Double Feature - Humphrey Bogart (Beat the Devil & Humphrey Bogart on Film)

Starring:Humphrey Bogart, Jennifer Jones, Gina Lollobrigida, Robert Morley, Peter Lorre, Edward Underdown, Ivor Barnard, Marco Tulli, Bernard Lee, Mario Perrone, Giulio Donnini, Saro UrzÃ¬, Aldo Silvani, Juan de Landa, Julie Gibson, Manuel Serano, Alex Pochet, Mimmo Poli
Director: John Huston
Studio: Delta
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
A wacky comedy that's played as straight as any film noir and is even funnier as a result. Five men are out to garner control over East African land which they believe contains a rich uranium ore lode.

Includes "Bogart on film" - a documentary, an intro by Tony Curtis & the trailer for The Big Sleep.

Menus: English  Spanish  Chinese
Subtitles: Spanish  Chinese

Amazon.com essential video

Ranked at No. 30 on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 all-time greatest American films, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is a genuine masterpiece that was, ironically, a box-office failure when released in 1948. At that time audiences didn't accept Humphrey Bogart in a role that was intentionally unappealing, but time has proven this to be one of Bogart's very best performances. It's a grand adventure and a superior character study built around the timeless themes of greed and moral corruption. As adapted by writer-director John Huston (from a novel by enigmatic author B. Traven) it became a definitive treatment of fate and futility in the obsessive pursuit of wealth. Bogart plays Fred C. Dobbs, a down-and-out wage-worker in Mexico who stakes his meager earnings on a gold-prospecting expedition to the Sierra mountains. He's joined by a grizzled old prospector (Walter Huston, the director's father) and a young, no-nonsense partner (Tim Holt), and when they strike a rich vein of gold, the movie becomes an observant study of wretched human behavior. Bogart is fiercely intense as his character grows increasingly paranoid and violent; Huston offers a compelling contrast as a weathered miner who's seen how gold can turn men into monsters.

From its lively opening scenes (featuring young Robert Blake as a boy selling lottery tickets) to its final, devastating image of fateful irony, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre tells an unforgettable story of tragedy and truth. With dialogue that has been etched into the cultural consciousness (who can forget the Mexican bandit who snarls "I don't have to show you any stinking badges!") and well-earned Oscars for John and Walter Huston, this is an American classic that still packs a punch. --Jeff Shannon

Description

John Huston won the Academy Award(R) for writing and directing this powerful saga that pits gold and greed in the wilds of Mexico and stars his father (Walter Huston) and Humphrey Bogart. Year: 1948 Director: John Huston Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, Tim Holt

Customer Reviews:

SIERRA MADRE BOGART.......2007-06-27

VERY NICE SET THE TREASURE MOVIE IS ONE OF BOGARTS BEST AND HOUSTONS TOO.
THE SECOND DISC IS AN EXCELLENT REVIEW OF HOUSTONS FILM MAKING CAREER HISTORY.

JASCONS

Brings back old memories.......2007-05-07

What a treat to see this old war horse. As was typical of this period the acting was a little over the top, especially Bogart but was entertaining nonetheless. Has some really good extras...well worth the price.

One of the greatest movies of all time..........2007-05-03

I can't tell you how many times I've watched this movie, and I can't tell you how many more times I will watch it. If movies were food, this movie would be a first class 9 course meal at the best 5 star restaurant in town. If you have never seen this movie, you have missed out on a rare glimpse into GOLD FEVER. You think it can't happen to you...better men have thought it and died. Watch men trade their souls for Gold, and see what happens to the Godless. Truely a work of art, everyone should own.

A Man's Film.......2007-05-03

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is a classic film starring one of the brightest stars of the era, Humphrey Bogart. Its themes are universal and timeless and the script features a line well known by the American culture. It follows three gold prospectors into the dirty desert where they mine tiny bits of gold. The threat of the elements, bandits, and each other slowly drive them apart and plant seeds of intense paranoia in their brains.

It might seem pretty stereotypical to deem this movie a "man's film," but really, that is what it is. The locations are far from beautiful, the actors are constantly unshaven and unclean, and the themes are about manhood. It isolates its audience, leaving women with little to relate to. I found it interesting in small sections but lacking as a whole.

