Reviews (28)

The man who invented big band!
"The Glenn Miller Story" can be enjoyed even by someone who's not a fan of big band or jazz music. It's for everyone especially music lovers of all tastes. Jimmy Stewart is cast superbly here and at times you're thinking you're watching the actual Glenn Miller himself and not the actor. The music of Glenn Miller is brought to life so magically with its captivating soundtrack filled with his most memorable tunes and melodies like "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" and the one everyone knows: "Moonlight Serenade." The colors on this film are vivid and make you wish you'd want to be there. It was indeed tragic to lose such a great musician all too soon. You still hear his music in movies, nightclubs, theaters and more. All in all, it is a neat movie to look at and to hear remembering the trombonist who became the leader of the band: Glenn Miller.

5 stars for the music.....as for the story.....well.......
This film is a typical Hollywood b.s. story. A lot of incidents were made up for the film, for example, the Chummy McGregor-Glenn Miller friendship going back to the Ben Pollock Orchestra days, which was years before they even met! And it's too bad Miller didn't come up with his "sound" so easily!!! About the parts of the movie that are true-to-life is the relationship between Glenn and Helen, as performed by two of my favorite actors, James Stewart and June Allyson.

However, the music in this film (orchestrated by Universal Pictures staff composer, Henry Mancini) more than makes up for the deficiencies in the story. The orchestra assembled does a excellent job re-creating Miller's hits (far better than some of the ghost bands later organized by the Miller Estate).

You'll enjoy the music, especially in stereo, just don't take the story seriously.

Also, the VHS version has a couple of scenes clipped to make the movie time out to 120 minutes. Hopefully, these scenes will be restored when the movie is released on DVD (in March, 2003, as a double feature with The Benny Goodman Story, another Hollywood b.s. bio-pic).

Here's a interesting factoid: Harry (Henry) Morgan ("Chummy MacGregor") actually appeared in a film with the real Glenn Miller, "Orchestra Wives". Unfortunately, they did not appear in any scenes together.

That Sound
This was the highest grossing American film of 1954; had he wanted to, James Stewart could probably have ended up owning Universal Studios, so vastly indebted were they to him at this stage for the string of hits he'd produced for them. Director Anthony Mann too. It's a pretty easygoing look at the not-so easygoing bandleader Glenn Miller from his earliest days as a sideman trombonist and arranger to his becoming the top pop musician in the United States. Very interesting and enlightening about the way Miller searched for his own distinctive sound to set him apart from the hundreds of other jazz bands of the day. It also pretty much set the tone for the mysterioso treatment that has ever since surrounded Miller's disappearance in the European theater during WW2 in 1944. The theories are that his plane crashed in England and has yet to be found, or that returning bombers from an unsuccessful mission accidentally dumped their loads on his plane over the Channel. Neither gets any exploration here; Miller just ascends into band heaven. Pretty good performances all around, especially the wonderful and always reliable George Tobias as the theater owner/agent.

Evocative and Amazing
It happens every time. When you watch a film with James Stewart in it certain things happen.

The film begins, we see Mr. Stewart appear in character, he is the same, tall ,lanky and charismatic. As the film proceeds on..slowly but surely, Mr Stewart becomes " That" character he is playing. Soon the viewer is hooked by the total talent of Jim Stewart , he invites us in to each character he is playing.

He is Glenn Miller for us here in this film. If we didnt see Glenn Miller while he was around this is a good chance to see a close example.It does not matter how accurate the film is really.
Those who carp about accuracy should pick up a biography. Those who love the mystique will watch and enjoy the timeless Glenn Miller through James Stewart.

I cant see Krupa or Satchmo in any biography , and for sure I cant hear them. In this film I can..with superb effect. A snapshot in time of our musical history.

Finally, I was not around during during the Miller era however,

after viewing this film .. " I was there"

C Pope

Another mistreatment of a classic
Let's clarify a couple of things.

First, this movie IS INDEED anamorphic, despite the claim of another writer that the package was wrong in claiming such.

Secondly, to expect any biographical picture out of Hollywood to NOT play loosely with the facts is expecting a bit much. After all, from "The Babe Ruth Story" to "JFK", Hollywood has always subscribed to the theory of "fictional biographies".

Frankly, I found this movie to be quite enjoyable. First, ANY movie with Jimmy Stewart has something going for it. Throw in some FANTASTIC music, and a great...albeit way to short...cameo by Louis Armstrong, and this movie is a real piece of cinematic history.

Unfortunately, Universal Pictures seems to have a different opinion, as they have given this picture a very bare-bones AND shabby release.

The picture, while widescreen AND anamorphic, has a VHS quality to it. Some portions had an "out of focus" appearance. But most distracting was a frequent pulsating color...going from bright to dull to bright...ad infinitum. In some instances, this REALLY distracted from the enjoyment of...and the concentration on...the movie.

Having seen other pictures from this era with wonderfully clear transfers, I can but only believe that this was merely the result of laziness, cheapness, or carelessness on the part of Universal.

As this is not considered a classic in most film circles, I doubt this movie will ever see a second release. So sad, as it could be so enjoyable with a good picture. As it is, I hate to say it, but I'd recommend against a purchase. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

`My mistake. I shot THROUGH it...'
This movie can do no wrong in my book.

Two greats, Anthony Mann and Jimmy Stewart, team up to deliver this two-fister about an obsessed man tracking a killer from his own past while his friend Millard Mitchell does his best to keep him from going over the edge. Shelly Winters does a nice turn as the poor gal. Stephen McNally is oily as the main bad guy, and Dan Duryea comes off like Johnny Udo (from the original Kiss Of Death) in chaps.

The story really heats up when Stewart wins a shooting contest in which Wyatt Earp officiates (watch for the postage stamp across the nickel - some heroic marskmanship here) and gets his prized Winchester rifle stolen for his trouble. The Winchester does a hot potato act between badmen and Indians (Rock Hudson shows up as a war chief, in a scene where Tony Curtis dons the blue wool as a cavalry buck), and finally winds up in a climactic, hair raising shootout in a jumble of rocks above the desert. You can FEEL the bullets whizzing by.

Especially love the scene where Lin encounters Waco Johnnie Dean (read: Johnny Udo)in a bar and displays a decided lack of patience for the young bad man's showboating... There aren't many places to find good old Jimmy Stewart coming off harder (but do try `Flight Of The Phoenix'...wow!).

PS - This DVD is a good buy - the print they used tends to be a little less than pristine here and there, but it has got a commentary track with Jimmy Stewart on it! How did they do this? It seems Jimmy might have been watching the Laserdisc. His anecdotes about the old studio system and incites into acting are great. Especially like the stories about his hat (used in various westerns for twenty years) and horse, Pie (same as above).

"Huh...this laser thing is very interesting..." Jimmy Stewart.

Great suprise. Great DVD.

Saved by the cast. Otherwise, only a fair movie

Format: Black & White
Studio: Universal Studios
Video Release Date: May 6, 1992

Cast:

James Stewart ... Lin McAdam
Shelley Winters ... Lola Manners
Dan Duryea ... Waco Johnnie Dean
Stephen McNally ... Dutch Henry Brown
Millard Mitchell ... High-Spade Frankie Wilson
Charles Drake ... Steve Miller
John McIntire ... Joe Lamont
Will Geer ... Wyatt Earp
Jay C. Flippen ... Sgt. Wilkes
Rock Hudson ... Young Bull
John Alexander ... Jack Riker
Steve Brodie ... Wesley
James Millican ... Wheeler
Abner Biberman ... Latigo Means
Tony Curtis ... Doan
James Best ... Crator
Jack Curtis ... Bit part
Steve Darrell ... Bat Masterson
Robert Anderson ... Basset
John Doucette ... Roan Daley
Mel Archer ... Bartender
Jimmy Hawkins ... Boy at store window (first speech in film)
Timmy Hawkins ... Boy at Rifle Shoot
Carol Henry ... Dudeen
Gary Jackson ... Gary Jameson
Norman Kent ... Buffalo hunter
Ethan Laidlaw ... Station master
Ted Mapes ... Bartender
Gregg Martell ... Mossman (cavalryman)
Bill McKenzie ... Boy at rifle shoot
Jennings Miles ... Stagecoach driver
Norman Ollestad ... Stable boy
Larry Olsen ... Boy at rifle shoot
Bud Osborne ... Man
Ray Bennett ... Charles Bender
Chuck Roberson ... Long Tom
Forrest Taylor ... Voice of target clerk
Tony Taylor ... Boy
Ray Teal ... Marshall Noonan
John War Eagle ... Indian interpreter
Guy Wilkerson ... Virgil Earp
Duke York ... Man #1
Chief Yowlachie ... Indian at rifle shoot
Frank Chase ... Cavalryman
Edmund Cobb ... Target watcher
Frank Conlan ... Contest clerk in saloon
Virginia Mullen ... Mrs. Jameson
Bonnie Kay Eddy ... Bonnie Jameson

Not really a "history" of the famous old Winchester model 1873. It is more a story based on the rifles of that model referred to as "one of 1000". There were such rifles, highly sought after, and were used as a promotion stunt for prizes for the best shot in a particular area.

