Dodsworth

Starring:Mary Astor, John Barclay, Harlan Briggs, Spring Byington, Horace B. Carpenter, Ruth Chatterton, Bess Flowers, Gregory Gaye, Walter Huston, Paul Lukas, Fred Malatesta, Kathryn Marlowe, Harold Miller, Odette Myrtil, David Niven, Maria Ouspenskaya, Inez Palange, John Payne, Dale Van Sickel
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

One of the finest films of the 1930s, this classic Samuel Goldwyn production was based upon the hit Broadway play written by Sidney Howard, which had in turn been adapted from the 1929 novel by Sinclair Lewis. Ahead of its time in dramatizing the disintegration of a marriage, the story centers on the title character (superbly played by Walter Huston, who originated his role onstage), a wealthy automobile manufacturer whose wife (Ruth Chatterton, in her final American film role) desperately craves an aristocratic lifestyle in Europe. Dodsworth indulges her fancies to a degree, but their clashing desires--compounded by her affair with a European baron and his affection for a sympathetic widow (Mary Astor)--create further tension and mutual rancor. Dodsworth was perhaps the first Hollywood drama of the sound era that maturely addressed the complexity of a failing marriage and impending divorce, made especially compelling since Dodsworth is such an admirable and upstanding character who means well and upholds the ideal of marital commitment. Sharply directed by William Wyler, the film is as relevant today as it was when released in 1936. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Mary Astor shines in a Stunning Simple Story.......2006-08-20

Sam Dodsworth (Walter Huston) has just sold his company and has decided to take a European tour with his wife Fran (Ruth Chatterton). He wants to be a tourist and she wants to be a socialite. This throws her into the arms of various gigolos.

Sam tries to ignore her flirtations but eventually he tires of the vagabond life and returns home. The only thing is that home has moved on and he no longer belongs at the head of his own table.

Sam returns to Europe but Fran has formed an attachment. Sam agrees to a divorce but has to stay in Europe until it is final. During his travels he again runs into Edith (Mary Astor). Edith is an American expatriate widow, who is living in Italy. Sam met Edith on his first ship over and then ran into a couple of times during his earlier travels. Edith invites Sam to stay at her villa until the divorce case is final.

During this time Sam is contented for the first time since his retirement. Once again a curve ball, Fran's boyfriend's mother does not approve of her and he leaves her. Fran decides that Sam is better than nothing. But as the ship is about to depart, Sam realizes that it is time to look after his best interest.

This is a beautifully simple look at a marriage between the wars. This was a period when divorce was still taboo and adultery was even worse. This film featured early performances by many future stars. Walter Huston would not become a star for twenty years when his son John "rediscovered" him. But this film gives him a chance to show that he had talent. As his unfaithful wife Fran, Ruther Chatterton is fine but is probably the weakest link in the film. The great discovery is Mary Astor. She will become one of the greatest character actresses ever. This film shows the depth and range that Mary Astor is capable of. She is just stunning in this film. Also making appearances in this film are future Oscar winners Paul Lukas and David Niven as paramours of Fran.

This is a great film by a great director - William Wyler.

DVD EXTRAS: None

one of the finest adaptations of a novel into a movie.......2006-06-04

among the best film adaptations from a novel. the brilliant walter huston stars as the cuckolded husband of ditzy ruth chatterton (in a perfect performance), who falls in love with mary astor while separated from his wife. when wifey decides she wants him back, huston has to leave the woman he loves in order to restore the aura of respectability. but whats different here is he says to hell with the wife to reunite with the mistress! william wyler directed this brilliant movie, which somehow or other made it past the 1936 censors. theres also a marvelous subsidiary plotline debating the merits of eurotrash phoniness as opposed to american honesty (dont get too excited, jingoists; theres also plenty of ameritrash and euro honesty). as mature a movie as youll ever see.

The happiness is a wild flower!.......2005-10-21

The security sensation can give you a distorted perspective about the real state of things. Once you get what you want; many people assume the possessed issue will endure forever without mattering its intrinsic value and its development through the years.

The notable mind of Sinclair Lewis that portentous North American writer, created an expressive portrait around the doubtful illusion of the archetype know as self made man. Be careful with this detail that so many couples and families have destroyed I the past and still on.

One of the jewels of William Wyler in that prodigious decade of the thirties. Walter Huston shines once more in this delicate but profound drama that still maintains its vigorous actuality.

An Excellent, Mature Film; Walter Huston Is Exceptional.......2005-09-07

For all that Sinclair Lewis' reputation rests on the satires of Babbitt, Main Street and Elmer Gantry, Dodsworth is something different, much more mellow and much more sympathetic.

