Amazon.com

Winner of three Academy Awards including Best Picture, The Great Ziegfeld stars William Powell in a biopic "suggested by romances and incidents in the life of America's greatest showman, Florenz Ziegfeld Jr."With admirable accuracy, the film follows Ziegfeld's career from small-time sideshow barker to creator of the famous Ziegfeld Follies, the collection of singing, dancing, and comedy vaudeville acts that launched the careers of such luminaries as Fanny Brice, Ray Bolger, and Harriet Hoctor, all of whom play themselves in the film.In the title role, Powell offers a believable combination of ambition and hucksterism, and his Thin Man costar Myrna Loy makes a late appearance as his second wife, but it's large-eyed Luise Rainer who has the showier role (and won an Oscar) as Ziegfeld's first big star and first wife. The musical numbers, however, don't hold up quite as well as the plot, and the film is overlong at 185 minutes.It's fascinating, though, to see the vintage stars performing, and the eight-minute spectacle "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" is an eye-popper, with an elaborate revolving set supporting a large cast singing and dancing to the Irving Berlin tune while throwing in some Puccini, Strauss, Leoncavallo, and Gershwin for good measure. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (13)

"Never looked so beautiful before."
There are a few things to know going in: It's a biography with music (but not a musical), it's more than 60 years old, and it's three hours long!! Now I'm okay with all that, but I'm an old movie snob. This one is proof positive of the old Hollywood dream factory, where you were guaranteed happiness, pathos, bells, and whistles in practically every picture. But the film isn't as happy-go-lucky as you might expect; it gives a rather astringent portrayal of a gifted showman who knew how to dazzle audiences, but never how to save a buck. According to this book, his was a never-ending cycle of glittery and expensive theatrics pitted against dodging creditors his whole life. In that respect, we are to conclude that his lack of business sense was tempered by his need to entertain. He also knew talent, as is represented by his discovery scenes with Bolger and real Ziegfeld veteran Fanny Brice. (Watch how he hires her on the strength of her comedy, then humiliates her during a rehearsal in order to get her in the mood to belt out "My Man.") And of course, not enough can be said of the eight-minute "A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody" finale where spangled showgirls, opera singers, grand pianos, and a single, all-enveloping curtain hang on a revolving "wedding cake" spiral staircase. You have to see it to believe it.

An Extravagant Man
As someone who is not a fan of musicals, I was already at a disadvantage before the movie even started. I fast forwarded through most of the numbers, and they looked dazzling enough and I'm sure would be entertaining for people who like that sort of thing. I concentrated on the drama between the numbers, and with that I was quite satisfied. William Powell is excellent as the famed, extravagant theatrical producer, Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. The film chronicles the many highpoints and lowpoints of his career, as well as his two marriages. Myrna Loy co-stars as his second wife, actress Billie Burke (Glinda the Good Witch from the Wizard of Oz), and although she gets second billing, she doesn't have much to do. But the chemistry between her and Powell is once again a high point. Luise Rainer, who had a brief career in Hollywood, stars as Anna Held, the first wife, a passionate, impulsive singer that Ziegfeld made a star of in America. Rainer's scene on the phone has become quite famous, and she plays all of her scenes with great drama. The film is a bit long, but it doesn't get boring, thanks to the stars, the story, and the great personalities that appear (Ray Bolger, Fanny Brice). And for people that like musicals, this will probably entertain them even more.

A SUPERB FILM BIO - ONLY AVERAGE LOOKING TRANSFER
"The Great Ziegfeld" is a biographic film based on the life of Broadway impressario, Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. Brimming with stellar performances by William Powell, Myrna Loy and Luise Rainer (who walked off with the Best Actress Oscar)a wonderful score and mind-boggling production values, this is one heck of a good time for a night's entertainment!
TRANSFER: Unfortunately, Warner Brothers gives us a somewhat tired looking print of this classic film. Though the gray scale is generally well balanced, some of the picture appears to be out of focus while other portions are filled with excessive film grain. Dirt, age related artifacts and an incredible amount of scratches in some scenes really detract from the over all visual presentation. The audio is MONO and, as with the picture, is not adequate. During some of the songs the background hiss is excessive.
EXTRAS: A flimsy featurette that all too briefly attempts to "sum up" the film and the real life of one of the 20th century's greatest showman.
BOTTOM LINE: Because you are not likely to see this film revisited in a Deluxe Edition I am recommending to add it to your library. But it in no way stands up to Warner's previous DVD mastering efforts on "Now Voyager" or "Mildred Pierce".

