Reviews (59)

COOL, ELEGANT FILM NOIR....
Although toned down from Vera Caspary's novel, "Laura" is a classic example of sexual obssession in 40's film noir. Otto Preminger (with help from Rouben Mamoulian) created a masterpiece of a mystery film loaded with decadence and sexual tension. Tough streetwise police detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) investigates the violent society murder of beautiful, enigmatic ad exec Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney) and enters the cold, calculating world of high society where everyone has dark secrets. He encounters a list of suspects including ascerbic Waldo Lydecker (superb Clifton Webb) as Laura's "benefactor" and companion who introduced her to the high end of advertising and her gigolo fiance' Shelby (Vincent Price) who is more or less kept by Laura's aunt (Judith Anderson). It is Lydecker who matches wits with Mark every step of the way. Mark has become obssessed with Laura's portrait, her perfume and letters and has obviously fallen in love with the "dead" Laura. The sexual obssession theme lies underneath the complicated relationships including Mark's fascination with Laura's relationships and her personal things and in the flashback sequences, it is clear that Lydecker fancied himself more than just Laura's "companion". He sought to possess her. But it gets stickier as it goes along when Laura turns up very much alive. There is so much to savor in this film along with the performances (especially Webb's) like the beautiful b&w photography that gives the film a dream like quality and the lovely "Laura" them by David Raskin that haunts the film and emphasizes the romantic longing Mark has for Laura and Laura's mysterious, paradoxical personality. Any way you slice it, "Laura" is a classic film heads up above the rest and needs to be available on DVD. It is not to be missed.

A MUST SEE
I saw this movie at least ten times. First time was in my early teens, when it was shown on local TV. I never heard of Gene Tierney before, but after seeing this film, I knew I would never forget her. She was the most beautiful actress I ever saw and her mannerisms reveal a classy keen intelligence. Everything about this movie will haunt you--Tierney's beauty, the musical score by David Raksin, the portrait, and the ending.

The film is about a woman who seemed to have everything--a successful career, beauty, brains, wealth--who is discovered murdered in her apartment. A detective, Mark McPherson, played by Dana Andrews investigates the case and starts questioning possible suspects. One is the Svengali-like Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb), a syndicated columnist and radio personality. Another is Shelby Carpenter, a smooth Southern gigolo played by Vincent Price (yes Vincent Price!). And there's Laura's middle-aged socialite aunt, Ann Treadwell, who was using Carpenter as her boy-toy until Carpenter meets Laura. Other possible suspect is Laura's maid, a feisty loyal Irishwoman.

The film shows narrated flashbacks by Lydecker. He idolizes her and intercepts Laura's suitors, all of whom he considers beneath her. He couldn't intercept Carpenter who attracts Laura, and who Laura was supposed to marry the week she was found murdered. The first twist of the film is when McPherson falls in love with Laura, who's presumed dead. From reading her diary and letters and continuously seeing her portrait, he discovers she's the woman of his dreams, an unattainable goddess whose physical presence he can only imagine. So when twist number two happens, the murder investigation understandably becomes secondary to this gumshoe detective.

This is the best film directed by Otto Preminger. I believe it's the first American film he directed, and his following films pale by comparison. Ironically, this is a film full of second choices. The lead was written with Jennifer Jones in mind, but she turned it down. It was then offered to Heddy Lamarr who also turned it down. Tierney claimed in her autobiography that she didn't want the role either and thought the film was going to bomb, due to the fact that many aspects of it were not prepared (the final script, the music) and that Dana Andrews (also a second choice) prior to this film never had a role as a leading man. The portrait that was originally intended for the film was painted by the wife of director Rouben Mamoulian, who was initially hired for the film but was fired by Preminger who was producing it. Paintings don't transcribe well to film so a touched-up photograph of Tierney was used as the portrait. Preminger took the directing himself. He wanted to use the song "Sophisticated Lady" by Duke Ellington as the musical score, but David Raksin made a deal with him, in which he would write a score Preminger would approve of in one weekend. Raksin claimed he kept looking at a photo of Tierney during the composition of the score and that she was his inspiration. Thus second choices made this movie a classic.

The dialogue is witty and biting, particularly that of Lydecker. The film was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Webb), Best Black and White Cinematography and Best Musical Score. It only won for Best Cinematography, and I'd like to learn what films aced it in the other categories. Although awards are not considered important by many film connoisserus, the winners are the ones recognized by the next generation. Thus "Laura" remains one of the most underrated films of all time.