Stewart (Linn McAdam) was competing with, as it turns out, his brother, Stepfhen McNally (Dutch Henry Brown), an outlaw who had killed their father. Dan Duryea plays a "heavy" quite well, and Shelley Winters provides the love interest. Millard Mitchell is the faithfal companion, and Will Geer makes a believable Wyatt Earp, although in that stage of his real life he was a considerably younger man.

This is a pretty good Western, with all the elements: Indian battles, horse chases, shoot-outs with innocent women and children involved, purely evil bad guys, unbelievably good shooting by men (Stewart and McNally) who then turn around and, when it counts can't hit the broad side of a barn from the inside.

But, I liked the film. Probably because I like the cast. Duryea was always a great "bad guy", Stewart fit his part perfectly, and Winters did hers very well, as might be expected. When you get a good story, well acted by real professionals, the result, given good direction, is a good movie. Who needs color?

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

Anthony Mann creates a classic
The story goes that in 1950 Jimmy Stewart was looking around for something a little different for himself, something where he could play a character less folksy and warm. He sure did find it in this film, as well as all the other magnificent westerns he did with gritty, noir director, Anthony Mann (T-Men, Raw Deal, Railroaded, etc). This is the first of their collaborations.

When the film was first shown to test audiences, there were titters in the crowd when Jimmy Stewart's name appeared in the credits. "Mr. Smith" in a western? Shooting people? Please. By the end of the film, the tittering was all done and Stewart had established himself as a viable western hero (although in truth the magic of these Mann/Stewart westerns is that the characters Stewart plays are hardly "heroic." They are usually driven, neurotic men, nearly shifty-eyed, with a mean streak a mile wide - bitter men, and always very, very angry and eager to kill.

The basic set-up of this film is beautifully simple: Jimmy Stewart has a prize rifle stolen from him, a Winchester Model 1973 (which at the time the film takes place was state-of-the-art in the world of firearms), and he spends the rest of the movie hunting the man that stole it.

The story unfolds, however, as the movie rolls quickly along to something much more complex, culminating in one of the finest shootouts in movie history. The two principal actors of the film, James Stewart and Stewart McNally, spent a great deal of time practicing with their rifles (in Stewart's case Mann often found him walking around the set with bleeding knuckles, the results of his hours of self-training working the classic lever-action Winchester). Their hard work paid of in a tremendous realism.

Anthony Mann brought in cinematographer, William Daniels, for Winchester '73, a veteran who most notably had worked a great deal with Garbo in the 30's. Daniels brought his tremendous sense of lighting to the table to create one of the most beautiful looking Westerns of all time. Daniels' light, combined with Mann's unmatched visual sense, made things look nearly 3-demensional in their reality. When viewing this film, watch for the staggering long shots, or the scenes near dusk or at night. Pure texture and light - at once glamorous yet real.

This film also has my favorite depiction of aging Western legend, Wyatt Earp, the Law in Dodge, played with easy authority by Will Greer. Greer always offers his suggestions to town folks with a warm smile, as when he asks Stewart to give up his gun in an early scene. There is always a bit of steel in the old gunfighter's eyes, though, and folks always do just as he suggests. Quickly.

All in all a great treat and a must-have for any fan of the Western (or for that matter, any lover of movies). A true classic all the way. --Mykal Banta

Cain and Abel
Along with a handful of other titles, this film is right at the summit of the great American Westerns ever made. It came entirely out of the blue as well. It was James Stewart's first serious Western (omitting "Destry Rides Again") and displayed a side of his character his Air Force buddies may have known about but precious few other people did. When Stewart threatens to break Dan Duryea's neck in a bar fight movie audiences must have been seriously taken aback. Doubly shocking is the fact that Stewart is out to gun down his outlaw brother for the murder of their father. Nor was Anthony Mann, the director, known for his Westerns, but this masterpiece simply could not be improved. The show is littered with great performances, especially John McIntire as the gun dealer, and Stewart sidekick Millard Mitchell, who made a huge impact in Hollywood during a very short career. Mitchell also appeared in "Twelve O'Clock High", "The Gunfighter", and "Singin' in the Rain" before dying of lung cancer in 1953.

A bull's-eye for James Stewart
One of James Stewart's best films is this western classic, a revenge-and-pursuit adventure that involves a highly-prized Winchester '73 that changes hands several times before the dust settles and Lin McAdam reclaims his rifle. The film is about a family feud between brothers as much as the hunt for a stolen rifle, and has interesting vignettes such as the great Dodge City rifle shoot for the coveted Winchester, a rigged game of polka in which a man is swindled by a dishonest gun runner, one man's shameful act of cowardice in front of his fiancé, a determined and heroic stand by an outnumbered cavalry troop against Indians and a great mountaintop rifle duel that ends the movie. The black and white photography is crisp and clean and Technicolor would have been hard-pressed to produce better results. The supporting cast is great, especially Dan Duryea, Jay C. Flippen, and Will Geer. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

NOT "modified to fit your screen." DVD is OAR
The movie is a solid 50s western--decent entertainment but not high art like, say, High Noon. It's true star is Mt. Hood, Oregon, shown sparkling in every other shot.

Despite the disclaimer at the beginning of the DVD, this film was NOT "modified to fit your screen." It was shot in 1952, when most films were "full frame," and well before widescreen became standard. In fact the Technicolor process used here never made the transition to widescreen, and that's why the full-frame presentation is correct. (The same is true for Shane, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and the Wizard of Oz.) You'd think the studios would not insert the bogus disclaimer, since it's a dumb mistake that can cost them sales, but this error is actually pretty common on DVD packaging.

The DVD transfer is from a clean source that looks and sounds great. Unlike many later color films, the color is vivid and unfaded. Some scenes do show registration problems, but that's hard to avoid with Technicolor materials (fixing it is $$$$$).

Summary: a potboiler western with pretty pictures at a budget price.

Pioneers struggle to survive in the great Northwest
This western is a film of great visual beauty that has a great cast headed by James Stewart whose task is to guide a wagon train of pioneers through the Northwest Territory to their new settlement in Oregon. Stewart's Glyn McLyntock has a troubled past but also a conscience and a sense of fair play and justice that saves a gunslinger from a hanging. The ungrateful Emerson Cole repays McLyntock with treachery and gun-play and gets involved in swindling the settlers out of their needed winter supplies that have been seized by an unscrupulous owner of a steamboat and saloon. The rugged terrain of the Oregon countryside and dangerous river rapids lend realism to this story, and there is an interesting sub-plot that has McLyntock and Cole fighting Shoshone warriors at night. Julia Adams is pleasing to the eye as a pioneer girl and old hand Jay C. Flippen is a straight shooter who knows a bad apple when he sees one. The rough and tumble action has shoot-outs between the settlers and gold-crazed miners and hired double-crossers who aim to steal the supplies and sell them at a profit. Rock Hudson is a gambler who's handy with a six-gun.

No complaints from me!