epitome of 30s musicals
a big extravaganza musical. the musicals are very grand and ostentious but very much in the tradition of musicals in the 30s when entertainment was escape from the dreary reality of the Depression. william powell, luise rainer and myrna loy are all wonderful, thought myrna loy's billie burke came very late in the movie. my favorite scene was when Flo (powell) was courting Billie (loy) at grant's tomb. simplicity and wonderful sweet. you ll have to see it just for that scene. luise rainer's telephone won her the oscar. the movie has a few touching scenes, but i did wish the movie was brisker and tighter.

BLINDINGLY OPULENT AND SPELLBINDINGLY ENTERTAINING!
"The Great Ziegfeld" is a biographic film on Broadway impressario, Florenz Ziegfeld Jr., the man who "glorified the American girl". Determined to squeeze every last ounce of opulence from its coffers, MGM spared no expense in retelling what is essentially a melodrama with musical numbers tossed in for good effect.
Flo (William Powell)is a cheap carnival barker when he crosses paths with Anna Held (Luise Rainer). Their chemistry is instant and through her talent as an artist, fame comes to them both. However, all bliss is fleeting and their marriage ends when Flo takes up with a chorus girl. But he ditches her for sassy Billie Burke (Myrna Loy) and then proceeds to create a series of lavish spectacles that only MGM could afford to do justice to. The most spectacular of these remains "A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody"; a gargantuan revolving platform covered in dancers and art deco magificence.
Aside: Flo's second wife, Billie was a contract player at MGM during this time. Her best known role is as 'Glinda' the witch of the north in "The Wizard of Oz".
TRANSFER: Surprisingly smooth and very well balanced black levels and a good gray scale are the real selling features of this 3 hr. plus spectacle. Unfortunately an excess of age related dirt and scratches greet the viewer throughout the first hour of running time. However, things get cleaned up half way through for a really stunning transfer. Shadows and contrast levels are exemplary. The audio is clean, well balanced and quite simply, one of the best you are likely to encounter for a film of this vintage.
EXTRAS: A couple of featurettes that round out the history of the film - all too briefly.
BOTTOM LINE: Next to "Yankee Doodle Dandy" - another show folk bio with guts, "The Great Ziegfeld" is most readily recognized as one of the best! Add it to your film library! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town is Frank Capra's classic screwball comedyabout a village innocent who inherits $20 million, only to discover it's more trouble than it's worth. The screwball in question is Longfellow Deeds (Gary Cooper), a small-town greeting-card poet and tuba player transplanted to the big city to administer his newly inherited wealth, where fast-pattering, wised-up cynics, sneering society denizens, and corrupt lawyers lord it over the ingenuous and straightforward. Deeds's idiosyncrasies are amply magnified in the tabloids by journalist "Babe" Bennett (Jean Arthur), dating Deeds as a cover, only to discover she's the sap when she falls irresistibly for him. But the damage has been done, when Babe's column is used by a pack of corrupt lawyers, Cedar, Cedar, Cedar & Budington, to prove Deeds mentally unfit. The miracle of this unforgettable comedy is how it embraces dark material, calling into question some common assumptions about capitalism while maintaining an approachable atmosphere of light comedy, and deceptively so. You'll be so pixilated by its charm, you won't rest until you've doodled your way to a rhyme for "Budington." --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Mr. Capra Goes Overboard
Director Frank Capra's work doesn't hold up as well today as some of his contemporaries' because of his habit of over-inflating his scripts. "Deeds" starts out wonderfully well when the tuba-playing small-town yeoman Gary Cooper inherits a fortune and heads for the big city to look into it. But Capra can't leave well enough alone and transforms the funny contrasts into a ridiculously overblown sanity hearing. Capra repeated the same missteps in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and "Meet John Doe", straining for social commentary and ending up with pomposity. Still, I would recommend Deeds and those other two pictures for all the scenes Capra got right. Cooper serenading the townspeople by playing "Auld Lang Syne" on his tuba from the back of a departing train is a real classic.

