a seedy group of traveling players and, under his influence, it becomes a brilliant commedia dell'arte success (hence the title).The climatic duel takes place in a glittering Parisian theatre, the antagonists moving from the boxes, down a broad staircase, through the crowded auditorium, and onto the stage itself. All this to a dashing Victor Young score. One viewer has called "Scaramouche" a no-music musical. Actually, M~G~M originally meant this remake to be a musical starring Gene Kelly. The director George Sidney alternated between musicals and "straight" films. It isn't flawless: One of Ferrer's victims gets the fatal thrust twice in the opening sequence, once in long shot, then in close up. And don't dwell too long on the "surprise" ending (a variation of Sabatini's) or you may wonder why the marquis has to be introduced to the queen's protégée at the beginning. He would have known her or at least her name for years.

Forget the swordplay--LOOK at it!
Scaramouche has possibly the most beautiful Technicolor cinematography of any MGM film. It's just gorgeous! The film, of course, is a delight in the great Errol Flynn tradition, but with Janet Leigh and Eleanor Parker, it's primarily a feast for the eyes. Incidentally, this is the only film I know of that gives an accurate representation of commedia dell'arte, and the theatrical scenes are a delight.

Best Swordfights in movies ever!!!
One of the few instances where the movie is far better than the book which inspired it, this version of 'Scaramouche' has some of the most fantastic sword fights ever put on film.
A favorite of my childhood, it is still in my 'top ten' list of adventure movies; Hyperkinetic, humorous, it never gets dull.
Stewart Granger never has been better, even as in other favorites of mine as 'Prisoner of Zenda' or 'North to Alaska'. Mel Ferrer is the suavest villain you can get, Eleanor Parker never has been so attractive, and Janet Leigh is a vision of Heaven.
Why the current adventure movies are not so enjoyable anymore?

Scaramouche
Loved every moment of this film. Glorious story and plot based (with artistic license) on the Rafael Sabatini novel of the same name. Victor Young's music provides an excellent accompaniment to the film's action and romantic scenes. A minor criticism, I only wish the DVD was offered in a "letterbox" (wide screen) format. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

What A Combination
This is one of my favorite Sinatra films. It has quite a cast of charater Sinatra,Robinson and Capra. This group have all made some very good movie's and they all have a distinct style with there film's. Put this combination toghter and they all play off each other well. Sinatra play's a dreamer and on the verge of losing everything except that he has a son that will stick by him no matter what. Robinson is the older brother who is very set in his ways. He visit his younger brother and there take on life are about as different as brother can be. I wish ther were some extra's; I feel this film has alway's been a little overlook when people talk about Sinatra film's. But for the price it is a nice feel good movie to add to the collection.

The Great Irony Of Hole In The Head
The irony that seems to be lost on everyone in this movie is Sinatra's grand get-rich-quick scheme. He's got this crazy idea about building a Disney Land in Florida. You remember the great scene at the dog track with Keenan Winn where he lays out the plan..."Sure, we pick up the land for a song and we're in business". Keep in mind this is 1959 and even Walt himself probably hadn't thought about picking up all that property dirt cheap and developing the world's largest theme park...Then again maybe Walt saw Hole In The Head.

AKA Frankie Screws Up Again........
Sinatra is such a dufus in this movie. He gives up the beautiful, kooky goddess Shirl (Carolyn Jones) just so he can play house with a red-head chick. Besides that disappointment, this is a wonderful film. Not to mention you get a fabulous performance of the song about the ant & the rubber tree that just sticks in your head.....years later. A definate must see for any Carolyn Jones fan. My favorite part is when she's out surfing and comes from the water all salty. Two thumbs up

A Hole in The Head (Frank Sinatra)
Send me an email if you need this movie. I have a couple ... Read more

Product Description

Frank Sinatra classic..skilled card player and former heroin addict returns from jail finding it hard to find a new livelyhood. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Sinatra at his best!!
This has got to be one of the best movies ever made which has depicted the heroin addict and his predicament. Frank Sinatra, in one of his earlier roles, plays the part of an ex-convict/drug addict who returns back to the "old neighborhood," and wants to "come clean," and pursue a career as a big band drummer, but he unfortunately comes face to face with the "dealer" (Darren McGavin) and things cook from there. McGavin is a wonderful portrayal of the neighborhood supplier who keeps baiting Sinatra and baiting him until the he cannot say no any longer. Coupled with his own domestic situation, which I dare not give away, but only to tell you that the ensemble cast which makes up this movie is outstanding. The soundtrack is pulsating and keeps your adrenaline moving upward, and that is one of the most unnerving parts of the film, and one which keeps you on the edge of your seat, as the saying goes. This could be classified as a family movie, as there is no sex, nudity, profanity, but only the theme of drug addiction, and a family could watch this film and discuss these issues in an enlightened way. Sinatra once said he thought he should've gotten an Oscar for this movie, and I agree. Highly recommended!!!

