Reviews (39)

Unhappy Landings !
I'm sure that many movie buffs will remember this fine, suspenseful thriller from the 60s. Jimmy Stewart is flying a cargo plane with an interesting assortment of male passengers across the Sahara desert, and he decides to battle through an oncoming sandstorm. The sandstorm wins ! The plane crash-lands in an ocean of sand--not without casualty--and our heroes are stranded, with limited supplies, under a brutal sun. The men waste several precious days on the assumption that help is on the way. They eventually realise that survival will depend on their own resilience and ingenuity.

Of course, we have one of the finest American actors in the lead, but Mr. Stewart is ably supported by a blue-chip international cast, including Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Hardy Kruger, Ernest Borgnine and Ian Bannen. As the sun gets hotter and with no rescue party in sight, this unfortunate group displays all of the human qualities that arise in desperate situations--resentment, fear, arrogance, assignment of blame, madness, cowardice and courage.

Richard Attenborough is the sensible voice of reason and compromise, which makes the scene where he finally "loses it", even more compelling. Peter Finch is the typical British "stiff upper lip " officer--stubborn and brave-- though I doubt that this role was much of a challenge to such a talented actor. Ernest Borgnine gets to chew up a little scenery as a guy who is pretty unhinged even before the plane crash--that blazing sun doesn't do him any good at all ! Well--it's 1965 and you need someone to play a brainy, cold, arrogant German--Hardy Kruger, come on down ! The other actors are excellent--Ian Bannen, in particular, is effective as a guy who would get under your skin even at the North Pole !

As another reviwer has noted, the film is perhaps longer than it needs to be, although it does give the characters plenty of time to interact with one another, and display the psychological aspects of the plot. After a while, you--the viewer--will also start to feel that oppressive heat and sand, and the tension of being trapped in this hell-on-earth. I can't really comment on the feasibility of the plan that Hardy Kruger's character comes up with to save everyone--I'm not an aeronautical engineer ! It certainly gives the film an exciting climax though.

I found the DVD picture to be beautiful--the sound typical for an almost 40-year old film.

"Phoenix" gave Jimmy Stewart another great role, later in his career, and with the supporting cast--and a liberal amount of suspense--this nice DVD could appeal to a variety of viewing tastes. Recommended.

GREAT CAST...great adventure
One of the great adventure movies of all time. I'm kinda surprised it hasn't been remade...it's a perfect little movie. Basically, we see the trevails of the survivors of a plane crash into the dunes of the Sahara. Their quest to find a way out is only part of the adventure...the human quarrels and intersecting interests are just as fascinating.

The movie has a slightly dated "manly" feel...there are no women, but it isn't a "tough guy" movie, a la, THE DIRTY DOZEN, let's say. These are military men, mostly, each with his own idea of how to escape. How all these efforts play out is at the heart of the movie.

Everyone is very good. Richard Attenborough is very good, and Peter Finch even better. What a underrated actor he was. He is certainly someone who should have had more work. Hardy Kruger is very fine...and his character holds the key to possible escape (and a VERY BIG humdinger of a surprise too!!). And James Stewart is at the top of his game. We so often remember him in romantic comedies like PHILADELPHIA STORY, and impersonators have done him no favors with their stammering, slightly dim-witted approach. When he was a mature actor (not an older, more feeble man)he could be very strong, and very unlikeable if need be. This is one of those roles. He is a convincing tough guy...not just a bland hero, but a hard-headed, sometimes wrong, leader. I put this right near the top of my Jimmy Stewart list.

If you haven't seen this movie, and you are an adult viewer who doesn't require lots and lots of noise and special-effects to have a good time...you MUST see this film. It is a nearly forgotten classic, in my estimation, and one that bears up very well with repeated viewings.

A gripping story of survival (and Jimmy stewart in the lead)
Any film with Jimmy Stewart in a leading role is sure to be a hit and Flight of the Phoenix doesn't disappoint.
A plane crash in the desert follows into a gripping two hour film of survival and hope. Led by Jimmy Stewart, the crew which include great acting talents like Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch and Ernest Borgnine courageously try to survive the desert heat, lack of water, and high tempers between crew members.
When all hope of a rescue is gone, an idea by a German model plane maker, to rebuild the crashed craft, initially not taken seriously by Jimmy Stewart, is eventually seen as the only option of survival and the movie climaxes into a gripping story of team effort and a race against time to get the plane flying. This is a highly recommended film that will have you on the edge of your seat right to the end. The film got 4stars because the UK DVD lacked even the simplest extra, like a trailer.

Flight got shortened
I had seen this movie probably half a dozen times over the years, and had always loved it. When it finally came out on DVD this year, I had to get it, but was VERY disappointed when I watched the DVD. As I was watching it, I kept saying to myself "this doesn't seem right"....and then I realized that there were quite a few shortened and even missing scenes from the original. Some of the missing scenes are quite significant. There is a scene where the group is moving the wing with the pulleys, and Capt. Towns stops them for no good reason, just to show that he is in charge. The whole scene where Towns and Dorfman have a silent standoff is missing, leading up to Dorfman asking the whole group "who is in authority here". I can go on and on with missing or shortened scenes. Very disappointing to me.I have read 35 other reviews and no one else has mentioned the shortened scenes. I am going to purchase the old VHS, to see the original version.

A forgotten classic?
I've seen this movie maybe half a dozen times and I'm pretty sure each time was a Sunday afternoon when I should have been doing homework. I think I made the right choice!

A decent cast for this movie, set in the unbearable heat of the central Sahara desert. Plane crashes and there is seemingly no way out. Someone has the idea of cannibalising the damaged plane to build another airplane to get them out of there as the only other way out is to walk and the surrounding natives are none too friendly. The design of the plane is undertaken by Hardy Kruger, who claims to have designed airplanes before. Unfortunately the only designs he has done are for children's model planes. Nevertheless, Attenborough, Stewart and the gang dig deep and finally make something flyable. But do they have enough cartridges to get the engines started? Watch and find out.

A gripping movie suitable for most ages. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Director Robert Aldrich had a knack for depicting outsiders with originality and authenticity. Much like The Dirty Dozen, The Longest Yard is a popular fable about integrity and group unity. It possesses a requisite toughness along with the loneliness that accompanies the outsider status. Compromise is never easy in an Aldrich film. There's always a bitter price to pay.

Burt Reynolds, in peak form, plays a former pro quarterback ostracized for shaving points. After beating up his girlfriend and resisting arrest, Reynolds winds up in prison, where he's taunted by warden Eddie Albert to help his semiprofessional team of guardsmen win a championship. Naturally, the inmates despise Reynolds, and naturally he redeems himself in one of the great movie football matches of all time. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (24)

A CLASSIC FROM THE 1970'S
Well on the eve of the remake being released it's time to look back at one of the classic movies of the 1970's, The Longest Yard.Burt Reynolds was at his peak in the mid-1970's with a string of hits and reigned as Hollywood's box-office king.This movie had a stellar supporting cast which helped make it one of the great sports movies of all time.

Reynolds is Paul "wrecking" Crewe, a former pro quarterback who is sent to a Georgia prison after leading police on a drunken car chase.Crewe finds himself ostracized from his fellow inmates because of his "star" status but eventually befriends Caretaker (James Hampton of F-Troop) and an elderly inmate named Pop.Eddie Arnold (of Green Acres fame) is Warden Hazen, a typical evil prison warden who has a semi-pro football team made up of the prison guards that he is very proud of.

The Warden forces Crewe to put together a football team of inmates to play his guards in a scrimmage game.Crewe is reluctant and just wants to do his time but when the Warden threatens to make his time very tough, Crewe relents and he and Caretaker begin trying to find players.At first Crewe is stuck with a bunch of stiffs, partly because the black inmates refuse to play until one named Granville breaks the ice and decides to play.Crewe then enlists the services of several "specialists" including 7' 2" tall Richard Kiel playing a weightlifter named Samson, and the baddest guy in the joint, Connie Shokner, played by one of the great screen heavies of the 1970's, Robert Tessier.One note is that the Indian inmate was played by Sonny Sixkiller who was a well known QB at the University of Washington in the early 1970's and still holds several passing records.

With Caretaker's help they manage to steal the guard's personal medical records to find out which have had previous injuries to take advantage of and also steal game uniforms.The guard team is led by Guard Captain Knauer (Ed Lauter) and former NFL great Ray Nitschke playing a guard named Bodanski.This all culminates in the big game where Crewe is forced to make a VERY big decision about how well he wants to play in the game.