Moving Capresque flick
MY RATING- 7.8

This is quite a moving tale a la american by the master of socio drama, Frank Capra in which he uses one of his fave actors Gary Cooper as the country man who inherits a fortune from a rich uncle and is double crossed in the city. I never enjoyed the first roles of Cooper in MOROCCO, yet it looks like he's been improving his acting over the years and his eyes seem to be brighter and emotional with Capra efforts. Jean Arthur is very good too with her sexy voice and tender love. The cast also includes H. B. Warner as the judge and Lionel Stander as Deeds gardian angel with that frog voice.
Maybe a bit overlong, however it's moving (not as much as It's a Wonderful Life"), , love triumphs at the end, with the Capraesque final act at the court.

better than the sandler version
This is a great movie. The Adam Sandler version might be funnier in a silly, mindless way, but this movie makes a point that too many people forget. People who criticize this movie as naive or propaganda have bought into too much capitalist propaganda. The only people who wouldn't like the message this movie makes are slaveholders and feudal barons. Beautiful movie making a point that we should all remember in our daily life. When Deeds' assistant comments on the difficulty of feeding all of the farmers ("there's 2000 of them"), Deeds replies "that doesn't make them any less hungry." This movie isn't naive. It should simply remind us of how to be human. Its a shame that the message even needs to be said or that the Sandler version would suck the beauty out of it for a cheap lines from a hispanic butler.

I'm sure this was GREAT sixty some-odd years ago.
...But today I found it as bland as a glass of water, however not pure or refreshing. In fact reading a dull, damp B&W newspaper is just as entertaining and very similar. Classic or not I just found the remake with Adam Sandler & Winona Ryder very funny and fresh. So I wanted to see where it came from. My great grandma loved the original when she was my age.. I'm guessing. But being that the only B&W film I liked was "Psycho", I'm glad that they remade this film just for me.

just to naive to be true
This kind of social comedy, with its naive eulogy of the simple man, the inocent farmers and the small american town, just gives me the creeps. Look out for the way it is satyrized in Preston Sturges' "Sullivan Travels". ... Read more

Description

When Cheyenne Rogers (Glenn Ford), a hunted gunman, rides into Red Valley, he meets and falls in love with Allison MacLeod (Evelyn Keyes). Trying to go straight, Cheyenne is enmeshed in a web of intrigue and killing that leads him to the brink of a lynching. Escaping with Sheriff Upton's (Randolph Scott) help, he returns to Red Valley long enough to learn about the underhanded dealings of some of the town's supposedly respectable citizens. With the sheriff jailed for his part in Cheyenne's escape, the gunman returns amid the thunderings of a wild horse stampede to free him and clean up the lawlessness of Red Valley. The Deperadoes was Columbia Pictures' first technicolor feature film. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Pleasant, But Not Great Western
This is one of those early films where they just seemed to throw in a little bit of everything in hopes that they would draw large audiences.

Briefly, Glenn Ford is a young outlaw who is supposed to ride into a town and rob a bank. He gets delayed, and by the time he gets there, the bank has already been robbed by his gang members. The local sheriff, Randolph Scott is an old friend of his, and they get reacquainted while Ford tries to figure out what to do next. Edgar Buchanan is an avuncular town mainstay who befriends Ford. And from there, it gets even more complicated.

The Desperadoes isn't a bad film. It's not unpleasant. It's just not up to the best of either Scott or Ford, who were two of our greatest Westrn movie heroes.

Blockbuster from Columbia....
THE DESPERADOES was Columiba Pictures first technicolor production, and the studio spared no expense to make this a truly signal event. Randolph Scott, a young Glenn Ford, Claire Trevor, and Edgar Buchanan head afabulous cast. THE DESPERADOES, in a sense, was Columbia's answer to Foxstudio's JESSE JAMES, another epic western. The results are veryenjoyable--the dialogue crisp, the action fast, and the acting well aboveaverage. And the technicolor print is superb; THE DESPERADOES is one of thebest shot pics of its time. A classic. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Historically dubious but vigorously entertaining, Dark Command is the best of John Wayne's many movies for Republic (not counting Wayne's lovely producing debut Angel and the Badman and those two John Ford films). Set in "Bleeding Kansas" just before and during the Civil War, it highlights the romantic triangle of amiable but unschooled Texan Wayne, banker's daughter Claire Trevor, and schoolmaster Walter Pidgeon--just long enough for the earnest pedagogue to become embittered, turn into bushwhacker William Quantrill (here Cantrell), and start wreaking havoc in the Border States. This was Republic's first star vehicle for Wayne, following his breakthrough in Stagecoach (away from Republic), and it's an uncharacteristically impressive production: good writers working from a W.R. Burnett novel, Raoul Walsh brought in to direct, music by Victor Young, and strong costars and supporting cast (Marjorie Main, Porter Hall, Raymond Walburn--and Roy Rogers and Gabby Hayes!). Wayne himself is delightful. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