It seems that many are complaining about the DVD version. I saw the VHF, and concentrated on the story rather than screen flaws, and so like other Stewart films, I was delighted and entertained.

This is a 1950s movie, when Stewart was in his hay day, and the story (screenwriter Borden Chase wrote the screenplay from his own novel) was a superlative story of the Oregon country, including scenery around Mt. Hood and the Columbia River.

This is one of the series of eight films directed by Anthony Mann and starring the late Brig. General James Stewart, USAF, in his youth.

Rock Hudson played a youthful gambler from California, and Arthur Kennedy a former Kansas border raider and the leading bad guy, after acting as a Stewart supporter. Stewart was also a former border raider from Missouri who was trying to forget his past. Supporting players included a youthful Harry Morgan and some other rowdies I didn't immediately recognize.

This is one of the old-time "straight" Westerns that I grew up loving, with plenty of gun play, with good and bad guys easily recognized (but not necessarily by their hat color).

If you are a fan of those old-time Westerns, you'll probably love this one, which was filmed in Technicolor.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handuns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

One Of The Best Westerns
Jimmy Stewart is a great actor.This is a great western with plenty of action.i like westerns of the 1950,s and 1960.s

This is a decent western but it's not great.
I would say it's good or about average. There is some good scenery and it isn't slow. It just doesn't have a lot of punch as far as I'm concerned. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Superb Epic of Ancient Rome and its decline
"The Fall Of The Roman Empire" is one of the very best of the 1960's lavish epics detailing various historical periods. Filled with eye popping historically accurate costumes, spellbinding sets (The Roman Forum was the largest set built up till that time) heavy doses of corruption and intrigue and believable performances combined with intelligent writing, this film has it all and indeed is a winner all the way.

The film makes a real attempt not to stray too far from historical fact and focuses on the beginnings of the fall of Rome after 150 years of dominating the known world. The story opens with the last troubled period of the reign of Marcus Aurelius the benevolent philosopher Emperor who spent most of his reign reluctantly fighting on the frontiers of the empire against invading barbarians, through to the succession of his son the corrupt and insane Emperor Commodus. Woven into the fictional dialogue and personal situations is a great deal of historical detail which is authentic and illustrates the research and care that went into the preparation of this production.

Movie making during the early 1960's was a time rich in many historical epics and what distinguishes "The Fall Of The Roman Empire" is its wonderful performances set against this sprawling historical canvas of the decay of the mighty power of Rome. First and foremost the late Alec Guinness shines in a superb performance as Marcus Aurelius. Being a student of Roman History I was amazed at how closely he actually is made to look like the emperor and his performance is one of the towering achievements of the film. He is at times a strong leader, a trifle world weary and concerned about his place in history. It is one of Guinness's finest performances. The main focus of the story is the love affair between Lucilla (Sophia Loren, never more beautiful than here) and the upright Livius (Stephen Boyd) and their continued conflict with the new Emperor Commodus (Christopher Plummer). While Lucilla is the heroine of the piece here in actual history she was a seasoned intriger who was executed by her brother Commodus two years into his reign for plotting his death. This historical inaccuracy aside all three are excellent in their roles, in particular Plummer who really steals the scenes he is in as the corrupt, power mad Emperor and is far and way the best performer so far to play Commodus (the more recent "Gladiator" included). He is everything one has come to expect from a Roman ruler, mad, vicious, lavish in appearances and manner. It really is an attention grabbing performance and paved the way for his very different but equally famous role of the following year in "The Sound Of Music". Seasoned performers like James Mason, Anthony Quayle and Omar Sharif (pre "Dr. Zhivago") round out the excellent cast.

"Roman Empire" benefits from some of the very best visuals lavished on a film at this time. First and foremost the recreation of the Roman Forum would have to go down as one of the truly great sets in motion picture history. Long before computers did all the work this set was actually built to life size and is amazingly accurate in its layout and design. The battle scenes that take place on the empire's frontier near modern day Vienna are exciting and well staged and are some of the best of their kind ever undertaken. The film benefits from all the extensive location shooting that took place including the battle scenes supposedly taking place in Persia that were actually shot in Spain. Ably directed by Anthony Mann who had a similiar epic in the classic "El Cid" he keeps the action moving along at a good pace and allows the romantic subplot to weave into the story at appropiate times. Combined with Dimitri Tiomkin's sublime musical score it is a beautiful production to sit through and even its long running time (Almost 3hours) doesn't detract from it.

For lovers of Hollywood epic productions and students of Roman history "The Fall Of The Roman Empire" is an excellent piece of entertainment from back in the grand old days of film making when no expense was considered too much to achieve a truly great effect on screen. Certainly this film is one of the best of its kind and I highly recommend it as an exciting and colourful insight into the grandeur that was Rome.

Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
Fans of the blockbuster hit GLADIATOR will find this film somewhat familiar as it deals with the same factual characters and events. Sophia Loren and Stephen Boyd provide attractive window-dressing as the starcrossed lovers, but the real stars are Alec Guiness, James Mason and especially Christopher Plummer whose portrayal of the evil emperor Commodous rivals the Oscar caliber work of Joaquin Phoenix in the more recent epic. Lush 70mm photography on massive sets should make this an exceptional title to add to your classics library on DVD.

The Biggest Film Set in Film History-Ever (until recently).
Re Aleaton3's comments on this film not being historically accurate and the size of the sets used. The Roman Forum set built for this film at Las Matas in Spain (just outside Madrid) was THE BIGGEST OUTDOORS or EXTERIOR FILM SET (as opposed to an INDOORS or INTERIOR FILM SET) in FILM HISTORY up until 2003 when TROY apparently claimed the title (TROY having been filmed in 2003). Refer to every edition of the Guinness Book of Records from 1965 up to 2003 to verify this. It was unique in that it was 3 dimensional (i.e. the buildings WERE 4 SIDED and HAD ROOFS-THERE WERE NO FRONTAL FACADES WITH JUST SOME SCAFFOLDING AT THE BACK AS IN NORMAL SETS. I DON'T THINK THE BUILDINGS HAD ANY INTERIORS. THE SET WAS ALSO VERY ACCURATE ARCHITECTURALLY) and THIS SET WAS DEMOLISHED SOON AFTER FILMING. I know this for sure because I visited this exact location in 1977 and was advised of this (apparently producer SAMUEL BRONSTON didn't want the magnificence of his set being used for any lesser, cheaper productions although the few remaing parts of the set that had not already been demolished were used soon after in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"-see the absolute last title card at the end of that particular film). Incidentally this exact same site ONE YEAR EARLIER had been the location for THE CITY OF PEKING in the same producer's "55 DAYS AT PEKING". That particular set was also demolished soon after filming. As for the historical inaccuracies it is true that emporor MARCUS AURELIUS never OFFICIALLY nominated anyone other than his son COMMODUS as his heir and that COMMODUS DID NOT DIE IN A DUEL TO THE DEATH BUT WAS STRANGLED BY A WRESTLER AFTER BEING DRUGGED. Also THE AUCTIONING-OFF of THE ROMAN EMPIRE at the end of this film DID NOT TAKE PLACE IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMMODUS DIED BUT SEVERAL MONTHS LATER! However the scriptwriters used the "'INVENT AND DESTROY" method of storytelling so beloved to Hollywood. In this theory history cannot absolutely say that there was no character such as LIVIUS (STEPHEN BOYD) or MAXIMUS (RUSSELL CROWE), that emperor MARCUS AURELIUS (ALEC GUINNESS or RICHARD HARRIS) did not secretly annoint him as his heir or that he was not intimately involved with LUCILLA (SOPHIA LOREN or CONNIE NIELSEN)) the daughter of MARCUS AURELIUS (unbeknownst to the scholars and historians of that time). Having INVENTED A PLAUSIBLE THEORY IT MUST BE DESTROYED BY THE FILM''S END SO THAT HISTORY REMAINS REALTIVELY UNDISTURBED. So LIVIUS (this film) or MAXIMUS (GLADIATOR) never actually disturbs history by becoming caesar. Unfortunately either LIVIUS or MAXIMUS killing COMMODUS (CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER or JOAQUIN PHOENIX) in a duel to the death in the Roman Forum or the Colisseum DOES CONTRADICT HISTORY DIRECTLY and EXCEEDS THE LIMITS of the "INVENT AND DESTROY" THEORY. But THIS SEQUENCE IN EACH FILM DOES MAKE GREAT CINEMA and LOOKS VERY SPECTACULAR which is what these types of films are all about.. So for the sake of ENTERTAINING AND OVERWHELMING A MASS AUDIENCE (rather than an audience of historians only ) with VERY SPECTACULAR, ENTERTAINING and HIGHLY DRAMATIC STORIES I think the OCCASIONAL LAPSE in ABSOLUTE HISTORICAL ACCURACY and the OCCASIONAL INTERWEAVING of FICTIONAL CHARACTERS INTO HISTORY is ACCEPTABLE. Most people would not have any idea about ancient roman history had they not seen this film, GLADIATOR or indeed BEN HUR (history contains no refernce whatsoever to anyone called JUDAH BEN HUR either). An exactly historically accurate movie would probably be very boring and interesting only to history professors. The important thing here is that the spriit and atmosphere of the historical period is captured and conveyed to the audience and that the story itself is interesting enough to a mass audience in the first place so as to justify the enormous expenses involved (these productions being so costly). And on these criteria both The FALL of the ROMAN EMPIRE and GLADIATOR (and indeed BEN HUR) more than succeed. If the same extremely high quality of these productions (story-wise) can be maintained then more productions of this sort will be made (given the excellence of MOST computer-generated special effects nowadays the technical excellence of these previous productions should be equalled if not surpassed).