The remake of The Longest Yard is going to have some very big shoes to fill.They appear to have done a great job on the supporting cast which includes wrestlers Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bill Goldberg and kevin Nash along with 7' tall Indian power lifter Dalip Singh, and Bob Sapp to go along with actual actors Chris Rock, James Cromwell and David Patrick Kelly who people may remember as the crazy gang leader in the cult film "The Warriors".

This special edition DVD was a welcome additon with it's Burt Reynolds commentary as well as the making of featurettes.Great film.Hopefully the remake does it justice.

Great fun
One of my favourite movies of all time and I don't even like football. I just can't believe they pick Adam Sandler for the leading role of the remake. Big mistake. No comparison at all. He looks like a wimp, and acts like a wimp. I agree with the other review saying to pls enjoy this one before the remake comes out.

The Mean Machine is meaner than ever
Robert Aldrich's greatest gift as a film director was his ability to show bad boys and nonconformists in such a sympathetic light. "The Longest Yard" features Reynolds before he traded on his bad boyish charm in all his film roles. Paul Crewe (Burt Reynolds) is a former bad boy football player who ends up in prison for "stealing" his girlfriend's car. His life has fallen apart since he was banned from the game for shaving points.Crewe is pressured by the Warden (Eddie Albert)to coach the guards' semi-pro team to earn a national title. When he refuses (out of preservation for his own skin) Crewe must lead the team of prisoners (called "The Mean Machine") against the guards in an exhibition game where the prisoners are expected to lose. Crewe has a couple of surprises in store for the Warden. The good news about this remake is that it prompted the studio to re-release this classic film. I have no idea if the remake is any good as of yet but we do have the classic original in top form.

An exceptionally nice transfer from Paramount, "The Longest Yard" has some minor issues with grain (that's not a flaw in the transfer I might add but it can be minimized during the transfer or made much, much worse) but that's probably due to the type of film and its age. The image quality is exceptionally good with such robust colors you can almost feel the humidity. The mono sound is a bit flat but with clear dialogue.

Three featurettes are highlights of this re-release. "Doing Time" features Reynolds and Ruddy discussing the making of the movie. The fact that Reynolds played college ball was an advantage for him in the role. Sports Illustrated writer Michael Silver discusses how nasty Paul Crewe is yet we forgive him because he's so funny and charming. The sports writers interviewed for the disc point out that watching Reynolds on the field its clear that he played college ball. "Unleashing The Mean Machine" we hear from a variety of pro players and sports writers discussing what makes "The Longest Yard" the best football movie ever made. Ruddy points out how he managed to convince Jimmy Carter (governor at the time of Georgia). Reynolds comments on his first meeting with Carter. The soon-to-be President of the United States told Reynolds that if Reynolds was taken prisoner, "if they take you hostage I will take your place gladly." Aldrich turned to Reynolds after and told him, "this man will be President some day. He's lying through his teeth beautifully".

A new and fun commentary track with producer Albert S. Ruddy ("The Godfather") and star Burt Reynolds discussing the making of the movie is a highlight of this classic 1974 film. Shot on location Reynolds in the South, Reynolds comments frequently about the difficult working conditions shooting in the swamp. He never knew when and if they might have a cottonmouth show up. Reynolds and many of the actors actually stayed at the former prison where they shot the film. Reynolds points out the various former pro and college football players that appear in the film. They discuss the prep for shooting the big game and how they pulled the illusion together for this film.

A classic film gets a classy presentation on DVD. An excellent commentary track by Reynolds and Ruddy are a highlight of this terrific reissue on DVD. Two very good featurettes on the making of the movie and one where pros and writers comment on reality of what you see in the film.

Quick!Enjoy the original before the remake comes out!
I want to make the argument that "The Longest Yard" is an important film in the history of the movies because this 1974 comedy represents the point in cinematic history where a guy getting hit between the legs was funny for the last time. To be specific it was the moment in the film where it happened for the second time, which was even funnier than the first time it had happened, which was just a minute earlier in the movie. Ever since then I have not found these scenes to be anywhere near as funny because all such efforts are just pale imitations of what happens here.

"The Longest Yard" is solid B-movie material from start to finish. Burt Reynolds is Paul Crewe, a former pro quarterback who was banned from the sport for shaving points and ended up in prison for having some fun with the cops joy riding. In a nice example of casting against type Eddie Albert is the sadistic warden who is quite proud of the football team he has put together from the prison guards. So he decides that Crewe should put together a team from the prisoners for a friendly little game of football. Crewe is inclined not to be accommodating, but the warden, no doubt sensing a failure to communicate, persuades the ex-jock to get with the game plan.

We have to go through some rather trite and tired routines as Crewe puts together his team just so we can get to the fun part of the movie, which is the big football game. Obviously the cons are playing for self-respect and if the warden is stupid enough to give them the opportunity to pay back the guards for their brutal treatment under the guise of a football game, then we should just enjoy the fun. The set up might be stupid, but the game itself is one of the better staged pigskin competitions we have seen in a movie to date. Besides, the Mean Machine uses the drop kick, which I have always wanted to see ever since I read about it in "Gil Thorp" way back when. Certainly director Robert Aldrich takes the time to play the came and he makes excellent use of the split-screen to avoid having to constantly cut between the action on the field and the drama on the sidelines.

Reynolds is certainly the star of the film (he tells his team, "The most important thing to remember is: to protect your quarterback. ME!"), and the ex-Florida State football player certainly makes for a believable jock on the field (hey, the guy was drafted by the Baltimore Colts), while Albert clearly relishes the chance to forget all about Eva Gabor and have fun with the dark side. "Iron" Mike Conrad, before he became a cult figure as Sgt. Esterhaus on "Hill Street Blues," has a memorable turn as Nate Scarboro, one of the cons whose knees are not as strong as his heart so he has to settle for being the coach of the Mean Machine. Ed Lauter is Captain Knauer, the head of the guards, who manages not to be a total jerk about what is going on in the end as the film goes for one last over the top moment at the end.

Not to be mistaken for high art, "The Longest Yard" is a party film, perfect when you are in the mood for a little football. It was actually up for an Oscar for Best Film Editing (Michael Luciano), undoubtedly for that split screen work, and even won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Musical/Comedy (beating out "The Front Page," "Harry and Tonto," "The Little Prince" and "The Three Musketeers"). Having already been made as a soccer (the other "football" movie, "Mean Machine"), "The Longest Yard" is about to be released with Adam Sandler and James Cromwell squaring off (Burt Reynolds is along for the ride as Coach Nate Scarboro). I wonder if Brian Bosworth played "Kill the Star" with Sandler the way Ray Nitschke did with Reynolds in the original. There could be some very interesting outtakes on that DVD down the road.

"Mean Machine! Mean Machine! Mean Machine!"
In the 1970's, there was a small genre of movies, that the studios released, that could best be termed, football comedies. These were a series of films that sort of aped the spirit of Jim Bouton's best selling baseball book, "Ball Four" about the rowdy and scatalogical antics of modern day pro-athletes. Most movie fans consider three films to be the best of this genre. They include "North Dallas Fourty", "Semi-Tough" and of course "The Longest Yard". When it comes to "North Dallas Fourty", I have to be truthful and admit that I've never seen it. I really can't make an informed opinion about it. But,"Semi-Tough really is a very funny film comedy. But let's face it...it's not really about football. It's more of a satire of the 'self-help/feel good' movements (such as E.S.T.) that were all the rage in the 1970's. That leaves, what I like to think of as the gold standard of football movie comedies, "The Longest Yard". This hilarious film is basically M*A*S*H* on steroids. A group of people trapped in a situation trying to relieve their boredom & frustrations through off-color jokes, rowdy antics and a love for football (for those who have never seen it, the film, M*A*S*H* ends in a humourously rowdy, football game). "The Longest Yard" is about Paul Crewe (Burt Reynolds) a former superstar, pro quarterback, who is living life as a disgraced, has-been. After a drunken fight with his wealthy girlfriend and a wild police chase in a stolen Mazardi, he finds himself looking at eighteen months of hard time in a Florida correctional facility. But this isn't just any prison. Apparently both the guards, the inmates and especially the nefarious Warden (Eddie Albert) take their football, waaaayyyy to seriously! The Warden hatches a plan for Crewe to put together and play with a team of felons in a tune-up game against his own semi-pro team made up of the brutally, sadistic guards. What starts out as a supposedly, friendly (and very funny) game soon devolves into a brutal, grudge match in which the Warden attempts to humiliate the Cons and send a message to the rest of the prison population. It's up to Crewe to keep this from happening. This is a great film with a plot (and hard hitting, realistic game), that gets the viewer really involved. I mean what film do you know, where the good guys are unrepented hard core felons (refered to by the hypocritical guards as "scum of the Earth") and we want to root for them? The film is helmed by an excellent cast playing interesting characters. Burt Reynolds plays a man, who when under presure finally learns, that there is more to life than just thinking about himself. This is probably Reynold's best acting job in any of his film comedies (he only breaks himself up once). His only better work has been in dramas such as "Deliverance" & "Boogie Nights". Eddie Albert is also great as the evil Warden, who on one hand, publicly spouts speeches about the "All-American" values and virtues of the game of football, but is privately more than willing to vindictively lie and cheat, all in the name of winning. Other standouts in the cast include Robert Tessier as Shockner, a silent, Karate chopping, psychopath and 7'2" Richard Kiel (in a pre James Bond role) as a giant, violent prisoner, who hilariously dosn't seem to know his own strength. Also look for Bernadette Peters in a brief, sexy cameo (and a huge B-52 hairdo) as the Warden's amorous secretary. If you like football movies or just plain gut-busting, funny movie comedies (or both) than get "The Longest Yard"! Great movie! Highly recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (43)