interesting and rare John Wayne movie
This Civil War era movie was very interesting as it tried to follow a generalized campaign of the very infamous Captain Quantrell, the Confederate leader of raiding party's into the North. This was not one of John Wayne's best pictures but it ranks up there as being rare and informative. A must see for true John Wayne fans. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Two more samples of Bob Hope's best!
Yet another fine disc in the Bob Hope Tribute Collection offers up two more classic Hope films, along with trailers, production notes, and cast and crew bios.

In "Louisiana Purchase", Bob is the unwitting vicim of corrupt Louisiana politicians who stick him with the blame when a crusading senator from Washington comes to investigate. Bob has to finagle a way to deflect the senator from his witch hunt, and enlists the aid of a Viennese beauty played by Vera Zorina. The senator is wonderfully portrayed by Victor Moore, a pious Republican who longs for the Presidency.

Interesting to note here is the opening scene, which was shot in color, but on a set designed for black and white film. The producers did this on purpose, hoping to lead up to the spectacular color sequences later on in the picture, but seeing the gray/blue color scheme here is a fascinating look at how specific contrasts were achieved on the sets of all those black and white movies in order to make them appear more natural.

While "Louisiana Purchase" is pretty good, "Never Say Die" steals the show. Bob is a hypochondriac millionaire mistakenly given one month to live. Martha Raye teams with Bob again as the daughter of a Texas oil man who wants her to marry a cash-strapped prince. Unfortunately, she's in love with Andy Devine's character, Henry Munch, and runs away rather than marry the prince! Naturally, she runs into Bob, who's being hunted by a "black widow" delightfully played by Gale Sondergaard, who's husbands have a bad habit of always turning up dead. The one-liners (and the laughs) come fast and furious in this one!

If you look quick, you'll see Monty Woolley as Dr. Schmidt, the specialist who misdiagnoses Bob's condition. Film fans will fondly remember his later appearances in the classic Cary Grant picture "The Bishop's Wife", and "The Man Who Came to Dinner" with Bette Davis. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

GREAT MOVIE!!!!
I just recently got this movie and have watched it twice. I absolutely love it! Don't listen to those who gave this movie 1 star..... it's definetly a 5 star! Bing's performance is just awesome! He was always such a truthful actor, and in this movie you can really see his own personality come into the character. And I thought Coleen Gray's performance was very good also. I think that she portrayed her character perfectly. I really enjoyed the music also. And "Sunshine Cake" was not "sentimentality at its most obnoxious" as one reviewer said.......the characters were just being goofy and having fun, and I really enjoyed it (people shouldn't take things so seriously). This movie has become one of my favorites, and I highly recommend it. It's a light, fun, and humorous movie with some really charming scenes and songs.

"A STINKER!"
I am quoting Humphrey Bogart in the above title of this review. He was referring to a film his own production company, Santana Productions, made called "Sirocco." .

I tend not to review movies I don't like because I have no enthusiasm for them. In fact, this is the first time I have done so. Everything about this movie is inane: the performances (especially Coleen Gray's, whose idea of acting is to grin as widely as possible and sparkle her eyes. One wishes she had never gone into the business.), the silly dialogue, the phony script, etc., etc.

It only has two things going for it: A beautiful horse which is a delight to watch, though frustrating as the characters treat him so shabbily, and his mascot and pal, a darling rooster, Obviously trained to be performers, they easily outshine all their human co-actors.

Oh, and the music. Insipid, especially a song called "The Sunshine Cake." Sentimentality at its most obnoxious. Bing finally does sing "Camptown Races," but by this time you don't care.

There are better horse movies. There are much better Crosby movies. Can't think of one good reason to view this one unless you want to waste your time!

Capra near his worst
This film marks the beginning of the end for Frank Capra. His creativity appears to have deserted him -- he makes extensive use of footage from his own, far superior Broadway Bill. It is understandable that he would use footage from the earlier film's climactic, thrilling horse race. But he also intercuts entire scenes from the earlier film, then brings back the actors and apparently expects us not to notice that they're 14 years older! The only point of interest is one of the last appearances of Oliver Hardy. Otherwise, you'd be best advised to catch Broadway Bill instead.