This DVD release features an entire disk filled with extra features including documentaries, trailers, and other goodies.

I am sure that many people love this film and that it contains good acting, important themes, and great dialogue. However, my inability to relate to the events made it rather dull for me.

A tale of greed, and redemption.......2007-04-05

This black and white classic tells a lesson in greed. Humphrey Bogart plays a street beggar in a border town of Mexico who believes he'd be satisfied with just a little money. He doesn't need a lot. This belief will be put to the full test when him and his two friends are able to scrape together enough money to set out gold digging. Bogart's character is humble toward his friends until they strike it rich, then it's 'gold fever' galore. Walter Huston won an Oscar for his role and John Huston won Academy Awards for writing and directing this film. The violence is low key, so it's really something the entire family could watch, especially since it's such a great moral tale on how real gold is found in friendships and family.

Chrissy K. McVay - Author

Average customer rating:

Always a pleasure
The third time's the charm
Crime and punishment
A Fast-Paced Detective Story
THE STUFF THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF

The Maltese Falcon
Starring: Humphrey Bogart , Mary Astor , Gladys George , Peter Lorre , and Barton MacLane
Director: John Huston
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305729328
Release Date: 2000-02-15

Amazon.com essential video

Still the tightest, sharpest, and most cynical of Hollywood's official deathless classics, bracingly tough even by post-Tarantino standards. Humphrey Bogart is Dashiell Hammett's definitive private eye, Sam Spade, struggling to keep his hard-boiled cool as the double-crosses pile up around his ankles. The plot, which dances all around the stolen Middle Eastern statuette of the title, is too baroque to try to follow, and it doesn't make a bit of difference. The dialogue, much of it lifted straight from Hammett, is delivered with whip-crack speed and sneering ferocity, as Bogie faces off against Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet, fends off the duplicitous advances of Mary Astor, and roughs up a cringing "gunsel" played by Elisha Cook Jr. It's an action movie of sorts, at least by implication: the characters always seem keyed up, right on the verge of erupting into violence. This is a turning-point picture in several respects: John Huston (The African Queen) made his directorial debut here in 1941, and Bogart, who had mostly played bad guys, was a last-minute substitution for George Raft, who must have been kicking himself for years afterward. This is the role that made Bogart a star and established his trend-setting (and still influential) antihero persona. --David Chute

Description

Sam Spade is caught in a frantic search for the jeweled falcon of Malta and his partner's killer. His pursuit leads him to a group of desperate individuals who also want the bird.

Customer Reviews:

Always a pleasure.......2007-06-28

Excellent production. Package contains enhanced feature cut, the original and the first Falcon called Satin is a Lady. Nice complete package w/ exc ellent special features.

The third time's the charm.......2007-06-10

The Maltese Falcon has earned a reputation of being one of the all-time great movies. Does it deserve this title? As shown in the three-disc special edition of the movie, yes.

Before I picked up this edition, I was familiar enough with the movie, having seen it a couple of times as well as reading the book. Before re-watching it, however, I skipped to Disc 2 and watched the two older versions. The original version of The Maltese Falcon came out in 1931. This movie is reasonably faithful to the book, but has the stiff acting of many early talkies which used a lot of silent movie stars (such as Bebe Daniels). It does, however, have the entertaining Dwight Frye (an early screen villain most well known as Renfield in Dracula), though he doesn't do that much here. The 1936 remake was Satan Met a Lady which added a comic twist to the story. Unfortunately, star Warren William plays his role more like Nick Charles (a rather tipsy gentleman) than Sam Spade. The story changes the Falcon to a Ram's Horn, but not even Bette Davis (who considered this one of her worst films) can save it. With two mediocre efforts, it was amazing that Warner Brothers would try it again just five years later.

They did, however, and the third time was the charm. Despite having just seen the same story twice within a couple of weeks and being familiar with the classic version, it remained immensely entertaining, not just a cut above the first two versions, but several cuts. What makes this version so good? Basically, everything came together almost perfectly.