A great cast helps this movie to shine
The Dirty Dozen is one of the classic movies about World War 2 with an all star cast. Released in 1967, it tells of a mangy group of men which bands together to pull off an amazing WW2 escapade. The target is a German-controlled chateau in Reims, Brittany.

Lee Marvin is the Major that gathers the group together. The cast includes Donald Sutherland, Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas and many other greats. John Cassavates, who plays "Franco", was nominated for best supporting actor. The movie did win an oscar for best sound effects.

The group heads out to an English field , creates a camp, and begins to train. With a series of ups and downs during six weeks they become a strong fighting force. The test comes during divisional maneuvers in Devonshire, when they have to take on an elite force and take control of the HQ. Of course they do the job, with a good dose of cunning and subterfuge.

On to the French chateau. Amazingly, this was a huge set built just for the film that is destroyed in the finale. Indoor scenes were done at the MGM British Studios in Borhamwood, England.

While some might find the storyline unbelievable, the following year's release was a movie which told a true story of The Devil's Brigade - about a run-down group of misfits who went on to fame and glory.

High action war classic
The Dirty Dozen is one of those classics you can watch over and over again. It tells the story of Major Reisman, who has to train 12 convicts for a suicide mission behind enemy lines. We see the training and then finally the Dirty Dozen's attack on their target, a French chateau full of high-ranking German officers. The action scenes are excellent. The movie never slows down from the beginning even with a running time of 150 minutes.

The performances in the movie are great. This huge list of Hollywood notables took part in this movie. Lee Marvin is awesome as Major John Reisman with Charles Bronson, John Cassavetes, Jim Brown, Donald Sutherland, Telly Savalas, Clint Walker, and Trini Lopez as some of the Dirty Dozen. Also starring are Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Ralph Meeker, and George Kennedy. This is a great movie that shouldn't be missed. The DVD transfer is perfect. Also included are a trailer and a behind the scenes documentary about the movie. If you like the movie, check out the book by E.M. Nathanson.

An Edge-Of-Your-Seat Style Of Movie
Are you looking for a movie with a great plot, perfectly timed action, and superb acting and directing? Look no further. This film, set in World War II, chronicles the covert operations of a group of military convicts, and their non-convict leader behind enemy lines. It is their task to sneak in and assassinate a large group of key German officials.
The movie starts with the commander (played by Lee Marvin, in arguably his greatest role) picking out some of the best, but also some of the most expendable men in the Army. He goes to the prison and gives them a deal. If they will fight, their sentences will be dismissed and they will be free. Most of these men are awaiting execution, while others have long prison terms. His first goal is to make them ready for combat, which proves to be no easy task, as these guys, who seemingly have nothing to lose, give him a hard time. But eventually, under his command, he creates an elite team of fighters. Now, the next objective is to learn the layout of the area they are to infiltrate, which is a huge French chateau, then sneak in and attack. But will they make it? Of course I will not tell you, you will need to see the movie yourself. But what I will tell you is that this is one of those films with an all star cast and loads of edge-of-your-seat action!!! Besides Lee Marvin, you have Telly Savalas, football great Jim Brown, the late VERY great Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland ( Sutherland fans will also love the movie Kelly's Hero's), Ernest Borgnine, Clint Walker ( who also starred in the film Night Of The Grizzly), George Kennedy (who co-starred in the hilarious Naked Gun films), and a host of others too numerous to mention. Besides Action, the film incorporates a delicious amount of drama, suspense, comedy (the war games part will give you a good laugh), Horror (when Telly Savalas goes off the deep end), and intrigue.

A tough-as-nails WW2 classic!
Lee Marvin was just made for this role! Being a decorated WW2 vet he wasn't just acting in this classic! Add Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas, John Cassavetes, Donald Sutherland, & Clint Walker to the mix & you've got an "elite" group of psychos & killers that even would've scared [any dictator]! The movie is 2 1/2 hours but is never dull. There's great character development, plenty of humor, & big-time slaughter of [enemies] at the end! What more could you want from a war movie! For those who love WW2 behind-the-lines suspense, this is highly recommended.

The best fun war movie ever made!
I've always thought the Dirty Dozen was and still is the most fun a person can have watching a war movie if that seems possible! Fortunately for me and by coincidence, about ten years ago, Clint Walker (Posey) became one of my best friends. I wish hollywood still made movies like this. Unfortunately, there just aren't the same kind of actors around anymore. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's brash! It's grotesque! It's a blistering display of psychological terrorism! One of the blackest comedies ever made, this 1962 thriller rejuvenated the careers of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford and played heavily on their own Hollywood legends, incorporating film clips from their earlier stardom to add depth and realism to a severely twisted tale of sibling rivalry. Davis plays the former child star turned wrinkled hag Jane Hudson, whose sister Blanche (Crawford) eclipsed her star in Hollywood, and has been paying for it ever since. Now confined to a wheelchair, Blanche is held prisoner in the musty mansion she shares with Jane, who terrorizes Blanche with maniacal control (and dead rats for dinner), and embarks on an absurd campaign to revive her career, curly-haired wig and all. A deranged showcase for its stars, the film also introduced Oscar nominee Victor Buono as the sycophantic pianist hired to accompany Jane's bizarre vaudeville revival. Hilarious, frightening, and not to be missed! --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (103)

But you are, Blanche. You ARE in that chair!
This is one great movie! "What Ever Happened to BabyJane?" is, as stated in Amazon's description, the story of twoaging sisters, each in her own way connected with show business.

Now the good stuff. The sisters are played by Bette Davis and Joan Crawford (the only time the two ever acted together) to absolute perfection. Crawford is wonderful in the role of crippled sister Blanche, but Miss Davis absolutely walks away with the show as the former "Baby" Jane Hudson. The role is meatly and she revels in it! It is obvious that Miss Davis held the philosophy that, if you are going to go over-the-top, don't apologize. And she doesn't. She goes WAY over-the-top with a gleeful abandon that is infectious.

The way she taunts her wheelchair-bound sister (the title quotes one of Jane's best lines), serves her meals of dead rodents and ex-pets, kicks her in the gut, mocks her ever-so-proper speech, etc. It's all so delicious. And check out the ballet that she does to one of the songs from her childhood vaudeville act. Bette Davis was obviously having the time of her life, and so do the viewers of this classic.

For the DVD edition, there are disappointingly few extras, but Davis is credited with developing the absolutely hideous hair and makeup combinations she sports while slouching about the house in her scuffs and house coat (Director Robert Aldrich said that, while he loved the look, he never would have had the nerve to suggest such a thing to Bette Davis).

Joan Crawford was in fine form, as well. But for Jane to be able to be credible doing the things she did, Blanche had to be the "straight man". Crawford or Aldrich knew this and Blanche behaves accordingly. Consequently, it is Bette Davis' Jane who has the best lines and the showier part in general.

If you have never seen this movie, get it. If you have, go back and visit the Hudson sisters again. Then you might want to write a letter to YOUR daddy.

A Classic Psychological Thriller - Truly Sick!
This is the ultimate is psychological thrillers starring two of the greatest "top-billed turned has-been" movie actresses in history.