Revised Release Date
Fox now says Laura will be out November 04. We can just hope this is not just another tease after first announcing Sept 03. Are lawyers involved in this delay?

Release date
The review from Utica is correct: Laura was supposed to be out 9/03. It's been on my wish list for almost a year. Maybe Fox should get Eisner to oversee releases (he must be looking for something to do).

Wasn't this supposed to be out on DVD last November?
I ordered this DVD early LAST YEAR, and it is yet to be released. There are so many mediocre if not downright awful films that are always being released onto video and DVD, yet this film, which is truly one of the best classics of all time, is still not available. What is Fox doing? ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Tyrone Power at his best!
During the age when swashbuckling action films were the most popular form of entertainment, there arose from Twentieth Century Fox an adventure film that topped all others. This film was "The Mark of Zorro" starring Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone. The daring masked avenger cloaked in black has been an American legend for 80 years, and many films have been produced starring the masked fox. However, I believe that this film is the best Zorro production ever made.

The setting is Spanish California in 1820. Don Diego Vega (Tyrone Power), an expert fencer of Madrid an in the elite training corps, is summoned back to Los Angeles by his fahter, Don Alejandro (Montagu Love), the alcalde. Upon arriving home, Diego learns his father has been run out of office by Capitan Esteban Pasquale (Basil Rathbone). Esteban holds in his hand the perfect puppet, a superstitious, greedy alcalde, Luis Quintero (J. Edward Bromberg). However, Diego pretends to be a fop, unmotivated to fight the capitan, befriending the alcalde and his wife Inez (Gale Sondergaard). However, Diego soon dons the mask of a daring hero, identifying himself as Zorro. Zorro terrorizes the alcalde and robs Esteban of the money he has robbed from the peons. Zorro and a local padre (Eugene Pallete) work to return the money to the citizens of Los Angeles. Diego/Zorro also falls in love with the beautiful Lolita Quintero (Linda Darnell), the niece of the alcalde. She cares nothing for her father's plans, her full support to Zorro. However, when the padre is arrested, Diego abandons his mask and leads the caballeros on a revolt.

This film added into the Zorro figure a new trait. In most Zorro stories, Zorro forces his enemies to return stolen money themselves. This Zorro, more serious, delivers the gold himself. This is a definate classic.

Of course, the film has it's problems. Power spends less time as Zorro and more time as Diego. Zorro only battles one soldier, the main battle occuring between Esteban and Diego. However, dispite minor errors, this film is an undisputed classic, and cannot not be missed by Zorro fans.

The supreme Zorro film
After the success of Warner Brothers "The Adventures of Robin Hood," starring Errol Flynn, Twentieth Century Fox released a film of their namesake, "The Mark of Zorro," starring Tyrone Power. It was a box office hit, and is a classic of it's time. While not in color, and wary of action, this film holds up as, in my opinion, the best of the Zorro films.

In the 1800's, the Spanish Empire rules California. Don Diego Vega (Tyrone Power), is "the best fencer of Madrid." He is ordered home by his father, Don Alejandro. Upon arrival, he hears that the alcalde is an evil tyrant. But Diego's fahter is the alcalde!
Diego learns from Capitan Esteban Pasquale (Basil Rathbone) that his father resigned, and that Luis B. Quintero (J. Edward Bromberg). Both Esteban and Quintero are worthless land theives, taxing the peons into pverty to fill their own pockets. However, Diego suddenly appears to have lost his swordsman skills, now acting foppish and peaceful, much to Alejandro's dissapointment. However, Deigo soon becomes the black-clad Zorro, a daring freedom fighter rescuing both the rich and poor from the tyrants. To disguise himself, he must remain foppish. Only the padre Felipe (Eugene Pallette) knows his true identity, along with Diego's fiance Lolita Quintero (Linda Darnell), a kind girl against her uncle and his henchman. However, when Fray Felipe is arrested as Zorro for trying to defend the mission taxes, Diego abandons both disguises and leads the caballeros and peons to battle, personally taking on Esteban in a spectacular showdown.