An interesting mix of outstanding and plodding sequences
...the most prominent aspects of the movie - Sinatra's unquestionably great performance, Preminger's use of compelling camera angles, the prominently placed Berstein Jazz score, and Novak's performance. All of which are true and I agree that most of these combine to create a positive impression of this movie.

The best sequences in the movie involve Sinatra in the realm of men (and I mean Men as opposed to human) - when dealing the several day long card game while still trying to keep focused on the important audition Monday morning, the interchanges with the appealingly slimy heroin dealer (greasily played by Darrin McGavin in one of his best roles) while succumbing to the pull of the junkie, the failed musical audition, and the outstanding bit when he resolves to kick the habit cold-turkey. All of these were worth watching several times - thank God for chapter selections on DVD.

However, the movie is not perfect, and there are several things that can be readily cited as significant faults. The possessive and yet still possessed wife (Eleanor Parker) was a one-note performance: hysteria. Preminger needed to significantly pull back that character from the precipice that she fell off (long before she literally falls off). The first scene with her and Frankie upon his return home is the only one that was interesting and believable, all others were maudlin and overdone. She clearly had the acting chops to turn in a fascinating performance, as indicated by this first scene. Her character should have been one of the most pivotal in the movie, as she is the reason why Frankie returns and she inadvertently provides the key to his freedom when she gives herself up after killing the heroin dealer. As it is, scenes with her in it are mostly unwatchable.

The sycophantic toady friend of Frankie (Arnold Stang) was, I suppose, intended to be funny, but he is such an undeveloped stereotype as to be merely annoying. He greatly hindered my enjoyment of the movie.

Also the pacing at times really dragged at several points, most notably even during the great sequence with Sinatra kicking the habit. The rather long running time (119 minutes) could have been easily shortened by at least 20 minutes with some simple editing and tightening. Similarly, although the musical score was interesting and compelling - it tied in with Frankie's newly resolved ambition and nicely placed the movie among the heroin junkie jazz lifestyle of the time - it could have been much better utilized. One refrain in particular that recurs so often as to be annoying and at such a loud volume as to be distracting. It is a perfect example of how great music can be diminished by misapplication.

That all being said, these detractions do not so significantly reduce the movie that I would not heartily recommend it to my friends. Dated and imperfect it may be, but it is still compelling and immensely watchable - and not just for Sinatra nuts like myself.

Otto Preminger's Urban Poem
Before the advent of the French "New Wave," director Otto Preminger directed the highly stylized, realistic urban classic "The Man With the Golden Arm." Frank Sinatra was never consistently great as an actor, but his portrayal of heroin addict Frankie Machine is not only the best of his career, but one of the best for anybody's career, for that matter. Set in 1955, this was a pretty risky movie for its time, and was to drug addiction what Billy Wilder's 1945 "The Long Weekend" was to alcoholism: A no-holds-barred, unwhitewashed slice of reality.

Frankie's problem is that he wants to return to normalcy after being released from prison, and then a halfway house. Like the novelist says, "you write what you know," and likewise Frankie lives what he knows, and returns to his seedy Chicago neighborhood. From the moment of his uneventful return, normalcy -- his old life as a card dealer, his neurotic wife (Eleanor Parker) who feels too sorry for herself to help Frankie start clean with a new life, and a small-time heroin dealer, icily played by Darren McGavin -- tries to reel Frankie back into a dead-end routine and sink its hooks to keep him enslaved to his compulsions.

Frankie tries to embark on a new career as a jazz drummer, which provides the movie with the motifs for its streetwise "crime jazz" soundtrack, written by Elmer Bernstein. But, the cycle of addiction sets in lightning-quick because Frankie's wife wants him to bring home the money dealing cards again, which puts him smack dab in the company of the lowlifes he most desparately needs to avoid. Back at dealing, the local heroin dealer could not give a whit about Frankie staying clean; He's desparate to get Frankie to take that one fix and hook another regular customer.

Fortunately, Frankie finds salvation in the arms of Kim Novak, who was involved with Sinatra romantically at the time. Their relationship is a complex one, and Novak's empathy really comes through. Her hard-headed compassion in keeping Frankie away from a fix while he's sweating it out cold-turkey is riveting, because she's putting her own safety at risk. Even before modern theraputic terms like "in denial" were in vogue, we see Sinatra's character -- in the throes of his own addiction -- running down Novak's alcoholic boyfriend as a weakling who can't control his vices. It's beautifully handled, because the point is not to expose Frankie as a hypocrite, but to reveal his blindness to his own weaknesses. Frankie is a tragic hero of Shakesperian dimensions, but whose stage is set in a modern-day tenement.

Visually, this film is very striking, and is edited so that the montage is in rapid-fire sequence during crucial scenes. It's intercut in the same fashion as Saul Bass' pioneering title cutouts; Bass would go on to become Hollywood's most recognizable title designer, his sequences dominated by iconic graphics in movies such as Preminger's "Anatomy of a Murder," "Advise and Consent" and Hitchcock's "Vertigo" and "Psycho."