Betty Davis as Jane Hudson and real life nemesis Joan Crawford as sister Blanche Hudson make for comic and scary thrills. Quick retread: Jane was "Baby Jane Hudson", a child star who lost her popularity after puberty. Blanche Hudson was jealous as a child but becomes a top rated adult movie actress. Jane, of course, becomes an increasingly insane alcoholic. Trouble ensues when Blanche is mysteriously crippled in a car wreck forcing 'whack-job' case sister Jane to care for her. The plot thickens as quickly as Jane loses her mind. It's hilarious. But the sadistic scenes Jane carries out on Blanche are both scary and hilarious, making this film a true cult classic. The ending is a masterpiece of plot twists!

I can't get into more details other than to tell you that every time I've shown someone this movie, they goes nuts over it! It's frightening and comedic simultaneously. It's no wonder these two characters have been Halloween favorites for years!

Quality of 'black & white' is okay and sound is what you would expect from an early 60's nightmare, but it's worth it. Before you pick up your main course covered dinner plate, remember what Jane said to Blanche - "By the way Blanche, did you know we have rats in the cellar?!"

WHO the Hell is Norman?
Check out the editorial review "Sadistic Jane and their servant Norman????" The only servant, err, make that housekeeper in this saga is ELVIRA [No, NOT THAT one!] who meets ..... [Clunk!~ Thud!]

WELL, this utterly dark little Gem of Joy still pack many a wallop!

No quite dated, but such an acidic picture of Tinseltown - as a matter of fact you can still see these old [er] Dolls and Guys on Hollywood Boulevard - or Rodeo Drive [botox-powered] for that matter.

IT hasn't really aged that badly - Crawford is superb as the wheelchair bound glam queen Blance ~ utterly dependent on her increasingly insane sister Jane ~ Davis probably on a par with her turn in THE STAR. Davis sacrifices all for this role, including figure and looks, shuffling around the house in flip-flops, dragging on a cigarette and swigging booze has NEVER been this fun!

Bring along a creepy VICTOR BUONO [debut role] as a grifter with an accent and his dear old Ma ... nasty little jewels they are - check out the scene with Davis and Buono and the sandwich plate ... then the booze scene later! Priceless [It's almost Norman Desmond and Joe - the later years].

Superior lensing and direction etc. etc. etc.

Davis daughter BD HYMAN plays the teen next door.

Roaring fun for late at night viewing - double billed with Sunset Boulevard.

[Now wasn't there a musical version of this one ....?]

Betty Grable and Ginger Rogers
oh well it could have been betty and ginger
both blonde both musical stars (grable was more popular)

Ohh.. But Cha AAH, Blanche, Ya AAH In That Chair!!!
In "What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?" you really DO find out, indeed!

But what horrors you have to endure to see the truth and consequences! With twists, turns, torture & anti-climactic scenes all played to the hilt by the Miss Hudsons (Bette Davis and Joan Crawford), respectively, you will never be able to look at your pet parakeet the same way again.

Miss Baby Jane Hudson, played with great, grotesque gusto by Davis who was once the belle of the ball. Kind of a Shirley Temple of her era. Baby Jane was daddy's girl and Jane, therefore, has quite an Electra complex that is and has been exhibited her entire life.

Her sister, Miss Blanche Hudson, played "aptly and sapply" by Crawford, has a long and lasting career as an adult movie star but is now wheelchair bound because of a little "accident" betwixt the sisters many years back. Jane is the caretaker of Blanche since the "accident" and they both live off of the residuals of Blanche's long and prosperous film career before she became crippled.

After a local California TV station decides to run summer afternoon, back to back Blanche Hudson films, Baby Jane gets that ol' jealous feeling brewing again and wants desparately to revitalize her childhood career. Baby Jane hires pianist from the classifieds, Mr. Edward Flagg, played in a great understated role by Victor Buono, who has his own Oedipal yearnings and problems. They make a great and perfect pair of drunks and crazies, let me tell ya.

Jane is certainly unstable and is likened to a gin and vodka guzzling 60 year old broad with a six year old spoiled brat mentality. SCARY combo, right there! Let alone Jane's guilt of the "accident", her shameless jealousy, and her expressions of the antithesis of "SISTERLY LOVE".

Filmed in glorious black and white, it lends itself to the dark, somber and horrific things that happen to Blanche vis-a-vis Jane...

"Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?" is a cult classic and a true and genuine classic in it's own right.

Happy Watching! ... Read more

Reviews (34)

One of the best of the genre!
This is easily one of the most outstanding pieces of film noir ever made. Ralph Meeker, (An actor who usually played bad guys.), plays a very anti-heroic Mike Hammer.

The Mike Hammer that Meeker portrays is greedy and sadistic. He takes great pleasure inflicting pain on others, and stepping on as many toes as possible to get what he wants. With a lead character as trashy as the one Meeker portrays you can only imagine how cold-blooded the rest of the people in this movie are.

"Kiss Me Deadly" is one of the more rarely seen classic detective pictures; this is a shame. From the very first shot of this picture, you can feel the crime-detective genre being pushed and beaten into directions no one has ever seen before.

There are some people who did not understand the ending of this picture. It's simple: "Be careful what you go looking for, you might not like what you find."

This is one wonderfully stylish, suspensful, and unusual motion picture. You owe it to yourself to check it out!

Kiss Me Deadly
Condemned by censors, panned by critics, and banned by the Btritish when it was released in 1955 KISS ME DEADLY is today universally considered one of the definitive and perhaps most perfectly realized films noirs ever made. Director Robert Aldrich and screenwriter A.I. Bezzerides, both having a mutual contempt for right wing pulp novelist Mickey Spillane and all he stood for, nevertheless smartly capitalized on the extraordinary success of the author at the time, basing their film on Spillane's book of the same name while taking such drastic liberties with his story, characters, and ideologies that the finished product would be nearly unrecognizable to serious Spillane fans. This point seems to be forshadowed, as film noir scholar James Naremore has pointed out, in the weirdly reversed opening credits which seem to stand Mickey Spillane on his head.

The movie opens with divorce detective Mike Hammer(Ralph Meeker) forced to pick up a barefoot and naked-under-a-trenchcoat Christina Baily(Chloris Leachman in her first screen role)who, as we soon find out, has escaped from a mental institution and is running down the middle of a remote California road at night. When Hammer is quickly run off the road by gangsters who torture Christina to death and nearly kill Hammer himself his interest is sparked. Hammer smells something big and the cut of something big is...well, big. He decides to give the divorce work a rest and devote himself, his adoring secretary Velda(Maxine Cooper), his Greek mechanic friend Nick(Nick Dennis), and anyone else he can get to do his dirty work for him to this new mystery. The film is rich with Cold War fear and nuclear paranoia as all the characters relentless focus of selfish greed is on "the great whatsit", the mysterious glowing box of material stolen from a nuclear testing facility. Mike Hammer's detective is totally enjoyable to watch although a distinctly unfavorable and immoral character. He whores out his secretary, Velda, without remorse to adulterous husbands to wrap up divorce cases, gets his innocent friend Nick killed by involving him in the case, is a markedly poor detective, and sadistically enjoys physically punishing those who get in his way.

KISS ME DEADLY is fundamentally wrapped up in the definitions of the film noir genre, containing all the elements--a stark opening sequence on a dark road, destructive manipulating femme fatales, low-life cheap gangsters, dark expressionistically lit night-time scenes, a vengeful (or greedy?) quest, maybe the best, and most anti-, anti-hero of the noir canon, and a dark mood of hopelessness.

An absorbing film
Besides the fifty years difference fact since this film was made, it's worthy to remark the clever script in that black decade that permeated the minds of so many artists all around the world.
This film , undoubtly belongs the film noir genre , but goes far beyond and becomes a clear warning about the implications of dealing with such dangerous weapon in the underworld.
In this sense, the dramatic wrenchs produce interesting and new events that feed and redefine the film noir for that historical moment. Don't forget the Cold War and the dark clouds of fear and hopeless still surrounded the mind and soul of many people in USA.
Watch this film . Robert Aldrich , with this film defined his artistic personality in the American Cinema.
And other movies directed by him , specially "In cold blood" , gives us important clues about his world's sight.

A classic...but oh, so grim.
Kiss Me Deadly is stylish and moves along nicely but whichever ending you choose, its unrelenting in its grimness.

I disagree that Meeker portrays Mike Hammer as a bad guy. He gives everybody what they've got coming; its just that he enjoys it.

Don't want to give away the ending but let's just say it has more in common with science fiction than film noir. Those expecting a happy ending should get a different DVD.

One of the great P.I. noir films, with the restored ending!
Robert Aldrich's 1955 detective thriller, "Kiss Me Deadly," came at the end of the American classic film noir cycle, and shows the genre at its most violent, surreal, cruel, cynical, and visually bizarre. It's the last great explosive moment of the classic era of film noir -- and I do mean explosive. This is one detective film, like "Chinatown," which you won't soon forget.