One key thing was rookie director John Huston whose direction is so good that it helped create an entire style of movie-making, film noir. Whether The Maltese Falcon is truly noir itself (the standard definition usually begins the era with post-WWII films), it is at least proto-noir. Then there is the cast, notably Peter Lorre as the oily Joel Cairo is a scene stealer as is Sydney Greenstreet as The Fat Man. Mary Astor makes her character, Brigid O'Shaughnessy, one of filmdom's great femme fatales, a woman who is able to manipulate almost any man (and her one failing will be costly).

In the center of it all, however, is Humphrey Bogart in one of his first heroic roles as Sam Spade. Bogie is in almost every scene of the movie (the only exception is an early murder), so he is critical to the movie's success. Actually, Spade is more of an anti-hero than a hero: a man who is willing to use other people to achieve his own ends. If you are unfamiliar with the plot, I'll sum it up quickly (and it's pretty much the same in all movies): After Spade's partner is killed, Spade is drawn into a tangled web of murder and intrigue all centering on the Maltese Falcon, a valuable statue that everyone wants and no one has. Of course, there's more to it than that, but why spoil the fun?

The first disc in this set has the Bogart version along with a commentary track. There is also a "Warner Night at the Movies" feature that provides cartoons, a newsreel, movie trailers and a short subject (a rather interminable ballet that will mostly appeal to fans of dance). The third disc provides other bonus features, most notably a documentary about the movie. The Disc One material is enough to give the set five stars (the movie itself is actually enough); the rest is just gravy. If you want to see one of the true classics, this is a must-get.

Crime and punishment.......2007-05-12

The dialog is fast and the plot is thick. Yes this the screen play was lifted directly from the book. The only thing I have trouble with is that I don't see Humphry Bogart as tough as he sounds. He is the classic tough guy though and does his detective best to figure out the plot. Worth owning because it takes several viewings to get all the details of the plot down. I didn't notice the sound mis-synch but then maybe its the machine.

Of the best of Bogart, it's not my favorite (which is Casablanca and African Queen) but it's in my collection.

A Fast-Paced Detective Story.......2007-05-05

This film was my initial introduction to Humphry Bogart. In this film he plays the cool and calculating Sam Spade. Spade gets involved in a complicated twisted plot so full of double-crosses that the viewer has to pay attention to every single word and scene, or get hopelessly lost in the amazingly complex yet fascinating story.

The film is extremely fast-paced and there is so much that is unknown about the characters and their shady relationships to each other, that I must admit to confusion as to what was unfolding. Each scene is packed with bits of information, like individual puzzle pieces, which one must mentally assemble to keep up with the unfolding plot. For me, the film gave too little time to sort out the puzzle pieces, and even at the end of the film, I confess to not being able to tie up all the loose ends or fully comprehend the film's plot. Despite the somewhat confusing and confounding plot twists, the film held my interest as I just had to find out what was the secret of the mysterious Maltese Falcon, the intense focus of all the character's attention.

I found it helpful to read Wikapedia's summary of the story after viewing the film, as this explained all the details I missed. I will certainly watch the film again to pick up on the plot twists I missed the first time.

Bogart is magnificent as the unshakable Sam Spade. Mary Astor is fascinating as the woman who will use any means possible to get her hands on the falcon. Sidney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre fill out the fine cast as the eccentric duo who are desperate to capture the priceless falcon.

This is not a film that the kids will enjoy watching. Shot in black and white, and with a pace as fast as a roller-coaster, kids will quickly loose interest. I recommend you watch the film with no interuptions, and listen carefully to every word, as the diaglogue is as fast-paced as the plot. Certaining an intriging movie, it is sparce in character developement, and has little to "say" in terms of a lesson for the viewer. It is purely a detective who-done-it filmed for entertainment value alone.

I've certainly seen better films, but this one is worth a watch, if only to see some of the best film actors of the black and white era.

