Reviews (90)

The best contextual musical ever
Norman Jewison's "Fiddler On the Roof" is the story of a poor milkman living in tsarist Russia, which in the outskirts of Russia. This is one of the most original musicals, based on the stories of Sholom Aleichem. Played by Chaim Topol and Norma Crane as Tevye and Golde, the acting of this role of parents of five daughters in an orthodox Jewish family is done brilliantly. Tevye's misquotings of the bible is hilarious. The songs in the movie are outstanding and poignant. Starting from the beginning with "Tradition", with violinist Isaac Stern doing his magic, every song has its uniqueness.

Each of his three older daughters choose a different path. The first one refuses to marry the person chosen by the father as she in love with the tailer Motel. The way Tevye cons his wife into agreeing for this wedding is one of the funniest pieces of the movie. The characters chosen are unique and beautifully portrayed. The song before this, "Matchmaker, matchmaker" is beautiful. The way Yente, the matchmaker looks at the youngest daughters as though they were caravans wares is extremely funny. The second daughter Tseitel chooses the revolutionary who is against the Tsar and wishes communism. The song in the bar "To life, Le Chaim" is unusual and shows the way the Jews and the Christians can get along in a limited manner. The third daughter chooses a gentile.

Though this is a musical, the acting, story and the character portrayal is deep. Songs range from comic like "If I were a rich man", to haunting, "Sunrise, sunset", to sad and lonely, "Little bird". Though being Jewish will help one understand this movie better, it is not a necessity. The screenplay is wonderful. The particular one that I like is when Avraham comes and tells that there are bad things going on in the world. Another person says, "Why should I break my head about the outside world, let the outside world break its own head". Here Tevye says, "He is right, if you spit in the air, it lands in your face." Then the revolutionary says, "Nonsense, you cannot be blind to what happens outside." Then Tevye says, "You know, he is also right." At this time Avraham points to the revolutionary and the other person and says, "He is right and he is right, they can't both be right." Now Tevye looks at Avraham and says, "You know, you are also right."

When the Jews are evicted, it is extremely sad. They console themselves saying that their village Anatevka was not exactly the garden of Eden. This song, "Anatevka", is sad and heartbreaking. They have so little but still love it. It reminds one that happiness is something of the inside and has nothing to do with material possessions. This movie is a classic and a timeless masterpiece. It might be difficult for some people to understand due to the history of Tsarist Russia and its pogroms and the context, otherwise, to date it is my favorite musical.

One of the greatest musicals of all time...
Fiddler on the Roof is a cinematic masterpiece. Originally a musical, this movie is an amazing adaptation that remains faithful to the original, while at the same time not making it seem "theatrical" to the point where it looks contrived. The characters are played perfectly with Topol (who plays Tevye, the poor village milkman) taking the highest honors.

Fiddler on the Roof is simply a timeless story, even if it finds itself placed in czarist Russia. The story revolves around Tevye, a poor Jew living in Russia and his struggle to stay true to his faith (and ideals) in a world that is rapidly changing. This film follows Tevye in his journey to meld his rich Jewish past with the modern world that surrounds him. His arguments with himself ("On the other hand,...") are priceless and allow us to relate with Tevye as he struggles with his heritage (the pogroms), his financial status ("If I Were a Rich Man") and his family (his daughters are entering marrying age).

Ths music is wonderful. The songs are poignant and easily remembered. I guarantee that you'll wind up singing/humming "Tradition" or "If I Were a Rich Man" days after watching the movie. The movie itself is humourous at times, and sorrowful the next and the storyline is deep, but is not a damning social commentary. The cinematics are also extraordinary, with the film being shot "on location" in Zagreb, Yugoslavia.

This is an ideal family movie, and I can remember watching (and loving) this movie at an early age. I'm glad I purchased this movie for my DVD collection, as it will become one of my most watched (and sung to) films. The box comes with only a single DVD, but is double-sided and contains additional footage, an additional song (cut at production) and a commentary on the movie itself.

Fiddler on the Roof
IT was absolutely amazing. Everything about it! The backround and effects were amaxing and it was a very touching story with absolutely wonderful actors and unforgetable songs. SPECTACULAR!

An excellent film, except for the cover art
I love this movie, but was highly dissaponted with the ugly cover art design. They should have stuck to the original poster art. Anyways, the music is great, and it is good to see such movies being restored on DVD.

The best of all musicals.
I agree with HeadbangerDuh in every sense. This is the best of musicals. While some other musicals amy be corny, boring, and downright dumb, Fiddler shows humor, interest, and is educational. Although part one is funnier, part two I feel is richer, and more full, not as goofy. This is probably the best film of the century. ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Rice & Lloyd Webber's Operatic Passion Play on Film
After the bizarre Broadway staging of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera, the film version of "Jesus Christ Superstar" had to be a more traditional offering. Producer-Director Norman Jewison filmed on location in Israel, using natural settings and sparsely constructed sets for what is essentially a string of music videos (since it was written as a studio album first, the music presents problems for moving from one scene to the next). The framing device for the film is the cast arriving/departing by bus. Ted Neeley's voice is suited to the role, but certainly he is the shortest Jesus I can recall seeing in films. Yvonne Elliman and Barry Dennen remain from the original studio album and Broadway production as Mary Magdalen and Pilate, which is perfectly all right. However, it is clearly Carl Anderson as Judas who gives the best performance in the film. The film version suffers from the inadequate voices of several of the supporting cast members (most notably Josh Mostel as Herod) and the grossly reduced chorus of singers which never comes close to matching the number of bodies on screen, and there are a few unintentional laughs (as when Israeli tanks come over the dune and chase Judas). But the use of paintings depicting the crucifixion and the final shot of sheep being herded past the cross the cast leaves behind on the hill, are particularly effective. Of course as with most movies, if you want to watch it you want to get a hold of the widescreen edition, otherwise you cannot appreciate the Last Supper tableau or just enjoy the compositional elements of the shots. Every Easter weekend I watch this film, even if I do not have time to do all of "Jesus of Nazareth" or "The Greatest Story Every Told." The only thing radical here is the music, but I still have to think it qualifies as the requisite joyful noise.

Controversial Rock Opera
Jesus Christ Superstar was Andrew Lloyd Webber and Time Rice's first major success. The rock opera was first a concept album that exploded on the charts hitting number one and spending almost a year in the top ten and unleashed Murray Head on the world. It was then made into a successful Broadway play starring Ben Vereen. In 1973, respected director Norman Jewison (In The Heat Of the Night, Fiddler On the Roof) brought it to the big screen. The film was shot on location in Israel and that gives it an authentic feel. There is no dialogue in the film, everything is sung in true opera fashion. It kind is like a forerunner of the music video in that fact. Mr. Jewison mixes the biblical setting with modern nuances such as guards carrying machine guns, tanks and planes appear and at the beginning of the film, the cast arrives by bus and at the end it leaves on the same bus. The beginning of the film shows the cast setting up what appears to be a play. They get into costumes and set up for the play. The movie focuses on the last seven days of Jesus and Ted Neeley appears in the title role. The movie focuses on Jesus' relationship with Judas, who is played by Carl Anderson. The plot likens Jesus to a modern-day rock star, who rises above all the other prophets due to the hype-machine. Judas thinks that Jesus is believing the hype and moving away from his humble roots. He turns traitor in the belief he is helping the nation. At the end, we are left wondering if this was just a play or was it real as all the cast members get on the bus except Mr. Neeley. The movie fades out quite powerfully in the sunset on the cross. The movie moves along through the series of songs and is well choreographed. The album, play and film were highly controversial due to its take on the Passion of Jesus, but putting religious beliefs aside, it is an excellent film.

Most powerful movie ever produced!
Too many people miss the point. This movie was not made as a literal portrayal of Jesus' last days...it was (and remains) a figurative interpretation of the last days of one who would inspire a new branch of religion.