History vs Hollywood
The screenwriter of "Gladiator" claims not to have seen "The Fall of the Roman Empire" before writing the Ridley Scott film. That's odd since both films are bookended exactly the same way. Both open with Emperor Marcus Aurelius deciding that his son Commodus should not be emperor (a decision that leads to his murder). Both end with the fight between Commodus and the army commander within the shields of the Pretorian Guards. As a matter of fact, neither of these events are historically accurate.

Marcus Aurelius (according the Edward Gibbon and other historians) dealt the Empire a long-term blow when he broke with tradition by choosing his only surviving son, Commodus, to be his successor, rather than following the tradition of chosing the best man for the job and officially adopting him. To the consternation of his legions, Aurelius never chose a military commander over his own son. When you decide to abandon actual history at the very beginning of your story, the rest falls apart.

Secondly, Commodus was murdered by his concubine (who drugged his wine) and a wrestler (who strangled him) in his palace. In fact, it took a few days for everyone in Rome to come to finally believe that he was actually dead. HE WAS NOT KILLED in a single-handed combat with the commander of the army (either Stephen Boyd or Russell Crowe).

Third, there is no historical evidence that a group of barbarians were burned alive in the Roman forum, as this 1964 film depects. The screenwriter seems to have simply lost his grip on any sort of reality and went totally "Hollywood."

Samuel Bronson (the producer) spared no expence to actually build an exact replica of the Roman Forum (rather than do it digitally as in "Gladiator"), so the scenes shot on this set are truly spectacular. The set (built in Spain) was said to have stood intact for some years, even after Samuel Bronson Productions went bacnkrupt (over this very film). I have no idea if it's still standing.

Christopher Plummer is too old to play the actual Commodus, who was only a teenager when he ascended the throne. However, the script actually does justice to the spirit of the historical character of Commodus, and Plummer brings the man to vibrant life. Both Stephen Boyd (as the army commander) and Loren (as Commodus' sister) seem wooden and fail to establish any on- screen chemestry to their love-stared characters, although Loren's legendary beauty is well worth the price of admission.

Alec Guiness, James Mason, Anthony Quayle and Mel Ferrer all do an excellent job with their roles, although Omar Sharif has little to do since his scripted character is only one-dimensional.

Because of its over-all production values, and an appropriate and moving musical score, this becomes a satisfying, eye-popping, "they don't make them like this anymore" epic. It must be seen in the Widescreen format to do it justice.

Widescreen fans please note...
...you can obtain a fairly high quality widescreen DVD edition of this film from Amazon France's marketplace sellers. You can choose to watch in English, the only drawback being that the accompanying French subtitles can't be erased. However, when you see the price, even with postage, you won't want to complain! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Only John Ford excelled Anthony Mann as a purveyor of eye-fillingWesternimagery, and Mann's best films are second to no one's when it comes to thefusion of dynamic action, rugged landscapes, and fierce psychologicalintensity.The Man from Laramie is the last of five remarkableWesterns the director made with James Stewart (starting with Winchester'73 and peaking with The Naked Spur).This collaboration marked virtually a whole new career for Stewart, whose characters are all haunted bythe past and driven by obsession--here, to find whoever set hiscavalry-officer brother in the path of warlike Indians.

The Man from Laramie aspires to an epic grandeur beyond itspredecessors.It's the only one in CinemaScope, and Stewart's personal questis subsumed in a larger drama--nothing less than a sagebrush version of King Lear, with a range baron on the verge of blindness (Donald Crisp), hisweak and therefore vicious son (Alex Nicol), and another, apparently moresolid "son," his Edmund-like foreman (Arthur Kennedy). There are a few too many subsidiary characters, and the reach for thematic complexityoccasionally diminishes the impact.But no one will ever forget the scene onthe salt flats between Nicol and Stewart--climaxing in the single mostshocking act of violence in '50s cinema--or the final, mountaintopconfrontation.

For decades, the film has been seen only in washed-out, pan-and-scan videos, with the characters playing visual hopscotch from one panel of the original composition to another.It's great to have this glorious DVD--razor-sharp, fully saturated (or as saturated as '50s Eastmancolor could be), andbreathtaking in its CinemaScope sweep. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (15)

I don't come from anywhere...
Some men arrive with provisions for a store, most of them will return from whence they came. One man, portrayed by James Stewart, may have come from Laramie but its not his home and does not intend to return until he finds out who supplied the rifles to the Apache - rifles which were used to kill a cavalry troop, among them his brother.

His quest brings him into conflict with a local landowner who has dreamt that a man would one day come to kill his son. Is it the man from Laramie?

James Stewart and Anthony Mann made some great films together - this was the last, and by no means the least. I have said it before and I'll say it again - James Stewart was the finest actor ever and this film features another fine performance.

The DVD transfer (anamorphic) is excellent - picture quality and sound are excellent. My only complaint is the lack of features. Trailers for the other Stewart/Mann films at least would have been a worthy addition.

A GREEK TRAGEDY IN THE DESERT
Director Anthony Mann's THE MAN FROM LARAMIE is a movie lover's dream. It's a western shot in the beautiful deserts of New Mexico with enough action to keep your mind occupied while your eyes wander through the landscapes. James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy and Donald Crisp are at their best and the rest of the cast gives a great performance.

Some of the reviewers have already noted the shakespearian flavour of the story so I'm rather going to underline other evident references. OK ! So, in THE MAN OF LARAMIE, we have an old man with a recurrent dream, a dream announcing that a stranger will come and murder his son. When Alec announces to Vic that he's becoming blind, we cannot have any doubts more : we are witnessing another variation of the myth of Oedipus. From this moment on, you're going to have a subtle pleasure to read THE MAN FROM LARAMIE with a pair of freudian glasses ! Let's observe these brothers ( Vic HansBRO ) fight for the love of their old father, let's mourn the disappearance of Alec's wife who created a monster out of her son in order to hurt her macho husband, etc..

Images and sound (stereo) are OUTSTANDING. For once, a production company has forgotten the usual economic laws and takes advantage of the real possibilities of a DVD by presenting 4 or five different subtitles. Thank you Columbia !

A DVD for your library.

