Description

Two lookalike boys, one a poor street kid and the other a prince, exchange places to see what the other's life is like. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Mark Twain, Warner Brothers' Style
I've never read Mark Twain's novel to be able to say how closely this movie follows to the original story. It certainly has the Warner Brothers' touch. Errol Flynn is his usual dashing, dauntless self, perfectly at home with a sword in hand. Claude Rain again is the cunning, cultured villain, and Alan Hale is a welcome face, although this time he is Flynn's foe instead of friend. As Prince Edward and his look alike beggar friend, the Mauch twins are occasionally annoying, but for the most part quite effective as the victims of a switch that learn to appreciate the other side of life. The story is fun and played with a lot of energy and humour. Don't assume that this is an Errol Flynn video, because he really isn't the star - the twins are the stars. However, there is enough of Flynn to keep his fans happy, and a good enough story and movie to keep everyone happy (including children).

CLASSIC TWAIN ADVENTURE - GREAT LOOKING TRANSFER!
The Prince & The Pauper is based on the much loved Mark Twain classic. In a nutshell, the plot centers around twins, one the spoiled heir to the English throne, a other a begger with a heart of gold. When the two accidentally cross paths they become best friends and secretly trade places, much to the chagrin of one of the king's advisors (Claude Rains) who is plotting to kill the heir and take over himself. Enter into this fray a fortune hunter (Errol Flynn) who vows to set everything right for king, country and a healthy financial reward. It all ends pleasantly enough in a sword and swashbuckling sort of way.
WARNER HOME VIDEO gives us a handsome looking transfer that is sure to please. The gray scale has been impeccibly balanced with solid blacks and very nice renderings of fine detail. Certain scenes exhibit a touch of edge enhancement and a hint of pixelization, but nothing that will distract from this visually stunning film adaptation. The sound elements are somewhat disappointing by contrast. The main title sequence in particular sounds as though the music track was discovered under a rock. Nevertheless, dialogue - for the most part - is presented at an adequate listening level with only the slightest of pops, scratches and hiss.
EXTRAS: An essay and theatrical trailer - BIG DEAL!
BOTTOM LINE: The Prince & The Pauper is a visually stunning movie that, although straying somewhat from Twain's original intent, is nevertheless faithful enough to remind us why his name continues to be among America's greatest literary talents. The transfer is solid. I recommend this DVD!

Errol Flynn in Support of Mauch Twins in Classic Twain Tale!
In 1937, the WB, capitalizing on Errol Flynn's spectacular performances in CAPTAIN BLOOD and THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE, cast him in four films, with varying degrees of success. The best, by far, was William Keighley and William Dieterle's production of the Mark Twain classic, THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER, where he supported new WB 'discoveries' Billy and Bobby Mauch, portraying London urchin Tom Canty and his look-alike, Prince Edward Tudor. The twins were gifted, young (12 at the time of the filming) actors, with a Freddie Bartholomew-like quality of engaging innocence, and they gave this version of the oft-filmed tale a sense of reality that split-screen performances by a single actor could never achieve.

The story is an engaging one, as young Canty, inspired by his mother and a local priest to dream of a finer life than his father, an ill-tempered beggar (Barton MacLane) could provide, sneaks onto the grounds of Buckingham Palace. There, he meets young Prince Edward, who is thrilled to meet a boy his own age...and, after cleaning him up a bit, is astonished to discover that the pair could pass as twins. Edward decides this is a golden opportunity to see what life outside the Palace is really like, so, against Canty's misgivings, the two exchange clothing, and the Prince leaves...creating far more of an uproar than either boy could ever imagine!

Canty is soon considered 'mad', as he insists he is not Edward, and the Prince, abused and ridiculed by Tom's father, is unceremoniously thrown off the Palace grounds when he attempts to return, by a disbelieving Captain of the Guards (Alan Hale, in the first of 12 films he'd make with his friend, Errol Flynn). The ambitious Earl of Hertford (the always brilliant Claude Rains) investigates Canty's claim, and realizes, after interviewing the Captain, that the boy is telling the truth, giving him a golden opportunity to seize power. Ordering the Captain to find and kill the Prince, the Earl then threatens to kill Canty if he doesn't obey his commands.

Things grow desperate for the young Prince, as he attempts to evade his murderous 'father' on the streets, until Miles Hendon (Flynn), a roguish but good-natured 'soldier-for-hire' comes to his aid. Offering his protection to the lad, Hendon thinks him a bit balmy, as well...until events (the child's obvious despair over the death of Henry VIII, the Palace search party, and a sword duel with the Captain, where Flynn KILLS Alan Hale!!!) convince him otherwise. Then it becomes a race against time to smuggle the real King into the Coronation, before Canty is crowned, and the Earl assumes "the Power behind the Throne".

Blessed with a gifted cast, including wonderful character actor Montagu Love as the dying Henry VIII, the film offers a truly exceptional film score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold (who would eventually expand the theme into a symphonic work). Audiences have always been surprised that Errol Flynn's role is not larger, but as a faithful Twain adaptation, the focus had to be on the two boys, and not on the impoverished soldier. Flynn had fun playing Hendon, and the Mauch twins were nothing less than superb as the leads.

With THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD less than a year away, and Errol Flynn's star continuing to ascend, the WB had every reason to celebrate, and THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER is a pleasure to watch, to this day!

Good film based on The Prince and the Pauper
I saw this move years ago and decided to watch it again after getting the part of Lady Jane Grey in a local production of Prince and the Pauper. I also bought the book and read it and I would say it is now a favorite! I'm not sure how but they were able to make an enjoyable movie based on a general outline but completely changing the story, but they did! I would recommend this movie but don't expect Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper.

The Mauch Twins are a delight.....!!!
I loved this movie as a kid and still do as an adult. The Mauch twins, Billy and Bobby are outstanding in every way. When they look into the camera and laugh as they do in several scenes, it is pure magic! This film is highly recommended to both young and old. Too bad "Warner Brothers" did not appreciate their talents and build future films around these extremely talented kids. They were as talented, if not more so,than any other young stars of the period. See for yourself and enjoy the film! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Stephen Vincent Benet's timeless 1937 short story gets the red-carpet treatment on Criterion's feature-packed DVD of The Devil & Daniel Webster. William Dieterle's inspired film remains the classic it always was, proving that Citizen Kane wasn't the only cinematic marvel to appear in 1941. It's a sturdy, stylish rendition of Benet's original narrative, beginning when a luckless farmer (James Craig) strikes a Faustian bargain with the devil incarnate Mr. Scratch (Walter Huston at his devious best), trading his soul for seven years of prosperity, during which he grows corrupted, despised, and regretful of his mistake. To Scratch's chagrin, legendary orator Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold) intervenes with a triumphant defense, and Dieterle's brilliant direction gives the proceedings a light, economical touch of supernatural mischief.