From the opening moments of the movie when Carl Anderson (Judas) sings ("...my mind is clearer now, at last, all too well, I can see, what we all, soon will be...") through Ted Neely (Christ) during "Gethsemane" ("Allright! I'll die, just watch me die!") the viewer is mesmerized by some of the most powerful music, lyrics, and staging ever written and performed. This particular sequence (when Jesus is climbing the mountain, fairly crying out for God's explanation of things to come ~ "Show me just a little of your omnipresent brain") still brings tears to my eyes and I've seen this movie at least 100 times!

The movie was shot on location in Israel a few years after the 6 day war, and during the Vietnam war. These realities are not lost on the writers, and evidence of their beliefs and opinions are sprinkled throughout the movie (the tanks coming over the horizon and the F-16's flying over Judas' head were a nice touch). Their religious convictions are displayed in such moments as when the priests are on the scaffolding ("He is dangerous") and the crowd extols Jesus below ("Haysanna, hosannah, sanna sanna ho, sanna hey sanna hosanna; hey JC, JC won't you die for me...") watch Jesus' face at that moment....

Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdelene) does a fine job of balancing the angst of Judas with the over-arching compassion of Jesus, and Barry Dennen (Pilate) captures a high point when he washes his hands of Jesus' plight. Bob Bingham's (Caiphas) bass rattles your soul with his deep melodic tonality.

While the acting is certainly not on par with the great actors of our times, one has to take that with a grain of salt. I was 7 when I first saw it and I still watch this movie at least once per year (can you guess which day? :) By far this is Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice at their best.

Who the Hell did they get to play Jesus?!
The guy who plays Jesus is an awful singer. He ruined the entire movie sounding like the lead from some punk band. Also, it's clear they did not cast the actors based on their looks (or even their talent for that matter). I tried very hard to like this. I love musicals but this ranks down there with Cats, Hair, and Nine. If you want a great musical based on the scripture, check out the amazing Godspell.

awesome
OK, granted this musical was done in the early 70's and therefore has some 70's overtones, but the acting and singing are magnificent. The relationship between Judas and Jesus is powerful, and Ted Neeley stares right into your soul. I first saw this movie when I was about 7 years old and it left a lasting, positive influence on me regarding Christ. ... Read more

Reviews (136)

Great Movie To Bad It Is Based On Lies
I just watched this movie for the first time last nite, I dont know how I never heard of it, or the story of Hurricane Carter but I had not.

I really liked this Movie (until I did my homework). The Movie was very powerfull leaving you in disbelief, how could this happen? How could a innocent man be sentenced to Life for a crime he didnt commit?

The Movie's 2nd half left me teary eyed of the injustice done to Hurricane Carter and very touched by the young man that wrote, visited & belived in his innocence and who along with his Canadian Family worked so hard to free him.

Denzel Washington Does an exceptional peformance, what a great actor, But SHAME ON YOU Mr. Washington, This Movie is Based More on Lies than on the Truth, you were one of my favorite Actors, but your credibility has suffered, you had to of known of the Untruths of this Movie, and then to embrace Hurricane Carter and make a statement that this man is full of Love?

I gave this Movie 5 Stars because it was entertaining. The Movie left me with wanting more, immeadiately after watching the movie I did a search on Boxer Hurricane Carter. The First site was:

http://www.graphicwitness.com

My first impression was, Wow this must be some Racial Web Site against Hurricane Carter, but after spending hours reading all the many pages of well documented articles and interviews, my conclussion is their is more evidence that this man, Hurricane Carter is a Guilty as charged, than an innocent man wrongly accused as partrayed in the Movie.

A Movie to be seen by all!
THE HURICANE is a movie that is to be seen by all ages and members of the family. It speaks of a problem which continues to haunt American democracy--racism and prejudice. The movie communicates its story very well and there are not enough adequate words to say how excellent a job Denzel Washington did as an actor. I was very, very impresssed with the plot and acting from the very beginning and tears were in my eyes as, finally, Carter was declared innocent. To think that such blatant things can happen in the America we love in this day and age is unbelievable.

I highly recommend the film and would hope that someday Hollywood would consider giving Mr. Washington an oscar for such excellent acting. It is films such as THE HURRICANE which will create an awareness in the minds of Americans that we can no longer and must no longer tolerate such behaviour by those who are in authority. In a day when prejudice and racism seem to be on the rise in the so-called first world countries, the movie's message is a must for all. May God help us!

Rev. Eriberto (Eddie) Soto Presbyterian Missionary to Brazil, South America

"And the Oscar goes to..."
Well, it should've gone to Washington for his breathtaking performance in this biopic from 2000. Washington captures the very essence of the different modes of "Hurricane" Carter, a man wrongly incarcerated for a crime that he didn't commit. Washington superbly displays the various sides of this most complex man: anger, defiance, reflection, intelligence, humility, and perseverance. As others have hypothesized, Denzel's win for "Training Day" was a reward for Academy oversights for earlier tremendous performances...and his work in "The Hurricane" ranks as one of his best.

Besides the work of Washington, the film benefits from marvelous turns from co-star Vicellous Reon Shannon as a young man enamored of the boxer and determined to right the wrong that has befallen Carter. The young man possesses the right amount of "wide-eyed innocence" as he confronts a man that he discovers in a long-forgotten autobiography. Who cannot be moved when man and boy share a tender moment by touching through the bars of the convict's cell???

This kid deserved a supporting acting nod, if nothing less.

And a film that sports such stellar character performers as Rod Steiger, Debbi Morgan, Dan Hedaya, Harris Yulen, Clancy Brown, and David Paymer is a cut above the others. Liv Shrieber, Deborah Unger, and John Hannah are wonderful as Canadians that assist Shannon's "Lesra" as the lad works to free his friend.

While there are a few slow moments, the overall film is worth viewing...and owning.

Consistant
This film always kept its focus and Denzel was supurb. The inaccuracies of the movie are to be expected because afterall, this is Hollywood's take. I don't understand why there are so many condemnations of Ruben by reviewers who are taking information from a questionable website. Of course there are documents out there that suggested he is guilty or he never would have been convicted in the first place. Whether those documents are truthful or not should be considered before wasting space on amazon, not giving any commentary on so much as the acting in the film.

Hollywood Revisionism At It's Freakin' Finest
The story is about 15% factual. Carter was set free because of two alleged procedural errors, NOT because of new evidence. His resume was 27-12-1 - high point of his career was his 1st round TKO of former welter & middleweight champion, Emile Griffith. he didn't destroy the great Emile as depicted in the movie. The fight was stopped after 3 flash knockdowns. Griffith was never dangersouly hurt, he was caught cold & never regained his legs - due to the three knockdown rule, the fight was prematurely stopped.

Carter was a rough, tough, seasoned boxer, with slightly above average power, a decent mandible & average hand/foot speed. He struggled against slick styled boxer's that were defensive gurus - movement off angles, stylists and great side-to-side movement. Carter would literally give up when outclassed in the ring - ie. the Joey Giardello and Luis Rodriguez fights. The Giardello fight is one of the key elements of the movie. In the movie, Carter pounds on Giardello for 15 rounds & then gets outrageously robbed of the decision by a racist conspiracy by boxing's powers that be. Joey Giardello - foolishly portrayed as a racist in the film - beat Carter as convincingly as Nigerian Dick Tiger did - both beat Carter like a drum.

Carter's main weapon was sheer intimidation. He looked as bad (mean) as Sonny Liston, but when he was about to do battle with someone who wasn't intimidated, Carter simply had problems - not to mention he was easily outboxed. USA Today described Rubin Carter as, "A true folk hero" & a "warrior scholar" - obviously the public seemed to be buying the movies hook, line & sinker. The fact is, Carter was never a world champion and clearly lost to every upper echelon fighter he fought. Though wrongfully accused, Carter was well out the game when convicted. Unfortunately "The Hurricane" is more about artistic rape. ... Read more

Amazon.com

James Garner substitutes for Rock Hudson in this hilarious Doris Day outing. Housewife Beverly Boyer (Day) happens by chance to give an executive of Happy Soap an honest appraisal of one of his company's products. Charmed by her forthright and honest manner, he makes Beverly the company spokesperson. When she becomes an advertising sensation, her husband (Garner) has to deal with the social ramifications of his wife making more money than he does. Day and Garner are both in good form, and Garner nicely portrays the mounting frustration of bewildered husband Gerald.