The movie, written by Sidney Howard and directed by William Wyler, does a fine job of telling the story of Sam Dodsworth (Walter Huston), a recently retired automobile manufacturer, and his younger wife, Fran (Ruth Chatterton). Sam Dodsworth is smart and decent, very much the idea of an American. He's no one's fool, and his values of fairness and faithfulness guide his decisions. He loves his wife, but understands her, too. Fran longs to escape the constraints of the stifling, mid-west town of Zenith where Sam had built his company. When he sells the company, they decide to go to Europe on the grand tour, something Fran has longed for. "Sam, I want a new life all over," she says, "from the very beginning...a perfectly free, adventurous, glorious life...why, if we weren't tied to this half-baked middle-western town...oh, Sam, darling, I want all the lovely things I have a right to."

They go to Europe, and on the liner meet Edith Cortwright (Mary Astor), a sympathetic divorcee, and Clyde Lockert (David Niven), the first of several men Fran becomes attracted to. Fran is swept up in the clever, cultured ways of the European men she meets. Increasingly, we see how spoiled, superficial and petulant she is becoming. "You've got to let me have my fling now," she cries to Sam, "because you're simply rushing at old age, and I'm not ready for that." Eventually she maneuvers things so that Sam returns home while she stays in Vienna. What's wrong with her, a friend asks Sam. "She's scared of growing old."

By the end of the movie Sam Dodsworth has learned a good deal about himself and the limits a person can reach. We expect him and Edith Cortwright to achieve a happiness that neither probably thought to have. And for Fran, she will most likely remain a deeply unhappy woman.

This is an excellent, mature drama that contrasts, within the unravelling of a marriage, the Thirties' view of the cultural, controlling sophistication of Europe with the direct vigor of America. Walter Huston does a magnificent job as Sam Dodsworth...strong, decent and, at first, out of his depth. He creates such a sympathetic characterization of Dodsworth that the final moments of the movie bring a real sense of joy and satisfaction.

The DVD picture is in fair shape considering the age of the movie. The only significant extra deals with cast biographies.

Dodsworth.......2005-09-06

An adult, perceptive romantic drama, beautifully played. Director William Wyler and screenwriter Sydney Howard minimize the soapiness inherent in the premise, leaving an honest and surprisingly moving film about love lost and re-discovered. Huston is superb.

Average customer rating:

Mary Astor shines in a Stunning Simple Story
one of the finest adaptations of a novel into a movie
The happiness is a wild flower!
An Excellent, Mature Film; Walter Huston Is Exceptional
Dodsworth

Dodsworth
Starring: Mary Astor , John Barclay , Harlan Briggs , Spring Byington , and Horace B. Carpenter
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Heiress (Universal Cinema Classics)
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Arrowsmith

ASIN: 6305082359
Release Date: 1998-09-29

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Mary Astor shines in a Stunning Simple Story.......2006-08-20

one of the finest adaptations of a novel into a movie.......2006-06-04

The happiness is a wild flower!.......2005-10-21

An Excellent, Mature Film; Walter Huston Is Exceptional.......2005-09-07

Dodsworth.......2005-09-06

Average customer rating:

The Snows of Kilimanjaro
Starring: Richard Arlen , Salvador Baguez , Charley Bates , Leonard Carey , and Leo G. Carroll
Manufacturer: Direct Source Label
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000KGH02U
Release Date: 2006-12-26

Average customer rating:

A Classic
What might have been
I love the video!
THIS is the official Fox "Snows of Kilimanjaro" DVD to get!
A big popular star film of its time...

The Snows of Kilimanjaro
Starring: Gregory Peck , Susan Hayward , Ava Gardner , Hildegard Knef , and Leo G. Carroll
Director: Henry King
Manufacturer: D3k
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Mogambo
For Whom the Bell Tolls
The Barefoot Contessa
The Sun Also Rises
The Old Man and the Sea

ASIN: B00003ETIM
Release Date: 1999-12-07

Amazon.com essential video

Several pieces of Hemingway fiction fold together for this pastiche movie, in which a writer (Gregory Peck) lies on the slope of Africa's famous mountain and thinks back on his life while awaiting medical attention. "Africa" in this case is a back-screen projection; fortunately, the majority of the film is told through flashbacks set in France, Spain, and other parts of the Dark Continent. Peck's relationships with various women (played by Susan Hayward, Ava Gardner, and Hildegard Knef) are at the center of his recollections, but the overall thesis is a very Hemingway-esque summary of the responsibility of a writer to get at the truth. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

A Classic.......2007-05-07

A fan of Gregory Peck, will enjoy this movie. Unfortunately the quality of my DVD,made watching this movie to fuzzy to enjoy. Thereby I recommend asking about clarity before purchasing.