To complement the cleverness of the film adaptation, this delightful DVD also includes a playfully expressive reading of Benet's original story by Alec Baldwin, and vintage radio performances of two of Benet's three "Daniel Webster" stories. The film and radio plays were scored by legendary composer Bernard Herrmann, whose Oscar®-winning film score is examined in an interactive essay by Herrmann expert Christopher Husted. Excerpts from an earlier preview version of the film (then titled Here Is a Man) reveal creepy, negative-image shock-shots of Mr. Scratch that were later removed, but they further demonstrate Dieterle's willingness to experiment. With additional essays and archival materials, Criterion's superb DVD shows how a great story can lend itself, with consistent success, to a variety of mediums. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (22)

THE DEVIL and DANIEL WEBSTER is a "heavenly" movie treat!!
When it was first released in 1941, THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER (originally released as ALL THAT MONEY CAN BUY) found itself buried under the controversial shadow of Orson Welles' classic film, CITIZEN KANE, which came out at the same time. Adding insult to injury was the fact that this classic adaptation of the Stephen Vincent Benet tale would suffer cuts and trims that would dissipate the film's impact. Now, thanks to a first-class restoration effort by Criterion, this stylish quick-witted film can be seen in all its original glory.

The film tells the story of Jabez Stone (James Craig), a struggling New Hampshire farmer, who curses his ill-luck to the point of offering his soul to the devil. No sooner does he voice his wish, when a sinister little man named "Mr. Scratch" (Walter Huston) appears. Needless to say, the seven year deal for good luck and money is struck and the kindly farmer is soon corrupted, despite the best efforts of his wife and his mother. Eventually, Jabez comes to bitterly regret his deal and it is up to famed orator Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold) to defend him in a hellish court before a jury of the damned.

Director William Dieterle (who previously helmed the classic 1939 version of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME) does a wonderful job in presenting his tale through the powerful use of shadow and contrast. Bernard Herrmann compliments the film with a stellar score which won him the Academy Award that year. The acting, for the most part, is also top-notch. While not the best actor in the world, James Craig is solid enough as the hapless Jabez. Ann Shirley is equal parts warmth and steel as his loving wife. Jane Darwell, who earned praise as Ma Joad in the classic THE GRAPES OF WRATH, is solid in another "salt of the earth" role as Ma Stone. Simone Simon is absolutely sexy and appropriately sinister as Belle, the demon lady that Scratch recruits to keep Jabez in line. Edward Arnold, who replaced Thomas Mitchell after an on-set accident, is top-notch as the larger-than-life Daniel Webster. Used to playing ruthless businessmen and pompous fathers, Arnold makes the most of this plum role, and his final speech to the unholy jury is a definite highlight. When all is said and done, however, it is Walter Huston's marvelous portrayal of the Devil that will remain in the memory long after film's end. With a folksy, puckish demeanor, Huston creates a fun-loving, even likable character. However, when Jabez tries to wheedle out of the deal, Huston drops the smiling facade, showing us the true nastiness of his character. It is a definitive performance.

As with many of Criterion's DVD releases, THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER has extras that will please both fans of the film and the original story. Along with an informative film commentary by noted film historians, there is a wonderful audio recording of the original tale read by Alec Baldwin, along with 2 old radio dramas covering both the original and another, "Daniel Webster and the Sea Serpent." There is also an excellent essay feature focusing on Bernard Herrmann's wonderful score which uses clips from the film to highlight certain points in the essay.

Overall, THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER is a classic that definitely is a must-have for your film collection and one that I highly recommend. It's a "hell" of a movie!

Classic DEVIL film gets classic DVD treatment
When it was first released in 1941, THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER (originally released as ALL THAT MONEY CAN BUY) found itself buried under the controversial shadow of Orson Welles' classic film, CITIZEN KANE, which came out at the same time. Adding insult to injury was the fact that this classic adaptation of the Stephen Vincent Benet tale would suffer cuts and trims that would dissipate the film's impact. Now, thanks to a first-class restoration effort by Criterion, this stylish quick-witted film can be seen in all its original glory.

The film tells the story of Jabez Stone (James Craig), a struggling New Hampshire farmer, who curses his ill-luck to the point of offering his soul to the devil. No sooner does he voice his wish, when a sinister little man named "Mr. Scratch" (Walter Huston) appears. Needless to say, the seven year deal for good luck and money is struck and the kindly farmer is soon corrupted, despite the best efforts of his wife and his mother. Eventually, Jabez comes to bitterly regret his deal and it is up to famed orator Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold) to defend him in a hellish court before a jury of the damned.

Director William Dieterle (who previously helmed the classic 1939 version of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME) does a wonderful job in presenting his tale through the powerful use of shadow and contrast. Bernard Herrmann compliments the film with a stellar score which won him the Academy Award that year. The acting, for the most part, is also top-notch. While not the best actor in the world, James Craig is solid enough as the hapless Jabez. Ann Shirley is equal parts warmth and steel as his loving wife. Jane Darwell, who earned praise as Ma Joad in the classic THE GRAPES OF WRATH, is solid in another "salt of the earth" role as Ma Stone. Simone Simon is absolutely sexy and appropriately sinister as Belle, the demon lady that Scratch recruits to keep Jabez in line. Edward Arnold, who replaced Thomas Mitchell after an on-set accident, is top-notch as the larger-than-life Daniel Webster. Used to playing ruthless businessmen and pompous fathers, Arnold makes the most of this plum role, and his final speech to the unholy jury is a definite highlight. When all is said and done, however, it is Walter Huston's marvelous portrayal of the Devil that will remain in the memory long after film's end. With a folksy, puckish demeanor, Huston creates a fun-loving, even likable character. However, when Jabez tries to wheedle out of the deal, Huston drops the smiling facade, showing us the true nastiness of his character. It is a definitive performance.

As with many of Criterion's DVD releases, THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER has extras that will please both fans of the film and the original story. Along with an informative film commentary by noted film historians, there is a wonderful audio recording of the original tale read by Alec Baldwin, along with 2 old radio dramas covering both the original and another, "Daniel Webster and the Seas Serpent." There is also an excellent feature focusing on Bernard Herrmann's wonderful score which uses clips from the film for emphahsis.

Overall, THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER is a classic that definitely is a must-have for your film collection and one that I highly recommend. It's a "hell" of a movie!