Of all Preminger's movies, this is the most cinematic. He would go on to use more laid-back camera setups and editing in movies like the one named above, and would break out into less intimate and more worldly settings with epics such as "The Cardinal" and "In Harm's Way."

"The Man With the Golden Arm" catches Preminger at the top of his form as it does his cast. McGavin would never again be so intense, and only in "The Manchurian Candidate" for Sinatra and "Vertigo" for Novak would such powerful, commited and well-written performances again come their way.

A great actor in an average film
Frank Sinatra impersonates a man who is the slave of his neighborhood in a big city that could be any metropolis. He is the slave of the powerful in this neighborhood because of his addiction to heroin, because of his being possessed by a girl who is in a wheel chair, though we know from the very start that she is acting the part of a handicapped girl. Thus enslaved by the local card-games organiser, the local heroin dealer and his responsibility towards the girl, without forgetting the local police, he is unable to realise his dream to become a drummer in some big jazz band...Frank Sinatra is particularly convincing in his part and his going cold turkey is marvellously depicted. A small film, maybe, but powerful and faith-carrying acting.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

The Man With The Golden Arm
This budget release from the little known Passport Collector's Edition label is on par with older catalogue titles from major companies such as MGM and Columbia. The transfer is first class in both video and audio fidelity. This looks and sounds damn good for a 45 year old movie. The extras are also well worth viewing. These include brief interviews with Sinatra himself, composer Elmer Bernstein,and a host of others. Trailers to some other FS movies such as From Here to Eternity and The Manchurian Candidate round out this impressive dvd.This will probably be the definitive version of this film classic for the forseeable future. Well worth its budget price of $8.99. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Curl up with the popcorn and indulge....
Okay, so it is VERY different from the original PEYTON PLACE, but so was the book! Carol Lynley and Tuesday Weld are gorgeous, adorable and totally enjoyable. Eleanor Parker and Mary Astor are campier than a couple of drag queens. It is kitschy, early 60s soap opera at is best. This should be playing in revival houses as a double bill with the original. Watch for Bob Crane in a cameo role as a talk show sidekick.

Horrible Follow Up To The Original Classic
The only thing good about this video is the opening song sung by Rosemary Clooney.

This was a terrible sequel to the original movie. Different cast, different feel. Rent the video before you buy this one.

Return to Peyton Place ... an entertaining sequel
This is an interesting sequel from the point of view that none of the cast from Peyton Place reprise their roles and the time period seems to have been moved up 10 or 15 years without the principal characters aging. This film retains the feel of the original in some of the scenes (especially behind the credits where many of the pastoral New England shots from the original were used), but it has a back lot studio look about it in other scenes. Unlike the original, a good portion of this story takes place in New York City as it revolves its focus amongst the pairs of main characters. The story is standard soap opera material, yet it does not fail to entertain thanks to fine performances from a menacing Mary Astor, a charming and gracious Jeff Chandler and a noble Robert Sterling. Not to its detriment nor benefit, the main characters of this piece consist of the film's younger cast members who's performances are just standard with the exception of Tuesday Weld. However, the film benefits from beautiful color photography and Franz Waxman's reworking of his original Peyton Place score, which is in stereo on this VHS copy. ... Read more

Product Description

Frank Sinatra classic..skilled card player and former heroin addict returns from jail finding it hard to find a new livelyhood. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Sinatra at his best!!
This has got to be one of the best movies ever made which has depicted the heroin addict and his predicament. Frank Sinatra, in one of his earlier roles, plays the part of an ex-convict/drug addict who returns back to the "old neighborhood," and wants to "come clean," and pursue a career as a big band drummer, but he unfortunately comes face to face with the "dealer" (Darren McGavin) and things cook from there. McGavin is a wonderful portrayal of the neighborhood supplier who keeps baiting Sinatra and baiting him until the he cannot say no any longer. Coupled with his own domestic situation, which I dare not give away, but only to tell you that the ensemble cast which makes up this movie is outstanding. The soundtrack is pulsating and keeps your adrenaline moving upward, and that is one of the most unnerving parts of the film, and one which keeps you on the edge of your seat, as the saying goes. This could be classified as a family movie, as there is no sex, nudity, profanity, but only the theme of drug addiction, and a family could watch this film and discuss these issues in an enlightened way. Sinatra once said he thought he should've gotten an Oscar for this movie, and I agree. Highly recommended!!!

An interesting mix of outstanding and plodding sequences
...the most prominent aspects of the movie - Sinatra's unquestionably great performance, Preminger's use of compelling camera angles, the prominently placed Berstein Jazz score, and Novak's performance. All of which are true and I agree that most of these combine to create a positive impression of this movie.

The best sequences in the movie involve Sinatra in the realm of men (and I mean Men as opposed to human) - when dealing the several day long card game while still trying to keep focused on the important audition Monday morning, the interchanges with the appealingly slimy heroin dealer (greasily played by Darrin McGavin in one of his best roles) while succumbing to the pull of the junkie, the failed musical audition, and the outstanding bit when he resolves to kick the habit cold-turkey. All of these were worth watching several times - thank God for chapter selections on DVD.