Sheer Joy
I love the energy and enthusiasm of Capra's films, and I disagree with Maltin's description of the film as "unmemorable entertainment." I have seen it twice and hope to see it again. There is such a high level of quality throughout...not only in the techniques of film making, but in the incredible appropriateness of the acting...body language, facial expressions, interactions between characters, and so on. I suppose I am old fashioned, but I don't see this level of quality in many of today's films. Sure our technology is awesome, but what do we do with it...Make some pretty stupid, boring films in which people walk around like zombies, speaking lines they don't seem to understand, and don't utilize their faces or bodies to support the scenes. I find this film uplifting and exhilarating, and completely entertaining from beginning to end. Capra claims in his autobiography that he wanted to do this remake Broadway Bill because Warner Baxter, the original star, was nervous around horses, and did not really acheive what Capra wanted. I have not yet seen Broadway Bill, so I can't compare... but this remake contains original 1934 footage ingeniously integrated into the ca. 1951 scenes. An actor from 1951 engages in a telephone conversation with someone who was filmed in 1934! Great fun. ... Read more

Description

Sick of Higgins’ controlling nature, Dan finally decides to stand up for himself.Quitting his job as manager of a factory owned by J.L., Dan dedicates all of his time to his racing horse, Broadway Bill, in hopes that he can profit from his trusty steed.Arrested for not repaying a supplier he owed money to, Dan must rely on the success of Broadway Bill to bail him out. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Pleasant movie,poor print.
The movie itself is by no means a classic - similar comic confections were served up far more enticingly by the likes of Garson Kanin,Wesley Ruggles and Ernst Lubitsch - but Niven and Young are effective enough,and the idea at the heart of the movie is strong enough to survive the mediocre script.The print,however,is dreadful -it is like watching the movie through the bottom of a glass- and,as the video is recorded in EP mode (why?),your VCR may well struggle with its tracking for the 110 minutes of the entertainment.Why this is labelled as a "Collector's Edition" is a mystery:avoid this edition,go for the other one and watch a slight but amiable comedy. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Pleasant movie,poor print.
The movie itself is by no means a classic - similar comic confections were served up far more enticingly by the likes of Garson Kanin,Wesley Ruggles and Ernst Lubitsch - but Niven and Young are effective enough,and the idea at the heart of the movie is strong enough to survive the mediocre script.The print,however,is dreadful -it is like watching the movie through the bottom of a glass- and,as the video is recorded in EP mode (why?),your VCR may well struggle with its tracking for the 110 minutes of the entertainment.Why this is labelled as a "Collector's Edition" is a mystery:avoid this edition,go for the other one and watch a slight but amiable comedy. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Just Picture A Pent-House Way Up In The Sky!
It's hard for me to say who's films I enjoy more Preston Sturges or Ernst Lubitsch, both to me are masters of the sophisticated comedies. It's like asking someone who do you like more Chaplin or Keaton, both are so good you'd hate to chose one or the other. But of all the Sturges films I've seen I have to admit "Christmas in July" I think is his weakest. If judge purely on it's own merits it's a fine lighthearted enjoyable comedy. But when you consider the other films Preston Sturges made, "Christmas in July" doesn't hold up as well. It doesn't seem to have the bite movies such as "The Great McGinty" (Sturges' first film as dirctor), or "The Palm Beach Story" and my favorite "Unfaithfully Yours" had. It seems as if Sturges missed a few marks with this one. I didn't laugh as much as I usually do when watching one of his films. Though there is one great scene dealing with Powell after he thinks he won a contest and goes to the office of Dr. Maxford (Raymond Walburn). That scene made me laugh. And I promise not to give it away.

"Christmas in July" has Jimmy MacDonald (Dick Powell, this was at the time Powell wanted to break away from the musicals) as a poor but in love young man trying to make it big. Currently he has tried out in a contest created by Dr.Maxford (Walburn) who is looking for a new slogan for his coffee. Jimmy has entered in many contest before and naturally has lost them all. But, the way he figures it, one of these days he's bound to win one. So he and his sweetheart, Betty (Ellen Drew) hope for the best. If Jimmy wins they can finally get married. But everything will not work out so fine.

While at work some co-workers over-hear the news of Jimmy entering the contest and they decide to have a little fun at his expense. They tell him he's won the contest and a prize of $25,000!