The clever devil challenges you
Walter Huston as the devil gives a knock out performance in this classic film. Filmed in the middle of the WW2 , the film is a well made adaptation of the famous Fausto , but set in a little town, where the greed and the ambition transforms the soul and the character of a very good farmer.
The script turns around the hunger for power who lives in all human being. He makes a contract with the devil and the promise will allow him seven years of richness . Suddenly he changes his old habits and becomes cruel and insane mood , he becomes in a no mercy pawnbroker and he reachs the peak like the most hated man of the town.
The story will lead us to a twist of fate about a famous politician (who else?) who will have his verbal duel with the devil in an unforgettable and surrealistic place with a weird jury. Wonderful defense with a powerful reasoning.
This picture became in a cult movie due his expressiveness and his flamboyant rhytm .
This one may be the best achievement of Willam Dieterle as film maker.
The ending sequence is anthological!

What Doth It Profit a Man...?
If you could summon old Beelzebub up from the pits of Hell and trade your soul for seven or so years of wealth and good luck, would you do it? And if you DID do it but later had second thoughts, would you have any course of redress? These are the questions that--on the surface, at least--are explored in the 1941 cinematic masterpiece THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER (originally released as ALL THAT MONEY CAN BUY and shown to preview audiences as HERE IS A MAN).

Based on the popular 1937 short story by Stephen Vincent Benét, THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER extends far beyond the scope of its source material to become more than just a facet of the legend of larger-than-life U.S. 19th-century American statesman and orator Daniel Webster. The film is actually a satire of Depression-era perceptions of unfettered capitalism and moneylender institutions like banks, mortgage companies, and pawnbrokers, and it even manages to take a few jabs at blind patriotism and the idealistic American conception of personal freedom. The character of Webster, though important to the plot, is ancillary to the film's overall Populist message.

The movie covers a slice from the life of one Jabez Stone (James Craig), a mid-19th-century New Hampshire farmer who seemingly has no respite from his perpetual run of bad luck. Under the shadow of the impending foreclosure on his farm, Jabez enters into a Faustian agreement with a certain "Mr. Scratch" (Walter Huston), who promises the farmer seven years of good luck and prosperity in exchange for his soul.

Jabez takes to his newfound wealth like a fish to water, and it isn't long before his lifestyle and behavior mirrors that of the greedy moneylenders he once so despised. But as the end of his 7-year contract draws nigh, he starts to worry about his ultimate fate. When his wife, Mary (Anne Shirley), senses that something evil is tormenting her husband, she appeals to the famous statesman and lawyer Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold) for help. Always willing to assist a fellow New Englander, Webster rises to the occasion and engages Mr. Scratch vis-à-vis in the most hellish court of law ever assembled. But can Daniel Webster save Jabez from eternal damnation, or has the great agrarian champion and statesman finally met his match?

Excellent performances from the cast, especially the great Walter Huston's portrayal of Mr. Scratch and Edward Arnold's depiction of Daniel Webster; beautiful cinematography, which includes a combination of new, groundbreaking camera techniques with lighting styles that hearken back to German Expressionist cinema; clever, stylish special FX that still stand up well, even against today's CGI stuff; a fantastic musical score that includes elements of Americana folk music and experimental electronic techniques; and a well written script all serve to elevate THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER to the level of a minor masterpiece. Yet despite this fact, the film was an unfortunate box-office flop during its initial release.

Part of this failure was due to bad timing. CITIZEN KANE (1941) was released only a few months before, and the hype and controversy generated by Orson Welles' magnum opus pushed many other great films to the background. In addition, the film was simply ahead of its time. The subtle left-wing subtext, the sometimes enigmatic depiction of the supernatural, the strange lighting, and the obvious allusions to blasphemy and infidelity were not as common in that era as today, and critical reviews of the era indicate that THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER's literate script was over the heads of the average moviegoer in 1941. Nonetheless, Walter Huston was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of the bedeviling Mr. Scratch, and though he didn't win, the film DID beat out CITIZEN KANE in the category of best musical score.

(Film buffs might be interested in the following bits of trivia: Both CITIZEN KANE and THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER were scored by Bernard Herrmann, so he was competing against himself for the 1941 Oscar. Herrmann also later scored Hitchcock's VERTIGO (1958) and PSYCHO (1960), as well as numerous other films and TV shows. The film editor on THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER was Robert Wise, who would later go on to direct genre greats like THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951), THE HAUNTING (1963), and THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN (1971), among others. And more recently, this film was also parodied in an episode of TV's THE SIMPSONS entitled "The Devil and Homer Simpson.")

In later years, the film was heavily cut for re-release, and this butchery pared the original 106-minute running time down to approximately 84 minutes. Of course, that much loss of screen time made the film's plot confusing and vague, and THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER never received the appreciation it deserved.

But now, thanks to the wonderful Criterion Collection release, contemporary audiences can see the film as the filmmakers intended. Cut elements, many of which were once thought to be lost, have been replaced and the film cleaned up as much as possible, and this restored version is what is now available via DVD. Some minor wear is still noticeable, but overall the DVD transfer is beautiful. Extras include a fascinating commentary from film historian Bruce Eder and composer Bernard Herrmann's biographer Steven C. Smith, actor Alec Baldwi's cool reading of Benét's original short story, old-tyme radio dramatizations of the story, and much more! This is a disc that all lovers of great classic films or fans of older, milder horror films should add to their collections.