However, the movie is not perfect, and there are several things that can be readily cited as significant faults. The possessive and yet still possessed wife (Eleanor Parker) was a one-note performance: hysteria. Preminger needed to significantly pull back that character from the precipice that she fell off (long before she literally falls off). The first scene with her and Frankie upon his return home is the only one that was interesting and believable, all others were maudlin and overdone. She clearly had the acting chops to turn in a fascinating performance, as indicated by this first scene. Her character should have been one of the most pivotal in the movie, as she is the reason why Frankie returns and she inadvertently provides the key to his freedom when she gives herself up after killing the heroin dealer. As it is, scenes with her in it are mostly unwatchable.

The sycophantic toady friend of Frankie (Arnold Stang) was, I suppose, intended to be funny, but he is such an undeveloped stereotype as to be merely annoying. He greatly hindered my enjoyment of the movie.

Also the pacing at times really dragged at several points, most notably even during the great sequence with Sinatra kicking the habit. The rather long running time (119 minutes) could have been easily shortened by at least 20 minutes with some simple editing and tightening. Similarly, although the musical score was interesting and compelling - it tied in with Frankie's newly resolved ambition and nicely placed the movie among the heroin junkie jazz lifestyle of the time - it could have been much better utilized. One refrain in particular that recurs so often as to be annoying and at such a loud volume as to be distracting. It is a perfect example of how great music can be diminished by misapplication.

That all being said, these detractions do not so significantly reduce the movie that I would not heartily recommend it to my friends. Dated and imperfect it may be, but it is still compelling and immensely watchable - and not just for Sinatra nuts like myself.

Otto Preminger's Urban Poem
Before the advent of the French "New Wave," director Otto Preminger directed the highly stylized, realistic urban classic "The Man With the Golden Arm." Frank Sinatra was never consistently great as an actor, but his portrayal of heroin addict Frankie Machine is not only the best of his career, but one of the best for anybody's career, for that matter. Set in 1955, this was a pretty risky movie for its time, and was to drug addiction what Billy Wilder's 1945 "The Long Weekend" was to alcoholism: A no-holds-barred, unwhitewashed slice of reality.

Frankie's problem is that he wants to return to normalcy after being released from prison, and then a halfway house. Like the novelist says, "you write what you know," and likewise Frankie lives what he knows, and returns to his seedy Chicago neighborhood. From the moment of his uneventful return, normalcy -- his old life as a card dealer, his neurotic wife (Eleanor Parker) who feels too sorry for herself to help Frankie start clean with a new life, and a small-time heroin dealer, icily played by Darren McGavin -- tries to reel Frankie back into a dead-end routine and sink its hooks to keep him enslaved to his compulsions.

Frankie tries to embark on a new career as a jazz drummer, which provides the movie with the motifs for its streetwise "crime jazz" soundtrack, written by Elmer Bernstein. But, the cycle of addiction sets in lightning-quick because Frankie's wife wants him to bring home the money dealing cards again, which puts him smack dab in the company of the lowlifes he most desparately needs to avoid. Back at dealing, the local heroin dealer could not give a whit about Frankie staying clean; He's desparate to get Frankie to take that one fix and hook another regular customer.

Fortunately, Frankie finds salvation in the arms of Kim Novak, who was involved with Sinatra romantically at the time. Their relationship is a complex one, and Novak's empathy really comes through. Her hard-headed compassion in keeping Frankie away from a fix while he's sweating it out cold-turkey is riveting, because she's putting her own safety at risk. Even before modern theraputic terms like "in denial" were in vogue, we see Sinatra's character -- in the throes of his own addiction -- running down Novak's alcoholic boyfriend as a weakling who can't control his vices. It's beautifully handled, because the point is not to expose Frankie as a hypocrite, but to reveal his blindness to his own weaknesses. Frankie is a tragic hero of Shakesperian dimensions, but whose stage is set in a modern-day tenement.

Visually, this film is very striking, and is edited so that the montage is in rapid-fire sequence during crucial scenes. It's intercut in the same fashion as Saul Bass' pioneering title cutouts; Bass would go on to become Hollywood's most recognizable title designer, his sequences dominated by iconic graphics in movies such as Preminger's "Anatomy of a Murder," "Advise and Consent" and Hitchcock's "Vertigo" and "Psycho."

Of all Preminger's movies, this is the most cinematic. He would go on to use more laid-back camera setups and editing in movies like the one named above, and would break out into less intimate and more worldly settings with epics such as "The Cardinal" and "In Harm's Way."

"The Man With the Golden Arm" catches Preminger at the top of his form as it does his cast. McGavin would never again be so intense, and only in "The Manchurian Candidate" for Sinatra and "Vertigo" for Novak would such powerful, commited and well-written performances again come their way.