JIm 'Koendog" Koenig

THE STUFF THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF.......2007-04-19

In literature and film there have been no lack of private detective-types depicted from the urbane Nick Charles (also a Hammett creation) to Mickey Spillane's rough and tumble Mike Hammer but the classic model for all modern ones is Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade (the Humphrey Bogart role in the film) in Maltese Falcon. Some may argue Raymond Chandler's Phillip Marlowe and may have a point but as for film adaptation Spade wins hands down. Compare, if you will, Bogart's performance in Maltese Falcon with the Big Sleep. Get my point. But enough of that. What make's Spade the classic is his intrepidness, his orneriness, his dauntless dedication to the task at hand, his sense of irony, his incorruptibility, his willingness to take an inordinate amount of bumps and bruises for paltry fees and his off-hand manner with the ladies and a gun. And in Maltese Falcon he needs all of these qualities and then some.

And for what? It is the bird, stupid. You know, the stuff that dreams are made of. This modern tale of greed and desire gets nicely worked with a cast of adventurers, including Sam's love interest, who are serious, inept, and ultimately dangerous. There is a certain amount of off-handed humor as is warranted by some of the situations thrown in to boot. Sam is well up to handling everything thrown at him by is male adversaries. But, the dame (played by Mary Astor in the film), that is a different question. She is as greedy (if not more so) than the rest but she is ready to use her feminine wiles on even the incorruptible Spade in order to get that damn bird. That, dear friends, puts her beyond the pale and she will have many a lonely night in prison to think that through. In the end Sam's honor and the honor of his profession is intact, and that's what counts in his world.

Double Feature - Humphrey Bogart (Beat the Devil & Humphrey Bogart on Film)

Average customer rating:

One of the Greats
Bogart himself called it a "mess."
Time is a crook
Review for Unicorn Video Release
Truman Capote and John Huston film a New Yorker cartoon

Double Feature - Humphrey Bogart (Beat the Devil & Humphrey Bogart on Film)
Starring: Humphrey Bogart , Jennifer Jones , Gina Lollobrigida , Robert Morley , and Peter Lorre
Director: John Huston
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00003CWI1
Release Date: 1999-11-23

Description

A wacky comedy that's played as straight as any film noir and is even funnier as a result. Five men are out to garner control over East African land which they believe contains a rich uranium ore lode.

Includes "Bogart on film" - a documentary, an intro by Tony Curtis & the trailer for The Big Sleep.

Menus: English • Spanish • Chinese
Subtitles: Spanish • Chinese

B&W
Running Time: 100 min.

Customer Reviews:

One of the Greats.......2007-02-12

This movie has a an excellent line-up, Humphrey Bogart, and the great Peter Lorre. This is not a very well known film, but I personally enjoyed every minute of it.
Billy Dannreuther (Bogart) is part of a motley group planning to go to Africa, where a friend can help them illegally claim uranium. But trouble arrives: stuffy Harry Chelm (Edward Underdown) and his very imaginative wife Gwen (Jennifer Jones) arrive, and soon they're flirting with Billy and his sensual wife Maria (Gina Lollabrigida).

Even worse, Gwen's "exaggeration" habit is making the gang distrust Billy, thinking that he's withholding information from them. He isn't, of course. But all the personal plots and distrust come to a boil when everyone boards the ship, and Harry reveals that he knows everything about their uranium plot. Now Billy has to save himself and his friends, without Harry being bumped off...

"Beat the Devil" is an all-around satire -- it mocks grabby criminals, pathological liars, stodgy Brits, romance movies, crime capers, and even second-rate boats ("Of course, the captain is drunk!"). In fact, there's very little about this movie that doesn't poke fun at itself, or at the movies of the time.

And since it was adapted by John Huston and Truman Capote, you know that it's being witty as it makes fun. It languidly builds up in a sunny, ruined city where people plot and flirt, and then starts to boil when they get on board the boat. But even engine failures manage to be entertaining when Harry wrecks the oil pump while trying to fix it.

The cast is skilled in that under-the-radar way: Bogart plays a slightly more offbeat version of his noir characters, and Jennifer Jones is hilarious as the ditzy, chattery English girl. Peter Lorre and Robert Morley are also quite good as Bogie's pals, and Underdown plays the insensitive, straight-arrow dunce perfectly. You'll constantly want to smack him.

Bogart himself called it a "mess.".......2006-12-18

The plot, if you can call it that, concerned a group of six stranded adventurers in an Italian port whose plan is to buy up some East African land that supposed1y contains uranium... Double-crossing quickly becomes the name of the game as Bogart and his fellow conspirators (including Robert Morley, Peter Lorre, Gina Lollobrigida, and a seemingly endless parade of bizarre characters) outdo each other in inspired crazy way...