Aldrich and screenwriter A. I. Bezzirides took on Mickey Spillane's popular P.I. Mike Hammer, but aside from keeping the basic plot outline of the original novel, they completely changed the nature of the character in a very reactionary move. Spillane's Mike Hammer is a New York detective-avenger, a self-righteous vigilante who deals out justice when the paralyzed forces of the law can do nothing: he's a vicious knight on a mean-spirited quest to right wrongs through brute force. (The title of the first Hammer novel, "I, the Jury" pretty much sums up his attitude.) The movie relocates Hammer to Los Angeles and turns him into a shallow con-artist who only cares about his car and his looks. He's a lousy detective too, relying on knocking people around for information, often innocent inoffensive folks, and never really paying attention to the important details of the case. His detective work is entirely matrimonial, where he and his 'assistant' Velda put the squeeze on couples to blackmail them. Hammer's motto is simple: "What's in it for me?" Ralph Meeker is perfect in the role, looking as if someone carved him out of slab of meat.

No doubt, in this story Hammer is in way over his head...if only he knew it. He picks up a nearly naked girl (Cloris Leachman in an early role) who throws herself in front of his sports car. Later, they're run off the road, and faceless gangsters torture her to dearth and leave Hammer for dead. Hammer sets out to find out what's up; not because he cares what happened to the girl, but because he sniffs out big money and he'd like to get the guys who wrecked his sports car! Hammer finds himself in a violent quest to locate an object that everyone desires: a package called 'The Great Whatsit.' The Great Whatsit isn't a meaningless red herring or Hitchcock McGuffin, however. Its contents are the great surprise of the plot, and the perfect exclamation point on a movie taking place in a chaotic world that seems to be falling apart. I won't tell what the Great Whatsit is (and shame on the reviewers here who have!), but...oh wow!

And this brings us to the issue of the ending, and the only extra on this disc. (Don't worry, I'm not going to spoil the ending.) For years, "Kiss Me Deadly" had a mysteriously abrupt finale that many people praised for its surreal, weird quality. This was how I first saw it. However, in 1997 the original ending was discovered in Aldrich's personal print of the film by editor Glenn Erickson and film noir scholar Alain Silver. Apparently, an accident involving a careless projectionist snipped off part of the ending, so what we had enjoyed and critiqued for years was actually a mistake! The new ending shown on this disc fortunately doesn't change the tone of the film: it's still pretty astonishing, filled with a brilliant use of light and sound effects. However, there's still something about that abrupt ending that gets to people. The DVD contains the option to watch this original abrupt ending so you can make up your mind which one 'feels' more right to you: what the director intended, or the mistake that many embraced as a stroke of brilliance.

No matter which ending you like, "Kiss Me Deadly" is a fabulous piece of brutal crime cinema. The photography is amazing, filled with weird and surreal images and crazy camera angles. The performances are all dead-on: Meeker's ugly Mike Hammer; Albert Dekker as the sinister and poetry spouting Dr. Soberin; Wesley Addy as Hammer's police acquaintance Pat, the sole voice of reason in the mess; Paul Stewart as a smarmy L.A. gangster; the late Jack Elam as freaky thug; and Gaby Rodgers in the film's strangest performance as the distant, weird, but ultimately very dangerous (to every living thing on the planet!) Lily Carver.

If you love detective films and film noir, "Kiss Me Deadly" is a great must-see classic. For a 1950s film, it is surprisingly violent and far ahead of its time. And either end will leave you shivering in shock. If only they had the guts to end films this way today! ... Read more

Reviews (19)

One of the best sports movie of all time!
What a great movie this is. It has football, comedy, a little drama and great acting all thrown in together. You may have heard of great football rivalries such as Oklahoma-Nebraska, USC-Notre Dame, Auburn-Alabama, Raiders-Broncos-Chiefs, HOWEVER NOTHING comes close as between the Convicts-vs-the Guards at Citrus State Prison.

Burt Reynolds plays Paul "Wrecking" Crue, a one time NFL great who sold out his team mates and trashed his girlfriends car and is now serving time at Citrus State Prison. Eddie Albert portrays the Warden you Love to Hate, and other great actors and NFL Football Players are in the movie. Plus the sexy Bernadette Peters plays the warden's secretary.

The plot is great. From the time Reynolds enters the prison to the last down of the Football game, it is "The Longest Yard". I will not get into the details of the movie. However, you will find yourself laughing, cheering and be a bit sad at a certain point. This is a movie to watch over and over again.

Sometimes I wish they would make a sequel to this great movie, however, I am glad they didn't. Sequels 98% aren't as good as the original and a sequel might spoil what a great movie this is.

Highly recommended!

One of a Kind-Prison Film with a Unique Blend of Comedy.
When a former and Pro Football player named Paul Crewe (Burt Reynolds), who actually steals his girlfriend's car and ended up going to Prison. When a sadistic Warden (Eddie Albert), who ends up, double crossing him to teach, train and play-Football against the Prison Guards. With not much of a Chance, Paul rediscover for the love of the game and his chance to redeem himself.

Directed by Robert Aldrich (What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, The Dirty Dozen, The Killing of Sister George) made a clever funny sport drama film with a different attitude and feel also. Reynolds also shines is his Lead Performance, which seems to be his Best Role ever. This has a likable supporting cast also. James Hampton (Sling Blade, Teen Wolf) is terrific as Reynolds's Prison Buddy. The film's split image and cinematography has dated a bit. The Spirit of the flick is still intact. It's a expectional flick with a heart and soul. Written by Tracy Keenan Wynn (Who also wrote a Remake of British Version of the Longest Yard) from a Story by Albert S. Ruddy (Bad Girls). Grade:A-.

Sonny Shroyer did TOO appear in this movie!
To the second reviewer, Sonny Shroyer, or "Enos" of Dukes of Hazzard fame, was indeed in this movie! And if you really want another piece of trivia, James Hampton, who played Caretaker, served for one episode as Enos' boss on Dukes. Hampton played Sheriff Buster Moon, who subbed for James' Best Rosco character for an episode in the second season.

Shroyer plays "Sonny," who is the retarted player on "Mean Machine." You may remember it is a cheap shot that the guards give "Sonny" that leads Paul Crewe to his decision to re-enter the game.

By the way, this is probably the best football movie ever made. And certainly I would hope it would inspire any of you to attend or support your local minor league football team- and every community has one.

The players who play minor league football come from incredible backgrounds- everything from heroic concentration camp survivors (yes, as recently as last year Steve Moser, an Eastern European immigrant, was playing minor league football as a kicker at the age of 69) to college stars looking for a second chance to out and out thugs who realize now they should have worked harder academically are out there. The sacrifices these players make just to appear in a game are great, as is their expenses.

But who knows? David Dinkins of the NY Giants was playing minor league football just year. The talent can be there.

If you're one of these guys who long for players who play for the love of the game, then no place, not even high school football, can compete with minor league football.

"Semi-pro's a joke"
An ex-football star (Reynolds) gets in a fight with a girlfriend, takes off with her car, dumps it in the lake and gets in an altercation with two cops who try to arrest him in a bar. This ends up getting Paul Crew (Reynolds) some hard time in prison. Eddie Albert is the warden and is very proud of his semi-pro football team, who's players consist of prison guards. He suggests that Crew ("the wrecking Crew") gets a team of prison inmates to play the guards. Crew just wants to "do his time and get out of here". But he may be doing more time than he thought if he refuses to come up with a team to play the guards. Crew puts his team together with some difficulty. He's not worried about winning, just surviving, but this is the prisoners chance to feel equal to the guards, to feel like real men again. They're taking this game very seriously and before it's over, so does Crew. You will recognize many of the actors in this show, all play good supporting roles.