Gerald's refusal to accept that Beverly's new career infringes on her duties as housewife is, of course, outdated thinking today. Nevertheless, the film works and is sincerely funny. No wonder: comedian Carl Reiner cowrote the script. --Mark Savary ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Sophisticated memories from childhood.
"The Thrill Of It All" was one of my favorite childhood memories. In the days prior to wall-to-wall cable stations, there were certain films that enjoyed a regular place on the weekend matinee lineup on local TV stations. This was one of them. And the funny thing is when I originally saw it, I never thought of it as dated or sexist (this is a memory from about 28 years ago). Even though I grew up in a household where both my parents worked (and my dad never gave it a second thought since there were six of us), I merely accepted the script as a reflection of the 1963 sensibility and not my own. You really can't watch a movie that's older than you are (I'm guessing lots of you are waaay under 40) and expect it to reflect modern-day sensibilities. That said, the film is expertly written taking several stabs and jabs at the TV advertising (as well as the network) industry. Doris Day was the quintessential (and exquisitely beautiful) screen wife and mother, and James Garner was a perfect spousal foil for her. And what you had from Arlene "What's My Line" Francis was a welcome touch of class in the role of a mature expectant mother (heady stuff for 1963!) along with nervous expectant father Edward Andrews. The movie is right in line with the other 60's comedies with Hudson, Grant, and Rod Taylor- fun!!

A classic Doris Day gem... fun movie!
A hip and happening Doris Day comedy in which the girl next door becomes a media sensation. Doris stars, not surprisingly, as a wholesomely sexy suburban housewife who is hired to become the spokesperson for the Happy Soap company, because Happy Soap's crotchety old president finds her stammering, unprofessional endorsements to be refreshingly honest and -- more importantly -- so does the soap-buying public. In fact, the only one who doesn't like her ascent into the media is her grouchy, fragile-egoed husband (played by James Garner), who can't stand the thought of his own wife having a job -- it's just too much of a blow to his masculinity, and besides, who will raise the kids if mommy goes to work? The depth and sheer matter-of-factness to the sexism in this pre-women's movement comedy will be both astounding and instructive to a modern audience, but besides all that, it's also a great vehicle for Day's bubbly, frowsy charm. Garner's character is a bit hysterical, but it's all worth it for the big payoff: his double-take during the swimming pool scene is a golden comedic moment. Scriptwriter Carl Reiner's touch is easy to pick out; Reiner also has some choice cameos as a hammy TV actor on the show that Happy Soap sponsors. There are also plenty of great early '60s character actors, such as Edward Andrews, who you may recognize from old TV re-runs and the like. [Crazy cast note: the Pamela Curran, who plays "Spot Checker," the glamorous model who was the former Happy Soap Girl, is a dead ringer for Drea de Matteo (best known as Adriana, of the Sopranos...) The likeness must be seen to be believed.] Anyway, this is a fun movie, entirely enjoyable and also a real blast of Kennedy-era camp.

Dated, mythical view of American Life, but Fun & enjoyable!
Hi all,

Just got done re-watching "The Thrill of It All" and here are my reactions:

First I think the film is light-hearted fun, and a great look back to the golden days of people living "The American Dream". As usual, Doris was superb as Beverly Boyer, a suburban housewife content to be home caring for her husband and two children and doing amazingly domestic activities such as bottling her own ketchup!! Wow!

While Doris looks as I remember her, I was quite taken aback by the youthfulness of James Gardner, whom we have seen on-going on television and movies so have had the opportunity to see him "age" gracefully in front of our eyes. I couldn't surpress a chuckle when the good doctor, frustrated with growing friction with his wife, lights up a cigarette in his hospital office. That's something we pretty much won't see in a hospital these days! :)

As much as I liked Gardner as Dr. Gerald Boyer, I wasn't too sympathetic with his disdain for his wife's decision to also take on a career. It was 1963, however, and the career woman was still more exception than the rule, so I tried to see it from that lens. The film seemed to be on the cusp of the stirrings of women entering the work force in larger numbers because when Dr. Boyer was objecting to his wife working and having a career, he was more than once referred to as a "victorian" man, in a most unflattering way. Perhaps writer Ross Hunter (producer), Carl Reiner (writer), and Norman Jewison (director) were trying to push the envelope a bit here by suggesting that women having careers was not contrary to American values of a stable homelife and happy families.

Having said all of this, part of me yearned for the days when the world seemed a happier place and everyone lived with a "can do" attitude. I know it is myth mostly, but the early 60s were a time before the great social divides brought on by the assasination of President Kennedy and protests against the Vietnam war. America, it seems, still was living in a "Norman Rockwell" picture perfect era where most had a beautiful home, the proverbial 2.5 children, and a dog and/or cat. The romance of this rosy colored view of life is certainly an attractive escape from our modern world problems of terrorism, rampant drug abuse, poverty, and violence. Watching "Thrill of It All" was like a mini-vacation, taking us back to a time when perhaps we all felt safer, more secure, and optimistic about the endless possibilities that laid ahead for us. Since I was only 3-4 years old at the time, I know I was certainly optimistic! :)

About casting: I think Doris and James showed great chemistry throughout the film. I think casting Arlene Francis as Mrs. Fraleigh was a bit of a stretch however, as much as I admired her presence in the film, because she was already 58 years old in real life, so the likelihood of her becoming pregnant would be almost nil. But she rose to the occasion and played the role of a pregnant rich woman to the hilt. It was a great hook for bringing Beverly and Gerald into the lives of The Fraleigh's and their elderly father, the founder of Happy soap, thus providing the backdrop for further escapades! All quibbling aside, I think Arlene was fun in the role. A small note: Arlene died 3 years ago this month in San Francisco of complications from Alzheimers and cancer.

I really enjoyed watching the cars in this film. The cars added an additional element of nostalgia as I looked back at America's earlier vehicles. I was thinking the film had been made in early 1960, but as the limo driving the Fraleighs to the hospital gets stuck in a traffic jam, and Mr. Fraleigh keeps asking this aggressive man for a shoe lace or an unused newspaper, my eyes did a double take! The guy in the car next to them was driving a 1963 or 1964 Mercury Monterey with the "breezeway" window in the back. That was my Grandfather's last car, he died in 1965 or 4, can't remember now, and my Gram kept using the car into the early 70s. Because I was particularly close to my Gram, seeing the car again touched my heart and made me smile.

I'm sure most of my women friends would disagree with the film's premise that babies are what give women purpose in life, but one can certainly enjoy the romantic fun at the end of the film as the Boyers decide to make good on Mr. Boyer's promise to bring a baby home if "mommy helped with it". I couldn't help laughing at the twin beds in the Boyer's bedroom however, which begged the question "how easy was it to make babies in a space so little?" :-)

All in all a fun escapist comedy, highly recommended if for nothing else than Doris' classic facial responses to goings-on around her. It's time to get your own copy of the film and see what a "The Thrill of It All" it really is.