Another great James Stewart western
This collaboration between director Anthony Mann and actor James Stewart is another dark character study as Stewart once again is a cowboy on the vengeance trail as he heads for a dusty New Mexico town in search of gun-runners who supplied rifles to the Apaches who wiped out a cavalry troop that included his younger brother. The town of Coronado and the surrounding territory are controlled by a cattle baron who owns the Barb ranch and doesn't take kindly to outsiders meddling in the town's affairs. Rancher Alec Waggoman's neurotic son Dave and tough but high-strung ranch foreman Vic Hansbro resent Will Lockhart's determination to uncover the mystery of Apaches acquiring rifles and why the massacre just happened to take place on Waggoman's land. The film has a few touches of extreme violence without being graphic and Stewart's straight-shooting Lockhart is likeable and believable. The picture's romantic angle is more implied than stated between Lockhart and Barbara Waggoman and is realistic in the way it unfolds during Lockhart's investigation in Coronado. A great cast of supporting actors was assembled for this movie and makes this star western even more enjoyable.

poor colorization
Originally saw this film in Black and White. This colorized version is poor at the best; spend the time and effort to find the B/W; the hokie-ness detracts from the movie itself.

Deserves more attention
Hard to believe I missed this jewel before. Just an outstanding collaboration by Stewart/Mann. I really don't see the brutality here that so many people are quick to scream these days, and who cares about King Lear? This is just a great Western in the classic sense. Jimmy Stewart was always his best in the "I'm gonna get you sucka'" role and he is terrific here. The story outweighs some casting issues but you won't care. Cathy O'Donnell is exactly like Stewart describes her..."beautiful", a fragile genuine treasure.

The DVD transfer is nothing but spectacular. I've never seen colors like this anywhere and there's plenty of scenery to "wow" at. Amazing actually but that's an Anthony Mann trademark. Just jumped into my top five all time list. 5 mules, still standing. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Seattle,Skagway,Dawson
The Far Country is the most quintessential collaboration between director Anthony Mann, actor James Stewart and screenplayer Borden Chase. The movie epitomizes the western according to Mann and more precisely the fascinating possibilities offered by the Stewart persona as a rugged, selfish individualist eventually condemned by the mere force of events to stand by the new-born community.Essentially malevolent, Jeff Webster selfishness will have to come to terms with Gannon, a truculent and almost cheerful Roy Bean- liked judge tyrannicaly ruling the booming and muddy city of Skagway : John Mc Intire versus James Stewart.Only the violent death of his old ranching partner Ben (a marvellous Walter Brennan)will transform Stewart into what might be expected from a western hero.
The magic of the film lies as much in its jubilant treatment of western situations( the stampede of Stewart's cattle out of the steamboat in Skagway, the brutal and colored atmosphere of Skagway under Gannon's heels, the crossing of the mountains en route to the gold mines of Yukon...)as in the vivid painting of characters each viewer feels like knowing.It has been said that each scene could justify a whole film, which is just partly true since the film does so perfectly well. The blend of strength, weakness, doubts...in one word ; the humanity Stewart brougth to this now legendary series of films , together with the air-capturing ability of Mann's filming put these films very high( ask Costner, Eastwood, Jarmush, Scorcese...)
This one among the four or five best westerns of movie history.

Bruno Parfait

A fine Jimmy Stewart western
The American frontier shifts north to Alaska in this tightly paced Anthony Mann western, starring Jimmy Stewart as a hard-bitten, cynical cowboy loner who finds himself caught up in the Klondike gold rush, and with it, the struggle between lawless injustice and the budding new civility. Walter Brennan gets a choice role as Stewart's stammering, old-timer sidekick; John McIntyre is delicious as the unrepentant villain, Judge Gannon of the border town called Skagway, who runs the place as his own personal company town. Stewart plays his antihero to the hilt, and the on-location cinematography is impressive... A nice, taut, enjoyable film.

I'm gonna hang you, but I'm gonna like you.
Some time back Humphrey Bogart was selected the number one male screen legend by the A.F.I. (American Film Institute or Asinine Film Idiots, take your pick.) Cary Grant came in second and James Stewart third. Without taking away anything from any of these fine actors, I think this is outrageous. I mean, how many light comedies was Bogart in? How many westerns was Grant in? In my opinion James Stewart was the greatest male film actor ever, and I'd knock Bogart all the way down to ninth place (between James Cagney and Spencer Tracy.) Then again, I've never thought CASABLANCA was "The Movie," so I suppose I'll never understand.
Now that I've got that out of my system.... James Stewart DID star in a number of westerns, and his best were made in collaboration with Anthony Mann. THE FAR COUNTRY may not be the best, but it's a strong entry. Stewart plays Jeff Webster, a loner who's only friend is Ben Tatum (Walter Brennan.) Mann works by throwing opposites in the air and watching what gravity does to them - Ben is domestic and social (he talks about settling down with Jeff on a small ranch in Utah), Jeff is anti-social and footloose.
THE FAR COUNTRY begins in the port of Seattle, where Jeff arrives with a herd of cattle intended for the beef hungry (and rich) gold country of Alaska. He also arrives with two fewer drivers than he began with - he shot them, we are told, because they left the drive and took his cattle with them. Watching Stewart's suspicious eyes narrow and his hand hover over his guns after he returns guns to the two remaining drivers ("Here. You've been waiting to use them for 500 miles.") you can tell that he's an effective enforcer of frontier justice.
Jeff and Ben meet an even more effective enforcer when they reach Skagway. Sheriff Gannon (John McIntire) is the only irredeemable character in the movie. Quick on the draw and cop, judge and jury in the wild frontier town of Skagway Gannon is totally corrupt. Stewart's two love interests, Good Girl Renee Vallon (Corinne Calvet) and Bad Girl Ronda Castle (Ruth Roman) round out the strong cast of major characters.
McIntire is delightfully wicked as the stove-pipe hat wearing hanging judge. Sheriff Gannon is motivated by greed and sadism, and McIntire plays him with gusto. Stewart explores the darker side with his customary intelligence and talent - Jeff Webster is a difficult role, and Stewart makes his journey from misanthropy to social consciousness utterly convincing. Roman is the beautiful saloon owner who may be redeemed by love. Calvet is the French gamin whose beauty (Calvet was a pin-up model in the late '40s and early '50s) is hidden beneath a wool stocking cap and behind a heavy flannel shirt.
Brennan, his upper dental plate out in this one, is the bridge between Jeff Webster and the rest of society. His sin is too much sociability. For my money, Brennan is a can't-miss actor. If he's in it, it's probably good.
The film was shot on location in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada, and it looks magnificent.
If you're familiar only with the MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON/IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE/ HARVEY Jimmy Stewart, and you'd like to see him in an oater exploring the dark side, THE FAR COUNTRY is a good place to start. I recommended this one without qualifications.

Rating is for the studio's botched work
Maybe they think that, by butchering widescreen formats, it will help to fight piracy (although I'm sure some nerds will like to pirate crap, just for the fun of it), but for me (and, I can see I'm not the only one), the only result of disrespect for original movies' format only helps in not buying until movies are released in the right screen ratio.

Jimmy Stewart heads north

This is one of the better Westerns, but the West has shifted North, to Skagway and Dawson during the Alaskan (and Canadian) gold rush.

Stewart drives a herd North to Seattle, and then by steamer to Alaska, where a corrupt judge, played by John McIntyre, tries to steal his herd.

Stewart comes through, though.

This is a Western from another generation--the "good old days." I loved them, with Gable, Stewart, Peck and the rest of the old-timers whose characters showed on their faces.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

... Read more

Reviews (10)

GOES AGAINST MANNs OWN FORMULA
THE TIN STAR seems to go against Anthony Mann's own formula, not so much for its plot, but in its casting of the principal actor Henry Fonda as the catalyst that motivates young sheriff Anthony Perkins (and the film) to live up to the demands of the position. Fonda's casting and presence as the hero seems to make the role static and less complex when compared to what James Stewart could have brought to the role (Stewart was Mann's usual choice for the leading man in his Westerns). Fonda's character is one of a bounty hunter / ex-sheriff who appears to have no moral ambiguities, thus the apprenticeship of Perkins under Fonda's moral stalwartness brings a very straightforward relationship to these main characters. Visually the film also seems to be limited to the town rather than on the wide unclosed vistas of the open range. This claustrophobic effect seems to repress elements of this otherwise interesting screenplay. However, these are only observed peculiarities to Anthony Mann's usual style. This is still a tightly scripted and enticing Western. The showdown between Perkins and Neville Brand is excellently played out. Elmer Bernstein's early Western score is very absorbing and insightful to the film's narrative. I particularly like Henry Fonda's role and his performance in this film. This is a good Western.