The Best Big Screen Satan
Who is YOUR favorite on-screen devil? Surely not John Ritter or George Burns? Not when there's Max Von Sydow in "Needful Things" and Al Pacino in "The Devil's Advocate." Yet these two recent superb performances pale beside Walter Huston's "Mr. Scratch" in "The Devil and Daniel Webster." Huston is a jolly Scratch, one who never misses an opportunity for petty sin, be it swiping a pie or a bunch of carrots, guzzling hard cider, or encouraging a bit of lethargy. Through it all he never forgets his big mission of corruption and soul-gathering. He also takes his losses in stride.
As he battles for the soul of one Jabez Stone, a hapless New Hampshire farmer, he must battle a stern but likeable Daniel Webster, ably played by great character actor Edward Arnold. The culminating trial by 'the quick and the dead' is eerie and touching.
The film has an awesome Bernard Herrmann score and effects and cinematography that still look good over half a century later.
This film is profound yet intensly witty, much like the original Stephen Vincent Benet short story.
This is one film you should have no hestitation in buying. You will want to watch it again and again. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Of the many film versions of Victor Hugo's novel, this classic from Hollywood's golden year of 1939 remains the best, rivaled only by the 1923 silent version starring Lon Chaney. In his triumphant attempt to create a performance as memorable as Chaney's, Charles Laughton played the lovelorn Parisian hunchback Quasimodo under a disfiguring costume and gruesome makeup that rendered the actor almost unrecognizable. The result is a gripping and heartfelt portrayal of the misshapen bell ringer who falls desperately in love with the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda (played by Maureen O'Hara). The lavish production also greatly benefits from exquisitely moody black-and-white cinematography, brilliant medieval set design, and the atmospheric direction by German expatriate William Dieterle, whose style was heavily influenced by German films of the era. The DVD release includes the original theatrical trailer plus an additional audio track with authoritative commentary by film historian Paul Mandell. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Laughton is Amazing
Charles Laughton is one of the great actors of all time. Watching this version of Vitor Hugo's novel it is not hard to see why. Laughton looks like he was born to play Quasimodo, the deaf and disfigured bell keeper of Notre Dome Cathedral. Wearing heavy face make up and a body suit, Laughton literally transformed himself to play the part. This novel has been adapted several times for the screen , but this is the best one. The performances are on the whole excellent. Particularly Cedric Hardwicke as the cold Chief Justice of Paris. Maureen O'Hara also gives a strong performance as Esmeralda. The direction of William Dieterle is very good, although he concentates a little too much on the subplots at times. On the whole this is an excellent film, that despite it's age, hardly seems dated. The story is a timeless classic and so is this film. Watch it just for Laughton's performance.

Grim,filled with pathos and terrific acting!!
This version of "THoND" is in my opinion,the best ever made.Charles Laughton epitomizes all the sadness,frustration and anguish the Hunchback feels when he falls in love with the beautiful Gypsy girl who showed him kindness..The supporting cast is wonderful,with Sir Cedric Hardwicke excelling as the Chief Justice who falls under the spell of the lovely Gypsy girl,Esmeralda,played gently and kindly by Maureen O'Hara.
When you begin watching this movie, you forget it is Charles Laughton.The make-up he wears is grotesque,and he is unrecognizable,but even through all the make up you can feel the gut-wrenching emotions he so ably portrays to the viewer.
Any classic film lover will most certainly already have this masterpiece on his/her DVD shelf.If you don't already have it,please give it a try.You will not be disappointed.Then,after you watch it,check out"The Beauty and the Beast," by Jean Cocteau,1948.Another classic love story not to be missed.

Hugo's Hunchback: Outer Ugliness Hides Inner Beauty
When director William Dieterle transformed Victor Hugo's THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME to fit the big screen, he succeeded in capturing the power and sweep of an age that was characterized by individual examples of humanity lost in a sea of inhumanity. Much has been said about the universality of the Beauty and the Beast theme that has marked many past and future books, movies, and television series. Here, Dieterle makes use of the considerable talents of Charles Laughton as Quasimodo, Maureen O'Hara as Esmeralda and Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Frollo, all of whom play out their lives against a brute Parisian government that seemed determined to crush any opposition. One of the less acknowledged aspects of the Beauty versus Beast contrast is the theme that the beauty of Esmeralda and the beastiness of Quasimodo are not limited to those two alone. The very system that wrecks the lives of the poverty-stricken populace puts on a facade of saintliness that makes its inner core of corrupt ugliness all the more stark.

O'Hara's Esmeralda is sweetness personified. She is a lovely gypsy woman who unhappily catches the eye of a lecherous Chief Prosecutor, sanctimoniously played by Hardwicke, who commits a murder only to frame Esmeralda, who has rejected his advances. Hardwicke plays the Chief Prosecutor in a way that brings to mind every corrupt official who has ever been caught with his hand in the till. He sees nothing wrong with using the full weight of his office to humiliate and condemn a woman who has done nothing to deserve this. Enter Quasimodo, a hunchbacked and deaf bell ringer whose appearance frightens others to the same extent that Esmeralda's captivates these same others. Early on, she takes pity on him by giving him water after a savage lashing. Later, he shows that his inner being is far more decent and sensitive than the hypocrites that cry out for his blood. The trial that condemns Esmeralda as a murderous witch says a great deal more about the repressed ugliness of the judges even as they mouth pious and empty phrases that can only caricature but not capture the spirit of their criminal justice system, which in any event, stacks the deck against anyone whom the church accuses of misdeeds. Frollo's perfect diction,his sonorous phrasing, and his impressive robes linger in the audience's mind as a truly terrifying symbol of evil. The people of Paris themselves have two faces as well. As Quasimodo is being whipped, nearly every voice is raised against him. The mob of Paris was as unthinking then as when, centuries later, Madame Guillotine lopped off countless heads during the French Revolution. Yet, these same Parisians could storm a church where they mistakenly believed the King's soldiers were headed to arrest Esmeralda and take her for hanging. The theme of outer appearances hiding its inner opposites makes an unexpected appearance when Quasimodo intervenes and kills many of these same Parisians who want only to save Esmeralda from the King's soldiers who have been given new orders to save her. The final scenes of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME are full of unforgettable savageries made even more unforgettable by their lack of necessity. Quasimodo laughs maniacally as he repells the church door crashing mob. At the end, only Esmeralda finds a measure of closure as she is reunited with her lover. But for Quasimodo, all he has is the certainty that Esmeralda is safe from the rampaging mob, the lecherous criminal justice system, and an uncaring royal army. Quasimodo's closing line as he addresses the stone gargoyles atop the bells of his beloved church--"Why can't my heart be as stony as thee"--well evokes the paradox that often virtue comes with a high price tag. For good-hearted men--even human gargoyles like him, Quasimodo emerges as a man whose humanity dwarfs all those around him.

Good movie
Charles Laughton's performance of Quasimodo is excellent, instilling not only sympathy for the character, but also a sense of how the character's deformity caused him to be abused by not only the common people, but by a clergyman also.

It's not really fair to compare this version with the Lon Chaney silent. Chaney's performance is the stuff of legend, but this version is excellent. The visual quality is much better. The Chaney version is a classic, but it was a one-man show practically. Laughton's version has many fine performances by other actors also.

Recommended

Movie acting doesn't get any better than this!
Charles Laughton delivers what is,unequivocally, one of Hollywood's greatest performances. His "Quasimodo" embodies all of an actor's craft. Hidden and hard unrecognizable under heavy makeup, the performer manages to convey the spectrum of human emotion.

A young Maureen O'Hara as the beautiful "Esmeralda" and Sir Cedric Hardwicke as the sinister "Frollo" are equally as mesmerizing.