Tom

Great film for new mommies and new daddies!
This film has a real cute opening with Arlene Francis ("What's My Line" game show 1968-1975) and Edward Andrews (Send Me No Flowers [1964]). Nice surprise! James Garner is Arlene's doctor and Arlene invites the doctor and his wife Doris Day to celebrate. At the dinner party, they meet an excited old man who is the owner of the Happy Soap Company. They all hush to see the new Happy Soap commercial on color tv. There is the new girl naked in the bathtub explaining Happy Soap. Afterwards, Doris day begins to tell the man about how Happy Soap saved her life today. Her kids took a bath today and liked Happy Soap instead of Pine Tar. The older man gets excited and enjoys her story. He decides to make Doris, the ordinary housewife, the new spokesperson for Happy Soap in the next commercial. The commercials work and she becomes a star. However, her husband feels neglected. With her busy schedule and his schedule at the hospital, they just can't find time to be together or with the children. Also the first maid quit due to a misunderstanding and the new maid speaks German and misunderstands english. This is really a cute and funny movie and I highly recommend it to those new mommies and new daddies. The children are: Brian Nash (Please Don't Eat The Daises tv series 1965-67) and Kym Karath (Spencer's Mountain [1963], Sound Of Music [1965]). Directed by Norman Jewison, Produced by Ross Hunter and Martin Melcher. A great filming of a movie with good camera angles and one-shot moving scenes by Director of Photography Russell Metty & Associates.

it smells better than the oohcky soap
this movie is truly charming buy this ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Remember the outfit Cher wore to the Oscars when she won an Academy Award for her performance in this 1987 film? Ay-yi-yi. The actress' more retiring character in this infectious comedy leaps several psychological hurdles just giving her hair a permanent. But then the original screenplay by John Patrick Shanley (Joe Versus the Volcano) is a wonderful, gently satirical tale of an Italian-American family dealing with repression and dissatisfaction against a backdrop of cultural expectations. Cher is focused and funny as a widow who feels she should marry an older fellow (Danny Aiello), but then falls for his black-sheep brother (Nicolas Cage). Olympia Dukakis and Vincent Gardenia are perfect as her parents, and John Mahoney (of TV's Frasier) has a memorable, small role as a middle-aged man on the make who gets a lecture from Dukakis's character. Shanley's dialogue is comically stylized in a way that makes one appreciate how much words can inform an actor's performance. Taking its cues from him and director Norman Jewison (And Justice for All), the cast immerse themselves in a pool of hilariously operatic emotion. The special-edition DVD release has a full-screen presentation, Dolby sound, commentary by Cher, Jewison, and Shanley, theatrical trailer, closed captioning, booklet, optional French soundtrack, and optional subtitles in English, French, or Spanish. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (126)

One of the most endearing and enduring films from the 80s
It's impossible to feel anything but affection for this wonderful movie. Officially, I guess, it's a romantic comedy, but it also contains some serious drama; often it's very funny, but just as often it's genuinely touching. It features a great soundtrack, with music ranging from Italian folk tunes to selections from Puccini's La Boheme to pop songs like Dean Martin's "It's Amore" and Vikki Carr's "It Must Be Him" plus a lovely rendition of the '30s standard "Moonglow." In each case the music is perfectly and aptly used. Moonstruck, unlike most Hollywood films, shows us that there can be sexual energy, flirtatiousness, and above all romance between people who are well on the other side of 50: one of my favorite scenes is when Aunt Rita (Julie Bovasso) looks at her husband's face in the moonlight and tells him, "in that light, and with that expression on your face, you look like you're 25." Then there's the scene in which Rose (Olympia Dukakis), after insisting that her husband Cosmo (Vincent Gardenia) stop seeing his mistress, tells Cosmo that his life is "not built on nothing." "Te amo," she tells him. It's as moving as anything I've seen in any drama. Then there's the cast! I, for one, wish that Cher would abandon her career as a second-rate (albeit successful) pop music star and concentrate on her work as a first-rate actress. In every frame of this film, she's extraordinary and completely in character. Nicolas Cage has never been better. And every role is filled to capacity by esteemed, if not famous, New York and Chicago stage actors. Special mention must be made of Fiodor Chaliapin, who is given a great moment (howling at the moon with his dogs), and who fills it admirably. Moonstruck is certainly a "New York" movie, but it's set, spiritually as well as physically, mostly in Brooklyn, rather than Manhattan. Moonstruck is a wonderful film! I remember seeing many European "art" films during the 1980s, but if I were to compile a list of Top Ten Films from that decade, they'd take second place to this Norman Jewison masterpiece. This one's a keeper!

Romantic but not mushy, just perfect
I usually avoid romantic comedies, but I happen to like Cher; even then, when my mom rented this movie I thought: "Pooh, a romantic comedy! Do I have to go through this to see Cher?" Well, I was never more glad to have to eat my own words; this was quality. The acting was excellent, the plot was great, and my mom and I fell in love with Johnny, the dreamy, no-good baker portrayed by Nicholas Cage. Cher was also great in her role as Loretta, the repressed widow resigned to marry some mamma's boy without loving him. That part of Johnny and Loretta's night out, when they accidentally meet her father and his mistress at the opera was so good, I rewinded the tape and watched it again. And Loretta's mother dining with the stranger... well, those are the highlights, but on the whole it was a wonderful movie. If you're like me and don't like most romantic comedies, just give this one a try, you'll probably be pleasantly surprised.

Moonstruck (1987)
Ever since her incredible debut with Sonny Bono in 1965, Cher has been known to be one of the mos successful female musical acts known to the world. Cher has had a hugely successful career in music; she was well-known with Sonny, but it was her solo career that seemed more successful. But Cher wasn't about to be successful in just the music business; Cher wanted to be successful as an actress as well. Cher has starred in a wide load of movies, such as 'Chastity', where she played the title role, 'Silkwood', where she played Dolly Pelliker, 'Mask', where she played Florence 'Rusty' Dennis, 'Suspect', where she played Kathleen Riley, 'The Witches Of Eastwick', where she played Alexandra Medford, etc. But it was her role as Loretta Castorini in the romantic comedy, 'Moonstruck' that made her another one of today's best actresses.

Taking place in New York City in 1987, Cher playes Loretta Castorini, a lonely Italian widow, who is longing for her Prince Charming to sweep her up off her legs and get her out of her misery. Loretta goes to dinner with her best friend, Johnny Cammareri (played by Danny Aiello). Johnny surprisingly proposes to Loretta, and she happily accepts. Although Loretta likes Johnny a lot because he is her best friend, she knows for a fact that she does not love him. After dinner, Loretta drives Johnny to the airport, for he is flying to Sicilly to be by the side of his dying mother. Before he boards the plane, Johnny gives Loretta the number to his brother's place, and tells her to invite his brother to the wedding. The two lived their lives without seeing or speaking to each other for five years, due to an accident. Loretta assures Johnny that she'll do so and goes home to tell her mother and father, Rose and Cosmo Castorini (played by Olympia Dukakis and Vincent Gardenia). Loretta wakes up the next morning, with a phone call from Johnny, asking if Loretta had called his brother yet. Loretta informs Johnny that she'll do so when she hangs up with Johnny. She calles Johnny's brother, but his brother sounds very bitter about Johnny getting married first. Loretta walks down to where Johnny's brother works. Ronny Cammareri is Johnny's brother and he works in a little bread factory, who is still miserable after losing his hand in a bread chopper. He feels Johnny was responsible since, Ronny was using the chopper to chop up some bread for Johnny. Loretta takes Ronny back to his place and begins to explain the truth to Johnny's misery. But the two wind up sleeping together.

The next morning, Loretta wakes up the next morning only to find Ronny by her side and flips out. She realizes that what she did was wrong, for she is still engaged to Johnny. But Ronny finds himself having fallen madly in love with Loretta... literally. Ronny invites Loretta to the opera, telling her that he loves her dearly and loves the opera dearly. He then says that if he could be with the woman he loves for one more night and to spend the night with the woman he loves by attending a show he loves dearly, he would promise not to bother Loretta again. Loretta goes to the Met, where she meets up with Ronny. The two sit through the opera, very much enjoying the show. Loretta seemed to have enjoyed very much, until she finds her father with a woman and that woman is not her mother. Ronny and Loretta go back to Ronny's place. Loretta does not want to be unfaithful, since she has been unfaithful to Johnny already once. But she knows that she does not love Johnny, for she is madly in love with Ronny and, for the first time, really sees that Ronny is love with her. Will Loretta leave Johnny for Ronny, or will she stay with Johnny? Watch this classic romantic comedy and you'll find out.