Very good but under-appreciated western.
Henry Fonda was one of the greatest movie actors ever -- sometimes I think that he was THE greatest. Somehow Fonda managed to BE whomever he was playing, with no hint that he was acting, despite the wide variety of roles he played over his long career.

In The Tin Star Fonda is superb as an embittered ex-sheriff turned bounty hunter who scoffs at naive but dedicated Anthony Perkins, the newly-appointed sheriff in a town to which Fonda has come to collect the reward for an outlaw he has killed. While waiting in town for his reward money to arrive, Fonda reluctantly mentors Perkins in the art of being an effective sheriff and staying alive while doing it. There is a subplot involving Fonda's developing relationship with a widow (played by Betsy Palmer) and her half-Indian son. Although there is action in The Tin Star, the movie is primarily about the relationships among the principal characters and how they change each other. This is a very good western -- indeed a very good movie -- in every respect. But Fonda's role makes it outstanding. Please don't pass up this under-appreciated classic now that it's available on DVD.

Tin Star
Anthony Mann's THE TIN STAR was a little disappointing. Mann was an early expert in 'psychological' westerns and I guess this one fits that category. Henry Fonda plays bounty hunter Morg Hickman, a man with a past. Hickman rides into town with a bounty trophy and, this being a fairly civilized town, is shunned by the citizens. Doesn't seem to bother him much, though. While waiting for his bounty money to come through he becomes involved with a local widder and her young 'un and helps set young and clumsy sheriff Ben Owens (Anthony Perkins) on the right track.
THE TIN STAR is a little light and domestic for Mann. A run-of-the-mill story with acceptable acting by all involved.

heavy hard star
You can make easily a tin star by cutting that feeble metal from, for example, a fruit can. To carry it is more difficult. From outside the USA it seems public workers aren't so valued as private entrepreneurs.
But not all people serve to do business privately, and some have to choose public work. One of these tasks is being sheriff in old west. In this movie the figure of the sheriff as a public server is well seen: a man not very capable as I suppose were almost all, elected between the people of a small village, honest but without real skills to impose the law against dangerous bandits: So then, that famous tin star should weigh terribly. In contrast there is the gunman: he's very able with firearms but in this film shooting exhibitions pass to a secondary plane. The personage played by Henry Fonda basically knows his profession in full and furthermore, it remains in a slight dark the feeling that he doesn't value life too much, nor those of his preys nor his own, as he's a bitter, lonely, disillusioned man of and uncertain age with not much to lose. That quality, paradoxically, gives him an advantage in all fights owing to a quiet, indifferent mood the sheriff can't attain as he wants to live and hates troubles. The sheriff must risk against his will; the gunman afford these risks without much worry and all these isn't only a matter of mastery with the revolver. The two protagonists are very well chosen, contrasting the sober Fonda with the disquiet Perkins, but in the film at the end, the two men have changed.

THIS STAR SHINES MORE LIKE GOLD THAN TIN!
Henry Fonda's career was never the same after "The Tin Star." Shedding the every man good guy persona that had made him so likeable on screen for so long, on this occasion Fonda's pretty cold, aloof and forboding as a lawman turned bounty hunter. Director, Anthony Mann's in-depth character study of the old west is made even more compelling by a startling performance from Anthony Perkins, as the too gentle for gunsmoke sheriff, to whom Fonda undertakes a shaping-up of.
THE TRANSFER: The VistaVision black-and-white picture elements are in reasonably good shape. Contrast and black levels are nicely balanced. Age related artifacts are present but do not distract. Digital anomalies are also present, but again, do not distract. The audio is mono but nicely balanced.
EXTRAS: Not on this disc!
BOTTOM LINE: "The Tin Star" is an above average western from a time when westerns were a dime a dozen. It's thoughtful and thought-provoking and well worth a second look on DVD! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The first great period of Anthony Mann's career was the string ofblacklybrilliant late-'40s thrillers and crimebusting movies--T-Men, Raw Deal, BorderIncident, et al.--that marked the full flowering of film noir.We won't kidyou: Railroaded was made just before Mann hit his spectacular stride--andjust before the low-rent Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC) evolved into the somewhat more prestigious Eagle-Lion.The rather plodding story line hasto do with a young deliveryman's framing for a robbery and the incidentalmurder of a cop, and the slightly-at-cross-purposes efforts of his sister(Sheila Ryan) and a police detective (Hugh Beaumont, better-known as "WardCleaver") to clear him.Much more worthy of contemplation is the saturnine John Ireland as the principal evildoer, a small-time crook whose readiness towhack any number of people, innocent and guilty alike, gets creepier witheach passing reel.

Mann hadn't yet teamed with cinematographer John Alton, and the lighting is generic--blah for the daylight scenes, merely murky for the night stuff. Still, it's gratifying to see that Mann on his own was already reaching for the occasional deep-focus composition, outré set piece (a shootout amongupended stools in a darkened saloon), and surprising texture--like theclose-up of a bullet hole in an alligator purse that announces a life lost,with chilling matter-of-factness, off screen and between scenes. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Amazon.com

This gritty and often chilling documentary-style noir (based on a true story) about the hunt for a cop killer in Los Angeles is a must-have for fans of vintage crime films. Richard Basehart stars as a cold-blooded thief whose murder of a police officer sets off a citywide manhunt; the law, led by granite-jawed Scott Brady, tracks him relentlessly until the pair square off in the shadow-steeped drainage canals beneath the city (the same locale for the finale of Them!). Though Alfred Werker is credited as director, noir and Western vet Anthony Mann actually helmed the majority of the film; his muscular direction lends palpable suspense to the picture, aided in no small part by longtime collaborators John C. Higgins (who co-wrote the script) and cinematographer John Alton, whose Germanic-influenced lighting creates an otherworldly atmosphere. Supporting cast member Jack Webb borrowed the no-nonsense, semi-documentary approach for Dragnet. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Pushing The Limits
Perhaps one seeing this film for the first time, in this day and age, will not realize just how racy this picture was when it was produced (in 1958). I watch it now, and I still can't believe that they "got away with it". The picture, a yarn concerning a Georgia hayseed family, took the "Ma And Pa Kettle" concept to new heights!

The gist of the story is that Ti-Ti, and his strapping sons, are digging for his pappy's gold, which, legend has it, is buried somewhere on their Georgia farm. They've been digging in the ground for fifteen years.....and haven't found anything yet. The characters seem, to me, to be the basis for the Clampetts on the Beverly Hillbillies........especially Darlin' Jill (who surely was the model for Ellie Mae).

The picture includes one of the hottest forbidden love scenes to ever be committed to celuloid (between Tina Louise and Aldo Ray). This was back in the days when things had to be creatively SUGGESTED (to avoid censorship). Things are different today, when anything goes and a "love scene" is thrown in for mere titillation, showing yet another improbable, sexual acrobatic endeavor between two participants. This scene between "Griselda" and "Will" has actual BEARING on this story. Those were the days.

It might seem quite campy (it is!). It certainly is hilarious, and even tragic at times. I recommend "GOD'S LITTLE ACRE" highly!

ugh, what drivel
I'm a big Mann fan, and i even enjoy his not very good non noir or western films, thunder bay for instance. a great director, but this one stinks. i can't even get up the enthusiasm to criticise it

One of my FAV Tina Films!
I have a lot of Tina Louise's Movies, but I have to say to me this is at the top of my list!( with "Friendships Secrets and Lies" in first place) the plot is terrific and exciting and Tina's role as Griselda proves what a true chameleon she is!! she can play any role and do it beautifully! the acting from everyone in this movie was great! and all of Tina's scenes are touching and powerful. Especially the one tragic scene, and if u see the movie, you will know what scene I am talking about! this is for any die hard classic movie fan! so check it out, and see TINA LOUISE in one of her best roles EVER!!