A great actor in an average film
Frank Sinatra impersonates a man who is the slave of his neighborhood in a big city that could be any metropolis. He is the slave of the powerful in this neighborhood because of his addiction to heroin, because of his being possessed by a girl who is in a wheel chair, though we know from the very start that she is acting the part of a handicapped girl. Thus enslaved by the local card-games organiser, the local heroin dealer and his responsibility towards the girl, without forgetting the local police, he is unable to realise his dream to become a drummer in some big jazz band...Frank Sinatra is particularly convincing in his part and his going cold turkey is marvellously depicted. A small film, maybe, but powerful and faith-carrying acting.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

The Man With The Golden Arm
This budget release from the little known Passport Collector's Edition label is on par with older catalogue titles from major companies such as MGM and Columbia. The transfer is first class in both video and audio fidelity. This looks and sounds damn good for a 45 year old movie. The extras are also well worth viewing. These include brief interviews with Sinatra himself, composer Elmer Bernstein,and a host of others. Trailers to some other FS movies such as From Here to Eternity and The Manchurian Candidate round out this impressive dvd.This will probably be the definitive version of this film classic for the forseeable future. Well worth its budget price of $8.99. ... Read more

Description

A fun-filled musical the whole family will enjoy, based on the beloved children's story. FIlmed on location in Holland. ... Read more

Product Description

Frank Sinatra classic..skilled card player and former heroin addict returns from jail finding it hard to find a new livelyhood. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Sinatra at his best!!
This has got to be one of the best movies ever made which has depicted the heroin addict and his predicament. Frank Sinatra, in one of his earlier roles, plays the part of an ex-convict/drug addict who returns back to the "old neighborhood," and wants to "come clean," and pursue a career as a big band drummer, but he unfortunately comes face to face with the "dealer" (Darren McGavin) and things cook from there. McGavin is a wonderful portrayal of the neighborhood supplier who keeps baiting Sinatra and baiting him until the he cannot say no any longer. Coupled with his own domestic situation, which I dare not give away, but only to tell you that the ensemble cast which makes up this movie is outstanding. The soundtrack is pulsating and keeps your adrenaline moving upward, and that is one of the most unnerving parts of the film, and one which keeps you on the edge of your seat, as the saying goes. This could be classified as a family movie, as there is no sex, nudity, profanity, but only the theme of drug addiction, and a family could watch this film and discuss these issues in an enlightened way. Sinatra once said he thought he should've gotten an Oscar for this movie, and I agree. Highly recommended!!!

An interesting mix of outstanding and plodding sequences
...the most prominent aspects of the movie - Sinatra's unquestionably great performance, Preminger's use of compelling camera angles, the prominently placed Berstein Jazz score, and Novak's performance. All of which are true and I agree that most of these combine to create a positive impression of this movie.

The best sequences in the movie involve Sinatra in the realm of men (and I mean Men as opposed to human) - when dealing the several day long card game while still trying to keep focused on the important audition Monday morning, the interchanges with the appealingly slimy heroin dealer (greasily played by Darrin McGavin in one of his best roles) while succumbing to the pull of the junkie, the failed musical audition, and the outstanding bit when he resolves to kick the habit cold-turkey. All of these were worth watching several times - thank God for chapter selections on DVD.

However, the movie is not perfect, and there are several things that can be readily cited as significant faults. The possessive and yet still possessed wife (Eleanor Parker) was a one-note performance: hysteria. Preminger needed to significantly pull back that character from the precipice that she fell off (long before she literally falls off). The first scene with her and Frankie upon his return home is the only one that was interesting and believable, all others were maudlin and overdone. She clearly had the acting chops to turn in a fascinating performance, as indicated by this first scene. Her character should have been one of the most pivotal in the movie, as she is the reason why Frankie returns and she inadvertently provides the key to his freedom when she gives herself up after killing the heroin dealer. As it is, scenes with her in it are mostly unwatchable.

The sycophantic toady friend of Frankie (Arnold Stang) was, I suppose, intended to be funny, but he is such an undeveloped stereotype as to be merely annoying. He greatly hindered my enjoyment of the movie.

Also the pacing at times really dragged at several points, most notably even during the great sequence with Sinatra kicking the habit. The rather long running time (119 minutes) could have been easily shortened by at least 20 minutes with some simple editing and tightening. Similarly, although the musical score was interesting and compelling - it tied in with Frankie's newly resolved ambition and nicely placed the movie among the heroin junkie jazz lifestyle of the time - it could have been much better utilized. One refrain in particular that recurs so often as to be annoying and at such a loud volume as to be distracting. It is a perfect example of how great music can be diminished by misapplication.

That all being said, these detractions do not so significantly reduce the movie that I would not heartily recommend it to my friends. Dated and imperfect it may be, but it is still compelling and immensely watchable - and not just for Sinatra nuts like myself.