Authentically Italian!
This movie is on my list of all-time favorites so I was delighted when my son recently bought it for me on DVD. It is the humorous and delightful love story of Loretta Castorini, a young Italian widow who lives with her parents in Brooklyn, and Ronnie Camarerie, owner of Camarerie Brothers Bakery and by chance the brother of Loretta's fiancee. How these two individuals come together and the interplay between them and all the members of Loretta's large and often interfering Italian family makes for many hilarious moments.

This movie is especially heartwarming as it depicts an Italian-American family better than any movie I have ever seen. I am a member of a large Italian family and I can vouch for its authenticity! The Castorini home even reminded me of many of those of my Italian relatives, filled with much good food and good conversation as well as memories of love and family. This is truly a wonderful movie experience!

This DVD version features an option to watch the movie while listening to a voice over by director Norman Jewison, writer John Patrick Shanley and lead actress Cher. I thoroughly enjoyed this feature, as each added amusing anecdotes about the filming of the movie, as well as their own input about various scenes and information about the other actors.

A Must See Romantic Comedy!
Academy Award Winner Cher, plays Loretta, a middle-aged widow who while her fiance is in Italy at the deathbed of his mother, finds herself unwilling drawn to his misfit younger brother (Nicholas Cage) who is falling apart after his own "loses."
And while the family struggles with their individual problems, Loretta's father finds his youth in the arms of another woman.
Olympia Dukakis plays an Award Winning role as Loretta's mother.
Nicholas Cage although he won no awards for this film, does an outstanding job as an over-the-top, heartbroken man who is jealous of everything that his brother has, including Loretta.
Definately a must-see romantic/comedy. I very much enjoyed this movie and hope you will too. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

"A Bad Little Girl Named Melba Niles"
Poker is the setting and the power of corruption is the theme of The Cincinnati Kid.The two protagonists in the poker match are The Kid (Eric Stoner, played by Steve McQueen) and The Man Himself (Lancey Howard, played by Edward G. Robinson); youthful, exuberant, but inexperienced and innocent challenger vs. the accomplished, dedicated, wise yet dessicated champion.

The primary vector of corruption is Melba Niles (played by Ann-Margret) in a remarkable role.At the outset her husband (The Shooter, played by Karl Malden) complains that she cheats at everything as she puts together a jigsaw puzzle by trimming the wrong pieces with manicure scissors. Her influence despoils everything it touches:Shooter's "reputation is the one of the few stable things in a world of crumbling values" at the start of the movie; he's the only dealer everyone can trust.By the end of the movie his reputation is in tatters, giving "an occasional helpful card" to The Kid at the whim of Slade (Rip Torn) who threatens to expose Melba's past.The portrayal of Shooter's descent is well done; Melba laughs and mocks as he wrestles with his conscience ("I'll only help him if he really needs it.He might not need any help at all.").

In an early scene Christian (The Kid's girl, played by Tuesday Weld) and Melba go to the movies.As Christian describes the movie to the Kid, she is puzzled that people in the movie "valued their lives more than their honor".The Kid explains (as to a naive child): "Well, yeah.What good is honor if you are dead?"At some level the movie "The Cincinnati Kid" seems to ask the obverse question "What good is your life if you don't have your honor?"

Later, Melba asks the Kid (with Christian present) about the upcoming game with Lancey; Christian didn't know about this major event in the Kid's life and she goes home to her parents feeling hurt, thinking that she doesn't have The Kid's confidence, that he doesn't even tell her about it.The Kid ends up thinking that maybe she doesn't love him anymore.

During Christian's absence Melba tries to seduce the Kid, and at first the Kid can resist her, recognizing Melba's corrupting influence and not wanting to cuckold his friend The Shooter.But because of the confluence of circumstances (Shooter's dishonesty and Christian's indifference) he succumbs to her.As you might expect, the Kid pays a heavy price for this weakness.

Other attractions are the snappy dialog, and the final showdown between the Kid and the Man is a classic scene not to be missed.

this is one of my favorites!
every time this movie comes on TCM, i have to look at it. the stud poker scenes are intense. Steve McQueen and Edward G. are suberb. i just love it! and the title song sung by the Great Ray Charles is a treat. i just love it. Worth ordering and adding to my collection.

I miss about the few seconds on New Orleans Jass
Please, please please release a DVD. Sometimes this great
movie is still shown in German TV, but too seldom. And I'm
hungry for the few moments of New Orleans Jazz (perhaps Geo Lewis?). 4stars of because there is no DVD

The arrogance disciple against the experience master!
This is a cult film all the way and certainly one of my favorite issues of Norman Jewison. Few times before or since this picture have ever been such adrenaline confrontation and dramatic tension in any card game .
Edward G. Robinson is the old master and Mc Queen the young man , capable to conquer the world just in one gamble . In the middle of the great depression this movie has had too many similar works through the years, but this is the definitive to date .
The supreme Goddess of the middle sixties Ann Margret and the masterful hand of Jewison makes of it a fundamental CD for your personal collection.

Don't waste your gambling money on this stinker
There is a reason this film (and I use that term loosely) has not been released on DVD.. I am a huge Steve McQeen fan, but this is a terrible movie... Poor Ann-Margaret..no wonder she never really was taken seriously as an actress.. This movie reminded me more a musical, without the music.. (Think "Showboat").. cheesey lines, uneven editing, hey the list goes on and on.. I know, the current poker craze has everyone jumping on anything having to do with the game.. but save your money.. this movie stinks.. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming looks overly cute now, but really, it was pretty hip for 1966. The cold war was in full deep-freeze when this well-meaning comedy tried to thaw things out a little: a Soviet submarine beaches on the New England coast, sending the locals into a paranoid frenzy. The chief pleasure of the film is Alan Arkin as the sub captain; this was Arkin's first major film role, and he had already mastered his exasperated, slow-burning frown (to say nothing of mastering his Russian dialogue). Arkin snagged an Oscar® nomination, with the movie receiving nominations for best picture, adapted screenplay, and editing--nods that reflect the film's smashing success at the box office. Somewhat dated now, the movie still has its place in the roster of raucous, American small-town comedies; seen in childhood, it will linger nicely as a depiction of foolish grown-ups. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (39)

The Laughs are coming, the Laughs are coming !
I have watched this movie more times than I can count, and each time I find myself laughing until I cry. When a Russian submarine accidentally runs aground of a sleepy little island summer town, the people literally go nuts. Alan Arkin, Carl Reiner, Brian Keith and Jonathan Winters are just a few of the many fine actors who make this movie a laugh a minute. When the bumbling Russians tie up and gag the elderly Post-Mistress "Muriel Everitt" and sit her on top of the refrigerator - you will laugh until your sides ache when her nearly deaf husband eats breakfast 2 feet from her and never realizes she's behind him struggling to get his attention. The sight of Carl Reiner tied up face to face with the hefty town operator and their efforts to hop down a steep flight of steps, (ending, naturally, with the heavy woman falling on top of Carl Reiner and passing out ) is more than I could take with out laughing until I cried. Please rent this movie and have the entire family watch it with you. It's in the genre of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" and you will enjoy every moment !

Everybody to get from street...and buy this video!
I also agree that this has to be one of the best comedies from the 1960's. With Norman Jewison directing, this isn't your average flick, quite polished for a comedy, with excellent editing and cinematography and a strong script adapted from Benchley's novel. Jewison's creation of place captures just the right amount of sleepyness for this small island, and is perfect. Many of the performances are also exceptional, highlighted by Brian Keith as the long-suffering Glouscester Island sheriff; Jonathan Winters, of course, as one of his deputies; Carl Reiner as the vacationing writer; Eva Marie Saint as his long-suffering wife; their son (whose name escapes me, but who almost steals the movie with his antics); and Alan Arkin, as the long-suffering Soviet submarine lieutenant who must somehow get his sub off the reef. But first he must venture on-shore with his men and into the lives of the feared Americans. For its time, this movie must have been quite subversive given how the Russians are portrayed, which is truthful, normal and with affection. These aren't killers, just sailors, and right off the bat we're rooting for them to succeed. Arkin gives one of his best performances ever; it's a pleasure to watch him swing from drama to comedy and back. His rendition of the Reiner character's name as "Whitaker Walt" is a classic and a family favorite. He does it all here, and very movingly. The same can be said for Keith, who also shows great range and appeal. This movie also has one of the best endings of any film. A great comedy with a great message.