Bogart, trying desperately to maintain his composure, delivered such priceless lines as: 'I'm only in on this because the doctor told me I needed plenty of money. Without money I become dull, listless, and have trouble with my complexion." But his lines weren't the only offbeat ones... In a room where he's being questioned after being captured, while a firing squad goes about its routine work outside, he is asked straight-faced, "Now tell me, do you really know Rita Hayworth?"

The film is one of those rare items that viewers either seem to love or hate, no middle ground accepted... and declared that only the "phonies" thought it was really funny... Many reviewers thought the whole thing was a tasteless joke and decried the waste of time, talent, and money...

In any case, Bogart gave an immensely satisfying performance in his tongue-in-cheek role and the film itself has now become a regular attraction in Bogart film retrospectives... It is also an excellent example of how much Bogart had matured as an actor, since it is not easy to overcome apparently inept material and still give a performance with some meaning and substance...

Time is a crook.......2006-07-05

You'd think that "Beat the Devil" would be far better known than it is, since it was one of the last movies that Humphrey Bogart did before his untimely death. Maybe that's because Bacall wasn't in it, or maybe it was just too quirky for the masses -- a funny, wry noir-satire, with a gang of rather inept criminals.

Billy Dannreuther (Bogart) is part of a motley group planning to go to Africa, where a friend can help them illegally claim uranium. But trouble arrives: stuffy Harry Chelm (Edward Underdown) and his very imaginative wife Gwen (Jennifer Jones) arrive, and soon they're flirting with Billy and his sensual wife Maria (Gina Lollabrigida).

Even worse, Gwen's "exaggeration" habit is making the gang distrust Billy, thinking that he's withholding information from them. He isn't, of course. But all the personal plots and distrust come to a boil when everyone boards the ship, and Harry reveals that he knows everything about their uranium plot. Now Billy has to save himself and his friends, without Harry being bumped off...

"Beat the Devil" is an all-around satire -- it mocks grabby criminals, pathological liars, stodgy Brits, romance movies, crime capers, and even second-rate boats ("Of course, the captain is drunk!"). In fact, there's very little about this movie that doesn't poke fun at itself, or at the movies of the time.

And since it was adapted by John Huston and Truman Capote, you know that it's being witty as it makes fun. It languidly builds up in a sunny, ruined city where people plot and flirt, and then starts to boil when they get on board the boat. But even engine failures manage to be entertaining when Harry wrecks the oil pump while trying to fix it.

The cast is skilled in that under-the-radar way: Bogart plays a slightly more offbeat version of his noir characters, and Jennifer Jones is hilarious as the ditzy, chattery English girl. Peter Lorre and Robert Morley are also quite good as Bogie's pals, and Underdown plays the insensitive, straight-arrow dunce perfectly. You'll constantly want to smack him.

As for editions, pretty much none of them are "good" per se. They havne't been cleaned up or restored. But the best one I've seen is Diamond Entertainment's, which has a steady picture and soundtrack, and no splices, crackling, or so on. It's slightly fuzzy as for details, but not so that it isn't watchable or enjoyable.

Though not as respected as it deserves, "Beat the Devil" is a little gem of a Bogart movie, with a witty, satirical script and lots of wild twists. Definitely a keeper.

Review for Unicorn Video Release.......2005-02-06

I have only seen the 90 minute version, so whether it's inferior to the uncut version, I can't really say. This is one of my favorite Bogart movies however. It's also one of the few old movies with a sense of humor that doesn't seem outdated (to me at least).

Technically speaking this version looks as good as any old movie. The DVD is digitally remastered and features a digital 5.1 surround soundtrack, Dolby digital sound, scene access and interactive menus. I don't have the gear to evaluate the 5.1 or Dolby, but the sound is fine on my tv speakers.

I know that I bought the Unicorn Video version because of the price I paid, but Unicorn Video does not appear anywhere on the DVD case. If you're looking for this version in stores, the cover has a picture of Bogart against a wine colored background with 'Digital Gold Collection' in a gold banner at the top of the case.