"The Mark of Zorro" was bassed on three stories. One was Johnston McCulley's original Zorro story. Unlike the Fairbanks film, the theme here focuses on saving the people from corruption, rather than defending Lolita. Another was Douglas Faribanks's "The Mark of Zorro" (1920). The other was "The Adventures of Robin Hood." Basil Rathbone and Eugene Pallette had roles in the Robin Hood film before starring in "The Mark of Zorro." Zorro here as a Robin Hood characteristic: he steals tax money and returns it to the people. Most Zorros force their enemies to give the money back themselves.

Sword battles in this film occur mainly between Diego and Esteban. The fencing in this movie is excellent. Rathbone is one of the best fencer's of all time, as is Power. The Zorro in this film is the closest thing ever that fits the Zorro legacy. This is a beautiful colassic, one than cannot be missed.

the classic fox period
the films of 20th century fox had a sheen unlike the other studios output.
one of their main stars; tyrone power (an underrated star today)was an embodiment of this sylized sheen.
he was different than errol flynn. while you always sensed flynn's bad boy personality even when he played squaeky clean heroes, power was far more an actor and his performances always seem more professionally toned. he is more 'with the film' than standing out against it and this may be the reason for the lack of appreciation for him.
this film is the shining example to the hollywood of old.
its excellence was predictable when you mix the beauty of power and darenll with the down right fun villany of rathbone, the music of newman, the goya toned cinematography and the virtually flawless direction of mamoulian.
sadly, its the like of which we wont see again for numerous reasons.
NOW, IF FOX WOULD DIG INTO THEIR ARCHIVES AND RELEASE POWER'S BEST ACTING IN FILM; NIGHTMARE ALLEY' a film that has never even seen the light of vhs.

Zorro the fey blade.
Tyrone Power's Zorro is both effeminate and masculine, one moment the picture of delicate and fey passiveness and the next the masculine caballero of legend. The film has held up well, mostly due to the excellent swordplay and Power's magnetic persona. The lack of actual Spanish actors will be noticeable and perhaps offensive to today's audience, although in 1940 it was probably a minor point at best. The DVD transfer could have been better, although it is generally grain-free and vivid. A 60-year old film can only look so good, after all. A fine version of the Zorro legend, lacking somewhat in political correctness but making up for it in sentiment and charm.

Movies - and Ty Power - don't get better than this!
Beautiful faces, gorgeous b&w photography, an array of old Hollywood's best character actors, brawling and tumultous fight scenes, probably the best sword fight ever filmed, and a rousing musical score that must have sent people almost dancing out of theaters with big smiles on their faces in 1940 - and will still make you smile in your living room. And dialogue laced with wit and humor as well as drama. Now THIS is what a Hollywood action movie should be!

This is one of the all-time best. Got the blues? This ought to chase them right away. Really got the blues? Try a double-feature of this with Flynn's The Adventures of Robin Hood. And you can keep all the Wars and Treks in the stars. They are made by mere children as compared to these old pros.

Why doesn't Tyrone Power have a cult of his own today? He was handsome and versatile, and a good actor whose performances hold up better than many of his competitors'. Ty Power's the Man! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A delightful musical
Cyd Charisse, Fred Astaire and Janis Paige star in the film version of the Broadway musical SILK STOCKINGS, based on the comedy NINOTCHKA.

Cyd is captivating as Ninotchka, a Russian Communist who is sent to Paris to retrieve three wayward Communists (Peter Lorre, Jules Munshin and Joseph Buloff) from a capatalist fate.

She meets the 'decadent' American producer (Fred Astaire) and the beautiful movie actress Peggy Dainton (Janis Paige).

Soon, however, she warms to capatalist ideas and dresses in silks and satins, and falls in love.............

A beautiful musical that will delight and amaze you.

Featuring the songs 'Fated To Be Mated', 'All Of You', 'Satin And Silk', 'Josephine', 'So Good To Be Bad', 'Stereophonic Sound', 'Red Blues' and 'The Ritz Rock And Roll'.