Excellent Anti-War Comedy
A Russian submarine runs aground on an island near New England. The Russian skipper (Theodore Bikel) sends a landing party ashore to find a boat to tow the stranded sub. The landing party is headed by Alan Arkin. The winter residents of the island have a police department of sorts which is headed by Brian Keith and his assistant is Jonathan Winters. Paul Ford heads a small band of mostly unarmed volunteers. Carl Reiner and Eva Marie Saint are taken captive by the hapless Russians. In response to the "invasion" Ford rallies his group with slogans which remind us of the battles of Concord and Lexington and also Bunker Hill. Two old ladies ride through the village on a motorcycle doing their own imitation of Paul Revere.

The movie is an anti-war comedy made after the Cuban Missile Crisis and during the period of escalation in Vietnam. It is also a time when private bomb shelters are being built by Americans.

THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Actor (Alan Arkin), Adapted Screenplay and Editing. The main competition for Oscars in 1966 came from A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS.

Norman Jewison also directed FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR.

One of the funniest ever
I'm old enough that I first saw this classic at the theatre, yep, upwards of 40 years ago. I laughed then, and haven't stopped.

I have a habit of collecting films that are a must for my library when they come out in different formats. So, while I already had this in VCR, it's now necessary to get it for DVD. It hasn't lost even a little of its humorous effect.

Where does one start? Alan Arkin was brilliant, deserved an academy award. Carl Reiner was fabulous. Perhaps my favorite of all, even to this day, was Paul Ford. (Oh, and Jonothan Winter's part is incredible.)

But the DVD is even better than the others. You see, there's an interview with producer/director Norman Jewison that's worth its weight in gold. He goes on about how well the actors worked together. And I remember that the film, even in my much younger days, gave me some hope: Maybe we CAN live together despite Cold War rhetoric and the like. It seems the Russians felt the same way!

This is a film that should be part of everyone's collection. It's hysterial, satirical, some of the finest acting I've ever seen--and a collection of one liners to make the Marx Bros. jealous. Get it and relish it.

HILARIOUS!
This movie is really funny! It is a light-hearted comedy. The chocolate cake scene is the funniest and "Mr. Whitaker, Walt" does a great job! Although this was a highly stressful time for the USA with a pending threat from the USSR, it is funny to see how the people ultimately react. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Explosive Mystery-Drama
In The Heat Of The Night is an explosively powerful murder mystery that at the time of its release in 1967 was quite controversial. It deals with a black detective, Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) going to a small southern town to investigate a murder. At first he meets the usually hatred and racism from the local cops led by the gruff and racist sheriff, Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger) He is arrested and accused of the murder, but when discovered innocent, he goes on to solve the mystery and gain the respect of the sheriff. Both Mr. Poitier and Mr. Steiger are brilliant in the film. Although they do sometimes plays things over the top, the acting fits the mood. The actors make a fine team and they push one another to excellence. The supporting cast is quite strong with Lee Grant, Warren Oates and William Schallert and Norman Jewison guides the movie with his deft hand. Haskell Wexler's cinematography is sharp and Quincy Jones' soundtrack is right on. The film went on to win the Best Picture Oscar and Mr. Steiger took home the Best Actor prize.

Cinema's all-time best detective thriller.
Between the dark film noir of "The Maltese Falcon" and the creepy gorefests inspired by "The Silence of the Lambs," the detective film wasn't exactly a vital film genre. But at least one entry into the genre made a major impact during those years, and that was 1967's "In the Heat of the Night." Since it was released, much has been made of the movie's status as a powerful story of race relations during the time of segregation, but the fact is, these elements are somewhat secondary to its brilliant character studies and expertly-handled mystery investigation. This is THE detective film, and quite possibly THE police film as well.

The film begins with Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger) -- sheriff of the small town of Sparta, Mississippi -- investigating the scene where a powerful businessman has been murdered. Gillespie's deputies arrest a traveller named Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) for the murder simply on the grounds that he is black, but he turns out to be a homicide detective from Philadelphia who was just passing through. After being cleared, Tibbs is anxious to leave Sparta, but Gillespie -- in need of such an expert -- convinces him to stay and help solve the case. And from there, we have our movie.

Besides the story, the main thing "In the Heat of the Night" has going for it are the performances of its lead actors. It would have been incredibly easy to portray Tibbs as a noble black crusader, forced by his innate nobility to offer his help in the face of hatred (Poitier had played this type of good-natured gentleman in many of his other films). It would have been even easier for Gillespie to come off as a mindless racist redneck. Neither description comes anywhere close to describing the characters in this film. Virgil Tibbs is arrogant and aloof when we first meet him. He's no hero; he's a real human being who reacts to the way the Sparta police have treated him in the understandable manner of trying to get out of town as quickly as possible. He doesn't want to help them, and even when he's forced to, he lets his prejudices against Southern whites cloud his investigation (Tibbs spends the majority of the film believing one of the victim's business rivals -- a detestable racist -- to be the murderer, only to be proven wrong).

If Poitier's portrayal of Tibbs as a realistic human being rather than a flawless screen hero is admirable, then Rod Steiger's handling of the Sheriff Gillespie character is downright masterful. Bill Gillespie does not like or trust African-Americans, and he makes no secret of this. And yet the filmmakers didn't fall into a cliche trap and take care to show that even though Gillespie is a bigot, he's also a good cop. Unlike certain similar characters (and even some of his deputies in this film), Gillespie doesn't allow his prejudices to stand in the way of his investigation (a character flaw that, oddly enough, Tibbs gives in to while Gillespie does not). This is no "Bull Connor" character; this is a man who knows his job, and does it well. Tibbs and Gillespie begin the movie as two prejudiced men who begrudgingly admit to needing each other's help due to the circumstances (Gillespie's lack of a homicide expert; Tibbs' being forced to remain in an unfamiliar and hostile environment), and end it with a powerful respect for one another.

"In the Heat of the Night" won Best Picture at the 1968 Academy Awards (the first detective film to do so), and Steiger took home the Best Actor award for his career-best portrayal of Gillespie. (Because this, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," and "To Sir, With Love" were all released in the same year, Poitier was unable to consolidate enough votes for any one film and thus failed to be nominated; Norman Jewison lost Best Director to "The Graduate"'s Mike Nichols.) That perfectly sums up this film's legacy: a brilliant film with two powerful lead performances, and an all-time classic of the detective genre.

Just About as Good as a Movie Gets
In 1967 Poitier made this movie and Look Who's Coming to Dinner. Both were extremely well received and this won academy awards for best picture and best actor. Poitier's career slid downhill from here almost immediately. That his status as The Greatest Black Actor Ever hasn't diminished nearly 40 years later is a testament to his excellence and influence in the late 50's and the 60's up until '67. The movie is nearly perfect. Rod Steiger gives the performance of his career. Poitier is excellent, of course. The story is good but the movie is really about the racial tensions and two men forced to work together despite their desire not to be in the same room together. Also at hand is a backward and archaic South being slowly dragged kicking and screaming into postwar 20th century.