Sturges' comedy starts to take off at this point, but I just can't help but feel the movie leaves much to be desired. And I only say this because I've truly enjoyed Sturges' past films. But this one is just not quite up to par with the rest of them. If you've never seen a Preston Sturges comedy, please do not start here.

So is there anything good to say about this movie? Yes. As I said before it is a cute old-fashioned comedy that has one of those happy endings we've come to expect from Hollywood. It does have a few funny scenes and is a harmless silly comedy. I would only suggest that fans of Sturges watch this one.

Bottom-line: One of Preston Sturges weaker comedies. Not to say this is a bad movie. Has a few bright spots but doesn't live up to Struges' other films such as "Unfaithfully Yours", "The Palm Beach Story" & "The Lady Eve".

A splendiferous gem.
"Christmas in July" is among the finest and yet unappreciated comedies of Hollywood's golden age. Dick Powell, a newcomer at Paramount studios, portrays Jimmy MacDonald who has entered a coffee company's slogan contest with the grand prize being $25,000. Some of his co-workers play a joke on him with a fake telegram. Jimmy and his fiance, Betty Casey (Ellen Drew) become excited as Jimmy is thought by his boss as being such a genius at writing slogans that Jimmy gets his own office and Betty is his private secretary. After they pick up the check (surprising to Dr. Maxford of Maxford House Coffee who doesn't know of anybody selected), they go on a shopping spree buying something for everybody in their neighborhood. Probably the only reason for the film's title is because Ellen Drew gives the line "It's like Christmas, in July." When Dr. Maxford finds out nobody was selected and the check was supposedly fake, Shindel Bros., the department store of which they went on a spree, starts to take everything back until the pompous Dr. Maxford steps in. Shindel is convinced when the townspeople take Jimmy's side and not Dr. Maxford's. Later, as they view Jimmy's new office, his boss is still impressed with his slogan-writing ability until when he hears Jimmy didn't really win and it was a joke. His boss goes into a fury, but Betty takes Jimmy's side by saying that he belongs in his own office becuase he thinks he has ideas and gives a short speech to him. In Maxford House, Dr. Maxford gets into a huge fit when he is distressed at the contest and that his workers have finally selected a winner. Guess who? Quite likely, the cycle will start again. Amazing film, and quite amazing what you can fit in a short 67 minute film.

A comic gem from Sturges.
One of Preston Sturges' best but least known films stars Dick Powell as an ordinary guy who becomes the victim of a prank and thinks he has won a slogan-writing contest. Altho the events are fairly predictable, this does not detract from the laughs. As with all Sturges films, plenty of fine old character actors (including, as always, William Demarest) are on hand. Why doesn't anyone make 67 minute movies anymore?

Not a masterpiece
This film combines a rather dull, predictable and contrived plot with inconsistent characters. William Demerest plays a minor role in the movie, but "Uncle Charlie" is by far its highlight. A couple of slapstick scenes including a fishfight (yes, a fishfight) prevent the movie from having no redeeming aspects. Potential purchasers, beware! This is not a Christmas movie. Set in July, it takes its title from one line in the movie. Not worth the price of admission or even rental.

IF YOU'RE A PRESTON STURGES FAN
then you'll enjoy this VHS. It's typical Sturges. Very predictable but enjoyable, nothing spectacular, though. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Count Your Blessings
The First sound version of " The Count of Monte Cristo" scores well because of its veteran cast.

Donat is fine in the title role in a Muni type performance. Imprisoned with the Abby( O.P. Heggie ) Dantes gets a big start in life and thus persues his revenge on Baron Danglers et all.

Louis Calhern , an under appreciated actor and Sidney Blackmer are fine in thier roles as antagonist and there is a certain 30,s sweep to the narrative that makes it a bit hokey but well done.

CP

Count of Monte Cristo VHS ~ Robert Donat
Accidentally left bad feedback. Would like to change it.
Please help.

Old Sometimes Better
Several years ago I owned a copy of the 1934 version of the Count of Monte Cristo. I appreciated the fact that the older movie stayed closer to the author's original story line, carefully woven in. Some of the acting is a little corny, overdone a bit (similar to silent films), but that is easily forgiven. Our copy was damaged and we no longer have it to watch again, but I was reminded of it when we rented the new version. The new version is OK, but I found myself enjoying the older version better. ... Read more