*TINA*
TinaLouise4ever!!

They don't make movies like this anymore!
Review are you kidding, they just don't make movies like this anymore. Two plots going on at the same time the main being a treasure hunt which causes men to test what their true treasure is and the love story which for its time was almost scandelous. This is a good old fashhion movie. Did I say good. I mean great. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

FORGOTTEN NOIR GEM NEW ON DVD
Originally released in 1948, "Raw Deal" is the story of a bitter, tough gangster (Dennis O'Keefe again) who seeks revenge after being framed and sent to the big house. With the help of an innocent woman he seduces, the ex con carries out his murderous scheme of vengeance, eventually coming face to face with the psychopathic pyromaniacal creep (Raymond Burr) responsible for his jail time. John Ireland, Marsha Hunt, Chili Williams and Claire Trevor co-star -- with Trevor responsible for the terrific, fatalistic voice over narration.

Mann's direction is as tight and stylized as the screenplay. The often low angle black and white photography by John Alton, who also did "T Men," is a perfect match for this tale of dark justice. A very young, surprisingly trim, Raymond Burr is a standout as the bad guy. In the scene that introduces him, he gleefully burns the ear of one of his flunkies with a cigarette lighter. It's a cruel joke and Burr obviously relishes the role of the sadistic heavy. The quality of the full frame print is pretty good. The sound could be a tad cleaner. The extras are limited to some great noir trailers and "video liner notes" by mystery writer Max Collins. Definitely entertaining and better than might be expected.

Ever So Raw!!!
I am honored to be the first reviewer of this film! This is definitely a "B" noir flick in terms of the look and feel, but the script is taut and the acting is tough as nails.Some of the visuals (shot by John Alton) are as dark and as well-composed as any in Noirville--great low angle shots especially! See a pre-Perry Mason/Ironside Raymond Burr as a power-mad pyromaniac, and John Ireland as his hapless flunkie. And of course Claire Trevor as the co-dependent floozie following her man all the way to the gutter. Her laconic, downbeat voice-overs are superb, and set the emotional tone for the movie throughout. I had never seen the lead actors before--Dennis O'Keefe and Marsha Hunt, but found their portrayals quite compelling. The love story was a bit soapy but tolerable. The quality of the disc by VCI was very good in terms of the picture quality, though sound was a bit muffled. Some fun extras, including trailers from several other unrelated noir films, like Impact, and a really cool behind the scenes interview with Sinatra, Preminger, Kim Novack on the set of Man With the Golden Arm--what these are doing on this disc is beyond me, but it is a nice non sequitor nonetheless. Also, a film critic does a little analysis of Anthony Mann's style, and it is pretty darn interesting. See the companion DVD, T-Men, also an A. Mann film, but Raw Deal is the Real Deal!!

Brilliantly Redefines Noire -- Mann at his best
Anthony Mann's films -- whether they are Noire, War Film, Western, or Costume Epic -- are all about one thing: characters doomed to self-destruction. In that light "Raw Deal" is probably his best, because here *everyone* is going down.

O'Keefe escapes from prison, bent on collecting his dough from Crime Boss Raymond Burr, and leaving the country. But on the way he becomes trapped between the woman who broke him out, and the beautiful parole officer they kidnapped. Meanwhile the sadistic pyromaniac Burr has sent killer John Ireland to make sure O'Keefe meets a sticky end.

"Raw Deal" starts as an exercise in classic film-noire style: tough-guy dialogue, gun-play, and simple low-key sets. Forunately (and unlike most directors), Mann is aware that these are just *noire motifs*. So rather than produce a cliche by playing *to* them, Mann (and his collaborators Alton and Sawtell) produces a masterpiece by playing *against* them.

What would normally be a conventional revenge flick, becomes a complicated emotional journey, in the guise of an equally meandering -- occaisionally surreal -- road trip across post-war middle-America.

John Alton photographs it beautifully (the Greg Toland of B-Movies): a fight in a bait-shop takes place under a grid of black fishing nets; a woman's face reflected in the face of a ships' clock (also under a net... hmmmm); a forest at night; an alleyway choked with fog -- all of it exquisitely illuminated (or NOT illuminated, depending on your lighting philosophy).

And instead of the standard -- Dum-Da-Dum-Dum Dragnet score, composer Paul Sawtel (the Bernard Herrman of B-Movies) gives it a quivering, supernatural flavour -- with a Theramin.

The cast is perfect, particularly Ireland whose moral ambivalence can't conceal his distain for Burr and respect for O'Keefe. And Whit Bissel does a run throught in one of the films more surreal moments.

As i said before, the characters in a Mann film are always trapped by their own weaknesses. This is a standard B-movie/noir device, usually explained to the audience by a cynical Private-I with words like lust, betrayal, murder, etc. etc. What sets "Raw Deal" apart from the ordinary Noire fodder is that we don't just observe, we sympathise. In "Raw Deal" the trap isn't "greed" or "lust" -- it's loyalty, devotion, duty, and self sacrifice. Anthony Mann's characters are doomed by their virtues, not their vices.

And they take us with them. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Film noir classic
Anthony Mann with no budget and not much of a script creates a terrific little thriller. There are simply classic sequences thanks to some brilliant cinematography.

The film is very episodic and does not realy hang together, but some of the shots are superb. The opening murder of an informant has one of the bext scenes where a murderer literally is absorbed by the darkness. The execution in the steam room is filled with horror. Anthony Mann showed all his potential as a director with this little B film. It is throughly recommended.

UNEXPECTED NOIR GEM ON DVD
VCI Entertainment, a small video company in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is releasing DVDs of "RAW DEAL" and "T MEN," two forgotten noir B movie classics directed by Anthony Mann.

Allegedly taken from a closed Treasury Department file (the "Shanghia Paper" case), "T Men" (1947) is a clever crime drama that's shot in a documentary style for added realsim. The meticulously detailed set-up is kind of slow going, but the payoff is gangbusters (literally). Dennis O'Keefe and Alfred Ryder are Treasury agents who go undercover, disguised as mobsters, to infiltrate a ring of Detroit based liquor cutters known to be using bogus revenue stamps. The gang's savage leader has already killed a fellow T Man. For the agents, there is almost a perverse emphasis on how they must shut down all normal human feelings to successfully accomplish their missions -- even to the point of standing by while a fellow agent is executed in cold blood. There's no question about the dark noir terrain in this terrific little thriller that is all the more effective thanks to John Alton's brilliant, precise, geometrically composed cinematography.

A surprisingly gripping film with a stunning climax. Definitely worth considering if you're looking for those forgotten noir gems.

An overlooked B-movie crime thriller
If and when you see this film, ignore the tiresome, moronic narration at the beginning and end that was obviously tacked on by the studio, and enjoy the middle 96% of this tough, well-made, B-movie classic. Before he found fame as a director of westerns, Anthony Mann directed shoestring-budget B-crime thrillers, of which T-Men is the best (better than Raw Deal, much better than Railroaded.) The pseudo-documentary approach combines with John Alton's brilliant underlit noirish cinematography to create a potent brew; engaging, almost mesmerizing. You hate to see the story come to an end. A B-movie masterpiece, one of the great ones of the forties.

Mann/Alton team exceed themselves in this noir gem
Starting with what must have been a standard postwar script praising the feds (this time, the treasury department), the team of director Anthony Mann and director of photography John Alton turned this into one of the most memorable and seminal films of the noir cycle. The budget was shoestring but their love for their craft must have been extraordinary, because shot after shot triumphs as a little cinematographic wonder -- an object lesson in how to let pictures talk. As T-Men Dennis O'Keefe and Alfred Ryder plunge deeper into the counterfeiters' world, the action becomes increasingly edgy and violent, belying the syrupy patriotic music that puts us to sleep every time we flash back to Washington, D.C. As good as Mann's (and Alton's) other films can be, T-Men shows off their talents to exhilarating advantage. This is a must-see -- even a must-buy -- for anybody interested in this unparalleled and unforgettable decade of film history.