TENSIONS FLAIR IN THE HEAT OF THIS NIGHT!
"In The Heat of the Night" is the racially charged melodrama that made Sidney Poitier a star. Poitier is Det. Virgil Tibbs, an out of state detective assigned to investigate a racially motivated crime in the deep South. Tibbs' initial congenial good nature immediate brand him a push over by both his fellow officers and the populous. But Tibbs is a man of conviction. He immediately runs into interference from Police Chief Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger), a bigoted and pompous law man who begins to change his ways when it turns out that Virgil's hunch on the case might just turn out to be true. Both the central performances of Poitier and Steiger, and the unlikely bond and ultimate friendship that ensue, are electrifying reasons to revisit this powerful drama of the 1960s. Lee Grant, Beah Richards and Warren Oates costar. In the late 80s "In The Heat of the Night" became a prime time television series starring Caroll O'Connor. But by then much of the tempestuous and confrontational aspects of its subplot had been removed.

MGM/UA gives us a non-anamorphic widescreen DVD. Colors are severely dated with a lot of fading present throughout the print. Age related artifacts are everywhere and sometimes distract. Black levels are often weak. Pixelization is primarily responsible for an unstable image. The audio is mono and badly dated as well, strident and poorly balanced. There are no extras.

STEIGER AND POITIER AT THEIR HEIGHTS OF POWER
In 1967, Sidney Poitier again stirred the red-necks with "In the Heat of the Night", where he plays Virgil Tibbs, a competent Philadelphia cop stuck overnight in a Mississippi town. It must be 110 degrees at night. The white boys sweat like stuck pigs while Virgil is as cool as a cucumber in a Savoy Row suit. The sheriff, Rod Steiger, is discomfited by circumstances in which Tibbs is "lent" to him to solve a murder that happens to occur when he is there. In working together, layer after layer of characterization is stripped away in marvelous fashion, through the skill of director Norman Jewison (who tells everybody he is not a Jew, he is Methodist), until understanding between the two men become a metaphor for the healing of a divided America. Very good stuff.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Definately one of my favorite American movies.
I think the first time I saw this movie, was an edited TV version. I usually don't watch TV because I'm annoyed by commercial interruptions. But, this film captured my interest because of how well it played out as flashbacks being put together to come to a conclusion about a murder. This is a suspenseful story with an unexpected conclusion.
Tynin, Louisiana 1944. A black non-commissioned officer was murdered. Shot to death on a roadside near a bridge, outside of a predominately black army base with only white officers. A black army officer lawyer (Howard Rollins, Jr.) comes from Washington D.C. to Louisiana to investigate the murder. No one has ever seen a black officer before and white officers only heard of the possibility that a black man could be an officer. As you can imagine, this black officer doesn't get much support from the white officers on the base.
This is a powerful film of perseverance, courage, determination, pride, and accomplishment against overwhelming odds. And the cast is fabulous. Howard Rollins, Jr. Adolph Caesar, David Alan Grier, Denzel Washington, Art Evans, David Harris, Larry Riley (as C.J. Memphis), Wings Hauser, and many other stars you know you've seen before. And it even includes Patti Labelle as Big Mary belting out some fabulous Southern Rockin' Blues.
This is my very favorite film that has Denzel Washington, although "Mississippi Masala" is a close second.

A Spellbinding Tale, Brilliantly Told
A phenomenal cast brings Charles Fuller's adaptation of his Pulitzer Prize-winning play to the big screen. Howard E. Rollins, Jr., is magnetic as the Army Captain sent to investigate the murder of a black Sergeant in Louisiana during World War II; his careful detective work uncovers the complex layers of racism (both externalized and internalized) that led up to the crime. Adolph Caesar gives a superb, Oscar-nominated performance as the (unsympathetic) victim whose story is told through a series of flashbacks. And Larry Riley, David Alan Grier, Robert Townsend, and the always-magnificent Denzel Washington register strongly in important supporting roles. Effective as both a mystery and a social commentary, this worthy nominee for the 1984 Best Picture Oscar is tightly directed by Norman Jewison.

The DVD presentation of this recent screen classic offers an excellent film-to-video transfer, featuring a sharp picture and crisp sound. The disc contains both the widescreen and fullscreen editions, and includes the original theatrical trailer. Also offered is a short but very moving 1999 documentary entitled "March to Freedom", which recounts several astonishing real-life stories of racism in the American armed forces during World War II. All-in-all, this is a highly recommended DVD that deserves a place in your home video library.

A must see
This is a must see movie. It features some of the best African-American actors and has a story line that everyone can relate to.

Excellent
I found this movie to be a beautifully done flick. I remember going to the movies with my family to go see it. I was only 6 years old when it came out, but I remembered it. It also came on TV quite a few times, so I watched it then too. I recommend this movie for everyone to see. It's very compelling.

A Soldiers Story
This is one of my favorite movies...It is about a black army officers death..It deals with racial tention and even racism within the black race..The investigation is headed up by a black high ranked officer which was very rare in those days and that causes problems too..U will see many stars Like Denzel Washington, the guy that plays Moesha's daddy, Howard E.Rollins from In the Heat of the Night, and even Patti LaBelle..This is an excellent film.. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

A Travel Brochure to Love
Norman Jewison created this warm and airy ode to love, and gave it both the beauty and fragrance of a flower cart on the cobbled streets of Italy. The scenery will take your breath away and the story make you smile in this light romantic comedy.

The always sweet and engaging Marisa Tomei is Faith, on the the verge of marriage when a phone call from her fiance's friend will stop her dead in her tracks, simply because his name is Damon Bradley. A game played when she was a child and a Gypsy fortune teller at a carnival in her teens told her the man she would love and marry would be named, Damon Bradley.

Bonnie Hunt shines as Faith's sister-in-law and best friend, who takes off to Venice with her in search of her destiny, written in the stars. When they discover he has left the hotel he called from, the search will go from Venice to Rome, and the lovely Italian coast, as Norman Jewisn gives us a gorgeous view of romantic Italy.

Robert Downey Jr. is at his most charming as Damon Bradley, who Faith meets by chance, or perhaps fate, and falls in love with. Faith will discover, however, that destiny has a few twists and turns in store for her, in this truly delightful violin concerto to love.

This film will work its magic on you if you enjoy a light romantic comedy with a 1950's feel, and will surely become one of your favorites if you are seeing it for the first time. Don't let destiny, or this film, pass you by.

Some enchanted evening....
That is what it is when you watch this movie. Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey, Jr. has such chemistry it's hard to believe they're not a couple in real life. Tomei plays Faith, an engaged woman chasing her destiny all the way to Italy. Unbeknownst to her, Downey IS her destiny. This movie really makes you believe in true love, destiny, and that one special someone. See it with someone you love.

And I personally love all of Downey's works--but I'm biased. To me, there is no better talent in this movie. And he is so good looking! I fell in love with him too!

Buy it, watch it, love it!!!
I love this movie. On a rainy day, with nothing to do, curl up on the couch and feel good. What a great movie to lose yourself in. If you believe that there is just one person for you, if you ever believed in destiny....this is the movie for you. Take it at face value, don't over analyze it. Just love it. Both Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. were never better.

What am I missing???
I don't really understand all the favorable reviews of this movie. Let me list the things I like:

Marisa Tomei's opening scene in the classroom
The beautiful scenery
The allusion made by her name--Faith

The rest of this movie was a huge disappointment to me. Especially as I was expecting something of the same calibur as Sleepless in Seattle, which lot's of people compare this to. First of all, a ridiculous plot. Who would fly half way around the world because of a NAME of someone you were supposed to marry?!? Secondly, Peter (aka, Damon 1) claims to be in love with Faith after knowing her less than 24 hours. And alleged feelings seem actually to be only sexual chemistry. Not much basis for a long term relationship between "soulmates." Yes, I know they had some common interests. So what? I have common interests with hundreds of people, some of which I might be attracted to--not really enough reason to declare lifelong devotion after only a few hours. The premise of this movie does exactly what Kate (Faith's sister-in-law) claims that movies do. They paint a picture of a false reality. I know all movies do so, but most movies don't claim NOT to. And if this is someone's idea of reality, pity to them. Wake up! Love is much deeper and more multi-faceted than this farce of "divine predestination." Of course, as a good Calvinist, I believe every event is predestined--both good AND bad. However, not every predestined relationship will be all asparkle with sentimentality and unbridled passion.