RITZY LOOKING TRANSFER OF A GREAT MOVIE MUSICAL
In hindsight "Silk Stockings" proved to be one of MGM's last great musical acheivements and Fred Astaire's final appearance in a musical worthy of his inimitable talents. Astaire plays, Steven Canfield, a rotten capitalist and movie producer who butts heads with communist, special envoy, Nina Yoshenko, who has been sent from Moscow to Paris to apprehend a wayward Russian composer. The cast also includes Janis Paige in a hilarious and campy lampoon of an 'Esther Williams-type' actress attempting to play Napoleon's Josephine in a musical remake of "War and Peace". Peter Lorre and Jules Munshin are at their comedy best as two communist sympathizers wooed by the pleasures of Paris.
AT LAST - a transfer worthy of the elegant Mr. Cole Porter. Warner Home Video gives us a rich looking, robust sounding DVD that really celebrates the performances in this memorable musical. Colors are deep, rich, gorgeous and consistant throughout. Contrast and shadow levels are outstanding. Fine details are amazingly sharp. Edge enhancement, shimmering and aliasing are practically non-existant. There is no pixelization or film or digital grain to speak of, for a thoroughly smooth but sharp visual presentation that will surely please. The audio has been remixed to 5.1 and is marvelous, rich sounding and fully realized within the confines of its dated characteristic.
Extras: Another Cole Porter/making-of featurette that is really a throw away, save the few glimpses of Cyd Charisse and Janis Paige that we get. Theatrical trailer and cast bios and a couple of short subjects - not anamorphically enhanced, even though the film (thank heaven) is!
Bottom Line: This disc is a must have and the only DVD of the Cole Porter bunch worthy of your hard earned money. BUY IT TODAY!

Unersappreciated
Yes, this is one of the last of the MGM musicals. Tis a pity. Now that CHICAGO is such a hit, they must release other MGM musicals just as good as this. THE BAND WAGON...THREE LITTLE WORDS...EASTER PARADE and SUMMER STOCK, just to name a few. SILK STOCKINGS is a remarkablly good film for it's genre. Nothing could beat CYD and FRED dancing, even if the plot isn't strong. Too bad there wasn't more of JANIS PAGE as one of her numbers seems to have been given the short shift. Otherwise, the film is a standout and a must for musical lovers. Any left? I think so. Give this one a try as well as the other Cole Porter releases. Thanks for these, but we want more!!!

"I Like the Looks of You..."
I love this movie. It is absolutely hilarious. Though I know the tradgedy and horror that existed in Communist Russia, this film still made me burst out laughing. The songs are beautiful and alluring. However, the dancing steals the show. Cyd and Fred look swell together. Fred and Janice Paige's number about modern films is hilarious. I also like "We Can't Go Back to Moscow." I find myself singing it every day.
The plot is relatively good and has a cute love story. As always, love conquers all, even the iron curtain.

Great Film - Poor Quality Master!
Received this great musical on DVD the other day to enhance my collection and was disappointed to find the picture quality substantially inferior to my identical television recording and only a slight improvement upon an old video tape of the same film. Digital enhancement would appear to be needed in this particular case. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)
Fredric March won an Oscar® for playing the protagonist (and antagonist) of Robert Louis Stevenson's story.Dr. Henry Jekyll is an honorable man of science, albeit frustrated at the enforced celibacy of a delayed wedding date. Hyde is the fearsome creature he turns into after drinking a potion, and Hyde's appetites (mostly expressed with Miriam Hopkins's Cockney dance-hall wench) are decidedly unrestrained. March's performance is pretty theatrical, but it's fun to watch; his Hyde twitches and squawks and lopes around like an ape in a tuxedo. Rouben Mamoulian's direction has plenty of the brio of early-thirties Hollywood, and the transformations from Jekyll to Hyde are ingenious for the time. This film followed Dracula and Frankenstein into theaters by a few months, and it stands well with those horror classics--and it's a darn sight more fun (and much more down and dirty) than the 1941 MGM version of Stevenson's tale. --Robert Horton