Otto Preminger's Urban Poem
Before the advent of the French "New Wave," director Otto Preminger directed the highly stylized, realistic urban classic "The Man With the Golden Arm." Frank Sinatra was never consistently great as an actor, but his portrayal of heroin addict Frankie Machine is not only the best of his career, but one of the best for anybody's career, for that matter. Set in 1955, this was a pretty risky movie for its time, and was to drug addiction what Billy Wilder's 1945 "The Long Weekend" was to alcoholism: A no-holds-barred, unwhitewashed slice of reality.

Frankie's problem is that he wants to return to normalcy after being released from prison, and then a halfway house. Like the novelist says, "you write what you know," and likewise Frankie lives what he knows, and returns to his seedy Chicago neighborhood. From the moment of his uneventful return, normalcy -- his old life as a card dealer, his neurotic wife (Eleanor Parker) who feels too sorry for herself to help Frankie start clean with a new life, and a small-time heroin dealer, icily played by Darren McGavin -- tries to reel Frankie back into a dead-end routine and sink its hooks to keep him enslaved to his compulsions.

Frankie tries to embark on a new career as a jazz drummer, which provides the movie with the motifs for its streetwise "crime jazz" soundtrack, written by Elmer Bernstein. But, the cycle of addiction sets in lightning-quick because Frankie's wife wants him to bring home the money dealing cards again, which puts him smack dab in the company of the lowlifes he most desparately needs to avoid. Back at dealing, the local heroin dealer could not give a whit about Frankie staying clean; He's desparate to get Frankie to take that one fix and hook another regular customer.

Fortunately, Frankie finds salvation in the arms of Kim Novak, who was involved with Sinatra romantically at the time. Their relationship is a complex one, and Novak's empathy really comes through. Her hard-headed compassion in keeping Frankie away from a fix while he's sweating it out cold-turkey is riveting, because she's putting her own safety at risk. Even before modern theraputic terms like "in denial" were in vogue, we see Sinatra's character -- in the throes of his own addiction -- running down Novak's alcoholic boyfriend as a weakling who can't control his vices. It's beautifully handled, because the point is not to expose Frankie as a hypocrite, but to reveal his blindness to his own weaknesses. Frankie is a tragic hero of Shakesperian dimensions, but whose stage is set in a modern-day tenement.

Visually, this film is very striking, and is edited so that the montage is in rapid-fire sequence during crucial scenes. It's intercut in the same fashion as Saul Bass' pioneering title cutouts; Bass would go on to become Hollywood's most recognizable title designer, his sequences dominated by iconic graphics in movies such as Preminger's "Anatomy of a Murder," "Advise and Consent" and Hitchcock's "Vertigo" and "Psycho."

Of all Preminger's movies, this is the most cinematic. He would go on to use more laid-back camera setups and editing in movies like the one named above, and would break out into less intimate and more worldly settings with epics such as "The Cardinal" and "In Harm's Way."

"The Man With the Golden Arm" catches Preminger at the top of his form as it does his cast. McGavin would never again be so intense, and only in "The Manchurian Candidate" for Sinatra and "Vertigo" for Novak would such powerful, commited and well-written performances again come their way.

A great actor in an average film
Frank Sinatra impersonates a man who is the slave of his neighborhood in a big city that could be any metropolis. He is the slave of the powerful in this neighborhood because of his addiction to heroin, because of his being possessed by a girl who is in a wheel chair, though we know from the very start that she is acting the part of a handicapped girl. Thus enslaved by the local card-games organiser, the local heroin dealer and his responsibility towards the girl, without forgetting the local police, he is unable to realise his dream to become a drummer in some big jazz band...Frank Sinatra is particularly convincing in his part and his going cold turkey is marvellously depicted. A small film, maybe, but powerful and faith-carrying acting.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

The Man With The Golden Arm
This budget release from the little known Passport Collector's Edition label is on par with older catalogue titles from major companies such as MGM and Columbia. The transfer is first class in both video and audio fidelity. This looks and sounds damn good for a 45 year old movie. The extras are also well worth viewing. These include brief interviews with Sinatra himself, composer Elmer Bernstein,and a host of others. Trailers to some other FS movies such as From Here to Eternity and The Manchurian Candidate round out this impressive dvd.This will probably be the definitive version of this film classic for the forseeable future. Well worth its budget price of $8.99. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

"Home From the Hill" is a must see!
My parents enjoyed this movie enough that they named me (their daughter of 23 years) after George Hamilton's character, Theron. I love the movie too! It's a good one.

I liked this movie!!!!
And I disagree with JT Boyd's review, partly because it is inaccurate. Robert Mitchum's character had an affair with a tramp, producing illegitimate son, George Peppard, which caused his estrangement from his wife, Eleanor Parker, who was the mother of his legitimate son, George Hamilton. I do think that Hamilton's part was way overplayed, but liked the movie, regardless, and George Peppard surely got my attention.

Not too close to home from the hill
After reading the book 3 times, I was disapointed in the movie script. The Captain played by Robert Mitchum was assumed to have many children in the town (due to the many town kids who had his trademark coal black wavy hair) His wife was homely and was of high moral fiber. His own son Theron was strong, smart and very athletic. His mother doted on him and his father taught him how to hunt. Theron got Libby pregnant and Libby's father thought it was the Captain and shot him to death. Theron disapeared in the woods and was never found and the Captains wife died a broken woman who never knew her husband's love. If the movie would have followed the book, it would have been a far better movie!