Acting 101 should make this required viewing and no film library is complete without it. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Trashed at first, but vindicated later.
This is what happened with Portrait of Jennie. David O. Selznick was so obssessed with Jennifer Jones that his judgement was clouded when it comes to choosing film projects for her. In the case of "Portrait of Jennie", this movie ran over budgeted when Selznick decided to add in a pompous "epic finale" with wind, waves and green tint.

When it was released, Portrait of Jennie did not set the world on fire, and it wasn't a hit. But years later, it have gone on to become a classic.

Joseph Cotten played an artist who ran into a young girl named Jennie in Central Park. The strange part of it is that for each successive time he meets her again, she grew older. With information he got from talking to Jennie, he did some research and found out to his astonishment that the girl he has been talking to could be the ghost of a dead woman. When the anniversary of the death of her parents came, Cotten find her grieving in the park. Pretty soon, as Jennie grew into a beautiful mature woman, Cotten fell in love with her. And when the anniversary of her death approaches, Cotten was determined to change history by rescuing Jennie from her fate. Alas, that was not to be, but the love the two share inspired the portrait of the young woman, hence the name of the movie.

Jennifer Jones delivered another high caliber performance. She can actually convincingly played a young little girl and then slowly turning into a mature young woman. It is my belief that if David O. Selznick's obsession with Jennifer caused her to become one of the most underrated actresses from the old Hollywood studio system. Her performance in this movie is absolutely mesmerising.

Portrait of Jennie captures Jennifer Jones in all her glory. She is still with us today and I am glad that she lives to see this movie turn from a flop to a classic favorite.

On the short list of Hollywood's great ghost stories
This delightfully unique movie would have been very, very easy to have marred. Fortunately, director William Dieterle maintained a light touch throughout, managing just the right mood for each segment of the film. What could have easily have been hokey instead is eerie and delightful.

PORTRAIT OF JENNIE is unique not just for its subject matter, but for being one of the very, very few films of the Hollywood studio era to have been filmed on location in New York. Almost always in the 1930s and 1940s, a film that was supposedly set in New York or Chicago would in fact be filmed on a Hollywood back lot. In this case, that would have been a serious blow to the atmosphere of the film, since the numerous scenes shot in Central Park, with the unique skyline framing the park, creates imagery unlike any other film of the time.

The cast overall is quite excellent. Jennifer Jones is not completely believable in her role, but, then, I am not sure many actresses could have been. She is asked to age too much during the course of the film, and no adult actress is going to be completely believable as small girl and as an adult. I always love seeing Joseph Cotton in anything, and this was one of his finest romantic roles. The cast is filled out with a bevy of notable character actresses and actors, such as David Wayne, Lillian Gish, Ethel Barrymore, Florence Bates, Cecil Kellaway, and Henry Hull.

The ending is a bit anticlimactic. The heart of the story is Eben Adams's (Joseph Cotton) meeting Jennie, and the way she changes at each meeting, until he is able to solve her mystery. The ending was much ballyhooed by Selznick, with the striking tinted waves, but ironically it pales next to the much quieter, but far more emotionally involving, story of a man and a woman.

Strange but irresistably fascinating love story.
Portrait of Jennie is a strange time-warp love story which may be dismissed by some modern viewers as silly. Yet to me it is almost irresistably fascinating. Even though I regularly watch it on DVD, if I come upon it on TV anywhere in the story I usually am hooked and stay with it to the end, which I almost invariably find quite moving. On the other hand, I suspect that some modern viewers might turn this strange movie off after only a few minutes, or dislike the ending if they stayed with it that far. This wonderful movie is Hollywood's Golden Age at its romantic best and may not please some modern tastes. Therefore, I can't assure you that you'll like this movie because you may not, particularly if you're not a romantic. I can tell you, though, that many of us count this haunting romantic fantasy among our favorite films and, if you see it, you may do so too. I strongly suggest that you give it a try. By the way, Jennifer Jones is outstanding -- and especially beautiful -- as Jenny.

angel like
she is angel like, in all her movies, very special and this . is the one i've never forgotten. I'ts so sad.

Beautiful film
A wonderful, haunting film that can be seen many times. Jennifer Jones is fantastic as Jennie, a mysterious young lady who inspires artist Eben Adams, excellently played by Joseph Cotton. The score, comprised of music of DeBussy, perfectly fits the drama on the screen. A great cast of supporting players are also at their best here: Lillian Gish, Ethel Barrymore, David Wayne, and Cecil Kellaway. Jennifer Jones is delightful as Jennie, aging from a child to young woman. Joseph Cotton and Jennifer Jones were a wonderful screen team and were at their best in this film and also in Love Letters. Viewers of this film glimpse New York City of decades past and see Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in glorious black and white. The most haunting and dramatic sequence is the hurricane sequence at the Lighthouse. Another memorable image is the portrait itself, shown in brilliant technicolor.This is one of Selznick's best and is a truly classic movie. It convincingly conveys the message that love is eternal. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Sprawling western, silly plot
Duel in the Sun was supposed to be the next Gone with the Wind for David O. Selznick. The hyped film boasts an all star cast: Jennifer Jones, Gregory Peck, Joseph Cotton, Lionel Barrymore, and Lillian Gish. The acting is over the top, especially Jennifer Jones' sultry Pearl. Gregory Peck seemed to enjoy his change of pace role as Lewt and enacts the role with gusto. It was a change from his heroic characters that he played in his earlier films. Joseph Cotton is the virtuous brother, Jesse, who does not choose to "forget" that he catches Lewt with Pearl, much to Pearl's hearbreak.

The ending of the book had Jesse and Pearl vanquishing the evil Lewt and riding off into the sunset. Looking at the over the top finale of this movie, I wish the producer had stayed with the ending of the book. The lines are laughable ("You know I had to shoot you," cries Pearl. "Yes, dear, I know you did," answers Lewt.)

There are many cliches: Lewt catching Pearl swimming in the nude and not allowing her to leave the water and get her clothes. Pearl throwing herself at another man to make Lewt jealous. Pearl's transformation, where she decides to become a wanton, her facial expression changing to reflect this.

I understand the "dance of the sump" was left out of the film, where Pearl dances for Lewt. It was supposed to be "indecent" but in retrospect might have been a source of amusement to contemporary audiences.

If you are looking for representative films from the Selznick studio, consider the following instead: Gone with the Wind, A Star is Born, Portrait of Jennie, and The Prisoner of Zenda. For MGM, Selznick produced such standout films as David Copperfield and Anna Karenina. For better films pairing Jones and Cotton, look for the films Love Letters and Portrait of Jennie. The two are at their best in those.