An Unknown Gem!
What starts out as another Hollywood movie promoting the FBI and other government law enforcement agencies quickly becomes a hard-hitting film noir that exposes the underbelly of an undercover government agent. Dennis O'Keefe and Alfred Ryder must become as bad as the villians they are after in order to infiltrate a ruthless gang of counterfeiters. Watch for Charles McGraw in one of his most sadistic roles as Moxey - the thug who loves to inflict pain. A little known classic by Anthony Mann (who directed all of those great 1950's Jimmy Stewart westerns). ... Read more

Reviews (7)

"You cannot escape the person you are."
In the film, "Strange Impersonation" chemist Nora Goodrich (Brenda Marshall) is close to perfecting a new form of anesthesia, and she's also fending off fiance and fellow chemist, Dr Lindstrom. Lindstrom is pushing for a wedding date, but Nora's ambition dictates the conclusion of her experiments before moving on to personal business. Nora decides to accelerate product testing by experimenting with the anesthetic at home. She enlists the help of lab assistant Arline Cole. The experiment, however, goes horribly wrong, and Nora's face is scarred beyond recognition.

Following a bizarre encounter with female blackmailer Jane Karaski, Nora seizes the opportunity to assume Jane's identity. Nora--as Jane--goes into hiding and then undergoes over a year's worth of intense plastic surgery to restore her face.

Director Anthony Mann is considered one of the great film noir directors. So for those interested in the genre, "Strange Impersonation" is a must-see. However, that said, viewers should be aware that the film is seeped in 1940s technology and science (Nora's lab--Nora's experiments, etc), and so much of the film seems extremely dated. There are literally beakers full of smoking concoctions. Also, the film has a very high camp quality. The fights between females, a hideously scarred face hidden by veils, and the nonsensical inability to identify a body because the face is damaged beyond recognition, all add up to a good laugh. While the performances of the main actors are up-to-standard, some of the minor characters are definitely bad actors.

"Strange Impersonation" is absolutely not in the same league as "The Postman Always Rings Twice," "Double Indemnity" or "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers." It's just too campy for that. However, I was extremely interested in Mann's portrayal of females in this film. Nora is a brilliant scientist, Arline is the wicked schemer, and Jane Karaski is a female thug. This is a film about strong women (not necessarily nice) who take fate into their own hands. The characters of the females are fascinating--whereas the males play only dull minor roles on the periphery of the film. "Strange Impersonation" is relatively short--68 minutes long, and if you want to see a "B" cult classic from the 40s, then this film--with all its flaws--is worth your while. This is a restored version of the film, and both the picture and sound were excellent quality--displacedhuman.

A NOTE TO CUSTOMER REVIEWERS...
Please warn readers about potential spoilers at the beginning of your reviews. The ending is revealed in one of the previous critiques. Thanks and happy viewing!

STRANGE "MOVIE".....
A chemist (Brenda Marshall) working on a new anesthetic takes the product home and tries it out. Her assistant (Hilary Brooke), who may be after Marshalls' husband, arranges an "accident" that reults in Marshalls' face being disfigured. Marshall then murders a woman trying to blackmail her over a previous car accident and has to go on the lam with the dead womans' identity. She plots to take revenge and everything snowballs into a nightmare worse than before. The finale sees it all as just a weird hallucination she experienced from the drug. Huh? All this mumbo jumbo is played out in a very short running time. I wouldn't call this a "movie" so much as a cheap experimental student project. There are no production values at all. The sets are cardboard and the acting is dull and at times amateurish. I know that Anthony Mann has a reputation as a low budget film noirist but this is the cheapest attempt at telling a story I've seen in a while. Ulmer's "Detour" is pretty cheap but at least it's interesting. This was interesting at first but the ending just left me flat. Low budget is one thing but out and out cheap is another. I will not fault this films' defenders. To each his or her own. But it's just too cheap for me to see more than once. So it's recommended for Manns' fans and others with their curiosity meter turned WAY up.

SKIN DEEP AND DEEPER
Skin deep is not deep enough.

Jealousy, murder, plastic surgery and revenge in a Hitchcockian tour de force from Director Anthony Mann ("El Cid," "Desperate," "Bamboo Blond," "God's Little Acre").

Mann was widely praised for his meticulous eye for detail and his instinctive sense of mise en scene which he prominently shows in "Strange Impersonation."

The radiant and beautiful Brenda Marshall is a scientist who spurns marriage for her pioneering breakthroughs in the science of anesthetics. That's right, anesthetics. But YOU won't fall asleep watching this very surreal, sly, primitive, artful but low budget tale with a stunning, surprise ending. (Full Screen, B&W, 68 minutes, Not Rated)...

A FEMINIST "DARK PASSAGE"
This cool movie has the production values of a Three Stooges short (Shemp-era), but the writing and acting more than make up for it. The story recalls the best stories by Cornell Woolrich (The Bride Wore Black) and David Goodis (Dark Passage). It's gratifying to see a noir film from the 40's that has so many strong female characters in it. This is an undiscovered gem. Kudos to Kino. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Before Anthony Mann solidified his reputation with his edgy Westerns starring Jimmy Stewart such as The Naked Spur, he toiled in Hollywood's "Poverty Row," transforming a handful of low-budget crime thrillers into stylish, violent film noir classics with a mix of grace and grit. Threeof his best, all photographed by the brilliant John Alton, have been collected in The Roan's Group's The Film Noir of Anthony Mann triple feature.

T-Men stars square-jawed Dennis O'Keefe, a former leading man turned beefy B-movie tough guy, and Alfred Ryder as pair of undercover Treasury agents who enter the shadow world of America's mob underworld when their predecessor is killed. Posing as street thugs, they infiltrate their way into a gang of counterfeiters, living the dangerous life of the gangster to the hilt while living in constant danger of death if their covers are blown. Mann and Alton mix documentary-style realism with stark sets lit in jagged, claustrophobic shadows and abstract haziness, creating an eerie emptiness.

Raw Deal reunites Mann, Alton, and O'Keefe in a haunting revengenoir about an escaped criminal, his loyal girlfriend (Claire Trevor), and a lovely legal aide (Marsha Hunt) he drags along as a hostage. Trevor's cold, deliberate narration and the moody, fog-bound visuals stand in counterpoint to the brutal explosions of violence (the most memorable belonging to sadistic gangster Raymond Burr, who tosses a tureen of flaming cherries jubilee on a clumsy party girl in a scene that anticipates The Big Heat), adding a tough edge to the doomed romanticism.

Mann never took screen credit for He Walked by Night, though he directed a good portion of the documentary-influenced thriller. Richard Basehart stars as an electronics genius who turns to theft and murder, while tough-guy cop Scott Brady tracks him down with the resources of the police department, notably a wisecracking forensics expert played by Jack Webb. The stiff, stentorian narration and procedural detail of this film were big influences on Webb when he developed Dragnet.

These films are all firmly in the B tradition: stilted, often hackneyeddialogue, abstract sets, and more than a few lesser performances can be found throughout, but Mann's spare style and hard edge and Alton's stunning visuals lift the films out of the poverty-row ghetto and into film noir history. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Noir at its best
I had been trying to obtain a copy of this dvd for some time and was delighted to finally purchase it via amazon. It is a beautifully presented dvd with three superb examples of what makes film noir (a movement, not a genre!). Aldrich's direction is as tight and claustrophobic as you would expect and the cinematography of John Alton can be seen to define all the charactersitics associated with noir. Long may films such as these be available on dvd.

MASTERPIECES IN BLACK AND WHITE
It was a great idea from the Roan Group to present three movies directed by Anthony Mann in the late forties. Unfortunately, their copies have seen better days ! Too bad.

So, the sound and the images of HE WALKED BY NIGHT are simply awful. There's a slight improvement for RAW DEAL and only T-MEN could be qualified as visible for the average DVD addict.

But,