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)
Classy MGM was not the studio most likely to make a horror movie in 1941, and in fact its production of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ended up looking more like a glossy costume drama than a B-movie frightfest. The mood of Robert Louis Stevenson's tale of a divided doctor is ably captured in Joseph Ruttenberg's Oscar-nominated cinematography--more so, perhaps, than in Spencer Tracy's lead performance. Tracy wasn't especially happy about playing the role, although his transformations from good Dr. Jekyll to evil Dr. Hyde are convincing enough. One of the main reasons to see this version of the story is the young, impossibly beautiful Ingrid Bergman, then still a year shy of Casablanca. Bergman was cast in the good-girl part, but proved a shrewd judge of material, even this early in her Hollywood career; she finagled her way into playing the floozy instead, thus securing a more colorful acting platform than Lana Turner, who ended up in the more respectable role. Director Victor Fleming's previous movie was a little number called Gone with the Wind, and the Big Picture approach to that project may have influenced his work here--this Dr. Jekyll is just a bit too stately, too polished to really engage. The picture is so dignified it never cuts loose with the kind of wild invention that marked the 1932 version of the story, which won Fredric March an Oscar. It's the tale as imagined by Jekyll, rather than Hyde. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Love This Film!
Long absent from home video titles, 1932's LOVE ME TONIGHT has finally been released on dvd in all of its glory - and a wonderfully pristine print it is too! There are enough superlatives already published about this film and its creators, director Rouben Mamoulian and Rogers & Hart, that I don't need to think up new ones - Leonard Maltin calls it simply "one of the best musicals ever made" - but it's worth observing that Hollywood never made another musical even remotely like it until the recent CHICAGO. (OK, let's credit 1933's HALLELUJAH I'M A BUM, a notorious flop.)

Even in some of our most beloved musicals - such as SINGIN' IN THE RAIN - let's admit it, the story stops dead in its tracks to perform a musical number. At best, the number is usually redundant of information already provided to the viewer. Rogers and Hart told LOVE ME TONIGHT's story through its musical numbers, a seemingly obvious approach that films have steadfastly ignored all these decades except for CHICAGO where LMT's approach seems to have been rediscovered. Perhaps the quality that distinguishes LMT from later and better-known musicals is its lack of pretension, indeed, its playfulness. Despite the film's imagination and continual inventiveness, it is never impressed with itself (oh, that the "great" MGM musicals of the 1950s had this quality!).

The only problems I found are minor and not the fault of the film itself. There seems to be a slight rumble on the soundtrack when the scene is in silence, most notably in the famous opening sequence of Paris at dawn. I also wondered why some slight speckling was not removed from the opening titles. These two items aside, Kino Video did a great job and provided some great supplemental material including a thoughtful essay by Miles Kreuger. If you have any interest in movie musicals, LMT is "must" viewing!

Beautiful DVD of a unique masterpiece
Can't add much to what others have said. The classic Rodgers & Hart songs are great. The stars are great. The endlessly inventive stagings of the songs leave most other movie musicals looking stodgy indeed.

A burst of creativity and genius that didn't just expand the ways music could be used on film -- it exploded them. LOVE ME TONIGHT is terrifically funny and entertaining, and even now, it seems ahead of its time.

Like champagne
Like champagne, the musical comedy "Love Me Tonight", is light, bubbly, and improves with age. It's hard to fathom that this delightful movie was made over 70 years ago because it looks and feels fresh and contemporary.

Rouben Mamoulian directs with verve complemented by the vibrant black and white photography of Victor Milner. Master composer Richard Rodgers creates lovely, wistful melodies that stay with you. And the erudite lyricist Lorenz Hart infuses his sophisticated lyrics with wit, charm, and innuendo.

The two leads, Maurice Chevalier as the smitten tailor, and Jeanette MacDonald, as the royal object of Chevalier's affection, have seldom been more appealing.

Here's a toast to the delectable artists who cultivated the sparkling, effervescent classic "Love Me Tonight".

WOW! [X 100!]
JEANETTE [to Myrna]"Do you ever think of ANYTHING but MEN!?"
MYRNA [replies boldly]: " Yes, .....SCHOOLBOYS!"

[As for the line about 'a peach must be eaten .......' WELL!]

THAT's the kind of delightful precode humor in this special, spectacular - and extremely advanced for its period MUSICAL BON-BON by the Great ROUBEN MAMOULIAN.

SIMPLE TALE of tangled identities - a Princess, a Tailor, a few eccentric relatives, and a Stag! [As in Stag Hunt] - 'Auntie Mame's' foxhunt owes quite a lot to this special episode, counterpointing the stag - ala bambi music - versus the thundering hooves of the hunt ..... then there's 'Solitude' - Chevalier's 'not so trusty' steed .... this one laid the foundation - a riot.

ALSO, Miss Jean-ette's [that's correct not je-net - but Jean-ette] unique way of stopping a train ..... and what a babe - err, lady for that period ... so's Miss Loy - exquitely gowned in contemporary costumes for that period.