Epic, Sprawling Horse Opera (Roadshow Edition Review)
Sweeping! Magnificent! Corny! Romantic! A west that never existed is splashed across the screen as only David O. Selznick, the master of such gargantuan Hollywood classics as "Gone With the Wind", "Since You Went Away" and "Rebecca" could give us.
This is not the revisionists west of the 1990's, nor that West of the gritty operatic glamour of Sergio Leone's "Once Upon A Time In The West." You will not find the spare clean and lean beauty of John ford's West. What we have here is the epic telling on a screen that screams to be stretched into widescreen and spills out over the audenience the lush and romantic horse Opera of Pearl Chavez, the McCanles clan and the coming of the railroads in the 1880's.
From the moment the overture replete with unneeded narration begins you know you are in for a melodrama of purple emotions and blood red vendettas. The opening scene is set in a saloon on a scale of a modern Vegas casino. There amidst the wild gunfire of overheated cowboys and insanely spinning faro wheels we are introduced to the Scarlett O'Hara of the West, half-breed Pearl Chavez. As played by Jennifer Jones she is just about the hottest tamale to ever hit the pages of a screenplay expressly written to drive men mad, turn brother against brother and defy a "Sinkiller". What Jane Russell was supposed to be in "The Outlaw" we get in Technicolor spades in the form of Miss Jones.
She takes huge hefty bites of the massive sets and chews them to a fare thee well and in the process creates a wanton nymphomaniacal character of such charm, heat and passion that she is truly a motion picture original. This is the best thing Miss Jones ever did because it is so out of control and beyond the pale of her more subdued performances. Of saints, teenage war brides and ghosts of lost love.
As Lewt McCanles we get the hottest, meanest, most excitingly nasty performance Gregory Peck ever was allowed to give. And what an irresistible bad boy he is. He was never sexier or more wonderful than in this departure from the Peck norm.
Even the usually dull Joseph Cotton manages to rise above his typically dry rolls, but not too much, in the thankless roll of the good brother. He seems a little too old for the part and a little too polished. Someone like Charlton Heston might have been more on the spot.
Lillian Gish steals every scene she is in with quite assuredness and only finds completion from the ever-prissy Butterfly McQueen. In her final scene with Lionel Barrymore Miss Gish makes off with the scene so quitly that you are hit with it's impact only after the fact. Barrymore creates one of his most beloved curmudgeons as Senator Jackson McCanles full of sound and furry and ultimately signifying less than nothing. His introduction to Pearl topped by a sneeringly shocking racial slur that encapsulates his character and time and place.
Another highlight is the cameo by Walter Huston as "The Sinkiller". What can be said of him is only this, pure cinematic magic.
The film unfold with such a sense of grandeur and awe that it sweeps you along to its incredible ending on the wings of epic pure camp poetry. The Dimitri Tiomkin score is a masterpiece and much famed over the years for the incredible call of the bells set piece.
The three cinematographers involved, Hal Rosson, Ray Rennahan, and Lee Garmes paint movie memory after memory with the palate of hot dusty hues that have long been forgotten by audiences of today. To see it now is perhaps more exciting and thrilling than it was in 1947.
All of this mad mixture of melodrama, mush and music was orchestrated by the master showman of his time, the ultimate huckster of smoke and mirrors and consummate barometer for just what we wanted in our early epics of the America that never existed, David O. Selznick, who added the "O" to his name just because it looked better on the marquee. When they say that off heard lament "They don't make'um like they used to." Both Mr. Selznick and "Duel In The Sun" are what they are talking about. If they still made them like this then something would be terribly wrong. Thank god they did make films like this once upon a time and we still have them to lose ourselves in a dream of what never was and what will never be again.

Dreadful sound transfer
The dvd image is great, the soundtrack transfer is horrible: drops in volume and the dialogue is often distorted.

POINTLESS REISSUE OF ALREADY AVAILABLE DVD
Producer David O. Selznick never thought small. Dreaming of a magnum opus on the same grand scale as "Gone with the Wind" and, perhaps a little bit self-conscious of the fact that his recent affair with Jennifer Jones had yielded only one stellar performance from the starlet - and not even in a film he had produced - Selznick's driving ambition to make Jones a star on par with the likes of Vivien Leigh, led him to handcraft "Duel in the Sun." This was to be an extravagant Technicolor epic about a doomed mulatto, Pearl Chavez (Jones) and her rabid lust for, Lewton McCanles (Gregory Peck, in the uncharacteristic part as the villain), the ruthless son and roguish playboy of retired senator and bigoted rancher, Jackson McCanles (Lionel Barrymore). After Pearl's father, Scott (Herbert Marshall) murders her mother, Pearl is sent to live with Jackson and his wife, Laura Bell (Lillian Gish) on their sprawling ranch, Spanish Bit. Pearl is determined to live purely and plainly, but her incendiary disposition leads into the arms of Lewton. Jesse McCanles (Joseph Cotten), the good son, is forced to leave Spanish Bit, returning years later to find that his brother has become a ruthless tyrant and outlaw. Buttressed by a fiery backdrop about the colliding sensibilities of old West morality and the true Northern ambitions to tame it, "Duel In The Sun" ultimately became an overblown melodrama that seemed almost a garish lampoon of "Gone With The Wind" rather than its successor. It did respectable box office at the time but very little to advance Jennifer Jones' career into the echelons of super stardom. Prior to its release a sensual dance sequence that Pearl performs around a tree stump for Lewton was deleted because the censorship of the period found its sexual implications...well, shocking. Selznick's usual attention to craftsmanship and story design also seem to be absent from this occasion. He repositions Butterfly McQueen (Prissy from "Gone With The Wind) as the Prissy-esque house maid, Vashti, who is even dumber than Prissy and, Selznick muddles the supporting cast with oddities of all sorts, including Walter Huston as a religious zealot, determined to rid Pearl of her sexual demons, and Charles Bickford, as an over-the-hill farmer who offers Pearl his hand in a loveless marriage. Because of its sexually charged subject matter (there is, after all, a rape, a murder and the prospect of lovers committing suicide in the mountains) "Duel In The Sun" acquired the rather unflattering moniker of 'Lust In The Dust.'
"Duel In The Sun" had previously been made available from Anchor Bay in a stunning road show edition. MGM's reissue is the truncated theatrical version - also made previously available through Anchor Bay. On all three DVD incarnations, colors are well balanced, though on this new version they seem a tad more dated from the rich and vibrant colors on the Anchor Bay version. Black levels are good but fine detail is lost in many darkly lit scenes. There's also more noticeable film grain on this version than the Anchor Bay edition. The audio is remixed to stereo but only marginally appealing, sounding rather forced and re-channeled. There are NO extras.
There's nothing to stand up and cheer about here. If you are a die hard fan of this film, or westerns, then you will definitely want to look up the out of print copy from Anchor Bay, rather than this reissue. Aside from being longer, the Anchor Bay version also tends to be a better visual presentation overall.