Where is "Saturday Night Special"?
Perhaps Burt Reynolds best movie. However, at least one scene has been cut and some of the original music soundtrack has also been edited or cut. Enough to make me turn to my wife and say...."I think they cut the @&*%ing song!". She looked at me and replied "I think they cut the @&*%ing song!" Aside from the obvious editing faux pas, this is a great football film. Eddie Albert is masterful as the evil warden, and quite frankly steels the show from Reynolds. Try to overlook the fact that the guards are portrayed as "heavies", (because in real life these are the people that put their lives on the line daily), and focus on the football portion of the movie. Great slow motion sequence and action. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"You're the first friend I ever had," grins flamboyant mercenary Burt Lancaster to lean, laconic Gary Cooper with a smile that suggests that he may be the last. They're a pair of Americans abroad looking to cash in on the Mexican revolution by selling their services to the highest bidder in this energetically cynical south-of-the-border Western. They meet cute, conning, robbing, and out-witting one another in a bit of one-upmanship that bonds the men in mutual admiration, and then team up to escort a royal convoy through revolutionary country. When they discover its secret stash of gold bullion, they revert to their old way, selling out anyone it takes to get the treasure for themselves, even each other. Played out as a seat-of-the-pants con game of shifting alliances and double crosses, this is a cheerfully ruthless tale that served as a veritable blueprint for the Italian spaghetti Westerns of the 1960s. Director Robert Aldrich has a real flair for turning rogues and opportunists into deviously riveting characters, and went on to work the same sort of magic on Kiss Me Deadly and The Dirty Dozen. The cast of character actors features Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, and Jack Elam in the gang, George Macready as Emperor Maximilian, and Henry Brandon as the martinet German captain Danette. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Underrated western with two top Hollywood stars!
When lists of the best westerns are drawn up, rarely is "Vera Cruz" included. This is most unfortunate, for this 1954 Robert Aldrich adventure features Hollywood legends Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster at their peaks and is rousing good fun. It is also able to tell a story in less than two hours.

The story is set in Mexico, following the end of the American Civil War. Two men, Joe Erin, a wanted criminal (Lancaster) and Benjamin Trane, a civil war veteran, (Cooper) decide to work for the Emperor Maximillian in a job that involves escorting a woman of the court, Countess Marie Duvarre, to the port of Vera Cruz along with other soldiers. But they are unknowingly escorting something else: A large cache of gold. Everyone involved seems to want that gold for themselves and the journey is full of double crosses and attempts at theft. Lancaster and Cooper's characters get along through most of the film, but it is clear that Joe wants all he can get (As he states, "I'm a pig"). His greediness and double crossing culminates in a climatic shoot-out.

Ben, on the other hand, is a southern gentleman. He is more to himself and is more dignified, treating people with respect by saying "sir" or "mam". Another good example is when Joe, Ben and Emperor Maximillian practice target shooting. All three have excellent aim, yet Joe shoots it seems without aiming, while Ben and the emperor take their time. Cooper's character also is not seemingly too social or outgoing and seems to take his time thinking, while Lancaster blurts things out. This kind of regular guy character was what made actors like Cooper, Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda popular with audiences.

If you have yet to see "Vera Cruz", you are in for a big treat at your local video store. Enjoy!

Vera Cruz-Grossly underrated
When lists of the best westerns are drawn up, rarely is "Vera Cruz" included. This is most unfortunate, for this 1954 Robert Aldrich adventure features Hollywood legends Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster at their peaks and is rousing good fun. It is also able to tell a story in less than two hours.

The story is set in Mexico, following the end of the American Civil War. Two men, Joe Erin, a wanted criminal (Lancaster) and Benjamin Trane, a civil war veteran, (Cooper) decide to work for the Emperor Maximillian in a job that involves escorting a woman of the court, Countess Marie Duvarre, to the port of Vera Cruz along with other soldiers. But they are unknowingly escorting something else: A large cache of gold. Everyone involved seems to want that gold for themselves and the journey is full of double crosses and attempts at theft. Lancaster and Cooper's characters get along through most of the film, but it is clear that Joe wants all he can get (As he states, "I'm a pig"). His greediness and double crossing culminates in a climatic shoot-out.

Ben, on the other hand, is a southern gentleman. He is more to himself and is more dignified, treating people with respect by saying "sir" or "mam". Another good example is when Joe, Ben and Emperor Maximillian practice target shooting. All three have excellent aim, yet Joe shoots it seems without aiming, while Ben and the emperor take their time. Cooper's character also is not seemingly too social or outgoing and seems to take his time thinking, while Lancaster blurts things out.

If you have yet to see "Vera Cruz", you are in for a big treat at your local video store. Enjoy!

A truly underrated western with great cast
Vera Cruz is an excellent western that was years ahead of its time, serving as a blueprint for plenty of westerns made years later. The story takes place during the Mexican Revolution after the conclusion of the Civil War. A prologue states that many Americans went south into the country hoping to become rich by prospering off of the revolution. One of these men is Ben Trane, an ex-Confederate officer hoping to earn some money to help out the war-torn south. He teams up with cocky gunfighter, Joe Erin, to help Emperor Maximilian transport a countess to the port of Vera Cruz. Joining them are Erin's gang, a bunch of adventurers, mercenaries, criminals, and hired guns, and a company of French lancers. Ben and Joe find more than they bargained for when they discover the countess wants out and they are also guarding $3 million in gold. This is a great western full of action with plenty of double and triple crosses. What makes it fun is that you never really know what the characters are going to do. Will Ben and Joe steal the gold? Filmed entirely in Mexico, Vera Cruz is beautifully shot and looks great in letterbox.

Gary Cooper stars as Benjamin Trane, the ex-Confederate officer who sees an opportunity to make a lot of money. He plays straight man to Burt Lancaster's Joe Erin, the amoral gunfighter who really only looks out for himself. Cooper and Lancaster are great together, with Burt stealing the show much of the time, but Cooper never lets him outshine him. Denise Darcel plays Countess Duvare while Sara Monteil plays pickpocket, Nina. Erin's gang includes Ernest Borgnine as Donegan, Charles Bronson as Pittsburgh, Jack Elam as Tex, James McCallion as Little-Bit, and Archie Savage as Ballad. The movie also stars Cesar Romero, Henry Brandon, George Macready, and Morris Ankrum. The DVD includes the widescreen presentation and a theatrical trailer. For a beautifully shot, underrated western with plenty of twists and turns and a great cast, check out Vera Cruz!

Pure Corn
Ok I understand that standards were different in 1954 and escapist entertainment was in vogue. Viewing Vera Cruz in that light is enjoyable enough. The campy performances of Burt Lancaster and Gary Cooper are so uneblievably corny and yet difficult to stop watching at the same time.The Mexicans are all stereotypical cartoonish characters and the Emperor Maximillian's court scenes are like something out of the Roman Empire.
The movie is a great example of 1950's Hollywood corn and can be appreciated as such despite the cheezy screenpaly.

Before "The Dirty Dozen" there was the Dirty Duo...
Directed by Robert Aldrich pre. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? and DIRTY DOZEN, VERA CRUZ is a western which sees the teaming of movie legends Burt Lancaster and Gary Cooper as mercenaries in the 1860s Mexican revolution. In a novel twist Benjamin Trane (Cooper) is the good guy and Joe Erin (Lancaster) is the bad guy, but are both drawn together when a gorgeous Countess (Denise Darcel) offers them $50,000 to escort her and a fortune in gold to the Emperor's troops in Vera Cruz. Not surprisingly the two men's growing greed and jealousy over the cash and the Countess place them further at odds with each other, which really isn't the best of situations when you're in the middle of a raging war; as well as being pursued by a band of outlaws led by Ernest Borgnine.
VERA CRUZ is a watchable western that coasts a long way on star power but climaxes in an all too predictable HIGH NOON finale (Which in 1954 would actually have been a reasonably innovative wrap-up to spring on audiences of the era). The movie is also notable for an early screen appearance by Charles Bronson, in his final billing under the name "Charles Buchinski" playing a member of Borgnine's gang. An entertaining movie, but there's not a lot here that distinguishes VERA CRUZ from countless other westerns of the day. It's still worth a look. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

A Powerful Cast in a Potent War Drama
The screenplay for this film was so gritty that the Department of Defense withdrew its production support. Director Robert Aldrich was left to pull military equipment from studio warehouses and the back lot vehicle boneyard. No matter, ATTACK, which was adapted from the stage, constitutes the guts and glory adventures of an infantry platoon during the Battle of the Bulge. Jack Palance stars as the units' respected platoon leader who not only battles the Germans, but also the illogical and destructive orders of his psycotic company commander, played by Eddie Albert. Topping off this cast is the late Lee Marvin as this National Guard battalion's commander. The best and the worst of human nature is portrayed in this film. Action packed scenes are complimented by excellent human drama scenes. ATTACK dared to show the darker side of human behavior in a film where the enemy was not necessarily the greatest threat. Add this film to your war film collection.

The Great Jack Palance
Long on several "lost film" lists, "Attack" is at last available on video. There are several reasons to see this film. It is a forerunner of so many grim, realistic movies that treat the subject with intelligence ("Men In War", "Pork Chop Hill", "Platoon", "The Thin Red Line"). It is brilliantly directed (many scenes are almost unbearable in their naked dramatic truth). And it contains several performances that demand attention.