From the unuslay percussive ala "Triplets of Belleville" opening - through Chevalier's trend setting "American In Paris" flaunt through the neighborhood - We know we're in for something special - zoom shots, slow motion, fast motion - it's all here - even a 'soldier's chorus' similar to the "Evita" group warbelling furiously.

DELIGHTFUL DVD - with LOTS OF EXTRAS - including trailer, gallery shots, two music 'videos' - JUST PERFECT.

NOW, just where is the other MACDONALD/CHEVALIER outing - Merry Widow"? Would be nice.

AND this one - although pre-code - is kidsafe ..... SUCH FUN TO BEHOLD!

Jeanette MacDonald also shows WHAT it meant to be a STAR - prfect teeth, smile, profile, hair - it's all there - just look!

A masterpiece from the early days of the sound film
Rouben Mamoulian's LOVE ME TONIGHT is the finest impersonation of Ernst Lubitsch in the history of Hollywood. It helped that he borrowed two of Lubitsch's most widely used stars. Jeanette MacDonald had appeared in Lubitsch's MONTE CARLO in 1930 (with the marvelous Jack Buchanan, who is best know for his great role in THE BAND WAGON) and Maurice Chevalier had appeared in 1931's THE SMILING LIEUTENANT, and the appeared together in THE LOVE PARADE of 1929 and ONE HOUR WITH YOU earlier in 1932 (they would appear together again in Lubitsch's superb THE MERRY WIDOW in 1934 in one of the last great comedies before the Code). If Mamoulian doesn't quite match Lubitsch in the latter's unsurpassed magic with the camera, he nonetheless more than equals him in his sense of play, of class conflict, and impish sense of mischief.

But in one regard he completely surpasses Lubitsch: Mamoulian was able to work with songs the likes of which Lubitsch was never able to. The film is filled with great songs by Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart. The score is so good that songs that would normally be the finest in a musical, like "Mimi" and "Love Me Tonight" are completely overshadowed by two of the greatest songs that the legendary team wrong: the waltz-like "Lover" (sung by Jeanette MacDonald in a carriage) and the almost epic "Isn't It Romantic?" Rogers was one of the greatest composers the American stage or cinema has seen, but as fine as his music is in these two songs, Hart just might be a tad better. The lyrics are simply astonishing. Take these from "Lover," which are closer to poetry than to mere song lyrics: Lover, when I'm near you/ And I hear you speak my name/ Softly, in my ear you/ Breathe a flame. The lyrics, on the other hand, of "Isn't It Romantic?" are cleverly nonchalant, many of the lines mere vowels as the singers hum rather than sing. Later versions "cleaned up" the lyrics, but in the movie the rough, almost unfinished quality of the lyrics enhances their appeal. It begins in Paris with Maurice Chevalier singing in his shop (with marvelous use of mirrors), and the tune leaving the shop on the lips of a customer, only to be passed onto a cab driver, from him to a fare who is a composer, on from him to a troop of soldiers marching in the countryside, and from them to a gypsy violinist who is overheard by Jeanette MacDonald in her chateau, where the song concludes. It is a breathtaking performance.

There is so much nonchalant fun in this film! For instance, a marvelous conversation between C. Aubrey Smith and Charles Butterworth in a stable, with a horse's head firmly wedged between them. Or the remarkably humorous fox hunt.

This is a must-see film for anyone who loves classic cinema or pre-code musical comedies. It is almost impossible to surpass in terms of cast, music, camera work, or humor. Love it tonight. ... Read more

Description

Pablo Braganza is a Mexican bandit who is inspired by an American gangster film to reorganize his outlaw gang to Chicago standards and practices. Also a music lover, Pablo kidnaps young opera singer Chivo because he likes his voice. Pablo then forces Chivo to capture the son of an American millionaire and his fiancee. When the rich boy escapes solo, the gay desperado serenades the fiery girlfriend amid every sort of chaos. Young and spunky Ida Lupino and Metropolitan Opera tenor Nino Martini star in this hilariously eccentric musical comedy by the great Rouben Mamoulian (Queen Christina, Love Me Tonight). This is a joyride of a movie! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

FAME! [1929 that is!]
HELEN MORGAN [looking somewhat like Goldie Hawn in 'Death Becomes Her' - before the transformation] shines as the burning out Star [somewhat along the lines of a weaker Madame Rose - who made it to burlesque - but not Broadway] - tied to 'heel' Fuller Mellish Jr. with saintly daughter [Joan Peers]- who brings new meaning to 'the Show Must Go On!' - quite a transformation for this very, very talented gal [strikingly like Carrie Fisher]- Henry Wadsworth as Tony, the Young Sailor brings a breath of wholesome air to this shade tale of burlesque on the skids - brilliantly envisioned and conceived by ROUBEN MAMOULIAN - who certainly went on to bigger, bigger and better things - BUT this one's a real find.