Don't know why this movie has such a bad rap.....
It is WONDERFUL!!! What more could one ask for from the Golden Age of Hollywood: Producer David O. Selznick(he did a little something called "Gone With the Wind" - you may not remember that one....), beautiful Jennifer Jones, a young Gregory Peck, stalwart support from Joseph Cotten, a crotchtedy Lionel Barrymore, a luminious Lillian Gish, supendous 3-strip Technicolor, a decent story for a western(my least favorite movie genre), and a history that would equal Selznick's other "little movie" - GWTW. The DVD of this does the film justice, although some commentary or other supporting features would have been fantastic. I have the Anchor Bay releases of this film and just got this MGM release-they seem to be taken from the same source material, which is very, very good. This film's reputation needs to be defended - sure it was shocking in 1947, but in 2004, they could probably touch on these topics in an "Waltons" or "Litte House" episode. Judge for yourself - get this movie - you won't be disappointed!! ... Read more

Description

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

Reviews (7)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com

Hollywood's first earnest attempt to treat the Spanish Civil War is a deeply silly movie. There are few spectacles more forlorn than a film eager to be perceived as courageous, just not at the cost of having courage. Blockade strikes a radical pose. There's lots of rhetoric about getting "beyond flags and slogans"; "the people" keep forming up as a Spanish Greek chorus; director William Dieterle, besides borrowing blatantly from Potemkin in one scene, hazards a shift into direct address with anguished peasant-warrior Henry Fonda suddenly getting in our collective face to ask, "Where's the conscience of the world?!" Yet even though card-carrying leftist John Howard Lawson wrote it, Blockade neither takes nor identifies any political position. No one is fascist or communist or loyalist--there's just "The Enemy." The viewer will be hard-pressed to tell what is going on. Or to care. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Amazon.com

Legendary producer David O. Selznick dreamed of another magnum opus like his 1939 production ofGone with the Wind; he also purposed to make Jennifer Jones, hisladylove and eventually second Mrs. Selznick, a megastar. Accordingly, he micromanaged the making of Duel in the Sun (Lust in the Dustto some), an extravagant Technicolor epic about the collision of the old Westwith the new, wide-open spaces with railroads and barbed wire, and hot-bloodedoutlaws with civilized folk, often wimpy or unwell. Beginning among giantrocks drenched in a blood-red sunset, with velvet-voiced Orson Welles intoningthe leibestod legend of doomed Pearl Chavez and her demon lover, Duel neverstrays far from lush romanticism, spiced with a dash of S/M. Orphaned Pearl (Jones) comes to live at Spanish Bit Ranch, where frail Laura Belle McCanles (Lillian Gish) tries to make a lady of her, despite her questionable originsand insistent voluptuousness. Sexual license versus law--Pearl's choices--aresymbolized by the McCanles brothers: dark, undisciplined Lewt (a lubriciouslywicked Gregory Peck) and reasonable, forward-looking,repressed Jesse (Joseph Cotten). The cast is huge(Lionel Barrymore, Walter Huston, Harry Carey, Herbert Marshall, CharlesBickford, Butterfly McQueen) and there are unforgettable set pieces: summonedby a cacophony of bells, the gathering of McCanles cowboys from the fourcorners of the earth; Pearl in heat, clutching Lewt's leg and being dragged across thefloor as he makes his getaway to Mexico; and the lovers' final shootoutamong those red rocks, as orgiastic a finale as you could ask for. --Kathleen Murphy ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Sprawling western, silly plot
Duel in the Sun was supposed to be the next Gone with the Wind for David O. Selznick. The hyped film boasts an all star cast: Jennifer Jones, Gregory Peck, Joseph Cotton, Lionel Barrymore, and Lillian Gish. The acting is over the top, especially Jennifer Jones' sultry Pearl. Gregory Peck seemed to enjoy his change of pace role as Lewt and enacts the role with gusto. It was a change from his heroic characters that he played in his earlier films. Joseph Cotton is the virtuous brother, Jesse, who does not choose to "forget" that he catches Lewt with Pearl, much to Pearl's hearbreak.

The ending of the book had Jesse and Pearl vanquishing the evil Lewt and riding off into the sunset. Looking at the over the top finale of this movie, I wish the producer had stayed with the ending of the book. The lines are laughable ("You know I had to shoot you," cries Pearl. "Yes, dear, I know you did," answers Lewt.)

There are many cliches: Lewt catching Pearl swimming in the nude and not allowing her to leave the water and get her clothes. Pearl throwing herself at another man to make Lewt jealous. Pearl's transformation, where she decides to become a wanton, her facial expression changing to reflect this.

I understand the "dance of the sump" was left out of the film, where Pearl dances for Lewt. It was supposed to be "indecent" but in retrospect might have been a source of amusement to contemporary audiences.

If you are looking for representative films from the Selznick studio, consider the following instead: Gone with the Wind, A Star is Born, Portrait of Jennie, and The Prisoner of Zenda. For MGM, Selznick produced such standout films as David Copperfield and Anna Karenina. For better films pairing Jones and Cotton, look for the films Love Letters and Portrait of Jennie. The two are at their best in those.