What might have been.......2007-04-11

This film can only be characterized as a huge disappointment. A great cast, a screenplay based on the works (and life) of a great author, a dangerous, romantic setting, and this film simply doesn't go anywhere at the end. This film opens with the main character Harry Street (played by Gregory Peck) lying in bed at a safari camp in Africa, wounded, perhaps mortally, and being attended by his lover, Helen (played by Susan Hayward). We are then taken back to Peck's earlier life as a young, talented writer (much like Hemingway himself) through a series of flashbacks. We see the ups and downs of his life, his loves, and his mistakes. We are occasionally taken back to Africa where Street reflects on his life, the women that he loved, and the relationship with his current love. This is a tale of adventure, of life, of love, and of reflection, it could have been an all time great film, but unfortunately falls well short. There is a lot to like in this film. The acting is, for the most part, top notch. Great performances by Susan Wayward and Ava Gardner in my view. The complex relationship between Peck and Gardner is particularly well done. You'll really feel the emotions of their love affair, as well as their ultimate lack of any real connection. I also thought that the overall portrayal of Street's life and his successes and failures, both professional and romantic, was well done. There are some things I really dislike about this film though. The cinematography in Africa is horrid. One thing that the audience can usually count on in films set in Africa (particularly with a safari-related theme - compare with other Africa films shot in the same era such as Mogambo or King Solomon's Mines) is spectacular cinemtography of the wildlife, the landscape, etc. These scenes are so dark and poorly shot that you'll be left wondering why you bothered. Second, the writer/producer/director went over the top with the melodrama at times, and it really weakens the overall effect of the film. I found the ambulance scene in Spain in which Harry Street comes across his long lost love in the middle of a battle to be almost laughably overblown. Finally, the ending is unimaginative and anti-climactic. Did Street truly find the women he loves because she spent one night taking care of him on what may be his deathbead? A pretty good film that is best remembered for what it might have been.

I love the video!.......2007-03-19

At last I'm happy to watch the movie, one of my favourite Gregory Peck's movies, in excellent quality! Video&sound of new release (from March 6, 2007) are marvelous! I had been watching this as though it was a completely fresh movie. I began to love this even more.

THIS is the official Fox "Snows of Kilimanjaro" DVD to get! .......2007-03-13

For the first time in home video history, Twentieth Century-Fox Home Entertainment has released "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" in a NON-public domain edition. Since the advent of the VCR, "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" has been resigned to crappy, public domain videos from just about every cheapy distributor around. FINALLY Twentieth Century-Fox, the original studio behind this classic, has taken it from the public domain and given it a proper home video release on DVD. If you love this fan, you can use all previous DVDs of this film for coasters for your drink as you enjoy this marvel. Completely remastered and restored, "Snows" is nothing less than a technical wonder. For years I thought the only way to watch this film was on washed out, dark and scratchy prints. No more! Twentieth Century-Fox gives us a glowing transfer, superb soundtrack and loads of extras. Included as part of the "Ernest Hemmingway Film Collection", this DVD is also sold separately, which is basis for this review. Do not hesitiate to buy this version, which currently retails for under 20 bucks. It is worth every penny! Good-bye poor quality PD DVDs, hello "Snows of Kilimanjaro" the way it was meant to be seen!

A big popular star film of its time..........2007-01-14

Gregory Peck plays Harry Street, a famous American writer, who lies dangerously ill in a hunting camp at the foot of the highest peak in Africa, Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro... His lovely companion Susan Hayward, who had arranged this hunting trip in the hopes of winning his love, takes care of him faithfully and prays for his recover... Peck, surrounded by vultures in the trees, is semi delirious and fears that he's going to die from an infected wound...

His feverish mind goes back to his youth... He recalls his uncle Bill (Leo G. Carrell), who guided his life in those early years, Connie (Helene Stanley), the first girl he was interested in, and his travels around the world in search for something he never seemed to discover...

We see him entering a charming bistro in Montparnasse, Paris, where he first meets the beautiful (Cynthia) Ava Gardner... Inspired by her love, he writes his first novel, making her the central character without conscious planning...

'Snows of Kilimanjaro' is Hayward's third movie with director Henry King, and her second with Peck after "David and Bathsheba." Hayward and Peck's scenes at the foot of Kilimanjaro are constantly interrupted by flashbacks and this, plus the fact that most of their sequences in France were left on the cutting room floor, made Hayward's part sort of 'evaporate' from everybody's mind... However, she does have strong dramatic scenes at the end of the movie... Ava Gardner appeared as the ideal Hemingway heroine...

The film celebrated the mastery of Benny Carter--one of the most important and influential musician in the history of jazz, and got two Oscar nominations for Art Direction/Set Decoration and Cinematography...

Average customer rating:

The Snows of Kilimanjaro
Starring: Richard Arlen , Salvador Baguez , Charley Bates , Leonard Carey , and Leo G. Carroll
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000ADWD5M
Release Date: 2005-07-18

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