PITY that the existing copy of somewhat damaged [like most of the cast ..... ] but still quite worth watching over and over again.

GREAT CAMERA-WORK - rivalling the world-weary Cabaret girls in 'Blue Angel' - never before have we seen SUCH a large and tired chorus line of gals - and fittingly so - Grandmamas possibly to Fosse's unshaven KitKatClub girls of CABARET.

Bit of a downer - one can see why this one did not quite work - but Helen Morgan is quite unforgettable - so's the rest - especially the very contemporary HENRY WADSWORTH [shades of Brad Pitt here....]

Movie also features great vintage shots of Manhattan's sky line and sky-scrapers circa 1929.

Still Powerful After 75 Years!
This nearly l00 year-old movie is still a fascinating excursion into the dark side of the Jazz Age. Made in l929 by wunderkind Rouben Maumoulian, the movie is often so seamy and dark and brutal that you still cringe. Helen Morgan has to be admired for allowing herself to play someone so repulsively weak and cringing. You see her at the turn of the century as hot little Kitty Darling, burlesque performer. She performs with a stable of "beef-trust" gals--genuine over-the-top burlesque dancers--who are all fat, sloppy and so unattractive you wonder if even the bottom of the barrel burlesque houses would have hired them. During this segment, Mamoulian lets you have it between the eyes: a montage of shots of sweating, broken-tooth lechers and bored, exhausted looking women with wrinkled tights and enormous thighs and rumps. Joan Peers portrays the innocent, convent bred daughter who leaves her cocoon and sees her mother on stage for the first time. When "Applause" was first released in late l929, the reaction was definitely ambilavent. Even then, critics and movie goers were turned off by the relentlessly down-beat tempo. Many were hoping to see a glamorous Helen Morgan, the radiant star of the Broadway smash, "Show Boat." What they saw was a flabby, weak looking entertainer who sported a head of bleached curls throughout the movie. You have to wonder why even a weak a character as Kitty Darling would tolerate a boyfriend as sleazy as the one she clings to throughout the movie. Still, this is a fascinating look at what the just emerging "talkers" could produce. Cameras were generally still frozen into place because of that new fangled gadget--the microphone. Mamoulian moves the camera all over the place and creates striking scenes of dramatic lighting and shadows. Unfortunately, this movie did nothing for careers of its talented cast. Helen Morgan made only a few more movies and Joan Peers, who plays her daughter and received glowing reviews, vanished off the radar screen.

Fine Early Talkie
Applause is an important film in the history of the movies. It is one of the first talking pictures which really moves. Rather than using long static shots, Rouben Mamoulian directed the film in such a way that it is full of camera movement. Moreover the film uses interesting camera perspectives from above and below and is imaginatively edited. Many early talkies look like filmed stage plays and are often hard to enjoy. Applause is not only important it is also enjoyable. This is because Mamoulian uses his imaginative direction to tell a moving and involving story.

The film begins in the 1910s with burlesque star Kitty Darling (Helen Morgan) giving birth. She decides to send her daughter April to a convent. When April (Joan Peers) returns as an adult, she is pursued by Kitty's sleazy husband and against her will forced into the world of burlesque. Her mother is now a fading star and needs her, but she is repelled by the low class theatre lifestyle. April meets a clean-cut sailor and is faced with a choice, whether to go with him or remain with her mother in a job she hates. Mamoulian tells the story in a realistic way. Far from glamorising the dancing women, he accentuates all their flaws. He shows close-ups of women with gold teeth, unshapely legs and rumpled stockings. The dancing in the film is often mediocre as if Mamoulian is intent on showing that these women are just going through the motions; that they are dancing only because they need the money. Applause is not like later musicals where everyone sings and dances perfectly. It portrays the bottom rung of the entertainment ladder and tries to portray it accurately with all its faults.