Truman Capote and John Huston film a New Yorker cartoon.......2004-10-20

Beat the Devil is a subtle comedy of manners. It's not a big Hollywood film, but a small independent (Bogart's own production company) that happens to have an amazing cast, is directed by one of the best (John Huston), with a Truman Capote screenplay. It's become one of my favorite off-beat films and can't recommend it enough.

What's not to like? Quite a bit if you read some of the disgruntled reviews below! But don't be dissuaded, it's a gem. And remember, Pauline Kael was a huge fan of this movie; if she's a reviewer you trust, that might be enough for you.

Other reviewers have outlined the plot so I won't go into that, and in any case, that's not the reason to watch this movie. The plot's certainly as good as any amusing Hitchcock film, with its MacGuffin and several surprising twists and comic suspense subplots unraveling throughout.

There are subtleties to Beat the Devil that apparently escape many reviewers, who perhaps wanted another formulaic 'noir' classic or some kind of slapstick laff-fest. If you like New Yorker cartoons, you'll likely enjoy this movie as much as I do: I've watched this movie at least 5 times and still love it.

Beat the Devil escapes categorization, except to say that it's a brilliant comic screenplay performed with skill and insight by several of the best actors of the 50s. Robert Morley is sublimely funny, and brings out the best in Peter Lorre and the other criminals in the gang.

Jennifer Jones is sexy and charming in her role as a compulsive liar, as is her classic and earnestly doltish husband. They reek naive British charm and are marvelous together, providing a poignant tension in contrast to the gang of conniving scoundrels.

Bogart himself has one foot in each boat, and much of the film revolves around the conflict he suffers in this double life, playing each off the other. As in most Bogie flicks, he's hilariously dry and sly, with lollapalooza actress Gina Lollobrigida playing his scheming wife. Everyone's on the make except Harry Chelm, Jennifer Jones' character's husband.

There isn't the passion of a Bogie/Bacall film, and it's not the classic noir we all love with Bogart, so don't be disappointed.

One word of warning: Beat the Devil slipped into the public domain, so the DVDs on the market are of varying quality. The one I have is ok, but only just... it's like watching an old movie, with herky jerky pops and cuts and some noise. It doesn't bother me that much though, and emphasizes the 'rare find' quality if you're feeling charitable. If you're a digital maniac, you'll be better served watching something Criterion's had its way with.

Beat the Devil is one of the most unusual 50s movies I can think of, and I don't normally watch any movie as often as I've watched this one. With the possible exception of other Bogart classics.

Average customer rating:

Best Detective Movie Ever

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000065MLN
Release Date: 2000-02-15

Customer Reviews:

Best Detective Movie Ever.......2003-03-11

Yes Virginia, this is the best detective movie of all time. In fact, this is the one that set the gold standard for all detective films. The one that everybody imitates, the one that everybody quotes, the one that made the career of Humphrey Bogart. Its fascinating murder plot is engaging, and the performances by Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet are unforgettable. John Huston’s great direction should also be noted.
This DVD is the sharpest, clearest version I’ve yet seen of “The Maltese Falcon,” and it is quite probably the sharpest and clearest version I ever will see. While there are still plenty of scratches, the image is a wonder to behold.
My only quibble is the comparative lack of extras. While there is a unique “The Trailers of Humphrey Bogart” documentary, “A History of Mystery” Essay, and the amusing “Maltese Falcon” theatrical trailer, a legitimate documentary or a film historian’s commentary would have been appreciated.

Hollywood Classics Double Feature: Beat the Devil/Call It Murder

Average customer rating:

Horrible quality
You're very wise to get out of it, escape, while you can.
A terrible example of DVD technology.
What a shame and a waste. . .
More Madacy trash...

Hollywood Classics Double Feature: Beat the Devil/Call It Murder
Starring: Sidney Fox , O.P. Heggie , Henry Hull , Margaret Wycherly , and Lynne Overman
Director: Chester Erskine , and John Huston
Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00000IC8J
Release Date: 2000-02-01

Customer Reviews:

Horrible quality.......2006-01-16

I can't compare this to any other versions, or to a different, longer, and better "cut" as mentioned in other reviews of other editions, but I'll say this -- the sound quality is positively abysmal. Left channel sound comes and goes as it pleases, and actors' voices are so muddy it's difficult to understand plain English. I haven't watched it long enough to find any of the video flaws that others mention, and the way it's going, I may not need to.