Earthy melodrama
Robert Mitchum stars as Wade, the big-shot in town; he is rich, conceited, a good hunter, a phillanderer, and a bad husband and father. His wife (Eleanor Parker) has been holding a grudge against him since they were married. It seems Wade fathered a child, Rafe, (George Peppard) out of wedlock. Wade's legitimate son, Theron (George Hamilton), is bit of a wimp and a disappointment to old Dad. Add to this mix the young and pretty Libby (Luana Patton), who likes both Theron and Rafe, and the stereotypical Texas good 'ole boys who stir up the plot, and you have a great story.

Although Mitchum is typically charismatic and macho in this movie, it is George Peppard who emerges as the real star. He is very handsome and appealing as the sexy he-man who wants to be acknowledged as his father's son. George Hamilton looks too old to play 17-year old Theron, but he is suitably awkward and self-conscious. (The role would have been better with a young Anthony Perkins.) Willful and stubborn Eleanor Parker is a good match for Mitchum; I would have liked to see even more of her.

This film is long and frequently melodramatic with plenty of angst to go around. That said, the script is good, the actors are all likeable and handsome, the score is lovely, and all the loose ends are neatly tied up in the end. While considered somewhat spicy in its day, "Home From the Hills" is now an involving character study that has inspired me to read the novel by William Humphrey.

They don't make them like this anymore
This wonderfully acted movie, is a must see. George Hamilton gives an outstanding performance. I never realized what a talented actor he is, until I saw this movie. Robt. Mitchum always the best.

This is the story of a Texas family torn apart by bitterness, adultery.

After watching the movie, now I want to read the novel. ... Read more

Product Description

Frank Sinatra classic..skilled card player and former heroin addict returns from jail finding it hard to find a new livelyhood. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Sinatra at his best!!
This has got to be one of the best movies ever made which has depicted the heroin addict and his predicament. Frank Sinatra, in one of his earlier roles, plays the part of an ex-convict/drug addict who returns back to the "old neighborhood," and wants to "come clean," and pursue a career as a big band drummer, but he unfortunately comes face to face with the "dealer" (Darren McGavin) and things cook from there. McGavin is a wonderful portrayal of the neighborhood supplier who keeps baiting Sinatra and baiting him until the he cannot say no any longer. Coupled with his own domestic situation, which I dare not give away, but only to tell you that the ensemble cast which makes up this movie is outstanding. The soundtrack is pulsating and keeps your adrenaline moving upward, and that is one of the most unnerving parts of the film, and one which keeps you on the edge of your seat, as the saying goes. This could be classified as a family movie, as there is no sex, nudity, profanity, but only the theme of drug addiction, and a family could watch this film and discuss these issues in an enlightened way. Sinatra once said he thought he should've gotten an Oscar for this movie, and I agree. Highly recommended!!!

An interesting mix of outstanding and plodding sequences
...the most prominent aspects of the movie - Sinatra's unquestionably great performance, Preminger's use of compelling camera angles, the prominently placed Berstein Jazz score, and Novak's performance. All of which are true and I agree that most of these combine to create a positive impression of this movie.

The best sequences in the movie involve Sinatra in the realm of men (and I mean Men as opposed to human) - when dealing the several day long card game while still trying to keep focused on the important audition Monday morning, the interchanges with the appealingly slimy heroin dealer (greasily played by Darrin McGavin in one of his best roles) while succumbing to the pull of the junkie, the failed musical audition, and the outstanding bit when he resolves to kick the habit cold-turkey. All of these were worth watching several times - thank God for chapter selections on DVD.

However, the movie is not perfect, and there are several things that can be readily cited as significant faults. The possessive and yet still possessed wife (Eleanor Parker) was a one-note performance: hysteria. Preminger needed to significantly pull back that character from the precipice that she fell off (long before she literally falls off). The first scene with her and Frankie upon his return home is the only one that was interesting and believable, all others were maudlin and overdone. She clearly had the acting chops to turn in a fascinating performance, as indicated by this first scene. Her character should have been one of the most pivotal in the movie, as she is the reason why Frankie returns and she inadvertently provides the key to his freedom when she gives herself up after killing the heroin dealer. As it is, scenes with her in it are mostly unwatchable.

The sycophantic toady friend of Frankie (Arnold Stang) was, I suppose, intended to be funny, but he is such an undeveloped stereotype as to be merely annoying. He greatly hindered my enjoyment of the movie.

Also the pacing at times really dragged at several points, most notably even during the great sequence with Sinatra kicking the habit. The rather long running time (119 minutes) could have been easily shortened by at least 20 minutes with some simple editing and tightening. Similarly, although the musical score was interesting and compelling - it tied in with Frankie's newly resolved ambition and nicely placed the movie among the heroin junkie jazz lifestyle of the time - it could have been much better utilized. One refrain in particular that recurs so often as to be annoying and at such a loud volume as to be distracting. It is a perfect example of how great music can be diminished by misapplication.