The conviction of Eddie Albert's playing of the cowardly Lieutenant may come as a surprise to those unaware of his talents. Lee Marvin also delivers a solid characterization, as do most of the other supporting players. But the main feature of this film is the astonishing portrayal of Lt. Costa by Jack Palance. The kind of immersion in a role that Palance exhibits here is rare. It is the kind of performance that seems more like "being" than acting. A number of close-ups of Palance's face deliver a frisson of emotional intensity and truth that are rare and wonderful in the cinema of any period. In fact, Palance helps to demonstrate, in this picture, why "war films" should exist as a genre. The condition of war, of combat in particular, serves to foreground, polarize and intensify emotions and moral convictions. It can call into question the very nature of humanity. Just what is the price of a human life? What do we as humans mean to one another? When do concepts like 'bravery' and 'cowardice' cease to have meaning?

"Attack" is a small film, great in its impact.

Great plot for its time, but a horrible movie
Having read the reviews posted here, I had to respond. This movie is one of the worst examples of war movies I have ever seen. Yes, the tension is seething between the two antagonists, but the sets are cheap, the dialogue laughable, and the acting hilarious. Jack Palance would do most any movie great credit with his performance, but with the rest of this cast so pathetic, he comes off as completely overacting.

Everything about this movie is Hollywood garbage. Defiant, cruel Germans. Tough, willing Americans. The tactics are laughable, and the lingo is inaccurate.

Yes there is some gore and this is not a rally-round-the-flag, patriotic entertainer, but this is a script that should have stayed on a stage. Perhaps the only saving grace is that while they used U.S. tanks to portray the Germans, they at least had the decency to visually modify them to look somewhat like German vehicles.

Also, the DVD has a skip in the final battle, and the final scene is offset on your screen so you can't view it all.

Realistic, Tense, Believable
There is absolutely nothing unbelievable in this film. The black and white photography isn't of the fuzzy, "atmospheric", Film Noir variety- it is the stark, crisp b&w of the combat cameraman. Nor are the details distracting- the equipment and procedures are absolutely accurate for the WWII European theater (for a change those are actual Shermans in the background.) You can cut the tension with a knife, both in the combat scenes and the HQ. Plus, these guys are not all scrubbed and clean shaven- they look like they are bone tired and crawling with tiny livestock.

It is the acting that sticks in your mind. This was probably the best thing Jack Palance ever did as the experienced Lt. that has to sit by as he watches two platoons (including his own) destroyed by the cowardice and incompetence of the company commander. When Palance tells him that he will shove a grenade down his throat and pull the pin if he doesn't support his assault- you believe every word. Eddie Arnold is totally believable as that incompetent Captain (a rich National Guard officer with a powerful father, political connections, a southern accent, and a drinking problem.) Sometimes art does imitate life. Lee Marvin has a most believable role as the Col. who "looks after" Arnold because he wants his father's political help after the war. Marvin knows that Arnold is gutless and incompetent but he doesn't want him on his own efficient staff, nor does he dare kick him upstairs were his superiors can get a good look at him. So Arnold stays in command of a combat unit.... After all, the chances are 100 to 1 that the unit will ever see real combat again- but then the Germans launch a counter offensive. Oh yeah, Buddy Ebsen does a surprisingly good job as the veteran sharpshooter from the backwoods, but then I don't think anyone turned in a bad performance in this film.

This is the most believable war film in terms of combat and politics that I believe has ever been made.

A Neglected Classic
Many of the friends with whom I share "Top Ten" lists do not include Attack! among their favorite war films. In fact, few of them have seen it and that's a shame. Perhaps its title (like Zulu's) deters them. Perhaps the cast lacks appeal. Who knows? Perhaps even they don't. In any event, I think this is a brilliant screen adaptation of a play written by Norman Brooks (The Fragile Fox) which focuses on a cowardly officer, Captain Erskine Cooney (Eddie Albert). What is even worse than entrusting him with his command is allowing him to continue with it despite evidence of incompetence. For that, Colonel Bartlett (Lee Marvin) must be blamed. (Of course, he has his self-serving reasons which are revealed in the film.) Brilliantly directed by Robert Aldrich, Albert and the other cast members are first-rate but Jack Palance as Lieutenant Joe Costa is the gravitational center of the compelling narrative. It is almost possible to hear his teeth grinding as he endures Cooney throughout much of the film. Finally....

At first glance, the cast consists of an odd combination which includes Palance, Albert, Marvin, Buddy Ebsen (Sergeant Tolliver), Robert Strauss (Private Bernstein), Richard Jaeckel (Private Snowden), and William Smithers (Lieutenant Woodruff)...most of whom (notably Albert and Marvin) portray characters unlike most with which they are usually identified. Obviously, a major war creates odd "trench fellows" but, thanks to the talents brought to bear by Aldrich and his cast, this film has credibility and authenticity throughout its running time of less than two hours. Tension is inevitable in combat. Our emotional involvement is increased and enhanced by curiosity as to how much damage Cooney's inadequacies will eventually cause, and, whether or not his cowardice will be punished. In many instances, screen adaptations of plays seem talky, "staged," confined, etc. Not so with Attack! It can be fully appreciated without knowing that it is based on The Fragile Fox whose clever title is probably inappropriate title for a film.

Those who share my high regard for Attack! are urged to check out Paths of Glory (1957), Breaker Morant (1980), and Gallipoli (1981). ... Read more

Reviews (15)

HOMAGE TO AN IMPORTANT DIRECTOR
I've always liked the movies of Robert Aldrich and I bought TOO LATE THE HERO as soon as it was released on the DVD standard. Anchor Bay presents unfortunately only a trailer as bonus feature but the copy is alright.

Cliff Robertson is the Aldrichian hero by essence ; he is not a coward but he prefers to enjoy the Pacific beaches rather than to take part in combats. He's a pessimistic hero in a pessimistic movie. The initial credits set extremely well the tone of the film with these at first flamboyant american, british and japanese flags that become little by little less colourful, less arrogant until they finally fade into the dusty reality.

A DVD zone Big Bob.

Superbly Acted, Action Movie about Courage and Survival...
It is Spring 1942 and the Japanese are at the Zenith of their expansion of their territories in Asia. A seemingly cowardly American Navy Lieutenant (Cliff Robertson)in the South Pacific is ordered to the New Hebrides to support a British combat mission. On arrival there he realizes that the patrol lead by an idealistic British Captain (Denholm Elliot) to destroy a Japanese radio transmitter is a near suicidal one. Robertson and the patrol's medic (Michael Caine) become reluctant partners in staying alive, although in the end for different reasons.

The movie is hard-boiled, realistic and suspenseful right through the very end. Robertson won an Oscar for his role in "Charly" the year before this movie was made. Others in the cast include Henry Fonda and Harry Andrews.

Michael is COOL, But Cliff is DA MAN!
Seldom have I seen eye-to-eye with Robert Aldrich. His films just usually go places I'm not interested. But as a Michael Caine fan in the Sixties, this was a must-see movie for me. I've seen this movie as a teen and as a middle-aged man, so I feel I have to give it two reviews if you'll bear with me.

At fourteen, I went to see this movie at least twice at the theater. Remember, in those primitive days there was nowhere to rent a movie and most films played only a week or two with very little advance hype. If you were lucky, they might hit the drive-in as a double feature with some questionably linked movie. So there was little to give you any idea if a show was your cup of tea beyond the lobby poster. When you think about it, things were kind of lame and idyllic at the same time. Overall, it was the STAR that was relied on to sell the film. Having Michael Caine sold me on the movie. His cockney character, Hearne made a great anti-hero. The story has a weird twist to it with the "wired" jungle and the Japanese are ruthless, but not caricatures. Another unusual situation is the 1000 or so yards of no-mans-land they have to cross as walking targets out of the base and back into it. At this age, I was mostly interested in whether Hearne/Caine was an irredeemable cad or realist rising to the occasion. The ending left me uncertain and somewhat empty. However, since Michael Caine was sooo cool, I went back to see it at least once again before it shuffled off to 35mm purgatory.