Fortunately I didn't waste any money on this. Got it from the library.

Move along folks, move along. Nothing to see here.

You're very wise to get out of it, escape, while you can........2004-09-25

What happened in this film? I couldn't tell you. One of the major downfalls of these films were the lack of quality that was used to transfer this film to DVD. I felt at times that I was watching a very old VHS version of these films. There is even a moment where you get squiggle lines at the top of the screen as if you are watching this film on a rackety VHS player. The fade in's and fade out's were horribly miscalculated. I am always a believer that you should let your character finish his/her line or action before you go to a fade, that way you don't have audience members straining to hear or to catch a final glimpse of what is happening. I am trying really hard to watch some of these older films. They are the backbone to modern cinema ... but can't they be any better. I am still waiting for me to discover that gem. I think that is my mission now. I want to see an older film that is virtually unheard of, but is movie making at its best. Beat the Devil gets one star, while Call it Murder also gets one. That is why this entire pack gets two stars. Addition. Blach! Watch out for these ... they're doozies!!

Grade: ** out of *****

A terrible example of DVD technology........2001-11-01

The manufacturer of this DVD did not make any effort to digitally re-master the source material. Imagine an old vacuum-tube TV set with just a piece of aluminum foil for an antenna, then try to imagine viewing this movie via on-air broadcast from a TV station 100 miles away. Can you immagine that? Good! You'd have better picture quality in that scenario than you have from this DVD. Sound on "Call It Murder" is delayed by a second or so, making you wonder just who in the picture is doing the talking. Add to that the loud background hiss coming from your speakers the whole time. This DVD is trash. Even if you were given this DVD for free, you'd want to throw it away. Don't waste your money!

What a shame and a waste. . ........2001-01-04

As valuable as many of our "heritage films" have proven themselves to be, it's a real crime to allow a second (or in this case, THIRD) rate video producer to get their hands on them.

Both "Midnight" (later released as "Call it Murder") and "Beat the Devil" as decent films in their own right, but this compilation DVD just needs to be burned, or at least banned. Compilations like this one are just another reason our appreciation of older films is in decay. I wouldn't drive a 58 Corvette if it were in this condition, I'm certainly not going to recommend such poor quality DVD reproductions of great movies.

The video is aweful. The audio lags. Practically no special features.

I STRONGLY URGE YOU NOT TO BUY THIS DVD OR ANY BY THE SAME COMPANY-

More Madacy trash..........2000-03-03

Madacy has done it again...taken what could have been decent DVD's and turned them into trash. The video transfer from film is very poor, but the worst is the audio. Madacy has a history of producing low-cost low-quality legacy DVD's, just look at other reviews of Madacy titles (check out Charlie Chaplin DVD's).

Collector's Choice Double Feature: Humphrey Bogart

Average customer rating:

Horrible quality
You're very wise to get out of it, escape, while you can.
A terrible example of DVD technology.
What a shame and a waste. . .
More Madacy trash...

Collector's Choice Double Feature: Humphrey Bogart
Starring: Sidney Fox , O.P. Heggie , Henry Hull , Margaret Wycherly , and Lynne Overman
Director: Chester Erskine , and John Huston
Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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The Enforcer
Tokyo Joe
Sirocco
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Dead Reckoning

ASIN: B00000IC7Z
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Customer Reviews:

Horrible quality.......2006-01-16

You're very wise to get out of it, escape, while you can........2004-09-25

A terrible example of DVD technology........2001-11-01

What a shame and a waste. . ........2001-01-04

As valuable as many of our "heritage films" have proven themselves to be, it's a real crime to allow a second (or in this case, THIRD) rate video producer to get their hands on them.

The video is aweful. The audio lags. Practically no special features.

I STRONGLY URGE YOU NOT TO BUY THIS DVD OR ANY BY THE SAME COMPANY-

More Madacy trash..........2000-03-03

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