That all being said, these detractions do not so significantly reduce the movie that I would not heartily recommend it to my friends. Dated and imperfect it may be, but it is still compelling and immensely watchable - and not just for Sinatra nuts like myself.

Otto Preminger's Urban Poem
Before the advent of the French "New Wave," director Otto Preminger directed the highly stylized, realistic urban classic "The Man With the Golden Arm." Frank Sinatra was never consistently great as an actor, but his portrayal of heroin addict Frankie Machine is not only the best of his career, but one of the best for anybody's career, for that matter. Set in 1955, this was a pretty risky movie for its time, and was to drug addiction what Billy Wilder's 1945 "The Long Weekend" was to alcoholism: A no-holds-barred, unwhitewashed slice of reality.

Frankie's problem is that he wants to return to normalcy after being released from prison, and then a halfway house. Like the novelist says, "you write what you know," and likewise Frankie lives what he knows, and returns to his seedy Chicago neighborhood. From the moment of his uneventful return, normalcy -- his old life as a card dealer, his neurotic wife (Eleanor Parker) who feels too sorry for herself to help Frankie start clean with a new life, and a small-time heroin dealer, icily played by Darren McGavin -- tries to reel Frankie back into a dead-end routine and sink its hooks to keep him enslaved to his compulsions.

Frankie tries to embark on a new career as a jazz drummer, which provides the movie with the motifs for its streetwise "crime jazz" soundtrack, written by Elmer Bernstein. But, the cycle of addiction sets in lightning-quick because Frankie's wife wants him to bring home the money dealing cards again, which puts him smack dab in the company of the lowlifes he most desparately needs to avoid. Back at dealing, the local heroin dealer could not give a whit about Frankie staying clean; He's desparate to get Frankie to take that one fix and hook another regular customer.

Fortunately, Frankie finds salvation in the arms of Kim Novak, who was involved with Sinatra romantically at the time. Their relationship is a complex one, and Novak's empathy really comes through. Her hard-headed compassion in keeping Frankie away from a fix while he's sweating it out cold-turkey is riveting, because she's putting her own safety at risk. Even before modern theraputic terms like "in denial" were in vogue, we see Sinatra's character -- in the throes of his own addiction -- running down Novak's alcoholic boyfriend as a weakling who can't control his vices. It's beautifully handled, because the point is not to expose Frankie as a hypocrite, but to reveal his blindness to his own weaknesses. Frankie is a tragic hero of Shakesperian dimensions, but whose stage is set in a modern-day tenement.

Visually, this film is very striking, and is edited so that the montage is in rapid-fire sequence during crucial scenes. It's intercut in the same fashion as Saul Bass' pioneering title cutouts; Bass would go on to become Hollywood's most recognizable title designer, his sequences dominated by iconic graphics in movies such as Preminger's "Anatomy of a Murder," "Advise and Consent" and Hitchcock's "Vertigo" and "Psycho."

Of all Preminger's movies, this is the most cinematic. He would go on to use more laid-back camera setups and editing in movies like the one named above, and would break out into less intimate and more worldly settings with epics such as "The Cardinal" and "In Harm's Way."

"The Man With the Golden Arm" catches Preminger at the top of his form as it does his cast. McGavin would never again be so intense, and only in "The Manchurian Candidate" for Sinatra and "Vertigo" for Novak would such powerful, commited and well-written performances again come their way.

A great actor in an average film
Frank Sinatra impersonates a man who is the slave of his neighborhood in a big city that could be any metropolis. He is the slave of the powerful in this neighborhood because of his addiction to heroin, because of his being possessed by a girl who is in a wheel chair, though we know from the very start that she is acting the part of a handicapped girl. Thus enslaved by the local card-games organiser, the local heroin dealer and his responsibility towards the girl, without forgetting the local police, he is unable to realise his dream to become a drummer in some big jazz band...Frank Sinatra is particularly convincing in his part and his going cold turkey is marvellously depicted. A small film, maybe, but powerful and faith-carrying acting.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

The Man With The Golden Arm
This budget release from the little known Passport Collector's Edition label is on par with older catalogue titles from major companies such as MGM and Columbia. The transfer is first class in both video and audio fidelity. This looks and sounds damn good for a 45 year old movie. The extras are also well worth viewing. These include brief interviews with Sinatra himself, composer Elmer Bernstein,and a host of others. Trailers to some other FS movies such as From Here to Eternity and The Manchurian Candidate round out this impressive dvd.This will probably be the definitive version of this film classic for the forseeable future. Well worth its budget price of $8.99. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Tiger and the Pussycat VHS
Die hard Ann-Margret fans are the only ones who will like this movie. The copy I got has a sound track problem. The movie its self has a 50s quality look to it. It won't compare to any movie made today and Ann-Margret is the only redeeming quality to the movie. ... Read more