One of the best romantic comedies
This is one of the best romantic comedies! The age-old concept of star-crossed lovers is beautifully portrayed by the always charming and talented Robert Downey Jr. and the wonderful Marisa Tomei. It's a must see for all romantic comedy lovers. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Provacative and entertaining
After having just seen the latest version of the Thomas Crown Affair I much preferred the original version with Steve McQueen & Faye Dunaway. It had subler shadings in it and even though it wasn't as slick as the Brosnan-Russo "Affair", I felt it was more stylish, and had more substance. It really kept you guessing more, and the ending was more in keeping with the nuances played out during the film itself. The newer one threw in so much unnecessary nudity it grated on me. Too much of the "90's obligatory gratuitous sex" trying to make a good movie better. It didn't succeed. Steven McQueen gave you much more of a feel of a man who had his finger in many pies and was simply bored with his predictable (boring, rich life) and out to pit his considerable brain power against his antagonists. There too, there was more of the picture of the Law against the man who believed he could beat the odds. All in all, McQueen's Thomas Crown Affair had both style AND substance; the Brosnan Affair had only the style.

Chess was never this much fun
I was interested in seeing this film after I saw the remake, especially when I heard so many people say the original was so much better. After having seen both, I'd call it a toss up (both were good!).

Actually, the remake was only loosely based on the original. The original is about a rich guy who knocks off a bank, and the remake about a rich guy who steals art.

This film is well crafted and though the story is far fetched (as in the remake) it's entertaining. Norman Jewison does a terrific job of directing. His visual interpretations, camera angles and dramatic effects are timeless. He overuses the split screen concept a bit, but we need to remember that in 1968 this was fairly new technology and he was probably enamoured with the novelty of it. Think of how much `morphing' was being used when it was first developed.

Probably the best scene involved the chess match between Thomas (Steve McQueen) and Vicki (Faye Dunaway). It was far more erotic than all the scenes where Rene Russo was running around naked in the remake.

The acting was excellent, with Dunaway taking top honors as the stop-at-nothing insurance investigator who literally gets her man. Steve McQueen played the rich macho ego maniac to perfection. His only minus was his phony victory laugh, which was overacted and overused. Paul Burke stayed appropriately but effectively on the sidelines as the police detective.

In comparing the two films, I'd have to say it's about even. The remake had a more inventive and interesting story, replacing the bank robbery with an art heist, but it was also more ridiculous in the final disposition of the stolen painting. The original had better direction and use of the camera, while the remake was much better in use of costumes, props and sets in recreating the opulent lifestyle. Clearly the remake benefited from 30 years of technological improvement in sound and film quality.

The remake was more self indulgent, especially in the sexual area. The McQueen interpretation of Crown was more realistic than Brosnan's conflicted and emotional distraught version. Each reflected their respective times, but McQueen's character was a better representation of the timeless arrogance of the ultra rich. I have to give Rene Russo a slight edge as the investigator. She gave the character more complexity and range. Paul Burke was far superior to Denis Leary as the cop.

The ending of the original was definitely superior, though each ending was really true to the characters' personalities as portrayed.

I gave this film an 8/10. If you like classic films, and you enjoyed the remake, you will probably enjoy this one as well.

Has It Been THAT Many Years?
After enjoying the remake of this movie I ordered the DVD of the original. I loved it at the theater back in the sixties and hadn't seen it since then. For once in a blue moon, I discovered I liked the remake better! The plot is only vaguely the same for these two movies. I remember this film was a great departure for Steve McQueen and he still seems to have a thug-like quality to me. Ms. Dunaway is a walking parade of late-sixties fashion, with lots of makeup and eyelashes. Strange, I didn't ever realize she had a scar on her forehead. Regardless, the style of cinematography is extremely dated now. Sort of like what today's jerky-camera commercials will look like a few years from now. Oh, it's fun to watch. It's just not as good a story as the remake.

The Original Crown!
This is an extremely fine film. Besides a ingenious story and terrific acting by McQueen (who plays a "cool" and very wealthy businessman perfectly) and Dunaway (who looks absolutely stunning and plays it "smart" in nearly every scene), this movie has some fascinating and utterly BRILLIANT editing like no other film I know of... and a HAUNTING and GORGEOUS music score created by Michel LeGrand.

What about the NEW version?

I have been a huge fan of the original Thomas Crown Affair since I first saw it while in the military in 1969..... and bought the 1999 "re-make" because I heard so many good things about it. I must say that honestly there are good points in BOTH films. I never quite bought the fact that the original wealthy "Crown" got his "kicks" robbing a bank.... so stealing the "Monet" made much more sense to me. I also thought the story was a bit more interesting in the new version and I was more satisfied by the challenge Bronsnan's character found in Russo's bluntness.

Overall, however this 1969 "Crown" is the version I prefer. It contains an absolutely beautiful music score by Michel LeGrand (which is superior to the loud, lackluster and frangmented score that Bill Conti created for the new version). The title track here is "Windmills of Your Mind" is an awesome song, but also amazing is "Her Eyes, His Eyes" created for the infamous chess playing sequence. I also prefer the sensuous and sexy elegance of the fire between McQueen and Dunaway to the overtly sweaty lust that Brosnan and Russo desparately share together... this film is more subtile and suggests sexuality.. which seems more fascinating than just the plain nakedness in the new version.

Although I do prefer this film to the remake, both versions are well made and interesting in their own right, and should be enjoyed for what they are and what makes them so entertaining.

"Cat and Mouse" At Its Finest
Once again, why did they ever even think of remaking this movie? Steve McQueen is at his best in his portrayal of Thomas Crown, a wealthy genius who is a mastermind for constructing elaborate bank robberies. I really enjoyed the music in this film, particularly the way it interacts with the director's (Jewison) use of split screens. While it's a dated technique, it really helps move the plot along without unnecessary cutting. Additionally, the anonymity of his accomplices and the way that several loose ends come together to form the perfect robbery is best captured by this technique, in my opinion.

Beyond McQueen's powerful performance, Faye Dunaway blows Rene Russo's remake performance out of the water. Dunaway is smart, sexy, and knows how to handle herself. While it's a bit slow in some parts, this movie is a psychological piece that focuses primarily upon the "cat and mouse" interplay between McQueen and Dunaway. This is a "battle of wits" movie-not a pure action flick, as the remake might have you believe. The ending is also extremely well done. Rather than end on a typical Hollywood note, the final scenes of this film will leave you perplexed and wanting more of this film. With one of the longest screen kisses I've ever seen and the famous "chess" sequence, this film is a classic that definitely belongs in your video library. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the year 2018, violence and crime have been totally eliminated from society and given outlet in the brutal blood sport of rollerball, a high-velocity blend of football, hockey, and motor-cross racing sponsored by the multinational corporations that now control the world following the collapse of traditional politics. James Caan plays Jonathan E., the reigning superstar of rollerball, whose corporate controllers fear that Jonathan's popularity has endowed him with too much power. They begin to pressure him according to their own ruthless set of rules, but Jonathan has rules of his own--the rules of a man determined to retain his soul in a world gone mad. As directed by Norman Jewison (who was enjoying a peak of success during the early and mid-1970s), Rollerball creates a believable society that's been rendered passive and compliant by the homogenization of corporate dictatorships, where the control and flow of information is the only currency of any importance. It's a world in which natural human aggressions have been sublimated and vented through the religious fervor toward rollerball and its players. Rollerball now looks like one of those 1970s science fiction films (another example being Logan's Run) that seems a bit dated and quaint, but its ideas are still provocative and fascinating, and the production is visually impressive. The DVD includes full-screen and widescreen versions of the film, audio commentary by director Norman Jewison, a behind-the-scenes featurette, an interactive "rollergame," trivia, and production notes. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

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