Epic, Sprawling Horse Opera (Roadshow Edition Review)
Sweeping! Magnificent! Corny! Romantic! A west that never existed is splashed across the screen as only David O. Selznick, the master of such gargantuan Hollywood classics as "Gone With the Wind", "Since You Went Away" and "Rebecca" could give us.
This is not the revisionists west of the 1990's, nor that West of the gritty operatic glamour of Sergio Leone's "Once Upon A Time In The West." You will not find the spare clean and lean beauty of John ford's West. What we have here is the epic telling on a screen that screams to be stretched into widescreen and spills out over the audenience the lush and romantic horse Opera of Pearl Chavez, the McCanles clan and the coming of the railroads in the 1880's.
From the moment the overture replete with unneeded narration begins you know you are in for a melodrama of purple emotions and blood red vendettas. The opening scene is set in a saloon on a scale of a modern Vegas casino. There amidst the wild gunfire of overheated cowboys and insanely spinning faro wheels we are introduced to the Scarlett O'Hara of the West, half-breed Pearl Chavez. As played by Jennifer Jones she is just about the hottest tamale to ever hit the pages of a screenplay expressly written to drive men mad, turn brother against brother and defy a "Sinkiller". What Jane Russell was supposed to be in "The Outlaw" we get in Technicolor spades in the form of Miss Jones.
She takes huge hefty bites of the massive sets and chews them to a fare thee well and in the process creates a wanton nymphomaniacal character of such charm, heat and passion that she is truly a motion picture original. This is the best thing Miss Jones ever did because it is so out of control and beyond the pale of her more subdued performances. Of saints, teenage war brides and ghosts of lost love.
As Lewt McCanles we get the hottest, meanest, most excitingly nasty performance Gregory Peck ever was allowed to give. And what an irresistible bad boy he is. He was never sexier or more wonderful than in this departure from the Peck norm.
Even the usually dull Joseph Cotton manages to rise above his typically dry rolls, but not too much, in the thankless roll of the good brother. He seems a little too old for the part and a little too polished. Someone like Charlton Heston might have been more on the spot.
Lillian Gish steals every scene she is in with quite assuredness and only finds completion from the ever-prissy Butterfly McQueen. In her final scene with Lionel Barrymore Miss Gish makes off with the scene so quitly that you are hit with it's impact only after the fact. Barrymore creates one of his most beloved curmudgeons as Senator Jackson McCanles full of sound and furry and ultimately signifying less than nothing. His introduction to Pearl topped by a sneeringly shocking racial slur that encapsulates his character and time and place.
Another highlight is the cameo by Walter Huston as "The Sinkiller". What can be said of him is only this, pure cinematic magic.
The film unfold with such a sense of grandeur and awe that it sweeps you along to its incredible ending on the wings of epic pure camp poetry. The Dimitri Tiomkin score is a masterpiece and much famed over the years for the incredible call of the bells set piece.
The three cinematographers involved, Hal Rosson, Ray Rennahan, and Lee Garmes paint movie memory after memory with the palate of hot dusty hues that have long been forgotten by audiences of today. To see it now is perhaps more exciting and thrilling than it was in 1947.
All of this mad mixture of melodrama, mush and music was orchestrated by the master showman of his time, the ultimate huckster of smoke and mirrors and consummate barometer for just what we wanted in our early epics of the America that never existed, David O. Selznick, who added the "O" to his name just because it looked better on the marquee. When they say that off heard lament "They don't make'um like they used to." Both Mr. Selznick and "Duel In The Sun" are what they are talking about. If they still made them like this then something would be terribly wrong. Thank god they did make films like this once upon a time and we still have them to lose ourselves in a dream of what never was and what will never be again.

Dreadful sound transfer
The dvd image is great, the soundtrack transfer is horrible: drops in volume and the dialogue is often distorted.

POINTLESS REISSUE OF ALREADY AVAILABLE DVD
Producer David O. Selznick never thought small. Dreaming of a magnum opus on the same grand scale as "Gone with the Wind" and, perhaps a little bit self-conscious of the fact that his recent affair with Jennifer Jones had yielded only one stellar performance from the starlet - and not even in a film he had produced - Selznick's driving ambition to make Jones a star on par with the likes of Vivien Leigh, led him to handcraft "Duel in the Sun." This was to be an extravagant Technicolor epic about a doomed mulatto, Pearl Chavez (Jones) and her rabid lust for, Lewton McCanles (Gregory Peck, in the uncharacteristic part as the villain), the ruthless son and roguish playboy of retired senator and bigoted rancher, Jackson McCanles (Lionel Barrymore). After Pearl's father, Scott (Herbert Marshall) murders her mother, Pearl is sent to live with Jackson and his wife, Laura Bell (Lillian Gish) on their sprawling ranch, Spanish Bit. Pearl is determined to live purely and plainly, but her incendiary disposition leads into the arms of Lewton. Jesse McCanles (Joseph Cotten), the good son, is forced to leave Spanish Bit, returning years later to find that his brother has become a ruthless tyrant and outlaw. Buttressed by a fiery backdrop about the colliding sensibilities of old West morality and the true Northern ambitions to tame it, "Duel In The Sun" ultimately became an overblown melodrama that seemed almost a garish lampoon of "Gone With The Wind" rather than its successor. It did respectable box office at the time but very little to advance Jennifer Jones' career into the echelons of super stardom. Prior to its release a sensual dance sequence that Pearl performs around a tree stump for Lewton was deleted because the censorship of the period found its sexual implications...well, shocking. Selznick's usual attention to craftsmanship and story design also seem to be absent from this occasion. He repositions Butterfly McQueen (Prissy from "Gone With The Wind) as the Prissy-esque house maid, Vashti, who is even dumber than Prissy and, Selznick muddles the supporting cast with oddities of all sorts, including Walter Huston as a religious zealot, determined to rid Pearl of her sexual demons, and Charles Bickford, as an over-the-hill farmer who offers Pearl his hand in a loveless marriage. Because of its sexually charged subject matter (there is, after all, a rape, a murder and the prospect of lovers committing suicide in the mountains) "Duel In The Sun" acquired the rather unflattering moniker of 'Lust In The Dust.'
"Duel In The Sun" had previously been made available from Anchor Bay in a stunning road show edition. MGM's reissue is the truncated theatrical version - also made previously available through Anchor Bay. On all three DVD incarnations, colors are well balanced, though on this new version they seem a tad more dated from the rich and vibrant colors on the Anchor Bay version. Black levels are good but fine detail is lost in many darkly lit scenes. There's also more noticeable film grain on this version than the Anchor Bay edition. The audio is remixed to stereo but only marginally appealing, sounding rather forced and re-channeled. There are NO extras.
There's nothing to stand up and cheer about here. If you are a die hard fan of this film, or westerns, then you will definitely want to look up the out of print copy from Anchor Bay, rather than this reissue. Aside from being longer, the Anchor Bay version also tends to be a better visual presentation overall.

Don't know why this movie has such a bad rap.....
It is WONDERFUL!!! What more could one ask for from the Golden Age of Hollywood: Producer David O. Selznick(he did a little something called "Gone With the Wind" - you may not remember that one....), beautiful Jennifer Jones, a young Gregory Peck, stalwart support from Joseph Cotten, a crotchtedy Lionel Barrymore, a luminious Lillian Gish, supendous 3-strip Technicolor, a decent story for a western(my least favorite movie genre), and a history that would equal Selznick's other "little movie" - GWTW. The DVD of this does the film justice, although some commentary or other supporting features would have been fantastic. I have the Anchor Bay releases of this film and just got this MGM release-they seem to be taken from the same source material, which is very, very good. This film's reputation needs to be defended - sure it was shocking in 1947, but in 2004, they could probably touch on these topics in an "Waltons" or "Litte House" episode. Judge for yourself - get this movie - you won't be disappointed!! ... Read more