Living in the future now, who would have foreseen that we could buy the friggin' movie and BS about it to the whole livin' world?
Now, as I have watched the movie again in the 21st century, via home theater, DVD, remote control, my own microwave popcorn, and beer fridge I HAVE SEEN SO MUCH MORE. From the grinding down a man endures through the decades, I appreciate each of Cliff Robertson's looks as the SNAFU sets in on him. Just to see the situation register on his face from the time his mission is first explained to him to the bitter end is worth TEN Sean Penn tirades. Cliff, you are a mighty actor! When Robertson/Lawson finally takes over the team-after that nail-biting faceoff with the doomed Hornsby-you see that he is the title character and that combat is all about bloody damn survival. Even the nihilist Hearne is impressed. Aldrich probably owes the stature of this film to the terrific work of his two stars. At near fifty, I still think Mr. Caine is cool, but Cliff Robertson transcends acting here and makes like it's the real f'n deal. The "Patton Syndrome" applies here: if you don't like war movies, you'll like this one; and if you love war movies (especially WWII) what are you waiting for pukebag?! Buy this movie!

And now a spoiler...so don't read if you haven't seen TLTH: It would seem that Lawson does not survive the final deathrun, but pay close attention. Hearne makes it back to safety while Lawson has fallen. After catching his breath and praising his comrade to high heaven, he starts back after him. This is the final shot.
OK, I know we're supposed to assume Lawson is dead, but is he? Just because a man goes down doesn't mean he's mortally wounded. Maybe, just maybe Hearne finds him still breathing. Hey, a guy can hope can't he?

A classic
This is my favorite war movie. I don't know why more people don't know this classic. It is easily one of the best of all time. Lots of action. Cliff Robertson and Michael Caine kick some serious backside in this film.

Hate saved their skins, friendship made them heroes...
What do you know about psychological warfare? Not much I guess.

Well, this is a war movie with a major twist. It's much less about shelling the enemy or just drill some holes in him, but more about "really" to outsmart him.

An American officer, an Interpreter in Japanese, who's a real artist when it comes to avoid the battlefield, is about to get a long awaited leave when he suddenly is tasked to help a bunch of British raiders in their endeavor to capture and destroy a forward listening Japanese outpost.

Through thick and through thin (literally), men who hate each other as well as hating the American officer (played by Cliff Robertson) have to face a common enemy who masterfully hides in the Jungle.

One by one they get hunted down by the Japanese. Nevertheless, the mission succeeds, but now the remaining force has to return to base. Not an easy task, considering that the Japanese made prisoners and are using them as bait while they communicate with the only two remaining raiders (Robertson and Michael Caine). Through a microphone and various loudspeakers scattered throughout the Jungle and by performing a highly skillful and mind-shattering blackmail, they try to lure the two to surrender.

A well timed war drama, masterfully played by all the actors involved figuring Ian Bannen ("The Hill", "The Outrage" etc.), Harry Andrews ("The Hill", "The Charge of the Light Brigade", "Battle of Britain"), Denholm Elliot ("Raiders of the Lost Ark", "A Room with a View"), Ronald Fraser ("The Hill", "The Wild Geese") and Ken Takakura ("The Yakuza", "Antarctica", "Black Rain").

If you like two movies into one: a War Movie and a Suspense Thriller, then the price is really low.

The DVD edition is as one may expect from Anchor Bay. No extras included, except for the trailer, but the movie alone is, in my view, a tiny masterpiece and well worth the effort.

By the way, if you're looking for a similar movie, forget it. It's the only one in its genre.
Think about it. ... Read more

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Burt Lancaster was cock of the walk in 1954. The Lancaster-starred From Here to Eternity had just swept the Oscars®, his personal production company Hecht-Lancaster could do no wrong, and he had marquee magic in two back-to-back Westerns directed by Robert Aldrich, Vera Cruz and this one. There are moments in his performance as Massai, the Apache warrior who wouldn't surrender with Geronimo, that seem choreographed to express the actor's exultation. Massai has hard going all the way--starting with having to recross half the continent on foot after escaping from a prison train bound for Florida--but Lancaster the ex-circus athlete who insisted on doing his own stunts fairly sings with the ecstasy of movement as he scampers over rocks, rolls unscathed between the wheels of racing wagons, and generally makes the screen look like his private gym.

Apache wasn't the first Western to sympathize with Native Americans done wrong, but it's among the liveliest--although, ironically, it was destined to be outshone in power and complexity by Aldrich and Lancaster's masterpiece Ulzana's Raid nearly two decades later. Typically of its time, Apache features non-Indians in all the Indian roles, including Jean Peters as Massai's beloved Nalinle and Charles Buchinsky (later Bronson) as her other suitor, Hondo, one of the tribesmen who has donned U.S. Cavalry blue. John McIntire contributes his crusty moral authority as Al Sieber, the real-life scout who helped defeat Geronimo and then Massai, and respected both. John Dehner is, as usual, a real bastard. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Despite its faults it's a good flick
"Both Burt Lancaster and Jean Peters give outstanding performances" - wrote Variety in 1954 - and after watching this movie for the umpteenth time I believe they do deliver great performances in APACHE. It was the first one made by Holywood that dared to portray a movie from the Indian's point of view; and that alone deserves some credit.
A bit of TRIVIA
Jean Peters's performance in Apache, according to director Robert Aldrich, is even more outstanding because she had a personal dislike of Lancaster as a person and had to show complete devotion towards him throughout the entire film. Despite this fact, the two actors had some sort of chemestry in their scenes together that comes accross on the screen.
On top of that, both these actors were made up to look their worst in rags and to somehow look Indian - to no avail. Peters is still a gorgeous all-American girl and Lancaster the handsome all-American hero. However, if you forget about their looks (hard as it may be) this movie is very well done. It is masterfully directed, well acted, superbly edited and has a great storyline - even though the ending was changed by United Artists before it was released and Massai (Lancaster) was allowed to live and see his new born child (contrary to the novel's ending where Massai is killed by the US cavalry). But then it was 1954!
Anyone who likes westerns, should see this film.

Decent western
Apache is a good western that tries to show Native Americans in a positive way, something most westerns did not even attempt to do. The movie tells the story of Massai, an Apache warrior who refuses to surrender alongside Geronimo and his other warriors. He escapes the grasp of the U.S. Army several times and begins to wage a one-man war on them. Massai begins to cut telegraph lines, burn bridges, and even attacks a fort single-handedly in the night. All through his war, the army sends a scout and several Indians who now work for the army after him to bring him in so he does not start a another war. It is good to see Native Americans portrayed as human beings but something is missing in the movie.

Burt Lancaster is pretty good as Massai, the Apache warrior who refuses to surrender. The movie makes no attempt to make him seem like an Apache other than what he looks like. There are plenty of acrobatic stunts performed that do look very good. Jean Peters plays his wife even though for much of the movie, he either ignores her or mistreats her. John McIntire is very good as the scout sent to track Massai down. He plays the role well and is good at showing that he actually respects the man he is hunting. Charles Bronson plays Hondo, an Apache now working for the army and potential suitor of Massai's wife. The DVD is okay. It offers a trailer and full screen format which looks okay. This is a good western, but I recommend renting it before you go out and buy it.

Enchanted!
That was the movie that made me fall in love with westerns!

A True Story, MGM style
When Hecht-Lancaster chose this project, they were venturing out from the Hollywood norm, which was just their style. Believe it or not, the story is about a true renegade, Masai (or Ma-si) of the Chiricahua Apache. His initial capture, escape from the train, and 1500 mile journey back to his homeland are all historically correct. Some accounts even say he had blue eyes-certainly a stretch, but with Cochise a generation before raiding Arizona and often taking white captives, some genetic possibilities occur. Like the movie, he eventually leaves his own people, fearing they might turn him back over to the whites, and lives a primitive, violent lifestyle. Even his death in a cornfield is one of the stories of his enigmatic demise. Lancaster intended the film to end with Massai being killed, but MGM had money in this and demanded the "cornier" (forgive me) ending. The movie was released into theaters shortly after the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling and was viewed as being highly topical in exploring the mistreatment of minorities.

Has there ever been a truly representative Native American movie? I don't know. But this movie has a good heart, so forgive its small sins.

When does Hollywood follow reality anyways. I liked it.
I thought the movie had a good meaning behind it despite the descripancies concerning reality. Besides, Lancaster always looked good during his prime. ... Read more

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Rat Pack buddies Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin were prized for theirability to appear relaxed on camera, but in 4 for Texas they're nearlyasleep. It must have looked good on paper: reuniting the crooners and teamingthem with two international sex symbols in a jokey Western under the guidance oftopnotch director Robert Aldrich (Kiss Me Deadly). Ursula Andress, as ariverboat owner who hooks up with Dino, unleashes her bedroom purr to greateffect, but formidable Anita Ekberg had a b