The acting in Applause is on the whole very good. There are some scenes where the acting is rather stiff and stilted, but generally the performances are naturalistic. Helen Morgan does well as the aging Kitty. Hers is a courageous performance, sympathetic and moving. It is great to have the chance to hear the legendary Broadway star sing her signature tune "What Wouldn't I do for that Man?" Joan Peers is delightful. Her romantic scenes are sincere and believable. Her sweet, shy performance is one of the highlights of the film.

The print on the Kino DVD is very good. It seems to be complete and has only a few tiny scratches and nicks. The photography is clear and sharp with good image detail. Unfortunately the soundtrack is much less good. The problem is not so much with hiss and crackle as that the sound is at times indistinct. It is often, especially at the start of the film, difficult to hear all the dialogue. It is a pity that the sound quality is rather poor, but the story is never hard to follow and the film remains wonderfully enjoyable. The DVD has a good number of extras, including some clips of Morgan singing and galleries of production stills and promotional material. It should be enjoyed by anyone who is interested in early sound film and the beginnings of the movie musical.

An astounding film
Rouben Mamoulian was one of the great innovators in film. This story of an aging burlesque queen, her daughter, and her sleazy and amoral husband-manager ought to be a cheap, silly melodrama, given the script.

But under Mamoulian's stunning direction, and with Helen Morgan giving a devastating, unflinching performance as the pathetic yet ultimately noble burlesque queen--a woman completely lacking in self-esteem but who is willing to sacrifice everything to protect her daughter---it packs a surprising punch.

Mamoulian focuses on the lurid and grotesque side of burlesque, but rather than making you turn away in disgust, his direction, combined with Morgan's willingness to be vulnerable and needy, make this painfully compelling to watch. Because of Mamoulian's visual style, which was way ahead of what anyone else was doing at the time, and the story's sexual frankess, the whole film seems very modern. There is some amazing location shooting in 1929 New York.

Kino's transfer is about as good as it could possibly be given the film's age and relative obscurity, and there are some very interesting extras. While some dialogue in the early parts of the film is impossible to understand, this seems to have been unfixable: Mamoulian knew that if he wanted the camera to move as much he did, the sound from the movement of the large cameras (which were all that were available at that time) would make it impossible to hear some dialogue. He decided that his visuals were more important, and in the particular scenes in which this occurs, I think he was right.

This film is one of the early masterpieces of the sound era. It holds up extraordinarily well. Start watching it. After five minutes, you'll be hooked in a way that few films manage. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Porgy and Bess fan
I remember seeing Porgy and Bess starring Sydney Poitier as a young teen. I have been searching the internet for months trying to obtain a copy of this movie. I love the soundtrack and would love to own this classic on DVD or VHS. Please release it soon. This is a must have for anyone who is a fan of Sydney Poitier as well!!!

a long lost love from years gone by
I can remember watching this classic with my mother and sisters. I also remember our neighbor giving us the soundtrack album that played for hours at a time. I've been searching for this treasure and all I get is dissapointment, but I'm happy to be able to at least find others who are feeling the same as myself. The DVD release of this film would be the best gift to myself in life. I actually crave to see this particular version (1959)of porgy and bess. I've never seen or heard a bwtter one. Ihope the request for such a classic will soon become a reality. I can't wait.

ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE BEST MUSICALS EVER WRITTEN /PERFORMED
I searched for this on video and now I search for it on DVD. The music, the story, the acting are absolutely unsurpassed. I saw the movie when it first came out and I purchased the soundtrack. My recording has long since been lost, although I do own it on CD performed by others. This story is a part of America's history! It is beyond me how anyone could possibly object to it's release. It is absolutely beautiful. I hope and pray that I will live long enough to obtain a copy of this masterpiece.

Where is Porgy & Bess?
Since I was four years old, I have been in love with this Otto Preminger film; however, I have been waiting patiently for its release. Please, please give us the pleasure of seeing and owning this beautful film starring Sidney Portier & Dorothy Dandridge.

Porky and Bess
One of most phenominal musicals ever written and performed. Sincerely wish to see Sammy Davis, Jr. and cast out on DVD in the near future. My husband has been hunting for this musical on VHS and now on DVD....please hurry an reproduce it for our pleasure. ... Read more